"You have to work hard to offend Christians. By nature, Christians are the most forgiving, understanding, and thoughtful group of people I've ever dealt with. They never assume the worst. They appreciate the importance of having different perspectives. They're slow to anger, quick to forgive, and almost never make rash judgments or act in anything less than a spirit of total love . . . No, wait--I'm thinking of Labrador retrievers!" David Learn, 1998

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Grace under Siege 30: "Why do you stay?"

     Many friends ask us why we stay at this church. They say they would have walked a long time ago and they invite us to worship at their church(es). As one member of our denomination commented on my post, "Kangaroo court," "What is going on at YOUR church is an embarrassment to all members of the Brethren faith. . .
     "That your 'leaders' have seen fit to embark on this absurdly bizarre calling out of the faithful, when they themselves have removed themselves from the fellowship of Brethren believers by their complete disregard of the charter for their own church, is a farce, an embarrassment beyond description, and utterly dishonoring to Christ. Your church has become a joke.
     "I'm personally ashamed of your so-called  'leadership,' the compromising majority of your congregation that is putting up with this twaddle, and the perverted crapola that is passing for faith in your assembly. Rest assured: God will deal with all of those in your midst who bring disrepute to the Christ of the Scriptures. . .
     "I'm embarrassed and chagrined that I ever had any connection with the place. May God deal with the Laodiceans in your midst. Only His grace, as opposed to my personal wishes, will save such a 'leadership' from the thumping it deserves."
     Why do we stay? We stay because it's our church--and because God told us to. He has not released us to go elsewhere. Besides, if we bail, just like in a marriage, we'll have invested a lot of time, energy, agony, and prayer--but miss all the answers to prayer and the happy ending!

2 comments:

  1. You must stay until God releases you. His will is paramount. It is His church, however, not yours. You are an integral part of it, a living stone.

    There are many, very many, who have been in your position and are now following Father in the wilderness. I was birthed out of the church I attended for 20 years about 2 years ago. Father has kept me home, but He has provided fellowship with a few others. It is very different from the norm, but it is very good.

    The church you attend is one of many which have apostasized. I don't know what its end will be, because I don't know if corporate repentance is still possible, but that is the only path which brings life. I pray that those who have turned away will be exposed, that they will be broken, and that they will repent. If they will not, I pray that God will either remove them from His church or remove His remnant from them.

    In Jesus' name I pray!

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