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try to dispose of the matter through proper channels without
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reflection
on you and your service record.
However, fellows, this brings me to the principle purpose for
saying these things. This kind of trust, support and defense requires
each of you deserving it, meriting it, living� to it on � our part
(and on my part). Indeed, if we live by the Christian ethic, we all
should work zealously, with effort, to be the kind of individuals who
earn by our conduct the affection, honor and preference of others.
Paul said in Romans 12: 10: "Be kindly af.fectioned one to another
with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another."
Speaking specifically about the ministry, it doesn't take too
many "rotten apples", poor and ineffective examples, unfaithful and
disloyal ministers to cast a negative reflection on the whole. If
we are a unit, a fraternity, a cadre of dedicated men all pulling
together as part of the same team, striving to our utmost to both
live by the Christian code ourselves and diligently assist others to
do so, then each one of us is going to want to keep the team in
harmony, keep morale high, keep the team clean and blameless. When
we work as a team, viewing ourselves as part of a close-knit group
like a family, we
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will take any attack on the whole as though it were
an attack on each of us personally.
Conversely, when a poor example occurs, we will each view it as
a personal reflection and will want to see the example either change
by deep repentance and re-direction, or be rooted out and expunged
from our midst. (Any such "rooting out" of course, would be done on
solid verification of the necessity to do so.)
I do try to give a good report of you, believe in you and support
you; however, my credibility suffers when you don't live up to the
support given.
Speaking very plainly, I (and others) am hearing reports
that indicate that some of you RIGHT NOW, during the course corrections
and traumas we have been experiencing, may NOT KNOW just where your
loyalties belong.
�- �
Every minister of Christ needs to be a person of integrity, of
high moral standard, of honesty, of personal dedication and commitment
and of DEEP LOYALTY to God. You all need to be absolutely sure of
your own foundation, have your life deeply anchored in Christ and
have long, long since passed the time when you stood at the "fork of
the roads" and made your decision to walk the tough and problem-strewn
road that leads to eternal life. Surely none has been ORDAINED into
the ministry of the church not believing that the church he represents
is the VERY Church of the Livfng God, the "body of Jesus Christ." Or
has he?
Leadership of this Church of God has NOT changed. We are still
serving the same leader under Christ we served when we were first
ordained.
I have to be honest and tell you I am very disappointed at some
of the negative reports I've heard. Some of you have given a "black
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