Why is there so much hatred between Apostolics?

[The Lemon]

Well.......I was talking to a minister friend of mine last week concerning one specific area that is listed in this post - that being "Territorial". First, let me say that in all liklihood, not ALL apostolic church's/leaders are territorial. We need to be careful not to broad brush all apostolics, especially when none of us on here knows every apostolic out there.

That said, I have seen and am aware that there are some leaders and pastors who are very territorial, which is really a symptom of insecurity. Our church's should pull together and help one another win cities to the Lord - pulling talent, calling and ideas to create synergy - sadly, in some cases this does not happen because a pastor feels "threatened". It is truely an elementary attitude.

There is, in some cases, too much emphasis on sheep stealing, etc. I feel, as I have said before many times on this forum, that the root cause of the division is that church has become too much of a business and less a spiritual body of believers. I still don't understand why Paul could hold a trade and plant church's and mentor other ministers, and yet today there is such an emphasis on "Full Time" ministry.

I have been around awhile and heard all the arguments about the necessity of full time ministry - even still, it seems to me, at least in the circle I have been around, that folks have not idea about the principle of "Less is More". Too much burn out going on these days - I wonder who we are serving sometimes....God or our own ambitions??

Sorry for the rant.......I just feel that we should work more toward unity then exclusivity.

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by The Lemon

Well.......I was talking to a minister friend of mine last week concerning one specific area that is listed in this post - that being "Territorial". First, let me say that in all liklihood, not ALL apostolic church's/leaders are territorial. We need to be careful not to broad brush all apostolics, especially when none of us on here knows every apostolic out there.

That said, I have seen and am aware that there are some leaders and pastors who are very territorial, which is really a symptom of insecurity. Our church's should pull together and help one another win cities to the Lord - pulling talent, calling and ideas to create synergy - sadly, in some cases this does not happen because a pastor feels "threatened". It is truely an elementary attitude.

There is, in some cases, too much emphasis on sheep stealing, etc. I feel, as I have said before many times on this forum, that the root cause of the division is that church has become too much of a business and less a spiritual body of believers. I still don't understand why Paul could hold a trade and plant church's and mentor other ministers, and yet today there is such an emphasis on "Full Time" ministry.

I have been around awhile and heard all the arguments about the necessity of full time ministry - even still, it seems to me, at least in the circle I have been around, that folks have not idea about the principle of "Less is More". Too much burn out going on these days - I wonder who we are serving sometimes....God or our own ambitions??

Sorry for the rant.......I just feel that we should work more toward unity then exclusivity.

Great Post!

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by The Lemon

Well.......I was talking to a minister friend of mine last week concerning one specific area that is listed in this post - that being "Territorial". First, let me say that in all liklihood, not ALL apostolic church's/leaders are territorial. We need to be careful not to broad brush all apostolics, especially when none of us on here knows every apostolic out there.

That said, I have seen and am aware that there are some leaders and pastors who are very territorial, which is really a symptom of insecurity. Our church's should pull together and help one another win cities to the Lord - pulling talent, calling and ideas to create synergy - sadly, in some cases this does not happen because a pastor feels "threatened". It is truely an elementary attitude.

There is, in some cases, too much emphasis on sheep stealing, etc. I feel, as I have said before many times on this forum, that the root cause of the division is that church has become too much of a business and less a spiritual body of believers. I still don't understand why Paul could hold a trade and plant church's and mentor other ministers, and yet today there is such an emphasis on "Full Time" ministry.

I have been around awhile and heard all the arguments about the necessity of full time ministry - even still, it seems to me, at least in the circle I have been around, that folks have not idea about the principle of "Less is More". Too much burn out going on these days - I wonder who we are serving sometimes....God or our own ambitions??
Sorry for the rant.......I just feel that we should work more toward unity then exclusivity.

Great post...

Who are we serving? own ambitions, approval of others, traditions of church and men, loyalty to heritage and family... people serve many things besides God.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Falla39

1John 4:7-21 NIV:

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.

20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Originally Posted by mfblume

I honestly saw more animosity between apostolics, not all though, than any group I have witnessed before. And I think it is the legalistic strain through many people involved in it. Legalism, as Paul explained, leads to works of the flesh. And hatred is a big work of the flesh. It just goes with legalistic territory. Again, not all apostolics are legalists. But you will find animosity amongst those that are everytime.

Concentrating upon the outward so much is concentration on flesh. And fleshly-mindedness simply goes hand in hand with animosity and works of the flesh. Gal 5 implies that when Paul stated those who get steeped in legalism better watch out that they do not bite and devour one another.

Originally Posted by The Lemon

Well.......I was talking to a minister friend of mine last week concerning one specific area that is listed in this post - that being "Territorial". First, let me say that in all liklihood, not ALL apostolic church's/leaders are territorial. We need to be careful not to broad brush all apostolics, especially when none of us on here knows every apostolic out there.

That said, I have seen and am aware that there are some leaders and pastors who are very territorial, which is really a symptom of insecurity. Our church's should pull together and help one another win cities to the Lord - pulling talent, calling and ideas to create synergy - sadly, in some cases this does not happen because a pastor feels "threatened". It is truely an elementary attitude.

There is, in some cases, too much emphasis on sheep stealing, etc. I feel, as I have said before many times on this forum, that the root cause of the division is that church has become too much of a business and less a spiritual body of believers. I still don't understand why Paul could hold a trade and plant church's and mentor other ministers, and yet today there is such an emphasis on "Full Time" ministry.

I have been around awhile and heard all the arguments about the necessity of full time ministry - even still, it seems to me, at least in the circle I have been around, that folks have not idea about the principle of "Less is More". Too much burn out going on these days - I wonder who we are serving sometimes....God or our own ambitions??

Sorry for the rant.......I just feel that we should work more toward unity then exclusivity.

Sis Falla has spoken about how things SHOULD be, but Bro Blume & Lemon have stated things as they are in REALITY.

The churches around here are often times having trouble, saints traveling church to church, and bad feelings all over the place. If a Pastor would look at the church saints as belonging to God's church then they would not take it personally when people choose to leave and would pray for them, be kind to them, and tell them they have an open door to return if things don't work for them elsewhere.

When Pastors are self-serving - building their own kingdom, it will surely fall! I have seen it many times that a pastor is too proud to make a phone call of reconcilliation or admit he may have made a hasty decision, or ask to agree to disagree but worship together in peace.

I do believe the scripture to bear out that Pastor's have a responsibility to give account and they have a lot of explaining to do about how they treat God's people.

Blessings, Rhoni