Elizabeth Danielle Martin's Page

Hi Lib, we are all doing well in the UK. missing the nice weather and friends in the USA. glad to hear you got moved and will be praying for you to get work. Hope you have connected with other believers in the area and that you are growing in the Lord. Sorry to hear about your dad also. K

Hello Elizabeth;
Thanks for your reply.The answers you seek must come from within. I will attempt to give some counsel to restore your peace and perhaps remove some confusion, First, when starting any ministry or work for God , Clarity and purity of purpose is required. This comes through private prayer and private bible study to determine the nature and purpose of you mission. Second, A working knowledge of first and second Timothy and the book of Acts is essential these books reveal what is required and what your responsibility is.
Third, When one ministers out side of a church body they should be able to disciple others. By this I mean to teach them to follow Christ not you. Fourth,
Ones desire to minister should be based on love for God and love for Gods people,not on personal needs.These rules are basic to all ministers but when violated the damage is far reaching.Perhaps no organic church would be required if all IC obeyed the rules of ministry as directed by scripture. My personal position on the IC is they are not all bad all have problems of some sort but where ever you find people you will have problems. Some churches have strayed so far from God's purpose they should be avoided but that is God's responsibility not yours. If you can reconcile with your home church you should probably do so and love people in and out of church as you have opportunity. If not perhaps another body will work for you.. Since I know so little about you and your situation I can only suggest you find a body of God,s people who will give you guidance, edification, an opportunity to do your particular type of ministry, God in his wisdom gave us all salvation and a savior will he not provide you with a church to sustain you? I believe he will. So your next prayer request should be "God Where and when How do you want me to serve you?" God will answer from within and others will confirm from without.I will not wear out my welcome but If I can help you further, you have my email address May God give you guidance and peace
Your servant in Christ
Lowell

Hello Elizabeth;
Welcome to Organic Church Today. Your feelings are human and natural and in time you will heal.Very often doing the will of God requires a cross of suffering. Remember Jesus said "pick up your cross and follow me " .You have Jesus on one hand saying,"Go into the world and preach the gospel" and your church leaders saying to "stay.pray and pay" in the pew It is always best to obey The Lord than man.
I am a former State superintendent of Fl in charge of forty churches and over two hundred ministers. I stayed in trouble with the controlling powers because I set my preachers free from church politics to follow Christ.
There once was a faithful woman of God who had an abusive alcoholic husband. One Sunday night while getting dressed to go to Sunday knight services, Her husband ordered her not to go to church If she disobeyed he said he would shoot her. The Godly wife answered and said I am very sorry to hear you say that.Because I love you I have always obeyed you in my duty as a wife.As a Christian wife I can only say If you pull that trigger I am going to heaven, If not I am going to Church. The husband followed her to church to shoot the preacher instead. The story ends when he pointed the gun at the preacher his hand became heavy and he could not hold up the pistol and surrendered to God. He became a kind loving husband and a deacon in the church.
So tune up your guitar, Stay not in the church building, but in the faith and Go preach the gospel. If you can do this with the peace of God in your heart, The Sprite of Christ will protect, provide and promote you
Your servant in Christ
Lowell

Libby, thanks for sharing your heart on what you are going through in Florida. The good news is that there is actually around 5 million people meet in house churches and even on the beach like you are doing!
I would not take it personally when people attack you for seeking to reach out to your community in a different way. There is also some great resources out there concerning Organic Church and worshiping the Lord outside of the institutional church. Have you read Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna?
If not this would be a great book to start with and even to share it with those who are condemning you for your conviction to be Christlike outside of Institutional Church. We are the body of Christ and serving him is awesome. So don't be angry or concerned just trust the Lord as you reach out. We will stand with you in prayer over this.