Found God & Amazing People

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

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[DarthVader]

Thanks Araingee19 - it sounds exactly like what is described in the statement of errors that was just posted by escapefromsummitview.  Did it happen after 1991 if you're willing to share that?

[araignee19]

Yes: 2006-2011. I should really post a summary of my experience some day. I’ve put snippets throughout my posts, but haven’t ever really written the whole thing out (besides in personal journals from the time). There are some big parts I’ve never mentioned here.

I will say that I tried for a long while to change some things I thought were wrong in the Rock - because I truly cared and thought it could be changed, and I was committed to that “family.” Most of the things I called out were in the statement of error. I was floored and shocked when I finally found that statement through this forum. No one ever mentioned it at church throughout all my discussions.

[araignee19]

It’s a holy mix isn’t it?

One person’s good experience doesn’t negate another’s traumatic experience.

One person’s traumatic experience doesn’t negate another’s good experience.

My own good experience doesn’t negate my own traumatic experience.

My own traumatic experience doesn’t negate my own good experience.

We can talk about the good AND we can talk about the bad. We can do better respecting one another. Both “sides” can do better and do better today. Seek to understand.

I agree. Thanks

[GodisFaithful]

I agree with Knowing God that I have seen a culture at Evergreen of honor and glory and praise going to the pastors and Evergreen rather than all glory and honor and praise going to God alone. If you listen to "teachings" by Mark Darling, you will see that he says "I" bunches and bunches of times, and if he admits he has done wrong it seems to always come around to how he overcame all the bad stuff in his life and now he is this ultra amazing strong example of a godly man and father and husband and everyone would be well advised to look up to him and want a marriage that is as amazing as his. Tooting his own horn. To me, it seems that he encourages adulation and he is glory seeking. Others may not see this, but I see it. And Brent Knox, teaching that he is a modern day Moses (that is a pretty high pedestal to put yourself upon) and that his church people should follow him the way the Israelites followed Moses, that is also a form of glory seeking and very faulty theology.

No, this is not ok. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Pastor or not, the ground is level.

It encourages me to know that God's people do not get away with seeking glory for themselves, me or anyone else. God has ways of disciplining and humbling each one of us, so that we come to a place where we bow down to Jesus and we do not look to a man as our good and holy shepherd, but to Jesus Christ who is the only one who deserves ALL glory and honor and praise and worship.

What if Mark Darling did the things that are alleged by multiple women, some of whom have been close friends of mine and are not flakes? Then he did not guard his heart and have the amazing marriage that he touts, but he was deceitful and did things with women that he should not have done and some of his claims of an amazing marriage are unfounded. And God will not be mocked, what a man sows, that he will reap. Evergreen can cover up all they want, and try to spin this as persecution and needy women who are worthy of being disdained and mocked, and they can try to go on as if nothing ever happened but it is not going to work. Because God will not be mocked.

Better not to follow a man. Follow Jesus.

And I had the experienced of going to the pastors with my husband with some concerns and being told to leave Evergreen. After 1991.

There are a lot of testimonies on this forum of people who have been treated pretty badly when they started having doubts or questions about the church. After 1991. And not just in churches with college outreaches, believe me.