The Exit Strategy Interview – Part 5

We make some big decisions in life, but usually those decisions come one at a time, in my case though quite a number happened at the same time.  Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four of this series can be accessed through clicking the links and explain aspects of the move.  I addressed the work implications of the move, but what about church?

Are you still a member of the Church of God (Seventh Day)?

I love the church and I love church.  I love studying about expressions of church and over the last six years it has been fascinating engaging and discovering how to be church in a different way to the regular models in the denomination.  Recently I’ve been involved in stuff to do with church membership and in line with my love of church I’m aware of and to an extent agree that what we mean by being members of a church is important.

Denominational affiliation as well is an important consideration to bear in mind as all of my life I’ve been associated with the Church of God (Seventh Day).  As it stands at the moment for the paperwork exercise, if someone were to check records of my membership, there wouldn’t be anything to suggest that I’ve left the denomination.  Also once you’ve been baptised into the Body of Christ the way to leave it is by rejecting Christ and all He has done.  I definitely am not in that position.

You’ll notice by the phrasing and the run-up to this, though, that it is not a ringing endorsement and commendation of my position as a member of the denomination.  Acknowledging all that I’ve said, where I am/we are currently is in transit.  Not necessarily away from the institution, but definitely exploring where God would have us to be.  So for example the nearest branch in the denomination is located roughly half an hour’s drive away, so there’s a good argument to say we should just do the ride and continue the whole membership deal at the branch.  As ever, though, when it comes to me and the journey I’m on it’s not that straightforward.

As God would have it, Authrine’s condition prevents movement for her out of the house which is to be the case for the next six to nine months, giving plenty of time to find out where God would have us to be.  That is not to say I’d reject going to the Manchester branch.  It is to say, however, that it is not necessarily the only option available.

As for the denominational thing, my bugging question – which is a question of life as well as doctrine – is if God is not coming back for a denomination – and there’s nothing to suggest that He is (especially ones with certain distinctions), then why is it such a major issue?

Is it true that some of the developments in Stoke-on-Trent COG7D alarmed you which is why you left?

Good interviewers searching for a story won’t leave themselves open to one particular tack in getting the story, especially if they have an outcome in mind.  Good editors often start with the end in mind and look to get that which will co-operate with that through whatever means and angles possible.  Note: I am asserting these are the hallmarks of good interviewers and editors – not bad ones.  So as with this case, I suspect part of the ‘shock’ that people have had over the move is to explore whether there were nefarious dealings carrying on in StokeCOG especially with Hughie that made us leave.  So even if I said Hughie didn’t make me leave, if there’s a discrepancy in the church aspect they can still nail him as the one who’s meant to be leading it.

Sadly for this editorial pursuit it meets the same roadblock as the Hughie tack in that the fundamental reason for the move was in obedience to significant hints that God had been dropping over the course of two to three years.  Bottom line: God’s been speaking and finally I’ve got what’s being said and followed that call and with it the necessary move away from the local expression of church, my job and the city.

I defy anyone to say that all is well with their local expression of church, but my Dad showed me that mature people stick around to see it through until told otherwise.  Jesus said that peacemakers are sons of God, so where better to make peace – if necessary – than in the church.  So I did not agree with everything going on at StokeCOG but that was hardly the spur to move on – that would be pathetic, unless something seriously wrong was going on in which case I’d have raised the concerns with the appropriate people in the hope of a suitable resolution.  That hasn’t happened, because that is not the case.  So sadly for the pack of hounds that would seek to undermine whatever is going on at StokeCOG, I am not party to that agenda and endeavour to remain so for peace sake.

Don’t you miss being back in Stoke-on-Trent?

Ahhh another good question … which I’ll answer in the final segment of this interview series.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd