6
Feb

Disgrunted Potters House Members about My Survival Guide

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I recently wrote an article “Survival Guide For Ex-Potters House Members” and the back lash I have recently got from it is almost unbearable. Why I love the feedback and getting comments on my blog, what gets me is the low blows from disgruntled Potters House members, whats even worse is that some of them where my friends.

Why I Wrote ‘Survival Guide for Ex-Potters House Members’

I wrote it for a few reasons.

  1. People need help when they leave the Potters House, it is hard and I want to help them as I was helped when I left.
  2. I want to encourage them in the things of God and to continue their Christian walk.
  3. I do not think creating cult warning websites is Godly and I saw that there was no medium between the two extremes. So I jumped at the opportunity.
  4. I write myth bugging stuff about Christianity and some of the stuff that the church teaches needs to be discussed.
  5. And lastly a hotly debated topic can kick start the popularity of my blog.

Is It Just Me Or Am I Just Looking for Trouble?

While I am no angel and I have my issues past and present, I think the comments do not show any justice to myself or even the Potters House. You can read the comments but what saddens me is that instead of focusing on the article itself, they would rather focus on my sins.

This post was not meant to justify me leaving the Potters House but rather to help people who are going through a similar situation. I did not slam the fellowship or called it a cult or even warned people not going there but rather focus on God, his word and getting your own understanding.

I know me leaving the church is not a popular decision but it was God. Yes you may not agree with me and you may try and use church doctrine to prove your point but how about using Gods word and not some mans word. I know God moved me on and no matter what sins, half truths, twisted hatred, bitterness or mud you try and throw at me, it wont work. Forgiven sin does not stick…

So just let me say that if it continues, I will have to close comments on that article which I do not want to do as people like commenting. If you feel compelled to rebutle my comments please do BUT please think first.

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10 comments so far

Tellitubbi
 1 

This is a good article (and from the heart) and I can understand why you would have to write such an article feeling compelled by what others have said in another article.

I do not believe that you are looking for trouble – yet trying to offer hope to those that may be struggling at a certain time with leaving a church for various reasons.

February 7th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Jermayn
 2 

Thank you Tellitubbi (why cannot people use their real names?) for your support and comments :D

I hope this article will bring some light to why I wrote the original Survival Guide, not to dig up dirt or lay blame at the Potters House for my sins but to help people who leave the church for the right or wrong reasons. At the end of the day what matters when you leave is what you do. Do you stay bitter and loose your salvation or do you find God and serve him?

February 9th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Armen
 3 

Jermayn bro…I haven’t been on in a while, but I just read the ‘Survival Guide’ post and comments.

All I can say is, “wow”. Talk about getting off track!

The argument used that we should never leave the church where we’ve been saved, is utter folly! That’s a narrow minded perception which views the ‘local’ church as more prominant than the church as a whole; the Bride of Christ.

People stuff up, and there’s no excuse for it. Sin should be dealt with, and where the sin brings public shame on the name of Christ, there needs to be special attention given to it. The spiritual leaders should seek to counsel and rebuke, with the purpose and loving desire to provoke repentance.

Keep your eyes on Christ, bro. Strive with full purpose of heart to please Him. Proud, hard-hearted, pharisees may find issue with you, but those who love Christ (even if they differ with you theologically) will appreciate the fragrance of the love of God which is in your life.

Pressing on!

February 20th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Jermayn
 4 

Thanks for that Armen, thanks a lot! Good to see you back online in some way or another :D

but those who love Christ (even if they differ with you theologically) will appreciate the fragrance of the love of God which is in your life.

To me this is the key, yes you and I have different views etc but the fact remains we are one in God and we can overlook our sometimes different theological differences.

If we could stop fighting among ourselves for once, we will win the world for Jesus!

btw I have now reopened the comments on the initial original post, hoping the pharisees hatred has died down.

February 20th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Vicki
 5 

I left the Potters House 6 years ago after 20 years.
I was 16 when I started to attend.
I am devestated at the time it has taken to to find out all this information and feel somewhat vindicated for how I was feeling.
When I left I was alone and furthermore alienated myself out of guilt.
I felt unworthy and dirty.
At sixteen all I wanted to do was please but I never felt good enough.
Most of the sermons left me feeling worse, there was very little edification and grace preached.
But I now know that was designed to keeps us in line.
I know this post seems melodramatic……but that feeling is as real to me today as it was 6 years ago.
I really appreciate that someone has taken the difficult step to create this website.
It just seems so unfair that good people should go through life feeling discarded by God because of their choice to leave an institution.
God Bless and Thankyou.

February 28th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Jermayn
 6 

Thank you Vicki for your comment. Think what most churches tend to forget (and not just the Potters House) is that grace and Gods love is the reason why we are in church. We are not perfect and we will never be. Yes there needs to be a place and time to preach heavy on sin etc but when doing it, you need to show the light and the love of Jesus. Some fail to do this but not all.

You also do not preach on sin every single sermon, 3 times a week. Its no wonder why people stay saved 1 year three or four years over.

March 3rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
james
 7 

hey jermayn
or can i call you germ… cause that is basically what you are!
you have spent so much time setting up this trollop here slagging off the potters house which kind of proves this must be a sore subject for you which is understandable.
even though you have not mentioned the sin that got you expelled from the church its quite funny that alot of people have mentioned fornication…
and from what ive heard its more than one incident
the potters house had every right to tell you to leave and you saying that they wouldnt offer guidence or counselling is total bollocks.
the men and women of the potters house will bend over backwards to help people such as yourself but when those people decide not to accept it the pastor on behalf of the church has no other option than to expel then from the church.
if you had possibly tried to be involved in the church rather than preying on innocent girls you could possibly understand the love that is poured out by the potters house fellowship to people such as yourself and if you had gone further you would also see the pain and stress that these people feel when they try to help others.
it is very sad that you feel the need to slag off the potters house through your website especially when on the same page you are saying it doesnt matter what church you go to.
the thing that matters is your relationship with the lord jesus christ and from the looks of things you need to stop placing blame on the potters house and look within your own heart to find the real problem.

god bless

May 20th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Jermayn
 8 

Hi James,

I do not know who you are but I would rather abstain from a slinging match online, so please email me anything else you would like to say. This way people will not have to read it…

I do not know if you have read my actually original post or not but a lot of your ‘facts’ & points are wrong.

1) It is not a slam post, for a slam, go to crackedpots etc. all i did was write some help for people who leave (ie: Vicary/ Mitchell split). People leave for various reasons, some good and some bad but at the end of the day, you need to find a place to serve God otherwise you will struggle, this was for these types of people. Not to try and justify myself (Gods sacrifice does this not me)…

2) I was NOT ASKED to leave, I left by my own decision. Again this written in the previous two articles about the ph.

3) I was involved with the church more than most people. I lead mens bible study, youth group and helped out in new believers, ushers etc.

4) I am not blamming anyone else and I have not said that at all online on my website or to anyone in person. Obviously you do not know me, because I NEVER NEVER shift the blame.

5) You said you ‘heard’ about my past. Is this not listening to gossip and hearsay? I thought as a good christian we should not listen to gossip? Again get your ‘facts’ right…

What I wrote is one of the best and most even balanced posts written by any ex-ph person and it does not slam the ph, say its a cult or anything like that. Read the original article with a balanced biblical pov and you should see that. I know this because I have had people in the ph say to me what I wrote was good and not painting the organisation in any bad light.

May 21st, 2009 at 12:00 pm
allan coventry
 9 

eesh,why would anyone feel wrong about leaving that shemozzle.anyone got the lord in em would suspect right away things r not quite right

September 8th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Lady Luck
 10 

After reading and commenting on many articles on this blog I have come to read this article and the comments. I was rather shocked at one of the comments.

The very last article I had been commenting on were talking about love and grace and being there for your brothers and sisters and then the comment on this one shows the exact opposite of what the bible says.

God is not based or housed in a church. He is the almighty, King of Kings and the Redeemer. Let us not be caught up in the politics of the church but focus on God.

Its so easy to be carried away with the who is right and who is wrong. But its not for us to judge that as God will judge in heaven on what he feels fit. But let us spur one another on to the higher Goal. If a brother falls let us pray for him, if a brother stumbles let us help him. No where in the bible does it say to shun him.

In the final days God will judge not only our hearts but also how we treated others. In those final days we will be judged not only for every deed we did but also every thing we have said – remember that we have the power to speak life or death into a situation and those times when we have a chance let us stop and think – what would we like God to judge us on when we stand before him….

I will leave this for you all to have a point to ponder

September 9th, 2009 at 5:46 pm

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