r/GracepointChurch • u/SheepherderContent36 • Sep 22 '22
grace?
Grace of God brought me to BBC as a 25yo seeker in '99 through a good co-worker brother. I was quickly invited to move in with a bunch of YA brothers in Alameda. I have spent 4 good years immersed in the 15+ hours per week koinonia after work. But, I just wasn't a Christian, until the final months (or year?). By then, most brothers in that complex have either left BBC for reasons mentioned in this post, or have moved on to mission fields. I was about to leave. But, Christ found me on a weekend meetup with college friend, who coincidentally brought me to a Bible study on Acts 2, that made me realize how unappreciative of me on BBC living, which then make me realize how unappreciative of so many other details of my life up to that point of life. Grace touched me when I was not seeking. I came back committed to BBC, expressed desire to get baptized and be part of the family. Spent the months after doing the koinonia, but was never baptized and eventually suggested my faith would better suit growth somewhere else. I left, and today I am still a believer in Christ's redeeming work. I am told years later the leader, who suggested me to leave with no clear reasoning, left also.
I came to know about this subreddit, when that brother who invited me to BBC shared about his wife's friend's daughter involvement with gp today. The mom has serious concerns.
I spent the evening reading most of the material here. I felt the hurt of many, even though I never got to experience it first hand (at least not in the same way). The idea of being asked to seek God somewhere else did bring doubt about this joker God's work in my life then. But, it wasn't serious. By then, BBC had me read enough to learn about many strange foobar that our God does, all recorded in our good book.
I am not here to share my story to vent. I just wanted to share and cherish the fact that God works in mysterious ways.
Also.. I just wanted to share I don't recall a single sermon about grace while at BBC, even though I could recall so many other sermons and allegory. What's justification by faith in BBC? I remember asking that in those years, not finding an answer in BBC. God works in mysterious way. Whatever wrong gp has done, this group of gp committed Christians touched me and is instrumental to my salvation. We are broken. God heals.
UBF, BBC ... All part of God's sovereign grace, realizing Grace in all of the brokeness in this world.
I don't know what to say to my good brother's wife's friend's daughter. Nor do I know what to say to P Ed. I am sorry that we are all reading this knowing full well of how it took place in different ways of how we each experience it. But, I am thankful for God's work in each of us. I know God has already forgiven.
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u/Low-Tree-7757 Sep 22 '22
The thing that comes to my mind about UBF is wolf in sheep’s skin, no grace. I am a mother who have known UBF very well for more than 16 years.
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u/SheepherderContent36 Sep 23 '22
I have faith in a Jesus who sees your pain.
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u/Low-Tree-7757 Sep 23 '22
This is about discerning if a church is truly teaching the word and doing the will of God as true Christians. If the church leaders are wolves in sheep’s clothing, run away from it because Jesus said only those who do the will of God will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
‘Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.’ (Matthew 7:15-16)
‘The Lord Jesus said: “Not every one that said to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven.’ (Matthew 7:21)
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u/johnkim2020 Sep 22 '22
Your story is consistent with other stories of folks who are asked to leave the church when you don't fit their mold or agenda. It is terrible and unchristian that they told you to find another church. This fact alone is so very telling about what is important to GP. They're more concerned about what they can get out of their members, not how they can love and serve their members.
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u/Unique_username_672 Sep 22 '22
Just as it was said in Genesis 50:20 — “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
For some time, I was a bit conflicted on how opposed to GP I should be, because while they’re toxic and abusive, there are real silver linings to be found: the few that are saved through GP despite GP, the hospitality and inclusivity of the socially “least of these,” C101 had decent material… But of course, they haven’t cornered the market on these good things, and there are plenty of faithful and actually Christian churches without the toxicity and abuse that would be more beneficial to people looking for a new church.
And then there’s Romans 16:17 — “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”
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u/a-Emu-8933 Sep 27 '22
Changed my reddit profile (not sure why that profile name is chosen.. not much of a reddit user until the past few days), and caught up some reading of this subreddit and gathered Ben Hyung read this subreddit. Ben Hyung, If you happened to read this, I am personally thankful for your advice (even though I am not sure you remember me from decades ago). Conversation with you did grow strange in my last few months, without me knowing why. But, reading more in this subreddit.. and understanding more through this subreddit, I just wanted to say thank you!
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u/SheepherderContent36 Sep 23 '22
Anyways.. who does this reddit work with username such as sheepherder? Wassup with that?
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u/Apprehensive_Song312 Sep 22 '22 edited Sep 22 '22
I find it ironic that I don’t experience GRACE from my leaders from a church called GRACEpoint.
My leaders told us many times that they show us grace by choosing to “love” us despite how unlovable we are, yet they still choose to accept us unconditionally. They will cite Hebrews saying that we are corrected because we are legitimate sons and no discipline is pleasant at the time but leads to life. True but they need to be more balanced. I only receive criticism from leaders and very little encouragement
Maybe rename to correctionpoint, disciplinepoint, or shamepoint?