Brad,
When I read your mention of the seven abominations that God hates, I looked
up the scripture about it.  It's from Proverbs 6.

16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto
him:
17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief,
19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren.

Perhaps I'm wrong about this, but what I perceive here is that God hates
the first six,
and it is the seventh that is the greatest abomination, he that sows
discord among brethren.
I'm sure that all of them are loathesome to him, but the discord sown does
what one of the dictionary definitions states.  It causes pollution.  And
haven't some of us witnessed that happening in churches at some time in our
experience?

Praying for Kathy and Greg, and for the meeting today.

Helen




Earlier, Brad Dunse wrote:
>Kathy,
>
>Reading your posts regarding the people there, it  leaves me scratching my
>head as to why would any one wish to attack the person who is meant to be a
>spiritual leader, guide, and comfort in their life. Perhaps it is as you
>said, convicting sermons not well received and so they seek to establish a
>pecking order. Perhaps it is jealousy because the pastor is building a new
>house, and all the scuttlebutt, misconceptions and stereotypes that go
>about the gossiping lips of those to chicken to find out what work actually
>takes to serve in the church. Who do these people think Greg is working
>for? Them? Who is the real boss? I thought it was God, but, I could be
>wrong in that regard I suppose.  And then you mention again of how the
>former pastor bringing dissension from the ranks of his spiritual groupies.
>I thank God I am not that person as that is one of God's abominations.
>Surely a man who has served God for as long as he has would know this? Why
>not support and guide, counsel, and help a younger person, even if he has
>taken his old position? Is there fear? Fear of doing better? Fear of a
>lesser admiration from his groupies? What is this when you boil it down?
>Pride. Do not these folks see that we are all part of the body of Christ?
>That we are to love, support, encourage one another. To help those when
>they are down, and not kick them. To rejoice with them when things are
>worthy of rejoicing, and to cry with those who morn. No doubt Greg and
>yourself have a tremendous amount of patience to endure all you have. These
>folks seem to be happy if they can play church and as long as they are not
>convicted, or pride is not hurt, then they will allow themselves to be
>tolerant of others work without complaint. But let pride be hurt,
>conviction set upon them in the midst of their cohorts and peers, or face
>various struggles which might cause them to take more action than finding
>out who is sitting in their invisibly labeled pew. Any of the above then
>they must complain to make themselves feel better or to take the heat off
>themselves.  They would probably not complain about biblical or spiritual
>issues, because from what you have noted, they, for the most part, likely
>do not have much clue whether Greg is right or wrong and can't challenge at
>that level, cause they  haven't had their nose in the bible, but in other
>people's issues. I do not mean to sound so hard, it just drives me how
>people can be so shallow and cowardly as to not just come out and say what
>is the problem, or admit it if they are found in conviction. If they are
>convicted, better to thank the man of God who brought it to their attention
>rather than defend it by lashing out to create a distraction of their
>conviction. I pray God's guidance for you guys in your struggles there. I
>remember the tape you sent me of one of Greg's teachings. I found it to be
>interesting, informative and enlightening. They ought feel fortunate to
>have such a quality leader who can offer things to learn and apply in one's
>life. But perhaps they do not want to learn or change, but rather just do
>same same and never change, never mold themselves more like Christ. Anyway,
>I better quit before I get too down on such attitudes and get myself in
>trouble lol too late? I know as well it is a confusing time with ministry
>challenges with some question as to if you ought be there in Maine, yet a
>seeming paradox of building a home, and after so long of waiting to finally
>have that.  There is a great song by Casting Crowns called Voice of Truth
>talking about the voice of life's waves and the giant speaking in one's ear
>of how we never win, but the voice of truth says different and to choose to
>listen to that voice. There are so many negative and distracting voices,
>but God's is the voice to follow. I apologize if I sound harsh, I know
>these are your congregation, I just do not understand the effort and time
>waste going into such meaningless complaints.
>
>Brad