Enough Already! -Reply

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Bro. Chris,
I read your posting with tears in my eyes.  You are
obviously experiencing much sorrow and confusion over
the 2 neighboring churches' situation.  While it is
impossible to accurate assess the dilemma from a distance,
please allow me to share some thoughts for your
consideration.

First, while it may have been hard for you to do, let me
commend you for caring enough about your girlfriend to
step back in order to ease the pressure.  This action tells
me that you care more about her than even your own
feelings.

You also seem to be struggling with the humanity of the
redeemed.  While we are Acts 2:38 believers, not to
mention the rest of the Bible, we are all sinners saved by
grace.  And the ultimate victory of spirit over flesh will not
take place until the great catching away of the saints.  But
in the meantime, we must live with each other's bodies: our
carnality, mistakes, opinions, feelings, judgmentalisms,
biases, and all.  The greatest thing that could happen is for
each of us to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ...and then
we'd live in harmony with each other.  The reality is that
we also catch each other in our spiritual "peripheral" vision,
and that's when we see each other's failures.  

Another thought I'd like to point out, and one that may
draw some criticism, is that such a thing as "toxic faith"
exists.  When a church leader (not necessarily just a
pastor) practices control over people's lives, he or she can
cross a line that was never crossed by Jesus while walking
on earth.  He led the sheep, never pushed.  He never took
aim at the sinner or the disciple, it was the pious, religious
stiff-necks that drew his criticisms.  If Jesus Christ didn't
come into the world to condemn the world (us) to hell, we
must follow His example and never do this either.  There is
only one Judge, and He reserves the right to judge others
only to Himself.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be ye
followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."  Our
responsibility as believers to follow godly leadership stops
when that individual no longer follows Christ Jesus.  It's a
careful, but very rewarding, journey.  Furthermore,
Romans 14:19 tells us, "Let us  therefore follow after the
things which make for peace, and things wherewith one
may edify another."  As Apostolics, we're big on preaching
holiness and that without it we'll not see the Lord (which is
true), but it's also important to remember that the verse
starts, "Follow *peace* with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord."  If we can't live in peace
with our brethren here on earth, what good is holiness?
Again, the weakness is not in the message of truth but in
the earthen vessels to which its been entrusted.

Finally, it is my personal opinion that exhortation has not
helped anyone if it has not uplifted them, encouraged them,
and given them hope, while correcting wrong living.  

One last thought: slander is never appropriate...in or out of
the pulpit.