I can feel for your problem. I also belong to a church with a spiritual problem. Its problem is the minister.I won't get into the mechanics here,but it make it very difficult. You go to church and BIBLE study and come home with fustration. You pray for help and understanding but none comes. I find being alone with GOD in prayer and in his word brings me the greatist joy. I know that JESUS calls us to be a church as in a group,yet I leave the worship service empty and sometimes bitter. It doesn't feel right to be complaining either. I could forsee causing a split in My church,and causing all sorts of hostile feelings. Is that the right thing to do? After all it is GODS church, Who am I to critize? By causing trouble am I trying to do GODS job. I am sorry if I am rambling on.What I said maybe doesn't apply to you. It is something that is heavy on my heart and your post triggered it. Above all may GOD give us patience,not only for his works,but also for fellow workers in his church. holeinthesock
Thanks, holeinthesock, it does help. I also believe that God will move ministers in and out of His congregations as He sees fit. In both our situations it would seem that prayer and humility are the best paths to travel.
I am so sorry I am just now seeing this. I will be praying for the church of both of you. My chuch is fine but that is one of the things I pray against all the time. It can happen at any church and I have been in some that it has either happened before I came or happened while I was there (not my fault LOL)
Anyway it is a serious matter and Chuck Colson has written a wonderful book called The Body that addresses in part what to do at a church that is struggling this way. His advice is good when it comes time to decide if you leave or stay. He leans on the side of staying and give very good reasons why. But he also acknowledges there are times when a person must leave a church.
My suggestion would be to get two or three more who you know agree with you on what is happening, God will lead you to them if you don't know who in the church agrees wtih you, and pray together once a week. Pray against the forces of evil that are working to destroy the church and pray for your pastor. I saw a sticker once that said "If the church wants a better Pastor then they need to pray for him/her." It is true and we should always be in prayer for our pastors. They are people just like us and fall into the same sins as we do. They are more vulnerable than we, I think, because of the burdens carry and the work they do.
Lord I pray against the forces of evil that are coming against these two churchs and ask God that you raise up an army within the church to pray against them too. Bring your foot solders out in view of each other to pray together and in agreement that no one will be lost from the church and that your grace, mercy, and forgiveness will be proclaimed there in these situations. Amen
It only takes two in agreement to come against this to change what is going on. The OT tells over and over of how a small army defeated many numbers of opposer because we don't fight our war but God does. We have a BIG DADDY!
That's great to remember, grammiesue, >>> my Father can beat up the father of lies any time.
I am trying to stay focused on praying against the forces of evil, remembering that this is a spiritual battle. It's so easy to fall into praying against the people I believe are hurting the church instead of praying for them and against the thief. Also, a group of us are gathering to pray a few times a week.
God is powerful and has great things in store for us. Praise Him.
Just wanted to report that yesterday the youth led the morning service. It was wonderful! What a great outpouring of the Spirit.
The trouble is there, still. But I know that God is working. Perhaps the youth will be the solution to our difficulty. We can unite behind them.
Aren't youth great? They have an easy faith that we older ones seem to strive for and it comes out in everything they do. I hope it will be a solution until God is able to work things out completely in your church. I am still praying for you all.
I've been visiting family. Don't know what happened this week. I'll fill you in when I get more info.
Thanks for asking and continuing to pray.
Update --
It looks like God is pulling us through. Perhaps the gate will be so narrow that we'll lose some of the baggage we carry with us all the time. (Can't we all use that?) I think there are some painful times ahead of us, but there is some light up there, too.
Thanks for your prayers. Please keep on. The battle is not won yet (at least, not down here).
