Quote:
Originally Posted by Pastor Mikie
Welcome MGC1952. I see you are new here.
I don't like the labels either. I pastored a Souther Baptist church (interim) for 16 months before anyone but the board knew I was a Pentecostal. I told the board before they asked me to become their Pastor, but they didn't care. It never really was an issue until the former pastor found out. He and I were friends until he found out I was Pentecostal. Then he treated me like I had the plague. I thought that was a little hypocritical of him since he had become an alcoholic. The reason it wasn't a problem with the board was because neither my wife nor I made an issue of it. We were there to Preach Jesus Christ. If anyone asked me, though, I told them the truth. It was what I considered to be a "deacon possessed church" and it was dying because of it. Even the SBC knew I was Pentecostal and they weren't concerned.
Before that, I Pastored an Assembly of God church (interim) and it was in the same condition: a possessive board.
I've found that people are people no matter what label they have. Our behaviour is, unfortunately, how the world judges Christianity. The Lord is truly good, but not all those who claim to be His are. That is a challenge.
|
Hi Pastor Mikie,
Ok, I am going to make an observation here, but I want to assure you I am not attacking you personally. I wish to make this observation from a doctrinal point of view only.
My observation is this, I find it amazing that a southern Baptist congregation could sit and listen to a pentacostal preacher for 16 months and not notice.
In my opinion,this church was dying because;
a) the congregation was so lacking in doctrinal foundation that they couldnt tell a Pentacostal from a Baptist.
b) None of the deacons were well founded enough to pastor the flock until a new shepherd was found, and seemingly, were prepared to compromise for the sake of expedience.
I am not setting out to be offensive here, just pointing out the fact that Pentacostals and Baptists have very different doctrinal viewpoints in some areas, differences that would be patently obvious to any member of our independent Baptist church.
As for the disdaining of "labels"...that viewpoint is a little too ecumenical for my liking.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Simply by obeying the above command, we are going to be labelled.
Fundy