Why am I labeled backslid and unusable by God

[TheLegalist]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Oh good grief. what a silly post!

I am supposed to believe that you have been in leadership in a conservative UPCI church for years now and you are “shocked” that those folks are worried about you since it seems you are “going charismatic”?

Get real dude, you know full well what the attitudes are in conservative circles about those who are more liberal than they are. And if you have been any kind of leader at all, you know the people of your church as well as you know anyone on the planet.

So you are “shocked” because it helps your conscience or you aren’t shocked at all and this is just another chance to “bash the UltraCons”. Or maybe you aren’t in leadership at all. I don’t know which it is but there is a lack of honesty happening here and I suspect you are the one you aren’t being honest with.

Don’t blame these people for you turning your back on them! Yea, I said it! YOU are the one walking away, they haven’t gone anywhere. YOU are rejecting what THEY ARE. It isn’t the other way around. Ostensibly (according to you) you have been teaching these people for years how to act and look. Now you are walking away from your own teaching.

This is about YOU bro. It is not now, nor has it ever been about the people you have been going to church with that aren’t changing.

So here is a bit of advice…. MAN UP. Accept that this is your deal not theirs. Be kind to them and stop acting all shocked that they are shocked and even appalled at your actions. If you are going to make the change, then get with it. Get it done and deal with the fall out and take ownership of your own actions.

And before anyone starts thinking I am a conservative, think again, I have never been a conservative. I never will be. But I have never once in all my life tried to put what I am on other people.

Bravo...

I am conservative(relative term) and your points are exactly on target.

[192281]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Oh good grief. what a silly post!

I am supposed to believe that you have been in leadership in a conservative UPCI church for years now and you are “shocked” that those folks are worried about you since it seems you are “going charismatic”?

Get real dude, you know full well what the attitudes are in conservative circles about those who are more liberal than they are. And if you have been any kind of leader at all, you know the people of your church as well as you know anyone on the planet.

So you are “shocked” because it helps your conscience or you aren’t shocked at all and this is just another chance to “bash the UltraCons”. Or maybe you aren’t in leadership at all. I don’t know which it is but there is a lack of honesty happening here and I suspect you are the one you aren’t being honest with.

Don’t blame these people for you turning your back on them! Yea, I said it! YOU are the one walking away, they haven’t gone anywhere. YOU are rejecting what THEY ARE. It isn’t the other way around. Ostensibly (according to you) you have been teaching these people for years how to act and look. Now you are walking away from your own teaching.

This is about YOU bro. It is not now, nor has it ever been about the people you have been going to church with that aren’t changing.

So here is a bit of advice…. MAN UP. Accept that this is your deal not theirs. Be kind to them and stop acting all shocked that they are shocked and even appalled at your actions. If you are going to make the change, then get with it. Get it done and deal with the fall out and take ownership of your own actions.

And before anyone starts thinking I am a conservative, think again, I have never been a conservative. I never will be. But I have never once in all my life tried to put what I am on other people.

Well fist off nothing in this post is a lie. Im not shocked that they have questions but I am SHOCKED that true Christians would ever label someone so fast because they VISITED another church. Im also shocked because these people are my family and I feel if a true concern comes from them then they should come to me and discuss it and not talk to everyone else about it.

Secondly I have not once BASHED anyone. I respect my leadership and I love the foundation that the UPC has given me and I do love my church and the people in it. I just wish their minds were a bit more open to realize not EVERYONE will do as they do but that don’t mean they are hell bound.

Also I am not turning my back on anyone or my church, Im simply doing what I feel is best for my family. Im not saying they are wrong or that I want nothing to do with them. I just want to see what else is out there!!

Man you got on your high horse quick!!! ULTRA CON or LIBERAL as they come I still expect Christians to be on this Forum considering its called APOSTOLIC FRIENDS FORUM.

[192281]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

If someone is taking the time to pray for your salvation, it must be because they have strong feelings about the situation. Technically speaking, if they feel you are lost for some reason, or at least going in that direction, I would be disappointed if they didn't pray about it.

I wouldn't worry about it--just realize that it isn't going to hurt you to have someone praying for you, whatever the reason.

The best thing you can do is remain friendly and open. Shutting people out, or showing your frustration will confirm their worst fears. If these are people you've known for years, then I would assume their concern is heartfelt, and try to appreciate it on principle.

thanks for the post, guess your right prayers are prayers no matter the reason why they come.

[POWERUP]

Good Grief Ferd!!!!

[allstate1]

Originally Posted by 192281

Well fist off nothing in this post is a lie. Im not shocked that they have questions but I am SHOCKED that true Christians would ever label someone so fast because they VISITED another church. Im also shocked because these people are my family and I feel if a true concern comes from them then they should come to me and discuss it and not talk to everyone else about it.

Secondly I have not once BASHED anyone. I respect my leadership and I love the foundation that the UPC has given me and I do love my church and the people in it. I just their wish minds were a bit more open to realize not EVERYONE will do as they do but that don’t mean they are hell bound.

Also I am not turning my back on anyone or my church, Im simply doing what I feel is best for my family. Im not saying they are wrong or that I want nothing to do with them. I just want to see what else is out there!!

Man you got on your high horse quick!!! ULTRA CON or LIBERAL as they come I still expect Christians to be on this Forum considering its called APOSTOLIC FRIENDS FORUM.

I agree!!! Ferd's horse is high!! HIS post reeked of sarcasm and IMO was downright rude!! I would not wanna be his friend muchless go to church with him!!

[POWERUP]

2 Peas in a pod!!!!!!!!!!LOL....

[mfblume]

I think we should always be shocked when the travesty described in the first post occurs. God forbid we become desensitized to these things.

[MissBrattified]

Ferd, my husband and I were in a church for 4.5 years (in leadership, but not teaching positions), and when we left we were negatively labelled by some, to put it mildly. I remember my husband going with me to a local campmeeting (after we had left) with a little grizzle on his face, and a preacher asked my friend if he was backslid. LOL!!!!! He had come from work, and didn't even really think that much about it. We just happened to run into someone who knew us when we went to "that" church. Our luck!!!!

The best thing to do is take it with a grain of salt, and have a good sense of humor. Many of the people we went to church with there are still our friends, and some who weren't have gradually come around.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Oh good grief. what a silly post!

I am supposed to believe that you have been in leadership in a conservative UPCI church for years now and you are “shocked” that those folks are worried about you since it seems you are “going charismatic”?

Get real dude, you know full well what the attitudes are in conservative circles about those who are more liberal than they are. And if you have been any kind of leader at all, you know the people of your church as well as you know anyone on the planet.

So you are “shocked” because it helps your conscience or you aren’t shocked at all and this is just another chance to “bash the UltraCons”. Or maybe you aren’t in leadership at all. I don’t know which it is but there is a lack of honesty happening here and I suspect you are the one you aren’t being honest with.

Don’t blame these people for you turning your back on them! Yea, I said it! YOU are the one walking away, they haven’t gone anywhere. YOU are rejecting what THEY ARE. It isn’t the other way around. Ostensibly (according to you) you have been teaching these people for years how to act and look. Now you are walking away from your own teaching.

This is about YOU bro. It is not now, nor has it ever been about the people you have been going to church with that aren’t changing.

So here is a bit of advice…. MAN UP. Accept that this is your deal not theirs. Be kind to them and stop acting all shocked that they are shocked and even appalled at your actions. If you are going to make the change, then get with it. Get it done and deal with the fall out and take ownership of your own actions.

And before anyone starts thinking I am a conservative, think again, I have never been a conservative. I never will be. But I have never once in all my life tried to put what I am on other people.

What's SHOCKING is your tone and response to a brother you don't know. Your speculation and rush to judgement is as poisonous as the community this man leaves behind.

He left THEM? Turning his back on THEM? I thought we were supposed to be honest between ourselves and God. But for you, personal loyality is more important than what is true. And as far as him teaching... just like many, he MAY have grown up in this, been brainwashed in this and now he realizes it's not all it's cracked up to be. There's an idea!

Here's a man that has years invested somewhere and he's -- yes SHOCKED -- that they are writing him off as Hell's baby because he's not living exactly as they are anymore. It's RIDICULOUS! It's BEYOND REBUKE. It's SICKENING and CULTIC. There, I said it.

In the end, yes, he shouldn't worry much about it. But that's so easy for us to toss out there when we aren't going through it. It's absolutely ridiculous that a family ever has to go through this at all and only points to a larger problem of a fear-charged, acidic, polluted, legalistic and unChristian culture of many of our churches.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by TheLegalist

Bravo...

I am conservative(relative term) and your points are exactly on target.

Oh, Surprise, Surprise.