"On the first floor Danielle Jackola of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a mother of two who recently moved to the area from California, has come in search of a church. After listening to dynamic lead pastor Gene Appel speak on family and passing the baton of faith from one generation to the next, she liked the message -- and the entertainment. "
The idea here - the passing on of the faith - is good enough. Yet it seems like Danielle hopes to pass it on without a father...and I'm pretty sure that pastor Gene would say that that is hardly a hindrance. Which is very flawed.
You know, the divorce rate in church's are equal to that of society in general. People get divorced for many bad reasons as well as good reasons. According to the Bible, infidelity is a reason to divorce. And in todays society, infidelity is huge and one of the major causes of divorce. And, she could have been on the wrong track prior to finding God. So judge not lest ye be judged. Every one has sinned, but everyones sins are different and may be less noticeable.
Now just how do you come to that conclusion? I've never, ever been in an evangelical church that would take such a stance. Ever. Why do you assume this one would?
"They have opened worship to the seeker and the unsaved rather than reserving Sunday worship for the saved and sanctified," Thuma added.
Aside from the fact that non-believers can't worship, these pastors need to check out Romans 3:11 to see what the Bible says about "seekers."
So a single or divorced mom brings her kids to church, and you'd rather the pastor hinder her from coming because she's not accompanied by a husband?
Remember the Samaritan woman, or the woman they brought to Jesus who was caught in adultery?
Maybe the message this pastor is teaching is the same one Jesus taught, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."
Excuse me?? Did it ever occur to you that perhaps she just escaped an abusive husband? Do you know how hard it can be to leave an abusive marriage?? Do you have any idea who she is or where she has been??
Maybe you shouldn't judge her or the pastor, since you do not know either of them.
I feel better now.
Let's hope that Danielle is just started down a path of "right turns"...
first, leaving California, then getting some church exposure, and maybe more
good moves along the path.
("leaving California" is said with a bit of joking...there are more than
a few bastions of deceny in CA)
Yeah, it is always better to shun the divorced. It is especially good to shun the children of divorced and single parents.
Clearly a church is no place for sinners or those seeking to remedy their failings.