I got a letter from my old church; a reply to my letter (read my letter here).

(There's a question at the bottom that I would dearly love to have somebody on the outside give some thoughts on...)

Up to this point, the differences have been largely about the decisions made by the pastors and elders, concerning who the allowed into their pulpit (guest speakers) and who the built ongoing relationships with. I have not had doctrinal disagreements with what I heard my pastors and board teaching, either from the pulpit or in a small group.

This week, that changed.

"Before", it was actions that concerned me - having a "relationship" with a church that didn't believe the same things was not the same as teaching those things.

"Before", a relationship with a church in New Orleans could be spun as rebuilding a "community center".

"Before", I questioned the discernment level that would allow Family Firehouse Ministries' apostle and prophet to speak from the pulpit at Sunshine...

"Before", as long as Sunshine wasn't teaching those things, it was a matter of behavior (what they did) and not a matter of doctrine (what they teach).

This week, that changed; I received a reply from my church board of elders.

The first paragraph is a greeting, the second paragraph reads:

We want to uphold Pastor Brian's words of February 2006, that there are "some problems" with the doctrines of Firehouse Full Gospel Ministries, and that Sunshine Church is not "going all Pentecostal...word faith...or five fold ministry."

Read that again, and then take a look at the "Prophetic Healing Conference" held at Sunshine Church just last weekend.

Speakers:

• Larry Randolph (leader at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship), author of "Use Friendly Prophecy"
• Craig Kinsley, founder of "Awake International"
• Bob Jones, One of the Kansas City Prophets, with ties to the "Latter Rain" movement. Also see Apologetics Index.
• Mark Gurley (co-director, along with his wife, of Healing Rooms of Grand Rapids, Inc.)
• Roger Sapp,  frequent guest speaker at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship.

Can you seriously tell me that a church that sponsors and hosts a conference with these speakers is NOT "going all Pentecostal"? This is being taught from their pulpit!

OKAY...one time...maybe.

Here's another one, coming up in September, again AT Sunshine Church: Be In Health. Main speaker, Henry Wright of Pleasant Valley Church, dedicated to the eradication and prevention of all spiritual, psychological, and biological disease. Secondary ministry is "Disease Anonymous".

Question: Do the conferences that this church sponsors, advertises and invites into its pulpit sound like a church that wrote to assure me that they are not "going all Pentecostal"?