Cheryl

Here is an update to all those who are following the CARM / Matt Slick / Diane Sellner issue where egalitarians have been mistreated badly as if they weren’t even Christians. I have a Matthew 18 meeting with Matt Slick scheduled for August 22, 2008 at 9 am in the Boise, Idaho area.  My pastor will be traveling there with my husband and I to bring the last witness to Matt Slick regarding his public sin against me.  Would you please be in prayer?

Please pray first of all for Matt Slick and CARM that God will be glorified in what happens and that there will be a change of heart in Matt Slick from his position of attacking brothers and sisters in Christ to one of love and compassion for the entire body of Christ.  I know that it sounds impossible from what has carried on over the past about 11 months, but we have a great God who is not willing to put out a smoking reed.  If Matt can be helped and encouraged to change his ways that includes attacks against the brethren, this is the first concern and the goal of our meeting.

Secondly pray for us as we travel a long distance to confront Matt.  Pray for our safety as we travel a long distance on August 21 and prepare for the meeting the next day.  Pray also that Jesus will keep our hearts tender to show Matt love even though he has shown nothing to me but contempt.  Perhaps he can be reached with love when all else fails.

Pray also for the inevitable attacks against my person.  Matt has made it clear to me that he plans to continue his attacks at this Matthew 18 meeting.  He has already publicly twisted my words and I have been accused of being an enemy via his discussion board and accused of all kinds of things that have no basis at all in the truth.  Pray that I “count it all joy” when I encounter this trial.

James 1:2  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
James 1:3  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Most of all, please pray that Matt Slick will be willing to repent of his ways and seek reconciliation and peace in the body of Christ.  Matt is not coming to me for reconciliation.  I am coming to him.  I am coming at my own expense and I am making the effort to reach out to him. The bottom line in these kinds of disputes should be peace and brotherly kindness considering that we show Jesus love by showing love to one another.  Yet in all of this there must be accountability and I am holding Matt Slick accountable.  I grieve at the way CARM has treated so many godly Christians and I grieve that apparently Matt has not had enough Matthew 18 meetings to bring an erring brother to an account for his sin.  Pray for Matt that he will be brought back into proper relationship with the entire body of Christ and he will no longer attack his own “flesh and blood” family.