Possibly Leaving SDA

[SanFrank]

Yeah, I think that's what happened in Scripture. We've had a few threads in GT, that got into the Scriptural distinctions, and how many there were. The Church seems to have fabricated at least one.

So we could have elders / deacons, and Bishops. But elders, deacons, Pastors and Bishops? I'm no authority on this, but to me that seems man-made. Then again i see no justification for any laity-clergy split, either.

Straight on brother.

I did a study on this last year because i wish to see my brethren paricipate more and do greater things. From the study I found every occasion where 'pastor' is mentioned, the apostles are referencing the Lord. The only place where Paul mentions the word outside of this setting is Ephesians 4.11; that's it. Otherwise, Paul and Peter call themselves presbyter which is greek for elder. In Titus, the same person presbyter is also called a bishop (episcopal), which means overseer. It seems the Jews used the word presbyter for a high social status. But the two words, presbyter and bishop, refer to the same person... basically an overseer or elder. These overseers are in charge of the flock during the owner's absence and they are responsible to their owner, the pastor (Lord).

When I run into any earthly pastors that use that title, I cannot refer to them as 'pastor' but I say brother. They are on an equal footing with me. Pastor is too great a title and well, I could go on...

GT?

 

[GrayAngel]

Recent events have shown me that Ellen White may not have been a prophet. I'm thinking of leaving the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But I don't know which church is the truth. Any suggestions?

There is no perfect denomination, but you need to find a church that teaches the Bible accurately. The only way to tell the real from the fake is the study their teachings critically and carefully.

For example: The United Pentecostal Church believes that you need to speak in tongues to be saved. They, and others like them, practice speaking in tongues on every religious occasion. They do it in church, in prayer, in Bible study, etc.. What they ignore was the purpose of the gift, which is to speak a language that someone will understand. Paul forbade speaking in tongues when there were no interpreters. He also said that it should be used in an organized manner and no more than two times at one meeting, not at all like the free-for-all wailing competition they have on Sundays. Most importantly, they glance over the part where Paul referred to the gift of tongues as the least of the gifts, not one required for salvation.

Some of these falsehoods will be obvious when properly criticized and thought through. However, some will be more subtle, especially after they get you feeling comfortable and your mind becomes like a sponge, accepting what is taught without reason. If you ever have any questions, feel free to post here, or even PM me. I will do my best to give you the Biblical approach.

You should also look for a community that practices what they preach. If they're legalistic, that's a minus. If they're overly promiscuous, defining morality by their own personal standards, that's a minus. A Christian community should be good for growth, and they should build up your character, not pull you down.