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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Urgent and swift help needed!! | Eph 6:12 | Hank | 5829 | ||
Theresa, while it is impossible to know all the things that may or may not be going on in your church, and consequently any suggested remedies that anyone on this forum can legitimately offer are necessarily general ones. If your pastor tells you he is not any more responsible to the flock than you and your husband, he clearly is abdicating his sacred vow that surely he must have taken when he was ordained as a pastor. He should lead the movement to put down heresy in the congregation with whose spiritual feeding he has been charged. Are there other factors in this equation, perhaps? Does the troublemaker, for example, wield a heavy hand over the pastor and the congregation because, for example, of financial or political power? You mention that this person is a "founder" of your church. It's sad to say that "founders" can, and do, come to think of the church as "mine" instead of the Lord's. Vanity has been around a long time....Another question popped into my mind when I read your plea. To what extent are other members of your church irate about what is happening? Your husband is a deacon. What do the other deacons think about this? Is the offender himself currently on the deacon board? I don't know what your church's government is. In the church I attend, the local congregation is autonomous; that is, we are not governed by church hierarchy....If the majority of your congregation is either neutral on this issue, or supportive of the person you clearly see as a heretic, and you and your husband can no longer tolerate the conditions, clearly you have no viable choice but to absent yourselves from this church and seek another, with the guidance of the Spirit, that is more in line with your convictions. That's precisely what my wife and I, along with some 40 other members of a church of about 200, had to do some four years ago. The issues were not the same as yours, but the principle is the same. I might add that not for one moment have we had any cause to regret the decision we made. If anything, we rue the fact that we did not make it sooner than we did. Please don't construe my words to mean advocacy of flight over a valiant effort to effect reconciliation. Pray earnestly over the matter and do everything you can to mend the breach short of sacrificing your honest convictions. Try to rally as much support for your cause as you can. Suggest a meeting with the parties involved, including the troublesome person, the deacons, and your pastor. Try to bring everything out into the open and deal with it firmly and frankly, but in the spirit of Christian charity. Then, having done all, if the situation continues to prevail, for your soul's health you and your husband would probably be wise to cast your nets in another pond. I shall remember you and your church in my prayers. --Hank | ||||||
2 | Urgent and swift help needed!! | Eph 6:12 | Lambo | 5836 | ||
I know that your are right. He is in control of the money in our church. He and his brother (who does not attend our church) are the trustees. About a year and a half ago the pastor told us he had ask to get a financial report and to be added as a trustee. He got a report that was not clear. He ask my husband and me to bring it up too. We did and it was with great relunctance he started providing a statement. Which is not really complete. It does not reflect all the money that is paid out or comes in. I know this because we are building a new sanctuary and no payment to workers is reflected. Though I know we pay some unemployed members to work. He also as far as I know has not made the pastor a trustee. I told the pastor in the same conversation I mentioned that I would rather move down the street and pitch a tent than continue as things are. He said he thought God would understand we didn't agree with this doctrine and would continue to bless our church. I told him God cares if it is one piece of silver hidden under one small tent. Anyway thank you so much. The first response I got here was good too, but we have been praying and fasting for over a year to try to continue as things are. God is no longer blessing our services as He once did. So many people have left. And yes nearly anyone I have spoken with who has any maturity is upset and concerned too. I just haven't spoken much to others. I am so fearful of being a gossip or talking out of turn about my fellow believers. I guess that has hindered me more than anything else. So thank you again. We plan to talk with the Pastor tonight and let him know we will no longer allow this to continue. | ||||||