Re: Help! (really affirmation)
Posted by: DRjim <DRjim@...>
It is sad when churches or more concerned about offending some one in sin rather than standing for the Word of God. You and your church are not the only one having this problem. There is an epidemic of toleration for sin.
My advice is to stand lovingly for the truth of God's Word. If your deacons will stand with you you are on slippery ground. You may need to back up and try to teach the deacons and at the same time talk to those in a leadership type position in your denomination.
JIMMc
Howard Mayne wrote:
I don't really know where to begin. I have got a situation that is heavy on my heart, I feel sure I'm doing the right thing, but things are starting to look bad. I hope this does not fall into the category of gossip, but I don't know where else to go for help or support. I have a situation involving my instrumentalist, moving in with a man outside the bounds of marriage. I approached her concerning this situation and she became very defensive, denying the entire thing. Her daughter who is three years old made mention of their "new roommate" and how sometimes she sleeps with her mom and him. So I have a feeling the situation truly exists. I went to a deacon and asked if he would accompany me to deal with it. He refused saying that we need to remember that our mission is to love, encourage, and teach, not to judge. I reminded him about what Christ said in Matthew 18, what Paul had to say about sexual misconduct in 1 Corinthians 5, and the whole situation has blown up in my face. Somehow (and I think I know) the whole thing has become known to certain individuals in the church. People have decided that I am trying to condemn her and throw her out of the church, which is not the case. I want to help her see the error of her ways, what the possibilities of the damage to the church, herself, and her daughter could be, and the fact that a relationship that is not proper in the eyes of the Lord is doomed to failure, I want to lead her back into a right relationship with God, not just throw her out. I wish people could see that I have not made the decision lightly. I know if all of this goes bad, I will lose a friend, besides an instrumentalist. But in my eyes, she is a leader in worship and she can't continue in this area as long as she is in an inappropriate relationship. There has to be some accountability. What kind of message do we send if we live our lives no different from the world? I agree we are to love, encourage etc., but turning our heads as if we don't see is not love, it is enabling. It is almost embracing secular humanism. Don't people understand how letting sin go without confronting it affects the church. Look how it has already begun! I refuse to bury my head in the sand. I have got a sinking feeling about this whole mess.I have lost much sleep over what I see as the blindness of some of the people, so I hope all of this makes sense. Please help. Howard Mayne
--
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
Have you acknowledged His Lordship in your life?
My sermons page:
http://preachhim.org/sermons.html