tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933280158020898941.post6388682768281623346..comments2023-07-23T01:32:04.739-07:00Comments on My Walk of Faith: It's all gonna burn...Dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08599913837116206565noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933280158020898941.post-20301947195030093302013-11-15T11:19:10.128-08:002013-11-15T11:19:10.128-08:00Diana, when you wrote "It's all gonna bur...Diana, when you wrote "It's all gonna burn," I did not think of anything you have done. I thought of the haughtiness, the unforgiveness, the choosing to believe the accusations against us (since I identify with all that you said about the old church and new church--shunned by one, not quite at home in the other)--in short, the sins of those who drove you (us) out in the name of the God who loves and stood by us, honored us, through our lynching.<br /><br />Some people(100-200) who left our church have joined the church we did and at least a few of those have brought their own anger and resentment with them. They haven't forgiven and they want to talk about what "they" are still doing to deceive naive church members. I want to say, "Please don't bring that here! That's what we're trying to get away from! Please let it go!"<br /><br />I'm scared of all those at the old church, scared to run into them at the store, scared of their prejudice, those who verbally, publicly kicked us out for trying to expose deliberately distorted theology (the leaders jettisoned prophecy, sin, the need for repentance, the fact of judgment and hell) and just plain meanness, shepherds yelling at and hanging up on the sheep, telling them to get out because they were "dividing the church" by going privately to the pastor and pointing out where he and Scripture diverged. <br /><br />When the leaders "dismembered" us (and boy, that's what it felt like!) the head executive elder urged the congregation to come forward, gather around us and try to persuade us to repent--oh, that's right, they do believe in repentance when you have sinned against the church leadership! A bunch of old friends poured forward, concerned, and appealed to us to repent. Not a single one came to ask us, "Is it true, what they're saying about you? Did you really do these things?" or "Is it really true the leadership is stealing our money?"<br /><br />Yes, wood, hay, and stubble will burn and good riddance. Mine, ours, and theirs. Let it burn! Jessica Renshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06772797916085422429noreply@blogger.com