Post by oldschool on Apr 30, 2011 4:49:42 GMT
My my random thoughts,
My english/grammar is awfull so please just listen to my heart.
My wife and I were in the college singles back in the beginning. Rice was staying with my pastor. My pastor was my first father figure in my life, he grew me up and decipled me and two other young men over 3 summers time.
I watched MS grow from small meeting rooms to ball rooms to huge monster convention center rooms. I spent late nights listening to men who were best friends, sharing war stories- my pastor believed and walked out what he preached- he thought his friends did to- I take that back they did at one time.
I watched him hold/build up his friends, putting himself second.
lol he confided in me one time that he had to deal with some pride one night at a conference because all the "leaders" were called up on stage by Rice except him. he said "its something that you always have to keep in check:- he added how silly he felt for even thinking it and apologize too me. He always made a point to be real and transparent.
When things started to hit the fan I watched my pastor take the hits as his friends were knocked down one by one all around him. I remember standing in the hall when he said this has been the toughest and loneliest he's ever been. Those years aged him. Alot of buds in the ministry got burnt and left- not just his but mine too.
None of the scandals hit our church, the weird teachings never got through our pastor. on the other side of the storm our church came out with no friends really. To this day EN is spoken of only 2 times every 3 years it seems-
My view of the crack up was more of a "cloverfield" point of view, while this website and others seemed to be from the "independence day" point of view- meaning I saw the dreams get born, built than blown to hell on personal levels sitting in living rooms after the meetings.
It was something back in the day, its amazing what we can do to screw it up- you know. I know im leaving out 20 something years of details- just fill it in with good common sense- but it is some tuff stuff that happened- you know.
Thank you Pastor R.A for standing in the gap for our church. Thank You for being who God called you to be for that season- and answering that call.
My english/grammar is awfull so please just listen to my heart.
My wife and I were in the college singles back in the beginning. Rice was staying with my pastor. My pastor was my first father figure in my life, he grew me up and decipled me and two other young men over 3 summers time.
I watched MS grow from small meeting rooms to ball rooms to huge monster convention center rooms. I spent late nights listening to men who were best friends, sharing war stories- my pastor believed and walked out what he preached- he thought his friends did to- I take that back they did at one time.
I watched him hold/build up his friends, putting himself second.
lol he confided in me one time that he had to deal with some pride one night at a conference because all the "leaders" were called up on stage by Rice except him. he said "its something that you always have to keep in check:- he added how silly he felt for even thinking it and apologize too me. He always made a point to be real and transparent.
When things started to hit the fan I watched my pastor take the hits as his friends were knocked down one by one all around him. I remember standing in the hall when he said this has been the toughest and loneliest he's ever been. Those years aged him. Alot of buds in the ministry got burnt and left- not just his but mine too.
None of the scandals hit our church, the weird teachings never got through our pastor. on the other side of the storm our church came out with no friends really. To this day EN is spoken of only 2 times every 3 years it seems-
My view of the crack up was more of a "cloverfield" point of view, while this website and others seemed to be from the "independence day" point of view- meaning I saw the dreams get born, built than blown to hell on personal levels sitting in living rooms after the meetings.
It was something back in the day, its amazing what we can do to screw it up- you know. I know im leaving out 20 something years of details- just fill it in with good common sense- but it is some tuff stuff that happened- you know.
Thank you Pastor R.A for standing in the gap for our church. Thank You for being who God called you to be for that season- and answering that call.