I plan to complete a minimum of 50 pages before I complete the book though, and bring it to print. The royalties will be a form of "indirect restitution," and the only form of restitution I'll need (assuming that forgiveness and reconciliation never comes.)
I hope that this book will serve to help anyone who is in a similar social & spiritual situation that I have been in, and learn what to do and what not to do. I hope that this book will serve as a cautionary tale to many readers anywhere so that they do not end up in any similar situation.
If I get forgiveness and reconciliation from the main character though, I will cancel all plans of publication and take all parts of this story down from public view.
For protection and privacy reasons, I have aliased all names and places of everyone and every place involved, but anyone involved in the story or who knows anyone in the story will know who they are just from the contexts.
I have been warned by my family to leave that church. Since forgiveness and reconciliation appears to be distant, seldom-used concepts there, (at least from that one member, and a couple others there,) I'm starting to believe that there may be a friendlier church out there after all.
As an endnote, I wish for the main character to observe these Bible verses:
· Matthew 6:14-15: 14 Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. 15 But if you don't forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.
· Matthew 18:15-17
A Brother Who Sins Against You
15 If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
· Ephesians 4:26
26 And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry…
· Romans 5:10
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."
I never saw that page previously.
ReplyDeleteThought you might like to know that Thomas McKean has had problems with his ex-church, The Lion of Judah.
(It is all public).
And so has Zachary Lassiter. Some similar troubles, especially with the sound and lighting work.
Another person who has experienced church bullying is Margaret Jones. You might like to read her memoir: Not of my making, which I first found in May 2009 (shortly before I found you) by way of the Independent Fundamental Baptists.
If you write it well it will be a most important book.