In Reply to: Re: short answer.. posted by Farmer on April 23, 2010 at 18:44:48:
Farmer:
I never got my meeting with my friend. I did finally talk to him last night, on the phone.
He is aloof/angry at the pastors of the church he just left, where we have both been for 30+ years, and is seeking more "experiences" at another "faith formula" church where they have frequent "casting out of demons" (false gift--occurs WAY too often to be normal/real).
He claims there is no demonstation of God's Spirit there at the Vineyard, but has not come to service, where I have seen his claim to be false, but has hidden next door at the children's ministry for years.
A woman, highly qualified, was appointed by the male Senior Pastor to head up the children's ministry. I think he's envious because he wanted the (paying) job.
He'll "fast & pray" for days, during the week, instead of actually doing some job searching, and then get mad at God, because he has neither (a) a decent job, nor (b) prospects of a woman who might become a wife because he BOTHERED to have a decent job.
I have my OWN problems being low-paid, etc., and have asked him why God would inflict ME, such as I am at this time in my life, on some poor woman!! He doesn't get it. He seems to want a "..better to marry than to burn.." situation, bubt at ANY cost, and for himself alone--very ill-advised; no? Poor guy--what a mess he has put himself in.
He has a college degree--he just doesn't try, but, somehow, it's God's fault, etc., etc.
Sad. Please pray he gets his head on straight. I told him I fear he's just trying to escape a well-deserved reputation of how he treats the women at OUR church, and is now moving, incognito, to another church to start a new hustle, there!
I feel the real issue is that he has no decent job, and cannot atttract a wife--he has gone to work in Russia, and other eastern European countries with KBR, admitting that he was "wife shopping" in each. One VERY young woman came to the US (half his age and MARRIED!) and he ADMITS he covets her, and is sort of "waiting in the wings" for her to divorce, or for her husband to die. He admits to masturbating "a lot". He actually asked a pastor to agree with him that his acne scars would be healed, and that his baldness would be cured.
He favors "missionary dating", and is currently taking a former stripper to whichever church she will stand, because her mother (whom I also know), whom he knows asked her to start hanging around other Christians. I asked him if he hangs around gullible and naive women, and he said, "probably".
I told him he is inviting God's judgement, if he does not start regarding women with more purity. He always changes the subject around to what he thinks the church is doing wrong. Sounds a little like Berg; eh? A communal mimistry he came to the Lord in boasted of a "superior" gift of discernment of spirits. That leader is dead.
In short, he is trying to think "magically", instead of abiding in a common sense faith.
I believed the "ordained order" is to abide in the social customs which allow us to become all things to all men", primarily, including what was adherred to in 1st century Jewry/Judaism.
Gal 3's phrasing contains "Slave/free", and "male/female" in the same breath, saying all are equal--I see that as siginificant. Also the "husband's rule" curse over Eve was supposedly broken by Christ, and "Help(er) Meet" DOES mean an eqaul helper, after all.
And there is no controversy POSSIBLE, from Scripture, that ALL men "outrank" ALL women, in God's view, and/or in HIS church.
I think that the bigotry is so deeply ingrained in man's nature that un hindered ministry is sometimes impossible without yielding whatever's necessary to get the Gospel across, though--that's what's REALLY important, IMHO.
Later!
OT2