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Letters March 17, 2008 By the looks
of this week’s letters it appears that how we
conduct ourselves in public has hit
a chord with many. I have been with people before who have acted
atrociously to their servers. I ended up apologizing for their behavior
vowing to never go with them again. Unfortunately, by the sounds
of this it happens way more than it should. We have heard that some
pastors have used this article to share in some form or fashion
with their congregations. That’s great. Maybe—just maybe a few will
realize the damage such behavior causes for all of us!
Finally, while
we’re thrilled with the new zine’s new look, we’re still suffering
through a few technical glitches with our blogs and other areas,
so we appreciate your patience. Re: “Internet
Love Come True” My “best buddy”
is about 30 years younger than I am. We kind of “adopted” him when
he first started coming to our church lonely, separated from his
wife, and fairly unhappy. We started feeding him, having him drop
by when he was lonesome, and he and I talked on the phone frequently,
usually at about 2 a.m. He got divorced
shortly after that, and he felt that no nice woman would ever want
him. He felt like he had the scarlet letter “D” on his chest where
everybody could see it. No one was available for him to date in
the home church, so I decided to find him some “pen pals” online
by doing searches for Apostolic young ladies who were on AOL. I
would get to be friendly with them first and then talk them into
corresponding with him. There were several applicants. One young lady
in Louisiana finally agreed to meet him, but her family insisted
that I come there with him (so they could find out if either of
us were “axe murderers” etc.). The day they were to meet, he and
I had a long, anointed prayer meeting in the hotel. Then we left
to meet the young lady’s family. They brought all of the
family to the restaurant to meet us. As they bragged about their
daughter, I bragged about my friend. The next day
they went on a date together most of the day and alone while I “cooled
my heels” at another location. They then began a long telephone
courtship, with frequent trips by him to Louisiana, and they finally
got married over a year later. His father likened the situation
to the biblical story of Abraham’s sending a servant back to the
“home country” to find a good wife for Isaac. They’ve now
been married for over five years (I was best man in the wedding),
and they have two precious little girls. They’re in a good Apostolic
church and trying to do a work for the Lord. So, internet meetings
for Apostolics can turn out well if the Lord is in them.
Name Withheld
by Request, Texas Re: “72
Cents” This is truly
sad. Perhaps the leadership in the UPCI and other Apostolic groups
need to add proper Pentecostal behavior to what is already taught
about dress and hair. Before I was Apostolic, the church I was in
taught a lot about “Blood on Your Hands,” referring to situations
where we misrepresented Christ to the unsaved and thus would be
held responsible for someone not finding Christ. Sounds like we
need to become more aware of this. However, I need
to say, that the UPCI church I attend here in Rochester does emphasize
this. When our youth go to restaurants and other public places together
we consistently get very positive feedback. People have been drawn
to our church because of this. So—not all UPCI youth are like the
one’s you experienced. Richard Ferguson,
New York Re: “72
Cents” Great article
and long overdue. I have been out with a lot of Pentecostals who
tipped poorly. I once pointed this out to a group of our ladies
at a steak house. To put it mildly this bit of information was not
well received. It is also a
shame that Pentecostals are implacable about restaurant service.
I have been embarrassed a number of times by this attitude of my
brothers and sisters. Many servers know to beware of groups with
the denim-skirted ladies. I wonder if
this stems from the fact that a lot of Pentecostals think of themselves
as different and therefore superior—a not so benign form of Phariseeism
that causes them to look down on other Oneness Pentecostals, not
to mention all non-Pentecostals. We are smothering
our witness to the truth. If we are going to stay at upscale and
overpriced hotels, we need to learn how to have an upscale witness.
It is time for Pentecostals to stop acting like a bunch of bumpkins
who have never been to the city. Perhaps we need
to replace some of those lessons on wearing denim skirts with a
sermon or two on “love is not rude.” Gary Mink, Tennessee
Re: “Sad,
But True” Praise the Lord
to all that read this. It is no more complicated that how much a
person really loves the Lord and is truly dead to their flesh between
their ears. Yes, I have seen this happen for years one place or
another. It is a very sad witness. Then someone thinks that they
are doing the Lord service by leaving a church card or a tract.
Golden Rule apply here? I think so. I have seen a group of older
people do this. You know the ones that hang around an assembly but
never really get a good praying through on a consistent basis.
It is truly
hard to see ourselves at times is it not? We need to see ourselves
from the Lord’s perspective and not our own justification. All the
ways of a man are pure where—in his own eyes. Comprehensive repentance
is a must for light to shine. Thank you and God bless. Stephen Forkum,
Arkansas Re: “72
Cents a Pentecostal”
This is the
painful truth! So many times I have been with groups of people,
ashamed of the way they suddenly forget that they are the representatives
(ad should be) reflections of Christ. The Bible says that they will
know that you are His disciples by your love for another, but the
sad truth is that they still know who you say you are when you forget
to show His love. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
Someone needed to say it! Justin McGee,
Illinois Re: “Education
for Salvation” I am so embarrassed
that a Bible-believing, Holy Ghost-filled Christian would write
such an article. If our confidence comes from a degree and education
is essential to other’s salvation, then the majority of the people
filling our churches will be the most ineffective witnesses this
world has ever seen. Yet, somehow, the most effective soul winners
we have are not academia’s elite, but the sincere, simple, sold-out-for-Jesus
folks that grace our churches. Romans 12:3
warns us about thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought.
I Corinthians 12:23 also admonishes us that those of us who seem
to be the least honorable are the ones who we are to honor the most
and those who are “uncomely” or the least presentable are the ones
who become the most presentable. I see a rising
trend among young Apostolics (for those of you who find it demeaning
to be called a “Pentecostal”) that sickens and saddens me. It is
this attitude attached with higher education that borders pride
and arrogance and plain ignorance. We are not presenting the world
a thesis! We are presenting them the gospel. The Lord made it so
simple that a child could share it. Please, don’t be so foolish
to think a degree will make it more ““palatable” to the world. Your
godly consistent witness coupled with your prayers, are what is
going to change this world. Have we forgotten what it means to be
a real Christian these days? God help us! Bridget Phillips,
Massachusetts Re: “7
Steps to Sanity” Loved the article.
Used it to teach my teen class last week (grades 7, 8, 9). Insightful
and inspirational! Joyce R. Sowinski,
New York Re: “All
of It” I was at work
and thought I’d check this site out. What a great site! Very inspiring!
God bless true Apostolic ministry. Jacob Keefe,
New Zealand Re: “72
Cents” That’s horrible,
shameful, and downright un-Christ-like! Sometimes I feel
so “righteously-angry” it’s a good thing I have to read about these
events and not witness them first hand. Now that I am an older member
of the UPCI youth, I think it would have been very difficult
for me to not have gone up to that group and revealed to
them the witness they were leaving behind. I too have seen situations
like this in my home in Missouri, and I am just as much ashamed
of them as I would be if it were someone I personally knew.
I thank God
that He gave me a pastor that very firmly, gently yet sternly, and
biblically taught the young people in my church (when I was a teenager)
just what kind of witness he expected us to leave behind. I am sorry
you had to go through this, but I can think of no better person
to help God clean up someone else’s mess then one of His kids that
actually “gets it!” I am glad He put you there and not me—I might
have expressed my own frustration rather than helping sooth it and
make peace. I appreciate your gentleness, and your willingness to
help bring Him glory. Keep up the godly work! Kari Lynn, Missouri
Re: “Education
Isn’t for Salvation.”
Where are the
souls won by those with the secular education?—would be a great
Big Question. It would be
interesting in your next reader’s survey to find the average salary
of secular college graduates and bible college graduates. From my
limited research it looks like students of the same academic potential,
the bible college graduation makes about $5,000 to $10,000 more
per year. Another interesting
fact is most secular college graduates’ degrees are in Psychology
and they work in the I.T. field in entry level positions. Most Bible
School graduates divide between managers of stores, operations,
and factories or in the same I.T. positions. Most secular
college students graduate have a $20,000 debt on their heads and
Bible school graduates are debt free. Who wants to get the most
out of life? P.S. Nice new
look to the website. Hugh Plappert,
Minnesota © 2008, ninetyandnine.com --------- |
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