Gracepoint has created another listing on yelp that it "claims" under "Gracepoint Church." The former "Gracepoint Berkeley" is no longer claimed, perhaps due to all the bad reviews?
How have people been rebuked or publically humiliated at gracepoint? Let me count the ways
Sleeping too much- we were driving to Yosemite after finals week and I was exhausted but not like I could say no to these trips. Fell asleep in the car and got rebuked for not being alert enough and something about putting aside my fleshly body.
Being too tired - also not smiling enough. Got pulled aside by older guys and my leader for not having a better attitude and disposition at church. In hindsight this all probably was partly cause I wasn't sleeping enough.
Talking to girls- I was talking to someone of the opposite gender from church (whom I had no interest in). Got a drilled by a bunch of older guys - not leaders or the pastor, just guys in the class above me, about why I was talking to her and if I liked her or not.
Not sharing who I liked- a bunch of mostly the same guys in the class above me randomly asked me to tell them who I liked at church. Ostensibly to keep me on the right track, I guess.
Studying with girls- I invited a group of people (male and female) from my chem class over to study in our apartment the night before a major exam. Got pulled aside again and was told we don't allow the opposite gender into the brothers' apartment for fear of going astray.
Studying at the wrong times- i had a major exam the next day and stayed out till like 1 am. Walk in the door and my roommate asks me point blank, "what are you doing out so late? That's really suspicious."
The next time I got home too late from the library I actually sat in my car terrified, pondering if I should just sleep there overnight.
Walking into the room at the wrong time- I came in to help with something and the joyland kids were watching star wars episode 2 when analkin was saying some corny line to padme. In front of everyone, my leader just said to me, don't worry, you'll get a chance someday.
Not going up during public dedication time- I was walking out after a Sunday Sermon and got pulled aside by my leader. Apparently the message was really relevant to me and I should've gone up.
Going up during public dedication time- feeling pressure to go up during public dedication time once in a while, I got pulled aside by a different leader to ask why I went up. I guess my answers weren't good enough, he gave me a lecture about being more specific in my reasons and dedications.
Not taking down sound equipment fast enough- some class brothers and I got recruited to put up sound equipment before bible study. None of us were asked, we were just doing this now, I guess. After bible study we all went to mingle and eat the provided snacks like we always did. Later I was sitting in the car with my leader and he just went off on me, like full blown screaming at the top of his lungs, for not taking down the sound equipment right after bible study. I really thought he was going to hit me.
Not volunteering for enough activities- our whole class got an hour long earful from one of the leaders for not signing up enough for tabling and handing out flyers.
????- Kelly smn spent like over an hour reaming the entire congregation over the spiritual wellbeing of our church. And stuff. One guy in the front row was crossing his legs and chewing gum and she just gave it to him in front of the whole church. Yes, this really happened.
Sharing sensitive information on reflection sheets- my leader shared something embarrassing I wrote on my reflection sheet during a group meeting. An older leader had to cut him off. Just be careful what you write, these things aren't confidential.
Not sharing enough on my reflection sheets- I think if you read this far you know what's coming. That same leader gave me grief for not sharing "specifically" or thoughtfully enough on my reflection sheets. Knowing what I know now, if I could go back I would copy and paste movie plots from wikipedia onto my reflection sheet.
Not volunteering for skits and a song at someone's wedding - wouldn't you want others to do this for you at your wedding? No, I said, in my head to myself while no one was around. I really wish I had more of a spine back then. I swear these people don't know what the word volunteer means.
Look, just avoid all the mistakes I made above and I'm sure you'll avoid the humiliations and rebukings. Unless I'm missing something here.
I know a lot of what I shared centers around how to relate to the other gender, but it's a major sticking point for them. When I finally got the nerve during graduate school in my mid 20s to ask my leader about dating, they just said I wasn't spiritually ready. I defy anyone in this church To explain what that term means. Pastor Ed telling the congregation that if they like someone, to just call them up and ask them out, feels a lot like Pilate washing his hands in a bowl of water and walking away.
