How to deal with these people??

[exo152 0]

We know some people, who we used to work with in ministry. At one time we were very close to them, even our children were best friends. Then they left the ministry and moved to another state for better jobs. They have been there a few years, have bought a home and joined a church they love. We hadn't heard much from them since they have been gone. However, we did discover after they left that they had used their position in the church we both served to plant seeds of rebellion in the kids they taught. They basically twisted certain scriptures to say what they wanted them to say; so the "cool" and "worldly" things the Bible calls sin, in their opinion was NOT. The sad thing is they have convinced at least one of our children that certain things the Bible calls sin, isn't. 
Now to our dilemma. They know how both my husband and I stand on those issues. And from the pictures they are posting on fb they are getting even deeper into their deception. A month ago I received a text from them, wanting us to come visit because their daughter was performing at an big contest and she wanted us there. We cited other plans we had at the time. But last week I received a text from them again. Their son wants us to come for his birthday. He shares a birthday with one of mine and they always used to celebrate together. I haven't even answered the text. We really want nothing to do with them. Their lifestyle and ours are poles apart, We want no more "leaven" added to our children's hearts that is going to take a lot of time and prayer getting out. We love them, pray for them, but just want to live our lives away from them. All this sudden, out of the blue contact also makes me wonder, why??

[Cholette 0]

Well, I wouldn't be so hasty to cut them off.  They sound deceived, not corrupted...and there is a difference.  If they are good people outside of their twisted beliefs, why not spend time with them?  Our light of Jesus Christ cannot be light if it's around other lights.  It can only be light if it's around darkness.

I think you should think more about being examples of what a righteous and holy life looks like than how wrong they are in their beliefs.  Your children will be okay because what they were taught was just information, but you already built a foundation in them...you just need to do a little "garden keeping" and pull up the weeds, but it's not that bad for them right now.

You and your hubby should pray and ask God to help you be the examples of Christ for that family and treat them with Love...the way that Jesus would do if he was in your situation.  All of our doctrines get twisted from time to time, but God is steadily there for us until the truth sets us free.  Maybe their deliverance is in YOUR mouth.  Maybe your example of love is just what they need for God to open up their hearts and show them their deception.

They are not evil...just misinformed.  Try to change your perspective of them and let God use you.

Peace and blessings...

[exo152 0]

Thank you Cholette. Maybe I should have added that one of the reasons the couple left the ministry in the first place was that the lady of the pair has a Jezebel spirit. I am not just saying that lightly. She manipulated her husband, and  the pastor of that church, and the praise and worship leader, and the pastor's wife, etc. etc. Whatever she wanted, she GOT. The Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the truth of it when I didn't give her her way over a simple incidence. When she found she could no longer manipulate me to watch her children free of charge and all the time, at the drop of a hat, and that she could not dictate to me how to do my own ministry, even though she wasn't part of that ministry, she was done with me. It fell like dominoes. First the praise & worship leader, then me, then the pastor's wife, and eventually the pastor. When she sensed her husband was even beginning to see the truth, she hurriedly manipulated the situation and he was amazed that he was called for a job IN ANOTHER STATE. Of course, he didn't know his wife had pulled in some favors from some family she had in that area. And he was disappointed that all he was promised when he moved didn't pan out (he was told he was being seriously considered for a ministry position in a church in that town. Years later he still isn't doing ministry of any kind).
I just know that she doesn't contact us unless she wants something more. Her text may say a simple get together over cake and gifts. But there will be fine print involved that you don't even realize is there until you are caught in her web with no gracious way to decline.