Train tracks run in more than one direction: and destructive words from a pulpit can harm the faithful.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come,devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture.


The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods,which God created.

 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith

     Years ago when I came upon a Small Christan group I believed in what they taught, simply because I could finally see that yes there was a day in the past when Pentecost and the pouring out of the Spirit of God actually happened and it still did.  However in my newness I came to believe everything out of the mouth of the Pastor was truth.  It was sadly not.  Yes there was great preaching but unfortunately the train tracks the fellowship was on was one-way only.  
   The vision was unshakeable and anything that was contrary to it was stampeded immediately and squashed.
     There were doctrines of error mixed with the Gospel of truth.  Dangerous as Paul pointed out to Timothy mentioned above.  Words from the pulpit to Christains require some "thought processes to be in place" when digesting it and our brains need not be checked at the door.  I was forbid to marry the one I was with when I found Christianity, for 5 years.  This need not happen and clearly Paul fought this very same mentality in the first century church. Why then do we?  Now I realize Paul was directing his preaching to those who abandoned the faith and had taken up teachings that were destructive but like anything, these had crept into the Church.  Timothy was a young man, tutored by Paul and gifted and  he was encouraged not to forsake the gifting received by the Prophecies spoken over him. Likewise when I was young I had experienced the Spirit of God for the first time and I had some Prophetic experiences not unlike those mentioned in the Gospels.  It was a normal experience for this to happen to those who believe.  However it ran "smack in the face" to the Pastor who said something to the effect, " that's pretty good for someone two-weeks-in -the-Lord!"  Sarcastic to say the least.  Another time I was helping and Elderly man and his wife in care and errands meeting their needs. This man had started 50 churches in his day and was well known and an Evangelistic "Giant" to use the term and a very humble man still interested in spreading the Gospel at 86 years of age.  In his day tracts were used and so I helped him print some of his "old time" tracts so he could distribute then when he wanted to.  Thing was...I offered to do it because he could no longer do it himself.  This also ran counter to the Pastor's wishes and it was terminated and the Pastor had to counsel the OLD MAN.!"  I was in the counsel session and it was to say the least, handled in an inappropriate way, chastising the older man.  And I was told not to help in any longer.  Why?  Again train, on the tracks on a one-way mission.  Anything that de-railed that train was opposed.  The man counseled, if one wishes to find out about his character was Stanley Hanby, who started preaching at 16, Near the original outpouring of the Spirit in Azuza, Ca. 1916!  This man was no neo-phyte.  One of his best messages I remember was on forgiveness.  

    Long story short.....it is with caution  and with wisdom in this day we live in that we receive a Gospel that is infused with the power of God still able to work in a very personal and mighty way, but we must be able to actively be involved and question authority when necessary and not to have a fear when doing so.  If ever a ministry is fearful of that, from it's congregation, then you can be sure that something needs to be looked at seriously.  Remember, Jesus said, that which is done in the darkness, will be revealed on the housetops, or in the light.
     With so many demoninations of Churches and so many messages being preached it is so easy to "Pick a Pastor" or find a seeker church that tickles the ears. Or in other words find a message we personally like.  Is it God? We have to know.  
stanley r hanby