1Cor 6  refers to lawsuits among believers.  The issue addressed was when one Christian brother was sueing another Christian by a civil court of unbelievers.  

I did remember one civil suit where a girl was sueing the priest at a Catholic church because she was not allowed to be an altar girl.  She claimed sexual discrimination.  The Bishop had forbidden girls from serving mass.  

Other lawsuits are by people in wheelchairs who decide that their church should install automatic door openers and elevators when the church can't afford it.  There might be a wheelchair ramp but they have decided that is isn't good enough for their wheelchair.  

There are many lawsuits today bankrupting churches because someone says that they were abused thirty, forty or even fifty years ago in a church or church run school.  Many of the abusers are dead and some of the schools no longer exist.  The plaintiffs' motives are mostly to receive money and revenge, not justice.  

"I am very prone to dreaming about things that tend to happen or there is always a message in my dreams that I am able to interpret.  Along with my dreaming, I recently and more than once have had an experience of the feeling of being "held down"...not being able to move my body, yell out or open my eyes.....i will elaborate more, does anyone relate?? "

Since you didn't say this is a negative experience, I would say that you might be experiencing what is known as "sleep paralysis".  You are asleep and dreaming when this happens.  You might want to do a search on it since I don't want to get too technical in explanations.  

Unless you are particularly disturbed by the content of your dreams, don't worry.  You might find that writing down your dreams when you first awake and reading them over later could help.  There is a bit different between dreaming, spiritual experiences and psychotic episodes.  If you find you are taking your dreams very seriously and they are disturbing to you, you might want to talk to someone about them.

In the spiritual experience that is a revelation from God, people often experience a strong feeling of awe, that is fear.  You can look up several scriptures and see that it mentions people tembling in awe.  

Take care.

Can an action be immoral and not be illegal?   Yes,  we can certainly find many examples of that.

Can an action be illegal and not be immoral?

Often the excuse that outreach can't be done from some churches is the lack of facilites.  Such as "we can't have a youth outreach program because we don't have a recreation centre and the insurance would be too much".  It is amazing what creative ideas some churches can have in the way of outreach.  Sometimes it is just a matter of calling people in and seeing what ordinary talents and skills they possess.  

One of our church's most successful outreach programs was a "play group".  They used one of the sunday school classes, donated toys and snacks.  Many young families joined the church due to the witness of the volunteers working with the children.  

Yes, I have read a few books with theories about the cell groups.  This could be an effective method to help people serve God and each other.  

In church that don't have small group structures, it usually happens that groups are formed anyway, like circles or friends and groups formed on common interests.  The difficult part in organizing groups is deciding who goes together in what group.  

Some denominations, particularly conservative anabaptist (Amish, Old Mennonite) usually split a congregation when it reaches a maximum number of members or families - sometimes the number 150 members.  The smaller the congregation, the more likely it would be that all members would know each other.  

The cell group seems like a very good tool for discovering people's talents and training them to be good servants of God.  

Yes.  I did read the news article.  It is biased and twists the truth.  
The true story of Alexander Wood:

He was close friend of Bishop John Strachan and signed as witness to the marriages of two of John Strachan's children.  

"WOOD, ALEXANDER, businessman, militia officer, justice of the peace, and office holder; b. 1772 and baptized 25 January in Fetteresso, near Stonehaven, Scotland, son of James Wood and Margaret Barclay; d. unmarried 11 Sept. 1844 at Woodcot in the parish of Fetteresso.

      Alexander Wood came to Upper Canada as a young man, settling in Kingston about 1793 and investing £330 in the Kingston Brewery in partnership with Joseph Forsyth* and Alexander Aitken*. He moved to York (Toronto) in 1797 to establish himself as a merchant. He and William Allan* became partners; “neither advanced any money which brought us on a fair footing,” but they built their shop on Allan’s land. When the partnership was dissolved on 13 April 1801 its assets were divided with difficulty, so that neither partner wanted to renew their intercourse “by the exchange of a single word.”

      Wood immediately opened his own shop. Each autumn he ordered a wide assortment of goods from Glasgow or London, stressing quality and careful packing rather than price. Almost all his stock came from Britain except tea and tobacco, which, before the American Embargo Act was extended to inland waters in 1808, he bought in the United States through Robert Nichol*; small, immediate requirements were ordered from Montreal or New York. Wood was fortunate because his elder brother in Scotland, James, made up any deficit owing in Britain until full payment could be sent from Upper Canada. His customers included Lieutenant Governor Francis Gore*, a fair proportion of York’s carriage trade, army officers, and the commissariat – none of whom paid as promptly as Wood wished. He also dealt with neighbourhood farmers, supplying their needs and exporting their flour. Fluctuations in the quantity and price of flour were frequent, but Wood prospered in this business. He was not so successful with potash or hemp, and made only one ill-fated sortie into the fur trade.

      With William Allan and Laurent Quetton* St George, Wood was one of the leading merchants in York before the War of 1812. When he first arrived, it was little more than a clearing in the bush, far inferior to Kingston and the towns of the Niagara peninsula in commercial development, but it grew rapidly, stimulated by government money and the settlement of its hinterland. Wood belonged to the group of “scotch Pedlars” whose influence judge Robert Thorpe so much deplored. “There is a chain of them linked from Halifax to Quebec, Montreal, Kingston, York, Niagara & so on to Detroit,” he wrote in 1806. Wood carried on a regular correspondence with James Irvine* (Quebec), James Dunlop* and James Leslie* (Montreal), Joseph Forsyth (Kingston), Robert Hamilton* and Thomas Clark* (Niagara peninsula), Robert Nichol (Fort Erie and Dover (Port Dover)), and other Scottish merchants, who gave and received assistance, and exchanged commercial and local news.

      Wood was one of the few merchants accepted among York’s élite. His closest friends were William Dummer Powell* and his family, with whom he was “a constant guest,” and George Crookshank* and his family. A warm friendship was developing by correspondence with the Reverend John Strachan* in Cornwall. “Our sentiments agree almost upon everything,” Strachan wrote in 1807. Wood was gazetted lieutenant in the York militia in 1798, appointed magistrate in 1800, and by 1805 was a commissioner for the Court of Requests, as well as being involved in every movement for community betterment or social enjoyment. His only problem was his health: he suffered, according to Dr Alexander Thom in 1806, from “a fullness of the Vessels of the Brain.” Anne Powell [Murray] wrote that “his complaint . . . tho’ not dangerous to his life is I fear to his intellects,” and the Powells got medical advice for him in both New York and London.

      In June 1810 Wood’s world fell apart. Rumours spread throughout York that as a magistrate he had interviewed several young men individually, telling them that a Miss Bailey had accused them of rape. According to Wood, she had scratched her assailant’s genitals; each of the accused, to prove his innocence, submitted to Wood’s intimate physical examination. John Beverley Robinson* called Wood the “Inspector General of private Accounts . . . by which [name] he was occasionally insulted in the streets.” St George’s clerk reported that although Wood had received his shipment of British goods “no one goes near his shop.” Judge Powell asked his friend about the story, and was horrified when Wood admitted its truth: “I have laid myself open to ridicule & malevolence, which I know not how to meet; that the thing will be made the subject of mirth and a handle to my enemies for a sneer I have every reason to expect.” Powell replied that Wood’s offence was more serious: his abuse of his position as magistrate made him liable to fine and imprisonment. The evidence was submitted to the public prosecutor, “but from its odious nature, investigation was smothered” on the understanding that Wood leave Upper Canada. On 17 Oct. 1810 he departed for Scotland, leaving his clerk in charge of his shop.

      Despite the scandal, Wood returned to York on 25 Aug. 1812, just after the outbreak of war, and resumed all his previous occupations, including that of magistrate. He had lost the Powells’ friendship, but the Crookshanks remained staunch friends and Strachan was now living in York – “Mr Wood commonly spends a couple of evenings and dines once with us during the Week,” he wrote in 1816. As a merchant Wood struggled fairly successfully with the problems of wartime transportation and supply, but his commercial position is shown in the York garrison accounts, in which his sales are a poor third to those of St George and Allan. By 1815 he had virtually retired, although his shop was not formally closed until 1821.

      In 1817 Wood inherited his family’s estates and moved to Scotland, but in 1821 he returned to Upper Canada to settle his affairs. He would remain in York for 21 years, more involved with other people’s concerns than his own. Since his first arrival in York, he had acted as an agent for absentee landowners and others with business in the capital, among them D’Arcy Boulton* Sr, James Macaulay*, Lord Selkirk [Douglas*], George Okill Stuart*, and the widow of Chief Justice John Elmsley*. Wood himself neither invested nor speculated in land, but he spent much time on land transactions and property management for friends and clients. Throughout his life in Upper Canada he was active as a director or executive member in many organizations, among them the Bank of Upper Canada, the Home District Agricultural Society, the St Andrew’s Society, and the Toronto Library, and as the hard-working treasurer or secretary of others, including the Home District Savings Bank, the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada, and the Society for the Relief of the Orphan, Widow, and Fatherless.

      Wood’s public service involved membership on several government commissions. In 1808, when he was appointed to the second Heir and Devisee Commission, he was the only commissioner who was neither an executive councillor nor a judge of the Court of King’s Bench. Probably because of his frequent service as foreman of the Home District grand jury, he was appointed to commissions concerning the building of jails (1838) and a lunatic asylum (1839). He was a member of the special commission appointed in 1837 to examine persons arrested for high treason during the rebellion. On Strachan’s recommendation he was appointed to the commission to investigate war claims in 1823, but Chief Justice Powell refused on moral grounds to swear him in. Wood promptly sued Powell for damages, and the whole story of the 1810 scandal was retold. Although Wood won £120 damages with costs, Powell refused to pay, and in 1831 he published a pamphlet about the case. After Powell’s death, Wood visited his widow and forgave the debt. Mrs Powell, who usually reacted vehemently against anyone who had ever opposed her husband, wrote, “This liberal conduct reflects credit on our once zealous and sincere Friend.”

      In 1842 Wood visited Scotland intending to return to Upper Canada, but he died there intestate in 1844. All his brothers and sisters had predeceased him, unmarried, including Thomas, who had come to York from Jamaica before 1810 and died in 1818. Because Canadian and Scottish laws of intestacy differed, it was necessary to establish Wood’s place of residence. The case reached the Court of Session (Scotland’s supreme court) in 1846 and the House of Lords two years later. In 1851 it was finally decided that Wood, despite his more than 45 years in Canada, had been a resident of Scotland, and by Scottish law his large estate passed to a first cousin once removed, “of whose existence he was most likely ignorant.”

      Alexander Wood had come to Upper Canada with a good education, some capital, and the financial backing of his brother in Scotland. He became a close friend of Powell and of Strachan, the two most influential men in the province in his time. As a merchant he generally avoided speculation or excessive risk, probably because of his innate conservatism and his feeling that his stay in Upper Canada was only temporary. By his business ability, the influence of his powerful friends, and the breadth and depth of his public service, he was able to avoid permanent stigma from the 1810 scandal. At his death the British Colonist called him one of Toronto’s “most respected inhabitants.”

I have no interest in one ecumenical church for all Christians.

Most churches have enough problems but this ONE church would just spend all the time arguing:

wine or grape juice
sprinkle or dunk
seven sacraments or no sacraments
how often to have communion
wonder bread, matzo, or wafers

The list goes on.

Wait for Christ to come.  I like HIS church.

Thank you for some very interesting information about psychopaths.  I do not have any statistics at hand about how common psychopaths are within the general population, but it is less than one percent.   They should be watched for.  A death sentence isn't a determent for them because they believe they are so clever they will not get caught.  Ultimately, they will get caught and received God's death penalty.

If nothing is impossible with God, how can we say anyone is incurable?   Psychiatrist will say there is no treatment or cure for homosexuality as well.  There is no cure or treatment for psychopaths because maybe there isn't one yet.  

I did speak to a child psychologist on this matter.  He had many years experience treating children.  Before he retired he went for several years to study prison inmates, many of them psychopaths.  Yes, they were some of the most charming people you could meet.  - superficial charm.  But what they all seemed to have in common was very abusive childhoods.  The psychologist told me that in his opinion that the best way to prevent this type of pathology was to give a child lots and lots of love and care, especially in the first two years of life.  

But some people do choose to molest children even when they are not psychopaths.  So how do we deal with those who are repentant?   This is what happened at one church.  A man was convicted of child molestation.  What he did not horrific but not extreme (I don't need to give details).  His wife divorced him but he was still granted supervised visitation with his children.  A minister ended up supervising the visits.  He lost most of his friends because no one with children would invite him over. Anyone without children didn't want to be associated with him.  He ended up going to a church that was alerted to his conviction.  While he was at worship or any church activity he was always accompanied by a deacon.  If he had to use the washroom, a deacon accompanied him.  I sincerely hope that this man can keep away from internet pornography.  If he does, he will have better chances of controlling himself.  

Some people are loners and their brains are wired differently.  That doesn't make them predators.  My church happens to have several middle aged men who seem a little odd, live with their parents and who are excellent workers in the children's ministries.  People are often too quick to judge by appearances.  

Many innocent Christians have been falsely accused of molestation and had their family and careers destroyed.  Satan is trying to destory children's ministries in some churches this way.  There are many law suits that claim abuse that happened many many years ago.  High insurance costs can prevent some churches from offering children's ministries.

"these incurable scum balls"   Can we be absolutely sure that child molesters are incurable, even if they confess their sins to Christ and repent?  How can we tell homosexuals that they can be forgiven of sin and totally neglect those guilty of sins against the innocent?

Yes, I can understand your anger and frustration.  Our efforts should be focused on protecting the innocent, helping convicts not to reoffend and locking up those permanently who can't seem to help themselves.  I am not sure that I favour execution except in all but the worst cases.  

There must be some way to prevent people from growing up from children into adults that victimize children.  I think pornography has much to do with the problem.  

There are two kinds of people who prey on children:  pedophiles and child molesters.  Pedophiles are adults who prefer children exclusively.  They will do anything to get assess to children alone and win their trust.  Some will even have "pretend" girlfriends.  Child molesters are adults who do have relationships with other adults, some might even be married, have their own children, even attend church.  They take advantage of opportunities to have sex with children or anyone sometimes.  They might choose a child because they could control them more easily and remain undetected for a longer time.  

Pedophiles might seem a little more obvious than child molesters.  People might be wary of a loner man who befriends them and their children and asks for sleepovers or time to spend with their children alone even as free babysitting.  Child molesters can be anywhere.  One could live in the home of your child's best friend where she goes for sleepovers.

To protect our children, churches need to follow certain guidelines to prevent abuse.  Church workers for children's programs should have a police background check done but that is not all.  Children should always be adequately supervised at all times.  Families should always be careful about who is babysitting their children.  There should be no sleepovers for children under 12 and even then with caution.

If someone can into your church and confessed that they had molested children and were trying to repent, how would you handle it?  

One of the reasons why I don't watch much television.  There is just too much "gay" based humour.  That seems to be the trend these days.  Gays making fun of themselves.

Twenty years ago, people were making fun of drug addictions like cocaine.  Drug addicts making fun of themselves.

So I haven't been watching much television for the last twenty years.  Why bother?

Alexander Wood didn't have any living descendants as far as I know.  I am sure that if one of my ancestors was degraded in such a way, I would not be amused.  There really is no way to know if Alexander Wood self-identified himself as a homosexual except to ask him but that is impossibe since he has been dead for over 150 years.

The community metropolitan church in Toronto isn't something new.  It has been there for years.  There has been much scandal there over the past years.  It is located in a very affluent area of the city.

A congregation's attitude toward outreach will be reflected in their budget.  Funds set aside for mission programs, sunday school and tracts/scriptures to be given away are part of outreach programs.  To goal should not be just to send a number of monetary funds or supplies to missions but also workers.  As well, church members need to be trained in effective methods of personal evangelism.  

Every state or country has different laws concerning age of consent for marriage.  Most require both bride and groom to be at least 18 years of age.  If they are younger than 18, they will need parental consent.  There is also a lower limit, usually 14 yrs old.  There may also be laws concerning the age split between the couple and laws about marrying blood or other family relations.  Even while complying with those laws, the clergy or church may have the right to refuse to marry certain people.  For example a pastor may refuse to marry a young woman who is 16 even if she has parental consent.  The laws are to protect any young person from being abused or exploited.  

These days, most people marry during or after college and even later.  It is important for someone considering marriage to be mature enough to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.  Any engaged couples should consider taking a good pre-marital course recommended by their church.  

Often a reason why teenagers want to marry is because they have trouble resisting sexual temptations or they are seeking more independence from their families.  They will often say that they are "in love" without really understanding the responsibilities of being a wife or husband.  It is very important for anyone not to rush into an important committment such as marriage.  Even having a baby requires a wait of up to nine months.  Self-control is a gift of the Spirit and available.  

I commend you, young woman, for asking such a good question.  It is fantastic that you trust in the Lord to find you a good husband.  It is also good that you are seeking your parent's wisdom.  Don't worry about waiting to find out about God's will for your life.  Spend your time learning about yourself and what qualitites you would like to have in a spouse to compliment your own special strengths and weaknesses.

Please pray for Christians who are persecuted.

I suggest you read all the replyies to this post again, carefully.  

Some simple mathematical calculations show that 1500 calls per year is an average of 4 calls per day (24 hr period).  50 calls were actually suicide related.  Other sources I had read show that 20% of suicide related calls are clergy or people calling about someone other than themselves.  That means an average of 40 calls per year were received from people that were suicidal.  Do you think that in an area where 137,000 people live, that cost of keeping the centre open is a good use of money?  (wait before forming a counter attack)

Not all depressed people are suicidal but the effects are felt by co-workers, family and friends of the victims of depression.  I think it would be more compassionate and a better use of money to educate people about depression and suicide.  These are the kinds of decisions that government has to make.  While suicide hotlines can effective in preventing deaths and suffering, PEI might better use their limited resources.

I said "I disagree with the decision to only to run the hotlines during business hours since I would think that they would get the most calls at night."   What can't you understand about that opinion?

The other person posting had the opinion that "socialist" governments, like the ones in Canada, are humanist and have no interest in compassion.  This is truly and completely false.  Canada's health system is compassion and accessible to all citizens.   In fact, abortion is not available on the island of PEI, Canada.  

As an emergency services worker, you will encounter people who will refuse treatment when the ambulance arrives at the scene.  You will have to wait until they are unconscious to take them to the hospital.  

Depending on the laws, some doctors are allowed to commit someone against their will when they have threatened their own life or another persons.  There are doctor's available 24 hrs.  Most of the problem is that family and friends need to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression.  They also need to know what to do when someone talks about killing themselves.  

I find your replies extremely rude, and even amusing.  

"Canadian (Canada) is not yet socialist enough to have (a) brain scaner (scanner) implanted that tell the hosptial they need help"  

Why not use the artice as an opportunity to educate and express compassion about suicide and depression?

If a Canadian in Canada attempts suicide, they will be rushed by ambulance to an emergency hospital room, receive emergency treatment which will be followed up with in hospital care and out-patient care all:  FREE of charge.

Depressed Canadians in Canada can go to their doctor and receive counselling and medication, referrals to psychiatrists and other health professionals all:  FREE of charge.  

The suicide hotlines are answered by trained volunteers.  The government funding is for facilities and other expenses.  If the hotline centers were properly run, they would keep accurate records of when and who calls for assistance.  Hopefully the volunteers would not be just sitting there bored, chatting to their friends, but helping to save lives.  If the hotlines do not receive government funding for the center, the space/facilities could be donated or funds raised by charity.

I disagree with the decision to only to run the hotlines during business hours since I would think that they would get the most calls at night.  But if their records show that no suicides were prevented or few calls were related to suicide, why not spend funds in a more helpful way.  The article in no way tries to indicate that the Canadian government wishes people to succeed at killing themselves.  In fact, they have many mental health programmes aimed at recognizing the signs of depression and urging people to seek treatment.  

It is a double tragedy to have a young woman finding herself pregnant and alone to seek suicide as a solution.  However, they are many places were depressed people can seek help besides suicide hotlines.