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March 28, 2024, 11:19:11 pm *
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Author Topic: Evergreen Church - The Place Where God Reached Me  (Read 3807 times)
Digital Lynch Mob
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« on: April 28, 2018, 08:42:03 pm »

Many here won't care to read or comment on this. That's fine.

I went for a long prayer walk this afternoon. My heart is always softer when I am in regular prayer. I was thinking back on when I got saved. It was at EC in Bloomington. The message was exactly what I needed to hear. Delivered in such a way that I knew God was talking to me. I wept, bowed my head and received Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. God used this church to break through to a hardened and sinful man. Evergreen literally was a tool used by God to change everything in my life. I owe my salvation to Jesus Christ, but God used this church, these Pastors and these people to reach me in the most profound way. 20+ years later, I am still running the race in this marathon of faith. I wept today thinking it.

Is this church perfect? Of course not. No church could ever be. I'm sorry some of you have had a different experience than me. Some of the things I read here are antithetical to the church I know and love. I chose to stay, not because of some cult-like commitment I've made for life, or because of some power my Pastors have over me, but because the people at this church are like family. When my wife was in the hospital for an extended period, it was the church who encircled us with love, served us and met our needs. Why would I leave people who I love and who love me. That isn't a cult. This is the church Jesus was describing. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I'm sorry Agatha, Linda, araignee19, Rebel, Huldah and others whom I've offended. We are brothers and sisters if we have faith. When you attack the church I love, and men whom I respect deeply, I bristle. I will defend my church and these men. I trust them. I've seen their lives for 20+ years. I've walked with them and I know their hearts. Sinners they are. An imperfect church it is. But they (we) are doing God's will as best as we know how.

Lastly, I believe Mark Darling. I know more than I've said here. Out of respect I have chosen not to share everything. The investigation will be done soon. I'm guessing Suzanne will immediately call it bogus and bring in the media. It is the Willow Creek strategy. I don't know how it will end, I'm guessing it will not be pretty. But I'm praying for the truth to win out and that God won't be defamed.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2018, 09:35:22 am by Digital Lynch Mob » Logged
Linda
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« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2018, 09:09:11 pm »

I am very happy that you came to know the Lord and that God used a message at ECC to speak to you. I’m pretty sure I remember your moving testimony shortly after we began attending. I am happy that your experience is one of feeling loved and accepted at ECC. We are all praying for truth to come out in this horrible situation.
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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
AgathaL'Orange
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« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2018, 09:52:52 pm »

You know DLM, I feel for you. I really do. The world seems to have been upended and things we thought were one way may very well be another.  And I don’t mean just here in this forum or about these topics.

I spent time in nature today myself and again came back to none of this has to be the end of the world.  


I don’t know what to make of things and we are all trying to do what we think is right and best and we all really care that the “right thing” is done.  

« Last Edit: April 29, 2018, 07:33:48 am by AgathaL'Orange » Logged

Glad to be free.
araignee19
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« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2018, 07:29:38 am »

DLM, thanks for this post. I too was saved at a GC church (Summitview/The Rock, Fort Collins, CO). You can read some of my story back through old posts if you want to. God definitely used that church for good in my life. I have doubts that I would be a Christian today if I hadn't gotten involved, as the intensity of the friendships kept me involved with a church through some years of equally intense faith questioning. There are certainly things I liked and still do like about Great Commision Churches. I do appreciate their strong emphasis on evangelism. I do appreciate the emphasis on having strong relationships with people in your church family. I appreciate the emphasis on "if this religion is true, it should drastically change your life."

I too loved my church family and actually had no desire to leave. I had every intention of staying there for life and of trying to change the things I saw as wrong with The Rock (I spent many, many hours meeting with leadership on this stuff, and thought it was isolated to this one group and therefore could be changed). I wanted to stay and run with those people for the good that was there. Eventually, I was actually asked to leave (my constant questions caused too much team disunity... if you can imagine that...), and life circumstances took me away at the same time.

I personally do not think GCx churches are evil. I think the vast majority of the pastors and people are really doing what they think is right. I think they love God. I think there is some bad history and practices there with McCotter and such that occasionally creep back in. I think some pockets and churches, and maybe even individual groups within those churches (i.e. The Rock, Fort Collins), have more of this than others. My overall experience with The Rock had a lot of good, but probably as much bad in my case. However, I still have friends there, some I was very involved with introducing to the Lord and that church. They are still happy there, and I think that is ok. I don't debate them or try to "pull them out." Most don't even know how unhappy I was with the teachings and practices I disagreed with, and that is fine.

Where things are good in GCx churches, I think they can actually be very good. I fully believe, and am glad, that you have had a great experience in those 20+ years, and have not run into any of these problems. But where they are bad, thy can be extremely hurtful. I personally only wish the church leadership would be more honest about this fact and work to root out these pockets of harmful practice. I think they have done a fair bit to try to change (1991 SOE, which addresses all but one of my concerns I had then and now), but this stuff creeps back in because they are not proactively fighting it and congregants don't know what to look for. That history is still there influencing some things. I think in some cases, it is possible these are very small pockets led by individuals who take advantage of the old McCotter influence and framework to their own advantage. I wish the national leaders would not dismiss complaints, but rather address it with a firm hand, so the good that is here can shine through and not have this distract from it. Of course I also think there are doctrines this group holds I think are wrong, but I think that about many denominations and branches of Christianity. I could overlook many of my doctrinal disagreements if the leadership consistently addressed the things they have already acknowledged are wrong.

I really do wish all people's stories of involvement with GCx could be as good as yours.


p.s. I'm respond to a post by DLM, yeah yeah. Sorry, it makes me a liar Wink  And genuinely: thank you for the apology. I do forgive the harsh words. If I have said anything that has been wrong towards you, please let me know that as well.

p.s.s. Just a disclaimer to all who may read this: I'm not trying to start a debate, just trying to help people understand my story as well. Please don't use my story to say "see, that's why we should do or think such and such!" Or the other side "you are wrong about x y or z!" Maybe we can just have one thread that stays civil and on topic? Thanks
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Rebel in a Good Way
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« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2018, 10:27:24 am »

DLM, thanks for sharing your heart.  That's one thing I love about communion--around the body and blood is where we can come together as believers.
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