Brother, I know you are praying about this. Desperate times calls for desperate measures: fast and pray over this... Jesus is coming soon!A church I attended for almost five years, I told no one except for close friends that I was leaving and of course the pastor that I could no longer submit to his authority and leadership which sent him into a frenzy. (edited for clarity!)Through the years, he did others dirty and they tried to write letters to the congregation to "show" everybody how he was. Or they tried different things to get around this man but it never worked. He always blamed the person and explained the instances away. I remember him early on straight blank asking me, "He says that I lie. Do you think that I lie?" That was this man's tactics - to hit it head on and make you choose b/c he would bring it back up with, "Well, you told me I never lied to you." Total manipulation, so total.If you are going to leave, leave quietly and Godly (unless you are instructed otherwise by the Holy Spirit!). Throw out that fleece to make sure! 1/2 of the church evidentually left after I did but they had to be convinced in their own mind that what was going on was of one man on a power trip and not of God. Like Colin said and this is so sad but in this situation [b]you cannot worry about those that are left behind[/b]. I stayed probably two years too long b/c of that very reason. If they have any doubts in their mind about this man, they will contact you after you leave. (edit)We are not their savior! They have a relationship with God just like you do. God can and will show them if they have ears to hear.(/edit)I do not know about your situation but in mind, the Lord showed me that if I stayed, I would eventually begin to think like this man and worship him (because he wouldn't have settled for anything less). Thank God the Lord showed me that. If my heart was to worship the One True God and His only Son, I needed to leave.God bless you poet in seeking the Lord on this matter, I pray He gives you clear and concise direction through a dream, a vision, or His tried and true Word, I know it's not easy leaving 'family.'
_________________Lisa
