My Story

Brandt,

Thanks for your story.  I enjoyed hearing it.  Here's mine.

I was raised a Methodist; my wife was raised in a legalistic CoC much like the one you described.  When we married and moved to West Texas, she began attending the largest CoC in town and eventually settled in there.  I was baptized there at age of 25.  From then on, we have always attended big churches.

About five years ago we moved back to her hometown and for a number of reasons began attending the small NI church where she was rasied.  Reasons:  only CoC in town; wanted to be part of a church in our hometown; didn't want to drive 50 miles round trip three times a week; most importantly...felt we might be able to change some things with the Lord's help.  No evidence that we have changed much, but we still feel the Lord may do something.

The biggest problem the apostle Paul faced in his journeys was legalism.  Most of the problems like the ones you discussed are brought on by preachers and church leaders who want CONTROL over others' lives.  They build a fence around their little congregation and they prohibit any member from looking over the fence and seeing what is outside.

You are so right...the enemy is not other denominations; the enemy is not other CoC's; the enemy is Satan.  Sadly, the preachers and rulers in these small, legalistic churches don't see it that way.

Soldier on....

H.M.

[janine]

My early church years (young wife/mom adulthood & onward) were in mostly churches that your childhood church, Brandt, would label with "Flaming liberals!  Turn or burn, you evildoers!"

But, even there with them, I found legalistic angles in the teaching sometimes.

It was several years after my conversion from Catholicism, which I approached in a grateful, calm, "well, it's only logical!" way, that I passed through the other half of the process... I found the absolute confident trust in the Christ.

Funny how knowing all about the right way to do things and serve people didn't equip me with the rock-solid trust that God can handle me, everyone around me, every circumstance we're ever in, and the fate of the world... and still have pity for the tube worms at the deep-ocean vents, and the lemmings, and even the politicians... :p

[janine]

I don't remember quite getting that far... I don't remember ever looking over my shoulder, not measuring up, or hypocritically thinking I had, exactly... I was blessed with many Christ-centered people around me in the two congregations where I spent most of the early years.  They didn't let me absorb so much of the legalistic influences that I descended to that much starkness.

Oh, they were there, though, those "legalistic tendencies", to quote Acappella.  I saw them slither out and set up a couple of absurdities, which I'm sure helped me to see them for what they were as I grew.

Like, once I was asking people at work if they wanted to have a lunch-time Bible study, which might've gotten off the ground as a sort of "devo/time in the Scriptures" session... but I made it sound too unappetizing to be tolerated when I let slip stuff I had been taught about women not teaching men, etc.  

So I blew a chance to get a dozen people, some altogether unchurched, with the sanction and maybe even participation of the head manager, into the unadulterated Word!  Because I couldn't keep my mouth shut about not usurping manly authority!  When the people involved had either never heard of such a thing, being unchurched, or had only thought that way beacuse of some vague traditional ideas in churches that didn't really care one way or another.

I sincerely hope I am never put to extreme life-threatening tests, but so far I seem to have absolute 100% unshakeable confidence in the Lord.  Not in myself, or in my ability to never falter... but in my God.



[!--EDIT|janine|Mar. 08 2003,03:07--]

[janine]

Hi, Simple, glad you're here.

Don't worry about the ins and outs of the details of posting, you'll pick them up.

I tidied your post up, I hope you don't mind.

Again, bless your heart, I'm glad you're "here". :hug:

[brandt]

Hello from Oklahoma City!

Someone asked me a couple of days ago about my story: leaving an ultra-conservative church for a large spirit-led church.  I also wasn't to hear about your story.  

Here it is:

I was baptized 16 years ago when I was 11.  I know that God has probably considered me his son since then (except for a couple of bumps along the road), but I consider myself a new babe in Christ – only about 6 months old.  Why?  Keep reading...

Ever since I was born my parents saw to it that I was at services 3 times a week – Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening.  

My dad, being an evangelist (and I use that term with the following definition – one who oversees several congregations and makes sure they are "in-line

[Jim Abb]

Thanks for sharing Brandt and HM....I think alot of us can identify with those experiences. I attended our church for years with my wife and seeing only this one congregation assumed that this is the way it was everywhere. And it was a stumbling block to my acceptance of the faith (not the biggest, I must be honest and probably give that spot to pride, but the legalistic self-righteousness was still a big one).
Then I became aware of other views in the church (sadly, I don't remember just how anymore). I found that others shared my thoughts...and many more I had not yet thought about. And now I'm on a wonderful journey of spiritual growth.  
Jim

[brandt]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Funny how knowing all about the right way to do things and serve people didn't equip me with the rock-solid trust that God can handle me, everyone around me, every circumstance we're ever in, and the fate of the world... and still have pity for the tube worms at the deep-ocean vents, and the lemmings, and even the politicians... [/quote]

Janine, this was my experience as well.  Before "the change" I didn't find comfort in God's arms or his saving grace.  I seemed to be looking over my shoulder all the time.  I now feel safe in His arms and confident in His abilities - not my own.  

Brandt

[simple minded]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]So I blew a chance to get a dozen people, some altogether unchurched, with the sanction and maybe even participation of the head manager, into the unadulterated Word!  Because I couldn't keep my mouth shut about not usurping manly authority![/quote]

Hi!
Hope I did this right. I am new too the board. I must confess. I was a little intimidated by the wealth of knowledge here. I am not very computer literate. I found these stories to be interesting though. Somewhat similiar to mine. I was in the Lutheran Church. Came to baptism in Christ almost 3 years ago now. All full of works, eager to learn God's Word. Knew nothing of it. Trying to put it into action now. The process.

After being baptized I began to seperate myself from those who shared different beliefs. My friends, family, in some ways my own husband. I wanted to serve but didn't know how. So I began to change. To seek out my identity.

I would listen to others and their beliefs. Take them too literally. Wanted to quit my job. Began to think this was what God wanted. Started to believe I had the mind of God.

I was in authority over men. That is no place for a woman. At the time there were many conflicts in my life. There were doctrinal conflicts with what I was reading in scripture. Finally a day came where I came face to face with the Son(sun), a choice given to me. Would I continue to seek my identity in the created thing? Sometimes that is the church. Or seek it in the creator? I chose the creator.

That what I was, it was only a shadow of who I could and will become.  I wanted to take my life. Praise God, I only laid it down.  My prayers were very simple.  Yet, earnest.  "Lord Jesus, just reveal who you are?"  He has and is continuing to.

Simplicity is the way I choose to take. I began to apply that. I began to realize, I was a servant of the Lord. Love became my greatest desire. I used to think I was like the tin man, without a heart.  My heart now is the most precious possession I have.  I guard it for my Lord.  I no longer look at the aspect of being in authority.  I am a mininster, a teacher of truth.

Since then all of my relationships have begun to flourish.  They are becoming richer everyday.  I don't spend my energy worried about where others park every Sunday.  I care more about their souls, where their heart is at, [rather] than 'if they are parked in the wrong place, the body will follow'.

His plan not mine. Our Lord says wash the inside first.  What you stated in your quote.  The willingness to look in the mirror.  It is something I can praise the Almighty for.  Some go through all of life, not knowing the difference.  We miss those simple opportunites the Holy Spirit provides.  We get too caught up in the issues.

I have come to love the idea of being submissive too my husband.  It allows me to grow in the way God intended.  Yet, I am reminded, being meek does not mean being weak.  Humbly I lay my life down.

I also stayed in my position.  Share Christ everyday.  With parables and stories even in our production meetings.  Always asking, where do I go from here?




[!--EDIT|janine|Mar. 08 2003,03:17--]