An interesting turn of events. Eric Dykstra posts a new blog post entitled "Losing the Legalism". The abusive legalistic ways of the Crossing Church are what many people have been talking about for over a year. So they are no longer into missional legalism? They are filled with grace. Wonderful!
As of 8:00am today, Thursday, September 27, 2012, comments were open on this particular blog post. Multiple people spoke out saying they were happy for the change and expressed that this was already an issue for them within the Crossing Church. One poster wrote:
"There was a period of time where my frustrations just grew at church (The Crossing) and I wanted so bad to express them to someone but I could not put my finger on what I was experiencing to even open my mouth open my mouth about it. It was some strange an indirect discouragement... which in turn made me feel guilty, it was just so screwed up.(that nasty legalism thing) I was seeing why people boycotted church, not the relationship with Jesus but definitely church. It seemed I was kind of stuck in stupid, so I stepped back from the church for awhile and prayed. I never lost my faith and prayed and things got better, so better in so many ways. Thank you JESUS for The Crossing where I met you and Thank you for the Dykstras for being who they are & doing what they do!"
By 12:00pm the comments were closed and you could no longer read this post.
The comments were abruptly taken away after the mother, of One Mother's Journey, wrote this comment:
"I am so thankful for the changes that I have been hearing about, I really am. Please know, the hurt of what you were and through that legalistic pastoring that continues. I don't think you can fix what has happened, I am moving on, I do hope you can see the deep wounds that your missional legalism caused and make amends....I really hope you can get a hold of my son and apologize- My son left his family and married under your legalism, an 18 year old kid trying to please God and buying into what you then sold."
Coincidence? Were they already planning on closing the comments? Does it matter why? The real question is why can't the comments always stay open? So someone says something you don't like; does that mean you have to block them off? If you are no longer under legalism and filled with grace then why isn't that grace shown to everyone else?
Grace, favor, God's favorite, blessed, lucky - does that absolve you of all accountability for your past actions? Take a hard look at how the Crossing was being run; the submission, the work ethic, the burden. Now look at each situation of each person you kicked out and those whose lives were forever changed from the way leadership was being run. Take each situation to it's logical conclusion if you hadn't been legalistic. You'll see the outcomes are very different.
I've wracked my brain as to how you would be able to rationalize that you now admit you were wrong but not apologize. Are you worried about how it would look? Because it would be very good for your tarnished reputation. Because these people spoke out against you and your church's actions are they "disloyal church people"? If it's "always only about Jesus" then where is the relation to others? Why can't there be open conversation?
My comments are open. Lets talk.
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