The Irony of Living Faith
Now days, when I think of my time spent at LFF I chuckle to my self and laugh as if it was a bad dream. I usually scold myself for being so foolish, and then I think about the many humorous and ironic things that I witnessed that could really only happen at LFF.
Did you ever think that they should be called response to opinion forms?
Have you ever been told that you lack self control by a fat person?
Did you ever take a math class from CMT?
Did you ever pretend to laugh real hard so that the people who were scowling at you would know you were touched by God?
Does it ever seem odd that the people with the most screwed up family taught mirror?
Living Faith is the only church I know that hasn't had a split: Instead of going to another church, all it's members just stopped going to church.
The most judgmental people I've ever met preach that we should extend them grace.
A pastor told me that if I wanted to continue serving in the areas that I loved I would need to come to morning prayer. Then she told me she stayed up all night and came to prayer at 6 AM. But at 7 when the meeting was over I was one hour late for work and she went to bed.
Karl Barden would use many citations in "Leadership Class" from his favorite book "How to Win Friends and Influence People." He figured out the influencing part, but where are his friends?
There are plenty more ironic things and I hope you can think of a few but I am a few minutes late for morning prayer.
23 comments:
How about being scolded about your parenting by someone who, at that time, had no children?
or being interrupted at work with a phone call about non-urgent church business by the minion of someone whose Mondays were inviolate?
You are right - sometimes we just need to laugh about the utter foolishness we endured
How about being chewed out by your HCL for not cleaning their kitchen when YOU had to clean your own kitchen all by yourself...
...or being ripped a new one for being late for the "ready join" part of crew...
...or even participating in the "ready join" part of crew...
...or being physically pulled off the altar where you were praying for a new "tongue" only to be told you weren't doing it right - WHAT?
...or after serving your heart out all the live long day getting chewed out for not keeping your house clean by the person who's house YOU just cleaned!!!
I could go on and on and on...
Does Kari Vance still make her servant people clean her kids' bedrooms? It used to be my job to clean up after those filthy kids. Have they yet learned to do it for themselves?
is the irony here that none of the examples given have any irony? there is plenty of blatant hypocrisy sited, the proverbial log and splinter, but irony? i fail to see it unless that is the point.
what about "i'm late for morning prayer" when the entry was posted at 8:56 am? does that count?
Getting yelled at for being inconsiderate and not calling my HCL's to see if they needed anything from Costco when I was on my own trip down there. Then a few weeks later hearing they went down but did they call all their sheep to see if they needed anything? No. They demand to be served but are unwilling to serve those they deem lowlier than them
How about being encouraged to have a personal relationship with Jesus but then being required to pass everything through your HCL because you couldn't be trusted to hear from God.
I think it's pretty ironic that the largest church in town (building size) is the least full (percent of seats used).
I think its ironic that the church claims to have "answers for life," yet its probably safe to say that more people have been hurt by the church over the years than helped.
I think it's ironic that every time someone says something negative about the church it is "persecution," yet they reserve the right to cast judgment on every behavior, group, activity or other religion they feel like judging.
I also find it ironic that the current LFFers who get on this site and spout off criticisms and judgements upon us are the very same who claim how much the church has "changed" and is no longer judgemental or critical of it's members lives. Perhaps the 11:15 poster just doesn't get what irony means?
someone sounds bitter!
Seems like all of you we're stupid and let yourself be taken advantage of. Maybe bad things were done but it's your own fault you didn't stand up for yourself.
someone has pretty intelligent commentary and doesn't realize some people didn't have the option to stand up for themselves. Deceit and manipulation are powerful tools...hindsight people would have done a lot of things differently. Irrelevant conversation to date...don't waste your or our time with your literary genus captain obvious
to 4:37 - yes, we are in some ways guilty for letting ourselves be taken advantage of, but in our defense, we often truly wanted God to work in and through us, realized that we were not perfect vessels, and believed that God could work in our lives through the imperfect vessels that were our leadership. It's difficult to know when is the right time to stick up for yourself, and when to extend grace to those causing hurt in your life.
To the 4:34 poster...You obviously wrote the comment I was referring to and obviously need to purchase a dictionary because if you thought my comment sounded bitter then I don't believe you know what bitter means. I was simply pointing out that those most critical are the most HYPOcritical as well. If you can't handle reading these things about your beloved church, then stop wasting your time and stay off or our blog.
Don't you mean, HIPPO-critical?
Hippo-critical! Ha! Remember the four extra deep, extra strong chairs for the four key Hippo-criticals to sit in back in the brown church building? The four that were different from everyone else's chairs?
wow I think I may have coined a new phrase! Puns are awesome
Hippo-critical... Oh so true! Oh so funny! Love it!!!
Let's be careful to not stoop to the level of the naysayers who appear on this blog and make mean, unjustified comments. It was a cute play on words but if we have an attitude like that, it justifies their criticism of us as sounding bitter and hateful. I, for one, am not bitter. Looking back through all the pain, I would not change one thing that happened because it's made me who I am today. My abusers will have to face God and be accountable for their actions. I cannot change them. I can only change myself. I will no longer inflict pain on someone else to make myself feel better about who I am or to illicit control over them. Be compassionate...to quote Izzy Stevens..."it's what Jesus would freakin' do!"
I think it's ironic that they teach God first, then family, work/school, church, yourself (if I remember right). Yet what they clearly mean is God first, then church, church, church and more church.
I was always appalled when you'd hear of a baby being born and then later that day you'd see the father at PCS playing basketball, or at church the next day. MEN OF LFF YOUR WIVES AND FAMILY SHOULD COME BEFORE CHURCH! But I guess its not that surprising considering they view children as annoyances that must "obey" or be smacked. They have no problem sticking them in childcare for 80+ hours a week, so why bother forming bonds and attachments right?
To the kids who had the unfortunate experience as to grow up in the church and to those who have left but their families still choose the church over their kids. I'm sorry. You don't deserve the abuse and the neglect.
How can the leaders and the members not be ashamed of themselves? How can they not know their own children enough to see that they aren't in rebellion they are just abused and trying to escape the abuse?
It's pathetic
Thank you.
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