Comments on: Fired! or Rescued by God? http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/ A servant ministry to the hurting church leader and believer Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:30:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Lily Rosario http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-30964 Lily Rosario Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:34:37 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-30964 This posting was tweeted by Themelis Cuiper, Google search result AD visionary, so you must be doing a cool job! This posting was tweeted by Themelis Cuiper, Google search result AD visionary, so you must be doing a cool job!

]]> By: Chris http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-10047 Chris Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:06:39 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-10047 I. empathize with the last two bloggers. I was there over a year ago, feeling cheated, unloved, betrayed. I had worked hard in my pastorate of almost eight years, but I was working with a group who had a recent history of rising up against the pastor. I thought I had beat it, and then it all came crashing down and they refused to allow me to go on sick leave until my denomination stepped in. They begrudgingly gave me three months sick leave, but all feelings of belonging to the group disappeared, including my name from the prayer list. I felt cut off.Then I found a beautiful but faulty African church (I am a caucasian  pastor) which embraced me and kept me active, not letting me forget my calling while they ministered to me. They had a new pastor come shortly after that, and he asked if I would serve as an adviser to him. We are the same age and have ministered for about the same time, but he is new to our country. Slowly but surely I healed bit by bit.I now realize it was me who did not fit! I had outgrown my former church. There were things God was revealing to me that they just were not ready for, and, in their own words, they preferred milk rather than meat. It took me a long time to come to the point where I agreed with Kim, but looking back I can see how God indeed rescued me. And maybe you will once the impact of the hurt lessens. By the way, I am presently re-entering ministry with a group that needs exactly what the Lord was preparing me for, that needs the tools He was instilling at that time. I can now say wholeheartedly, "Thank you, God!" I. empathize with the last two bloggers. I was there over a year ago, feeling cheated, unloved, betrayed. I had worked hard in my pastorate of almost eight years, but I was working with a group who had a recent history of rising up against the pastor. I thought I had beat it, and then it all came crashing down and they refused to allow me to go on sick leave until my denomination stepped in. They begrudgingly gave me three months sick leave, but all feelings of belonging to the group disappeared, including my name from the prayer list. I felt cut off.Then I found a beautiful but faulty African church (I am a caucasian  pastor) which embraced me and kept me active, not letting me forget my calling while they ministered to me. They had a new pastor come shortly after that, and he asked if I would serve as an adviser to him. We are the same age and have ministered for about the same time, but he is new to our country. Slowly but surely I healed bit by bit.I now realize it was me who did not fit! I had outgrown my former church. There were things God was revealing to me that they just were not ready for, and, in their own words, they preferred milk rather than meat. It took me a long time to come to the point where I agreed with Kim, but looking back I can see how God indeed rescued me. And maybe you will once the impact of the hurt lessens. By the way, I am presently re-entering ministry with a group that needs exactly what the Lord was preparing me for, that needs the tools He was instilling at that time. I can now say wholeheartedly, “Thank you, God!”

]]> By: Christopher Crane http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-2030 Christopher Crane Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:57:44 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-2030 See, I can certainly understand the perspective from whence you speak.  It's an angle I could wrap my mind around after a few years.  But let me give you this one - it's verbatim what I went through - destroyed.  Did nothing wrong.  Accused of everything under the sun by wonderful, "Christian" saints.  I was accused of affairs I didn't have.  Money I didn't steal, and even had an internal audit to prove there was no wrongdoing, but no apology was ever offered.  My wife was accused of being addicted to drugs, and tested negative for any substance - either illegal or prescription.  My fourteen year old daughter, though a virgin, was labeled a whore.  Then, my family was "starved out" - no attendance, and no money.  The denomination stepped in, and my family was displaced on December 21st, 2009 - just four days before Christmas.  No job.  No help.  No cares.  I remember posting something on my Facebook page stating that I didn't feel much like celebrating Christmas this year.  One of these wonderful "saints" chimed in, "How could a so-called 'Christian' not celebrate Christmas?!"  I replied, "I don't know, Sue (name changed to protect the guilty).  Maybe it's the fact that my family was made homeless and jobless one week before Christmas.  Maybe it's the fact that my children won't have presents to open this year.  Maybe it's because instead of having a hope and a future, we're applying for food stamps and public assistance."  She quickly deleted her ignorant comment.  But it was too late, the damage was already done.  It's not possible to see a silver-lining in the clouds of a hurricane.  But after a time, once the winds have ceased to blow, you can see God's hand in all of it.  But I prefer to believe that God allowed it... not that He caused it.  If God would cause such hurt to children, 12 and 14, then perhaps I never knew Him at all. See, I can certainly understand the perspective from whence you speak.  It’s an angle I could wrap my mind around after a few years.  But let me give you this one - it’s verbatim what I went through - destroyed.  Did nothing wrong.  Accused of everything under the sun by wonderful, “Christian” saints.  I was accused of affairs I didn’t have.  Money I didn’t steal, and even had an internal audit to prove there was no wrongdoing, but no apology was ever offered.  My wife was accused of being addicted to drugs, and tested negative for any substance - either illegal or prescription.  My fourteen year old daughter, though a virgin, was labeled a whore.  Then, my family was “starved out” - no attendance, and no money.  The denomination stepped in, and my family was displaced on December 21st, 2009 - just four days before Christmas.  No job.  No help.  No cares.  I remember posting something on my Facebook page stating that I didn’t feel much like celebrating Christmas this year.  One of these wonderful “saints” chimed in, “How could a so-called ‘Christian’ not celebrate Christmas?!”  I replied, “I don’t know, Sue (name changed to protect the guilty).  Maybe it’s the fact that my family was made homeless and jobless one week before Christmas.  Maybe it’s the fact that my children won’t have presents to open this year.  Maybe it’s because instead of having a hope and a future, we’re applying for food stamps and public assistance.”  She quickly deleted her ignorant comment.  But it was too late, the damage was already done.  It’s not possible to see a silver-lining in the clouds of a hurricane.  But after a time, once the winds have ceased to blow, you can see God’s hand in all of it.  But I prefer to believe that God allowed it… not that He caused it.  If God would cause such hurt to children, 12 and 14, then perhaps I never knew Him at all.

]]> By: Debra http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1978 Debra Mon, 24 May 2010 18:29:07 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-1978 Rest? Have fun? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. We lost our income, our home, and our reputation last night, not by any immoral act ... but at the hands of gossips. We are broke and broken. I cannot see the light. Rest and have fun? I can't. We have four children and need a job. Never, never, NEVER tell someone, "God bless you" and keep walking. NEVER. Rest? Have fun? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. We lost our income, our home, and our reputation last night, not by any immoral act … but at the hands of gossips.

We are broke and broken. I cannot see the light. Rest and have fun? I can’t. We have four children and need a job.

Never, never, NEVER tell someone, “God bless you” and keep walking. NEVER.

]]> By: John Taylor http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-512 John Taylor Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:54:25 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-512 What a facinating article. I'm looking for a NLP expert to help with a project, who's your mentor? What a facinating article. I’m looking for a NLP expert to help with a project, who’s your mentor?

]]> By: Editor http://smolderingwickministries.org/2008/12/fired-or-rescued-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Editor Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:14:22 +0000 http://smolderingwickministries.org/wordpress/?p=221#comment-169 Interesting blog post. What would you say was the most important factor? Interesting blog post. What would you say was the most important factor?

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