Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
After reading Jo Casteel's open letter and going down the rabbit hole of research into the LC, my husband and I have decided that we would like to leave the LC. We want to do this AS QUIETLY AS POSSIBLE.
In order to stop coming to the Sunday meetings, we'd have to announce to our service teams that we can no longer help out. WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS JUST GOING TO LEAD TO MORE QUESTIONS (i.e. why can't you serve?), or people reaching out to "shepherd" us (WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE LAST THING WE WANT).
We really don't have the desire to explain why we want to leave to everyone in the church and BE LABELLED AS "NEGATIVE" or "POISONED".
Our current landlord is actually a brother in the LC and WE DON'T WANT TO GET EVICTED before we can afford to move if WORD GETS OUT that we are "NEGATIVE". (Not saying this person would straight up evict us, but you never know).
We really love our small group and don't want to hurt them. If we announce how we feel about the LC and our desire to leave to them, MOST IF NOT ALL OF THEM WILL BE PRETTY DEVASTATED. WE'D LOVE TO KEEP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, but know that might not be possible.
We're a young couple and we want to start fresh. We still love the Lord and His people, but feel HE'S CALLING US OUT FROM THE LC.
Would love to hear some advice from you all. Thank you.  |
Dear sister,
May the Lord bless you and your husband.
Now, if you truly believe that the Lord is calling you out of the LC (according to your feeling), then perhaps you need to gain a wider perspective on what it is that the Lord is doing in your lives. This may need you to transcend your variable feelings and weigh any possible subsequent actions you may take against the immutable Word of God.
You may have noticed that I have capitalized some key phrases from your post that I think you should pay extra special attention to as I recommend some verses from the Bible that I believe might lend fresh lenses to the situation you are going through. I pray that you will be inspired and encouraged, and that the Lord will be able to whisper His ACTUAL will in your hearts and that you will be reassured that He is with you and will hold your hand every step of the way.
I can tell you from experience that if it is indeed the Lord's will that you part ways with that 'system' and you finally do leave, the concerns you have outlined above will pale in comparison to the true challenges you will find you will face.
For one, if you have spent any considerable length of time sitting at the feet of this 'ministry' you will quickly realize that there are 'running programmes' implanted deep in your psyche, and of which you may be quite unconscious, that will involuntarily lend you an unwelcome air and attitude of superiority.
You will fight this, of course. But soon you discover it is no mere superficial thing, but an integral part of your spiritual make-up. And at this point is where the Lord, if you are open to Him, will begin to really work in you from the very core of your being. There is no telling how the Lord will accomplish this in each and every individual; but drastic measures may have to be deployed, tough lessons delivered, uncomfortable circumstances orchestrated, and helping after helping after helping of Humble Pie....until you reach a point where all you will desire in relation to the Lord and the things of the Lord -including the church - will be only to know Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
By my own experience this can be a long and drawn out process that may take years and years (many on this forum can testify) and years to bear fruit and to bring you to a point where you find you are fully unshackled from the subtle and insidious influence of the LC 'system'. You will eventually see, by the Lord's mercy, the difference between a faith that stands upon the power of God and actually demonstrates the Spirit, and a so-called faith that stands only on excellency of speech, enticing words, coined terms, and purportedly divine and mystical language, all resting ultimately on the culture and wisdom of men. The Lord will do this. Just stick with Him.
Against this backdrop please read the passages of Scripture below and allow the Lord to speak to you and your husband's heart as He leads you on this road.
These scriptures offer BLESSINGS and REWARDS beyond description! ! !
Proverbs 29:25
Matthew 5:11
Luke 6: 22-23
Grace to you!