Small town problems

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> For example, some of you may have posh jobs in small towns and go to 
>church with few people where the majority are saved and have no
>problems in life.

Before I start to reply, I do agree that big cities have more problems
than smaller ones.  To say we in small towns have no trouble in life,
lets look into this...

Danville, IN...County seat of Hendricks County.
Surrounding area towns in Hendricks county with
Oneness Apostolic churches, Danville, Plainfield, Avon
Brownsburg.  All Churches together would bring up about
a total of 300 saints.  Not anywhere near 10% of the population
of Hendricks county.  
*That is a problem.*
Of the 4 Hendricks county churches, fellowship is not too often.
*That is a problem.*
One of the churches claims it and a couple other Indiana churches
are going to heaven and the rest are going to Hell in a hand basket.
*That is a problem.*
Of those 4 towns and their schools, a total of around maybe 8 kids
in the schools are Oneness.
*That is a problem.*
A teacher in the Danville school and probably others that I don't
know of, can teach evolution and say God is a fable, and then 
not allow the students to state their views on religion..
*That is a problem.*
The average age of a student in Hendricks county having sexual
intercourse is around 13. (Result of a survey given 2 years ago.)
*That is a problem.*
When a party of 30 kids in a corn field turns up alcohol, drugs,loaded
and unlicened firearms, etc..
*That is a problem.*
When of those 30 kids, none were of legal drinking age..
*That is a problem.*
Getting back into the church problems again...:
When a pastor lets up on his preaching so as not to offend
or anger his saints..
*That is a problem.*
 When services are cut short so to fit into peoples schedules..
*That is a problem.*

I think you get my point, or at least I hope you do.
This small town and small county on the west side of Indy
has many problems.  I havent even warmed up giving you them.
I could go on and on and give you statistic after statistic on the
rising crime rate, sexual offences, drug use, killings, rapes, in this
small town.  Instead of going on and on about the wordly problems
I showed a few of the  church problems that are occuring.  
I wish I could go into church and have no problem in bother me,
but to say that, I would be lying.  It burdens me to see only 40 out
of 150 people show up this Sunday because my Pastor was at Gen.
Conference.  It burdens me that there is very few youth in my church.
It burdens me that the older saints reject anything new or youth like.
It burdens me that people refuse to come to prayer meetings.
It burdens me to see the choir members be against the drama team.
It burdens me to here people say that when my pastor retires they will
leave the church.  I AM JUST A SAINT OF THE CHURCH!
I am also only 22.  Just think of the burdens and problems the older
saints see or feel.  Just think of the problems and burdens my pastor
feels.  When my church has prayer request time, it take a good 5+
minutes just to go through all the request.  That doesnt even include
the prayer or annointing of anyone who comes forward.  When that
time comes, you can count at least 8-10 people coming forward.

Notice I didn't even get into the problems about people following
standards, or the music and it's musicians, the worshipping, etc.
If I were to start getting into the trivial problems, this post
would be another 2 or 3 pages long.  
Finally after getting through all the problems stated above, then 
and only then do I hear someone say, "What color they going
to paint the family life center?"

Small town life might look nicer than big towns, and if you ignore
the problems around you, yes, small town life can be.  But look 
around the corner, or read the police reports, or talk to pastors
around here and you will find that the problems are just a little more
hidden than big city problems are.

God Bless,

Chris Sterrett
sterrett@juno.com
-------------------------------
Apostolic Bible Church
Acts2.38@juno.com