Guest 2blessed Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Hi, I'm new here and I'm really struggling with this issue. I've been a member of a prophetic ministry for 9 years. My Pastor is a Prophet and the ministry is 11 years old. When I joined, God was really blessing the ministry. People were joining and getting saved. The ministry was reaching out to the community and helping. About 5 years ago, things started to slowly change. First, we gradually stopped our outreach activities. We stopped having guest speakers. The focus changed from outreach to a more mentoring type of focus along with a strong teaching on tithes and offerings. The messages are more watered down with a lot of talking in between the Word and now, five years later, the church has lost half of the membership and the attitude is that everyone that has left is either offended or there is something else "spiritually" wrong with them. Now, people join but they don't stay and those who have been there awhile feel spiritually starved. I would even say that there is a "fear" of leaving for being labled with some negative "spiritual" term publically. There is so much more to share but I don't think that now is the right time. Just know that it's not good. I don't know what to do. When you approach leadership about any of these issues, it is as though you are against the vision of the ministry. In 9 years, I have not seen anyone leave the church and be blessed out. Any suggestions, scriptures or advice? I will be leaving soon because I just don't care what they say about me anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 is it not better to be ostracized and criticized by people than to displease God? i would not worry about what those who stay will think. if you feel God is calling you to move on, then do so. i find it very unlikely that you are the only one feeling this way. do you criticize when others leave? or do you remain silent and let the gossip-mongers have their feast? i think you probably remain silent. if you criticized them, you wouldn't be here asking for our advice. there are probably many, many others who remain silent also. they won't be wagging their tongues if you leave. as for bringing your feelings to the attention of the leadership, i think you should. scripture tells us we are to admonish one another, with love, not with harshness. don't expect to change the current tide, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adstar Posted February 10, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 12 Topic Count: 75 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,399 Content Per Day: 0.43 Reputation: 1,307 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 10, 2004 2blessed If you are convicted that the ministry has fallen away and become a luke warm or dead ministry. Then you must leave it, if you are to be true to God. To face being accused and labeled by such people is persecution for doing what you know God wants you to do and therefore it is glorious to be accounted worthy to face such labeling for your faith in Jesus. May God guide your way and may you hear His call. All praise The Ancient Of Days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneAccord Posted February 10, 2004 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 February 10, 2004 Boy, this sounds exactly like the church we left a couple of years ago! You're practically telling my story!!! It was very difficult to leave and uncomfortable, and those folks still avoid us in public and pretend we don't exist. It felt like a divorce at first but being gone from there has been a relief and we have grown in leaps and bounds ever since. Looking back, I can see where He wanted us to go through that experience so we would truly have our eyes open and not fall for the apostasy that is prevailing in the land so blindly. The fact that it is so hard for you to leave shows me a heart of devotion and caring about the ministry and you probably feel like you're abandoning them. Pray for them, but let the truth set you free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2blessed Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Thank you all so much! Sometimes you feel like you are all alone. I thank God that he led me to this board! 2blessed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGR Posted February 10, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 512 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 8,601 Content Per Day: 1.13 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/16/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/04/1973 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Leave! It would seem to me that God is showing you the problems with the ministry and is directing you to leave. You obviously will be able to accomplish nothing by staying in the ministry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaze Posted February 27, 2004 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 21 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 68 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/23/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/23/1991 Share Posted February 27, 2004 I have a strong feeling that you should leave but that's just me, now I think you should pray real hard and make sure this is what God wants you to do because it would be pretty tragic if you did leave and it was not God's calling to do so. But I am lead to tell you that you should leave. God bless, I will pray for your guidance. BLAZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayin jade Posted February 28, 2004 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 44 Topic Count: 6,178 Topics Per Day: 0.87 Content Count: 43,798 Content Per Day: 6.19 Reputation: 11,244 Days Won: 58 Joined: 01/03/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted February 28, 2004 2blessed If you are convicted that the ministry has fallen away and become a luke warm or dead ministry. Then you must leave it, if you are to be true to God. To face being accused and labeled by such people is persecution for doing what you know God wants you to do and therefore it is glorious to be accounted worthy to face such labeling for your faith in Jesus. May God guide your way and may you hear His call. All praise The Ancient Of Days Adstar you have no idea the impact your words have on me. I am facing a similar sort of situation, only not with a church, but another kind of ministry. Unfortunately God has shown me I am not yet to leave, but it is hard to recognize that it has fallen away and is dead. Thank you for showing me that it is indeed a dead or dying ministry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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