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.
>