GCCKiddo

While I'm hardly a kid anymore, I did grow up in a Great Commission Church (hence GCCKiddo). I had a lot of wonderful times there. The foundation of my faith was solidified there, and I learned much about the Lord while in that church.

My leaving was my own doing. I moved to a city without a Great Commission church. Never once did I feel it was cult-like or experience any pressure to stay with the group. As I have read on many other postings, that has not been the case for everybody.

The people I met within GCx were some of the kindest, most God-fearing men and women I have ever encountered. That said, I think that, regardless of where I eventually end up geographically, I'm probably done with Great Commission.

The lack of emphasis on pastoral education was prevalent at my church and at many other GCx churches I visited. While it is true that a seminary degree is not required to minister, it helps. Time and again I saw men and women be recognized as leaders from within the congregation, only to watch them fall some time later. Moral failures (my own included) and incompetency brought down many of these individuals. While it is all I have ever known, I do know that is not the way church is supposed to be.

Moving forward, I will never forget the amazing friends I made in GCx, nor the thousands of God-fearing, Christ-following members in solid churches that have nothing to do with any of the nonsense mentioned on this forum. I pray that GCx resolves the issues it does have. In doing so, the organization can ensure that it is the best witness for Christ it can be, serving and discipling people, reaching out to the world, and ultimately, fulfilling the Great Commission.

GCCKiddo