Twin Lakes Church — Attraction in Capitola

My name is Janet I am a terminal cancer patient and bed ridden for a couple years now for the most. Seeing each day become more challenging. I became in dire need of a twin bed or as it turned out a full-size mattress to assist me in sleeping because mine had collapsed putting much more pain into my broken vertebrae and my other health issues making me suffer for quite a while now. I got to the point where I reached out to Nextdoor a neighborhood app literally begging for assistance. I received a variety of responses back. With some advice, some offers, some possible purchases not all a possibility for me but there were three people who stood out more than anyone else. The first lady I end up being introduced to was a woman named Kelly she not only offered to help me get a bed but also to purchase me a bed mattress and deliver it as well. Then when she found out I needed a complete bed she offered to go online and look several places for one for me and still pick it up and deliver she was so amazing. After most places she had searched had already sold or given away the things that we were hoping for so she contacted A friend of hers named Dee Dee as she is mostly called and I had been introduced to her when the pandemic started as she assisted many others in their needs for masks,.food and other necessities. Finding she was so kind and helpful to so many. I had lost contact with her through the next year but I hear she continued and continued to reach out and help others as she did for me. She ended up getting me connected with Twin Lakes Church in Aptos who took my message and wrote down my needs and after discussing my request at a meeting decided they wanted to help me. I would then receive a call from another wonderful lady Named Robin who I believe to be the secretary but so much more for Twin Lakes Church. Graciously she went to bat for me so to speak and through her endurance care concern and respect for my needs made the impossible happen and got the church to help me even though I believe 100% knowing the church as well as I do they did their very best for me as well. Robin has ordered,re-ordered headed ,perfected also gave me instructions, made everything happen that will by next week fulfill my prayers for a brand new mattress with cover and sheets for my broken bed in the back room and give me back my privacy and comfort I have so long waited for haven been sleeping sleeping on a broken down hide a bed for a year now while waiting for this day. I will never forget any of you. Kelly ,Dee Dee ,Twin Lakes or any of the other wonderful people who responded to my post on next-door . You’re all angels to me in my time of need yet now forever. This terminal cancer patient thanks you and thanks God and every other higher power who assisted ,cared ,shared and became part of my life in someway that day and every day forward. God bless you all from a disabled veteran who will pay it forward in this life or the next I promise you. Truly honored...

BEWARE of this group: they have slick, scripted services, and spiritual sounding music, but behind the curtain is a religious cult-like disregard for the clear teaching of scripture. Their customary practice is that If any woman in the 'church' slanders or gossips about a man to the leadership, they will automatically discipline or excommunicate the man based on the claim that the woman so much as "feels uncomfortable." This is their well-established practice and has been used on an unknown but apparently significant number of victims. Matthew 18:15-17 prescribes protocol for addressing conflict in the church. Someone who perceives another to be in sin or to have morally failed in some way is required to go to the latter in private to confront the person with their alleged misdeed. If the perceived offender does not respond constructively the first person is then to take one or two others along as witnesses. If the presumed offender still does not respond appropriately the matter is brought before the church. Continued defiance by the offender is to result in the congregation loving the offender but treating him or her like an unbeliever for the purpose of bringing them to reconciliation. Of course, it is likely this procedure would only be followed in the case of documented adultery, murder, or some serious offense, and not in the absence of any moral failure, but where a woman merely "feels uncomfortable." Such a pretext for excommunication is bizarre in the extreme, rendering this group in the category of religious cults, not of Christian churches. Of course, they attempt to justify this procedure. They do so by claiming that they are protecting the women presumably from their discomfort. However, such a policy injures the men who are victimized by this procedure,.it eliminates any possibility of personal growth or insight on the part of the women, it prevents any personal reconciliation or healing,, and obstructs restoration of relationships. Jesus' prescription does much better in promoting healthy responses and relationships. This procedure flies in the face of the clear teaching of scripture, well-established principles of psychology, as well as common sense social management practices. In the long run the disfellowshipped men are better off, as they have the opportunity to find a healthy church environment. They should just be thankful they got out of t his unhealthy cult. This policy may explain why they have no denominational affiliation. It may be that no orthodox group...

I am 44 years old, born and raised in Aptos. I attended Twin Lakes Church for most of my childhood and some of my adulthood. I deeply love Twin Lakes Church and many of the people who attend or who are on staff.

Here are three things that some people considering attending Twin Lakes may be interested to know regarding cultural issues, Bible study leader qualifications, and views of the afterlife. Each of these things was confirmed to me recently by Lead Pastor Rene Schlaepfer.

First, it is permissible for TLC pastors to hold LGBT-affirming views.

Second, TLC imposes no requirements for the beliefs or lifestyles of any volunteer positions, including home group Bible study leaders.

Third, it is permissible for TLC pastors to hold alternative views of the afterlife, such as universalism (all will be saved) or annihilationism (the lost will cease to exist). Eighth graders who attend the private school at Twin Lakes are taught that universalism and annihilationism are viable Christian views of the afterlife alongside eternal separation.

As I pointed out to Pastor Schlaepfer, it is unclear from the "Our Beliefs" link on the TLC website what positions the church officially espouses. It contains no language about marriage and only a single phrase about the lost that is compatible with either eternal separation, universalism, or annihilationism.

I sincerely hope and pray that TLC leadership will publicly, unequivocally state where the church officially stands on these issues and whether there is any requirement for TLC pastors to align with those positions. Or, failing that, to publicly state that the church takes no positions. At least then people will better know who their shepherds are and can make informed decisions on whether TLC is the right place for them and...