Hurt...when everyone knows every detail in your past...area's you have failed in life..your past romances..you open up in a small group to 8 to 10 people in confidence..or your household roommates..it's like telling the whole church..because pretty soon everyone knows..gossip..Idle Chatter..or trusted friends reporting regular to their Elders..pretty soon you feel betrayed..and wish you would have never opened up and just left your closet door shut...some people..maybe for their own good should have kept those things inside...
Nice to meet you Barry. We were at ECC from 1995 -2005. Strangely, I had no idea that all this "reporting" was happening. We were small group leaders the last two years, but never reported to anyone! Not even sure who was "over" us. I think they were trying to emphasize small groups and the thing took off so they were desperate for leaders and we came along.
For anyone who was ever in our small group, I just want you to know that we never reported anything to anyone!
It does make me glad, however, that as far as I can remember, I never said anything to anyone in small group that I wouldn't care if the world knew. One thing I gained from my experience there is to never trust anyone unless you have known them for a really long time (and they aren't in a high control religious group!)