| Author | Message | ||
| Jan Registered user Username: Jan Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2005 |
I checked out a website today of an Adventist pastor from Florida whom I used to know. (Ranking legalism from 1-10, he hovers around a 20!) He's moaning that his grandson (age 19) is attending the Damascus Church in Maryland and no longer believes in the Sabbath. Other supporters are giving all sorts of sympathy, blaming Willow Creek & contemporary worship, etc. when LO the grandson himself gets on, trying to defend himself. It's a very interesting thread. I couldn't resist posting to encourage the grandson (Bucky) to hang in there, he's on the right track by simply loving Jesus, and he's not condemned to hell. If anyone wants to help this dear young man, the website address is this: http://www.revivalsermons.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=522 | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1498 Registered: 11-2002 |
I have heard the terms but I have no idea what they are in reference to. What is Damascus Road and what is Willow Creek? | ||
| Bob Registered user Username: Bob Post Number: 53 Registered: 7-2000  |
Jan, I checked out the link. That pastor is someone I knew when I was a student at Andrews University! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1397 Registered: 12-2003  |
Jan, welcome! We're glad to have you here and look forward to hearing more from you! Colleen | ||
| Yossariana Registered user Username: Yossariana Post Number: 16 Registered: 8-2004  |
Interesting discusion there, I have posted some, but I think is talking in vain with adventists. It is just not possible to have a dialogue, because they interpret you are with 'emotional' scars, or misled by Satan. Tnx God for opening my eyes!  | ||
| Bmorgan Registered user Username: Bmorgan Post Number: 12 Registered: 7-2000 |
Hey, I know Pastor O"Fill. He conducted a seminar at the last church (SDA) I attended some years ago. At the time I thought he sounded quite eloquent. I was drowning in the "SDA Sea of Confusion" and his words were the straws I grasped to save me for the waves covering me. He was good at pointing out some problems within the church and offered some psuedohelpful psuedopractical solutions. It did not take me long to realize how contrary he was though. He condemned Promise Keepers and everthing not Adventist even though they were christian. The straws I grasped just pulled me deeperand addeded weight as I struggled in the tsanami. I was even more confused. Praise God! The rescue out of adventism is made even sweeter. God is no respector of persons. Salvation is in Christ Alone. bmorgan | ||
| Loneviking Registered user Username: Loneviking Post Number: 317 Registered: 7-2000 |
Susan, Willow Creek is a huge non-denominational, evangelical church. Damascus Community Church is a church which was started by mostly SDA's. Pastor Richard Fredricks took the bulk of his congregation out of the SDA church and these folks became the 'Damascus Road Community Church'. | ||
| Praisegod Registered user Username: Praisegod Post Number: 241 Registered: 3-2004  |
Dick O'Fill is a smooth talking conference administrator (I guess he's still with the FL Conference) who has some following among people who believe the SDA denomination should follow its beliefs. For that, I must give him credit where credit is due. I spent a few minutes looking over more of the threads on this forum--just "on the pastor's desk" and found them to be a tiny representation of the underground issues going on worldwide. Their upset about people becoming liberal and "working" on Sabbath I believe is well-taken. It does seem that many members want to get as close to the "world" as possible, yet never take the time to study the Gospel. So because their particular church gave them permission to play soccer or clean someone's home on Sabbath it is now ok. Yet the next pastor they get may contradict that. Everyone just uses a different set of prooftexts. There must be a huge amount a psychological unease due to the vast amount of cognitive dissonance. The mind plays real tricks on one who is trying to hold onto "the truth" yet cope in their individual world. http://www.revivalsermons.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=20 Praise God... | ||
| Praisegod Registered user Username: Praisegod Post Number: 242 Registered: 3-2004 |
Welkcome, Jan! It's always great to have new people posting here. We would love to hear a bit about your story. Praise God... | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1043 Registered: 3-2004  |
Jan, thanks for that web site. I am sure God compelled me to go there and write an encouraging note to the grandson. I quoted Col. 2:13,14. I never write anything on any forums or SDA sites, but I did want to encourage the grandson. Diana | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 313 Registered: 4-2000  |
Susan, Dr. Richard Frederick's online Bible study entitled "Sabbath in Christ" was my first introduction to the concept of Jesus being the True Sabbath Rest. Even before I finished reading it, the Holy Spirit impressed me of its truthfulness. Praise God! Dr. Fredericks is a former professor of religion at Columbia Union College. The churches, Damascus Road Community Church (Maryland) and Grace Place (Colorado) are linked in many ways--especially doctrinally. It is my prayer that they will continue to eradicate legalism in their midst (i.e., old covenant tithing directives). I heartily recommend Michael Morrison's book titled "Sabbath, Circumcision, and Tithing: Which Old Testament Laws Apply to Christians?" Pastor Morrison is a major writer and apologist for the Worldwide Church of God (www.wcg.org). His excellent writings are accessible and downloadable from their official website. Another new book titled, "Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian's Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine" is authored by Dr. Russell Earl Kelly (a former SDA minister and graduate of Southern Adventist University as well as Covington Theological Seminary in Georgia). Dennis J. Fischer | ||
| Jan Registered user Username: Jan Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2005 |
I only wrote on the pastor's website to encourage the grandson--a young warrior out there among the wolves! Can you imagine being disappointed in a teenage grandson who loves Jesus? Please! Elder O'fill needs his own Damascus Road experience! I had mine about two years ago and part of the journey was reading The Sabbath in Christ. Thanks for inviting us "lurkers" to jump in. Every single day I still have to delete old thoughts and try to sort of Scripture from tradition. When will it ever end? | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1044 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jan, You are in a safe place here. When you are ready please tell us more about yourself and your experience out of Adventism. God has been leading you. I will keep you in my prayers. It has been a long time since I read anything by EGW but occasionally I think of something that I think is Biblical and it is EGW. Thank God I recognize it. So deleting old thoughts with scripture will take time. As long as you recognize from where the thought comes. God will help you with this. He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 343 Registered: 10-2004  |
Wow. I am totally worn out after posting at that web site this afternoon/evening. We kept going back and forth for several pages! I am going to take a long break from debating on forums. Jeremy | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1046 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jeremy, I understand. I was there also and did post a few times. Nothing we say is getting through that I can see. Only God can see and I know a seed was planted. We can pray for them as we do every week. One of these days, only God knows when, we will see the result of Bucky's courage and our support. Diana | ||
| Packer_eric Registered user Username: Packer_eric Post Number: 20 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jeremy and Flyinglady... You got me going...I visited and even registered on that site...it is actually quite refreshing to visit other sites (at least to this point - but FAF is the bomb too!) I feel this "kid" (I thought he was 12...) is indeed just following his heart, is he not? If everyone did this we'd be better off. Eric | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1047 Registered: 3-2004 |
If everyone followed their hearts while being led by God and everyone else accepted this, then we would be better off. Unfortunately we have those who think they know better than us and try to redirect us. Fortunately, that never happened to me when I decided not to rejoin the SDA church. I have been left alone and I thank our awesome God for that. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1049 Registered: 3-2004 |
Wow!!! I did not realize how stuck in EGW the SDAs are. I have never posted on a website with them until yesterday to support the young man, Bucky. That is because I am better grounded and have more knowledge and God is leading me. What ever is posted from the Bible is miscontrued. They can get down right nasty when one quotes the Bible. It is an interesting experience. Pray for me as I post there that God will put the words/texts in my mind. He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Jan Registered user Username: Jan Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2005 |
Flyinglady: I appreciated your comments on the site. When I got called Satan and doomed to hell I decided it was probably time to lick my wounds and leave. I've never been more convinced: "They shall know we are Christians by our love." What was that--by our Sabbathkeeping? No, by our love. By our denominational membership? No, by our love. By keeping the commandments? Yes--the commands of Christ to love!!! I hope "Walk in the Light" learns that before he becomes a chaplain. Scary! | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1050 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jan, I appreciated your comments also. It is good to back each other up. You know, I do not like beating my head against a brick wall and that is what it feels like on that web site. I have said I am gone from there but I will check in and puruse what is being said. What I noticed is the SDA got annoyed and did not answer our Bible directed questions or put the SDA spin on the texts and then they personally attacked. Did you say the Walk is going to be a chaplain? I pray God gets ahold of him. It is amazing/awesome the difference God makes in a person's life. I saw it on that web site. Diana |
