If I’m going to do a website exposing Roy R. Dan is someone who conned me using Christianity, then it is only fair that I first ‘expose’ myself by documenting my Christian history as best I can.  It will also answer questions about how and why he was able to get the money out of me so easily and my mindset at the time that I was first introduced to him. It will also give some insight to those that were raised in the church of Christ or fundamental Baptist Church as they will have a better understanding of what I was led to believe during my years of church attendance. In addition, documenting my experience serves as a catharsis which has been beneficial in my recovery. Hopefully others can use this website for good use to prevent others from being victimized as I was.

Atlanta Childhood
My father was raised in the Shelbyville Church of Christ in Shelbyville, Tennessee and upon graduation from Mercer University as a pharmacist settled outside of Atlanta in the ‘golden ghetto’ of Sandy Springs in 1965. He joined the Sandy Springs Church of Christ which has since grown   quite a bit and is now known as the North Atlanta Church of Christ. Their web page has an information history page here. My first childhood church memories were being in the school cafeteria of Hammond Elementary school attending service. For those not familiar with the Church of Christ they are best known for a cappella singing. They do not have choirs as they are considered ‘entertainment’ and non scriptural.  The Church ofChrist has a motto ‘We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible’. Therefore the sermons and Bible studies are strictly based on the Bible and not outside topics such as Disneyland, environmental issues or anything political. Here is a list with some of the common beliefs.
In a nutshell, the Church of Christ believes that a person must be worthy of salvation in order to enter Heaven. If you were to ask a member of the Church of Christ to prove the point they would more than likely quote Matthew 7:21  ‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. The Church of Christ does not believe in ‘eternal security’ and here is a web page which presents that viewpoint. As a former member, I can attest that you are taught that you must be worthy of salvation and go through a true conversation and not just bow your head a recite a simple prayer that some many preachers would have you believe.Please don’t send me a ten page email explaining that someone cannot add to the atonement of Jesus with good works, behavior, etc. One common term is used for this argument is  ‘spicing the blood’ and of course Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,  and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
As with any religious body there is opposition. Here is a web page with an opposing viewpoint.

Our family abruptly stopped attending around when I was ten years old and I did not discover why for twenty five years. I was to find out that the pulpit minister got a divorce and that would not go over well in a conservative congregation.
As a business owner and a pharmacist, my father had very little time to spend with his family. He worked every other Saturday and since Sunday was his only day off we never attended anywhere else. I did not miss having to get dressed each Sunday morning and the irritation of being made to wear a clip-on tie so I did not miss it. My only other church time after that point was going to vacation bible school at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church each summer.
I never knew what my father’s long term plans were as I really did not get to see him very much. My only real memory of him was relaxing on his day off with whatever sport was in season featured on the television. Certainly he had a right to do what he wanted with his well earned time off from work but spending time with his children was never a priority.
My father was late to work one spring morning in May of 1976 when he pulled out in front of a mechanic that was speeding in a Porsche he had ‘borrowed’ for an un-authorized test drive. I remember the reading the police report that estimated the side impact of 88 mph which was on a 35 mph street. The irony was my father had just purchased a Volvo for safety two weeks previously but it did not save him. So at the intersection of High Point road and Forestdale Drive my father boarded the Celestial Omnibus for eternity. As I came home though the woods from the school bus stop a street over, I was wondering why all the cars were around my house when I got home from school that day. People were crying, grabbing me, hugging me, blurting things out, until the forth person got the message through to me that I was fatherless.
Looking back at that day, not only did I lose my father but my mother died somewhat as well. She stayed in a mild state of mourning and never attempted to live again. Thankfully my father had left her well off so money was never a concern. I sense she was mad at God for making her a widow with three kids.
A reoccurrence of cancer got her interested once again in the Church and she attending service at Sandy Springs First Baptist until the Celestial Omnibus gave her a final ride in April of 1983. I and my two sisters had to wait for the youngest to turn twenty-one before the estate was divided and check issues. When I first complained about the wait, the attorney handling the estate remarked ‘you lucky as most wills I have seen require the youngest child to be at least thirty-five before funds are distributed. After getting my check, I took I-75 south for Fort Lauderdale.

Escape to Fort Lauderdale

I bought a sailboat in Florida as I wanted to get far away Atlanta. I lived on the  vessel and took some trips to the Bahamas and upper Florida Keys but never made it to the Caribbean as planned.
Health problems changed my life around 1988. I had a growing case of IBS that was getting worse with time. Half the time I had anything to eat I was making trips to the restroom for the next several hours. Eating in public was out of the question and visits to doctors were inconclusive. If you have IBS there are some general guidelines but for the most part you are on your own to know what you can and cannot eat..
I was forced to give up my life of sailing. Though I never made my final destination with my vessel, it did do the job I bought it for: get me out of Atlanta. There was too much unhappiness and ghosts for me living inside I-285. I did make trips to visit but never wanted to spend more than a week there. Fort Lauderdale was summer most the year and seemed to be filled with other adults running away from various problems. I wanted to stay so after selling boat I rented an apartment and began looking at real estate.
After much searching and against the recommendation of my realtor I bought a small condominium in Lauderhill for $19,000 cash. Back in 1980s there was quite a condo glut in south Florida and it was common to get a nice townhouse for under $30,000. The building had just gone Section Eight and the end result was the whites were dumping their units and fleeing. I don’t think they were ever more than ten Caucasians living on the property at any one time while I was there. The only thing I hate about living with whites is all the bitching. The ones that were there when I first moved in were always bitching about flowers being tramped, values going down. They would see me across the parking lot and come trotting over and spray me with ‘bitch juice’ as if I had encountered a cobra or a skunk. I detest the shrill sound of a female bitching and I know it well was because my mother was so unhappy and always criticizing one thing or another until a visit by the Grim Reaper finally silenced her complaining.
For the most part, the mix of black, Haitians, Jamaicans that were the majority of the condo tenants would only nod a ‘hello’ and left me alone. My nickname around the complex was ‘Big Man’ or ‘Sheriff’. Drug sales were common and I was stopped for coming into the complex a few times by law enforcement suspecting I was there to purchase drugs.  I did not have any visitors as my friends maintained they did not want their cars getting broken into or some other excuse not to visit. In the end before I sold the unit there were organized drug gangs conducting business in the stairwells they were polite and left me alone. Neither of us wanted any ‘heat’ so we left each other alone. That was fine with me as while my mother always tried to make our house a showcase for a fine furniture store I keep my ‘abode’ very private and am careful who I would allow entrance. I always hated the ‘June Cleaver’ kind of living room as if the house was simple a place to display and impress others.
I preferred the solitude as my lifelong desire had been writing a book. My novel, ‘Tymon of Athens’ was based in part on Shakespeare’s ‘Timon of Athens.’ Here is the prologue for anyone want to see it. It is clear that the battle over heaven and hell permeates the text.
Overall, ‘Tymon of Athens’ was a catharsis of all the anger that churned within me and I will leave it at that for the time being.  One of the main characters was a Reverend which was a representation of living right or living wrong and judgment for doing so in the end. Looking back I can see it was my fascination with the faith and the concept of hell. Growing up in the south the concept of God and judgment is something one is exposed to repeatedly.
To be technically accurate in the novel, I spent a lot of time in the Christian book stores. While I had spent a lot of time in church, I never had studied on my own. I bought a lot of books to make the character accurate and wrote a few sermons for the book. I began reading and researching the Bible instead of completing the novel.  One of my favorite books were the ones by John Brevere ‘Bait of Satan’  and John Blanchard’s ‘What Ever Happened to Hell?”
The battle for my soul took my place on my computer keyboard. I was trying to complete the novel as it was just about done yet my fingers would not cooperate. It went on for a few weeks until one evening I called out for an end to the battle and repented and ended the writing process. I have to admit there was such a feeling of peace that instantly settled upon me when I gave myself to the Lord followed by the most peaceful night of sleep ever for me.
I was eager to get to church, live the good life, and be ready for my visit by the Grim Reaper

Looking in the Yellow Pages, I scanned the ads knowing that did not like the ‘modern’ kissy-pooh feel-good, false gospel but instead the old-time fire and brimstone delivered along with the Fear of the Lord. I found Plantation Baptist and their quote ‘Where Church is Like is Used To Be’ and made my first visit on a Wednesday night.

The Pastor at that time was Howard Leman
who apparently has recently retired when I check the website. Reverend Leman was an ‘old time’ gospel messenger who had been raised in the mid-west and its ethics. By coincidence, the adult bible study had just started a study on the book of John and that is one of the recommend courses of study for any new Christian. I was soon attending three times a week and always preferred Wednesday night. During that time we did one chapter every Wednesday night. I enjoyed his gentle yet firm assurance of the New Testament’s message.
At the same time I was making changes in my life. The AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Bob Segar, and other rock  CDs were given away since they were inspired from Hell. So were various VHS tapes that I had found to be entertaining pre-Christian but now found very offensive. I even got this bumper sticker for my car for which I got a few parking lot encounters for doctrinal debate and obscene gestures.

Some friends that would not repent had to be dropped as the Bible command in 2nd Corinthians 6:14  ‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?’
I soon had a preference for Wednesday evening. That one element of Sunday morning services was anyone could put on their ‘Christian attire’ and maintain a few hours. In my experience I have found the real core of the church will be the ones coming back for Sunday evening services (for churches that still schedule them) and Wednesday evening.
As with about all fundamental churches, one can only answer an alter call if they understand what they are doing. During the end of the service an alter call was held. While the congregation prayed, Pastor Leman would say ‘As every eye is closed and all every head heads bowed, anyone want to come forward and accept Jesus as their savior can come forward now.”
I came forward to publicly confess as Jesus states in Matthew 10:32 – ‘Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.’
After the service I expected to be baptized. I did not know at the time why but I knew that was part of it. Rewind back to childhood in the Church of Christ . Rather than write another ten pages to this section, here is another good website showing why baptism is part of the conversion process.  On a side note, I never saw the problem people had with being baptized. It seems like some Christian fight against it.  I honestly never understood the dispute.
Pastor Leman informed me they baptized quarterly so I accepted that but in the back of my mind I was convinced that has wrong and should I be killed somehow before the baptism then I would face hellfire as Mark 16:16 states  ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.
About six weeks later was my baptism and I was attending three times a week if possible. Should I miss a Sunday morning service, I was there Sunday night a bit shame-faced but judgment was never passed. The Wednesday night bible and prayer meeting was a small but very faithful group. A retired Methodist minister was the elder person of the group. About forty minutes was spent on the bible study with the remaining time in a prayer meeting with the names of those with various afflictions were called out before the Lord.
One evening I came to my car for Wednesday night service and found the rear glass in my car was broken. I look inside and realized a thief had seen my leather bible case and stolen it.
“We that thief needed that Bible more than you,” smiled the minister. “God works in mysterious ways and opening the case and seeing the Bible was a wake up call God wanted the thief to have.”
A few others listening thought it was funny but I failed to see the humor in buying a new leather bible and case besides a new rear window. A Chick tract makes much more financial sense.

It was at this time that I was completing the longest period of work in my career of computer support. I was working for a medical software company and put in five years without a vacation. The company had some growing pains as most do and I soon realized I had come as far as I was going to go with them. For those in the IT industry you are somewhat forced to change positions to learn new skills and keep current. I wanted to get into server support and networking and leave the end users wanting to vent their frustrations behind. By chance there an opportunity for a large corporate customer in downtown Fort Lauderdale needing help with a large desktop update and I took the position..
My best friend in Atlanta kept urging me to submit my resume to the Atlanta IT job market in 1995 so for fun I did. About a month later I was contacted by a recruiter for a project at Coca-Cola’s headquarters. They needed people with Windows 95 experience as well as working in a corporate headquarters. I agreed I was interested and kept putting off the interview saying I liked the idea and it sounded like a good opportunity and I would think about it. Finally the head recruiter said on a Monday evening, ‘I will see you here this Wednesday morning at ten,”
“OK,” I agreed, “but I only have a dress shirt of an interview.”
“I understand being from Florida. But if you get the position, it is wearing a suit everyday. That’s the deal.”
After getting the position I had only a few days to sprint back to Fort Lauderdale, secure my condominium and head back for Atlanta. My former company had a homeless part time employee and some were trying to get rid of him for his lack of showers. I said he could use my condo as long as the company would look after it.
I made the announcement to the church I was leaving at a Wednesday night service.
“We’ll provide you with a letter of good standing,” assured the Pastor. “Make sure you find a good church home in Atlanta.”
“That should not be a problem at all,” I answered. It was.

Back to Atlanta

By moving to Atlanta I was making almost double my income. The IT market was extremely hot and I saw many high school graduates in 1996 starting at $40K a year. Any certifications, degrees would push one above $60K and higher. One acquaintance was making over $100K doing Lotus Notes development work. Those were the days and I knew I was getting a good deal and enjoyed it. Not that I was running around blowing money on clubs and the like but for the first time I could visit an ATM and not ponder if there were any available funds as had been the case for myself and others in Florida. To be honest, money to me simply meant freedom. Ever since living on my sailboat, I wanted to be able to put all my possessions in my car. I hated ‘stuff’ as it soon owns you.
I rented a bedroom in a townhouse.  After getting settled in and getting used to being back in Atlanta and call the changes since I last left, I decided to find a church home. Right up the street from where I was staying was the new home of Charles Stanley’s Church AKA Atlanta First Baptist. They had sold their building in downtown Atlanta and were remodeling the site. It was like being on a collage campus . I made a few visits but the size was too overwhelming. I also had a major problem with the doctrines taught there of OSAS. It would be nice if it were true but after studying the bible for as long as I have I cannot accept it.
At that point I decided to see if I could find in Atlanta what I had been attending in Fort Lauderdale – a KJV Baptist church . In general the KJV Baptist churches view the KJV version as the only true version of the bible and all others counterfeits that pervert the Word of God. For those curious about my opinion, yes, the textus receptus is the superior text but if one wants the best translation, learn Greek or some of the free Bible tools such as E-sword. Some I met were under the impression that the KJV was superior somehow to the textus receptus but is pretty much an impossibility.
There were very few KJV only churches left. I visited one where an elder and I debated over salvation after the service on a Wednesday evening. He insisted that God would only see me in time at the instant I accepted Christ and the blood of Jesus would create a set of blinders so God could not see any sin, past or even future that I commit. I did not agree as scripture such as 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 came to mind with its warning of ‘Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.’  I don’t know how much clear the Book can be. Your behavior can block your entrance to Heaven. Looking back It was clear that I could not accept the faith only version of the gospel and never did.

‘God in a box’ can refer to the concept of putting God aside in storage and opening the box when He is needed. A concept similar to keeping a Genie in a bottle and using when desired. It is a common sermon from the pulpit with a plea not to push God aside when things are going well in your life. Many Christians fall into that trap and will come (sometimes running) back to the Lord when life’s storm clouds appear.  I did for a while after giving up on finding a KJV Baptist church. I was one of three team leaders for a group of technicians performing a company wide upgrade and was putting in a lot of overtime. The upgrades had to be completed on the day scheduled so we could not leave until the day’s work was completed. I bought myself my first Nikon and began making a lot of road trips on my days off visiting sites up to a few hundred miles away. I do recall seeing all the small Baptist churches scattered in the north Georgia mountains wondering if I would find one to be the perfect fit. But during the week that was not on my mind. Rather than where I would spend eternity I had more of an immediate goal of where I would spend the rest of my working career: Coca-Cola Headquarters
My reason for wanting to stay at Coca-Cola was the place had tact and class like I had never seen. Employees were extremely courtesies to each other and petty ‘soap-opera’ back stabbing behavior was not accepted. The CEO at the time was Roberto Goizaeta . Under his tenure the stock price was doing very well and the air was very optimistic. I could enjoy it more than my team members since I had come from Florida where times were a bit harder such as the boss coming to give you a paycheck and asking you not cash it until the money hits the account in a few days. That had happened to be a couple of times as well as those who would simply not pay for your services.
I was not the only one wanting to stay at Coca-Cola after our current project ended. The word in the hallways was contract employees who stood out with their performance had a chance at obtaining a ‘red badge’ the color that the rank and file employees wore around the image on their security badges that were always to be worn openly. As a contractor my badge was black around the image.
The company provided many out of the ordinary benefits to employees such as a gym above one of the parking decks and all the free Coca-Cola one could drink. To discourage people from leaving the campus for lunch there was a large food court with meal selections for about anyone. I was very happy working there and anyone who knew me at the time was aware of that.
My time at Coca-Cola taught me some people could never be satisfied. One my first trip to California I was sitting with one team member who was bitching about not getting paid travel time. I asked him if he ever had been to California. He said he had not and I explained that he was getting a free trip via Coke and would be staying at a very nice hotel with all expenses paid. On the weekend we could use the rental car to visit Hollywood, and the surrounding area. He was still certain that he was being taken advantage of by not being paid for travel.  California had always been a curiosity for me growing up in the south with all the lore surrounding it especially in the 70s era. I flew into Los Angelus and a real epiphany when I first stepped outside and felt low humidity for the first time. At that instant I suddenly understood why people wanted to live there.
Overall things were going very well in my life but God was not a part of it and I knew that inwardly.

Finding The Church

One Sunday afternoon I was vacuuming my car before washing it when a neighbor asked me if I was still searching for a church. I explained I had not found the right one but added I was still actively looking to preemptively deflect any pending criticism. In reality was out of my mind all together at that point.
“Well, stay away from the big one in Dunwoody up near Robert’s drive,” he warned.  “It is a cult plain and simple.”
“Why do you say that?”
“First of all, they preach you have to be baptized in order to be saved. They also adamantly teach that you have to adhere to the commandments contained in the new testament such as feeding the hungry and spreading the gospel. They have a nutty idea that musical instruments are not allowed in a service. Their problem that they don’t see is that we have been released from it all by the blood of Jesus. That is the most important message of the New Testament and why they call it the ‘Good News’. They don’t grasp the fact that you can never be righteous eyes of God by trying to do good deeds of one kind or another and trying to be is sure to irritate Him.”
“I see.”
“Last week my sister comes over and is debating with me about being baptized. She said that I cannot to Heaven since I have not been. She cannot accept that belief is all that is needed.”
“Where is the place again?” I asked in curiosity. “You know, so I can be sure and avoid it.”
““It’s Robert’s Drive just south of Spaulding. North Atlanta something or other. ”
“Thanks for the warning,” I said already contemplating a visit. Washing my car gave me time to think. I was bothered about not being in a church. I was constantly reminded as at the time Coke did allow employees to have screen savers and other items reflecting their Christian beliefs around their desks. I don’t know if that is still allowed in this day of political correctness where the rights of thousands are overruled so as not to offend a single individual.
Opening the trunk I found my leather bound KJV Ryrie red letter edition bible in its leather case where it had sat for many months without seeing the light of day. Rather than procrastinate as I often do, I decided to make the evening service.

Coming Full Circle

That  Sunday evening and I was at the North Atlanta Church of Christ on their new campus. I had come full circle back the church of my childhood. I parked my car with determination that I was going to end all the church searching.
An older red haired me smiled a greeting as I approached the building. One thing about the Church of Christ is the elders are very active and oversee the congregation. If you plan on visiting more than likely an elder will greet you within the lobby or outside if the weather is nice. One responsibility of the elders is to prevent problems at a congregation and often those problems will arrive in the form of a visitor hiding behind a smile.
“So this is what once was the Sandy Springs Church of Christ,” I reminisced with respect. “I attended as a child.”
“Yes it was,” he answered. “We’ve grown quite a bit since then. I was there at that time; your name?”
“Dean Loudermilk. My father was George Loudermilk.”
“Yes, Dean, I clearly remember you and your family attending.”
A mind boggling statement for someone to remember me after 25 years.  After the expected reminiscing of how Sandy Springs had changed, I wanted an answer for something that had weighed heavily on my mind.
“I have a question. Are we saved by grace alone or are we saved by faith and works?”
“The Bible says Mat 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” he quoted in intensity.  “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ You see, Dean, the Bible has an outline of how you are to live your live in service to the Lord.  In John 10:28 the Bible states ‘I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand‘. But read what the previous verse states in John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  The flock are the ones that follow Jesus and listen to his voice. Don’t listen to those preachers from hell that would have you believe that you can recite a simple prayer and go back upon your sinful way thinking that Heaven has a mansion reserved for you. The Bible is clear that you must maintain until the end. Jesus states in Mathew 24:13  ‘But the one who endures to the end will be saved.’  To do that you must repent, be baptized, and start following the Lord and do His Will. You’ve made a step in the right direction by coming here.”
I sighed with relief.
“You can be ‘sweet talked to hell’,” he continued. “You can attend a church for a life time where they never preach real salvation. Instead they will keep the pews filled with sermons on being rich, don’t judge another, and in reality it is a church of humanism with an occasional Bible quote. Atlanta is filled with them and more are being built. The Bible warns very clearly of those preachers in second Timothy 4:3 -4 ‘For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. Some of the myths taught today are that God wants you to be financially rich and that all sin is forgivable nor is it of any real significance. Standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ you will give an accounting of yourself and all will be revealed. Every thought will be known. You decide by your actions in this life where you spend eternity. You have to prepare for that day each and every day remaining day you have.
“I am”, I said. ‘I’ve being doing well in some areas but a feeling of emptiness.”
“But be warned that you have to a follower of Christ and sitting in the pews of North Atlanta or another other bible believing church is not going to save you. Jesus is the Good Sheppard and his followers are the flock. Sheep follow their master without argument and know His voice. Jesus will lead you but only if you let Him become the master of your life. A sheep can be led; a goat cannot. Are you willing to change your life and let the Good Sheppard lead you?”
“I am.”
“So come on inside as you well past the age of accountability. Last time I saw you that was not the case.”
I went in with the elder a bit nervous as anyone is on a first visit to find a mixed group of about thirty. The first difference I encountered is the COC is a cappella. For those wanting to read why please visit this link. I took a seat in an empty pew for a bit of ‘space’ and the man rose to start the praise service with song. Without any instruments to help mask the fact that I am not the best singer, I had to wait for the group and then join in the hymn. Growing up in the Church of Christ will tone your musical skills as did Amy Grant and some others listed on this page . For subsequent visits I learned to place myself near someone who could really sing and other tricks such as convincing lip synching.
The other big change for me was the bible version. At that time I was an adamant KJV supporter The Church of Christ is part of the restoration movement . The bible version that are most widely used are the American Standard version and the New American Standard . I did miss hearing the KJV version but could follow along with the minister with my leather bound Matthew Henry study version . After the service I made a casual comment concerning a specific quote comparing the KJV and NAS translation. In a few seconds I had a someone with a the New Testament in Greek which supersedes any English translation for accuracy. Before leaving I met a few others from the old days when I attended as a child and it did feel like a bit of a homecoming. Aside from the bible version, the little fundamentalist inside me was complexly satisfied. I left with a feeling of accomplishment and that this was a truly new beginning for my life.
An information package for all the church offered was given to me before I left. I was glad to see they had meeting every night of the week. If one is going to truly dedicate their lives to living for the Lord, then they will generally need more than one hour of fellowship/guidance per week. The root cause of many problems that Christians have is mixing the values of the world with a Christian life. Like oil and vinegar it can be done temporarily but will soon separate. Some realistically think they can party for Satan on Saturday night and easily make the transformation back to Jesus for Sunday morning. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 Mat 6:24  ‘No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other‘.  Another clear warning to stay separate from the world is in James  4:4  – Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Better to Marry than to Burn

There is no doubt the Bible encourages marriage:

• Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” – Genesis 2:18
• Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous – Hebrews 13:4
• For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality – 1st Thessalonians 4:3
• Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous – Hebrew 13:4
• So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart – 2nd Timothy 2:22
• But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion – 1 Corinthians 7:9

One very refreshing change in my life by entering Christianity was meeting true Christian females. The first ones I met after my conversion were at Plantation Baptist. That church supported a number of missionaries around the world and received occasional visits and perhaps a sermon on life in the mission fields. I also met quite a number that worked at the local independent Christian books stores that I used to visit frequently for new reading material. They were easy to spot: dressing modestly never flaunting physical characteristics; gentle in their mannerism, and soft spoken. Certainly the opposite extreme of many the females I was accustomed to who made flaunting their bodies, flirting, and playing mind games their calling card.  I noticed that all the men that were successful in a biblical sense had true Christian woman standing with them and not fighting against them as so many worldly woman would do to their husbands in time.

• Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it – 1st Colossians 9:24.
• Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us – Hebrews 12:1.
• I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith – 2 Timothy 4:7

What I Wanted

In the reality of the Bible, salvation is the prize awarded to those that complete the race. Not all accept that but I fully accepted that with my time studying the bible. If I was going to win the race and get a crown of life I needed a suitable female running alongside of me and not fighting me. I would not get very far with one of the many unhappy materialistic ‘princesses’ that were looking for a replacement for ‘daddy’ to keep on spoiling them. The wealthy sections of Atlanta had a produced a bountiful crop of them. It was first generation ‘Paris Hiltons’ emerging desiring daily trips to Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza and weekends nights at a expensive club was mandatory. While partying hard and sometimes with reckless disregard they were content a Brad Pitt with money would one day come calling to put a ring on their finger. They were not getting what they wanted and I regularly heard them complaining in the break rooms and hallways at work. Spitting venom directed at the last male who did not meet their impeccable/impossible standards. Atlanta at the time was booming only fueling their desire for more. A fundamental bible believing church was a place they would shun as it taught what they opposed. So they attended mega churches where materialism was all right and salvation was an iron-clad guarantee for a simple prayer for their itching ears as warned by Paul in 2nd Timothy 4:3-4: For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

I joined the singles class with the clear goal of meeting a potential wife. Although the Bible teaches that woman need to be submissive to their husbands with:

• Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord – Colossians 3:18
• For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man- 1 Corinthians 11:8-9
• Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands – Ephesians 5:22-24

There are also quotes:

• Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband – Corinthians 7:33
• Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them – Colossians 3:19

I’m not a control freak looking inflict some discipline with a rod. My real goal was to get a wife that agreed with Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. I was seeking a wife that would form the basis for a biblical marriage until the race was won. One that would understand Hebrews 13:4 – Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous and one of my favorites Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun – Ecclesiastes 9:9.

Joining Singles II

I started attending the Singles II class which was 25 and up in age and started regularly attending the class and outside activities. I had not placed official membership as of yet in North Atlanta. That is done by coming forward to proclaim faith in Christ as well as baptism in some case. I was treated well but still as a bit of an outsider as getting fully accepted at a Church of Christ is not an instant accomplishment. Just like the Catholics have the Vatican, Mormons have Brigham-Young, the Church of Christ has Harding and  Lipscomb Universities. I noticed that people that had attended either were quick to point that out in conversations with people they had just met. Another way of gaining a bit more acceptance was mentioning one’s previous congregation. I could offer neither and would have to gain full acceptance over time.
In case you are wondering, I don’t find it this anti-biblical at all as the flock (congregation) must be protected from the wolves that would enter if they can.  I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them – Acts 20:29-30.  The man who swindled me was able to con Margate church into believing that he was a great Christian with simply lip service of his Christian deeds around the world. Had Margate Christian Church been on guard this whole incident would probably not have happened. That church was too easily impressed by Roy Dan and highly recommend him when I came along. The church has to maintain its guard at all times.
Singles II had a variety of events from helping others in projects around the area to allowing the singles time alone. Some in the group would go out and eat after Wednesday night services. I was invited and would go but having diagnosed with IBS a number of years previously and that simply meant that whenever or wherever I had food, I needed access to porcelain for several hours just in case of trouble. Therefore the last thing I ever did was eat and hit the road. But I was so adamant to fit it that I would eat and pray for the best. In Dunwoody there was a pizza establishment that was favorite destination of many. Although what was triggering my IBS was still unknown, there were some menu selections that never bothered me so I would stay with them and enjoy fellowship around the tables with the others.
During that time I had a bit of a ‘sponsor’ for lack of a better word that was assisting me with my transition into the congregation. He knew of my Baptist background and how I felt about certain issues as I brought a bit more of the Baptist view of things than I might have realized. The bible version was about the only thing I had open apprehension about. My sponsor would take out his pocket Greek translation and encourage me to study Greek and ended the topic. All the other differences between the Baptist and Church of Christ doctrine were settled in my mind. I should point out that the Church of Christ does not like to be called a ‘denomination’ since they are following the Bible and not any man but many insiders will refer to it as the ‘non-denomination’ denomination. Within the Church of Christ there are some differences in interpreting some bible verse meanings but they have stuck with the overall goal of the restoration movement.

Coca-Cola had been doing more travel and late hours as the project expanded. Attending Wednesday night became a struggle at times with the Atlanta’s traffic gridlock. To combat this and allow all to attend, the church as well as others set up bible studies all over the area hosted in private homes.  I attended some in private homes when it was clear I could not make it back to the main facility. A wide variety of people would get together in private homes for study and fellowship time. I had more exposure to gracious woman hosting these events and of course had to politely refuse the offers of refreshments. People would sometimes do their best to ‘persuade’ me to have ‘just a bite’ and would gently refuse as best I could. I suppose if I had a gaunt undernourished look it would have been convincing enough on the first refusal. But I sampling all the Coca-Cola I wanted and the suits were getting snug.

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name – Acts 22:16

When it came time to discuss officially joining the church, the subject of baptism arose at a restaurant after Wednesday night service. I was asked if I had been baptized and I said that I had. Then someone poised the question of ‘why were you baptized?’. I don’t recall the exact answer but it was not for biblical reasons as all listening agreed. After studying the issues and seeing my Baptist baptism was not biblical, I agreed to have a proper baptism. It was also clear that I needed to be more studious in my study of the bible to cover all areas rather than just the debate over faith only for salvation which was taking all my study time.

I never understood those in Christianity that argued against it but they do. Some claim it is a work or not required , or that full immersion is not needed . My opinion was if someone was going to show a rebellious attitude on such a simple commandant then what kind of Christian would they become. Baptism – just do it.

The day of my baptism was a day of change for the church as well. It was the first day of the current pulpit minister, Don McLaughlin after Bill Long retired after twenty-six years. I was the second person out of four to be baptized and was happy I was baptized for the correct reasons..
After the service the singles had a joint event with singles from other congregations in the area at a member large lakefront getaway.  It was a decent sized gathering and I was introduced to many people that day. It was the first day I got to ride an ATV. I sped around the property some others riding for as many laps as I wanted. Finally my life was truly changing.

One warm Sunday evening I arrived to see one of the church’s evangelists that spent much of his time in South America unloading his car. He brought out an electronic keyboard from his trunk and walked up the steps the main entrance. Atop was a couple wide-eyed in amazement at the sight before them. It was if the man was holding a case liquor and stack of porn magazines.
“Ohh, this is a keyboard for a play that the youth group is doing,” he assured. “It is not for the auditorium.”
The visiting couple breathed a sigh of relief and were willing to head in for the service. I was seeing how dedicated the members were to abiding by the bible. Musical instruments are in the old testament, the Revelation, but never mentioned in the New Testament so they are not used during a service. In fact, there is quiet debate in some congregations over the use of a pitch pipe before commencing a song. To the outsider it may sound trivial but it showed me they were very serious about following the Bible.

Given The Boot

About a month later a person stood in my class of Singles II to give an announcement at the start of the session. He remarked that many felt too many older people were in Singles II and that the he and others were uncomfortable with their presence. As a solution, they went to the church elders for permission to create Singles III for those 35 and older. The elders had agreed and therefore the class would be split that night. After a few gasps from the room one woman stood to ask if would they be checking driver’s licenses for birthdates? Age can be a touchy subject for woman and especially those raised in the south with many viewing it as a secret.
Obediently I left along with five others and noticed that a few that I suspected should have left with me simply stayed. In hindsight perhaps I should have done that as well. But I could not have done that being territorial. I have read that about fifteen percent of the population exhibits territorial behavior or territoriality. Visit any subdivision and you’ll see the homeowner that cuts their yard to the exact centimeter every time and has a fence clearly marking their property. Territoriality means viewing the world in finite http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/finite boundaries of what belongs to you want what does not. It is not selfish behavior but rather having clear sometimes visual indicators of your turf.  I obey the boundaries that others have marked. If a sign says ‘Keep Out’ that is all that is needed to keep me away. A ‘No Trespassing’ works on me just as well as a twelve foot electrified cyclone fence. Being territorial sometimes collides with being Christian so I had to learn to relax and of course forgiving when others accidentally or purposely invaded my space. Jesus was the opposite of being territorial in some ways with quotes such as Matthew  5:40 – And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
To this day I still catch myself. For example where I work I started bringing in copies of the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel each morning which I am permitted to read while on the phone. People like to come over to my cubicle and rummage through the paper and leave it a mess. So to solve this, I stash the unread sections in a desk drawer and read them one at a time and leave them on a stack on my cubicle desk for those. I’m more than happy to share but just want first shot at the sections.

The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:  Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;  neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock – 1st Peter

I left that Wednesday evening very disillusioned and angry with what had happened. I was trying to do the right thing and get into a relationship with a bible fearing women that would lead to an (hopefully) lifetime of serving the Lord. Tossing me out of the very place that I was most likely to meet one was the worst thing that could happen to me. I was not going to meet a real Christian girl at a nightclub. In protest of the decision, I stayed away until contacted a few weeks later to find out were I had been. The person who called was very sympathetic and explained that rather than stay away I needed to take the situation to the elders as that was what they were there to do.
The elders are the men that meet the criteria of the Bible and are the ones overseeing the flock. In reality they ‘run’ the church and the minister is simply the pulpit  speaker. That is the true new testament model that will prevent a church from following false doctrine which has happened in other churches were a pastor or reverend leads alone.  Here are some webpages that details the requirements and duties of elders.

Instruction Concerning Elders in the Church

QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS

Organization of the local church

The Ministry of elders

I agreed and came back to services and for was put in a bible history class that was mainly filled with older adults. While outside in the hallway waiting for the small auditorium to open I watched my former class cheerfully on their way to one room or another in the building. It was like a jab in the heart. After a week I was able to talk to one elder who would hear my objection to what had happed. I explained that at 36 years old I would be interested in meeting women 30-36 and wondering where I was supposed to be going to do so outside of the singles class. He was very sympathetic and agreed with me that the split had only created division and that was not what the church was supposed to be done. He presented at a meeting the elders had to discuss and render decisions for various issues that arose. The decision was given to me that while the manner in which the class was split was done in bad taste, the new class structure would stand and I would have to abide by it.
I tried for a few weeks to accept what had happened and continue in my Christian walk but Singles II was visible to me every visit. I was on the mailing list and saw all the events they were having and badly wanted to be involved. There were the announcements after the services as well and a host of other littler reminders.

The elder that had given me the decision and I talked each service Sunday evening as he was genuinely concerned about my Christian walk.  He had been on my side and thought the original age class was best. I explained that  I could not deal with it and it was interfering with my reason for being at church in the first place and I was thinking of leaving for good.
“Dean, this is a critical time for you,” he cautioned me. “Christians are sifted. You need to stay here and work out this problem. Satan sees that things are going well for you and is doing his best to get you out of this church. If you leave this church then only do it on the grounds of a biblical reason.”
I kept attending for a few more weeks. The final straw was someone who had been gone for a few weeks polity chiding me for missing a singles event and telling me how good it was and one woman that I was interested in meeting had been asking why I was not with them.
“Sorry I was not there but I was not invited,” I answered.
I left that Wednesday evening and my biblical reason was it was better to marry than to burn and the church was hindering my effort so on that basis I could leave. Rather than  concentrating on the Lord my anger was burning. The elder could not disagree that it would be best for me to leave.

Saved By Faith Only – Is  Lie!!

For the most part, my friends that were Christian were Baptists or Methodists which adamantly believe in the ‘faith only’ doctrine for salvation. I reject that along with many others who took the entire message of the bible and factor in all the scripture rather looking for the ‘lowest common denominator’ as the faith-only advocates so in my opinion. The bottom line is we are not saved by ‘faith only’ and anybody can verify this by a bit of study in the Word. Better that you find out now rather than standing at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Visit this page for proof and feel free to discuss it in this section of my message board.  Don’t place eternity in someone preaching to itching ears just to keep a mega-church going and pay the staff salaries. Read the Book for yourself.

I was very bitter about what happened at North Atlanta Church of Christ and it showed in my demeanor. While it was true that I was the one who left and I was free to return if I would abide by the elder’s decision, I would not. Leaving North Atlanta Church of Christ meant losing contact with those in the congregation. Depending on the circumstances when a person departs a fundamental church under any negative circumstances is shunned by that church. It is not an unwritten rule but a concept that is clearly documented in the Bible and practiced by many denominations. The threat of being shunned and losing contact with your family as in extreme cases is a good way to keep those in line with a church that might otherwise stray. Here is a very good webpage with details.
One person I kept in touch from the church encouraged me to put an end to the situation by repenting in front of the church at the main Sunday service. That meant coming forward and speaking before fifteen or so hundred people to plead that I was wrong and the church was right and please forgive me and let back in the fold. I would not.

Some of my Christian friends outside the church of Christ were greatly concerned about my predicament and offered encouragement. I was given many invitations to worship with others and leave the Church of Christ which some considered to be a kind of a cult. Of course many in Christianity will apply the tag of ‘cult’ to any body of believers that does not agree with their viewpoint.  The ‘faith only’ proponents encouraged me to stay in consistent prayer and continue reading the Bible for my answer. I was doing that anyway as we are commanded to in 1 Thessalonians 5:16- 18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you and of course 2nd Timothy – Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Although I was convinced that ‘faith only’ was a doctrine of demons meant for itching ears, inwardly I truly wanted to believe it and have the freedom they had living a duel worldly/Christian life. Saturday night and Sunday morning could be as opposite as could be without a twinge of guilt. I knew a number of Baptists that would go out to bars, strip clubs, wherever they felt on Saturday night and be back in church Sunday well dressed and innocent looking as any lamb in the fold. It would be wonderful to fully believe that all you had to do was believe in Jesus and you were assured of a mansion waiting in the afterlife with your name on it but that is disregarding a tremendous of warnings in the bible. My determination was to remain faithful in the doctrine that I had accepted in a church home where I could meet a suitable fundamental female.

It was that time that ‘Amy’ came into my life.  She was introduced to me by a Baptist friend. She was three years younger than me and a well versed student of the bible and very convinced with her faith-only belief. Amy worked in real estate and was very confident of herself. She did not exhibit any signs of the internal struggle I was enduring with my faith. Her biblical knowledge was refreshing to me as most of the Baptists I knew needed assistance to locate specific chapters of the New Testament.
I found her very attractive and reacted to that but she maintained her distance from me. It was if she had accepted a challenge of some kind to get me to change my viewpoint but I would not. She hit me politely with the typical faith only arguments such as:

• Therefore being justified  by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 5:1
• For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23
• All our righteousness are like filthy rags – Isaiah 64:6
• For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life – John 3:16

And being a former Baptist I knew that the book of James   presented a problem for the ‘faith only’ crowd with quotes such as :

• Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? – James 2:22
• For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26

Martin Luther and others have had problems with the Book of James and some wanted it excluded from the Bible.  Nevertheless she like so many other ‘faith only’ believers would just sit and look at you when scripture was read that proved them wrong.

Discuss ”faith only’ for salvation here

Despite our theological differences, I liked her a lot and wanted to date her. She kept a bit of distance letting me know that if I wanted to spend some time with her that I could do that by attending some services/social activities at her church. I finally accepted and found myself attending a service at North Point. It was far from a traditional biblically based service and appeared to me as one designed for entertainment purposes. The worship service for the glory of God and not the amusement of those attending. I sat stone faced and very unmoved though those around me were behaving as if they were in a concert with hands held aloft. The message should be coming from the bible and not what people felt. Looking back comment on what was happening.
Amy rejected anything but belief as a work. For example, it is amazing to me that those that proclaim to follow and obey God reject the commandments in the New Testament. Besides baptism, we are commanded to break bread weekly. The model for this is in Acts 20:7 ‘And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread.’ I have read many articles about churches dropping the Lord’s Supper to a quarterly or perhaps yearly event or all together as it was ‘too troublesome’ or ‘loses it meaning if repeated so often’. I was basing my understanding on what was in the bible while she was following what she was taught in Sunday school.
We developed a bit of a bond but the common trait was being stubborn about our individual beliefs. Our meetings turned into debate sessions. I would not attend anymore services at North Pointe with her and she never would agree to my suggestion that we visit a smaller Church of Christ together so she could experience a traditional biblical based service. Besides hurting me, her refusal of my invitation quenched my interest in her. At that time I was doing a lot more business road trips and soon time had passed without any contact with her.

Sex For Jesus

Amy came by unexpectedly one Sunday afternoon after I had not seen her for almost two months to see if I would change my mind. I was alone in the townhouse where I was staying and was working in the garage when her car pulled into the driveway. I greeted her with limited enthusiasm as I really did not want to have another debate.  She wanted out of the sun so I invited her into the room adjacent to the garage. Her topic of conversation was a new program being offered at her church that was sure to make me feel better about myself and how to enjoy all the rewards God wanted me to have during my time on Earth. I had not desire to attending a ‘Tony Robbins style’ service and nodded politely at the needed time intervals to keep her presentation going so she could be on her way.
She finally picked up on the fact I was not interested and suddenly got quiet. Straddling a weight bench that I bought but never used, she suddenly changed her countenance.
“So why are we talking when we could be having sex right now? You could do me on this bench and I am in the mood for it. Or we can head up to your bedroom if you have this place alone right now.”
An interesting proposition for me and one that was biologically approved yet not morally.
“I would enjoy it,” I answered after a pause to maintain my composure, “but would be fornication and is against the bible.”
“We all sin and have come short of the glory of God,” she quoted as she pulled down her gym pants for my inspection. Tight white traditional panties just as I prefer awaited. She stood in triumph as I stood up in stereo.
“Can we do it here or upstairs?”
“I’d like to do it but as I said to you it is against God, not that I would not truly enjoy it. Perhaps if we stay together and were to be married we could do it as God intended: in a marriage bed.”
“So you really don’t understand that we saved and eternally locked in our Father’s House and can do what we want?” she flared. “You really can’t accept that and starting living and doing what you want knowing that all sin, past, present, and future was nailed to the cross two thousand years ago? By the love of Jesus on that cross I won’t be held accountable for this. We are released from the law.”
In the book of Romans there are many warnings and one is that the fornicators will not enter of the Kingdom of Heaven besides many other behaviors. That is what you do not understand or will not accept. If you would only attend a Church of Christ with me you were learn that – ”
“Damn you, asshole!!”
Her gym pants were up where they should have been left in a half second and she left in quite a huff. I never saw or heard from her again.

My Coke project ended with assurance that I was liked at the company and they would be calling me back when the next opportunity arose. Insiders told me that a contractor needed to put in two to five years of projects in most cases before being considered for employment. I was still very happy working there and was determined to get permanent employment status which is signified by a security bade outlined in Coca-Cola red. A few of the original team that I started with had earned permanent status which gave me more drive.
So I had to big goodbye to Coke for a while. I was not worried as getting a job in Information Technology at that time in Atlanta was very easy for someone with the right skills. Having Coca-Cola on your resume got you pre-approved in a lot of places or at least put your papers on the top of the pile.  After putting my resume on Computerjobs.com, I received an invitation for an urgent need for a Windows Server specialist.  The employer was an engineering company in Marietta. They needed someone who could travel on short notice and between the lines that means a single person without kids or other responsible. I interviewed was offered the position the next day.
My second day was interrupted with the boss coming into my office and telling me a plane ticket to Houston was waiting for me at Hartsfield. I had just enough time to go home and pack. An imaging server in Houston had crashed leaving around twenty five employees on the clock with little to do. I and another employee made the two day trip and fixed the problem and I got a chance for another visit to Saltgrass steak house . The beer bread is worth the trip alone.
A severe line of thunderstorms approaching Houston delayed our departure back to Atlanta. Staring out a window in the back of a Continental 737, I watched the towering storm clouds shrouded with lightning approaching. I have no fear of flying and none of thunderstorms but this was the first time I had encountered them together while preparing for take-off. The intense lighting flashes had me pondering what might happen as we taxied for position. I felt a tugging at my heart to get right with God. Packed in a pocket of my technical bag was a copy of ‘Peace with God’, a book Billy Graham wrote in 1953 when he was still quite a fundamentalist. Here is an online later revision . I loved reading the book though I was not a fan in any way of Billy Graham as he embraced the world and changed his doctrine. Here is a web page explaining as well as another one.. I had bought a number of copies of the 1953 edition can gave them out to evangelize.

Macland Road Church of Christ

After getting back to the office I scanned the yellow pages and found a fairly large congregation nearby: Macland Road Church of Christ . I had remained in contact with a concerned elder from North Atlanta Church of Christ and he gave this congregation a high recommendation. This particular elder felt what happed to me was unfair and wanted to see me attending somewhere.
I went the next  Wednesday night and liked what I saw and heard. It was not a junior mega church such as North Atlanta church of Christ by a long shot but a group of a few hundred people sincerely trying to practice true New Testament Christianity. I attended an adult bible study that I liked and left with various congregation members making me feel welcome and encouraging me to return that Sunday. I smiled and thanked them for the invitation knowing that I would not be there. I wanted a few Wednesday night services to get a real ‘feel’ for the church before attending on a Sunday. Another reason was I would never share with anyone was I wanted to confirm this church was not a ‘one cup’ congregation .  Those believe that one common cup should be used for communion. The bible does state that Jesus passed the cup as opposed to stating Jesus passing a silver tray with many little plastic cups such as in done in most of today’s churches.  Unless I would be guaranteed to be the first one served each time, I would not attend a ‘one cup’ congregation. They are not common and here is a web page that refutes the interpretation.
I am a bit mysophobic on a personal level and don’t easily share bodily fluids with others. It’s not that I wash my hands fifty times a day but rather I follow common sense cleanliness with contact with others and especially concerning food preparation. As well as the ‘one cup’ issue, I also had a problem with the bible’s instructions to greet fellow Christians with a kiss such as in:

• Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you – Romans 16:16
• All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss -  1st Corinthians 16:20
• Greet one another with a holy kiss – 2nd Corinthians 13:12
• Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss – 1st Thessalonians 5:26

Over the years that had caused more than one awkward moment for me. I don’t like getting strange perfume on me from woman of any age and having to press my lips on layers of mascara, rouge  or whatever else is used on cheeks. I’ve had a few people press the issue and some women look offended and point towards a spot in their check to target but I keep my distance and offer only a hand a best. Link to being touched on message board. I suppose to some I must remind them of ‘Francis’ in ‘Stripes’ but its just the way I am and there are many others like me.  I don’t like strangers making body contact and leaving their scent, salvia, mascara, perfume, cologne, or other reminders on me.
Thankfully I found that Macland road was not a ‘one cup’ and could continue visiting.  Interested in meeting some more of the members, I arrived a bit early the next Wednesday night and got to become better acquainted with a few. One person remarked they had not seen me on Sunday and I was ready with an excuse of why. It’s not being nosy but simple making sure that a person is willing to live for the Lord and commit to consistence attendance.
After another basic bible study, everyone was called into the main auditorium. One of the senior elders came forward to address the congregation. He spoke very softly but firmly that there was an was an effort by some members of the congregation to pressure him and another elder to resign. The issue was the elders not allowing a request for allowing a select row in the pews of song leaders that would have microphones. The idea was that select people with above average singing skills would be able to lead the others in the song.
A bit of explanation: The church of Christ does not have choirs as that is not only viewed as entertainment by some but the very fact that it is an act of worship being provided by only those in the choir. Think of it as only a select few being asked to offer a prayer by moving over to a different part of the room while the others stand by doing nothing. The bible says we are to offer praise in our hearts to God in:

• Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart – Ephesians 5:19
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God – Colossians 3:16

The New Testament does not support having a select group of people sing above the others in the congregation or provide what amounts to entertainment on a stage with a performance. The sincerity and praise from the worshipper was what was important, not the sound quality. Personally, I agreed with the elder’s decision. The purpose of song is praise and what comes from the heart and to God it does not matter if it is screeching noise.
The elders explained that they viewed the idea of song leaders with microphones to be the beginning of a choir and would not allow as some people were being elevated in their singing over others regardless of where they were sitting. As they were giving their decision a woman stood up to interrupt and give her objection and the meeting quickly deteriorated into a heated and angry debate over the control of the elders. From what I could tell there were some other miner issues as well that involved those that wanted to bring change into the church. The elders are there partly to prevent that if it is non biblical.
When it was clear the elders had the majority and would not resign, some of the members who were for the change stood and announced they were resigning instead. Each was given a turn to speak their peace. A number broke down in tears reciting how long they had been a member but they would still leave in protest at the decision. The elders addressed each person’s comments and maintained that nobody had or should leave but all should simply accept the decision that was made on a biblical basis. It was a few minutes before eleven pm before the last person was finished.  I left quietly and left with a heavy heart as many of the others. I made the decision not to return walking to my car. I had enough trouble and wanted a stable church where someone wasn’t trying to change something such as the last single’s class I was attending.
I did hear later in time that those who left that night formed a congrigation nearby.

Embry Hills Church of Christ

My job assignment moved me to just north of downtown Atlanta to complete a project involving document imaging. When implemented, the company would be scanning all incoming and stored documents where they would be stored permanently on laser disk platters known as COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk). This webpage has an overview of the process.
The documents would be indexed in a database and by searching by name or social security numbers, a complete file could be displayed in a second on any work station that had access. The images could be enlarged and the readability quality was better than the original documents. I was very impressed with it.
I had to install work stations, configure the servers, and teach the staff members of the company how to use the system. Some were nervous at first but when they saw a normal letter could be enlarged to fill a nineteen inch monitor they instantly liked the system. I spent weeks at a time as while I was installing the system they had people scanning the older documents in the file cabinets and then packing them up for offsite storage. I had plenty of time before they caught up to the current inbound papers.
One late fall evening the northbound lanes of I-75 & I -85 where clogged extra badly to the point cars were not moving. I wanted to get home so I started weaving the roads heading north east to get above I-285 so I could get to Doraville where I was residing. Winding around some streets I saw a sign for ‘Church of Christ’. I drove past it and followed it and found Embry Hills
Church of Christ.  By far Embry Hills was the most fundamental/conservative church of Christ I ever attended.
I came in one Wednesday and was greeted by a few, smiled at by many, and treated as a ghost by the rest. There seemed to be some kind of a fear of speaking with me. In a way that it understandable as a visitor without an escort I was a matter for one of the elders.   Instead of being the kind of service that I was used to attending, they conducted the bible study as if it were a college class. The congregation was the most respectable in terms of obeying the requests to sit/stand and be quiet. The pulpit speaker had full control and used every minute to teach the biblical lesson of the night using an overhead projector. Most in the pews were taking notes. I also saw something I had never seen before: woman with head coverings. Not all but a few rows towards the front. I asked about it and looked it up and found it is based on the 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.  For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.   Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

Here is a web page that has more on women and wearing veils.

Needless to say I was impressed. It was pretty much what I wanted at that time: just the gospel plain and simple.
As expected a few approached me after the service and I was invited to attend that Sunday. I only smiled and said I would try but I did not have any intentions of being there. I knew I was disobeying a few commandments including the one for breaking bread each week and on my way to hell in the eyes of many. But I had drifted too far way to jump back in three times a week. What I wanted was simple time in strict bible classes to reawaken the fire for the Lord that had once burned bright but was now very dim.
Sure enough the next Wednesday I was a ghost to all but a few. Either you attended or you did not and they knew who was there and who was not. I had a place to sit and I was welcome to sit and listen as I could never see them asking anyone to leave unless they were disruptive to the service. I came each Wednesday night and was not asked about attending Sunday anymore. Only two or three would acknowledge my presence with friendship. I knew they were waiting for me to make a commitment but I would not. I was back in Christianity 101 and was happy enough with the weekly ‘class’ that was held. I did miss the element of ‘theatrics’ that one typically finds in a Baptist service. There were none of the other frills that had permeated other churches.
It was near Christmas time but there were no decorations. Why? Christmas is not biblical. Jesus said to commemorate his death; he never mentioned his birth. Christmas was illegal and here is a page on just how un-Christian it is. http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/xmas/celeb.htm Humanism has crept in and in many cases overtaken denominations with its belief.  Even some moderate churchs of Christ put up decorations to appease some and keep the pews filled. But this church would not.
Embry Hills has a very good website. They have audio files of sermons here and here. I picked a few and here are my comments.

• The Unfaithful Christian - Why the church has the right to inspect members. This is why I was ‘dissed’ by the congregation.
• Is The Church of Christ a Cult? -  I was faced with this accusation from time to time. And my answer is yes, it is a cult but no in the sense of being evil as cult means today but rather that it means dedication to one leader.
• Do Not Be Unequally Yoked - The bible shows to keep your distance from those that do not believe.
• Losing Our Inheritance -  A sermon that is somewhat on the light side showing that you can fall away. Not quite the sermon that you will hear at Charles Stanley’s church.
• Searching for the Truth -  A very good sermon which shows what I went through by attending sporadically and why.