I feel like this is a double standard. What say ye

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps

Ah, actually, I have to take issue with the first statement.......the Bible teaches that we are to avoid the very appearance of evil, and not to let our good be evil spoken of.....it would behove Christians to worry a bit about their "image"....

Awesome! Yes!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Carnality will cause people to worry about their 'image' in the community.

Spirit-filled people should never fear any spirit that confronts them to the point that they run. God gave us the Spirit and the power to cast out unclean spirits.

Who knows, a powerful service in that building just might leave some spirit-filled pentecostal influence?

I was rethinking what you posted here as I had an experience with a women, in church, who was getting herself into trouble and already had a bad reputation. I hesitated to help her, in the beginning, because I was afraid she would be a blight on my reputation. Just a true confession. During choir practice, I saw her really struggling and I threw that all aside, feeling so much compassion for her. I did stand with her through that hard time and she is doing fine today.

So, I do agree that sometimes we can be carnal worrying about our image. Except in her case, she knew she was wrong and wasn't taking a stand against what was right.

That's a bit different than the church that supports the "gay" agenda. I think we can tarnish our image in the community in that instance.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I was rethinking what you posted here as I had an experience with a women, in church, who was getting herself into trouble and already had a bad reputation. I hesitated to help her, in the beginning, because I was afraid she would be a blight on my reputation. Just a true confession. During choir practice, I saw her really struggling and I threw that all aside, feeling so much compassion for her. I did stand with her through that hard time and she is doing fine today.

So, I do agree that sometimes we can be carnal worrying about our image. Except in her case, she knew she was wrong and wasn't taking a stand against what was right.

That's a bit different than the church that supports the "gay" agenda. I think we can tarnish our image in the community in that instance.

I love the freedom we have in Christ. Some of these gay people say that they have been gay since childhood, so they do not know what they are doing is wrong in the eyes of God. A good Holy Spirit filled Apostolic presence may just cause her to rethink her lifestyle. What a witness that would be for a gay pastor to turn to Christ and lose her past!

I once read an article a former witch wrote. He said that he grew up this way. He was taught in the ways of the Wiccan and thought that society was this way.
Another former witch, David Meyers, found his way to an apostolic church and was baptized in the Name of Jesus. He eventually became a Minister and although the church he pastored rarely topped 80 people in attendance, he had an online following of millions of people through his website: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/docs/aboutdjm.html

Pastor Meyer had a powerful Holy Ghost filled ministry. He wrote, warning us of the dangers of witchcraft because he grew up in it. If you find the time, please read the link at the bottom of the page that I posted above. It is very insightful. There are many, many monthly newsletters and sermons on his website that he wrote before he passed away.

Pastor Meyer died in 2010, but he left a wealth of inspiration to those of us struggling to learn more about Christ.
http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

I said all of that to say this. Image means nothing when it comes to souls that could be reached only in ways that Jesus knows how to reach them. Sometimes we don't have to know whether they know they were wrong or not. God knows the heart of each and every person. This gay pastor may have a spark of awakening in her heart, which may be why God brought her to this other church, which shares the building with Apostolic light.

I think that it could have been possible for the body of Christ to give it some time and to be a witness to the people and the gay pastor. What an awesome witness to the entire community if the gay pastor forsake her past life and became a Spirit-filled believer for Christ.


I love your story about the woman. It shows your strength in Christ knowing when to cast aside worry about what other people think when you knew in your heart that God was using you to mentor this lady. Who knows what would have happened to her had she felt shunned and cast aside? God Bless you PO for obeying the Holy Spirit.

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I was rethinking what you posted here as I had an experience with a women, in church, who was getting herself into trouble and already had a bad reputation. I hesitated to help her, in the beginning, because I was afraid she would be a blight on my reputation. Just a true confession. During choir practice, I saw her really struggling and I threw that all aside, feeling so much compassion for her. I did stand with her through that hard time and she is doing fine today.

So, I do agree that sometimes we can be carnal worrying about our image. Except in her case, she knew she was wrong and wasn't taking a stand against what was right.

That's a bit different than the church that supports the "gay" agenda. I think we can tarnish our image in the community in that instance.

I agree that we hve to guard our image. However, I really don't believe at all that renting the facilities from this church is affecting their image in any way at all. I am completely convinced that people see these at two completely and TOTALLY different church bodies - one having nothing to do with the other except they all worship in the same building.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

If the boutique owner had a reputation of being a child abuser or something else that was a drag on society, I wouldn't be a patron at her shop.

We simply can't place the church in that kind of politically correct position. 20 years or so ago, we wouldn't be having this argument. We've come a long way, baby.

Why take a chance? Maybe they are fornicators or drunks...your money could be used to support their lifestyle choices

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I agree that we hve to guard our image. However, I really don't believe at all that renting the facilities from this church is affecting their image in any way at all. I am completely convinced that people see these at two completely and TOTALLY different church bodies - one having nothing to do with the other except they all worship in the same building.

In our community we had a similar circumstance, and I am not going to go into detail. But, it was a huge image issue for the community, which involved the Mayor, City Council and the business owners in town. It was a huge blight and this church is still trying to recover from it. There are some things the community expects from Christians and they want you to deliver.

So, no, I do not agree that it is a completely and totally different church body. It will effect your image in the community, especially, when you tout yourself as more Conservative.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Why take a chance? Maybe they are fornicators or drunks...your money could be used to support their lifestyle choices

Go rent the building, Prax.

[PastorTLArt]

Originally Posted by Ichthus

Why don't any snake handling churches ever step on the snakes as well?
Why don't they step on scorpions too?

After all, Jesus also said:


Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19 KJV)

Aren't they being disobedient to this verse if they take everything literally?

"Treading" (walking around the serpents barefooted) on them is not uncommon at all, Im sure if you look up snake handling vids on youtube you will see it. I know many saints that walk on them.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by PastorTLArt

"Treading" (walking around the serpents barefooted) on them is not uncommon at all, Im sure if you look up snake handling vids on youtube you will see it. I know many saints that walk on them.

Oh my word! Surely you are kidding! The bible says we are not to tempt God...handling snakes and walking on them must surely be tempting Him...I've heard of several people who handled snakes, got bit, and died.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by PastorTLArt

"Treading" (walking around the serpents barefooted) on them is not uncommon at all, Im sure if you look up snake handling vids on youtube you will see it. I know many saints that walk on them.

My youngest daughter would pick up copperheads around the house and bring them to me to kiss. She would say, kiss the snake Mama. I of course carefully took them away from her, and disposed of them. She was not in anyway afraid of snakes. Chickens on the other hand, she was. She did however grow out of her fascination with poisonous snakes, for which I am thankful.