103-year-old Georgia woman banned from her church

Standing Firm In Christ · October 4, 2015

The pastor had been voted out before. Four years ago, if I remember correctly. Yet, despite the fact that he was voted out by the congregation, he refused to leave.

Even after being voted out this time, he did his best to keep the Church by getting restraining orders against Genora Hamm Biggs two biggest supporters. If he could get them away from the Church, he could bully his way back into the pulpit.

there may be criminal charges brought against him for getting the restraining orders after he was voted out.

Invicta · October 4, 2015

There is a Baptist church near here that some years ago called a pastor who then tried to make major changes, I think, though not sure, of Charismatic nature. When the membership voted the changes down, the pastor left having been there six months. He took a great number of the members with him and started a new church. One of their members came to our seniors lunch club, He told me about a year ago that that former pastor was now back as a member. When I asked how they could possibly accept him as a member when he had done so much damage to the church in the past, he said "I am the only one who has been there long enough to remember him."

Edited October 4, 2015 by Invicta

robmac68 · October 4, 2015

The pastor had been voted out before. Four years ago, if I remember correctly. Yet, despite the fact that he was voted out by the congregation, he refused to leave.

Even after being voted out this time, he did his best to keep the Church by getting restraining orders against Genora Hamm Biggs two biggest supporters. If he could get them away from the Church, he could bully his way back into the pulpit.

there may be criminal charges brought against him for getting the restraining orders after he was voted out.

If that is the case, it doesn't sound like there was much "fellowship" going on and she might have been better off having been booted from the membership. The board might have done her a favor. Maybe she should start looking for a "Bible believers fellowship" or a home church and get away from the building that houses this organized religious chaos (Acts 7:49).

Genevanpreacher · October 26, 2015

Presumably her options are limited, in view of age, mobility & especially her church allegiance.
Where are the loving Christians in the membership who know her & her faithful service over many years?*
In my experience .....
A serving minister of 20 years in the church, & about 12 years ministry before that invited a local Christian teacher alongside as co-Pastor. The new man persuaded enough of the membership (using the method of Absalom [2 Sam. 15]) to dismiss the long-serving Pastor - breaking church rules - even voting to break them. Once the new man was in charge, he sold the manse, pocketing half the proceeds, sold the church hall to Sikhs, & the church to Pentecostals.
We regrouped with a few members. Soon we were worshipping in a Gospel Hall owned by Brethren who could not support the work, & were happy to allow us to use their hall. Over time most of the old members left the usurper & joined us.
We worshipped there for about 20 years with an attendance of around 30 Asian & English members, an Arabic speaking missionary, & an interest in a SriLanka Bible College.
Then the trustees wanted to sell, & we had no money to buy. An American led group wanted to buy the building for a church plant. In the months before the sale we baptised 6 folk, all Indian. Our last service was our 148th anniversary, dating from the founding date of the other church we were forced out of. [It started as a harvest service for farm workers who weren't happy in the CofE & continued as an independent church.] Our Pastor had by then retired, & I was sharing the leadership with others.
The American leader did not want any of the existing members to continue - in his experience "a church plant would work best with a completely fresh start, gathering folk from the immediate vicinity, not importing Christians from outside the district."
I tried to join them for leafleting when they started - "We don't need you." I asked to come to their prayer meeting. "No." That was 5 years ago.
We are still friends with some of them, they were worshipping with us before the take-over was proposed, & then did not come until the building was theirs. Yes - I am still friends with some, but we were very hurt. And I don't think any of their members are local, though one couple are about a mile away.
We were not able to regroup, but the old members are still in fellowship & we have meetings from time to time, as well as personal contact.
What about brotherly, sisterly love, & honour those who have served their Lord for many years.
It is sad - but press on - we serve our Saviour! May she know a wonderful closeness to her lord in the closing years of her life of service.

Good post Ian. And a great question way up at the top. Just where is the love of the brethren anymore? And the watchful eye over our aged?

Standing Firm In Christ · October 26, 2015

Wrong thread

Edited October 26, 2015 by Standing Firm In Christ

John81 · October 27, 2015

In most churches today it's all about the "youth". Those who are not youth, whether middle aged or elderly are encouraged to act like teens; often a rather worldly variety.

This cultures obsession with youth, fighting getting older every step of the way, trying to look, act and talk like the youth of today in order to fit in, has spilled over into the church and churches are running with it. I've even seen fundamentalist events advertised using "hip" youth centered images, wording and graphics.

If you happen to be 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 or older you are expected to either try to act like you are 16 or be the quiet old person sitting in the corner not bothering anyone or ruining the fun for the youth.

Sad, very sad. Worse yet, very unchristian.

heartstrings · October 27, 2015

To follow a Biblical model as close as I can understand; that 103 year old lady to should have been given the responsibility, and the honour of teaching all those women in that church's Sunday School class. But few want to obey the word of God anymore.

John81 · October 27, 2015

It is indeed sad how few want to obey the Word of God anymore. For many, they pick out a few pet things from the Word, live by those and feel good about it so they can ignorantly or willfully ignore the rest.

I'm thankful our pastor has paid attention to these things and taken a stand on the matter. He agrees it's important to reach the youth and the youth are (or will be) the future of the church. However, he believes most churches take this to extremes, as we've discussed above. It's important to reach the youth, but not at the expense of biblical truth and not at the expense of those others in the congregation who are older.

One area church receives all sorts of applause for their youth programs and how they allow the youth to basically take over the church for a certain number of Sundays each year. During those Sundays the youth take over everything except the actual preaching (what there is of it!) and also are allowed to change things to suit their whims during that time. The rest of the time the youth programs are filled with entertainment, fun, games, adventurous trips and more of the same, with maybe a bit of "Bible study" mixed in, mostly in the form of mentioning a verse or two and how that somehow relates to something they are doing.

They draw a large following of youth but our pastor says he won't go the "clowns and circus" route to draw the youth. As he says, the youth need Christ like all others and it's our job to present Christ to them and allow the Holy Ghost to draw them in.