rethinker45
06-28-2010, 12:02 PM
I had a discussion with my husband this morning that hurt us deeply. We realized how much we had neglected our children fooling around with this church we were in. It used to be a great church but has changed for the worse over the years. I have earnestly sought to serve God with my whole heart but we were so worried about the conditions of our church that we were absentee parents. We were there to feed, cloth and help with homework but I think we had such a dis-connect with everything around us.
We have moved on to better things and another place but I feel sad for those that are still there who cannot wait to leave but feel they have nowhere to go. They feel they will be branded by our religious group as disgruntled people to are not supportive of leadership. We have a sister church nearby but the Pastor there would ruin his relation ship with the other Pastor if he were to accept these people who want to leave.
We were under a blindness for years and the further we pull away from this place the more our eyes come open to the damage to our family. Sometimes God sends you through trials and we learn alot, but sometimes things really hurt when you realize the mistakes that you have made with those closest to you. I love my children and wanted them to have a better picture of Christ. I believe that they think I am a Christian but they have not grown up in a good atmosphere churchwise.
On the outside the church looks fine, but the inner workings of the church are corrupt. The have money missing that the trustees refuse to account for, concerns of the people regarding problems in the congregation are turned back on the people as if they are troublemakers, not spiritual, not in unity, there is constant labeling of these people over the pulpit--those people who voice opinions or ask questions, people that try to go into the streets and labor are accused of trying to make a name for themselves. Secret meetings are held and certain people are ostracized (large amounts of partial treatment exist based on the personal feelings of the pastor, his wife and their relatives). There are hundreds of people in this congregation but all of them are afraid of the pastor;"I should not be seen talking with you"; "we know better than to ask to the Pastor if we can throw a party for that person". There is a system in place to keep the pastor in power, lifting up Christ has become secondary. The people have been like the lobster in warm water who doesn't know he's being cooked because it is happening so slowly. They are in a routine and feel that if we are having church then everything is OK. They keep giving leadership a pass in not answering questions or discussions about accountability because they are good people who trust leadership, but I know that their leadership is not very faithful to them.
We have a lot of work ahead of us in our home. Please remember us in prayer.
We have moved on to better things and another place but I feel sad for those that are still there who cannot wait to leave but feel they have nowhere to go. They feel they will be branded by our religious group as disgruntled people to are not supportive of leadership. We have a sister church nearby but the Pastor there would ruin his relation ship with the other Pastor if he were to accept these people who want to leave.
We were under a blindness for years and the further we pull away from this place the more our eyes come open to the damage to our family. Sometimes God sends you through trials and we learn alot, but sometimes things really hurt when you realize the mistakes that you have made with those closest to you. I love my children and wanted them to have a better picture of Christ. I believe that they think I am a Christian but they have not grown up in a good atmosphere churchwise.
On the outside the church looks fine, but the inner workings of the church are corrupt. The have money missing that the trustees refuse to account for, concerns of the people regarding problems in the congregation are turned back on the people as if they are troublemakers, not spiritual, not in unity, there is constant labeling of these people over the pulpit--those people who voice opinions or ask questions, people that try to go into the streets and labor are accused of trying to make a name for themselves. Secret meetings are held and certain people are ostracized (large amounts of partial treatment exist based on the personal feelings of the pastor, his wife and their relatives). There are hundreds of people in this congregation but all of them are afraid of the pastor;"I should not be seen talking with you"; "we know better than to ask to the Pastor if we can throw a party for that person". There is a system in place to keep the pastor in power, lifting up Christ has become secondary. The people have been like the lobster in warm water who doesn't know he's being cooked because it is happening so slowly. They are in a routine and feel that if we are having church then everything is OK. They keep giving leadership a pass in not answering questions or discussions about accountability because they are good people who trust leadership, but I know that their leadership is not very faithful to them.
We have a lot of work ahead of us in our home. Please remember us in prayer.