Hand me down Churches

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On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 14:15:55 -0500 lyohnk@juno.com (Lynne A. Yohnk)
writes:

>>I don't even know these people, Josh, but you've proven my point.   
>>And I'm not saying that it's impossible, but I find it odd (and not 
>>just slightly) that the Church sometimes appears to be an inheritance 
>>and not a calling, and no, I am not specifically referring to the 
>>people you are talking about.  God's ministry is not a "hand me 
>down".
>>
>>I would ask: when it came time to "audition" a new Pastor, who was 
>>allowed (if anyone) to audition?
>>
>>Jerry Welch
>
>I partly see your point, 

Thank you.

>but the Levitical priesthood was certainly family oriented and what
better 
>training ground for the ministry than growing up in a preacher's house? 


I agree, but I disagree that it should be IN THE SAME CHURCH.

Think about this; how typical is this: Dad is the Pastor, Mom is the
Organist, Sister leads music and Brother preaches?  And if they are old
enough, Grand daughter sings weekly specials?  

>Each situation should be weighed separately by the people who it 
>should matter to.  

I agree again.  I just find it nearly statistically impossible that in
all the world that someone has been called to preach to that God called
them to their home Church.

>The only problem I see with family oriented churches is the 
>possibility of overlooking serious faults because of relation but 
>if the pastor and others are Godly people and have sought out 
>God's will, I see nothing wrong with it. 

And in a perfect world, I would agree with you, but here are a few
unnamed but real events:

1) Girl who goes to Church gets pregnant and was not allowed to get
married in the Church.  Pastor even calls girl a "slut".  (I heard this
with my own ears)  Pastor's daughter gets pregnant (at 13) and is allowed
a full Church ceremony.

2) Boy flirts with girls in Church during services and is told not to
come back.  He doesn't and hasn't to this day.  Pastor's daughter (30ish)
SLEEPS with boy (15) who is in her Sunday School class and her punishment
is that she can't sing specials for two months.  And that was only
because she was caught in the act by one of the non-family deacons.  This
had happened before, btw.

3) Boy (Senior in High School) dates girl (Sophomore in High School) in
Church.  Both are filled with the Holy Ghost.  Pastor's son (Assistant
Pastor and Sunday School teacher to both boy and girl) who is in his mid
20's wants said girl and likes to flirt with all the Sunday School
teenage girls, but especially her.  Boy asks Pastor's son not to touch
his girlfriend.  Pastor tells boy to stop dating girl, and Pastor's son
starts dating girl.  Boy drops out of Church.  Pastor's son and girl get
married.  

4) Boy plays drums.  Boy is a very good drummer and is on fire for God. 
Assistant Pastor's son wants to play drums. Drummer tries to give boy
lessons, but boy doesn't want to practice, just play in services. 
Assistant Pastor's son after two weeks of declared intention to play
drums (without devoting any time to practice) suddenly is given the drums
to play on Wed nights.  Two months later (with still no practice time and
still unable to carry a beat) Assistant Pastor's son is the drummer.  The
original drummer, to his credit, is keeping a Godly attitude about the
thing, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he were
just a typical teenager and not so devoted to God?  Would he still be in
Church?  BTW, Dad is Assistant Pastor, Mom is the organist and Sister
sings weekly specials.

There are more, but this was in four different Churches, four different
situations that I do not believe COULD happen in a non-family Church that
literally affected a person's salvation.  And I personally witnessed
these things happen.

What do you think this says to the Saints who go to these Churches?  
"Double standard when it comes to the Pastor's family", comes to mind.

>If the pastor and others are not Godly, we should leave our hands 
>off it anyway with the exception of taking it to the proper 
>authorites.

Like who?  GRANDFATHER?  <G>

Jerry Welch

www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2810/

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