Quote:
Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop
Elder Epley - As you know - I have a goatee, wear gold and shorts sometimes, my wife has her hair trimmed at times and wears pants at times, she wears make up and jewelry.
I have sense enough to know - I am not going to come to your church and be accepted as a member. Most likely if I ever even visited - I would not wear a ring and would shave before I got there.
You have EVERY RIGHT as a Pastor and Shepard of that flock to watch over them and if you feel something to be a hindrance in their lives - to deal with that and if they are in opposition to it - show them, love them and if they do not submit - to put them out of the church.
You are the Bishop of your house and if they don't want to abide by the house rules - then they need to go somewhere else.
We would be considered by most on this forum to be "Charismatic" or liberal. But I can promise you one thing - we have house rules at Church Alive - just like any house that people live in. I am the Bishop & Father of the house and I lay down the house rules. There are folks that come in that don't like it - they can leave the same way they came in - I am not gonna change for anybody else! I am there to Father and Shepard a congregation and to bring them into maturity. It may not be as up to speed as yours - but it is not YOUR house - its the House God gave me RULE over!
Elder - You do what you have to do and require what you have to require. I would not expect you to serve me communion and if you did - I would be disappointed in you! I do love you and admire you and love to laugh with you. We simply do not agree doctrinally - I love you anyway. I don't think your going to hell for your stand on somethings or your lack of stand on others - It is NOT a heaven or hell issue. A Pastor has every right to require standards and boundaries for his people.
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Whats up with the "Father" stuff?
Do you practice closed communion?