TW wrote:My response to this statement is threefold. First, this "visible and prominent leader" is entitled to his opinion, however wrong it might be. They are entitled to express it both privately and publicly if they so desire. I have fought for that right before and will fight for it again if needed. They have every right to say stupid stuff.
As for the "has beens and wanna-be's," he is correct. Everybody that I have met in my life is a "has been." We all have been something other than what we are presently. The baby was a fetus, the child was a baby, the teen was a child, the young person was a teen, the elderly were young, the saints were sinners, and so it goes. As we develop both physically and spiritually we grow from what we were into what we are. Most people want to be more than they presently are. If we become complacent and content with what we are we will become stagnant. There will be no growth into what we could become. I ask myself, "Am I everything that God wants me to be?" The answer is, no. So "I want to be" all that God desires for me.
The last portion of my response deals with the attitude displayed by this comment. It seems that this person is overly impressed with titles and positions. This attitude is very similar to the attitude of the clergy, particularly the Papacy during the Dark Ages. They felt that they were the only ones fit to rule and lead the church, everyone else was merely a peasant. Jesus speaks of this in Mark 10:31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
I am honored to be apart of this family of believers.
Your brother in Christ,
Terry Stephen West
Thank you, TW, for saying it so well. You saved me a lot of thinking and typing.
I have been around here since 97 - COGOP board(s), EA 1, 2, etc., and now J2.
This FAMILY has been my support through a daughter's teen pregnancy, a loss of our business (and income) in 98/99 (and now a loss of job), a healing from the legalism scars of my past, a new church home search, several surgeries for Brenda, and on and on and on.
This FAMILY has allowed me to reconnect with friends and others who were blessings during my growing up years (Dr. Ron, SoulSearcher, etc.). Many of these would have never come back into my life without J2. I have only been blessed to be able to meet face to face with a few of you, but look forward to Heaven when we can all wear our J2 pins and arm wrestle with each other!!!
This FAMILY has brought someone into my life who is bringing new blessings to me weekly. I would have heard THE song on AI, but would have NEVER had contact with RH without this FAMILY. Whether he knows it or not, God is using him to bless me.