Welcome Azzan Thread

[Praxeas]

Ok so that was mature of them...not

To sum it up the Ultra Cons have made it even hard for sinners to be saved because sinners are icky until they repent...of course that means someone other than an Apostolic is going to have to preach the gospel to them so they can repent. No wonder their ranks are so small

Hate the sin,and the sinner

We're leaving..,.,,.again. Crybabies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhlWddAXSRA

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Azzan

Ummm.... Wow! I'm... I'm at a total loss for words... I've been sitting here trying to figure out what to say for over an hour and just cannot find the words.

So I guess I will just say this - which has already been said several times by many - but not by me. I joined a political thread here by invitation to offer opinions and observations based upon real experience. At no time has anyone here EVER condoned homosexuality. Quite the opposite actually. And at no time have I asked anyone to do so.

There is so much I'd like to say but I question the wisdom of continuing. So I am going to stop here except to say that there are some real, geniune, caring and loving people here who are concerned for me and my soul. People who have been willing to communicate privately with me. Dedicated Mind, Been Thinking, Atlanta Bishop, Not Of Works, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Fella39, Timmy, CrakJak, thank you for reaching out your hand in friendship. I wish there were more like you.

"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and those that allow His spirit to abide in them to show others His love!

[whoami]

I want to share about one other person I know. There's so much negativity on this thread that its very sad. There are a few ultra cons I know with the love of Christ, though I wish there were more. Anyway, I wanted to share about one that I know.

A guy I grew up with in the UPC is gay. His father is a UPCI pastor, has been ever since I can remember. This man is a strict standards, ultra-con, "Jesus didn't have a beard!" type of pastor. When he and his wife found out that their son was gay they were devastated. They prayed and prayed, fasted and prayed some more that God would change him. He hasn't changed yet, but, they love their son. They don't have to tell him that they don't condone his sin, he knows and he also knows that they love him still. Sometimes he comes to their church and prays, sometimes his partner comes and prays with him. They're never not welcome. Everyone prays with them and is always glad to see them.

I've never personally saw this repeated with any other ultra cons, but it appears that there are some here (the ones Azzan mentioned) with that same love of Christ.

Azzan, I'm pretty new here but I hope you stick around.

[Cindy]

You know in this life on earth most of us don't have a choice but to "hang out" with sinners. And boy do I mean SINNERS!!!!!! Where are you going to go to avoid them? Work? Nope, there they are. School? Nope, they're there, too. Home? Sometimes there they are again. Well for those who can't handle it I have some advice. Stay in bed, pull the cover over your head, and don't come out. Good grief, imagine Jesus feeling that way. No, not Him, He said I will talk to you, walk with you, eat with you. And I will die on a tree for you. Thank you, Jesus for being the example of how we are suppose to live. Be very wary of avoiding people that are sinners, lest you become one yourself. What if someone thought you weren't worth telling about Jesus?

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Cindy

You know in this life on earth most of us don't have a choice but to "hang out" with sinners. And boy do I mean SINNERS!!!!!! Where are you going to go to avoid them? Work? Nope, there they are. School? Nope, they're there, too. Home? Sometimes there they are again. Well for those who can't handle it I have some advice. Stay in bed, pull the cover over your head, and don't come out. Good grief, imagine Jesus feeling that way. No, not Him, He said I will talk to you, walk with you, eat with you. And I will die on a tree for you. Thank you, Jesus for being the example of how we are suppose to live. Be very wary of avoiding people that are sinners, lest you become one yourself. What if someone thought you weren't worth telling about Jesus?

Preach Sista Cindy!!!!

[whoami]

Originally Posted by Cindy

You know in this life on earth most of us don't have a choice but to "hang out" with sinners. And boy do I mean SINNERS!!!!!! Where are you going to go to avoid them? Work? Nope, there they are. School? Nope, they're there, too. Home? Sometimes there they are again. Well for those who can't handle it I have some advice. Stay in bed, pull the cover over your head, and don't come out. Good grief, imagine Jesus feeling that way. No, not Him, He said I will talk to you, walk with you, eat with you. And I will die on a tree for you. Thank you, Jesus for being the example of how we are suppose to live. Be very wary of avoiding people that are sinners, lest you become one yourself. What if someone thought you weren't worth telling about Jesus?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Azzan

Ummm.... Wow! I'm... I'm at a total loss for words... I've been sitting here trying to figure out what to say for over an hour and just cannot find the words.

So I guess I will just say this - which has already been said several times by many - but not by me. I joined a political thread here by invitation to offer opinions and observations based upon real experience. At no time has anyone here EVER condoned homosexuality. Quite the opposite actually. And at no time have I asked anyone to do so.

There is so much I'd like to say but I question the wisdom of continuing. So I am going to stop here except to say that there are some real, geniune, caring and loving people here who are concerned for me and my soul. People who have been willing to communicate privately with me. Dedicated Mind, Been Thinking, Atlanta Bishop, Not Of Works, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Fella39, Timmy, CrakJak, thank you for reaching out your hand in friendship. I wish there were more like you.

Azzan, let me know if you are ever in SoCal.

[Praxeas]

As long as I have been "UPC" I have known of or knew personally people that dealt with this issue personally.

I can relate the experience of one person who came to our church with his mother. Eventually he confided in me (actually I figured it out as he was beating around the bush and wanted to get out with it).

I flat out told him Im not, I don't condone it but I'll be your friend anyways. It took many years of him wrestling and deciding and he finally gave his life to the Lord. He lived a celibate life in the Lord. Nobody I knew loved the Lord more. He had a lot of health problems from Diabetes and went home to be with Jesus. I have no doubt Jesus welcomed him unlike many of the conservatives among us

I believe that friendship played a part in it. God didn't send me to baptize anyone. He sent me to help others live for Christ

[BeenThinkin]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

As long as I have been "UPC" I have known of or knew personally people that dealt with this issue personally.

I can relate the experience of one person who came to our church with his mother. Eventually he confided in me (actually I figured it out as he was beating around the bush and wanted to get out with it).

I flat out told him Im not, I don't condone it but I'll be your friend anyways. It took many years of him wrestling and deciding and he finally gave his life to the Lord. He lived a celibate life in the Lord. Nobody I knew loved the Lord more. He had a lot of health problems from Diabetes and went home to be with Jesus. I have no doubt Jesus welcomed him unlike many of the conservatives among us

I believe that friendship played a part in it. God didn't send me to baptize anyone. He sent me to help others live for Christ

Praxeas, my hat's off to you! Sounds more like what Christ would do than some of the others who have posted with such venom, and I must assume hatred by the way they expressed themselves!

Been Thinkin

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

As long as I have been "UPC" I have known of or knew personally people that dealt with this issue personally.

I can relate the experience of one person who came to our church with his mother. Eventually he confided in me (actually I figured it out as he was beating around the bush and wanted to get out with it).

I flat out told him Im not, I don't condone it but I'll be your friend anyways. It took many years of him wrestling and deciding and he finally gave his life to the Lord. He lived a celibate life in the Lord. Nobody I knew loved the Lord more. He had a lot of health problems from Diabetes and went home to be with Jesus. I have no doubt Jesus welcomed him unlike many of the conservatives among us

I believe that friendship played a part in it. God didn't send me to baptize anyone. He sent me to help others live for Christ

Prax you are exactly right!

Apparently, God is dealing with me along these lines to become more like him because when I read the attitude of some, it not only saddens me, it makes me question how can they think they are doing what God wants them to do (or act).

What I'm feeling has nothing to do with an agenda for AFF - - that is laughable.