Vicki and all, I forgot to mention it's City Bible Church in Portland,
Oregon.

-----Original Message-----
From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vicki and The Rors
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 3:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Right Church

Prayer conference.  Sounds intriguing.  Is that something your church holds
occassionally?

Vicki

----- Original Message -----
From: "Cecily Ballenger" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Right Church


> That's great, Vicki.  I've been where I'm at for over 28 years.  Longest
> I've been any where.  It's a great church.  Our prayer conference is
coming
> in March in case you want to pray for it.
>
> Cecily
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vicki and The Rors
> Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 3:05 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Right Church
>
> I do agree Cecily.  We were in our last church for 10 years.
>
> Vicki
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cecily Ballenger" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 3:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Right Church
>
>
> > Also, I think it's important once you find a church, to stay there for
as
> > long as God wants you there, I mean us, me included.  No church hopping,
> in
> > other words.  What do you all think?
> >
> > Cecily
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brad D
> > Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 1:24 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Right Church
> >
> > Very good  Cecily.
> >
> > Brad
> >
> >
> > At 02:27 PM 2/5/2005, you wrote:
> > >Also, if we have a bad church experience, we need to forgive those who
> have
> > >hurt us.  After all, church people are human and make mistakes just
like
> > >other people.  We're never going to find a perfect church, just the
> church
> > >God has for us to join.  It's important that we find the church God
wants
> > us
> > >to join.  Always ask him to help us find the right church.  Right?
> > >
> > >Cecily
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
> > >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phil Scovell
> > >Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 7:31 AM
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: Right Church
> > >
> > >As they say, Kathy, Been there; done that.
> > >
> > >Phil.
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 1:02 PM
> > >Subject: Re: Right Church
> > >
> > >
> > > > Boy Phil,
> > > > I hear what you are saying here and, I do agree with it, but you
have
> to
> > > > admit that there are those who leave the church who accuse you of
> > > > harassment when you try to connect with them and discuss why they
are
> no
> > > > longer attending.  Often, the fear of rejection makes it a little
> touchy
> > >as
> > > > to when you should call and when you should let things be.  So far,
> Greg
> > > > always tries to connect, but there have been those times when the
> > >reception
> > > > has been very nasty and the people weren't even interested in
clearing
> > up
> > > > misunderstandings.  That is painful.
> > > > Kathy
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > At 12:18 AM 1/23/2005, you wrote:
> > > > >Finding a church is always a problem.  It seems to have become even
> > more
> > > > >difficult than ever before.  I know how hard and difficult this is
> from
> > > > >personal experience.  So I was meditating about this situation the
> > church
> > > > >finds itself in these days.  How do you know if you are in the
right
> > >church
> > > > >or not?  How can you find the church the Lord wants you to be in?
> > Jesus
> > > > >answers this question pretty well.  In Luke's Gospel, Chapter 15,
> > verses
> > >3
> > > > >through 6, Jesus uses an owner of sheep as an example.  He explains
> > that
> > > > >there is one man, who owns a hundred sheep.  Upon discovering one
was
> > > > >missing, he left the 99 sheep and went out looking for the one lost
> > >sheep.
> > > > >Upon finding the lost sheep, Jesus says, the man rejoiced.  Have
you
> > ever
> > > > >had a pastor, that was so dedicated, that if you left his church,
he
> > >would
> > > > >come and find you and encourage you to return?  I have known a
couple
> > of
> > > > >pastors, shepherds, who would do exactly that if someone left their
> > >church.
> > > > >I personally had one pastor that was of this nature.  Otherwise, of
> my
> > > > >nearly 48 years of walking with the Lord, having many pastors over
> > nearly
> > >5
> > > > >decades, I personally only have one Christian friend, with whom I
> have
> > >made
> > > > >an agreement, that if either of us ever walk away from the Lord,
> either
> > >due
> > > > >to sin or lack of desire or confusion or whatever the reason, we
have
> > >agree
> > > > >to come after the one who has walked away and do everything in our
> > power
> > >to
> > > > >bring that one back.  We are just Christian brothers and we have
> > >literally
> > > > >been there for each other more than once when the wheels have come
> off
> > >our
> > > > >relationship with the Lord or when we have face spiritual
heartache.
> > > > >
> > > > >I left a large church once that averaged, one summer, 1800 people
> every
> > > > >Sunday during all three months of that summer.  I ended up becoming
> the
> > > > >youngest deacon, at age twenty-one, that church ever allowed to
serve
> > as
> > >a
> > > > >board member.  I preached several times on Wednesdays and during
> chapel
> > > > >services in their 1000 student Christian school and spoke in Bible
> > > > >conferences there.  I was supported by that church financially as a
> > guest
> > > > >speaker when I traveled for several years and spoke in churches.
My
> > >oldest
> > > > >sister taught in their kindergarten for 26 years.  All three of my
> > >children
> > > > >attended the Christian school operated by the church.  When I left,
> > with
> > >my
> > > > >family, in January of 1986 to join a Charismatic church for the
first
> > >time,
> > > > >I wrote the pastor a 9 page letter.  I gave him my testimony of how
> the
> > >Lord
> > > > >had been leading me in the past 4 years and how that had led up to
my
> > > > >decision to leave the church to join a Charismatic church.  He
> answered
> > >my
> > > > >letter and basically said I was theologically and doctrinally wrong
> but
> > >he
> > > > >wished me the best.  He never called me.  He never came to see me,
> even
> > > > >though we literally live across the street from the church.  In his
> > >letter,
> > > > >he never tried to get me to think again.  He never asked if I would
> go
> > >out
> > > > >to lunch with him and talk about what had occurred in my life and
why
> I
> > >was
> > > > >leaving.  Six months after we had left, two men, both deacons from
> the
> > > > >church, knocked on my door one evening.  I was home alone, for some
> > >reason,
> > > > >so I invited them in.  I wondered if they were there because we had
> > left.
> > > > >They talked with me for over a half an hour but nothing was ever
said
> > >except
> > > > >that they hadn't seen me much lately.  They never asked if I was
> going
> > > > >elsewhere or if I had any problems or needs of any kind.  It
appeared
> > >they
> > > > >did not even know I had left the church and become a Charismatic.
> This
> > >same
> > > > >church, by the way, allowed my three children to remain in their
> > >Christian
> > > > >school.  When the school board voted on scholarships?  My children
> were
> > > > >passed over because, we were told, we were Charismatics now.  This
> same
> > > > >church stopped doing business with me, I ran their entire tape
> ministry
> > >for
> > > > >many years, because, they said, I was a Charismatic now.
> > > > >
> > > > >So this is my personal opinion.  It isn't Gospel.  It isn't even
> really
> > > > >doctrine, although I have already told you what Jesus said about
the
> > > > >shepherd and his concern for just one lost sheep.  By the way,
these
> > were
> > > > >100 sheep and not 100 goats.  Sheep are depicted in Scripture as
> > >Christians,
> > > > >and goats as those without Christ.  So, again, this is my personal
> > >opinion
> > > > >so take it for what it is worth.  If you are in a church with a
> pastor
> > >who
> > > > >would not care if you left, wouldn't come to at least discuss it
with
> > you
> > >in
> > > > >person, forget this telephone call garbage, and didn't care enough
to
> > try
> > > > >and get you to return, you may have a pastor but you don't have a
> > >shepherd
> > > > >for a pastor.  He may be called but not to pastor/shepherd sheep,
and
> > you
> > > > >won't be ministered to when you need it the most.  In short, you
> don't
> > > > >count.  Cynicism or truth?
> > > > >
> > > > >I was recently accused of being a cynical Christian and that if I
> > didn't
> > > > >change my ways, he warned, some people might take me wrong.  After
> days
> > >and
> > > > >weeks, and now months, of reflection, meditation, and prayer
> concerning
> > >this
> > > > >man's comments to me, I came to the conclusion, but what if I am
> right
> > an
> > >d
> > > > >they are wrong?
> > > > >
> > > > >Phil.
> >
>