I am thankful for so many things in my childhood and family. I was protected from so much in many ways. I thank God that I barely ever watched any TV or movies. I thank God that I always had the desire to be a stay at home mom. I thank Him that I learned how to work hard, give my best effort at everything I did, and be content with what I had. I learned to be self-motivated and endure when things were hard. I learned to obey my parents and not talk back to them. I learned that it is important to go to church every Sunday. I have nine siblings, and I have always wanted to have a lot of children as well. Growing up, we had a lot of good, clean fun, playing in the river, skiing, playing neighborhood games, baking, sauna & swim, eating dinner as a family, hanging out with cousins, and more. I was taught a lot of great hymns, and memorized the ten commandments in Sunday School. I thank the Lord for these many blessings.
It is possible to be simultaneously very thankful for many things in our upbringing, while still also strongly opposing anything that was destructive or wrong. It is okay to be thankful and honoring to parents in the many ways they blessed us, and recognize that some of the things they did, were not right. It is healthy to acknowledge that our parents did the best with what they knew, and had our best interests at heart. They were not perfect. I am not a perfect parent, and I hope that my children are gracious towards me!
I want my children to be better parents than Paul and I. Where we have fallen short, I want them to do better! I want to apologize for the mistakes I have made and hurt I have caused them. I do not want them to make the same mistakes that I have made, but would be very happy to see them doing things differently than me, if it is better, and more in alignment with God’s word. There is actually nothing I would be happier with, than to see my children walking in the truth, and living a more godly life than the one that I am living. I also am seeking to grow as a mother, and be more and more conformed into the image of Christ, but I know this is a life-long journey, and I will never arrive until I meet Jesus face to face.
One thing that I was not taught growing up, even after going to church for my entire life was John 3:16, the most well known Bible verse in the world.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)
I was taught that going to the FALC was the way to heaven. I was taught that I was a Christian because I was born into this group. I was taught that I was so special and so lucky to be one of God’s own little children. I was taught that everyone outside of our group was lost and worldly. I was taught that the “world” (everyone outside of the FALC) were lonely and miserable. There was no hope of life or happiness outside of my religion, and I believed that for a long time.
I was taught that our church was the only place that taught that we could believe our sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious blood. Only our church. No one else had the forgiveness of sins but us! I was taught that we were really special, and only people in our church could truly forgive one another because we have this “blessing.” I was taught to only say “God’s peace” to people who attended the FALC, and to withhold that greeting from everyone else. I was told that we were the only ones in the world with the Holy Spirit, and truly believed that heaven would be only FALC people. I was even told that heaven would be like a never-ended St. Johns service. That sounded glorious to me at the time because I truly loved it!
If you are not from the FALC, St. John’s is a weekend every Spring where the FALC gathers in the Houghton, Michigan area for services. This was my favorite weekend of the whole year! It was filled with church, cousins, fun, tons and tons of people that I knew and loved, and lots of late nights once I got older.
I was so blinded by my feelings. I loved how getting a blessing felt to me. I loved communion, hugging everyone and crying. I loved St. Johns communion most of all, and felt like it was a taste of heaven. I don’t think I really cared about whether the sermons and writing in the Greetings of Peace was true or not. I just loved the people there, and I still do. I loved the good times and security I felt there. I did not question it for a long time, until I started to feel really concerned about the behavior of the people there. And, I also longed for deep, meaningful relationships and connections with people that I couldn’t seem to land there, even though I had a ton of friends and cousins. My heart was still hungry and hurting, knowing that there has to be more to life than this. I still came up empty, discontent, and disappointed.
Going back to John 3:16. God loves every single person. This is mind-blowing! I had never considered this at all growing up. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish, but will have everlasting life! I was not taught this!
The FALC version of John 3:16 is:
“For God so loved some people, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (believes their sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious blood, and attends the FALC,) should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)
The FALC does not go out and teach this upfront, although this would be recitude of them. They speak in round-about ways, and it is hard to understand exactly what they mean. I really wish that the ministers would be upfront, and just clearly say in a statement of beliefs what they really believe.
Everyone who believes in Jesus will be saved. This is one of many foundational truths in Christianity. You cannot have Christianity without this. It is essential doctrine. If a church does not teach this, it is not a Christian church. This doctrine of salvation by faith in Jesus is taught all throughout the New Testament and Old Testament too. It would be really hard to read the Bible in true humility and miss this.
People say “well the ministers study the Bible, its their job!” But one thing you must understand is that if you go into the Bible with preconceived notions, and motives to make the Bible say something that it does not say, you can twist God’s word. That is what the FALC does. They read the Bible and think that it is talking about them and their church. It is not. They take so many scriptures out of context, and make it mean something that it does not mean at all. If you read the Bible in pride, and are determined to make it mean FALC doctrine, or any other false doctrine, you can twist the word and preach it in a way that is wrong and deceptive.
All people who call themselves Christians should be reading their Bibles and testing everything that people say against God’s word. Read the verses above and below the verses they are teaching. Read the entire chapter and book! Read the whole Bible! Use your brain that God gave you, and think! Consider, is this true what this person is teaching? God gave us the ability to think critically, and reason, and we should do this.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
The FALC pushes a lot of fear. At least 10 people there have told me that they were afraid of reading the Bible, when I was leaving. This is absolutely tragic. This is spiritual abuse. No one professing to be a Christian should be afraid to read the Bible. The author of this fear can only be the devil. The enemy of our souls wants us OUT of the Bible, and busy with our lives. Too busy for God.
There is so much fear at the FALC. Let's see if I can list some of these fears people have:
If someone tries to talk to me about God, they could deceive me and pull me away from my faith.
If someone says any Bible verse, they are self righteous and it is scary to be self-righteous so you must change the subject.
If you read the Bible, you can get deceived. You might not interpret it correctly. You need a minister to preach it to you. They get direct words from God.
If you hear anything on the radio about forgiveness, change the channel immediately. This is dangerous. (Someone actually told me this one time)
If you start thinking too much about this, and considering that maybe the FALC is wrong, you could lose your faith, and your entire world along with it. It is better to just keep your head down and don’t think about it. Stay busy.
If someone asks you what you believe and why, it is scary to try to explain it, so quickly avoid the situation.
If someone questions anything at the FALC, they are in danger of going to hell, and losing all of their friends and family. Do not question anything or even think about what you believe.
Growing is dangerous and we should never grow spiritually. We need to stay childish and just focus on this “simple” faith. Do not think too much and apply your critical thinking skills. This is dangerous.
If you start reading the Bible and start talking about God and prayer, you might be called self-righteous, so better not. Just keep going with the flow of your friends and family. Talk about things that make everyone comfortable, and read things that the people in your circle approve of. Stay in line.
Not everyone there has these fears. These are just some that I thought of. There could be more fears that people have there too that I did not include. These fears are NOT from God. These fears are from the enemy.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” - Ephesians 6:12
There is a real devil who hates you. He wants you fearful of genuine Christians. He wants you afraid of man and consequences in your life of following Jesus. He wants you afraid of the Bible, and afraid of what life like be like to genuinely follow Jesus. He wants you to be busy and having so much fun in your life that you don’t even stop to truly think about eternity. To consider, wow, look at this beautiful world. Who made it? What happens when I die? Can I know God and live a life in right relationship with Him? What if everyone I surround myself with is wrong about God? What if the ministers at church are not preaching the truth? What if the Bible is meant to be read by me? What if I should actually be praying to God and having a true, deep, rich connection with Him?
The enemy does not want you thinking about these things!
The only fear we should have is a healthy fear of God. This drives us to read our Bibles diligently to seek to know who He is. It should drive us to pray fervently, run away from sin, seek knowledge and wisdom from the word, and live a life knowing that we have to answer to God for all that we think, say, and do. There is so much to say about the fear of God, and I encourage you to do a Bible search on verses on this, to see what God’s word says about it.
This was written in the Greetings of Peace, May 2024 (FALC article):
"We might be tempted to think that maybe there are some groups who have left our fellowship that might still be somehow in the true faith and that they could come back as a group. But again, referring the to Apostle John's simple explanation, they would not have left if they had been of us.
Walter Torola describes how several attempts were made at reconciliation of two groups in his book, Coming of the Lord Draweth Nigh, pages 25 and 26, after the First Born (Old Apostolics) separated from the Christians in 1888. None of these meetings in 1903 and 1908 to reconcile and reunify two groups with different spirits and doctrines were successful.
We would not want to give anyone a false hope that they are in the right faith when they are not in the fellowship of God's Children. The Apostle John, in his 2nd Epistle writes, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." 2 John 9-11.
If one is outside of the fellowship of God's Children, we do them disservice if we greet them with God's Peace. I don't think it means that we shouldn't talk to such a one or have them over for coffee, but certainly not allow them to spew a false doctrine within our homes and to our ears. We hope and pray for anyone who is lost that they might receive the grace of conversion and that we may be given the strength to encourage them to do so."
-David Taivalkoski, GOP May 2024
He is clearly saying that he believes that the FALC is the one true church, and everyone outside of the FALC is not in the right faith. He even encourages people to withhold “God’s peace” from anyone who does not go there. He says that they are the only ones with the right spirit, and they are God's children. This is self-proclaimed by the FALC. There is no way to verify this. It cannot be proven. It is just something they claim that has no evidence. One time I was telling a friend that the FALC believes that they are the one true church. She asked me, "What makes them think that? Based on what?" And my answer was, "They just self proclaim it, and there is absoltuley no evidence of this, and actually quite the contrary, the Bible says otherwise."
It makes me sick to read this. I actually do not read the GOP often at all because it affects me so negatively, how they twist God’s word. We should love God enough and love the gospel enough to despise anything that speaks against the truth in God’s word.
“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:104
There are many errors in this writing. First of all, they think the Bible is talking about them. The verses that they referenced are assuming that the Bible is talking about the FALC! It is not talking about them! It is talking about Jesus Christ and HIS Church. They are taking this completely out of context, and are using God's word to abuse, manipulate, and harm people and families! They are dividing families and hurting so many people! This must be spoken up against and rebuked sharply. This is not "no big deal"... we absolutely should not just ignore it. It is a big deal.
Just because someone quotes a scripture, does not mean that it is being accurately used. We have to read the whole Bible, especially the New Testament to understand God's plan of salvation. We have to look at all the scriptures and see that God will save anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ. ALL who believe in Christ will be saved!!
It is interesting that the FALC warns against false prophets. They are the false prophets. Ignoring the foundational truths about salvation, like John 3:16, and twisting the word of God, making it all about them and their religion. They may not realize that they are doing this, but they exalting themselves and calling themselves "grace beggars" while being extremely prideful, and shaming true genuine followers of Jesus, calling them self-righteous. They have a sign on their door that says "this way to heaven", when they are not teaching the way to heaven, through Jesus Christ alone.
They call the work of God (someone being born again and loving Jesus), a work of the devil. As the Bible says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20
I have had many people tell me that the devil has a hold of me, and I was even called a demon for following Jesus and leaving the FALC. I was genuinely born again and saved by the precious blood of Jesus, and many at the FALC believe that I am following the devil. Just because I left the FALC and speak out about it. Not because of any unbiblical behavior in my life. I actually love Jesus, and knowing Him & living for Him is my main goal in life.
God is going to expose all of this someday! Every knee will bow to Jesus Christ!! He is at the Lord of all, the Mighty King of all the Universe. We all must be humble before Him, exalt Him, fear Him, worship Him, and serve Him. He is coming back to slay His enemies. May many repent of this and throw themselves at His mercy and receive His grace in Jesus!!
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
To sum this up, I do not believe the FALC is a Christian church. They reject salvation through Jesus Christ alone, as the Bible teaches. They say that you need to go to their church and receive a blessing from someone in their church to be saved and have your sins forgiven. The ministers there that are preaching this are in error. This is its own religion that has been shaped through the years through different people who have preached there. It started with Martin Luther, then Levi Lars Laestadias, and has transformed though the years. It is not Christian. There may be genuine believers that attend there, but I do not believe it is God’s desire for any of His children to go to a religion that has strayed so far from His word.
John 3:16, John 14:6, Romans 10:9-13, and every single chapter of the New Testament says that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. It is everywhere in the Bible. You would have to try really hard to read the Bible and miss this. I do not believe that it is obedient to God to attend the FALC, going along with the flow there, without actively speaking to the ministers about their teachings. I believe this is spiritually dangerous for your eternity, and your whole family, if you are leading anyone else into this religion. I do not think you can justify going to the FALC with the Bible. The errors are so foundational. It is more than just salvation, but also what it means to be a follower of Christ.
It is interesting that this article quotes 2 John 9-11. I believe this verse speaks to genuine born again believers to not be in agreement and fellowship with people who bring in false doctrines. I believe that the ones that Christians should be applying this verse to are people like the FALC. They do not preach the teachings of Christ at all. They are destructive false teachers. They should be avoided. As this verse says, I believe that it is partaking in their evil deeds to attend their church, be a member there, and raise your children there. The Bible also says that we should have no fellowship with darkness. We can still love them, see them, and share the gospel with them, but I think it is unloving to give them false assurance that they are Christians when they are not following Christ. If you do not agree with them, but are quiet about it, your attendance speaks to them that you do agree. If you do not speak to a minister after they say something false, this is agreeing with them by staying silent. I want to encourage you to be bold and strong in the Lord, for the love of these people. It is unloving to allow someone to go down a path of destruction without warning them.
Christianity is so much different than what is taught and lived out at the FALC. Maybe I can write more about it another day. If anyone has any objections or biblical disagreements with what I wrote, I am happy to discuss!
I just request that you seek the Lord before coming to me with feelings. Read the word of God for yourself and bring valid scriptures to discuss. The Bible offends and I know this is offensive. I am okay with that. I have to stand before the Lord myself and answer for what I have said and done, and I cannot be quiet about this, while people’s eternities are at stake. I just do not want to discuss people’s feelings and experiences, as this is not a gauge for truth. The Bible is the truth, and if we feel differently than the Bible, than our feelings are wrong, not the Bible!
I write this not out of any ill feelings towards anyone in the FALC, but out of genuine love and care for the people I have known and loved my entire life. Love warns. As this GOP article said, I do not want to give anyone false assurance.
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