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I recieved a form letter from that church that I have been visiting.....
A letter complete with highlighted areas to click on.
The first contact that I get from a church that I have been visiting for a few months and it is a letter much like the army hands to new recruits; directing me which way to march to the next step...what time to show up; complete with directions..............
JEEZO. When did church become such a business, oh I almost forgot, that's right....they were like that when Jesus called them sons of VIPERS!
UGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH....
so much for just going somewhere to worship and blend in with wall paper! So much for the hope of cultivating some living breathing relationships with people who love Jesus.........................
yuck.
jane
Dear friend,
I am delighted that you were able to attend Gateway Christian Fellowship. I hope you were warmly welcomed and that your experience was uplifting and spiritually enriching.
One of life's greatest pleasures is the opportunity to meet new people and cultivate lasting friendships. That's especially true in a growing church like ours, so we never take the people God brings across our path lightly.
Gateway Christian Fellowship is committed to a balanced ministry, which emphasizes four priorities: Celebration, Caring, Cultivation and Communication. We celebrate in worship...we care for one another...we cultivate the fullest spiritual life possible both individually and corporately and we communicate God's truth at every opportunity.
Living out these priorities results in a kaleidoscope of activities at Gateway Christian Fellowship. For all ages and interests, there are special events and service opportunities happening regularly.
If you have considered calling Gateway your church home, I would like to encourage you to attend a new members class called "Welcome to the Family" that I will teach Sunday February 25th at our Executive Offices ( 450 Island Lane , West Haven ). In this class, I will share the vision, values and mission of Gateway. Come and join us for lunch at 1:00 pm. The class begins promptly at 2pm and ends at 4pm. If you have children, childcare will be provided. If you are interested in being a part of the class please call the church office at (203) 934-0880. I hope to see you there!
Also, if you have questions or a spiritual need we could help you with, please don't hesitate to give us a call. We're here to serve you, and we certainly hope to see you again.
God Bless,
Brian Simmons
Senior Pastor
Gateway Christian Fellowship
am I over reacting?
Be honest.
I keep reading it and thinking, give them the benefit of the doubt.
Then I read the lines that tell me to "come to lunch at 1; class is 2-4 and childcare is provided....
Which means that If I attend 11 am service (the last one of the morning); I get out around 12:30----- and stay with these people until 4.
THAT MEANS 5 hours of my time.....on Sunday, away from my children for how ever many weeks that they need to educate me on their "mission"....
WOW.
That is a warning- BEFORE YOU ARE EVEN A MEMBER, YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO GIVE 5 HOURS A WEEK AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY.
Nope. We won't be there.
Sorry Pastor.
Like your worship.
but we've been there, done that, got the t-shirt; it is ripped and stained with blood and tears---- from the wounds of my children who lost me to another man's ministry......
GOD.
FAMILY.
and then
CHURCH.
PERIOD.
jane
Hope 98
02-07-2007, 06:03 AM
Jane,
I can understand how this letter bugs you. The other side of the coin is that I know the pressure on the church "leadership" to make contact with visitors, especially if it's a large church. Yeah - it's a business. The thing to remember is that the assumption is that visitors are unsaved/unchurched and the stated priority is to bring others to Jesus.
To be honest. I think you have a couple of choices. One is to throw the letter away and just keep attending as you have.
The other is to respond to the letter and tell the pastor the truth. Wait a bit for your initial reaction to fade, and just let him know what you've been through, or just how it makes you feel.
It is possible, if unlikely, that this pastor may be receptive, and you could take part in making this church safer.
thanks.
I will sleep on it for a few days before I write....
I've got that need to rip down denial again:p
jane
Where's the mention of Jesus Christ in that letter?
It could have been sent by a health or fitness club...
Creeps me out, it does...
Jane, I want you to have better, especially with that new one coming! :) :) :)
Love,
mary
Jerry
02-07-2007, 06:51 AM
Dear Jane,,,,
Geeze !!!! Where did these guys go to school ????,,,,The "Christian College for the Incredibly Crass" ????? I can see the text of the letter along with activity pics as part of a giveaway broacher at the front door,,,,,,but never as a welcome letter to someone who has been visiting on a regular basis.....They don't even know your name yet !!!!!????? :eek: They should readdress the letter to "Occupant" and do a mass mailing to your whole town,,,,,,,at least that wouldn't be as rude...... :D
Love Jerry
QueenKnitter
02-07-2007, 07:12 AM
I admit that it's weird. And for someone in your experience it may feel like opening old wounds.
I would just toss it. File it away in my head and look for other clues to add to the picture.
I hate classes like that. If feels like school to me.
QK
Mary-
Where's the mention of Jesus Christ in that letter
your concern echos my husband's concern. He said that their mission statement and statement of belief's doesn't reference scripture at all....
it is just this vague set of "feel good" nice beliefs....and wonders about where Jesus is in the equation........
sad thing. It seems around here there isn't much better.........
if you get Jesus mentioned- you don't get beautiful worship- just sit,kneel stand stuff....
and if you get the worship- you get the ego-centered mind controlling weirdos...
oh well.
jane
Jerry-
Geeze !!!! Where did these guys go to school ????,,,,The "Christian College for the Incredibly Crass" ?????
actually, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COLLEGE:eek:
seems like the thing to do around here to get on the map-
have a few classes; charge your constituents for it and supplies; and call yourself a "christian college"
hehehehe
jane
cryfreedom
02-07-2007, 07:36 AM
It seems so modern, market-savvy and "bums on seats" focussed! It is all too common isn't it.
I can read it and say that the hearts could most certainly be in the right place, and it is tough on them to be extra critical... but then I can understand the other side of the fence and the triggering potential too.
Too so many people today this sort of church or club is the acceptable and even the desirable.
Those of us that didn't get through the transformation into contemporary "Barbie and Ken Doll" Christians , but instead got shafted somewhere along the way seem to see things differetnly.
I can now honestly say I am soo graeful to God that He let me go through it.
I would hate to be blind and naive again - imagine STILL belonging to some of the places/people that make your skin crawl, and thinking you were onto something wonderful....(vomits profusely)
You can make any choices you want, go to the class or don't, go to the church or don't, take what you like or leave it, no big deal at all. You're free, no matter what anyone else says, thinks or does - what a great feeling
:D:)
I would just toss it.
you're right. I should just forget about it.
funny thing, as I walk around my home doing morning chores, I am fuming about it.
So I will probably write him a letter of some kind soon.
:p
there's a new song arising in my veins.......and it is probably not a very sweet holy one.
jane
Elisabeth
02-07-2007, 10:24 AM
You can make any choices you want, go to the class or don't, go to the church or don't, take what you like or leave it, no big deal at all. You're free, no matter what anyone else says, thinks or does - what a great feeling
:D:)
What an excellent thing CryFreedom said. You're free, and if the letter creeps you out enough, stop going to that church and try another.:p If your only problem has been the letter, and it didn't say you have to go to the class, then throw it away and keep going to that church, just keep you eyes open. From what you said about the doctrine not mentioning Jesus, it sounds like that's not your only problem with the church though. If the pieces do add up in that church to something you don't like, go somewhere else. But above all, remember you are free in Christ to worship Him. :D
SpinningHead
02-07-2007, 11:05 AM
There is absolutely no way I would attend "membership classes" again. I didn't have to take a class to accept Jesus Christ as my savior, I sure ain't gonna take classes so I can go to church on Sunday. I see absolutely no value whatsoever in becoming some official "member" of a church. They'll take my $$ just the same!
I just want to go to church.
Do my absolute best to love God with all my heart.
Serve others whenever I can.
Devote myself to my marriage (and hopefully someday adopt).
Do what I can to earn a decent living for me and hubby.
Why does that seem not acceptable to these churches? :confused:
SpinningHead-
That sums up my point exactly.
I too, just want to serve God, go to church on Sundays, be the best friend that I can be with my husband, raise the children that we have.... and live for loving others along the way.
it is often not enough for these churches because they want us to serve them........and not Jesus.
It was always my dream to raise my children in church; singing hymns, loving others as part of the group.......I had a good childhood experience in a congregational church, I just can't seem to get that for my little ones and it breaks my heart.
jane
not only that,
but I feel like I could use some help.
I remember helping so many women when they were in need.
I can't seem to keep up with my schedule these days. My house seems to be cluttering up as quickly as I try to pick it up.....
not meaning to complain but man what I would do for a friend to come over, sit with my two children while I clean and then join me for a glass of diet coke on ice...........
I am just slower these days, tired....and I know this will pass with the first trimester but it just irritates me to see dishes piling up.
Of course, I could go do some of that now instead of typing.
but you know what I mean, the fellowship........the talking with a friend to get through it easier.
jane
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT POSTED 3 TIMES>>>>
JERRY H E L P .
jane
Voyager
02-07-2007, 01:00 PM
I wish you lived closer Jane. My wife would be happy to come over and help you. She needs a friend too, but like many people here, her "truster" is still wounded and unable to allow her to go out and find new friends. After so many close friends from our former church betrayed us, it left a lasting wound.
:(
Jerry
02-07-2007, 01:45 PM
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT POSTED 3 TIMES>>>>
JERRY H E L P .
jane
Hahahahaha,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Shit Happens :D
DiligentLily
02-07-2007, 01:45 PM
There is absolutely no way I would attend "membership classes" again. I didn't have to take a class to accept Jesus Christ as my savior, I sure ain't gonna take classes so I can go to church on Sunday. I see absolutely no value whatsoever in becoming some official "member" of a church. They'll take my $$ just the same!
I just want to go to church.
Do my absolute best to love God with all my heart.
Serve others whenever I can.
Devote myself to my marriage (and hopefully someday adopt).
Do what I can to earn a decent living for me and hubby.
Why does that seem not acceptable to these churches? :confused:
I'm with you Spinner! My current church welcomed us person-to-person. We were always people to them. They were interested in us, our jobs, our kids. They never pushed us to participate. And we're 'members' simple because we attended. That's just what DH and I needed after our last experience! We've been hit over the head for 13 years with 'breaking solemn church membership vows' simply because we left the old church!
Elisabeth
02-07-2007, 01:58 PM
We've been hit over the head for 13 years with 'breaking solemn church membership vows' simply because we left the old church!
"Breaking solemn church membership vows" and still bugging you after 13 years! Wow! That is not right at all.
I am okay with being a church member as long as:
1) The pastor is not looked upon as God.
2) They don't tell you how you have to believe or act.
3) They don't tell you how much time or money you have to invest in the church.
4) The requirements for membership are solely that you are a baptized believer. Period. No indoctrinations, or anything like that.
I have been to membership classes, and the only ones I have liked are the ones that teach basic Christian doctrine, and basics about the church. Again, no indoctrinations, no telling you in any ways what to do, no solemn membership vows, or anything like that.
Patty
02-07-2007, 03:07 PM
My thought is that something in that letter really hit a deep trigger for you, one you may not even realialize. What is it? Identifying this trigger might bring you some relief.
Voyager
02-07-2007, 03:15 PM
My thought is that something in that letter really hit a deep trigger for you, one you may not even realialize. What is it? Identifying this trigger might bring you some relief.
For me, the trigger was attending church - period. All of them have religious requirements. All of them want money. All of them hope to indoctrinate you. All of them seem to exclude people who are not like them.
Sorry if this is not true for the church that you attend. I don't like to stereotype things, but this is the way I feel now. My former church ruined my interest in churches altogether. I figure, after all the bad that happened to me during my "church" phase of life - why would I want to do that again? Surely there are better (and less dangerous) ways to find relationships and please God.
:(
butterfly
02-07-2007, 04:06 PM
Wow sounds like they want to plant a garden and you are their seed.:eek: :eek:
"
They will start to plant you in the membership worshop.
They will show "caring."
They will use the "communication" of their ways to brainwash you.
They will use "Cultivation" to make you a strong christian. So you will grow up in His ways as they see fit.
You and your family will bloom into a "Kaleidoscope of Acitives"
Where you will show our visions our values which is the mission of Gateway.
Welcome to CULT :D ivation where we cultivate lasting friendships.
If you choose to uproot yourself and your family we warn you no one will beleave your statements about our polluted ways. All friendships will stop as you exit.
butterfly shirley
Voyager
02-07-2007, 04:21 PM
All friendships will stop as you exit.
That is the deal-breaker for me Butterfly. You summed up everything I feel about church in one short sentence. I couldn't have written 100 paragraphs that would sum it up better than those seven words that you wrote. And they try to tell us that our friendships in "the world" are only fair-weather friendships.
:rolleyes:
DiligentLily
02-07-2007, 04:45 PM
Welcome to CULT :D ivation where we cultivate lasting friendships.
If you choose to uproot yourself and your family we warn you no one will beleave your statements about our polluted ways. All friendships will stop as you exit.
butterfly shirley
Amen! Been there! It is so refreshing to come here and find people who see things the same way I do. I just blogged about this topic on my personal blog, but there it is an uphill battle to get my little community to see these patterns for what they are. I have to convince them that it's not healthy to let your church shanghai your life and your friendships.
OK- A virtual diet coke on ice is at my table:)
funny you speak about the lasting wound. When people here talk about getting together face to face, I cringe.
I would be too afraid of loosing what I have here.
Know what I mean?
Does your wife ever post?
jane
I wish you lived closer Jane. My wife would be happy to come over and help you. She needs a friend too, but like many people here, her "truster" is still wounded and unable to allow her to go out and find new friends. After so many close friends from our former church betrayed us, it left a lasting wound.
:(
Lamisa
02-07-2007, 06:25 PM
There is absolutely no way I would attend "membership classes" again. I didn't have to take a class to accept Jesus Christ as my savior, I sure ain't gonna take classes so I can go to church on Sunday. I see absolutely no value whatsoever in becoming some official "member" of a church. They'll take my $$ just the same!
I just want to go to church.
Do my absolute best to love God with all my heart.
Serve others whenever I can.
Devote myself to my marriage (and hopefully someday adopt).
Do what I can to earn a decent living for me and hubby.
Why does that seem not acceptable to these churches? :confused:
Well, I'll tell you guys what I am excited about: No MORE CLASSES!!! I have taken so many stinking classes at my church I should have a degree! I took their "Freedom Class" about 6 times, "Jesus Ministry 1&2" at least twice each and "Prayer Team Training" at least twice, not to mention attending both week long conferences in the summer (took time off from work to be there)
I'm 23 and when I was 21 I went and had a "prayer team" pray and ask the Lord if it was the right time for me to go back to school and finish my degree... "the Lord" told them no, this was to be a season where I would be in church classes, having my heart "healed" and being prepared for ministry! And now, two years later... I am back home with my family, newly married, starting all over.
Looking for Jesus. I suppose He must be somewhere back here where I left Him. :( But I won't stop looking.
You guys are all such a blessing!
Butterfly-
Your post illustrates the trigger that I experienced.
The people at my old church WERE family.
The pastor's mother in law was like a mother to me. She was my maid of honor when I married. The pastor's brother in law (elder and my leadership trainer) walked me down the isle...his wife (mother in law's daughter whom she lived with) my sister, my best friend.
They said things in the begining like, "oh, you eat ....... so do we; you are family." With all different little things that I did.
I babysat their kids often. Served them all in love.
Then I experienced life- pain. All of a sudden, I was too needy. Yeah, I was needy I was terrified. I stopped being invited to family gatherings..
Oh, did I mention that we attended their christmas eve gathering to be told that week that some family members (we assumed that it was the pastor himself) was shocked to see us there....they only wanted family there because they had to deal with church people 24-7.....
and one day I witnessed my "mother" telling another new person that she was like family because she liked to do....just like them. With a thing that she said I did.
OK, now I am rambling.
Bottom line?
Now, not only do none of them speak to me, I am downright shunned.
I bumped into my "mother" (maid of honor) in the grocery store and she walked right passed me with a one liner that she taught me to use when I didn't want to be drawn into conversation with someone. (usually someone who left the church).
So, in spite of the Pastor saying that we weren't in sin or leaving the church for sin; we were still "turned over to Satan" by people who were family.
I might add that the family and friends we had prior to this church were no longer in our lives--- some because they are disfunctional-- but mostly because we separated from them because they didn't get our committment to our church schedule.
So the trigger- is 1)a form letter written to draw you in (similar tactics we used to increase our numbers)
2)without a name.
(my pastor after 9 years of service to him; couldn't remember my daughter's name 3 days after he dedicated her to the Lord and used her name in a prophetic sermon......:eek: )
3)the promise of a loving atmosphere that like Butterfly illustrated will leave immediatly upon your exit.......
R E J E C T I O N
after they have sucked all of your life, love, compassion, creativity and any other gifts out of you for their own stockpile.
I guess like Voyager, it is church in general that makes me sick to my stomach.
Jane
Wow sounds like they want to plant a garden and you are their seed.:eek: :eek:
"
They will start to plant you in the membership worshop.
They will show "caring."
They will use the "communication" of their ways to brainwash you.
They will use "Cultivation" to make you a strong christian. So you will grow up in His ways as they see fit.
You and your family will bloom into a "Kaleidoscope of Acitives"
Where you will show our visions our values which is the mission of Gateway.
Welcome to CULT :D ivation where we cultivate lasting friendships.
If you choose to uproot yourself and your family we warn you no one will beleave your statements about our polluted ways. All friendships will stop as you exit.
butterfly shirley
OH MY GOSH.
I had a friend, a brother in the Lord who quit college do dedicate himself to our pastor's vision for the same reason.
I guess it is not a new trick.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY WANT YOU TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE?
:rolleyes: let's see if we can count the many ways.....
It is so terrible how many people are robbed of the life that they were given by God....in His name.
jane
Well, I'll tell you guys what I am excited about: No MORE CLASSES!!! I have taken so many stinking classes at my church I should have a degree! I took their "Freedom Class" about 6 times, "Jesus Ministry 1&2" at least twice each and "Prayer Team Training" at least twice, not to mention attending both week long conferences in the summer (took time off from work to be there)
I'm 23 and when I was 21 I went and had a "prayer team" pray and ask the Lord if it was the right time for me to go back to school and finish my degree... "the Lord" told them no, this was to be a season where I would be in church classes, having my heart "healed" and being prepared for ministry! And now, two years later... I am back home with my family, newly married, starting all over.
Looking for Jesus. I suppose He must be somewhere back here where I left Him. :( But I won't stop looking.
You guys are all such a blessing!
Elisabeth
02-07-2007, 08:20 PM
Wow, Jane, they did hijack your life. :mad: I'm glad you're out of that mess, even though it is painful right now. I take it you are still in the neighborhood, perhaps a very small community? My spiritually abusive church was in a small town, and I have run into the pastor sometimes. Since the pastor's daughter was my best friend (and my maid of honor in my wedding) I lost a very good friendship, a girl I thought of as a sister. That still hurts. :( And since my mother and father lived in the same small town, they had friendships with some people in the church, people which I usually no longer associated with after I left. And many of the people of the church, who were my friends, did think of me as "less spiritual" because I left.:rolleyes:
Janice
02-08-2007, 02:23 AM
GOD.
FAMILY.
and then
CHURCH.
PERIOD.
jane[/QUOTE]
I whole heartedly agree Jane. So many times, the church tires to put God & Church in the same category. They try to make you feel guilty and make you feel like you're not putting God first in your life if you don't attend everytime the doors open for something.Hubby & I have talked about this more then once and I have said those exact same words...
God
Family
then church.
"God" and "Church" are two diffent things!
Elisabeth-
I am not in a small town believe it or not, more like a small city. The problem is that in my town, in my whole area there are very few "christians".
We live in a "liberal" area.... the christian community is small.
So we watched other people leave our church to attend another...
The pastors in town get together every other week to pray for the area and to share information about what they called "sheep Hopping"....giving information about people who leave your church to protect the next church from being fleeced. (I call it gossip, but I guess there is a different measure for pastors)
I watched a godly couple spend about 10 years in our church and then return to the small assembly of god church in town that they came from prior.
Our pastor and his wife told my husband and I that this couple never belonged to our group...(of course they didn't tell this couple for 10 years and had no problem taking their tithes and then some)
.....and in the next breath told us how they warned their new pastor about how this couple were unwilling to "submit".
The couple enjoyed about 2 months in the next church. We have other friends in that church who started asking us, "did _____ and _____ have problems submitting to authority in your church because our pastor discerns a real unsubmissive spirit about them."
I was so MAD:mad:
They were real servants.
They ended up leaving there and joining a small home church.
SO long before we thought of leaving, we knew that there was no where in a half hour radius that we could attend.
We watched them trash the reputation of this beautiful woman...who they ordained as one of their pastors and prophet.....and was in "core" leadership for many, many years..........they made her look "flighty, unstable and not able to church plant".
so we new, how much more damage to us, when we were not in CORE leadership yet, always in training........ We were leadership and ran ministries....but NOT CORE. (That was reserved for blood family and a few YES men).
Well, it has been almost 3 years since we left....we left when my daughter turned one ...and she will be 4 this spring.
It was in the leaving that the REAL abusive stuff got bad.
We don't regret leaving.
We regret ever joining....except I wouldn't have met my husband and we wouldn't have this wonderful family that is a gift.
jane
DiligentLily
02-08-2007, 04:00 PM
The pastors in town get together every other week to pray for the area and to share information about what they called "sheep Hopping"....giving information about people who leave your church to protect the next church from being fleeced. (I call it gossip, but I guess there is a different measure for pastors)
..........
It was in the leaving that the REAL abusive stuff got bad.
I am seeing so much of this stuff on the forum this week!
Talking about gossip--our abuser in chief made it his mission to go to every Christian leader in the city (where my husband is well respected and a public figure) and try to tell them that he has no respect for authority, that he's manipulative and that he 'broke fellowship'--in order lead a boycott against him and get him fired. They all wrote off Mr. Abuser as nuts eventually, thank goodness, but it never occured to Mr. Abuser that this was gossip! Not to mention the delusion of his fevered, resentful imagination.
Yes, with us, too, the real abuse began when we decided to leave. I'd like to hear more of your story if you feel like it.
Hi Jane,
If you were triggered, it’s like a warning sign. I think it’s all about Boundaries. How healthy is this church? Can they take a NO!
What I do a lot is give people enough rope so they can hang themselves if they want to. Simply
say thanks for the invite, but I’m not ready for that yet. And just leave it at that. Then see how
they treat you. Will they just let you attend and not pressure you to become more involved, if
that’s what you really want? I personally wouldn’t get involved until I knew if it was a relatively
healthy place. That takes time.
Carmen
03-01-2007, 02:11 AM
(Jane),
Letter Quote:
If you have considered calling Gateway your church home, I would like to encourage you to attend a new members class called "Welcome to the Family" that I will teach Sunday February 25th at our Executive Offices ( 450 Island Lane , West Haven ). In this class, I will share the vision, values and mission of Gateway. Come and join us for lunch at 1:00 pm. The class begins promptly at 2pm and ends at 4pm. If you have children, childcare will be provided. If you are interested in being a part of the class please call the church office at (203) 934-0880. I hope to see you there!
:eek:
I took the liberty of going to their website, and it is like the kind of churches I fled from + PDC. I won't go to churches that sing songs to the Holy Spirit calling on him to descend, envigorate, whatever... and continually talk about fire, revival and Pentecost. JMHO. I've been deceived too much in that kind of church. Adding the PDC to it would have been more than the last straw.
From their "Revival Declaration":
"We believe the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of revival. He is the sacred flame that ignites, the divine river that renews, the holy wine that intoxicates, the sovereign wind that blows where it pleases. He is the Spirit that regenerates, sanctifies, illuminates, and revives. He is the Spirit of Divinity, pure, powerful, and miraculous. Where He is there is freedom, there is life....The church was birthed with fire on the day of Pentecost. That fire must never die but burn ever brighter until the coming of that great and glorious day. It cannot be contained. It must be spread until the entire world is aflame for Christ."
(dominionism?)
The above text contains one trigger after another for me at least.
If you still want to go, I'd just tell the guy (no letter, they can be held against you much easier than an oral conversation) that I can't spend five hours away from my kids on Sunday, and ask why one needs to go to class at all, wouldn't the sermons contain enough information to grow in Christ (the purpose of a sermon is to teach, I thought). If they can't find an alternative or insist on some form of indoctrination for all other than the weekly sermon and scripture itself then I wouldn't have them. I'd also check that pastor's sermons meticulously to see if they conform to scripture, and that in the right proportions (not too much emphasis on something that was not emphasized a lot). If all he can talk about is vision, mission, values, fire, revival, leadership or the latest buzzwords, then I wouldn't put his sermons in the "scriptural" category and would see them as unfit for teaching and edification. If all that Holy Spirit fire doesn't energize people to really go out and do good works like charity, helping one another, encouraging one another, improving their character, but rather they just go home to lunch, then it wasn't worth the trouble. Just my honest opinion. If all that just encourages them to spend more time at church involved in some courses, then I'd really worry.
This reminds me of Elizabeth's thread about conforming to the church rather than God.
Look at their "Bases."
If you go to their home page and click under Grow/Membership Classes (Bases), that page could nearly be out of the PDC. The idea can only have been taken from there. Personally I don't condone that method of teaching. It is very controlling. In my opinion getting into that machinery, that people-processing-unit will mean stress. Just wait until they mention tithing (likely 10%), and they will if they are following the PDC way of doing church.
I'm running in the opposite direction and gaining speed. Just my honest opinion.
Thanks guys.
Actually, I haven't been over the past few weeks.
We've had some troubles with the girls so they haven't been able to get out to church.
It has given me a break and I have realized that I really don't want to be there.
Part of it was the bumping into families from my old church- funny, this church is about an hour a way from my house- and some of those families live near me.....
I just don't want to be part of the pretending that they do.
Jane
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