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Informational post on speaking in tongues #2

Posted November 9th, 2011 at 06:52 AM by Lois
Did you know that the Bible teaches that when believers gather together, people should not be speaking in tongues all at the same time? Did you know that the number of believers who should speak in tongues in a gathering is no more than three- with each speaking separately? And then did you know that if anyone does speak in tongues at a service, they should only do so if someone is there to interpret?

Surprised? I imagine many are. A number of apostolic and Pentecostal churches encourage people to speak in tongues during gatherings. But if the apostle Paul were alive today, he would be telling them to stop this practice. He would consider this to be out of order and causing confusion, just as he did with the church at Corinth.

In 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 Paul says: "If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God." (NASB)
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Posted in Questioning
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Informational post on speaking in tongues #1

Posted November 8th, 2011 at 04:22 AM by Lois
Just a little 'did you know' informational post on the subject of speaking in tongues.

With the push for speaking in tongues in Pentecostal churches, my personal experience is that rarely, if ever, was it pointed out what Paul told those who spoke in tongues to do. Do you know what it is?

I Corinthians 14:13 shows that Paul instructed those who speak in tongues to pray that they would also be able to interpret tongues.

Surprised? When was the last time you heard a Pentecostal preacher teach that if you speak in tongues you should pray to be able to interpret as well? It is interesting how little this is taught and emphasized.
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Posted in Questioning
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Spies

Posted November 7th, 2011 at 03:00 AM by Lois
Spies. On our support group board, we sometimes hear from members who are concerned there may be someone from their church or former church there (like the pastor or someone appointed by him) who will spy on them and report what they post. The chances of that happening are very slim, however the fear is quite real for some.

Considering what happens in unhealthy churches, this fear is understandable. How many appoint themselves as "police" in these places, running to the pastor or his wife/family with any hint of perceived wrong-doing? (Though rarer, sometimes the pastor himself appoints people to do this.) My own former pastor would at times take the word of a "reporter" and take action against the "transgressor" without ever speaking to them first or looking into the veracity of the matter. The reports even sometimes became sermon material for him. I saw people lose positions, be sternly reprimanded, threatened with losing their salvation, and even asked to leave as the result of these "spies."

Any church leadership that needs or encourages tattling is unhealthy. It is a form of control. It is a sign of an INSECURE leader. A healthy pastor would stop the talebearer and let them know that they were to no longer make any "reports."

If you are afraid of your pastor or if "spying" goes on in your church, then chances are likely that you are in an unhealthy group. It would be good to educate yourself on signs of spiritual abuse.
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Posted in Fear, Questioning
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What if they are right?

Posted November 6th, 2011 at 10:36 PM by Lois
What if they are right?

This is a question that many who leave unhealthy churches face. Because they have not yet worked through the various teachings and/or because they do not understand the manipulative fear tactics, they sometimes wonder if the group was right. Perhaps they are backslid or lost. Maybe their conscience has been seared. Maybe they did walk away from "the truth."

One of the signs of an unhealthy group is that they have "the truth" and others, or at least most others, do not and are therefore not saved. They may have some unique revelation. Outside their doors there is no hope for you. Or so they'd like you to believe....

If this thought of them maybe being right is bothering you, take a good, hard look at the teachings and the manner in which they are taught. Learn to recognize the signs of spiritual abuse and how fear is used to manipulate and control. Then you will know whether they are right or wrong and you will have overcome that fear factor.
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If only I had remained....

Posted November 5th, 2011 at 01:37 AM by Lois
If only I had remained in the UPC (or other church)....

People who have left and are going through a rough time sometimes think that, had they remained, this or that would not have happened. If they had stayed in the group, they wouldn't have lost their job or there wouldn't be family problems or..... They have forgotten that bad things happened while they were there. Old thoughts from sermons with twisted scriptures can have a hold on people for years if they do not deal with the issues from their involvement.

I recall all kinds of bad things happening to people who were in the church. A house burned down, there were all kinds of vehicle and job problems, car accidents, financial problems, marriage problems and divorces, and people getting diseases with some dying. It would be an extensive list of woes if everything could be mentioned. Being a member of the church and being involved did not keep them from the things of life that can happen to anyone.

In like manner, being out of the group, we need to understand that things will also happen. It is part of life. It doesn't mean God is after you and trying to get you to return to the unhealthy church. It doesn't mean you are lost or backslid. It doesn't mean you would have been safe from whatever happened had you remained. Take the time to look into the passages that were used to scare you and to understand the fear that permeates the teachings. If you do this and learn of how God really is, you will no longer have to fight such thoughts.
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