[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I can understand having that mindset, because the "step down" can certainly be an adjustment, as well as a bit of a personal earth-shatterer if it comes out of the blue.

Because even if they do somehow manage to walk through the doors of a "denomination" or "so-called church" one Sunday, or a few Sundays in a row, they still have to contend with the ingrained judgmental attitude that can be hard to beat.

"Oh, their music is contemporary"
"Oh, they just have one man speaking"
"That graphic on the screen feels like leaven"
"They didn't mention God's economy even once"
"That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life"

And on and on and on, and it makes it almost impossible to just sit there and take it in.

But honestly, once you do "step down", it's such a relief. You can just be a failure of a human being, washed in the blood, much more real and authentic with those around you who are also in just one of many churches, and not in the be-all, end-all place.

Because it's exhausting "having all the riches" when your life doesn't bear it out.

Good points all and where should I begin?

• Oh, their music is contemporary - my words on this topic has often fallen on deaf ears. Just because a certain brother or sister didn't compose the hymn, it should be disqualified? How is one generation can have God-inspired hymn, but not the current one. Since when has there been an appointed arbiter which hymn is God-inspired and which hymn is not?
  
• Oh, they just have one man speaking - how is the ministry publications not one man speaking? There may be many voices re-speaking it in prophesying meetings, but all speaking one man's word.
  
• That graphic on the screen feels like leaven - never phased me. Focus was on the scripture text on the screen. Yet it goes both ways. In the local church meetings, whenever announcements were being made, likewise it felt like leaven. Giving to DCP, publication orders, etc.
  
• They didn't mention God's Economy even once - Is there a copyright on the term that it must be invoked for a meeting to be validated a Christians assembling? I recall hearing Lee borrowed the phrase from T.A. Sparks and repackaged as uniquely Lee's. There's no copyright on ministering Christ to others.
  
• That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life - no matter how much we strive, in our fallen condition there's always preferences what type of word our ears want to hear. For me I always preferred the message that convicts my spirit.
  
• Having all the riches - this was the tipping point when I left. Always seemed to be spoken by someone in every prophesying meeting whether I was visiting in California or in my home state of washington. You say you have all the riches, but the manner the local churches operate as if they're like the Strongman in Luke 12:29. Having a self-imposed "the ministry is the basis for fellowship", they guard their riches and unwilling to fellowship outside the local churches.

Rarely in the local churches was there a spoken sense of humility and grace of our sinful human condition. More often that not there was a focus on being an "overcomer". Something I felt as being futile and unattainable. Leaves a person feeling as a failure and despondent regardless how positive the brothers are speaking. Not encouraging at all. To listen to a pastor refer to his own condition needing to be washed by the blood is real, authentic, and humble.