Ignoring Our Brothers

Queens Light House Temple is a fairly new church that Corona SDA birthed. It's a pretty small church. And for now they are in alittle house in Queens Village.
Great things cme in small packages. Look at how the Christian movement began with a few desciples? I expect great and wonderful things from this church? Why because, I feel fulfilled on all levels each time I attend.
I am warmly greeted each time I go. The people are heart felt and very friendly ad sincere. The pastor doesn't mince words, and is unafraid of preaching it like it is. He is very practical in he delivery of the message, and I kid you not, every time I visit, it's as if I am being directly spoken to. I know that when I am prompted to visit, it's because the Lord is telling me to go. He's prepared a Word for me, and I gladly recieve it.
when I decide to stay for lunch, the food is off the chain, and since there is such a small company of believers, people ususally go home with left overs.
I really enjoyed today's sermon. It talked about the 2 that walked past the bloody and beaten Jew by the side of the road. Basically, the preacher (today an elder preached instead of the pastor) wanted to know if we too are like the 2 that walked on the other side.
Are we ignoring each other? Are we leaving our memebrs bloody and beaten by the side of the road? In some cases, this is EXACTLY the case. Domestic violence in the Adventist church has steadily increased over the years. In one case a husband tried to get his wife killed. It made the local news in that area. A nearby Baptist church sent her food and money and ministered to her needs. The SDA church spoke to the parents of the offending party and suggested that he needed a Steps to Christ. The woman and her children now attend the Baptist church. Read full article here
I believe we are more interested in turning the other cheek and neglecting each other because "That's their business" "I'm not taking sides" "They're grown people." "They can work it out."
Often people aren't ready to share their hurt because they're afraid of being disbelieved or gossipped about. And sometimes, when they open up about a concern, ANY concern, they are told that it isn't that big of a deal or given seriously poor advise. See an excerpt from the same article above:

"Among the concerns reported by women interviewed was the fact that when they had turned to the pastor for help, the pastor had offered poor advice. One pastor told a woman who came to him for help and counsel to “stand up for herself more.” The pastor encouraged her to tell the abuser not to hit her, and to tell him “no” and “fight him off” if she did not want to have sex. The survivor took this advice, and the abuser escalated the violence to the point where the woman nearly took her own life."

"Perhaps the greatest issue of all regarding ineffective help for women was not being taken seriously by church leaders in whom they have confided. One woman found the courage to share with a church leader her severe abuse, and the person replied, “I find that hard to believe. Roger is such a good guy.” She felt the person’s response implied that the abuse was her fault and that she was making the situation up. This woman subsequently fell into a depression that lasted for years."

Wow, I wish we had more Ellen Whites in this world. Pastors and church memebers are too concerned about hurting people's feelings rather than calling sin by its real name and rebuking it in the Name of the Lord. I'm thankful for the few that choose to stand like the brave.