Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Fleming
I had a brother say similar things to me--that he was tired of what goes on there but couldn't quite bring himself to leave, as he didn't know what he would do or where he would go. He said to me, "you're free", implying that he was not.
Now I don't have a quest to see people leave LSM churches, but all I can say here is that within their ministry, there is often built in a control mechanism where they openly state things like, "if you leave you won't be able to go on with the Lord" or "those who were able to be removed were never built in" and many other such thinly veiled threats.
In short, that is nonsense. I have enjoyed the Lord in LSM and I am just FINE now that I am no longer there. I am enjoying the Lord even more so now. I seek Him much more deeply than when I was there. It's where YOU are at in life, not the building or group you meet with. The Lord will put you where He wants you to be, in LSM or elsewhere.
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I don't like to see the children of God held in fear, but there are other reasons for sticking around ...
1. The practice of studying the word (
yeah I know all about the HWfMR) with the goal of speaking to the congregation is a healthy practice. This part I miss, since nearly every other congregation on earth only allows its pastors to speak in their services.
2. As people age, their friendships become established, and become more important than teachings. The conclusion many old-timers face is, "no church is perfect, and I'm not responsible for what happens in Anaheim." Many saints even go to trainings to "get away, enjoy the sunshine, meet old friends, study the word, etc." knowing that the Blendeds are "boring." Others just don't "have time" for the trainings.