Throwback to the '80s

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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[EverAStudent]

Greetings to all.

My wife and I left GCI in the 1980’s.  Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon this forum!  It never really dawned on me that GCx would have continued to successfully operate by an ongoing use of the tactic of “lording it over the flock” as it had done in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.  Our hearts are in empathy with you all.  Praise the Lord He saves us even from ourselves!

[Linda]

Welcome, EverAStudent.

You mentioned the I Peter verses on not lording it over which reminded me of a message I once heard by a person who currently sits on the board of GCC. To be nice, I won't mention his name.

He quoted I Peter 5:2,3 which is:

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

The teaching was on submission. His point in using this verse was to remind everyone that they were "under" the pastor. Therefore, required to submit to whatever he said (where to live, what job to take, who to marry, whatever). Talk about scripture twisting.

[AgathaL'Orange]

Willkommen!  I've always wanted to say that!

Seriously, welcome to decommed... we're all really glad to have you here!

And Linda, oh dear dear dear, that's so crazy!  That is scripture twisting...

[EverAStudent]

Thank you for the kind welcome, all!

Funny thing, all our experiences add up to make us what we have become, including how we have responded to our experiences.  I often wonder how I would have been different had I not been in GCx for 5 years.  No way to know, but interesting to speculate.  

Feel free to stop by and read some of my current thinking at: http:// http://thefaithfulword.org .  

Blessings.

[exshep]

Thank you for the kind welcome, all!

Funny thing, all our experiences add up to make us what we have become, including how we have responded to our experiences.  I often wonder how I would have been different had I not been in GCx for 5 years.  No way to know, but interesting to speculate.  

Feel free to stop by and read some of my current thinking at: http:// http://thefaithfulword.org .  

Blessings.

I did take a glance. I was in a GC church which was "seeker sensitive".    I  managed to take it with a grain of sodium chloride.  Your site is well documented. That must require some incredible housekeeping.

[Truth Lover]

A hearty & belated welcome to you, EverAStudent!

Glad you're here~  I checked out your site and indeed it looked to be very thorough!  I will read more when I can.  Thanks for joining us here!  It's a very good group, of which I'm thankful to be a part!

May the Lord bless you as you love and follow Him with all your heart, and may His Word dwell in you richly!

[EverAStudent]

To exshep: Thanks for the welcome!  Sure wish I'd had you all to talk to during the 80's.  And thanks for stopping by the site, as alluded to earlier, it may have been one of things that resulted (at least in part) from my GCx experiences--study, verify, reject the error, find and endorse the truth, document; study, verify, reject the rror, find and endorse the truth, document...

To TruthLover: Thanks also for the warm and hearty greeting!  What a gracious community has been formed here!

[exshep]

To exshep: Thanks for the welcome!  Sure wish I'd had you all to talk to during the 80's.  And thanks for stopping by the site, as alluded to earlier, it may have been one of things that resulted (at least in part) from my GCx experiences--study, verify, reject the error, find and endorse the truth, document; study, verify, reject the rror, find and endorse the truth, document...

To TruthLover: Thanks also for the warm and hearty greeting!  What a gracious community has been formed here!

Feel free to  shoot  a PM if you want to talk off forum

[EverAStudent]

Feel free to shoot a PM if you want to talk off forum

A sincere "thank you" for the invitation.  It is always enjoyable to get to know and to talk with Christians I have never met before.  I will drop you a line just to say "hi," with my return email address.