tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post4475060205773880532..comments2023-08-29T04:23:57.598-05:00Comments on New BBC Open Forum: 2010 Memphis Passion Play CancelledNew BBC Open Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-65298149019654863832010-02-01T08:40:43.959-06:002010-02-01T08:40:43.959-06:0032 years,
Not really back on the tithe, just the ...32 years,<br /><br />Not really back on the tithe, just the way it is used these days. It is an indicator if you will. If you have a preacher steadily and persistantly preaching and demanding a tithe then I would expect that you would get the rest of the law preached at you at other times. <br /><br />There is no scriptural warrant for a tithe. There is for an offering and a cheerful giver. I think it is important to distinguish the difference. <br /><br />In one case you have a sacrificial system of religion the other is a love and devotion for your redeemer.<br /><br />If you realy boil it all down, in your daily witness and life as you go about making disciples and telling or showing folks the Jesus you know. How do you do that by constantly and persistently showing them sacrifice and law?<br /><br />That just confuses folks and makes a simple but glorious Gospel out to be just more law. Folks aren't leaving churches or refusing to go into one because they feel the love of Jesus when they enter one but because the preacher and pew immediately begin to load them with burdens too heavy to bear and a sacrificial system that all Israel couldn't ever do.<br /><br />We do the things we do because we love Jesus and what He did for us. The works we do are His works that we were destined to do. We give cheerfully because we want to show our love, care and consideration for our brother. As we do it, we get closer and closer to Him and His people. The bond of love and unity.<br /><br />When you listen to SG do you get an overwhelming sense of love? Redemtion, Grace and unmerited favor of GOD? A chosen people, bought and paid for having been reconciled to God by the blood of the Cross? Free from the law and its demands? Free to love to and for God?<br /><br />That isnt what I get out of his messages...All that I get is the rules you have to follow to be part of BBC. Those seem to many and they seem to start with a tithe. LAWezekielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11991868400830971195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-73412883300582537142010-01-31T22:10:43.221-06:002010-01-31T22:10:43.221-06:00Re my 3:53 p.m. comment yesterday, it just occurre...Re my 3:53 p.m. comment yesterday, it just occurred to me I meant to say Friday, not Thursday. Still curious about that.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-41180644423674424612010-01-31T18:39:56.035-06:002010-01-31T18:39:56.035-06:00fog,
One of the similarities I see is not only th...fog,<br /><br />One of the similarities I see is not only the layoff of staff, there's the breaking of a "covenant" between Robert H. (father) and Robert A. (son) Schuller. Apparently Robert A. who had had taken the helm of the CC in 2006, was trying to lead the church in a more evangelistic and not as much of a strictly "positive thinking" direction as his dad had, and in a nutshell, Robert H. didn't like this and gave him the boot. Sort of reminds me of another broken "covenant" we've heard of.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-82384254504869604512010-01-31T16:17:25.560-06:002010-01-31T16:17:25.560-06:00Wow. Loved the comment, "A crystal cathedral...Wow. Loved the comment, "A crystal cathedral with no crystal ball? How did Rev. Schuller miss that one?" I thought the same thing when I read the article!<br /><br />I admit I watch <i>Hour of Power</i> on Saturday nights sometimes because they usually have some good music. (It sure ain't for the preaching!) I've noticed an increase lately in the time devoted to asking people to give. Recently during a service Schuller's daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, was talking with Bruce Wilkinson, the <i>Prayer of Jabez</i> guy, and at one point in the <a href="http://www.crystalcathedral.org/hour_of_power/interviews/detail.php?contentid=5384" rel="nofollow">interview</a> he said, "Miracles come through people. And I wanted to find out years ago if you need a miracle and God wanted to give it to you, I wanted to find out how can I be the person who helps the miracle come to be. Let's say this represents the miracle you need, whatever it was. Let's say it was money."<br /><br />She replied that the ministry needs money. "You do?" he replied. And with that he pulled out his wallet and emptied it on the pulpit. Then a woman in the congregation came forward and dropped money on the steps. This was followed by a line of people doing the same. Miracle? Or pre-written script? You can read it for yourself.<br /><br />I've heard of the same thing happening in a Kenneth Copeland service (I read a newspaper article and remember a photo of a pile of money on the steps), and I'm really surprised SG hasn't pulled a stunt like this yet.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/83146812.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU" rel="nofollow">This</a> is the <i>Star Tribune</i> article to which one of the commenters referred. It gives more information.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-20441440216855211022010-01-31T15:37:53.672-06:002010-01-31T15:37:53.672-06:00Bellevue Baptist Church and now The Crystal Cathed...Bellevue Baptist Church and now The Crystal Cathedral!<br /><br />http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-crystal-cathedral30-2010jan30,0,396749.story<br /><br />I see some similarities here.fogmachinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13669554812878184529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-89343517264882940012010-01-31T14:29:49.332-06:002010-01-31T14:29:49.332-06:00"Folks that left are more or less doing the s..."Folks that left are more or less doing the same thing, just somewhere else."<br /><br />I'm assuming we are now back on the subject of the tithe - to tithe or not to tithe, that is the question.<br /><br />My family tithes because we believe it is scriptural and because it is a good discipline for giving to the church. And it is just the beginning because we then give offerings above the tithe<br />for special ministries - like the<br />Lottie Moon Offering, Samaritan's Purse, etc. In giving this way, we do not feel a heavy yoke of the Law. We give because it blesses us to give. <br /><br />The problem comes when a pastor puts a heavy yoke on his people that God never intended. No one should be pressured to give anything. God owns it all, He needs nothing from us but our love, and if one cannot give out of a heart of love, willingly, then<br />God doesn't want it. He loves a cheerful giver - not a disgruntled<br />or guilt-ridden one.<br /><br />Ezekiel, if I have misread you, please forgive me. It seems easy to do on this blog.32yrs@bbchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729616459232164784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-75139623594294960802010-01-31T10:07:00.490-06:002010-01-31T10:07:00.490-06:00All this leaving and staying and such is just a si...All this leaving and staying and such is just a sign of the problem.<br /><br />The religious system in place at BBC and some other places is the same as it was in Israel. It is built on a system of sacrifices. Just look at "proving the tithe"...<br /><br />It is built on dead works of men rather than the completed work of Christ. Obedience to the law and its demands. Folks that stayed are working, obeying and sacrificing based on their interpretation of the Bible or the preacher's interpretation if they don't want to read it for themselves. Folks that left are more or less doing the same thing, just somewhere else.<br /><br />Pro 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. [I Sam. 15:22; Prov. 15:8; Isa. 1:11; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:7, 8.] <br /><br />We, fellow christians are free. Free from the demands of the law (Gal 2:19) and free to serve one another. (Gal 5:13.<br /><br />If you will take a close look at it, most if not all you are getting these days at BBC is law and sacrifice. That burden wasn't ever successfully carried by Israel and the Church can't carry it either. (Acts 15)<br /><br />His yoke is light and easy to bear. If it is hard you need to look at again.<br /><br />Mat 11:30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne. <br /><br />Pro 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. [I Sam. 15:22; Prov. 15:8; Isa. 1:11; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:7, 8.]ezekielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11991868400830971195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-13036747730825192702010-01-31T07:04:49.716-06:002010-01-31T07:04:49.716-06:00KLI so glad we are pretty much on the same page ag...KLI so glad we are pretty much on the same page again.:0)<br /><br />Seems no matter what subject NASS publishs, we always come back to the same one: the division between those who stayed (for whatever reason) and those who left (for whatever reason). And I believe there are as many reasons as there are personalities. My family personally struggled for 2 years and did all we could to turn the ship back around. But when it became obvious the leadership was not listening and was determined to continue on, when we knew for a fact some of what was going on behind scenes was just plain wrong, when we could no longer respect or support our pastor, when we became increasingly discouraged/depressed and lost all joy in our church attendance, that's when we knew, for us, the right thing was to move on. We left behind many friends who decided to stay for their own reasons. It's a choice each has to make and I respect their right to make that choice as I would want them to respect mine even though we may not agree or understand the other's reasoning. The main thing is the main thing - keep loving and serving the Lord wherever you are. Life is too short to get stuck in our grief over what happened at BBC. Joyce Rogers in my opinion is a good example for all of us. She not only lost her husband and best friend but she lost her pastor and her church. And yet she refuses to let anyone or any circumstance rob her of her joy in the Lord. She has re-established herself in another church home and is serving the Lord there.32yrs@bbchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729616459232164784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-6701786038650405572010-01-31T00:03:38.885-06:002010-01-31T00:03:38.885-06:00Yay, KLI! This one came through!
"I stand b...Yay, KLI! This one came through!<br /><br /><i>"I stand by my statement that some left because they were not comfortable."</i><br /><br />Now that you've explained further, I agree with this statement. There were some very influential people who, <i>as a group</i>, I think might have made a difference, but for whatever reasons they zipped their lips (at least in public) and left. I think a lot of it had to do with wanting to avoid confrontation which is never "comfortable."<br /><br />And speaking of that subject, here's a long overdue word to those who left, some voluntarily and some not, who claim to this day to have "smoking gun" evidence of grievous wrongdoing by certain parties currently or formerly in leadership positions. The time has come to "put up or shut up." I'm tired of hearing people say they've got enough dirt on ______ to ______ tomorrow, but when they're asked to step up to the plate and provide proof, they clam up. Please, either cough up the evidence now or burn it and never speak of it again! Thank you. <br /><br />Someone actually said to me (and I didn't think it was tongue-in-cheek) that maybe the people who left wanted to "suffer for the sake of Christ" and "not to give back evil for evil." That makes about as much sense as saying those who <i>stayed</i> wanted to "suffer for the sake of Christ" Puhleaze.<br /><br />As I said before, I refuse to question the motives of anyone who simply says s/he was led to stay or go (doesn't mean I can't wonder), but I can't help but question why anyone would think leaving or remaining in a church in the United States of America today could in any way be considered "suffering for Christ." Let's face it, I seriously doubt anyone reading this blog knows what <i>real</i> suffering for Christ is! To equate leaving or remaining in a church with "suffering for Christ" cheapens the gospel and is approaching blasphemy. It may be suffering all right, but it's <i>not</i> for Christ's sake. And as far as returning evil for evil, I hardly think <i>calling</i> evil evil is the same as <i>returning</i> it. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-51790249746236630052010-01-30T22:46:21.787-06:002010-01-30T22:46:21.787-06:00God Cancels "Prove the Tithe Sunday Service&q...<i>God Cancels "Prove the Tithe Sunday Service"</i><br /><br />Well, God does work in mysterious ways.<br /><br /><i>"... you can walk on anything, isn't that right...?"</i><br /><br />I don't think SG has ever made that claim, but if he walks anywhere outside in the morning, he's going to be walking on water all right. Frozen water, that is.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-13015389450960165942010-01-30T22:33:07.531-06:002010-01-30T22:33:07.531-06:00Steve Cancels the "Passion Play"
God Ca...Steve Cancels the "Passion Play"<br /><br />God Cancels "Prove the Tithe Sunday Service"<br /><br />So...Steve will try doing a "Jim Bakker" Webcast Telethon on Sunday, as BBC is running short and they need these offerings to shore up the January shortfall.<br /><br /><br />Steve , we can only hope that you are spending the night at the church in order to do this "live webcast" whatever,<br /><br />as now your going to have to deal with "Freezing Fog" if you plan to drive in the morning. Please be careful....as you probably won't .... as you can walk on anything, isn't that right...?gopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08248697714473635198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-16919254291399978392010-01-30T20:53:35.511-06:002010-01-30T20:53:35.511-06:00All: this is a post I wrote yesterday morning, lo...All: this is a post I wrote yesterday morning, lost it when my computer rebooted, re-wrote it late yesterday and then submitted to publish. Somehow I think Blogger ate it, so here it is again about 36 hours late - very sorry for the delay.<br /><br />32 yrs - <br /><br />Oh my - of course I accept your apology! I am so thankful for your post and your desire to clear things up quickly.<br /><br />If 32 yrs and NASS will allow - I'd like to clear up a few things myself :-)<br /><br />First of all the only reason I responded so strongly was I believed your post read that everyone was either at BBC because they are (I'm paraphrasing here) happy with the ways things are, somewhat clueless, or still at BBC for their own selfish / opportunistic reasons. Now the latter I believe is definitely true, but that is a whole other post! I am very grateful to know that you agree there is another group of people who, for this time as God's called, must be there.<br /><br />Secondly, and this is most important, I was completely wrong to say Bellevue is Egypt. It is not that all. The Word of God is being preached and there are Godly men and women serving there every day. Now, there may be times when events or circumstances feel dry - but BBC is not a place of heresy. I most sincerely apologize for this comment and to all I have offended.<br /><br />Lastly, I stand by my statement that some left because they were not comfortable. I do believe that some, maybe many, left because things were not nearly as easy if they used to be. It is hard to stand apart. I know this statement will not be popular.<br /><br />32yrs - I love you as a brother or sister in Christ and again thank-you so much for your apology, it really does mean a lot.Keeps Living Ithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02742173738629055687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-32653202564702351502010-01-30T19:37:32.912-06:002010-01-30T19:37:32.912-06:00KLI,
No, I've published every comment that...KLI,<br /><br />No, I've published every comment that's come through. Hope you saved a copy. I was hoping Blogger had fixed whatever the problem was.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-18537720414383535422010-01-30T19:28:11.173-06:002010-01-30T19:28:11.173-06:00NASS -
Did you not get my post from 6 or 7 last ...NASS - <br /><br />Did you not get my post from 6 or 7 last night to 32yrs?Keeps Living Ithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02742173738629055687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-33582412513491116612010-01-30T18:34:32.814-06:002010-01-30T18:34:32.814-06:00"Much like a dutiful wife, sacrificing your l..."Much like a dutiful wife, sacrificing your life for your husband and children. Doing laundry, cooking, cleaning and hating every minute of it."<br /><br /><br />Oh, but some love it, yum yum<br /><br />Just watching God at work is just amazing, well sometimes He's been busy elsewhere, so we just have to be patient.....gopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08248697714473635198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-66353810190611500502010-01-30T16:06:03.001-06:002010-01-30T16:06:03.001-06:00"Due to inclement weather, all Worship Servic...<i>"Due to inclement weather, all Worship Services and activities are cancelled for Saturday, January 30, and Sunday, January 31."</i><br /><br />I think this is a very wise decision. It is very slick out there, even on the grass! They can salt down the sidewalks, but the parking lots are big and there's no way they could de-ice every square inch of them (even the fraction that would actually be used), and people would track all that salt through the building. It would definitely be an accident waiting to happen and a big mess to clean up afterwards. Stay home and stay safe!<br /><br />Kind of puts a crimp in "Prove the Tithe" Sunday though.<br /><br />Also, the "annual" Homecoming Concert was supposed to be tomorrow evening. Of course, they haven't had one since 2008, so "annual" is kind of a misnomer. It'll be interesting to see if Jamie Parker is invited back when they reschedule it.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-46250513308392913612010-01-30T15:53:18.433-06:002010-01-30T15:53:18.433-06:00Question: Did the group of 80+ who went with Steve...Question: Did the group of 80+ who went with Steve and Donna Gaines to the Holy Land last week (a trip that had nothing to do with the church or church business), who got stranded at the Atlanta airport when they returned Thursday and their flight to Memphis was cancelled because of the weather, reimburse the church in Birmingham and Bellevue who both provided bus transportation back to Memphis? Or did Bellevue pick up the tab? (The B'ham church reportedly sent buses to Atlanta, picked them up, and took them to B'ham where buses from BBC met them and brought them back to Memphis.) Often an airline will provide motel vouchers for people whose flights are cancelled or will allow them to take the next available flight out. I could be wrong and hope I am, but I doubt the airline or travel agency would pay for chartered buses for a group of 80+ people.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-24592674023462557952010-01-30T13:09:13.066-06:002010-01-30T13:09:13.066-06:00Keeps living it,
Stop. Stop. Stop.
"While m...Keeps living it,<br /><br />Stop. Stop. Stop.<br /><br />"While many of you have run and left to something more comfortable, there are many, many of us who are still there - in Egypt. I don't know why God has called us to to stay, but he has and we stay obediently. Is it easy? Of course not - personally speaking it is one the hardest things I have ever done in my life."<br /><br />If you are still in Egypt, you need to start looking at the reason you went back. Fear of change, fear of loss of comfort, standing, power, position or you just like the food.(Num 14:1-4)<br /><br />You were once delivered from captivity but you have returned there and you say that it is God's will that you stay and sacrifice, the hardest thing you have ever done.....<br /><br />Check out Isaiah 1, Hosea 6. Take a look at Mat 9:13 which ties back to Hosea 6 along with these other references.<br /><br />I desired: 1Sa_15:22; Psa_50:8; Pro_21:3; Ecc_5:1; Isa_1:11, Isa_58:6; Jer_7:22; Dan_4:27; Amo_5:21; Mic_6:6; Mat_5:7, Mat_9:13, Mat_12:7<br />the: Hos_4:1; 1Ch_28:9; Jer_22:16; 1Jo_2:3, 1Jo_3:6<br /><br /><br />Mat 9:13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin). [Hos. 6:6.]<br /><br />You and many more are miserable, sacrificing like SG says you are supposed to, staying in Egypt. <br /><br />That is certainly not God's will. You can say it is and justify your inaction all you want but the fact is that HE delivered you from bondage. You sit there in it and that is your choice. Not His.<br /><br />Look at it this way. You are doing what you are doing out of a sense of duty and responsibility. Much like a dutiful wife, sacrificing your life for your husband and children. Doing laundry, cooking, cleanining and hating every minute of it. All that leads to is bitterness and resentment. What is worse is that is not what HE wants. (Isaiah 1) What He really wants is Hosea 6:6. He much preferes that you simply know him, desire him, and love him.(Luke 10:40)ezekielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11991868400830971195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-83519131199631870102010-01-30T11:11:10.480-06:002010-01-30T11:11:10.480-06:00Sunday Services Canceled
Winter Weather Announcem...Sunday Services Canceled<br /><br />Winter Weather Announcement<br />"Due to inclement weather, all Worship Services and activities are cancelled for Saturday, January 30, and Sunday, January 31."<br /><br />"Bro. Steve will preach a message via live webcast on Sunday at 10:00 a.m."<br /><br /><br />.gopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08248697714473635198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-78744971735723380592010-01-29T19:07:10.445-06:002010-01-29T19:07:10.445-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.32yrs@bbchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729616459232164784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-63483972318582867302010-01-29T14:39:02.405-06:002010-01-29T14:39:02.405-06:0032 years - I think you might be right on topic. I...32 years - I think you might be right on topic. I wonder how much of this has to do with tradition. Why has "tradition" become such a bad word? Why does tradition mean that it is out of date or needs to be reworked? It seems if it was something that was part of the Adrian Roger's years it must be changes, altered, revised, reworked, retooled, or just done away with. After all, that was the promise SG made the search committee was it not? That he would change BBC? I think the reason that there is so little discussion on this topic is because nothing is surprising to anyone anymore. And like someone mentioned. Those who have stayed have done so because they feel God had led them to do so for whatever reason that may be. And those who have left have moved on and have given up hope of anything changing for the better at BBC.BkWormGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010965262638611166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-56254635802710525862010-01-29T13:32:44.297-06:002010-01-29T13:32:44.297-06:00The graph also reveals the heart of SG. Declining...The graph also reveals the heart of SG. Declining attendance does not concern him, only the decline in revenue. The revenue decline, he concludes, is due to the lack of financial faithfulness of the members so he beats the sheep up about tithing. It always hard for a preacher to see the truth when the $$$ obstruct their view.WishIhadknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12487727353887788291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-28222779372943459912010-01-29T10:18:37.407-06:002010-01-29T10:18:37.407-06:00Bellevue - Cancellation's Update
"Winte...Bellevue - Cancellation's Update <br /><br />"Winter Weather Announcement"<br /><br />"Due to inclement weather, the church offices, Library, Bookstore, and GRACE Family Life Center are closed on Friday, January 29, and Saturday, January 30.<br /><br />Soul Mate Live and all other activities are cancelled for Friday and Saturday."<br /><br />Many flights into Memphis International Airport have been Canceled.<br /><br />Anyone know when the Anointed was due back from his HOLY LAND trip?<br /><br />Whatever precipitation arrives in Memphis won't be going away quickly, as any warm up won't be till Monday.<br /><br />So is Steve back?<br />Will Steve preach on Sunday?<br />(another snow sermon?)<br />What will happen to PROVE THE TITHE Sunday? (canceled and rescheduled for next year?)gopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08248697714473635198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-52770978262217759172010-01-29T07:24:50.663-06:002010-01-29T07:24:50.663-06:00KLI, you have my apologies for making any judgment...KLI, you have my apologies for making any judgmental statements.<br />If I could find my hidden trash can I would delete those comments.<br />I should have also mentioned there are some who are staying because they feel they are led of the Lord to stay. As NASS said, whatever our reasons for staying or leaving, we are all part of THE church of Jesus Christ. It is no easier leaving than it is staying<br />because of serious doubts about the integrity of the leadership.<br /><br />Another reason for deleting my comments is that I am off subject!<br />Sorry NASS.32yrs@bbchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729616459232164784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36564514.post-68377302901741405212010-01-29T01:17:48.346-06:002010-01-29T01:17:48.346-06:00KLI,
In all fairness, "32yrs" said &quo...KLI,<br /><br />In all fairness, "32yrs" said "some," not "all" or even "most." Perhaps s/he knows someone who <i>is</i> in that boat. I've actually heard people express what seemed to me to be less credible reasons than that for staying, but it's not my place to question someone's motives for leaving or staying. Not saying I don't wonder sometimes. I find it difficult to understand how people can subject themselves to, among other things, SG's sheep-beating week after week, but I try to respect the decisions of those who say they have been led to stay, just as much as I respect the decisions of those who've left.<br /><br />To say those who've left have "run to find something more comfortable" is akin to saying those who have made the decision to leave are "abandoning" the church and are in some way weaker than those who've chosen to stay. I've no doubt it was just as hard for some of those who left as it is for some who have stayed. I don't like the whole idea of "us" and "them." The Church is the Church. Moving one's membership from one church (lower-case "c") to another, doesn't mean one has abandoned the Church.New BBC Open Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18300115421477555376noreply@blogger.com