Guest jatfla Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 This is my first post here, though I've checked it out several times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 20, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Hi Jatfla! I spent 10 or 12 years in the Methodist church, graduated from a Methodist high school, but I must say that their present views about many things trouble me. I recently went home and visited my old church. There used to be hundreds on Sunday morning, but I saw maybe 50 people. http://www.themethodistchurch.com/Items.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jatfla Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 I checked out the website you listed and it was very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafter Posted April 21, 2003 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 18 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 200 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/16/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/26/1954 Author Share Posted April 21, 2003 So do we leave the methodist church or treat it as a missionary field???? Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 21, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted April 21, 2003 Well actually, I left the state (Florida). My mother and brother still attend. I certainly wouldn't want my tithes and offerings supporting the UMC political agenda. Â Â Â Â Â Â I have a question for you. How does a person rise to the position of bishop and not believe in the virgin birth or the bodily resurrection of Jesus? http://www.ucmpage.org/news/sprague_charges_thread.html Called Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jatfla Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 Rafter...I would not dream of advising you and you probably aren't looking for any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafter Posted April 22, 2003 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 18 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 200 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/16/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/26/1954 Author Share Posted April 22, 2003 Hi, I was actually asking a real question. For instance, when I started attending the Methodist church I am now attending, I did not even hear the name of Jesus used. Now the Lord is glorified and people are beginning to understand what salvation is. Do we treat them as a missionary field? In fear, less we become stained by them. Or do we abandon them to die in their sins? This is an honest ? and I am searching my own soul over this also. My first instinct is to just leave and let them be damned. But then I wonder what Jesus would do. Maybe by staying and preaching the truth, coupled with much prayer, we can make a difference. It is very vexing for my soul, but would I not encounter the same problem in any missionary field? Just my thoughts, please give yours...... :a: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted April 22, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.94 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted April 22, 2003 Tough choice. Well, here's some thoughts to consider. What is the purpose of going to church? Are you capable (other than prayer) of holding a position of influence in the church? What kind of relationships do you have with the people in the congregation? If you keep going to this church, where will you go for spiritual growth, encouragement, worship, experiencing God? Do you have a family to consider? Â (If it's just you, that's one thing, but if you have a family to consider the spiritual needs of, will going to this church be of any good or detrimental to them?) Keep in mind, missionaries are sent to the mission field. Â This means they have a support-base. Â If you attend this church as a "mission field" will you have a support group (people behind you in prayer) and will you have a place (such as a group of Christians to fellowship with) where you can be spiritually nourished? Â Or would you be on your own? Hope answering these help you sort things out. Â The Lord bless in your pursuit of Him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneAccord Posted April 22, 2003 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 147 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,587 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/03/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted April 22, 2003 rafter: You are in a wonderful predictament. In that I mean that you have HUGE opportunity for  growth in the Lord as you wrestle with this in your life.  It is an extremely important question to be asking, do not minimize it. I recently went through a situation where I left a church.  It was a painful process, much like a divorce.  The church was the first I'd ever been to, I was attracted by the powerful worship music and dynamic sermons.  I was new in Christ and drinking up the milk. Then I started noticing that some of the teachings didn't line up with my picture of Christ, and I finally learned I was in a Word of Faith church.  My husband was very upset by some of the teachings, like about Jesus being rich and how He would come back in a suit and tie and drive a Mercedes.  It was very warped. It took a long time to get out.  I was very concerned for people there that I had made friendships with, as well as some new people who had come in searching for God. We were being hit very hard for tithes, and I was so afraid it would turn these new people off.  Our experience with trying to discuss problems we saw was very negative, and we felt like we were stirring up strife.  We live in a small town and we didn't want to get marked as rebels, but we wanted to take a stand for what we believe Christ was calling us to see.  It was very difficult. We stayed for a few months with the idea that we would try to bless the church rather than complain about it.  We had hopes that the pastor was 'going through a phase'.  We didn't want to give up on a place we had put so much of ourselves into. But all the while, the Holy Spirit was working in us, it got to the point that we got sick to our stomachs during some of the sermons, and had no desire to support the church with our tithes, and finally we just stopped going.  Word of Faith has a lot of Authority teachings and Leadership conventions where they teach the pastors not to listen to the laity----Our pastor's pastor was a man named Mark Barclay and when I researched his stuff I was shocked, and I realized that we would have no influence with our pastor if he was under these kind of teachings. rafter, I recently read where being in a church that is teaching wrong doctrine is like being on a ship that you think is headed for New York but you discover it's going to Taiwan.  You might stay on the ship thinking you can grab the steering wheel and turn it around, but you will be in mutiny to do it. Nebula's post was EXCELLENT.  All the right questions. We have been church-less for 6 months.  We visit around here and there but are very gunshy to get involved in any churches because we have concerns about institutionalized churches.  We explored homechurching, which I could love and grow in, but my husband needs a church family and so does my  little girl.  The Lord has led us to one that we are excited about...It will be a lot of extra driving but.... He will take care of you and open doors for you where you can serve Him most.  Rafter, the apostate church is a HUGE mission field, it goes well beyond the Methodist church that you are in.  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.  You are not going to reform the apostate church.  We are called to come up out of her.  You need to be in a church where you can be equipped to serve the Lord to the utmost.  You can help bring a few folks out of the apostate church but you won't reform it. I pray you find clear guidance and direction from the Holy Spirit within you on this matter, rafter.  May the Lord lead you in the paths of righteousness, for His name's sake.  May the sword of the spirit of discernment be sharpened within you, dividing even to the marrow as you make choices for you and your family in the days to come.  May you choose blessing over cursing, life over death, good over evil, truth over deception.  May you find peace in His mercy and lovingkindness in all that you do in His name.  In Jesus' precious and holy name I pray this for you, rafter......On earth as it is in heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted April 22, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted April 22, 2003 Regarding the President's decision to not meet with the Methodists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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