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Cojak

Beat my sheep!

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24277 **9/24/23 10:34 am**

Back many years ago when I thought I was a preacher I was attending NC six week summer Bible School. We had just stepped out of one of George Voohris's classes and a young preacher was talking about building congregations. He mentioned a young pastor, Loraine Livingston who had just started growing the Charlotte church on Central Ave.
He said emphatically, "Anyone can build a big church if they allow people to do anything and be members like Livingston!"

I had heard of Loraine, I knew he was the son in law of Brother Weatherby, a very good pastor in my dad's time.

Today we are on the road, this morning fortunately my wife tuned into Central CoG early service on her tablet and we watched and worshipped with them as we waited for our home church to start later.

Since hearing that stupid statement many years ago I smiled as I heard a solid Bible based sermon. It was a delivery I could HEAR and understand. It was basic about Seek ye First! I have heard Loraine many times since the 1960s and every one has been solid, fundamental and on target. When it closed there were tears here and my wife said to me, "I love to feel like God loves me when a service is ended!"

Pastors should take a page from life. Most of your people are in church to be reassured that God loves them. If one's son is facing 20 years' in prison they don't feel like jumping up and down and heading out to evangelize. If one has been told this week that they have a fast moving cancer with little or no chance to survive or just learned their teen age daughter is pregnant, they are not in the mental condition to be chastised about their lack of bringing others to church, they want to know that Jesus Loves them and will take care of them. We members want to know that HE will be with us, Love us and be with us tomorrow and next week.

For the past 23 months my wife and I have had a BLACK CLOUD over our lives. A situation that has driven us to our knees. We attend a once large church, it is struggling now. I leave our services feeling like my pastor thinks I am headed for hell if I am not knocking on doors and compelling people to come to the house of God.

A few weeks ago, from the pulpit he said, "When someone asks me to pray for them I feel like they have not even prayed for themselves and want me to do it for them.!"

I did not say it, but I wanted to say as I left church, "Now I am even reluctant to ask for prayer!"

I am in the early stages of Dementia. I have problems like every one else, I want to be fed from God's word like all Christians' while I am still understanding some things..

I was not coddled by Livingston's sermon this morning, I was fed and blessed.

I was told in school if you learn you must be encouraged to learn, it is hard to FORCE one to learn life's lessons. In a lecture do the chastisement early but end with something to commend the person for, end on an up note.

His Word said, "Feed My sheep!" Not 'Beat my sheep.'

From a beaten down member or sheep! Crying or Very sad

_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

Aaron Scott

Jealousy

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6032 **9/25/23 8:23 am**

I, too, have heard such things, Cojak. And I've likely thought many of them myself.

Indeed, when someone is prospering, we like to think along the lines of "If you're getting a lot more people saved than I am, then you're not doing it right."

Loran has been a blessing every time I've heard him (especially at the Florida Campmeeting some years back). He will just be real with people and share his own struggles. He many not even realize how powerful that it to know that others are in the same boat we sometimes find ourselves in.

I'm sorry that your pastor would say such things. I trust that he is otherwise a good man, else you'd be attending elsewhere. Sometimes, we ministers can say some things that, in retrospect, were not all that wise.

Praying for you and you family, Cojak.

THE LOVE OF GOD

Re: Beat my sheep!

Friendly Face Posts: 383 **9/26/23 4:09 am**

GOOD WORD BRO COJAK

Da Sheik

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1860 **9/26/23 9:46 pm**

I’m not sure why your particular church is in decline, but it sounds like your pastor is discouraged himself. Hurting people hurt others. Discouraged people can be discouraging to others. It’s human nature to look for someone to blame when expectations aren’t met. I thank you for your honest and refreshingly frank remarks. I think every pastor could learn from this post. Most people are not there (at church) to hang on the pastor’s every word. They want to know that God cares about them and there is hope for their respective situation(s). And in reality, both are true !

There is certainly a mandate to rebuke and reprove sin. There is also a mandate to shepherd and feed God’s flock.