Why I am leaving AFF-

I recalled today that I have been on the Internet now since about 1992. I remember dialing onto the web with a 1200 baud modem. Much has changed since those days.

I found a discussion email listing once called "Higher-Fire." It was incredible and while it lasted, was cutting edge, and it was popular from Ultra Conservatives to the Liberal mindset. Every subject we have hashed here, was on H-F including Beards. I eventually became an owner of the list. It was limited at 50 postings a day and was plain text only to accommodate dial up users. One month, we had a man come in who made Mark Bassett look like a kindergarten student. His name was Steve Starcher and he was working on becoming what would be one of the first genuine doctors in Pentecost. He was not a mail-order graduate, he was one who had been through theology in seminary. He was a member of the Society for Charismatic-Pentecostal Studies if I recall the name. He told of an upcoming series of studies and for those of us used to 50-100 word posts, his 25000 word thesis were huge. He later had audience with The Pope in Rome as a representative of Oneness Pentecostals. I remember the back lash at SS, due to him being 1- a Charismatic and 2- His views on meeting with The Pope. Even when SS posted his affirmation of the essential need of Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus Name, and the infilling gift of the Holy Ghost (he called it Spirit) in one's life, he was rebuffed. In a huff, part of the board left and started a new Yahoo group, and then a splinter again to a later Yahoo group. H-F is still barely alive with 1 or 2 postings a month. The other groups are dust in cyberspace. I remember One member coming on H-F with news of a "disscussion board" called Faithchild Forum. We had suffered the splits and we had a policy of not promoting other groups, so the discussion of the "Neuman hair threads" never was a topic, and I never found FCF at that time.


In a turn of events, I experimented with "net-evangelism" on IRC. That seemed to have results, and one lady was baptized in a large Southern church with high ranking officials nearby. I have forever wondered what became of her, for due to my Father's impending terminal sickness, I left #Apostolic never to go back ever again.

I did find FCF and lurked for about 6 months not making a single posting. Mark Bassett was there, and after a few PM's and emails, I joined in the fray. I was there the fatefull night SoCali questioned a ban. I posted and thought for sure, they would bounce me too, for the air was thick with tension! And we all rode that ship to the bottom.


I joined NFCF and deleted all my postings, but went back and cross posted, as I was tired of the 250000 posts calling for justice from all the WWOD nicknames. I remember when the plug was pulled....but I found a back door and we tried to resurrect the spirit of JY with his actual postings.

Somehow, I was cornered into Admin on NFCF and I began to learn what could be done with vBulletin. Alas, we had no server access, so we were crippled. We rode that storm to the end, and well those remembrances are best left alone. So one year ago, we began again. Twice, we lost all the postings we had, and some great thoughts, and many corny jokes.

We gained full server access with AFFand so we had skins and smilies and addons like Bible, and Youtube videos. We all had high expectations and bruises from the tossing of the ship we rode in on. Jim Renfro, Jr fronted the payment to put us back up in a week (later split with another owner). We announced Feb 14th to open, and I think the switch was flipped Feb 12th. The lost integrity of the former forum had AFF called "The Backsliders Forum" and "Where Preachers are Used and Abused." Two of the owners, including myself were silent, for if we could not have success, we did not want the shame of being a part of such a mess. It was asked that all be civil, and all bashing of ministry was frowned on. For Nine months or so, we were the envy of the entire web. I stopped hiding both my ownership and the fact of who I was six months ago or so. I remember the PM from other starting forum owners asking how we did it, and how we were always busy. Somewhere our goals were lost and now I again am ashamed to be even a member. Even the postings speak more than anything else-



I have received many PM and emails asking what happened. Somethings are best left unsaid and untold. Others will interpret what I say here I am sure. I never went back to IRC, and except to read and spell check this post, I will log off, clear my Firefox cookie and never be back. I am not going to create a new name (not even with my own photo!), and I will not login to my wife's login. I will simply fade away and never return, unless expressly asked by Renda. (I remain the Apostolic Expert on vBulletin) Renda and myself balanced each other in the turbulent times of NFCF and her sweet spirit was an aide in the turbulence we saw here too.

I have never said one word against Mike Flemming for what happened on FCF.- I did make a few references to "the DVD," but was more joking than serious. I for all I can remember never either said a word against Vicki Yohe for her support on NFCF. I appreciated what she did do for the rest of us on the board to be able to post for a year or so. I do remember rebuffing some such postings striking at her- we could move along and heal from that. We had the Google Ads and that has paid for most of the hosting for this next year (the rest paid by myself and the other owner leaving). It took me a few hours each night to edit out the joke ads like "Russian Women Looking For Brides" that used to appear on Thad's Posts. And the ads for the Presbyterian Church were surely not Apostolic. So, you are all in better shape than a year ago when there was nothing in the bank. I leave you with a memory from the past, and thanks for the memories here.