The 'Saved Backslider' Blog

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Amanah

There was a young woman who was raised in church and had lots of friends on Facebook. She backslid and posted pics of herself and friends having drinks and posting other things that were unacceptable.

Prior Pastor had to comment from pulpit "when people make posts depicting their backslid lifestyle, don't like their posts on Facebook please."

We are living in an environment where nothing is private and people don't know how to deal with it. Worldly lifestyles are flaunted without shame.

So to answer the question, to start off with, don't like their posts on Facebook.

We have had similar situations at my home church.

For example, this young lady started frequenting our church a little over a year ago. She had been raised in the Apostolic way, but had backslidden and her home/family had in some ways outcast her. She didn't feel welcome there, so she came to church with us when she felt the conviction to change. (Her mother has been a part of our church for a couple of years, and we all knew this young lady.)

She prayed back through to the Holy Ghost at one of our sister churches, and she was back in the church for several months, maybe six or so. It wasn't long, however, that the "new" wore off (for the lack of better phrasing) and she gradually drifted away.

Since then, she's been "in the church" a couple other times. She comes when she's broken and been hurt by the world, prays back through, and then gradually gets distracted and drifts off. We've all tried to reach a hand and encourage her, but once she's not interested, she's simply that: she's not interested. She cuts off contact, more or less, and reverts to circling with her friends outside of the faith.

And that's only to be expected. She wouldn't want anything to do with her church friends when she's not living the life.

I worry for her because she knows this Truth and she's lived it, but she's deliberately deciding not to live it. Right now she's going to a church that she previously said she knew wasn't right and worried about her father and stepmother going to. She posts pictures on social media as if trying to advertise her choice to backslide, and I know some of us have expressed our sorrows for this.

It's an awful thing when people backslide from this Truth and know better. They know entirely too much to die lost. And it's sad.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Holy Roller

We have had similar situations at my home church.

For example, this young lady started frequenting our church a little over a year ago. She had been raised in the Apostolic way, but had backslidden and her home/family had in some ways outcast her. She didn't feel welcome there, so she came to church with us when she felt the conviction to change. (Her mother has been a part of our church for a couple of years, and we all knew this young lady.)

She prayed back through to the Holy Ghost at one of our sister churches, and she was back in the church for several months, maybe six or so. It wasn't long, however, that the "new" wore off (for the lack of better phrasing) and she gradually drifted away.

Since then, she's been "in the church" a couple other times. She comes when she's broken and been hurt by the world, prays back through, and then gradually gets distracted and drifts off. We've all tried to reach a hand and encourage her, but once she's not interested, she's simply that: she's not interested. She cuts off contact, more or less, and reverts to circling with her friends outside of the faith.

And that's only to be expected. She wouldn't want anything to do with her church friends when she's not living the life.

I worry for her because she knows this Truth and she's lived it, but she's deliberately deciding not to live it. Right now she's going to a church that she previously said she knew wasn't right and worried about her father and stepmother going to. She posts pictures on social media as if trying to advertise her choice to backslide, and I know some of us have expressed our sorrows for this.

It's an awful thing when people backslide from this Truth and know better. They know entirely too much to die lost. And it's sad.

So what are you doing for her?

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

So what are you doing for her?

I've tried to maintain contact, as much as she's open to that is. I've invited her to a special service we're having this Saturday, and I pray for her.

Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot I can do. She's moved off, I believe, and some of her information that some of us had has been changed. Her mother keeps us updated and asks us to pray for her, which we do.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Holy Roller

I've tried to maintain contact, as much as she's open to that is. I've invited her to a special service we're having this Saturday, and I pray for her.

Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot I can do. She's moved off, I believe, and some of her information that some of us had has been changed. Her mother keeps us updated and asks us to pray for her, which we do.

Invite her to special services? That's like inviting her to a restaurant where she in the past has always found a hair in her food. Do you understand? I know that sounds difficult but the individual[s] need to already know they have a welcome back any time invite. When they are going to another church, then I leave them alone. i'm still cordial when I see them, but they have already found their 5 star restaurant. If its another Apostolic Pentecostal church? It would no longer make sense for me to outreach towards them. They have sailed on to other shores.

[JoeBandy]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

No one that I know would come into a service with their live in girlfriend.
I don't play that, that is sending a message not only to the church family, but to me personally.

more proof that you are a narcissistic control freak...…..

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I heard someone say, “Did you ever think about why the father ran to meet the Prodigal Son? It may have been that he wanted to get to him first before the bitter brother got there, causing the Prodigal to turn around and leave by his hateful attitude and words.”

I very much doubt that view is correct.

[diakonos]

Originally Posted by JoeBandy

more proof that you are a narcissistic control freak...…..

Kick rocks.

[navygoat1998]

Originally Posted by diakonos

Kick rocks.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by navygoat1998

How'd you do in the hurricane?

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Invite her to special services? That's like inviting her to a restaurant where she in the past has always found a hair in her food. Do you understand? I know that sounds difficult but the individual[s] need to already know they have a welcome back any time invite. When they are going to another church, then I leave them alone. i'm still cordial when I see them, but they have already found their 5 star restaurant. If its another Apostolic Pentecostal church? It would no longer make sense for me to outreach towards them. They have sailed on to other shores.

She knows that we haven't shunned her. She knows we still love her. She has quite simply decided she doesn't want the lifestyle right now. Her mother keeps us fairly up to date on how she's doing and asks us to pray for her, which we do.

We've all tried to maintain contact, but it isn't easy. She doesn't really want us to it seems.

No, the church she's going to now isn't an Apostolic church. It's not Pentecostal. It's not Oneness. It's a Connection Church, a interdenominational-type deal with slight charismatic leanings. I don't know a lot about it, but I know my brother and sister-in-law frequented one for a little while. They're becoming a common trend in our area, with several popping up in different towns and cities.