Gee Larry- I didn't know Ted Haggard was the founder of your church. lol

Good to hear from you Sagehen. Continue to chime in. I recall you said you were in the Wyoming church in the 70's. Was that the Jackson Hole church or was the pastor's last name Jackson? I recall some one at Shiloh sharing that the pastor drank and was verbally abusive toward the women.

Slandjt-I think meditation can be a good tool for healing too. Thanks for sharing how it has helped you.

NickleandDimed-you bring up a good point about those who weren't in the cult during the G&M years maybe can't relate to what was going on. Especially when the pressure for some got to be too much to bare because of the mind f**k. I think the contributions of some on this forum are trying in their own way to address that. I really appreciate that because it helps me too.

Rond-I don't think Gary is mentally ill. He has absolute power and the people wrapped around his finger. I don't think he is always truthful.

Wonderful words lily rose! It's easy to tell when you have personally been the bruised reed - you have far more appreciation for His goodness. It is really true that He leaves the 99 and searches for you in a way no human would do. What a contrast to those who discard you when you no longer serve their purposes.

I was also thinking about how after the Lord rebukes the false shepherds in Ezekiel 34 He says to Israel - which also reveals His heart towards us - "I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land, and there they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice."

lily rose said, "Rond-I don't think Gary is mentally ill. He has absolute power and the people wrapped around his finger. I don't think he is always truthful."

Yes. I agree. He's just taking that tack in order to keep fleecing those who are willing to continue giving. Sad.

We have a Muslim (lampshmamp) on the forum? Cool!!!
Bruised reeds unite!

You folks are ALL awesome!!! It is wonderful to have a safe rounded out place to hear from all sides of the issues we all to one extent or another went through or are going through! It is most definitely an individual path we all must take and isn't that what God intended from the start?
Thank you Lily Rose for your kind words and encouragement, I am reading all posts just not much to say, LOL!
The group I came out of started out at Klamath Falls, OR and we were under Gordon Shaw from Terrobonne, OR. The pastor at Klamath was Bob Patterson & Susan, when we were sent to Rock Springs, WY. my home town actually the pastor was sent from Shaw's group of "misfit toys" , Mike McKinney and Donna.
A business opportunity opened up for myself and my husband in Kemmerer, WY and all focus shifted there for the whole group.We were the backing for the bank to help us attain this business, all the labor was "voluntary" from the "body" there, free or almost free for all of us.
This business was very successful while we were there of coarse, no labor costs really help the bottom line! I did the actual books and money was sent to Shaw's. About $2,000 a month once we really got set up and known, there had not been a eating place in this area for some time and it was good food. Tim and Linda Fleming, I believe from R.D's church were well trained in culinary and service areas really did a great job!
I started to notice some things that were really "off", like one of the "handmaidens" telling some local folks that my husband was hers, he had started smoking after more than a decade of not smoking after we met the Lord, red flags in the way out children were treated also, just plain abuse for our seven year old son. I counseled with Mike to no avail, and since we had lived in Needles, CA for several years and after we left several of our friends there had joined the walk, I called our friend Dick Horn who I knew was just made a pastor. The tape, "The Right to Higher Conformation" or some such had just come out and I believed Dick could help see what could be done.
Someone downstairs was listening in to my conversation with Dick, we several of us lived above the cafe,and the atmosphere was not friendly to put it mildly when I came down from my call.
Not sure what Dick put in motion from there but we were both, my husband and I , called to a meeting and told JRS wished for us to counsel with the Bailey's in Salt Lake, two brothers, can't remember names, not Mel we knew him from Grand Junction, we left in a couple days for SLC, just us not our kids.
Next we were sent on to Howard Klines for a couple days they were all wonderful to us, Baileys and Klines. We had been told John wished to spend some time with us and that we would be staying for a month with Brother and Sister Rich and travel with John to all the services etc. I was put in the Living Word Building with Brothe Rich and my husband went around with several others except we both rode in the van with John and Larry, Marilyn and other Blix girls to all the services.
I will add the rest next time whew, this has been a longtime coming out!!! Thank you all for letting me feel free to do so!

rond.

Put me in the category of “scientist/philosopher/searcher.” That might help explain why I use quotes from any source.

Bruised reeds: TLW atmosphere was so detrimental that even a possible subscriber to “The Great Spirit (Wakan Tanka among the Sioux and Gitchi Manitou in Algonquian -- Native American cultures)” would commit suicide. Go figure.

Bruised Reeds Unite. I like it.

lily rose - Yep, it's true that Ted was the founder of New Life Church. I did jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. :) Between him and the shooting, many around the world are familiar with it. He's back in town with a congregation of over 1000. He was president of the NEA and had weekly calls with the US President. It was not uncommon to have news reporters from all the major networks filming our worship services. There were times he spoke to tens of thousands of pastors from all over the world. Influence is not all it's cut out to be - even if it's with the Pope. :) It definitely is a two-edged sword. Very few people outside the church know anything about Ted except for his affair with the male prostitute. I've talked with both Ted and Mike - the man he had the affair with. Ted is extremely gifted at building systems - which the kingdom is not. The salvation for New Life Church was the over 1000 small groups where genuine relationships had been established and people were able to weather the storm. If it had been just about Ted, the church would not have survived. Our current senior pastor of the past 8 years, shuns the press and is more focused on taking care of the poor in our city. He sends out the best and brightest to start other churches, many of which number in the 1000's, instead of show casing them to make himself look good, like Ted did. Fortunately, most of us don't get our dirty laundry aired in front of the whole world. The real tragedy to me was Ted's family - who I know personally. They did nothing wrong yet suffered right along with him. BTW, they have continued to support him through many tears, even though the story of God's grace may not get near the press a scandal does.

Another thought about bruised reeds: When the human body experiences pain, its an indication that something is wrong - its a warning sign. I think the same is true emotionally and spiritually for us. The fact that there is so much suffering in TLWF should be a red flag that something is not right. We can make corrections and eliminate that pain, which most of us did by leaving. When I get a rock in my shoe, I've been unable to meditate it away so far - I have to get rid of the rock. But that's just me. The best place I've found is the Great Healer - not human institutions - especially when you find yourself at the end of your rope and your own ability. However, it's not just God-in-the-sky. Healthy human relationships are certainly a main ingredient to a happy life.

[www.youtube.com]

Enough of the bruised reed crap. Time to Lift Me Up.
:)

SOUTHGATE:

'Definitely' the new theme song for all TLW expats. (Or perhaps a more 'kinder and gentler version'.)

SouthGate Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> Enough of the bruised reed crap. Time to Lift Me
> Up.
> :)


Ah yes....your miserable standard again. I found the bruised reed comments edifying. Not crap.

Souhgate, this is from the forum rules: Everyone must behave respectfully and with courtesy!!!