kBoy, Up Against the Wall, is my favorite one so far. I love the way you spit out the meat and the bones.

Many posts on this forum tell of the pain that came from rejection by G&M. JRS rejected people too. Francis Frangipane and Larry Maukuakane come to mind. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall during those conversations. At one of my jobs I noticed that some people were given big send offs such as luncheons and gifts when they left. Some were just given a coffee cup. The send offs were all arbitrary and unpredictable depending on who was the boss at time. At the time I decided to leave, a new boss who didn't really know me or appreciate my years of service and dedication thought that announcing my departure at a gathering was enough. I was disappointed for a few days but the rejection didn't stick. I was over it within a week. I wonder if the rejections that occurred in the LW were/are difficult to get over because of believing that the leadership was God. Even though you come to realize the leaders were no more God than my little dog Tina who is now in doggy heaven, the pain sticks. A friend once sent me this message regarding coping with rejection, "Everyone gets rejected. It's just part of life and a universal experience. It doesn't reveal a negative truth about you. I think we have a gut instinct to question ourselves in the face of rejection, but we would be better off pausing and thinking about what happened that wasn't about us. What are the situation factors that might have led to the outcome? What was going on with the timing and the other person?"

I'm sure there are many reasons for people leaving. I've never understood people believing that someone was God. Christ coming forth in a many membered body I understood to a certain degree, but I always thought of it as him coming forth in each one of us, not just in the leadership. Plus, it was supposed to be Him in us, not us as being anything.

I've read these posts for many years, and I wasn't around the Walk or Fellowship all the time. In and out as you might say, even though I was part for many decades. I don't go now, but like I said before, I've been in and out for a long long time. I still don't have any animosity against anyone, but don't know everything that went on all through the years. I know lots of people were way more dedicated to the cause than I ever was, so I'm sure that's why some people are hurt more than others. Another reason might be because a person condoned things going on until one day either they were crossed or they couldn't pretend anymore. Just my two cents, for what it's worth.

HEADBANGER NEWS: The Ghost of Prophets Past

"God’s Past and Future Is Your Present"

December 11, 2016

-[www.garyandmarilynhargrave.com]

"We are called to be a community of prophets who live in two realms (pie-in-the-sky and hell on earth), but that cannot happen while our minds are conformed to this age (concerned with power, position, money, notoriety, control . . .)."

"The transformation we seek comes through the renewing of our minds (through mind-numbing control)."

"And our faith can claim the promises of the past and the prophecies of the future for today (like we have tried everyday for 65+ years with no result)."

"How can we become spiritual and move in the spirit?" (You're kidding, right?)

"How can we start renewing our minds?" (Other than mind-control?)

"Follow Daniel’s example: he prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10)." (Are we talking about breaking up into groups?)

"Schedule time during your day to pray in the Spirit." (Over at Rayen Resort headed up by Rick Disney?)

"Prayer in the Spirit takes your mind out of conformity to this world and begins the process of the renewal of your mind (which has worked so well since the '50's)."

"Praying in tongues is our first practical step (to keep everyone mesmerized) to move as prophets of God and become the prophetic community that He has prophesied about (which will never come to pass)."

Welcome SouthGate. Good comments and insights. I guess each individual's experience while in the LW and out of the LW is unique and there is no one size fits all way to sort it out or to heal. Thanks.

South Gate:
"I know lots of people were way more dedicated to the cause than I ever was, so I'm sure that's why some people are hurt more than others. Another reason might be because a person condoned things going on until one day either they were crossed or they couldn't pretend anymore."

Good to hear from you, South Gate.
Feel free to chime in anytime.

Welcome SouthGate! I think all of us thought Christ was coming forth in a many-membered body until the Christ in the leadership exalted themselves above the Christ in everyone else in TLWF – not to mention the rest of the body of Christ. I remember changing God’s name to Marilyn’s name in worship songs – I don’t suspect that happens much in other churches! Things changed from submitting what God was speaking to you for confirmation to “Do what I say – I’m Christ in the flesh – or leave!”

I was reading Matthew 23 this morning in The Message – something I’ve quoted often in the NIV – and was thinking how perfectly it captured my experience in TLWF:

“The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God’s Law. You won’t go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer. Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn’t think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called ‘Doctor’ and ‘Reverend.’ Don’t let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of ‘Father’; you have only one Father, and he’s in heaven. And don’t let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them – Christ. Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.”

I have to say that I was warned by Jesus' teaching about much that caused me suffering in TLWF. I try to make it a habit now of going to Jesus' words first, instead of to a human that cherry picks Jesus’ words to serve their own interests. It's not anarchy and rebellion to not let another human play the role of God in your life - you're only doing what Jesus said to do. In fact, it's just the opposite - it's rebellion against God to let another take His place. His way is life-giving instead of destructive.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.

"I remember changing God’s name to Marilyn’s name in worship songs"

That's usually When I would just walk out, or wouldn't sing or worship. If I'm going to sing to anyone it's going to be my wife. :)

I will be the first one of admit my feelings were hurt by leadership...especially when Marilyn told my wife to kill me. I was really sensitive to that particular directive. Fortunately, my wife got distracted and never carried it out. I think she was into baking at the time.

SouthGate Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.
>
> "I remember changing God’s name to Marilyn’s
> name in worship songs"
>
> That's usually When I would just walk out, or
> wouldn't sing or worship.

That was wise.