Why would a Pastor do this to me ?

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by pelathais

Is that always the answer? Maybe that explains why we have these large "mobile congregations" in places where Pentecost has been established for a century. Are all the pastors "morons?"

How about some sort of mechanism whereby the saints who have invested their lives and finances, sometimes over the course of generations, can "get a new pastor" without having to throw their lives away?

In other words, why can't the "moron" be put out to pasture? Why is it that the saints are always the ones given walking papers?

My thoughts exactly.

To some degree at least the membership is also responsible for taking a stand. If an unhealthy situation exists God very well may have placed me between it and other weaker members...

[TJJJ]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

Very good points.




Preachers have a little more freedom to discuss their problem saints than saints have to discuss their problem preachers, honestly. A preacher can talk to a preacher friend about a nutty saint, and they can commiserate with each other. But if your pastor is acting nutty your options are fairly limited, especially if you want to keep a good, respectful attitude.

I think hurts need to be addressed, not swept under the rug and ignored.

Having said that, I think most preachers are good, honest, God-loving, people-loving people.

C'mon, the saints just come to AFA!

[ILG]

Originally Posted by rrford

How many people, hurter or hurtee, do you know that ever tell the entire story when looking for consolation?

Probably none. However, I do know that for some people, the only people that they CAN talk to are people on the internet.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Ferd

As a person who has been hurt a time or two in life, I have found that when I spend too much time on my hurt, it leads to bitterness and that only destroys me.

Telling a person to get over it, is the most compassionate thing a person can do.

Way too many times you find a person who is worrying over their hurt like a dog with a bone. They aren’t helping themselves, they aren’t helping others, they aren’t preventing themselves or others from repeating the behavior that got them in a mess in the first place.

We all know that hurt people tend to repeat behavior that leads to the same kind of hurt.

They aren’t sadomasochists (sp) they don’t like living in misery. They hate it. But that is the trap of misery! It prevents you from finding your way clear! THIS is the reality of bitterness. It blinds a person from seeing themselves and others as they truly are. It is a self inflected trap that the trapped hates as much as those watching.

In my humble opinion that is why the bible spends so much time on forgiveness. if you don’t forgive those that have wronged you, you will never be whole. The bible doesn’t spend near as much time telling us to ask forgiveness when we have wronged, as it does telling us to forgive those that have wronged us!

Hmm....well, I'm glad you want to be compassionate anyway. In my way of thinking, the most compassionate thing you can do is to listen BUT, you don't take it on as your own either. If a person is bitter, they don't need a line-up of people telling them so, they need the tools to help them get over the bitterness. In my way of thinking, the first tool is a compassionate ear.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by commonfaith

Do like Paul Harvey, give us the rest of the story.

With respect, that's a silly statement unless you know Sinatra personally?

I was often challenged about statements that I made by people who doubted the veracity of the bewildering experiences that I have had in Apostolic circles.

They usually shut up after I sent them newspaper articles and maps identifying exactly where the bodies of the dead were found. You want the hair to stand up on the back of your neck - push my buttons, not Sinatra's.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by pelathais

In a situation where silence is the norm, it's often difficult to tell if we were left with a mortal head wound or a concussion. That's why I personally oppose the policy of "SILENCE" that is endemic in Pentecostal / Apostolic churches. We need to be able to speak up and share our concerns - even if the answer is, "It was a glancing blow..." that information is much better than the unknown.

Right!

[ILG]

Originally Posted by rrford

Ain't that the truth? It's also a great place to spread the message "My pastor is a moron!"

Why should you care? Maybe their pastor IS a moron???

[BrotherEastman]

My pastor is a futurist.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by pelathais

With respect, that's a silly statement unless you know Sinatra personally?

I was often challenged about statements that I made by people who doubted the veracity of the bewildering experiences that I have had in Apostolic circles.

They usually shut up after I sent them newspaper articles and maps identifying exactly where the bodies of the dead were found. You want the hair to stand up on the back of your neck - push my buttons, not Sinatra's.

How did you "get over it", Pel?

How were you able to forgive those who wronged you and others?

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

My pastor is a futurist.

Uh... "moron" or "not a moron?"