Can a discussion board thrive without controversy? The AHA! moment.
Someone recently asked me if any of these boards can thrive, be interactive, be lively, and build up the saints without controversy. So I thought I would start a thread to see if it is possible. Rather than focusing on some theological tenant or some minor nuance of philosophical thought, I would pose the following question.
When was the last "AHA" moment in your relationship with Jesus? The last time He communicated something to you during prayer, when reading the Bible, or just going about your daily routine. A moment in time that is forever burned into your spiritual memory. Something that changed you forever.
What happened? How did you react? What did you feel?
Remember, we are seeing if it is possible to have a full fledge conversation without controversy.
When was the last "AHA" moment in your relationship with Jesus? The last time He communicated something to you during prayer, when reading the Bible, or just going about your daily routine. A moment in time that is forever burned into your spiritual memory. Something that changed you forever.
What happened? How did you react? What did you feel?
Remember, we are seeing if it is possible to have a full fledge conversation without controversy.
Tags: controversy
Views: 2
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nik P. on -
I blog on my AHA moments. So, there are a few on my profile for y'all to read. Some are more private and kept in a closed forum with more intimate friends. I usually get a glimmer of a topic while going about, but He stops me dead in my tracks to pray, open a Bible, and seek Him on that topic.
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Permalink Reply by Miguel on -
Since I created the discussion, I will go first.
Recently, while on a teaching trip for a group of indigenous peoples here in Ecuador, I was invited to a meal in a poor area. I gladly accepted the invitation, and sat at the table where they directed me. Those in the kitchen were working hard preparing the meal, and I received a healthy bowl of soup. It was quite good, and i thought it was sufficient. After the soup however, the main course was brought. Across from me at the table were two young boys and around the table were other guests and family. Because I was the one teaching, they served me first. It is a tradition within this people group to serve those honored first.
Eventually everyone else got their meal and the only two that remained were the two boys in from of me. Some time had passed between my plate being put in front of me and the two young boys receiving theirs. I suppose that after all those people being served there wasn't much "good meat" left and so one of the boys got a cooked chicken head and the other got what looked like a small piece of the back. The one boy looked at the others plate and laughed. He was laughing that the other had gotten the head. For a moment the other boy looked upset and about to cry, but then laughed because it was funny to him too.
Then the AHA moment. The boy who laughed took his piece of "good meat" and gave to the boy who he laughed at and took the chicken head for himself. The first thought after witnessing that was.... "Now that is Christianity!"
I was humbled by that act. I still think about it today.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Wood on -
Howdy saints.
This AHA moment kinda fits in with Miquel's *chicken head* incident.
A couple of years ago I was sitting on a bench in a shopping mall and sensed in my spirit that something was amiss. So I asked the Lord what the deal was. He said,
"I'm against you."
I sat and pondered this for a moment and then He spoke again and said,
"Would you be willing to eat the crumbs off your brother's table?"
I just sat there dumbfounded.
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Permalink Reply by Nik P. on
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I received books in the mail from a friend about unclean spirits. In our seminar this morning, the topic came up again of the supernatural coming against people. It seemed to prepare me because I have now recognized and commanded a spirit in Jesus' name. I am excited to see the results. . . I was armored and ready for battle.
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Permalink Reply by Katie Mather on -
I am surprised that one of my most recent AHAH moments did come in a moment of prayer. They mostly come as life happens, most of them when observing the grandchildren. Like watching a fight breakout with the toddlers as a result of someone inadvertantly hurting another with a toy being pointed out as how we hurt each other with out even realizing it.
But this one did come recently as I was trying to be less IC (formal) and more real and simple in prayer. My thinking on prayer has been that prayer life with Father is not about asking for stuff. That is petitioning. It is not about engaging the enemy. That is spiritual warfare. It is not in declaring things that are not as though they are. That is Kingdom life. Prayer is about dialog with Father and I came to the place where I just cried out, "My words are stupid!" I had no words to communicate what was inside me. I was there and He was there and anything I said felt stupid. So I just quietly thought about Him as I drifted off to sleepland that night. And it was perfectly OK. Stuff like this has made me come to a new understanding about prayer. It is an ongoing communication with Him all day long and it mostly sounds like this from my side: "Show me what you see. Tell me what you know. I want to be like you. Show me what is hiding in my heart." Then sometime in the course of the day, those AHAH moments come.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Mather on -
I think the more important issue is whether (from the Hebrew of course) the word "AHA" is properly spelled. It seems to me that everyone knows that it is rooted in the Babylonian word ahoy, meaning either "hello" or "goodbye," depending of course upon which way the person to whom it is sent is actually moving, i.e., moving toward you, then it means "hello,' whereas, should they be moving away from you, then we should exegete the text to mean "goodbye."
However, the essential element of this argument is based upon the inclination of the writer to have completed more than six years of theological study wherein he/she will make the leap to the appropriate rendering: AHAH! notice the presence of the exclamation point, which, as all pocket theologians know, is vital to creating the accurate atmosphere out of which the hearer would sense the excitment of the true spiritual expletive: Holy Moly!
Therefore, if the writer has intended to create a thread to discover the underlying truth surrounding the acronym AHA, the question is moot since everyone knows that it stands for American Horse Association, and is thereby outside the perview of the current population of simplechurch participants.
From my tradition (of course, WE are the only truth holders), we correct the writer with prejudice when we say, "The accurate rendering of the word is AHAH!" (Notice, of course, the exclamation point and the silent H)
So, we are once again engulfed in controversy here on simplechurch.com. Apparently, it aint no fun unless it's mean and nasty.
Miguel, anything else you want to fight about, I'm your man! :-)
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Permalink Reply by Patrick on -
Tim- That was priceless!! I am still laughing.
It also stands for the American Heart Association
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Permalink Reply by Lois Pettit on -
Thanks, Miguel, for starting a good discussion and asking for protection from controversy. I, for one, have stayed away for a bit as I don't like it, so hopefully, we can move forward here!
God has given more AHA moments the more I learn to listen, which is still a learning process for me, as probably for most of us that are learning to listen to the Spirit instead of a human leader. One of my favorite moments was when I was listening to a new believer that had never been a part of the IC. She was speaking of her relationship with her husband, who had not yet understood the gospel, and wanted so bad to share truth with him. She said the Spirit told her not to say anything, and to just be an example. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. She had never read I Peter 3. I had never shared that truth with her. It was truly the teaching of the Holy Spirit in her heart, and that was my AHA moment. The Spirit is real. He CAN change people. It was an amazing moment.
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Permalink Reply by Miguel on
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As far as an experiments go, so far, this thread is seeing a lot less attention than others steeped in controversy. I wonder what that says about our nature? I think I will give it a little more time.
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Permalink Reply by Lois Pettit on
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I am thinking, Miguel, that so many who don't like controversy have "left the building" so to speak, and it will take awhile to get them back. I don't refer simple church seekers to this site anymore as it became so impossible to have a simple conversation without having to deal with issues. I haven't given up, however, as I know the Spirit still moves, and heals, and restores. Perhaps quiet sowing of good things will reap quiet reaping of good things. Let us not be weary in doing good!!!
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Permalink Reply by Mark A. Trippett on -
Very good, Miguel! I have left this site also for quite a while because of all the controversy in the discussions. I got on yesterday for the 1st time in a month and found things the same. :-( I feel much the same way as Lois as far as recommending this site to people. I appreciate the direction the Spirit is leading in through you in this thread: could & should be very edifying and uplifting!
Like Lois, I have experienced more "AHA" moments in the last few months as I am learning to listen more (esp since the House2Harvest conf in Dallas). One major one was a couple of months ago...I was reading in John 3 and I read:
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
The last phrase, "so is everyone who is born of the Spirit" jumped right off the page to me like I had never seen it before! He was saying "no agendas, Mark...trust me, even though you cannot see (understand) where this is coming from and where you are going..." It has been revolutionizing all parts of my life. It has totally changed my thinking and my level of trust. I have had many more "AHA" moments from that point than before...and sharing that "AHA" moment, that truth with others is doing the same in their lives... It is a "scary", but exciting way to live! I can't imagine living any other way now...
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Permalink Reply by Patrick on
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Miguel,
I hesitated to post an AHA moment on this thread because all the latest AHA moments this last year were very real but very controversial in traditional thinking. I still choose not to post them because I feel that it would draw criticism and unintentionally hi-jack the thread with controversy which is exactly what is not wanted.
I could post about some surfacy type stuff that would be generalized as acceptable. Doing that for me would be like putting on the old man and old way of living, so I chose not to share.
The last thing I think anyone wants or needs is a criticism of how they see God and scrutinize their relationship with Him."How dare I say God has shown me something this last week if it is something that other people can't wrap their minds around let alone believe."
I am seeking Him. I cannot help what He shows me as I seek Him. I am open to His correction and I hear others objections. They can weigh on you as a minority in group thinking.
Who are we that we can measure what a person's relationship and journey are with Christ? I don't want that job. I will share in peoples post in the format and atmosphere of the post. I feel some controverseys are just as boring as posts without it depending on the people and topic.
I feel like I have already posted too much here... Sorry for the ramble, I did not want to hijack the thread in any way.
On a personal note, I would not let controversey be a reason to not point people to any particular site such as what went on with inflamatory talk here. I dont want to speak for anyone else but for me it would be running and hiding to protect myself because I dont have answers and I am not prepared in and out of season with the gospel.
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