Dan Cooper here Mike.
Since when does COBU, or anyone else ask to ask? I don't get it. Perhaps Dave was suspicious of such an approach. It sounds to me like a game he didn't want to play.
Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."
(Jn 18:20-21)
Likewise, Dave Simmons is an open book, as you can see from this website. I don't recall at the reunion, you or anyone you may be referring to, asking us about our ministry. But now that we desire to post a simple statement, you're all up in arms? We welcome questions, at least honest ones. But all of COBU has shown itself not to want answers, as if they are going to manifest magically, and then after the moment, the appropriate time for seeking, then they pretend that they really want to know. It reminds me of your laughable retort, 'I got it sitting right here.' Well, it seems you didn't quite get this one.
Not your typical sticky note, huh? Not just a passing thought. And I notice that you do not address the actual 'note'; you still want nothing to do with it. Well then, how are you going to learn of it? The Pharisees did not want to open their minds to any blessing from someone they considered their competition.
What's this supposed to mean, that you didn't even read the testimonies?
Of course we were supporters of the ministry. It blessed our socks off!
And we had, omg, gained access beforehand, not afterwards, and we had done nothing wrong. You seem not to have remembered our presence there. As for me, I enjoyed that week or so, getting to know the site and its people.
What was it I did wrong again Mike? What did Jan do?
When I asked you, all I got was, 'the way I went about testifying', and the typical COBU: 'you know what you're doing', or 'you know why' something to that affect.
As I said back then, I was guilty only of following Dave Simmons, being blessed by the ministry God gave him.
Now how fair of you was that? How open to the truth? Have you learned anything since then, my brother in the Spirit?
I am now compelled to act.
From what or whom does this compulsion come from, pray tell?
Ah yes, the questions of the others. There's always someone doing someone else's dirty work.
And of course, if we don't answer these 'questions' we are not open, are we?
We are quite open; you turn things upside down.
Yes, we all hoped for such fantasies. And we all, it looks to me, despaired of hoping, for hope deferred makes the heart sick (Pr 13:12), and how much sickness can a heart endure?
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, 'Peace, peace,'when there is no peace.
(Jer 6:14)
Because this list is for ex-members, it means that the ex-member who is a christian right now and the ex-member who is not a christian right now are both welcome here.
Well then, everybody's welcome. But wait, we must be in a different category altogether. We must be really weird.
Oh yes, I'd like to see the emails that prompted this little deed.
What you seem to be saying is that you're making the rules as you go, according to circumstance, and in response to some juicy gossip.
Now if you could fashion your questions so as to effectively cast aspersions on LW...
Well, from the way I've been treated, I don't think I'd like your evolving rules, nor have much chance abiding by them myself.
Who wants to argue when there's no audience, because the aim is not really to sharpen each other.
Is this the same kind of love we had in COBU, perhaps way back before something else took over?
Oh no? You mentioned Tod and Dave, but you have many questions. But are you all really from walking in the light? From that great fellowship you speak of?
Oh really, so where is the benefit of the doubt? Since when are we to judge by impressions?
If you were not running in vain yourself, or shall we just say, if you had something that we needed and wanted, we might have come to you by now.
Why should those who have been healed from a disease seek help from those who show that they have not been healed of the same disease but say that they have?
And why would we seek your attentions, when LW has been known and ignored for years?
There are plenty of COBU brothers and sisters who have been blessed by Dave & Cynthia and their fellowship, but isn't it remarkable that you don't investigate them and their stories?
You'd rather take the word of one or two disgruntled 'disciples' who say they were hurt rather than blessed by the ministry, but have you considered that choice, that way of thinking, might be backwards?
If you come here talking about your ministry to ex-members, are you seeking ordination or approval or certification or advice? Don't tell me, "we didn't bring up our ministry, others did" sorry....you did bring up your testimony and you have alluded to your ministry enough that even without Chris' charges we would have known about it.
What I am asking for is walking in the Light. You and Dave have a ministry. fine. Now what? What do you want any of us to do about it? Do you want us to join? Do you want us to spread the word about it? What are you asking anyone here to do? If you cannot be clear on this minor point then how can you expect anyone here to trust you further? Dave, if you are opening your ministry up to brethren here, then field questions here about your ministry. If you don't care that some here have questions and you don't intend to answer anyone here then do not offer your ministry. I for one am not going to stand here and have you or Tod or anyone come on this list and offer some ministry which has born no scrutiny. Testimonials from the few who have been blessed by your work does not meet the test. Call up current cobu and ask them if they are being fed or blessed by ST....you can get at least 50 testimonials of how God is using ST.
Apart from testing it yourself--what a novel idea--you could listen to testimony from those who have. Why have you so easily rejected ours?
Do your 'rules' judge a man or his ministry without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does? (Jn 7:51)
Looks like they: The ministry has borne much scrutiny, and scorn, and false testimony, so we thought you might accept some true testimony, but as soon as you see where it's going, that it is speaking of something as praiseworthy, you don't want to hear it, and have apparently closed your ears.
You have tested it only as much as you desire to test it, and have passed judgment.
You open your ear to false witness, and therefore you judge falsely.
Is this what your fellowship on this site has displayed, Mike? Wisdom from the Scriptures and gentleness?
Mike Montoya
I guess they learned a lot from your responsible action, huh?
But you couldn't even abide by your own decision here! We were not worthy of even this consideration!
What was that spiel about everybody first of all being Christians? This is not Christian behavior.
We see the old ways, thoughts, spirits, habits, judgments, etc. at work here; it doesn't matter what you label it, or how you try to justify it. Its wreaks of COBU character, or the lack thereof, and we don't care for that.
This is what we are getting free from!
Why subject ourselves to it again!?
If you were a fraction of the percentage free, of Stewart and his cult, that you claim to be, you wouldn't so quickly resort to the same tactics we learned from him to trust and live by.
I will further say, that my two sons were so moved by the transformation they saw in my life after I received the "blessing of the oil" that they asked to also receive the oil blessing, for the wounds they incurred through me, due to the damage of Cobu. And they were excited to hear that I was writing up my testimony to be posted for all to see and they wanted to post theirs as well! Due to your policy of not caring to hear the blessings received apart from YOUR approval, you and those on your sight were not able to hear these blessings either!
Dan Cooper