valv3h Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/24/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/14/1981 Share Posted April 25, 2014 ... I somewhat dislike my Pastor. I never knew I will say this after being ministered and became my mentor since 2007. Please be warned that this might be a long post and I hope I will not bore you out but help me and provide a proper advice, I met my pastor way back in year 2003 I think when my I was still dating my wife (to cut the explanation.. yes, he is my bro-in-law) Things are going well, we even stayed in their home when we migrated to a different country and after our marriage. He was not yet a pastor at that time but seems to have the 'calling' , there's a Saturday evening fellowship back then. Prior to migrating, I was a staunch Catholic (I was a Youth leader since 1994) before I met my wife who's most of the family are Christians. I was blessed that my wife was the one who debated with me .. pounded my head to attend a Christian service I initially was just attending because I love the opening worship band but, it eventually paved way for me becoming a Lead guitarists in a local Chinese Christian church in 2008 when I migrated since I really love music especially the guitar. After he became a pastor, I left the Chinese church and decided to help him out with music team of our local small Church with roughly 100 members. Now, the problem is that... I don;t know how to talk to my bro-in-law anymore. It feels that after he became a part time Pastor in 2010 he became very distant, boastful and lost that big brother vibe I used to know. I will be honest that there are somethings that we are disagreeing i.e. Church logo (I'm the lead designer of the site), how my music team is being handled, some personal family matters such as how he is not giving any money to his parents every month, etc...I think this is the downside if you know the real character of your Pastor in which our other members is not aware at all. Sometimes I feel like, just going back to the local Chinese church but I was thinking, will I just be doing that for the sake of being with their 5K members or just my dislike to him? Our church now is a family type environment, it would be very awkward if some will know that I will be attending other Church. Just a month ago, me and my wife was just laughing when me and my pastor was alone in a taxi since we had to drop off our family member who's flying back... we were not talking at all. That 15 mins drive was dreadful, it's like I'm a stranger... it feels very hard now to sometimes discuss my plans to him with music team since I FEEL THAT HE THINKS THAT I WILL NOT LEAVE the church because we are a family. Our members are now dwindling... some has already left because on another side, his wife is also not very easy to get a long. You know that there's just that negative vibe going on ... that's how she is. She questions a lot of our actions and ever since, she is very useless to me and my wife. She's the type that will not even go to my Child's party no SMS or what... very hard to get along with. Help.... I know you might ask, "why do you just man up and speak to your pastor..." I actually don't know to be honest... I think he knows that me and wife dislike him and we still respect him for who he is and even if we know his 'real' character. Even his other sister who's also Pastor's telling the same thing... it seems that there is an insecurity inside his heart that I cannot understand. enough with my rambling... this is a long post, there's still a lot to post but, words cannot express my frustrations at times. Have you felt that feeling when 'you are crying silently inside'? ... Most of the time, I feel that... whenever he is saying something in the pulpit, there's a struggle in my heart saying 'really?... " oh for pete's sake, he is just copying his preaching on the Internet! How did I know? I google some of the words in the slides...and low in behold, exact same bullets in SermonCentral!! Thanks for reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 596 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,043 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,785 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted April 25, 2014 start going to the other church and maybe he will ask you why..... then he might be open to listen.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Patriot21 Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 28 Topic Count: 338 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 15,696 Content Per Day: 2.46 Reputation: 8,516 Days Won: 39 Joined: 10/25/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/27/1985 Share Posted April 25, 2014 going to church with your family can be tough-its why I dont go to the same church as my parents even though we live in the same town (5 blocks from each other in fact) and if my father in law who is a preacher happened to preach in the same town, I would not attend his church. With family-especially with in laws its best to have some distance in order to get along I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamnot Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 15 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 221 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 64 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/23/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/21/1945 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I would not suggest an answer to your dilemma, but I will pray that you find the path that God wants you to.take ........... The philosopher Maurice Friedman wrote a book entitled "Problematic Rebel: An Image of Modern Man." His basic idea is that most people in our times find themselves at a fork in the road and that one road leads to "Being true to yourself" and the other to "Being true to your interpersonal and social Participations." This is the dilemma that so many people are faced with today in our "culture of narcissism." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valv3h Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/24/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/14/1981 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 going to church with your family can be tough-its why I dont go to the same church as my parents even though we live in the same town (5 blocks from each other in fact) and if my father in law who is a preacher happened to preach in the same town, I would not attend his church. With family-especially with in laws its best to have some distance in order to get along I think. Yeah, I know right... but is your Father-in-law asking why you're not attending where he preach? Though, I know every family's norm are different but, it;s just off and totally awkward in our culture and raises lots of questions who you do not attend your family;'s church.., yada yada.. thanks for the others who replied. Please keep it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Praying~! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 683 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 11,128 Content Per Day: 2.00 Reputation: 1,352 Days Won: 54 Joined: 02/03/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/07/1952 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Reading between the lines (which one is forced to do on an internet site where one on one is not possible), 90% of your problems are personal and family orientated and the rest church issues. Get the family stuff sorted first.(how is not for me to say.I personally would start with a lot of prayer and a family meeting outside of church). Without that the church stuff will never work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1x1is1 Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,146 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 732 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/30/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/10/1950 Share Posted April 25, 2014 valv3h.....your love of worship music brought you to better understand Christianity. Now your music capabilities and talents can be used to bring other individuals that are now in the same predicament as you were back then, to the Lord. It would be easier to explain to your kin that you are needed elsewhere as your reason for attending another Church. GBU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwikphilly Posted April 25, 2014 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 96 Topic Count: 306 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 18,130 Content Per Day: 4.64 Reputation: 27,806 Days Won: 327 Joined: 08/03/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted April 25, 2014 Blessings valv..... Hmm,quite a dilemma,I am wondering what your wife hs to say about all of this....it is her brother we are discussing,right?I think her take on the whole relationship would greatly influence any advice I may want to offer.....no matter what happens I would never want to see a wedge between a brother & sister they may not have apart from your issues with him?There is alot of complications in this relationship I am always one to address issues straight away and first hand but that may not be the best thing for all involved............I think you and your wife must be in total agreement & then together all of you sit down for a family meeting.You also said that your sister in law is difficult to get along with,it is just so much to consider? Please begin in pray,you & your wife and ask the Lord to guide your footsteps before doing anything at all..............the best thing may be to go to the other church,but I would never leave on a bad note....without trying to mend the family issues first....I will pray for you With love-in Christ,Kwik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Butero Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 There is no easy solution to this problem. It seems to me that he got lifted up in pride as a result of his position, and became power hungry. If you choose to leave, I don't think you would be in the wrong, but having read your post, and having noticed that your brother-in-law is gradually losing his congregation, I think it is likely this problem will resolve itself over time. He will either change his ways, or he won't have a church. If you are strong enough to stay, as things crash down around him, it may lead to your relationship getting stronger as he sees your family loyalty. The prideful attitude will likely go away as he sees everyone leaving one by one. Now again, I am basing this on what you said, that people are leaving. You mentioned that he is doing things that are not right in your eyes, so you see him as hypocritical. Nobody is perfect, and if people saw any of us at our worst, they might not like what they see. You have inside knowledge of all his bad characteristics. As I said, if things are unbearable for you, I don't believe you would be wrong to leave, but rather than just up and going, perhaps you could talk things over with him first. Share your concerns about the way things are and how you are considering leaving. Head it off rather than waiting for him to question why you left. That is what I would suggest should you decide to go. Before you do anything, pray and make sure you have the peace of God that you are doing his will. Again, there are no easy answers here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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