Id just like to ask one question regarding whether anon or any other Struthers member has ever found the leaders to be wrong. Is it actually conceivable that any of the Struthers leadership COULD ever be wrong? One of my earliest experiences of being a part of the Struthers church was that the leaders are never wrong. Even if they appear to be wrong then they are actually right because they are privvy to some extra special anointing or knowledge.
One of the original points made by Clive was about his concerns of the unquestioned obedience given to and expected by leaders of SMC. A church that requires its members to blindly follow what the leaders say and not ask questions should in my opinion should set of huge alarm bells. Anon201062 says he has been a member of Struthers for 20+ years and can say that he has never known a leader to be wrong with regard to spiritual/pastoral matters. I wonder in this time if he has ever questioned something he heard, either in his own mind, with other Struthers Church members or with a leader themselves? This is not meant as a dig at anon201062, as I have genuine respect for the fact that he came here and spoke up, something none of the Struthers Church leaders have yet to do.
I know that for a time I tried to silence the doubts and questions I had. Even when I knew that what was said was 100% wrong I attempted mental gymnastics as I attempted to fall in line with the ethos that the leader is always right, especially as the other options were to leave voluntarilyor be banned.
On the latigo214 site there is a page that contains quotes from a sermon preached by an SMC leader on questioning. In it she says "Have you ever noticed in scripture how many questions the enemy asks ? He's always questioning... And so he questions in your mind. So he brings a questioning – its almost like .. a questioning spirit. ." [
www.latigo214.info]
Do Struthers leaders really believe and teach that to ask questions of them is to be in collusion with satan? If this is the case then I suggest there is little wonder that people who want to be a part of SMC would ever (admit to) entaertaining thoughhts that the leadership may be in error.