September 1986
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 11, 1986
Harold and Ginny Painter have left Rock Church. Tommy and Ann Johnson are seriously considering leaving. But Father God, You are still in control — just have Your way. May Your perfect will be done for this local body of believers.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 12, 1986
Lord Jesus, there are many things I desire that I believe are in accordance with Your will: the restoration of Mark and Sandra’s marriage, Chester West’s healing from cancer, the unity of Rock Church. Lord, part of me does believe. Please keep my unbelief — forgive me for it and cleanse me of it. Help me to believe Your Word with all my heart and mind and soul and strength.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 14, 1986
Father God, I give control of my life to Your Holy Spirit. Help me to learn self-control by disciplining and training my mind and emotions in Your Word. I ask this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
Ever since we learned that Bill Byrd was not going to be principal of Rock Church Academy (the last week in July), I’ve had sort of a sick feeling about the church. After the meeting with John Gimenez and his elders, I felt more hopeful and then, listening to Pastor Eibell’s stirring sermons the past few weeks, the sick feeling left entirely (at least consciously). Then last Thursday when Barbara told me that Tommy and Ann might be leaving (and that the Painters had decided to “stay away for awhile”), the bottom seemed to fall out. I talked briefly with Ann and left in tears. She and Tommy have also been hurt by various things the Eibells have done or not done (she didn’t elaborate and I don’t want to know). They are confused and feel spiritually dead. Ann is our church school secretary and book keeper, and Mitchell is in the 9th grade in our school. He didn’t want to come back this year when he found out Bill Byrd wouldn’t be principal, and they tried to enter him in a Christian school in Rocky Mount but it was full. Mitchell wanted to go to Tarboro High, but his parents could not consent to that, with all the drugs and alcohol, etc. problems there. Now if they decide to leave Rock Church, where will Mitchell go?
We had our monthly late-prayer meeting at church Friday night (9p.m. – ?). Myrtle, Barbara, and I were the first to arrive and we joined hands and prayed fervently for Tommy and Ann. They are at the beach this weekend, and will make a decision by Monday. At church Thursday night when Pastor Bill told us that the Painters had left and that another faithful family (he didn’t reveal who) was seriously considering leaving, he said that if they did, certain others would probably follow — the domino reaction. Besides Harold and Ginny, 8 other members have not been in church since the Sunday after the meeting with John Gimenez.
Pastor Bill said he might call a congregational meeting to get everything out in the open. He feels that some people were not honest at the other meeting because no one said they wanted Bill and Carol to leave.
He said he was not at liberty at this time to reveal the reasons the Painters left; but if members continued to leave, he would make a clean breast of everything.
Oh Lord, how has this happened? Bill laid the blame on “flesh,” and I know from daily experience that our flesh is what gets hurt and often it needs to be put down, so that the spiritual man can grow. I’ve been hurt by things Bill and Carol did not do that, as Spirit-filled pastors, I believe they should have done. But I’ve always made excuses for them. Perhaps I should have shared my hurts with them in a loving way. If this has happened to many others in the body, no wonder hurts have accumulated and festered and caused this tragic split. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring the whole church to repentance.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 15, 1986
Things are much better between Ann and Tommy and Eibells — thank You, Lord! Lack of communication has been a major cause of the problem, Ann said. Teach us, Lord, to be open and honest with one another so that negative feelings will not build up.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 19, 1986
By the power of the blood of Jesus I have been cleansed from the inside out of all defilement of spirit, heart, mind, and body. Thank You, Father God, that I am forgiven, cleansed, and free. Help me to remember to use Your Word to renew my mind in order that purity may be finally established in my life.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 20, 1986
A few days ago Bill Eibell called to tell me about a meeting with Brother Oscar Rodriguez Friday night for those who were upset or concerned about all the people who have recently left Rock Church — or if we had any problems with him and Carol. He said if I felt I needed to attend the meeting to feel free to do so.
I wrestled with whether or not to go for three days. Myrtle decided not to go (then found she would be out of town anyway), believing that God is going to work everything out. I had to confess to the Lord that my flesh wanted to go just to find out, if possible, what was behind so many people leaving – but my spirit was saying, no, don’t go. Yesterday morning while preparing for devotions I read a statement by Ignatius, an early church leader — he said we should be loyal to our pastor, and that disloyalty to a pastor was disloyalty to Christ. When Bill came over to the school later in the morning, I asked him if I would be disloyal to him if I attended the meeting. He said, no, to go if I felt I needed to. A short time later he called me out of the learning center to give me a pastoral warning — he said it in a very gentle, loving way: if I did attend the meeting, be very careful not to get caught up in something I might regret farther down the road.
So I began wrestling again — should I or should I not go? The meeting was scheduled for 7:30 and about 6:15 Ann Boyd called to offer me a ride if I were going. I had thought earlier of calling her to see how she felt about attending the meeting, but hadn’t done it. Perhaps, since she called me, this was direction from the Lord, so I decided to go. There were only 11 members there and I think all of us were shaken up, just knowing why the meeting had been called. Brother Oscar and his wife Nellie listened with love and compassion to all that was shared. (I didn’t open my mouth.) Bill Eibell apparently has not had a true pastor’s heart towards everyone in the body, and Carol has taken authority that God had not given her. In view of the fact that more than 30 members have already left the church and others are on the verge, Brother Oscar agreed that a change of leadership was needed immediately. He told us that he would be there to minister on Sunday and that the Eibells would be going back to Va. Beach. In a way I felt relieved and yet terribly sad.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 25, 1986
Lord, I need your quickening power today. As the result of about 20 people (who want the Eibells to stay) calling Va. Beach on Monday, they, the Eibells, are coming back today. Yesterday Barbara told me that Roger was leaving the school. She and Kermit, Tommy and Ann Johnson, the Weathersbys, Ann Boyd and Irene are all leaving the church. Mitchell took all his PACES, etc. home yesterday afternoon. Jo Ann will probably withdraw Wiley and Laurie. Oh! I was so confused and distraught, but by Your Spirit, Lord, managed to stay somewhat composed. Ann Boyd called me right before supper to ask if I had heard anything from the Lord — no, because I’d been too upset. I just can’t walk out and leave the school, yet I don’t know how I can stay, feeling in my heart that Bill Eibell is not a man of integrity. I want to believe that he is, but so many things point the other way.
Last night shortly after we’d gone to bed Bill called from Va. Beach — he’d heard about Roger leaving (but not Mitchell) and wanted to know how I was doing and if I could manage today until he got here. Barbara said yesterday that she’d probably be back today. Bill sounded so concerned about how I was doing, and said we would talk when he returned. Lord, please give me Your wisdom to know what to say to him. He is still my pastor, but the time has come for honesty — at least I think it has. Put a guard on my lips, Lord — let me not say anything that will grieve Your Holy Spirit.
Someone is coming down from Va. Beach tonight to inform us of what transpired at a closed meeting of the Rock Church board this week. Oh, Lord, let the truth be known, whatever it is! We have walked in the dark for too long.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 26, 1986
Pastor Bill came in after school yesterday to talk with me. (Barbara had to leave at 9:45 yesterday morning and I had the 15 students alone, but the Lord was so faithful — He kept giving me ideas to keep the students who had finished their goals occupied. Wiley gave me some bad moments, but even he finished all his goals!
Bill wanted to know where I stood, what my feelings were. I told him that I wanted to believe he was a man of integrity — that I needed to know that. He said he knew he’d been accused of being a liar but he couldn’t defend himself without involving someone else — “I cannot touch God’s anointed,” so I don’t know sho that is or what has been said.
Marcy S., age 62, North Carolina
September 28, 1986
Father God, I pray that Satan will no longer be able to blind Harold and Mark to Your boundless love and mercy. Please send loving people into their lives so that Your love will be revealed to them through others.
Dear Father, please break through Harold’s and Mark’s mental blocks and reveal to their spirits Your great love for them. As nearly as possible with their human minds, may they understand Your infinite love towards them and all people everywhere. Help them to respond to Your love and to return love to you freely that they may enjoy close companionship and fellowship with You daily.