Changing Churches

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

I heard Billy Davis say something once that struck me funny.

A family moved to his city, and wanted to attend his church. He met with them, and they started telling him how badly they had been hurt by a pastor, and that he would have to be patient with them and understand that they had a hard time trusting the ministry because of their experiences.

He listened politely until they had finished their soliloquy, and then told them, "That's fine. i totally understand where you are coming from. I've seen a few bad saints come through here who have hurt me, so it's going to take while for me to develop confidence and trust in you too, so we'll just work on this together."

I actually think he handled it correctly.

I wouldn't go to a new church and say that even if it were true that I'd been abused.

Personally, I think letting them know where he stood was good in that I think these people were looking for coddling, etc. On the surface, the way you've explained it, it seems that way at least...

[Kutless]

Originally Posted by Ronzo

I actually think he handled it correctly.

I wouldn't go to a new church and say that even if it were true that I'd been abused.

Personally, I think letting them know where he stood was good in that I think these people were looking for coddling, etc. On the surface, the way you've explained it, it seems that way at least...

and do you think for a second it would be explained any different??

Highly doubt it.

Originally Posted by Kutless

and do you think for a second it would be explained any different??

Highly doubt it.

Well... like I said, based on the way it was explained, I think it was on the up and up. If it wasn't explained correctly, that's not my problem, is it?

That's between the one who explained it that way and God...

If it was a different situation than the way it was presented, then that'd probably deserve a different reaction.

I wasn't there so I don't know...

I'm not going to stress over it...

[Michlow]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

I heard Billy Davis say something once that struck me funny.

A family moved to his city, and wanted to attend his church. He met with them, and they started telling him how badly they had been hurt by a pastor, and that he would have to be patient with them and understand that they had a hard time trusting the ministry because of their experiences.

He listened politely until they had finished their soliloquy, and then told them, "That's fine. i totally understand where you are coming from. I've seen a few bad saints come through here who have hurt me, so it's going to take while for me to develop confidence and trust in you too, so we'll just work on this together."

What's ironic to me in all this. Is that a Pastor has a choice. He can resign from the ministry, and go get a secular job. But as we are told over and over again on the forum here. We can't be saved without a pastor.

So if someone abuses their authority and misuses us, we put up with it because we want to go to heaven. If we actually think that maybe they are acting inappropriately and go to a different church, we are expected to sit back and accept more of the same with a happy grin.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, to be perfectly honest.

[Kutless]

Originally Posted by Ronzo

Well... like I said, based on the way it was explained, I think it was on the up and up. If it wasn't explained correctly, that's not my problem, is it?

That's between the one who explained it that way and God...

If it was a different situation than the way it was presented, then that'd probably deserve a different reaction.

I wasn't there so I don't know...

I'm not going to stress over it...

I know you know.....that there are two sides to every coin. Which side do you think the majority of ministry is going to take. Wait three sides, because of late I have witnessed the whole neutral/don't ask don't tell brotherhood.

I do agree with you however, i was not there either. I do tend to aire on the side of mercy though and instead of the brash comment defending the do-no-wrong preachers club I may have just prayed.

thats just me though

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Kutless

I know you know.....that there are two sides to every coin. Which side do you think the majority of ministry is going to take. Wait three sides, because of late I have witnessed the whole neutral/don't ask don't tell brotherhood.

I do agree with you however, i was not there either. I do tend to aire on the side of mercy though and instead of the brash comment defending the do-no-wrong preachers club I may have just prayed.

thats just me though

Brother,

Believe me, I have seen my share of preachers doing wrong things.

I'm not a member of that club you referenced.

But the truth of the matter is, we are all human beings, and sometimes the saints need to know that the road runs both ways.

Originally Posted by Kutless

I know you know.....that there are two sides to every coin. Which side do you think the majority of ministry is going to take. Wait three sides, because of late I have witnessed the whole neutral/don't ask don't tell brotherhood.

I do agree with you however, i was not there either. I do tend to aire on the side of mercy though and instead of the brash comment defending the do-no-wrong preachers club I may have just prayed.

thats just me though

I'm not defending do-no-wrong preachers, friend. I know there are freakolas out there... and I don't defend their right to be freakolas.

But I gotta tell ya... I'm not going to walk into a church and make that spiritual abuse thing a part of my conversations with the pastor... for a LONG time... until I feel comfortable there and with him...

If I never get to the point that I feel comfortable enough to talk about it, he'll never have to worry about hearing it from me because I won't be there anymore.

[Kutless]

Originally Posted by Michlow

What's ironic to me in all this. Is that a Pastor has a choice. He can resign from the ministry, and go get a secular job. But as we are told over and over again on the forum here. We can't be saved without a pastor.

So if someone abuses their authority and misuses us, we put up with it because we want to go to heaven. If we actually think that maybe they are acting inappropriately and go to a different church, we are expected to sit back and accept more of the same with a happy grin.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, to be perfectly honest.

I hear you on this MIch. This has been a year in which I have had to learn the whole forgiveness lesson(still learning) Not saying that about you...

NOt only are we expected to put up with it but are made to feel that we are hell-bound for going someplace else.

I do however think that if you change churches that you should sit back for a while. For a lot of reasons.

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

But the truth of the matter is, we are all human beings, and sometimes the saints need to know that the road runs both ways.

I agree here, bro... but with that in mind, you do understand that 'ministry' is held to a higher 'standard' (bad choice of words, sorry), right? I know you hold yourself very accountable.

Originally Posted by Kutless

I do however think that if you change churches that you should sit back for a while. For a lot of reasons.

I agree for the most part