So recently things have changed at Crossing Church. Wonderful. No, really, I mean it. I am thrilled (but not yet moved). I have prayed for a change in their hearts. I have prayed for biblical teaching. I have prayed for acknowledgement, repentance and drastic change in the way things are run. I am so happy for the changes!! I hope they continue on their path to grace and righteousness.
What I don't understand...what makes the changes hurt... is that even with everything that has happened these past few weeks, those of us that spoke out against the abuse, the false teaching, the manipulation and every wrong thing we could hope to relay to the public....we are still the bad guys. We are still ostracized by attenders, being ignored by former friends (even to the point of my children no longer being allowed to play with schoolmates/friends), and blamed for the shake up. Eric is being praised as this wonderful man of God who has repented and is now leading the church into the future. Crossing Church "will never be the same because [he is] not the same". Really? Is that because it is about him, because I thought it was "always, only about Jesus"??? There is still a problem, there is still pain. I appreciate the changes, but really Christians, are you holding your grudges? Are you forgiving or are you going to stand by Eric no matter what and continue to follow his lead and ignore the backstories? Are you going to continue to treat the outspoken former attenders like we have leprosy? I am tired of my children having to suffer because of something I did.
I made the mistake of taking them to that church. I made the mistake of publicly speaking out about the wrong that I saw. I made the mistake of trusting this 'man of God' and his leadership with the teaching of my family in the way of a false God. I am living with my mistakes, but you know what? We, as a family, are doing wonderful. We are blessed every day. We have love and peace in our lives. We have a solid foundation, strong values, great pastors at our new church home, a love for God that far surpasses anything I could have ever imagined two years ago. At this point, breaking me is impossible!!
Jen
I appreciate the changes, but really Christians, are you holding your grudges? Are you forgiving or are you going to stand by Eric no matter what? Speaking of holding grudges...
ReplyDeleteIt is not a grudge I am holding. I am trying to understand, with all the repentance being proclaimed, why I am still being treated poorly by people I thought were my friends. It is pain, not bitterness that leads me to this question. As long as Eric (or some other authority in his church) doesn’t speak out against this imposed isolation of us, everyone will be afraid to talk to us. I know, because I was there and “unfriended” people when they got kicked out, out of fear of reprimand. I don’t require an apology, but I would appreciate if a white flag would be raised against those of us who spoke out, so we can be acknowledged again.
DeleteIf you have love and peace in your heart, whats the point of this blog? Why do you hold onto bitterness? Why do you make this to be about Eric in every blog, then act as if it should only be about Jesus. You act as if he tried to hurt you. Did he? Do you think he personally tried to hurt you. Do you think it's time to let it go? Do you think it's time to move on? You can't sit back and ask for forgiveness and not forgive. Where does the bible say that in order to forgive you must demand it first? Your bitterness shines through in every blog you post. Rejoice in what has come! Stop making it out to be about you! I can see why people would label you as the bad guys. It's your words that you choose to post that make you look bad. It's obvious that your heart is hardened towards Eric and the Crossing. It's obvious that you need to start praying for you own heart to change. Perhaps you need to listen to Eric's latest sermons and learn Grace. There is no Grace in your blogs. There seems to be no forgiveness in your heart towards Eric.
ReplyDeleteIt was recently said to me that “I think we all hear the sermon from the standpoint of our own personal experiences, so that’s understandable and I can respect that thought process.” That statement came to mind when reading your comment. Through this past year, I think, many things have been done and said, judged and misjudged, based on many individual personal thought processes. People, including myself (Guilty!!), trying to look at things from their side and fail to see things from the other perspective. It is unfortunate that you only see the bitterness and not my pain. As I see it, you are reading from your own thought process and maybe not as clearly seeing what I am trying to convey as I would hope. I freely admitted to bitterness in my posts. It is something I struggle with occasionally. It is not an overpowering presence in my life.
DeleteI don’t know what Eric’s intentions were, and at this point I don’t care if he purposely hurt people or not. I have not asked for an apology and I don’t need one. I also have not asked for their forgiveness, so I don’t know where you are going with this, I have made no demands. I have given forgiveness, but struggle with trusting him, again, admitted in my posts. The skepticism is there, but I am trying with all my being to give him the benefit of the doubt, which leads to my final comment…as to your contention that my heart is hardened toward Eric…I have written to the church with praise and encouragement over the past few weeks. I don’t believe a hardened, unforgiving heart would have even bothered, do you?
I read the comments, cant help but laugh at those comments. Lets pick an abuser....lets say your best girlfriend has been abused by her husband and you have watched her suffer, grieve, sink into despair and depression- watched your friend completely fall apart due to the abuse of her Christian husband. Said husband after 7 years of abuse one day starts with "God has changed me" and went on to say some really great, wonderful things. God changed the abusive husband, praise God! What is the wife to do? There is no acknowledgement of the abuse and suffering she endured at his hands, he abused her for 7 years, he made a public "I've changed" but nothing to his wife. How would you respond to your best friend? Tell her to get over her bitterness? Tell her she isn't loving as she is holding a grudge. Come on, its your best friend here, YOUR BEST FRIEND- what do you say to her?
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