So my wife and I have decided to look into possibly attending a different church. We have always gone to an oneness UPC church and now we have decided to check things out at a different church. The church we have visited and are interested in preaches acts 2:38 and has had wonderful services every time we have visited. The church preaches the same message our church does but doesn’t seem to focus on the traditions our church focuses on. They seem to really love one another and are very welcoming when we visit.
MY pastor is aware of this decision and gave us his blessing to search for what it is we think we need. I have always been active in my church and have held positions and have always respected the rules because I was in leadership. I have decided I can’t do it anymore and I needed be true to who I am and my wife feels the same so this is the reason for our search.
Members of our current church heard we visited this other church and they are now praying for our salvation and have labeled us as backslidden and their faith in us has diminished..This was in an email I received from one of them.
How can this be?? I can’t believe people have this mentality.
Im writing this hear because I don’t in anyway want to offend those that go to my church or disrespect my Pastor but Im so confused...why on earth would people think this? DO we (UPC) tradition holders really think we are the only heaven bound people out there? Like I said we were just visiting and looking around with the POSSIBILITY of leaving but now why would we stay?
Its hurts to think people who have been friends with for so many years could turn their back on us so fast. I in no way would condemn them for holding certain traditions and staying where they are so what gives them the right to do it to me?
Anyway guess I just had to get it off my chest so I didn’t regret calling or emailing someone!...
don't apply that to the UPC. It's not the UPC. There is a non-UPC Oneness church in this area. They have people that won't ever go that church again until the pastor retires....yet they won't dare set foot in our church because of the psychological control he has had over them...He says he would rather his members backslide than to go to our church and if you do you are backslidden. Again They are NOT UPC but we are
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There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
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So you want to attend another church. Ok, great. We were all given free will. My question is, why are you surprised by church member's reactions?
Its not the first or the last time anyone has attended a church and decided to explore other options. However, why did you take on the role of leadership with the possibility that someday you may not even want to be a member of your own church? People placed in a position to lead are expected to have a sense of stability, not wake up one morning and say "Well, maybe this church isn't for me" . If a knew a fellow church member decided to attend service under a different denomination, I really wouldn't mind. But I would be raise some eyebrows if I knew my minister decided to attend another church. Maybe the other members didn't express this in the best manner possibly, but I understand why they would feel that way. What does that say to people who you have ministered to? It just isn't expected of someone placed in a position to lead, and that goes for any church.
Like these are scientifically forecasted?
Man, remind me not to volunteer to take up the offering in any of your churches.
192281, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Been there and done that!
I think some of the folks that have been on this thread today; judging your motives, determining what you said, (even when you didn't say it) should seek out the church that you are considering leaving. I think they would fit right in!
Jeffery, I disagree with a lot of your politics, but man, you were right on the money today. ..... When you can't go to your family & "friends?" and you decide to go to an "Apostolic Forum" for some words of encouragement and get "scalded, scraped and the salt poured in" something is wrong.
Let's see? The church you've been attending criticizes you, the forum criticizes you, Ferd cuts you up in little pieces???? (Ferd, is this how you respond to your family when you'all have a disagreement?)
192281.....Have you considered going to the Catholic church and confessing to the Priest? Just an idea! About as good as some of the others I have heard on this post.
Okay Ferd.... have at me!
Been Thinkin
Political agreements or not, you're my brother. I can't hold it against you
19, I've seen and lived through things similar to what you're describing. People do have a poor mentality sometimes. All we can do is keep our attitudes right and do what God wants us to do. There are many people who stop going to church entirely who have the same question: Why would we stay? The good news is that when we go through these things and are later asked this question, we may have an answer, or at least a more compassionate response.
__________________
What we make of the Bible will never be as great a thing as what the Bible will - if we let it - make of us.~Rich Mullins
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.~Galileo Galilei
192281, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Been there and done that!
I think some of the folks that have been on this thread today; judging your motives, determining what you said, (even when you didn't say it) should seek out the church that you are considering leaving. I think they would fit right in!
Jeffery, I disagree with a lot of your politics, but man, you were right on the money today. ..... When you can't go to your family & "friends?" and you decide to go to an "Apostolic Forum" for some words of encouragement and get "scalded, scraped and the salt poured in" something is wrong.
Let's see? The church you've been attending criticizes you, the forum criticizes you, Ferd cuts you up in little pieces???? (Ferd, is this how you respond to your family when you'all have a disagreement?)
192281.....Have you considered going to the Catholic church and confessing to the Priest? Just an idea! About as good as some of the others I have heard on this post.
Okay Ferd.... have at me!
Been Thinkin
you need to go back and review hoss.
I said I agreeed with locker combo guy in what he did. I just told him not to whine about the actions of those he left.
When my boys start crying I tell them there is no crying in Texas! People from Massachusetts but not Texans!
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
So you want to attend another church. Ok, great. We were all given free will. My question is, why are you surprised by church member's reactions?
Its not the first or the last time anyone has attended a church and decided to explore other options. However, why did you take on the role of leadership with the possibility that someday you may not even want to be a member of your own church? People placed in a position to lead are expected to have a sense of stability, not wake up one morning and say "Well, maybe this church isn't for me" . If a knew a fellow church member decided to attend service under a different denomination, I really wouldn't mind. But I would be raise some eyebrows if I knew my minister decided to attend another church. Maybe the other members didn't express this in the best manner possibly, but I understand why they would feel that way. What does that say to people who you have ministered to? It just isn't expected of someone placed in a position to lead, and that goes for any church.
Guess you havent read the entire post. I have been in position for a long time in one way or another. Im not a preacher nor did I think I would leave when I was 17 and started helping at the church....9 years can bring about a lot of changes!! I didnt wake up one morning and think.."OH Im done here where should I go now" this has been somethign I have been praying about for years. My pastor has known how I feel for a long time but as long as I followed the rules then I was free to be in my position.
Again I wasnt surprised with how they felt! Im suprised with how they acted those feelings out!!!
don't apply that to the UPC. It's not the UPC. There is a non-UPC Oneness church in this area. They have people that won't ever go that church again until the pastor retires....yet they won't dare set foot in our church because of the psychological control he has had over them...He says he would rather his members backslide than to go to our church and if you do you are backslidden. Again They are NOT UPC but we are
Well since I go to a UPC church it would only make sense for me to speak about MY UPC church...Obviously not all are the same.
Ferdinand.......until you've walked in their shoes........
You think you know how your family and friends would react if you decided to change an area in your life, but until it HAPPENS to you there's no way you can tell someone to "man up."
When we walked away from what we didn't agree with we full well knew how most would react, but until it actually was directed toward us......well, you can never be prepared. I believe we "manned up" and took ownership of our decision, but still that never gets easy to hear that you are lost from others you care about.
I mean, I've been away from that type of thinking for over 25 years now and it still stings at times on here.
Renda, you know I love you and wouldn’t say a bad word to you.... and while there is no crossing you.... let me just say, I have been to the "bad place"
I have been the "backslider". And I have seen worse than that. Just because I don’t get on internet forums and talk about it a lot doesn’t mean I haven’t seen my share pain in this thing we call life.
Maybe my problem is that having been thru the fire, I get impatient with some folks who are just finding out there is some fire?
maybe...
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
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