Letters on Homestead Heritage: Community or cult?

"I wish I could find my way to the REAL God. I need Him badly."

HE is found in the Holy Bible.
All generations have found HIM there.

I lived to tell the truth wrote:

At one time decades ago, HH was a Bible believing group.
That was the last I experienced God's love in that place. Decades ago.
You are either living for Jesus Christ, or you are not.
According to Holy Scripture, there are no gray areas in the matter.

It wasnt just HH but also the United Pentecostal Church. Its been a 30+ year saga that doesnt merit repeating, but I feel really lost in my search for where and who the REAL Jesus is.

Many people profess christianity but all Ive found are social clubs that arent worth my energy or time. Where is the light that REALLY stands on the hill? Where is Gods true reflection manifest?

Its as elusive as its ever been, but Im not done searching for the real thing where the subtitle of the social club isnt "having a form of Godliness but denying the power there-of".

Im trying to allow the Spirit to lead me into all truth and righteousness and as the U2 song goes, I still havent found what Im lookiing for.

I lived to tell the truth wrote:

"I wish I could find my way to the REAL God. I need Him badly."
HE is found in the Holy Bible.
All generations have found HIM there.

So where do I go with the questions I need an answer to? I seem like Im land locked - so to speak - in the questions Ive had for decades about this Jesus? Who do I sit down and talk to about all my disappointments and frustrations, my specific purpose on this earth,etc., beyond the genaric. Where do I go for the specific answers to my specific questions pertaining to my specific journey?

ACTS 2:
38 Peter replied,“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Jesus has a calling and a place for all who come to HIM in the body of Christ. It is not found in only one church as HH claims.

You will have the peace of Jesus in your heart and you will know when you are in the church God wants you to be; a Holy Spirit filled church where Jesus Christ is LORD and the Holy Bible is their foundation.

I recognize that no one is perfect and you will not find a perfect church here on earth, but you will have the peace of Jesus when you go to the Holy Spirit filled church HE wants you to be a part of.

Repenting and being baptized in JESUS name and being filled with the Holy Spirit are the first steps.

If you have taken those steps, then pray.

Jesus is faithful; HE wants you in HIS perfect will.

Satan thrives in the negative; tearing you down.
Do not let any negative words that were ever spoken to you stop you from coming to that place.

IN THE NAME OF JESUS DEMONS HAVE TO FLEE!

We are covered by HIS blood.

Joe In valejo wrote:

<quoted text>
So where do I go with the questions I need an answer to? I seem like Im land locked - so to speak - in the questions Ive had for decades about this Jesus? Who do I sit down and talk to about all my disappointments and frustrations, my specific purpose on this earth,etc., beyond the genaric. Where do I go for the specific answers to my specific questions pertaining to my specific journey?

There is a perfection and sanctification required among UPCers which goes over and beyond other churches. This could be good or bad depending on which side of this fence you are on.
And it is kind of hard thinking that you have not experienced God's great love in Spirit which I know you have.
So that I would not say to just delve into scripture. Ask God for that glory back. The glory you had when you were most faithful.
Because believe it or not, the Prodigal Son story is a true one.
You don't have to go through endless contortions of repentance and self abasement in order to know God's light and joy again.
God is waiting for you to come back. He has his arms wide open.
Repent and say, I am unworthy to be your son. Accept me as a servant and let me have a little of that SHEKINAH again once more, yes Father? And the Spirit of God cries 'Abba, Father.'
And your road to knowing covenant will be clear. Notice I didn't say road to recovery. Your road to knowing God will be clear and true.

Welcome to America..."land of the free"....oh Yeah!!! I almost forgot!!! Where we once were free.

If you are one of the many battered ones from HH, remember that God's love for you never, ever changes.

This article came out about Homestead Heritage recently. http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/heri...

I tend to want to say I don't agree with everything said, and then I remember that our story is so unbelievable that if I wrote it out, people probably wouldn't believe our testimonies about our experiences either.

So many people have experienced so much harm there, and those that didn't experience harm just don't want to believe that the people they love are capable of doing the things they do.

I have visited many times. Love the place...it is almost perfect. However I have my own definition of a cult...when men fit in to society and no one can tell them from other men...and the women stick out like a sore thumb...you might be in a cult.

Much truth is found in that article.

Wow. It takes hours to read all the posts here!
I would imagine most have burned out or abandoned this message board for the one over at The Observer, but HH has published a response and explanation of sorts at homesteadheritage.com/slander It sheds much light on the article 1Hope linked to, and if there is still any decency alive in the hearts of those who trash HH here, it would behoove them to read it. With as an open mind and heart as possible.

So speaking the TRUTH regarding what many have suffered while in HH equates to TRASH?

These elders continue to abuse those who suffered at THEIR HANDS.

Jesus Christ KNOWS that what has been printed is the TRUTH.

The HH elders are not concerned about what the LORD will do about these heinous crimes at the Last Judgment.

That is where the real spiritual problem lies within HH.

The decisions made by the HH elders over my life caused tremendous pain to myself and those in my family.

That 'petition' you have on HH's website?
Majority of those names are the HH ELDER'S CHILDREN who signed it!!!
I saw an Elder's wife name on the list.
Another I noticed is an in-law and a nephew to an Elder.

The Observer article is centered on the child abuse in HH.
HOW CAN IT ALL BE SLANDER AND LIES WHEN ACTUAL CONVICTIONS HAVE COME FORTH FROM THE CHILD ABUSE CASES?

Come back to the Holy Bible.

When you going to wake up?
Strengthen the things that remain.

Revelation 3:
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

"I lived to tell the truth": If your false statement that the majority of the petition signers are children of HH elders is at all indicative of your inaccuracies on this forum, then you discredit yourself as unreliable, agenda driven and false.

That there have been familial cases of abuse, HH has never denied. In fact, it was their leaders which exposed and reported every known instance. You tell me of another church which has been pulled through the slime of crimes, committed by loosely connected attendants. Proven fact: Most criminal in prison belong to a church. HH just makes an easy target, when involved in exposing crimes that cause most good people to cringe even to hear of.

Yes, HH admits that a lay minister delayed reporting a sick and horrid crime which was confessed to him in confidence, for a year. He was unaware of the law, requiring him to report to authorities. When this lay minister confided to an HH elder concerning how he had dealt with the situation, that elder brought the case before the their elders board for the first time. Within 48 hours, the lay minister, as well as an elder had reported to law-enforcement and the criminal turned himself in. They did not cover up the ministers mistake, but took correct action knowing, full well that it would subject them to scrutiny and even defamation by liars like some on this forum.

Finally, all court records which contain the findings of the CPS, DA and Sherif's department, establish by the investigation of all associated parties, including the victim, that the crime never occurred again during the time laps between the criminal's confession and his arraignment by authorities.

No person has or can demonstrate that any crime has ever been encouraged or harbored by HH. You must resort to sensational stories of child abuse because of your inability to contend with HH on doctrinal or intellectual grounds—the essence of your disagreement.
Like heartless vultures, you exploit the tragedy of this cases, to fan the witch-hunt flames of your private bitterness. Satan quoted scripture much as you do.

Sorry to say , but in my opinion it's a cult. I lived and rented from a Homestead member.
In case you don't know ,but your not aloud to attend a Sunday service or any church activity without an invitation. What other church on this planet does that? If this church had nothing to hide then open this doors so people can come to your services freely.
The person I rented from was a lously landlord and wouldn't fix anything.People who are Christ like don't have rental houses and not take care of the propery. It seemed like this person did it to force me to have to move. Not long after I was forced to move , he ended up moving in more of the members. I felt like he was constantly judging me because I did not have the same conviction reguarding his religion. The man's wife was very nice, I must say.
Also, they monopolize all the land surrounding the church. Every member I've ever met was quite and didn't want to comment about the church.

If you read the last names of the signatures from that petition, a majority of them, ig. Klingensmith, Heath, Puttrich, Linzer, Etc.

Some are children of elders; one is the wife of a leader, another is a brother in law to a leader, another is a nephew to a leader....

It is as if they called everyone they know and asked them to please sign their statement.

Yes, they do have a direct link to the leaders of HH.
There is no lie in that statement.

Another signature I noticed includes one that has left HH but STILL HAS PARENTS AND INTERMEDIATE FAMILY in HH.

No surprise there...
I would not want any retaliation to come to my parents either.

You know what is truly so sad...

It takes ONE act alone that will stop all of HH's madness. Not just the child abuse, the suicides; women killing themselves AND THEIR CHIDREN, the early deaths/permanent damages of those who NEVER saw doctor's at the ELDER'S DIRECTION, those families torn apart AND to this day have NO CONTACT WITH FAMILIES STILL IN HH, a woman hemhorraging in a hotel room after giving birth BECAUSE THE HH LEADER TOLD THEM TO HAVE THE BABY IN A HOTEL, those robbed of everything they had, and then TOLD BY THE HH ELDERS TO LEAVE after they deposit the money in their bank account...

Throw out your man made doctrines and come back to the Holy Bible already.

And then ANYONE can come to your meetings, the fairs; NO MORE GUARDS at the entrances because you are so hateful of those who have left HH.

HH will start anew with Jesus Christ.

And then there will be NO MORE testimonies to speak of.

I will be rejoicing on that glorious day when you come back to JESUS CHRIST ALONE AS LORD OVER YOUR LIVES.