Future Pastor Stops Going to Church

I think that not going to church is not a good idea. It is God's people joining together to worship Him publically. The bible says forsake not the assembling together of yourselves.


The article say she had to move to an ABC church because it is more liberal. I guess she'd have to to get someone to ordain her.
Now I don't know anything about the ABC, liberal or not, but she'd have a hard time finding a SBC church who will ordain her, although there probably are some.


<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>She hopes her work with this church will enable her to return to her Southern Baptist roots and "really be an effective agent for change." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Change from what to what?
From the bible to the world's view and secular feminisim.
Soumds to me like she should have stayed in church.

 

Baptist churches in particular can be so isolated from the larger Christian community that I think it's probably a good idea for collegians (particularly those who think they are called to seminary and the pastorate) to spend a little time outside their church studying and praying.

It is important to have your beliefs held accountable to those of mature Christians, but she clearly has that in a very involved religion faculty. In addition, she is doing it for a set amount of time, not indefinitely.

Fellowship and accountability are important, but so is a little time in the wilderness.

Joshua

 

In the article Sarah J does not give her salvation testimony. She does relate an early call into ministry. Then she goes against Biblical doctrine and the teachings of the denomiation she wants to be part of. She by taking time off from church and "wanting to find God an my own terms" tells me that she currently does not have a relationship with God. As we all know that means accepting Christ as our saviour. We can only do that on His terms. My prayer is that she will accept Christ then presue the life and ministry He has in store for her.

Was anyone else appalled by the comparison of Thursday night partying and worship. I don't think that paragraph in the article are Sarahs' words but of the writer. The analogy is made that with the freedoms of life away from home come day to day decisions like do I party Thrusday night or go to worship God on Sunday morning. I don't have the freedom to walk in the way of the world. Christians have been called out to be seperate from the world. It offends me that anyone can compare collegic partying with worshipping God. The term party today in the college students mind is synonmus with drinking to excess, drug and sex experimentation and is by definition unGodly.

 

SHE can't be a pastor anyways. Look at the scritures in I Tim. ( i think it is ) but the King James Bible says a pastor is to be the husband of one wife. So how is she gonna be the husband of one wife?

 

Finding God on her own terms doesn't have to mean she thinks thats how salvation happened. I applaud Sarah for stepping out and being more desperate to find out for herself who God is aside from the church building. I believe she is a Christian, but perhaps was tired of believing just what the pastor said and anxious to study on her own to show herself approved as a workman needing not to be ashamed.

Karen

 

maybe her study should be what the bible say about pastors being men, and women not having authority over men. She show she has a misunderstanding of scripture, I think she needs more learning with a teacher if she isn't figuring this out on her own. So time off seems a bad idea.

 

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit fo the kingdom fo God. lk 9:62 If she has answered Gods call to a life of missions in the seventh grade and then taking a year off from worshipping Him is not one of her options. The quote is "I really wanted to find God on my own terms, so I did not go to church my first year." So the question is did she find God? And if so was He happy with her terms? If she recently found God (since she attends church now implies she did) how does that effect the calling she felt before she came to God? We are all to be ministers of the Gospel when we are saved and not before. Some are called after salvation for different or "full time" ministry like pastors ect. Where would we classify this particular calling?

To keep out of truoble I looked up the Greek word used for man in Luke 9:62 in Strongs exhustive concordence and it is a neutral word eencompassing females as well. Man in the sense of human.

Thats all for now Brian

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: Brian G ]

 

I believe the key phrase is, "find God on my terms."

Whenever we come across "I want to do it my way," we always come across a problem....

 

Don, I thought of the samething. "MY" way. God gave us a way, and it's not "MY" way.

 

There is only one way....Gods Way!

Ernie

 

Judgmentalism, bigotry, bias, and fundies who think theirs is the only tenable interpretation--why am I not surprised.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael Wrenn:
Judgmentalism, bigotry, bias, and fundies who think theirs is the only tenable interpretation--why am I not surprised.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In which catagories do your other 700 posts fall?

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Judgmentalism, bigotry, bias, and fundies who think theirs is the only tenable interpretation--why am I not surprised. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The bible either says it or it doesn't. In this case it does. And taking that God means what He says.
So for me it's not a matter of interpetation, just obedience

 

Gee, Mike; what other way, other than God's way, is there? Instead of being so judgemental yourself, how about actually adding to this thread, and giving us where you think this young lady is right?

You know, you're really beginning to remind me of someone my pastor talks about occasionally. This guy apparently didn't have a good thing to say about anything. My pastor said it got to the point where, when he'd call on this gentleman to lead the congregation in prayer, he'd ask him to do so with the following words: "Brother (name), would you please lead us in a word of discouragement?"

 

She's typical of many today. She has opinions that are heavily confirmed and re-inforced by popular culture and mistakes her opinions for "knowledge". Because her positions are so heavily re-inforced by the surrounding culture she thinks that she is big enough to stand in judgement of God's word.

Notice that, in her mind, she had many things figured out as a school child that Martin Luther struggled with all his life.

 

Jim,

I suupose you think the New Testament was produced independent of the surrounding culture.

Katie,

When I hear you forbidding women to braid their hair or cut it, or from wearing gold or pearls, etc., etc., I'll at least say you're consistent.

 

Keep in mind that this future seminarian is not talking about just going off and making up her own religion. She is an undergraduate religion major in what is apparently a close and supportive environment. By stepping away from her home church and immersing herself in that environment, she is allowing herself the opportunity to find her own way within the context of established Christian scholarship and under the guidance of mature Christian educators.

I think this is an important thing for all Christians to do, but particularly so for clergy who need to be familiar with the breadth of the Christian tradition.

Joshua

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael Wrenn:
Jim,

I suupose you think the New Testament was produced independent of the surrounding culture.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Of course not. It reflects cultural characteristics of the time, positive and negative, and gives timeless principles and instructions regarding them.

It warns against, and condemns, the ungodly elements of that culture, and by principle, in our culture today.

Why do you ask?

 

Joshua, I find it interesting that you condone her taking time off. But, after reading some of your other posts, I find it consistent with your beliefs; for that I applaud your consistency, but I couldn't be more oppossed.

To suggest someone take time off from her church is one thing, if in fact she is going to a heretical church. Then she would need to be directed to a church that is faithfully preaching the gospel. But to take time off from a church as she describes is totally against God's instructions. She was upset because the church went against one of her beliefs: {NEWS FLASH-THAT HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME; IT'S CALLED BEING CONVICTED OF AN ERROR IN ONE'S LIFE OR SIN} To say it's ok, and claiming to be a minister, is disturbing to say the least. Should we then, every time we are weary in ministry do the same?

Jesus clearly instructs us to seek His face and I am curious how this can be done when in someone is in open rebellion to God's word? I doubt someone that is taking a year sabatical from His church could ever hear when God speaks.

It sounds like she never matured spiritually and is looking for support from those who erroneously help her drift further away from the only hope she has: GOD.

Paul {Spam}