Welcome Fellow Christians - Steve Pixler 8/17/14

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Sister did you notice anything about the post?

? Well? What did I miss?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I responded to the content that I noticed, and I also noticed that it was enlarged font. Was there something else you wanted me to notice that I missed?

I didn't post any commentary with the scripture. I posted it to see who would reply and post their own interpretation. No mention of Steve Pixler, but if anyone wanted to inject Brother Pixler into the verse it would depend on your view of the situation. He can be either Paul or Alexander. It is all about a person's perception of the situation.

[Jason B]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Do you really think SP hasn't had Elders speak to him? Do you folks think we are heartless unfeeling to kill our own without trying to reach him? Not over this last issue but I have personally contacted him over 3 previous issues. He is a brilliant man and he has the right to reject any counsel he deems as not in his interest. I yet pray for a last minute reversal but not with a lot of faith I confess. I love his parents.

Do we believe you guys are heartless? No and Yes.

I start with the negative-NO. I think you guys love God as you understand Him. I don't think you hate SP, "compromisers" such as myself, or even trinitarians in the most radical way. But in your love for God you also have a God who is just like you. A God who will judge people harshly over sleeve length, lipstick, and trimmed hair. A God who will send people to hell forever over wearing a necklace or having a TV. And so in your misguided zeal YOU think you have the right to do the same. Its not hate in the strongest sense, but you believe that even a trite thing like not shaving for a week and having a beard could send one to hell (or many other minutia).

On the other hand I'd say yes you guys hate because you guys turn on your own. As soon as someone backs off one of the sacred cows you guys want destruction and blood. I just related how an OP pastor with theology and standards much like you prophesied God would kill me. You said you want everyone to leave his church. This is not loving your neighbor. And if its not loving your neighbor then it must be hating him, although not to the fullest extent.

The fact is you guys absolutely turn on your own and typically without mercy. The unforgivable sin is compromising the standards. There are many churches that teach the same thing you do for SALVATION (repentance, water baptism in Jesus name, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues), including Steve Pixler, but saving people takes a back seat to man made tradition. Instead of unifying to spread the gospel as you guys understand it, instead of emphasizing that y'all teach the same plan of salvation, you guys want to literally destroy a mans life and ministry over a dress code. That's sickening. Its diabolic. It's the height if neo phariseeism. And its sad because now on a public forum you guys are exposed for the legalists you are.

You love only those who love you. One may as well join a political party which will love them as long as they belong, but turn on them should they ever go to the other side of the aisle. There's not real love there. Its the love of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, 7th Day Adventists and other pseudo-christian groups. Its a love only when you are part of the team. Its not the love of Christ. I've been on the receiving end of you guys' insults. I'll never forget how you, R. Kent Smith, Ron Wofford, Sam Emory, JR Ensey and others degrated me. Am I mad? Nope not at all. Just makes me say wow I was once like that too and didn't even realize it. Maybe you guys don't realize how you come across to others. To people who thought you were their friends, brothers, or elders. You should lead the church with gentleness not with an iron fist.

You UCs always hem up in a convention and talk about Apostolic Revival, but guess what, it will never happen. You guys will never have the revival you want because you make the road so narrow that one must walk on a tightrope as thick as dental floss to enter in. Yall stick to standards not found in the Bible ( or at best in very poor biblical interpretation) and make yourselves irrelevant to the world. They hardly know anything about y'all except that you're strange. They don't desire your gospel. Sure your women are recognized, so are Muslim women who wear the head scarf, they are more modest. Being recognized in public, long a badge of honor for UCs, means nothing.
Beyond that the biggest reason y'all will never have a UC "apostolic revival" is that y'all don't have love one for another. The whole movement is ravaged by a party spirit, pride over position and authority, religious arrogance, and division. Has there even been a group in the history if the Christian church that splintered and split more in a 100 year period than pentecostals (especially OPs) from 1913-2013? Y'all aren't reaching the world y'all are dividing yourselves into irrelevance and extinction.


All because hard line uncompromising leadership. Lord's over God's heritage and destroying the very movement and legacy y'all want to build. You guys are killing the OP movement and have been for years. Only in the last 15 years the cows are coming home.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Do you really think SP hasn't had Elders speak to him? Do you folks think we are heartless unfeeling to kill our own without trying to reach him? Not over this last issue but I have personally contacted him over 3 previous issues. He is a brilliant man and he has the right to reject any counsel he deems as not in his interest. I yet pray for a last minute reversal but not with a lot of faith I confess. I love his parents.

I just backspaced over a really long-winded post... You're all welcome.

There are obviously complexities in these sorts of situations, and nothing is truly easy to figure out or cut-and-dried. I still try, because I'm idealistic and I like to think that we could all end up being one big, unified church somehow.

Judging by what I have heard and read in the past, SP is smart enough to know that his sermons are public, and he's smart enough to know that they are going to cause controversy. I suspect that he wants to be a conversation and discussion starter, to some extent. That said, I doubt he is truly prepared for the backlash, loss of friends, vitriol, and disrespect he has received and will continue to receive as a result of changing his views/doctrines, assuming that is what he has done.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, there are going to be hurt people if he leaves conservatism--on both sides of the aisle. I wish that the hurt could be avoided, and that disagreements could be posed respectfully and that shredding a man's character or motives could be avoided even when it is deemed necessary to squash his ideas.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

I didn't post any commentary with the scripture. I posted it to see who would reply and post their own interpretation. No mention of Steve Pixler, but if anyone wanted to inject Brother Pixler into the verse it would depend on your view of the situation. He can be either Paul or Alexander. It is all about a person's perception of the situation.

My perception, based on your comments on this thread and in the past, is that you would put Bro. Pixler in the position of Alexander. I responded accordingly.

[MissBrattified]

EB...could you please type faster? I am SLEEPY!

[MissBrattified]

[MissBrattified]

Agh. I guess I will be forced to read your post tomorrow. Or next Tuesday. Or possibly next March. Sigh.

[good samaritan]

There is a spectrum of UCs and most I know aren't threatening people that they are going to die. I feel like if someone came into the church God has placed me at and started openly challenging my teachings before the congregation it would take a lot for me to not want to say a few things.(I'm not saying this was your circumstances) You are right about revival when you say that uc's will struggle with having it. "straight is the gate and narrow is the way" is how I have always viewed things.

Surely other uc's aren't handing out holiness standard brochures to all their guests. I personally don't teach a lot of specifics before the whole church anyway. It is more a discipleship class or Wed. Bible study and it is never a must for people to be welcome. Of course it is for those who want a positional ministry role in the church. I don't judge people to hell, but I think when it comes to it if people love God they aren't going to fit in this world we live. We must do it all with a spirit of love.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I just backspaced over a really long-winded post... You're all welcome.

Bless you sis... !! Sometimes it feels good to just let it all out in a safe place where there is a backspace bar!!!

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

There are obviously complexities in these sorts of situations, and nothing is truly easy to figure out or cut-and-dried. I still try, because I'm idealistic and I like to think that we could all end up being one big, unified church somehow.

You're not idealistic, or if you are, the Apostle Paul was too:

1 Cor. 1:10 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.