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mile2
PastorThiemeisGreat2me:
I am curious to know how you explain the selection of Bobby Thieme as pastor of Berachah, when this clearly violates scripture. (I Tim. 3:2--" A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife." Are you aware that Bobby has been married and divorced 3 times? Yet Col. Thieme supported the choice of his son to succeed him.
I have asked this question of 3 others who spoke in favor of Thieme on this forum and each one was unable to defend him, and shortly afterward left the forum. How do you address this blatant disregard for God's Word by Thieme and his congregation?
mile2 (
I think 1Timothy 3:2 is saying that a pastor should not be a polygamist, more than anything. I don't think it's saying he should'nt be divorced or remarried. Scripture makes it clear that there sometimes biblical justification for divorce. Do you know why Bobby got divorced, whether or not it was biblical? I don't.
Still the verse that keeps coming to my mind is this one:
"Judge not lest ye be judged" and also "he who is without sin, cast the first stone."
Pastors are gifted, but they are still just men. They sin too.
God forgave him, so should we.
Enough said about that.
I am an ex-Thiemite. I think many of the things I learned from Berachah from the time I was a small child until just about a year ago, were biblically wrong, and had a very negative effect on my spiritual life.
But I also think God uses people where they are. No church has the entire bible interpreted correctly. Everyone makes mistakes. But amazingly enough, God can use us inspite of our misunderstandings.
When I defended Berachah, I sited my personal experience as proof that the Col's ministry was good. I pointed out that I had a very happy life, and felt close to God. I had called on God many times, and seen Him deliver me on many occaisions.
Well, I'm not defending Berachah anymore, but those things I talked about are still true. And in spite of the fact that I was believing
some lies, God was moving in my life, because I wanted Him to. I desired a relationship with God, and He honored that. He didn't reject me just because I was mistaken about rebound, or GAP.
I have this belief, and I think the bible backs me up, that if any church teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and died to pay for the sins of the world, and that anyone can have eternal life by faith in Him, that we, as Christians should not attack that church in any way. They are our brothers, and sisters in Christ, and they are winning souls for the kingdom of God. They are not the enemy.
So if Berachah is a cult or not (I am still undecided), it is still a Christian church, who is very correct about the gospel and is helping to spread that gospel to the corners of the earth. So let's at least appreciate that, and recognize it, and stop talking about them like they are evil, and Thieme the anti-Christ.
Do what you want. I certainly have no authority here.
I removed myself from Berachah over a year ago, completely. And I feel like I am doing much better now. I am learning the truth about certain lies that I've always believed. And it's a work in progress. It will probably take a long time. But the church I attend now isn't perfect either. No church is perfect, and no pastor either. Your spiritual knowledge should not be the sole responsibility of any one pastor. It should mainly be a result of your personal bible study. But also, your local shepherd should help guide you in that. But if you do put all your eggs in one basket as it were, and that pastor leads you wrong in some areas, who's to blame really?
I do not listen to the Col or any of his off-shoot pastors anymore. I don't go to Berachah. After going through a deliverance session at my new church (which was about putting false teachings to death in my life, and moving forward), I drove by Berachah afterward. It was a Saturday and they were closed. I sat in my truck in front of the front entry, and said a prayer. I asked God to heal me from the lies that I learned, and to show everyone that attends that church the truth. But also to strenthen the truthes that are taught at Berachah. I didn't curse them, or anyone. I didn't tell God to avenge my wasted 30 years of my life. I just asked Him to reveal the truth to me and to everyone.
"If any man asks for wisdom, it will be freely given to him."
I don't know when I memorized that verse, but it was a long time ago, and I was attending Berachah. Me knowing scripture and knowing how to use it in my life, is not a waste of time. I am thankful for all the truthes I know, regardless of where I learned them. And I reject the lies, no matter where I learned them.
Just my opinion, as a newborn ex-Thiemite.