I am a 28 year old pastor of a congregation in East Palo Alto. 50% of the attendees are primarily Spanish speakers while the remaining 50% are bilingual. I have been facing major struggles. I am not seminary trained but have worked hard to diligently search the scriptures to understand what God meant to say to his church in regards to faith and practice. It has been very difficult.



Our congregation belongs to a Pentecostal denomination of various levels of actual charismatic practice. I grew up in this congregation and have been attending since I was 12 years old.



Currently our struggle has been 3-fold:

1. We have no musicians. The previous musicians left the congregation due to various reasons. Therefore, I have attempted during this time to purchase backing tracks, find instrumental hymn accompaniment, etc…so that our services were not without some form of musical accompaniment. Some members of the congregation have complained greatly about them not “feeling” the spirit specially during those “boring old-fashioned hymns.” Believe me we’ve made an extra effort to include old hymns, modern sound praise choruses, etc…so that there is variety and that we do not start a worship war in the congregation. But still…people were used to 1 hour of singing, dancing, etc…without end.

2. We have been diligently preaching expository messages through 1 John, Joshua, and now the 7 letters to the churches in Asia Minor. However, there are several in the congregation who insist that we are not following the “spirit’s” leading and therefore lack unction to courage to preach on tongues, faith, miracles, etc…

3. We have been doing our best to visit folks in the congregation while holding a full time day job (since many discontent people have decided to abstain from offerings and tithing).



There are several good strong Christians that pray for us and have stood by our side in times of conflict. However, I fear that they too will become discouraged to see negative attitudes amongst the congregation. The young people are enjoying the expository preaching and have commented that they are learning so much, they enjoy the hymns and more contemporary doctrinal rich music…but the parents seem to be stuck in their ways.



I am very discouraged and heartbroken. I have tried to remain faithful but have come to think that we are at opposite ends as to our theological positions. I am writing requesting prayer that the Lord would give us strength to endure and we will probably have to make a tough decision within the following weeks. We have looked for a good solid congregation in the area that offers a Spanish ministry. Reason is that my wife primarily speaks Spanish. I am bilingual since I grew up in the US. In addition to the stress in church we are also facing a difficult situation as a family – that Lord willing should be resolved within a year’s time. Mostly all the Spanish congregations in the Bay Area are of Pentecostal tendencies. If you have knowledge of any solid-Spanish ministry in the area we would love to hear about it.



Thanks and God Bless you…

Abe

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Abraham Armenta
Senior Pastor, Iglesia Cristiana Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California

Moved to prayer forum, and praying too!

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Adam - Pennsylvania - Baptist

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Sterling Harmon
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Deacon
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Adam, he can't see this thread now, he doesn't have enough posts. Praying.

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Meg
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Oh? Sorry about that...should I move it back? Someone else can as well if need be.

Thanks guys for your prayers...

Thanks for moving the post to the right place

Abe

I moved it to a public forum. Sorry, Abe, this was moved temporarily to a private forum where we usually put prayer requests.You'll be able to see and use that forum when you have 25 posts logged in. Meanwhile, since it's public, you might wish to edit your post to remove any identifying info if you think someone might see it that you'd rather not.

Blessings!

turmeric

No problem...ok to see as is...

I didn't know/forgot about the post count limit...sorry

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

Abe, I want to encourage you to keep studying. Get what you can where you can as far as good biblical teaching. There is a wealth of material on the web...good, solid, reformed stuff. Going to seminary would be the ideal thing to do and I pray that one day you'll be able to do that. For now keep up the study.

I can only imagine what it must be like to be pastor of a church that I grew up in. I may actually have the opportunity to do that some day, but that's another subject. What strikes me about your situation is that you say that it's the older members who are hesitate to refrain from pentecostal activities. You've been in this church for 16 years. Does that kind of relationship with those who have known you for all those years hinder or help your situation? And what is your stance on tongues, miracles, etc.?

When I came to my church two years ago we had four people and nobody knew music. For weeks and weeks I'd get up and lead the singing without a piano. It wasn't fun but we did it. God was faithful and sent us a young married couple who now lead a wonderful music program, in addition to the youth of the church. Tell God what you want. Pray. God is faithful.

Please don't take this personally nor am I trying to be rude, but an hour of this would bore me to tears; it would drive me crazy! I know I'm very different in this regard than a lot of people, but for me, if we never had one note of music nor sing one song it wouldn't bother me. Don't get me wrong, I believe God's people should praise the LORD through singing, but for me personally it's not what moves me. It is the preaching of the Word that always does it for me.

Not following the Spirit's leading when you are preaching the Word of God, proclaiming Christ and depending on the leadership of the Spirit? They are confused. This must be so frustrating for you! But I say this: Keep preaching the Word!! What you are doing it the right thing. Do not retreat! March on!

Do you have fellow elders that work alongside you? These folk need to be visited and perhaps disciplined (from what you describe here), but they should not be appeased. One of the advantages of being a bivocational pastor means you are not held in financial captivity. You are free to follow Christ and not man in a unique way.

I pray that the LORD will give you a strong heart. You know what you believe. From what you have written I believe you know what the LORD wants done in your church. May God give you the strength and the courage to do what you are called to do.


If you must, but I want to encourage you to keep on. I know I say this without complete knowledge of your situation. If the stress of the situation is causing too many problems in your family that is something to seriously consider.

God bless you, Abe. May the LORD give you wings to soar to new heights of faith!

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Ivan R. Schoen, B.A., M.A., M.L.I.S.
Pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church (SBC)
Poplar Grove, IL, USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org

My heart and my prayers are with you, brother. There's no answering charismatic sorts who don't tolerate anything solid. Be encouraged by the young folks who love the expository preaching. Perhaps you can have a half--hour of "praise music" and the like, starting on the half-hour, with solid music starting at the top of the hour. After a short time at the top of the hour, get into the word. People can come, then, for either a long or short time of singing--they have a choice.

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Mary Vanderkooi
Kale Heywott Church (KHC)
Soddo, Ethiopia

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Angela Asano
Edwardsville, IL
Member, Center Grove Presbyterian Church - PCA

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Praying, brother.

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First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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May God direct your paths as you seek to Glorify Him with all of your hearts, minds, and souls! You are in my prayers dear brother as your heart for your people as well as your own development in the knowledge of God are admirable.

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Wayne Whitmer
Member, Rio Rancho OPC
Albuquerque, NM

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Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
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For the sake of the Name,

John Hill
Faith Community - Woodstock, Ga
Adopted. Husband for 13 years. Father of 5 children.
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Brother,

I pray that you will be encouraged and strengthened in the grace of our Lord Jesus.

I understand some of your struggles, for they have been/are some of mine in the ministry as well. You're not alone.

I pray the Lord would direct the heart of your people away from their "feelings" toward the truth of God's word.

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Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
Student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - B.D.

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton