Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Hello I'm back...Church conversation

Well I took a little break from writing. Really for no particular reason at all. But I'm back for the time being...hopefully :)

But I recently had a trip back to my alma mater (It still sounds cool being an alumni), for homecoming, and I had fun. All I basically wanted to do was see my friends since most of them are down there and many from other states were coming as well. We lost our football game and I was not pleased with that, but overall it was a great time. I praise God I had the finances to go. My contract job is now up so I'm looking for jobs again, but I may be looking out of state this time.

But anyways, the highlight of my trip came when I was able to talk with two of my brothers in Christ who still attend the church I resigned from. It was actually funny how we were able to meet.

It was a Sunday and since I wasn't going to church that day for obvious reasons, I woke up and decided to randomly take a drive to Virginia Beach to see the boardwalk. After going to college in the Hampton Roads area for five years, I had never went to VA Beach to see the boardwalk. So I get on the highway and right as I am getting off the freeway, I get pulled over for speeding. 70 in a 55...yes bad I know. But God has a purpose you see. I also have to thank God for grace because I didn't have my rental car contract with me and the officer could've clearly had the car towed.

So I get a ticket and I'm frustrated and I'm not even in the mood anymore to see the boardwalk. So I turn right back around and head back to my hotel room. So earlier in the day I tried contacting one of the brothers that also left the church to see if he wanted to go eat. He didn't answer so that's why I decided to go to VA Beach. As I'm coming out of the tunnel right before I pass the campus, he texts me back and I pull into campus. He wanted to listen to a football game so I said I would just stop by his room and hang out and talk. Well right as I am getting out of my car and walking to the dorm, here comes one of my good friends that still goes to the church. He was the one who actually brought me into the ministry. So we stop and say hi and everything and he says call him so we can go out to eat later on.

Now I had been trying to get in contact with him for awhile and couldn't get an answer so I believe this was a divine appointment by God. Even if he had to use a speeding ticket for us to actually meet up.

So after I see my friend at his dorm, he said he wasn't interested in going out to eat later so I called my other friend who I have mentioned here on this blog who also left to see if he wanted to come along. He said ok cool.

So we all meet up and I was glad to see another friend from the church along as well. We get inside to eat and after the usual how's everything talk, we get into a loooooooooong conversation about why we left, our views on scripture, and how we think many of the things practiced at the church don't line up with the scriptures. I mean we went for about 7 hours debating, discussing, sometimes getting very heated but still in love about the things we were talking about.

A pastor even came in and just happened to sit down next to us and he even got into and was agreeing with many of the things me and my friend were saying.

The main issues they had were our positions as having a reformed view and also claiming new revelation is still being given on par with scripture. That's a big no no in my book because there is nothing to test it by. We also talked about prophecy, word of knowledge, and I even told them about the things with the false prophets but ultimately it did not get through.

Eventually after 7 hours and a restaurant become empty with us the only ones in it, we eventually came to agree to disagree but still as brothers in Christ. I mean on our end we're praying that they would see the truth and just have confidence in the finished work of Christ instead of seeking after new revelations and knowledge from God, and on their side they are praying that we see that we need more than just the Word of God to live this faith. They still think we need more knowledge and the hidden things of God.

One thing that me and my friend felt awkward about was when we closed out in prayer. Me and my friend both wear glasses and one of them wanted to pray that we get better vision. No problem. The problem came when the claim it terminology came into the prayer. You know declare it and it will happen and he wanted us to say it and we would not do it. Again just another testament to why we cannot return.

But as I said before, we are still brothers in Christ and we still talk and I love that. Again I've read stories of people leaving churches and the people just outcast them but the church I left, you will never find a group of more loving people. The pastor even called me on my way down to see how I was doing and I really appreciated that. But again you can be really loving and be totally theologically wrong.

So I'm back in Michigan planning my next steps in life, but knowing that God will probably derail those plans :)

God bless.

3 comments:

Set Free said...

Hey 3D,
I'm glad you're back writing! You were missed. I'm so glad that you and your friends can "agree to disagree" and still love each other. That's true Christianity. Unfortunately, for some who leave churches, that doesn't always happen.

getting there said...

You are a great brother in Christ for doing what you did and for seeing them as you brothers too! I commend you, you have shown a great love of Christ within you!

Great work 3D! Thanks for sharing, I have missed your blogging! Glad you are back :)

Leonard said...

Never new you left, but glad to have found you, Thanks for sharing.
Best

ps. your story here made me think of this song, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmx3OfIEyUE

ps.ps. it was probably the line,"slow down driver, wanna stay alive-r wanna make this journey last". you know the speeding ticket thing.