I have loved and admired my Pastor due to his unique-ness and lack of "religiosity" and "charismania". He was one of a kind...that is, until he informed us that he had a special message from God that he was going to deliver to us all as a congregation. So, two weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, we sat and listened to this *message* from *God*.
Apparently, God has let him know that he has been doing things wrong as a Pastor and has built the church on the wrong foundation. He has not stressed paying tithes as he should, and not stressed people being involved in the church....amongst other things.
Plus, he has developed a little *secret society* of *elders* that he won't reveal to anyone.
We were very upset by this message. It was a total contradiction of everything he had ever preached in the past.
My hubby called our Pastor a few days after the message and told him that he could not believe he really heard from God and felt like it was just a convenient excuse. My hubby went on to say that he felt that Pastor was under some sort of strain.....which is why he is making changes in the church. Our Pastor did not take kindly to those words, although he was civil to my husband on the phone. Instead, my Pastor waited til the following Sunday service....this past Sunday, and blasted my hubby and me from the pulpit.
He did not use our names, but he brought up specific issues from his private phone conversation with my hubby and addressed them in church. He said such things as "If you don't like a word from God that I give, don't call to negotiate about it"......and ran on about not judging him in the flesh.
He said some more things to, but I can't recall everything. He knew he was safe to do that from the pulpit. It was unfair. It was a betrayal of trust.
He criticized and flat out mocked people for staying home sick. As I am absent a lot due to a painful irritable bowel and fibromyalgia, I felt he was speaking in part to me. He says the church is the place to come when you are sick...so you can get healed. If the church had ever demonstrated that it is a place where miraculous healing occurs, then perhaps more sick people would be there.
He now refuses to be questioned by anyone on this whole matter of all the changes he is making. He said how we should not even look at him as a man. We are to look at him on a Spiritual level. In other words, he is the god of that church, and we should obey.
He blamed everything on people who look in the flesh/natural and not in the Spiritual. It's only when we see in the spiritual that things are true and divine...according to him. It seems to me that looking in the *spiritual* means that you ignore facts and become brainwashed believing people are healed when they aren't, and believing that if you tithe and give above a tithe sometimes that God will *repay* you.
I used to feel safe in my church because I knew I was not judged or condemned if my social phobia or other physical ailments made it impossible for me to attend church. I had found a place where I could breathe and grow and make friends. This past Sunday morning I felt condemned. My hubby was livid, and nearly stood up and spoke out against what Pastor was saying.
So far, thirteen have left the church as a result of Pastor's new changes. Some of those people were dear friends with him, and were very active in the church. One couple he flat out refused to talk to. Another guy he had put in charge of leading Praise and worship and promised to let him in on his little *secret society/inner circle* of elders. When this guy asked a few questions about Pastor's new changes, our Pastor told him he could no longer lead Praise and worship, let alone be included in the *secret group*. This was quite a blow, and the guy and his wife left the church too.
Our church never has more than about thirty people present on Sunday mornings....it's very small. So, having thirteen leave really puts a dent in it. Having said that, our Pastor claimed this past Sunday that 90% of the congregation had spoken favorably about his *message from God*. That is such a crock of ◊◊◊◊!!
Our Pastor is also making up new convenant certificates for everyone to sign and keep. That means they are agreeing to pay tithes....even if it puts them in the poor house, and it means they will show up to all services, and be involved in certain minisitries. My Pastor believes that only doing it this way will make it safe.
He's nuts!! It is not safe at all. It's scary. He talks like a dictator or a cult leader now. If I did not beleive n possession, I would say he was possessed.
He won't talk to us now...so we are writing a letter. We just want him to know that we feel betrayed.
I feel so hurt and frustrated over this whole thing. I don't want to ever go to church again. Church is Hell!!!!
Sorry to vent and rant!!!
Apparently, God has let him know that he has been doing things wrong as a Pastor and has built the church on the wrong foundation. He has not stressed paying tithes as he should, and not stressed people being involved in the church....amongst other things.
Plus, he has developed a little *secret society* of *elders* that he won't reveal to anyone.
We were very upset by this message. It was a total contradiction of everything he had ever preached in the past.
My hubby called our Pastor a few days after the message and told him that he could not believe he really heard from God and felt like it was just a convenient excuse. My hubby went on to say that he felt that Pastor was under some sort of strain.....which is why he is making changes in the church. Our Pastor did not take kindly to those words, although he was civil to my husband on the phone. Instead, my Pastor waited til the following Sunday service....this past Sunday, and blasted my hubby and me from the pulpit.
He did not use our names, but he brought up specific issues from his private phone conversation with my hubby and addressed them in church. He said such things as "If you don't like a word from God that I give, don't call to negotiate about it"......and ran on about not judging him in the flesh.
He said some more things to, but I can't recall everything. He knew he was safe to do that from the pulpit. It was unfair. It was a betrayal of trust.
He criticized and flat out mocked people for staying home sick. As I am absent a lot due to a painful irritable bowel and fibromyalgia, I felt he was speaking in part to me. He says the church is the place to come when you are sick...so you can get healed. If the church had ever demonstrated that it is a place where miraculous healing occurs, then perhaps more sick people would be there.
He now refuses to be questioned by anyone on this whole matter of all the changes he is making. He said how we should not even look at him as a man. We are to look at him on a Spiritual level. In other words, he is the god of that church, and we should obey.
He blamed everything on people who look in the flesh/natural and not in the Spiritual. It's only when we see in the spiritual that things are true and divine...according to him. It seems to me that looking in the *spiritual* means that you ignore facts and become brainwashed believing people are healed when they aren't, and believing that if you tithe and give above a tithe sometimes that God will *repay* you.
I used to feel safe in my church because I knew I was not judged or condemned if my social phobia or other physical ailments made it impossible for me to attend church. I had found a place where I could breathe and grow and make friends. This past Sunday morning I felt condemned. My hubby was livid, and nearly stood up and spoke out against what Pastor was saying.
So far, thirteen have left the church as a result of Pastor's new changes. Some of those people were dear friends with him, and were very active in the church. One couple he flat out refused to talk to. Another guy he had put in charge of leading Praise and worship and promised to let him in on his little *secret society/inner circle* of elders. When this guy asked a few questions about Pastor's new changes, our Pastor told him he could no longer lead Praise and worship, let alone be included in the *secret group*. This was quite a blow, and the guy and his wife left the church too.
Our church never has more than about thirty people present on Sunday mornings....it's very small. So, having thirteen leave really puts a dent in it. Having said that, our Pastor claimed this past Sunday that 90% of the congregation had spoken favorably about his *message from God*. That is such a crock of ◊◊◊◊!!
Our Pastor is also making up new convenant certificates for everyone to sign and keep. That means they are agreeing to pay tithes....even if it puts them in the poor house, and it means they will show up to all services, and be involved in certain minisitries. My Pastor believes that only doing it this way will make it safe.
He's nuts!! It is not safe at all. It's scary. He talks like a dictator or a cult leader now. If I did not beleive n possession, I would say he was possessed.
He won't talk to us now...so we are writing a letter. We just want him to know that we feel betrayed.
I feel so hurt and frustrated over this whole thing. I don't want to ever go to church again. Church is Hell!!!!
Sorry to vent and rant!!!
