So I thought I would share a bit of my background and hear yours too.
I've been to 7 churches in my life I called home. The first 20+ years was at a ABA church called Central Baptist Church in Plano,Tx, pastored by Travis Case. It was a church of at most 150 and usually ran less than 75. Hell, fire, brimestone, small houses on the side of glory land, no drinking, no shorts, and most I people I still call friends today. I left unfortunately there due to a split in the church. Somehow "dictatorship" of the pastor in church affairs had come to a head. I really never knew that side of church because I never was there long enough as a 20 something adult. But I did learn to value Scripture there.
The next church was pastored by an "up and coming great orator in the SBC church" named Darrell Gilyard, at Victory Baptist Church, and pushed as such by Paige Patterson. A LOT of seminary students went here. Loved being around these brains. Unfortunately after about a year there, Darrell had "come forward" and apologized to the church regarding allegation made by women of the church for "rape". The newspaper clearly demonstrated there seem to be cover up going on by Patterson.
I left with a bit more trust in Scripture than man
I left there and went to Hunters Glen Baptist Church where Kim Hall pastored. I was amazed how he remembered my name after meeting me once. He was good with names. My strong devotion to Scripture teachings made my single life in Single's ministry both good and bad. Good is I had a girlfriend there with same values though much nicer than I was about theology. The bad was my Single's minister supported divorcees getting married despite what Jesus said about divorce and remarriage. This lead to a meeting with the Singles minister in her office over this, with no consensus, which lead to her husband calling me saying,"I don't want to trivialize marriage but Scripture does say if you even look on another woman with lust, you commit adultery" which in turn lead me to say, "so your saying all married individuals can be Scripturally divorced then get remarried?!?" (I did yell that). This ended my single's ministry life there but I stand on another year before I left. I did meet one of my best Christian friends ever here, though only for about a year before he died while attending a seminary in an auto accident.
Unfortunately, after the many years since I left there I discovered in the news the pastor killed himself. Not sure why. Sad. He was a good guy.
I still left there trusting Scripture even more than Pastors.
The next two churches were blurs as to who the pastors were. It was a strange time in my life.
I was only at Lake Arlington Baptist for a year or two. Until my brother said, you're never going to meet anyone to marry there.
So off I went to First Baptist Eueless where they had one of the largest Single's ministries in Tarrant county. And with 2 years I was married. Never felt like we fit into the young couples class there, since we were both really there for Single's group.
Next. Northwood Church, which was part of the SBC, with pastor Bob Roberts. At first I was more behind this church than any other church I've been to. This church cared about impacting the community and still does. I changed my thinking because of the pastor on some issues regarding many taboo baptist subjects. Racism, Marriage equality(but not what you might think), Muslim, love for others completely different, and so on. Bob has a passion to tell people about the gospel, and yet tell them he love however they believe. I did change over time here. So did the church. I have this investigator mentality. Bob had talked early on about the impact Leadership Network had on his ministry. So I'm a curious cat and desired to learn about that. I also still had a great love for Scripture.
Eventually I started listening to a Podcast and one I started listening to was Fighting for the Faith with Chris Rosebrough, which I like his theology, his love for poking fun at bad theology, and actually taking the bad theology he mocked and explaining it so simply why Scripture couldn't say what the bad theology said. I was also listening to a lot of Dividing Line with James White. My theology definitely had reformed leanings.
One day, around 2008, he had a deep discussion on the background of emergent church and how the Leadership Network is bad for church. I was at a crossroad and this crossroad was forcing me to choose a side. And my mind was saying, "Chris, this does make sense". To a point I knew, not all cases of learning from the Leadership Network were bad for church. I did have know the pastor more than most due to my contact with him and a few other I respected who knew his theology. He was reformed-ish. But I could tell he had different leanings than me. Bob eventually talked of his friendship and real life mentor, Rick Warren. That was hard for me to swallow. There isn't much I like about Rick, theologically. The church hired a worshipper minister from TD Jakes church. I couldn't comprehend this. Bob would mention off hand good things about Joel Osteen. He allowed women to preach, if you call what his daughter said preaching. He allowed Muslims into church a pray up front to the people. He had church planters come learn in our church how to plant. One joined the staff. One day I questioned something he said and he got back with me saying "I notice you don't get involved in our ministries outside of church" which I replied I did and refuse to sign into any activities. I found it odd he didn't answer my concern but questioned my service.
I know Bob outside the pulpit. He is a person who wants people to come to Christ. But he isn't a great preacher. He's more of a great motivator for missions. He sucks at preaching.
I had to leave. My wife wasn't yet ready. It got to the point I was extremely angry in church. If I wasn't assisting in worship service with lights I was attending the local Lutheran church, which was actually refreshing.
Eventually we left there. I still have lots of respect for Bob outside of the church device. He is dedicated to the gospel.
We now attend Grace Baptist Church with Louis Heard. Good preacher. Loves preaching the gospel, almost like a Lutheran but still in that Baptist form.
I've been to 7 churches in my life I called home. The first 20+ years was at a ABA church called Central Baptist Church in Plano,Tx, pastored by Travis Case. It was a church of at most 150 and usually ran less than 75. Hell, fire, brimestone, small houses on the side of glory land, no drinking, no shorts, and most I people I still call friends today. I left unfortunately there due to a split in the church. Somehow "dictatorship" of the pastor in church affairs had come to a head. I really never knew that side of church because I never was there long enough as a 20 something adult. But I did learn to value Scripture there.
The next church was pastored by an "up and coming great orator in the SBC church" named Darrell Gilyard, at Victory Baptist Church, and pushed as such by Paige Patterson. A LOT of seminary students went here. Loved being around these brains. Unfortunately after about a year there, Darrell had "come forward" and apologized to the church regarding allegation made by women of the church for "rape". The newspaper clearly demonstrated there seem to be cover up going on by Patterson.
I left with a bit more trust in Scripture than man
I left there and went to Hunters Glen Baptist Church where Kim Hall pastored. I was amazed how he remembered my name after meeting me once. He was good with names. My strong devotion to Scripture teachings made my single life in Single's ministry both good and bad. Good is I had a girlfriend there with same values though much nicer than I was about theology. The bad was my Single's minister supported divorcees getting married despite what Jesus said about divorce and remarriage. This lead to a meeting with the Singles minister in her office over this, with no consensus, which lead to her husband calling me saying,"I don't want to trivialize marriage but Scripture does say if you even look on another woman with lust, you commit adultery" which in turn lead me to say, "so your saying all married individuals can be Scripturally divorced then get remarried?!?" (I did yell that). This ended my single's ministry life there but I stand on another year before I left. I did meet one of my best Christian friends ever here, though only for about a year before he died while attending a seminary in an auto accident.
Unfortunately, after the many years since I left there I discovered in the news the pastor killed himself. Not sure why. Sad. He was a good guy.
I still left there trusting Scripture even more than Pastors.
The next two churches were blurs as to who the pastors were. It was a strange time in my life.
I was only at Lake Arlington Baptist for a year or two. Until my brother said, you're never going to meet anyone to marry there.
So off I went to First Baptist Eueless where they had one of the largest Single's ministries in Tarrant county. And with 2 years I was married. Never felt like we fit into the young couples class there, since we were both really there for Single's group.
Next. Northwood Church, which was part of the SBC, with pastor Bob Roberts. At first I was more behind this church than any other church I've been to. This church cared about impacting the community and still does. I changed my thinking because of the pastor on some issues regarding many taboo baptist subjects. Racism, Marriage equality(but not what you might think), Muslim, love for others completely different, and so on. Bob has a passion to tell people about the gospel, and yet tell them he love however they believe. I did change over time here. So did the church. I have this investigator mentality. Bob had talked early on about the impact Leadership Network had on his ministry. So I'm a curious cat and desired to learn about that. I also still had a great love for Scripture.
Eventually I started listening to a Podcast and one I started listening to was Fighting for the Faith with Chris Rosebrough, which I like his theology, his love for poking fun at bad theology, and actually taking the bad theology he mocked and explaining it so simply why Scripture couldn't say what the bad theology said. I was also listening to a lot of Dividing Line with James White. My theology definitely had reformed leanings.
One day, around 2008, he had a deep discussion on the background of emergent church and how the Leadership Network is bad for church. I was at a crossroad and this crossroad was forcing me to choose a side. And my mind was saying, "Chris, this does make sense". To a point I knew, not all cases of learning from the Leadership Network were bad for church. I did have know the pastor more than most due to my contact with him and a few other I respected who knew his theology. He was reformed-ish. But I could tell he had different leanings than me. Bob eventually talked of his friendship and real life mentor, Rick Warren. That was hard for me to swallow. There isn't much I like about Rick, theologically. The church hired a worshipper minister from TD Jakes church. I couldn't comprehend this. Bob would mention off hand good things about Joel Osteen. He allowed women to preach, if you call what his daughter said preaching. He allowed Muslims into church a pray up front to the people. He had church planters come learn in our church how to plant. One joined the staff. One day I questioned something he said and he got back with me saying "I notice you don't get involved in our ministries outside of church" which I replied I did and refuse to sign into any activities. I found it odd he didn't answer my concern but questioned my service.
I know Bob outside the pulpit. He is a person who wants people to come to Christ. But he isn't a great preacher. He's more of a great motivator for missions. He sucks at preaching.
I had to leave. My wife wasn't yet ready. It got to the point I was extremely angry in church. If I wasn't assisting in worship service with lights I was attending the local Lutheran church, which was actually refreshing.
Eventually we left there. I still have lots of respect for Bob outside of the church device. He is dedicated to the gospel.
We now attend Grace Baptist Church with Louis Heard. Good preacher. Loves preaching the gospel, almost like a Lutheran but still in that Baptist form.
, Southern Baptist, American Baptist.
