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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Should a member rebuke an elder? | 1 Chr 16:22 | DocTrinsograce | 179932 | ||
Hi, Bereaniam... They are dealing with you properly. Since it is not a matter of church discipline, they are coming to you -- two at a time, to insure that you understand they are speaking one voice, and yet taking care that they won't be misquoted -- and kindly encouraging you to find a place where you can believe in the leadership. They are making every effort to insure that you are being dealt with directly, personally, and with the least disruption to the rest of the congregation. Jesus would deal with this differently, since He would know very precisely what issues in your life needed dealing with the most. He would place His finger on them and -- like the woman at the well -- He would not allow any theological questions to distract the two of you from dealing with those issues. When He was finished, you'd look more like Christ, and you'd love Him more. I fear that when there is such turmoil and stife over some point of church administration or leadership inadequacies, most frequently God is trying to deal with you. The elders are men who will have to give accounting of their dealing with you and the others (Hebrews 13:17). It is well within their purview to do so in this private manner. Regardless of their failings, their inability to lead, or their improper handling of doctrine... none of that will make any difference when you face our Lord. Therefore, I humbly suggest, make use of all this to address the issues in your own heart, lest in all your exhortation, you yourself be find wanting in that Day. Our primary job as believers is searching out the fault in our own heart, rather than the faults in others. Perhaps this is what God has been attempting to do with you all along. In Him, Doc |
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2 | Should a member rebuke an elder? | 1 Chr 16:22 | Bereaniam | 179959 | ||
Hello Doc, It is always so good to dialogue with you. I value this forum especially because of brothers like you. I know it is difficult, sometimes, to counsel and advise on some issues because both sides are not heard, body language speaks volumes, backgrounds are not known, agendas may be hidden, etc. Though I have written to this forum on more than one occasion about our Church...my husband and I have prayed and fasted about what to do about it for years. We both have been so grieved at how our leadership has evolved during the past few years. When we met the pastors (he and his wife are co-pastors) 14 years ago...you could not have met a more humble couple. They were both coming out of a strict pentecostal upbringing. They became involved with Paul and Jane Crouch of TBN ministry, the prosperity message, mega-Church mania, titles (he had a "doctorate" conferred on him and recently became a "bishop"),etc. They have been on national TV many times. Sometimes success can be your friend...but sometimes it can be your enemy. The pastor is very charismatic and constanly tells us the "buck stops with me". He and his family started the Church, so it is "family owned". All three of his children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, sister, his son's father and mother-in-law, father and mother-in-law, ex-brother-in-law are all on Church's payroll. He and his wife are much younger than my husband and I. My pastor has never had any formal theology training...only finished high school. I love them dearly. They have never been anything but good to my husband and me...we have been given more positions of leadership than we could fulfill. We have no hidden agenda, bias or bitternes against them. Our objective is to get them on the same page with the Bible as we see and understand it. We are also very grieved for the people who are being psychologically enslaved to this Neo-Christian practice. We solicited a meeting with the pastors/elders to discuss what we have been observing. No one responded until one Saturday night at our regular prayer meeting. An associate pastor (relative of the pastor) and an elder pulled me from the meeting to discuss the matter. I was alone...my husband was not there. This was about two months ago. We have not heard from them since that time. We do desire resolve, reconciliation...we let them know that they could always feel free to call, email, come to our home, etc. On our (former) Church's website, our pastor's bio says that he is gifted in the "ministry of reconciliation". Yet we have not heard from him in over three months. My "fleece" before the Lord in making any spiritual decision is to pray for wisdom, search the scriptures and my heart, then to feel at peace. I have no regrets about exhorting them...my husband and I pray ernestly for them daily. Doc, what do you think about the Bereans, Aquila and Priscilla exhorting Paul, Apollos, respectively? Bereaniam |
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