Very long story- so I'll cut to the chase. My family was recently kicked out of 'our' church over 1 Cor:6. Christians do not sue Christians. You see, we did. Two years ago our four year old son drowned during a pool party at another church members house. The basic facts are the pool was so cloudy that none of the 11 children swimming that day or the home owner who was watching them with another mother, saw our son at the bottom of the pool for over an hour. They could not see him so did not know he was in trouble. He was discovered when diving rings landed on his body. Our oldest son (17) had asked where he was an hour or more before he was found and was told he was in the bathroom. He looked around for him but never thought he couldn't see the bottom of the pool so he should check there. The homeowners filed a claim with their insurance company and said to me, you may have to sue me to get them to pay. (This was two years ago) As our statute of limitations came full circle, the insurance company made an offer that didn't even cover funeral costs and said we would have to sign a document agreeing it was our 17 year old son's fault our 4 year old drowned. Well, no. It's not his fault. He wasn't responsible for the water conditions or for supervising the children that day. It wasn't our house or our pool. State law says that to force an insurance company to pay, you have to file suit on the homeowner. Just like she had told me. So we did. Now, we are kicked out of church and the church members were told to "break all ties with" us so that we may feel the severe punishment and repent and return. They were told to ask no questions and to have no discussions amongst them about it. They were told our children were still welcomed. They were quoted, simply 1 Cor:6 1-6. We had gone to our church leaders and asked them to help us with the homeowners and the insurance. They did not. We asked them several times over two years.
So my prayer request is this, peace to all involved. The wife and husband do not agree with one another over this matter. He is the one who is angered and wishes to punish us. She is being forced by him as her "spiritual head of household" to lie to the attorneys and church. My closest friend is employed by the church and she is now fearful that when she tells the truth in depositions, he will be angry at her and have her family thrown out too. Her family was there that day as well and the wife/homeowner has admitted to her she wasn't watching the kids like she should have been and that she had even left the poolside. She also admitted that her husband had warned her the pool wasn't safe and he didn't want to have the party that day. Anyway, my prayers are for all of us as this is a very trying time and we know that Satan is attempting to gain a foothold over many people at this time.
We feel that in response to 1 Cor: 6. We did go to our church for help, they turned the blind eye. We also feel this is not a trivial matter as is referred to in 1 Cor. 5 & 6. All we have asked for is the insurance company, which people purchase for issues like this, pay for our sons burial costs and headstone. We didn't even put a dollar amount in the suit. Just reasonable compensation for expenses.
I feel my anger from the fact that our church body wasn't given the truth or the facts. Just told flat out to "break all ties and not ask why". Our leadership didn't follow the guidelines of God's word in excommunicating us, yet chose to use "God's word" as their reason for excommunicating us. We were told we couldn't remain because it "would divide the church" if people found out the truth. And "What would outsiders think".
Prayers prayers prayers, please. I't hard enough to live every day with out our son, and God is definitely getting us through. But as my husband suffered a massive stroke five years ago and can no longer work, and we still have four children at home and our finances are tight, and we have not paid back our son's funeral costs, Satan is standing strong in his war to turn us from God, I know this is Satan's work. I don't want to let him win!
Thank you.