tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post2916669951810535272..comments2023-06-01T10:52:44.280-04:00Comments on The Gospel-Driven Church: Ecclesial AdulteryJaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07454966527986478217noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-60818495018591958922007-10-19T12:00:00.000-04:002007-10-19T12:00:00.000-04:00The all purpose reason people give for leaving a c...<I>The all purpose reason people give for leaving a church is "I'm not being fed here" which I feel is more a cop out than anything else.</I><BR/><BR/>I used to agree strongly with that sentiment. I still think "I'm not being fed" is grossly misused.<BR/>But I think some people actually have legitimate complaints about that, although I still wonder if it is legitimate for leaving a church.<BR/><BR/>Depends on what the person means by feeding, I guess. Does it mean there's nobody teaching on eschatology? Or does it mean the pastor's not preaching the gospel? Does it mean there's no exciting children's program? Or does it mean all that is offered a family is an exciting program but no real relationship building etc.?<BR/><BR/>There is a fine line, I think, between "This is something I should find at church" and "This is something I should make sure people find at church."Jaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07454966527986478217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-9689290247285656172007-10-19T11:43:00.000-04:002007-10-19T11:43:00.000-04:00In the 10 or so years, I have switched churches th...In the 10 or so years, I have switched churches three times, for reasons I care not to state, except for one case where the church had gone under.<BR/><BR/>The all purpose reason people give for leaving a church is "I'm not being fed here" which I feel is more a cop out than anything else.<BR/><BR/>There are also those who, if they would stay, would poison the rest with their attitude.Cliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08322086604599640345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-3878873738308939162007-10-18T10:16:00.000-04:002007-10-18T10:16:00.000-04:00Travis, I think the adultery parallel presupposes ...Travis, I think the adultery parallel presupposes two things:<BR/><BR/>a) the covenant of church membership<BR/>b) breaking that covenant for an invalid reason<BR/><BR/>So if someone enters into church membership in its covenantal sense and then leaves because, say, they don't serve Starbucks coffee, they are breaking covenant, which Scripture itself connects with spiritual adultery.<BR/><BR/>As the original poster indicated, and I agree, there are valid reasons for leaving a church. I've done it when an environment of pastoral abuse grew too much, and I think when people leave for reasons like that (and other valid ones), they are actually expressing faithfulness to the Bride, not unfaithfulness.Jaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07454966527986478217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-12388023904062804512007-10-18T10:06:00.000-04:002007-10-18T10:06:00.000-04:00(I know, I know: here comes Travis again!) ;)I agr...<EM>(I know, I know: here comes Travis again!)</EM> ;)<BR/><BR/>I agree that it's bad. I disagree that it's adultery. Because both the congregations are the same bride, (and the believer is, too). You can't commit adultery against your wife by sleeping with your wife, and you can't commit adultery against yourself.<BR/><BR/>Now if you wanted to say that a pastor was Christ's vice-regent, and thus leaving that pastor was akin to leaving Christ, wherever you left <EM>to</EM>, then your adultery label would be spot-on. You'd just get labeled a cultist. ;)<BR/><BR/>Can I ask, though, why there's an alternative congregation to go to in the first place? Why is it adultery for a singular believer to break fellowship with a congregation over such a matter, but large groups can do it? Why is there more than one church in a given community? It seems to be that the laity is only acting as they've seen the clergy act for centuries now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04954858993868110366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-92143840746306975232007-10-17T22:33:00.000-04:002007-10-17T22:33:00.000-04:00Rich, good points.Rich, good points.Jaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07454966527986478217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-29955134139543201872007-10-17T20:41:00.000-04:002007-10-17T20:41:00.000-04:00I do think the moniker "genxrising" is a good one ...I do think the moniker "genxrising" is a good one since most of us x-ers are "all growed up" now and are in spots to make a difference.<BR/><BR/>This is a great post you link to here. I've watched this be the norm here in east TN and it has sickened me...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-84659689617977338852007-10-17T18:00:00.000-04:002007-10-17T18:00:00.000-04:00Jared,David Wayne (Jollyblogger) had an interview ...Jared,<BR/><BR/>David Wayne (Jollyblogger) had an interview with a pastor from the Ukraine (if I remember correctly) who was startled that Christian in America move from church to church like wandering nomads. The entire idea was so utterly foreign to him that he couldn't understand how that was possible.<BR/><BR/>I wish that same mentality were true here.dlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02475467561892290120noreply@blogger.com