Leaving a Church The Right Way? - Page 5

Sabby · #41 06-07-2013, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Oh man, when anyone left OUR church back in the day they were officially shunned. We're talking, time set aside from the sermon to warn the congregation not to "fellowship" with "those people" and then examples were given about those who DID fellowship with those that were warned against it -and had unspeakable things happen to them.

My ex-wife never recovered. Seriously. We were accused of trying to "split" the church we were attending. The pastor was a well-connected w/HQ guy, that didn't want us there, plain and simple. He was one that said we'd never "go anywhere" and that he "didn't care" where or what I did in ministry. Friends of ours in the church we left told us that over the pulpit we were called "church-splitters", "non-tithers", we didn't believer the "Acts 2:38 message", etc. This was in the turbulent 80's in the NW when the culture in my state went 3-step or hell.
We left to a nearby town to help the HM pastor there. Months later, we were dragged in to a S.S. room after church and excoriated. As he screamed (no joke) at us, saying he had spoken to previous pastor and "knew" why I was attending his church (I was teaching the adult S.S., was the outreach director, and his right hand man) all I could think was "you have got to be kidding!".
SO, HOW does one leave gracefully under THOSE conditions? That was the last Sunday I attended any church as a minister of the United Pentecostal Church. .

Sabby · #42 06-07-2013, 08:20 PM

JD,
I think we've talked a few years about finding a church. You need to go somewhere that exalts Jesus Christ MORE than the Bible. Don't misunderstand. I know that there is a candy stick scripture in psalms that says God has exalted his word above all His name, but it's not a good scripture to promote the Bible over Jesus Christ, especially when read in context and in parallel versions (ESV and NKJV). The bible is NOT exalted above Jesus Christ, in fact it is Jesus that breathes life into the word! If the pastor harps more about Truth than Jesus Christ, then it's time to move along.
I'm not preaching to you, bro. I just have the T-shirt in spades. I just wasn't happy until I found a church that lifted up the Lamb, baptized according to Acts 2:38, and preached the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you are already baptized in Jesus' name and have been baptized in the Spirit, then your mandate is maturity into the fullness of Christ.

Sabby · #43 06-07-2013, 08:22 PM

2 Timothy 3:16

Sabby · #44 06-07-2013, 08:26 PM

FAT FINGERS:

2 Timothy 3:16

navygoat1998 · #45 06-07-2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabby

JD,
I think we've talked a few years about finding a church. You need to go somewhere that exalts Jesus Christ MORE than the Bible. Don't misunderstand. I know that there is a candy stick scripture in psalms that says God has exalted his word above all His name, but it's not a good scripture to promote the Bible over Jesus Christ, especially when read in context and in parallel versions (ESV and NKJV). The bible is NOT exalted above Jesus Christ, in fact it is Jesus that breathes life into the word! If the pastor harps more about Truth than Jesus Christ, then it's time to move along.
I'm not preaching to you, bro. I just have the T-shirt in spades. I just wasn't happy until I found a church that lifted up the Lamb, baptized according to Acts 2:38, and preached the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you are already baptized in Jesus' name and have been baptized in the Spirit, then your mandate is maturity into the fullness of Christ.

Sabby for us after leaving UPC our home became the Assembly of God. They preached Christ and Him crucified. The crazinmess of the move of the Spirit became less important to me as knowing Him taught as the Lamb. In the same breath I have been in Ag shockmoo services but it still always came back to the Blood of the Lamb and Him crucified.

Sabby · #46 06-07-2013, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navygoat1998

Sabby for us after leaving UPC our home became the Assembly of God. They preached Christ and Him crucified. The crazinmess of the move of the Spirit became less important to me as knowing Him taught as the Lamb. In the same breath I have been in Ag shockmoo services but it still always came back to the Blood of the Lamb and Him crucified.

ng,

I wound up going to various pentecostal/charismatic churches: in particular an independent Full Gospel Fellowship church and then an independent AoG. Later on a Four Square to where I am now.
The crazinmess of the move of the Spirit became less important to me as knowing Him taught as the Lamb. , mirrors my heart beat.

navygoat1998 · #47 06-07-2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabby

ng,

I wound up going to various pentecostal/charismatic churches: in particular an independent Full Gospel Fellowship church and then an independent AoG. Later on a Four Square to where I am now.
The crazinmess of the move of the Spirit became less important to me as knowing Him taught as the Lamb. , mirrors my heart beat.

What I have discovered on this vagabond journey our God is faithful and He honors His Word of who is. "I shall never leave you nor forsake you" I hold to that as a promise to me.

houston · #48 06-07-2013, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navygoat1998

I feel the Houston Ghost up in here! I wish somebody would speak in tongues up in here.

Apparently I missed the mark.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

jediwill83 · #49 06-08-2013, 10:35 AM

Ive noticed the trend of the focus on what truth is instead of on WHO truth is....Im honestly looking for another church....I just have too many doctrinal disagreements....ive had to be honest with myself since I married someone not from a upc background because ive had to explain and justify all these teachings to someone not from this and in the study and honest searching ive just had some moments of clarity...on top of that we have little to no fellowship with anyone outside of the church walls....we have been missing because of long work schedules and yeah we get the "guilt calls"....I honestly just am through....where maybe id be open to staying if I had contact with people interested in being a part of my life outside of church...I just dont....my wife got cold feet because of the disapproving attitudes because she hasnt "shaped up and conformed" to certain standards.....she came from a very emotionally abusive background and its devestating to her.

jediwill83 · #50 06-08-2013, 11:33 AM

Its not from the pastor or any of the staff....just from women in the church....my wife had a very traumatic and abusive relationship with her mother so when it comes to relationships with older women she doesnt do too well because it turns into a projection of her feelings towards her own mother....coming from a life of dysfunction and abuse she just doesnt take judgemental attitudes well...its a large church... awesome music....we just have no connections...sure there are alot of programs but it just feels forced and not genuine....please keep us in prayer.