A Fair Question (i guess)

I started blogging because a friend of mine kept talking about his own blogging experience. I checked out his site, and a site he highly recommended, and went from there. I soon discovered some distrubing things. Some people out there, including my friend in fact, were calling some of the things I held as true, heretical. And there were a lot of supposedly sincere Christians who seemed to take great pleasure blasting other supposedly sincere Christians. Yesterday, a commentor on another site, made a comment on one of my comments, asking just what wouldn't I allow in Church. He's actually put the question to me a few times, on the same site. And I woke up this morning thinking about it.
I am not a pastor. I am a pastor's wife. But we are currently not pastoring a church. I am my husband's partner in ministry. I have held various positions of leadership in several churches. As well as my extensive experience in Children's Ministry, I have taught/led seminars, women's retreats etc. I've been a teacher for 20 years, Christian Schools and Public Schools and Reservation Schools. I'm not claiming to be an expert, but I am talking from experience. Although some people out there would doubt my salvation, I have been a Christian for 26 years.
So, what wouldn't I allow in Church? In what areas wouldn't I compromise?
Since my "ministry" is woven tightly with my husbands, I will explain what WE wouldn't allow, what we didn't allow, and in come cases, the consequenses of our unwillingness to compromise.
I ended up having take over the reigns of a large inner city Vacation Bible School, when our senior pastor removed from the position a woman who had led her daughters and some of her little friends in a seance at a sleep over. It wasn't a church event, but we couldn't allow a weekend spiritist to coordinate a church event. In the same Church, a very well loved youth leader was removed from her position when she decided to move in with her boyfriend. The woman was a very good friend of mine. She knew that I was on the committee that decided this matter, and she agreed with the decision. In the same church we made quite a few youth angry, because we wouldn't allow them to listen to secular rock music at a lock in.
As far as music goes, it has always been the lyrics, not the style that was the determining factor.
A few months in to my husbands first postition as an assistant pastor, 3 things happened nearly back to back, that led to his resignation from the church and our leaving the denomination. First, he wouldn't allow a professing Jehovah's Witness whose husband and children attended our church, teach a Sunday School Class. Second, at a Women's Ministry Meeting, I protested using any of our treasury money to support "Reproductive Rights" which meant promoting "free and safe abortions to third world countries". And the final straw, my husband made it perfectly clear to the ordination committee that he firmly believed that homosexuality and abortion were sins.
We have taken a stand against making "God language" gender neutral.
I interupted a class on stress management because the instructor was leading us in meditative yoga exercises to the back ground music of chanting, and she had no idea what was being chanted on her tapes.
We were "relieved" from duty in a church because we were opposed to taking the youth to a Sunday evening church service where the kids were into holy laughing, holy barking, and even holy puking. We had gone once, and our kids were really confused and upset by it. In the name of unity, and because our senior pastor had dilussions of becoming a mega "Spirit Filled" church, he insisted they give it another try. We wouldn't.
What wouldn't we allow in church?
Leaders and Teachers who do not believe in the Triune Godhead, Father Son Holy Spirit, who do not believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, crucified for our sins, resurrected and coming again. Who do not hold to the Bible as the living and true word of God.
There would be no communing with the dead, no spiritism, no actions or substances to alter the state of consciousness.
Medidtation would be an exercise in focusing on God and His truth, not in emptying ones mind.
There would be no sexual impurity among the leaders, and no hint of it.
Modest dress...not too short, too tight, too low cut, too saggy.
Men would not counsel women alone, nor would women counsel men alone.
There would be solemn assemblies and joyful celebrations.
People would be encouraged to invest their gifts and talents in Kindgom building. Singers would sing, drummers would drum, dancers would dance with
banners, tamborines, glory hoops
Artists would create visual metaphors to help illustrate spiritual truths.
There would be a time and place for drama.
Rocks, water, candles, incense, sheep, bread, a fish net, the fruit of the vine, coins, nails and a crown of thornes. All props that we have used, that we would continue to use.
And you would be welcome...
regardless of how you dressed, how you smelled, how you sin
and you would be free
to speak in tongues, to fall on your face before the mighty creator of the univerese, to cry or laugh, to sit or stand...
mercy would triumph over justice, Jesus would set you free, the Holy Spirit would convict and restore...The word of God would be preached with wisdom and understanding, God would be worshiped in spirit and truth...
amem