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Fellowship


Patrick and Sarah
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Ok, here is a little of my story and some questions.

In the 80s I started studying the Bible, and got saved through my personal search for the Lord.

87 got involved in the way, PFAL, twig, ect..........

88 shipped to Korea with the US Army............some weird stuff happened to the Way while I was in Korea.

Got back and started fellowshipping with outcasts.

This worked for a while untill I decided to move to a place where there was a fuctioning ministry. I wanted to get involved. I tried my hardest to do what needed to be done to be a part of this group. Ended up not working out. I was looking for friendship and found an orginized small cult that I was not fitting in with.

I stayed there for 9 years. No fellowship, just sour grapes. Tried many churches at that time and it just was not working out for problems of my own.

Anyhows, I gave up on the whole Christian church search. Quit tying to "find a church" (We are the church rah rah). Ended up taking a job in Albuquerque NM and feel the need to find some folks to fellowship with. Some things are going on in our lives that need some healing.

Here is the question portion.

Is there still fellowship and ministry available in a twig type setting?

I still have bad habbits in the world's estimation, do I need to hide these in order to fellowship or can I find freindship and help despite my carnal faults?

A few more later.....got to get back to work.

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1. Try doing a google search on "house church".

2. Perhaps one of your faults could benefit from 12-step meetings. If the vague "higher power" thing doesn't ring your bell, some churches have "Christian 12 step programs". I bring it up because you'll find powerful & honest fellowship there on a very personal level. Worth a try. And no need to hide your habits.

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Hello P & S :)

I've read this post a few times and have wanted to respond, but don't really know what to say.

I guess the title caught my attention. It sounds like you are searching for a group of folks with whom to openly share, not necessarily a fellowship "meeting." Is that correct?

I don't know who is in New Mexico, but I'm sure someone around GSC must know someone with whom you can hook up with. I left TWI in the last 13 months after 28 years and have found old and new friends, many via GSC. And the connections have been/are beyond anything I imagined; they really have been.

When you say "outcasts" do you mean what TWI called a "stick?" In other words were you involved with a splinter group?

I have no quick solutions, but I know God hears the cry of the heart and He knows where you are and how to connect you. I suggest to be open to the tugs on your heart and act on them. (Hope that makes sense.) I hope you find what you are looking for.....because I (and many of us) know the "lost" feeling/emptiness...if that is where the two of you are. :cryhug_1_:

Perhaps you could visit chat some night. We have fun there and I have had at least two surprising old friend reunions.

Best to you!

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The Even and I love BagPipes,

Thank you for your replies. I sure do feel the need for healing and fellowship.....some of the things that hold be back are the fact that I work nights. I work 2- 11 pm and one the weekend I have a 24 hours shift. Kind of crazy. I think that is one of the things that has always hampered fellowship......working too much. Sara does not get out without me, so she is stuck with my schedual.

We talked today about looking for a daytime job. My employer would not want to loose me so when I tell them I'm moving on they may put me on days as well.

What we miss about fellowship is the positive mind, the renewed mind, loving care ect. Little things like giving and recieving. In order to have inflow you have to have outflow..........little things that are so easy to forget. Reminders. Reminding one another of the simple tricks to the spiritual walk. Ministering to one another. I notice some life just from posting here. It is "believing action" Moving. God works with is as we act. All good stuff that if your not involved with others just kind of gets put on the shelf..............

What I look for in fellowship is mutual respect, mutual love, mutual ministering. Really it seems like this is hard to find. Can't stand sitting in a pew listening to a spew...................guess I got a bad attitude.

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Besides the above, there are a number of larger churches that do house fellowships of one kind or another during the week apart from (and in some cases, instead of) Sunday church services. You might try calling around area churches. One is bound to have a small group that meets during the day. You might find that doing it apart from former Wayfers may be refreshing. I'd urge it.

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What we miss about fellowship is the positive mind, the renewed mind, loving care ect. Little things like giving and recieving. In order to have inflow you have to have outflow..........little things that are so easy to forget. Reminders. Reminding one another of the simple tricks to the spiritual walk. Ministering to one another. I notice some life just from posting here. It is "believing action" Moving. God works with is as we act. All good stuff that if your not involved with others just kind of gets put on the shelf..............

What I look for in fellowship is mutual respect, mutual love, mutual ministering.

This brings to mind Hebrews 10:23 -24a: "And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and nobel activities. Not forsaking or nelecting to assemble together..." It is a Godly desire and hunger.

As Evan stated many churches now have home meetings or cell groups.

I left TWI last year after 28 years.

I first turned to a "splinter group" and received great help there. Since then other people (non-Way and exWay) have all contributed. I have endeavored to remain open to people God has put in my path, regardless of their demoninational/splinter group/etc. affiliation. I even had a long conversation a few weeks ago with someone still in TWI, someone dear to me with whom I haven't spoken in 7 years. Even he had things to say that I had to ponder and decide where in my heart to put. (Hopefully, he will ponder the things I said to him as well.)

Within 5 months of my leaving TWI my husband left. Within a few months of him leaving, our home became a "landing place" for other folks leaving TWI. None of us have a desire to "lead" anything. We now meet once a week, have had guest teachers, endeavor to have open and honest dialogue, etc. We do not subscribe to any one organization and some of us are even going to a Christmas Eve service at a local church. We do not have an appointed "leader", but rather decide month by month/week by week how to proceed. Granted most of us left TWI just this past year so we are unlearning/learning. A few of us left 5 years ago.

My experience with GSC is different from Stub1; I have received help here, in spite of the varying viewpoints and the TWI "bashing" that goes on. (I admit that I too have done a little "bashing.")

My situation/circumstance is quite different than yours (of course). Regardless, God will get the two of you where your need can be met; of that I have no doubt. As you have stated, just continue to take some action when something tugs on your heart.

BTW: How did I miss Stub1's post? :blink: Was it here all along?

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My situation/circumstance is quite different than yours (of course). Regardless, God will get the two of you where your need can be met; of that I have no doubt. As you have stated, just continue to take some action when something tugs on your heart.

BTW: How did I miss Stub1's post? :blink: Was it here all along?

I enjoyed ready about your experience.

Since I started this thread I realized a few things.

The reason that I have had trouble in the past is greatly do to the fact that I worked odd shifts and I worked alot. I use to work 60 hour weeks. It really did not leave me time to cultivate friendship......the type friendships that I was talking about.

As Sarah is always quick to say "To have friends you have to be friendly".

Something for me to work on.

BTW: I missed Stub1's post too. That is why I replied to you and The Evan and did not reply to Stub1.

Edited by Patrick and Sarah
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  • 5 months later...

OK folks,

Here is what happened!

Shortly after I posted this mess, Sarah and I got involved in a Church. This is called the law of attraction........very simular to the law of believing.

We attracted to ourselves a church full of loving people who endeavour to live the Spirit of God in the Daily walk. Way to cool.

This whole movement that I had never heard of is called "new thought".

It is not too new. One of the great pioneers is Ralph Waldo Emerson.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.wwwhubs.com/

At the bottom of the above page is an outstanding list of authors. Each on had a great hand in the "new Thought movement."

Sarah and I got involved in a "New Thought" church that is NOT Christian. It is not Christian but the principles taught are very simmilar to PFAL in a lot of ways.

But I learned that there is a Christian group called "unity" wich very closely follows the same type path as the church we are involved in.

Unity is Christian, But not in the sence that you learned in PFAL. We have not tried the Unity church in town because we really like the "Religous Science"(religous science is "new thought", NOT scientology or Christian science) church that we are attending.

Sarah has been healed greatly just be getting back into the renewed mind (God conscienciousness), and a spiritual community.

If you are "dying"(really, she was literally dying) for fellowship, google "unity" and check out a church near you.

Patrick

Patrick

Edited by Patrick and Sarah
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  • 2 weeks later...

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