There is this fence running through the Christian Faith, probably more than one. While God sees a field of believers , Christians them selves seem very good at building fences in the fields.
My wife will immediately tell me that I am painting with a very broad brush. And I will admit she is probably right.
But I am starting this blog as a commemoration of an ending. You see this week I was asked to leave the Church we have belonged to for the past 5 years or so because I prefer to walk in the left hand side of the field , and our leadership prefers the right. Until recently I really didn't notice the fence. Now I can't ignore it. I have been a Christian since 1996 . During this period I have been blessed by God's presence in a Four Square Church, an Assembly of God, Church of the Nazarene, Presbyterian, Church of Christ and Baptist . Each of these churches looks at the Scriptures differently in some ways and the same in others ...This has provided me with a rich tapestry of belief and faith, an opportunity to study and know a God far more complex and diverse than any one denomination could contain.
I have come to believe this is a " God " thing . The Apostle Paul inspired by God wrote "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. " If you think about it no two people will ever see the same reflection.. each of us has a slightly different perspective to each of us though similar the reflection is different. I think that God is so beyond our individual thoughts that even the collective perspectives of 8 billion people could not even begin to show us God.
All this to say I believe that God is the author of our belief of Him. God is so vast so incomprehensible that only God can teach us of Himself.
That is not to say there are incorrect views of God... but I do believe that any belief about God that is inspired by God will lead to good fruit ... Recent events that led to our being cashiered out of our home church ..does lead me to question fruit production ...I had been taught that if we felt a fellow believer had sinned against us or caused us to stumble we should go directly to that believer to reconcile the issue ...I was surprised to find out that something that had happened in December of last year was being held against me ...by a leader in our Church, yet this person never came to me ...never once mentioned that they were upset , instead whenever I saw this person I was given a firm handshake , pat on the back and big smile .....it was this person that without any discussion ..told me to leave the church because my belief about Gods Salvation has 5 points and His does not. ...I wish could write more eloquently about how this has made me feel about my former Church and its Leadership. I am bitter , but praying that through Christ my bitterness will be removed... time will tell
2 comments:
I think you'll find that God knows what He is doing and has a plan for you that couldn't be fulfilled in that particular field. There are many other fields that need harvesting and He has one picked out for you.
Hello Ken,
I'm a good friend of your wife, cyber-friend, that is. We hope to meet up with the two of you one of these days. We are in Ohio. Lori and I sort of talked about meeting in Cincinnati or something.
My husband and I will be praying for you both. we are just coming out of a 3-month period of turmoil, doubt, bitterness, hurt, and _____you will be able to fill in the blanks. Ours was slightly different. The exact opposite in a way. We perceived a spiritual oppression in the church for a long time before I was around long enough to find out that we had a horrible gossip and backbiter who was causing division among the people. This person was the pastor. I confronted him in the pattern dictated in the scriptures in Matthew 18:15, to which you have referred. Only problem was that when I arrived to talk with him, he had 3 people with him - 3council members.
I pulled my punches and did not reveal the specifics of things he had told me and other members of my family, things I had overheard him saying about others - damaging things, and instead discussed in vague terms a couple of cases. I did not want to totally embarrass him before his council. I thought I might still have a chance to restore privately. What he did that day was relieve me of my (many) duties in the church (you can't fire me, I quit) and promise to get in touch by phone after all who were in the meeting had a chance to seek God ,etc. etc.
I never heard from him again. He never answered my calls. After a couple of months went by I hand=carried a letter with all the things I would have said to him including some very scary scriptures about scattering the flock. My desire is still that he will repent. I have forgiven his weakness and his sins against me personally. It's more difficult for me to absolve him from the damage he has done to others in the church. there are people there that we really love, and they deserve a better pastor. either this one, restored, or another. We haven't even looked for another church yet.
I have told my husband what you've revealed about your situation. We are both so sympathetic with you. We will keep you in our prayers as you go through this. You will. Go through.
Nancy
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