The next episodes turned out to be the events that ended my tenure at this church.
First, a young woman who was a good friend of ours at the church went to another pastor in excitement over the fact she had just received the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit. Now I can't explain tongues or any other Spiritual Gift, nor can anyone else. If God is small enough to be explained He isn't big enough to help us. (I've started a discussion topic on tongues here http://www.web-church.com/christian-forums/index.php?showtopic=23.) Though I can't explain them, I believe in all the Spiritual Gifts. Well, the pastor told the woman, "we frown on that here." She left the church for one where the Holy Spirit wasn't frowned on.
The second incident was when I made my preaching debut. I preached on how the joy of the Lord is our strength, ending with an alter call where 2 people prayed to receive Jesus. A friend of ours went up to the corner of the alter to pray separately for those coming to Jesus. She fell over (what people call slain in the spirit).
The next morning I was called into the Senior Pastor's office for what I was sure to be a pat on the back for letting God use me. Instead, I was told that the woman who fell over had been disobedient and that their family was asked to leave the church. This incident eventually led to my being fired and the denomination pulling my ministry license...not for some dreadful sin, but for being open for God to move in His way.
This may sound depressing, but God had already made provisions for my next post and He informed me of them in very miraculous ways: See "God Confirmed Calling By Calling" at http://www.web-church.com/christian-forums/index.php?showtopic=6, and "God Knows What's Coming" http://www.web-church.com/christian-forums/index.php?showtopic=7.
I just love Him!
How do you feel about churches expelling people for worshiping in their own way? Have you ever been expelled?