November 2008 Blog Posts (110)

Victory Over Anger

Anger is a response to things that a person considers negative that has happened around them or to them. It is an emotion which is has various levels of intensity and different responses.

People under go changes in they personality when they get angry. They often are no longer in control, become irrational, and say or do things that they later regret.

Different Degrees of Anger

There are difference words in the English language used to… Continue

Added by Bob Mutch on November 30, 2008 at 10:30pm — 5 Comments

True Spiritual Discernment – Making Righteous Judgments

True Spiritual Discernment – Making Righteous Judgments

Sunday, 30. November 2008

Kriston Couchey

Making Righteous Judgments

Scripture says “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 'For who… Continue

Added by Kriston Couchey on November 30, 2008 at 7:08pm — No Comments

Deinstituionalization Part II - Anger

This is the next part of the grieving process we expereience after leaving the ic. The whole thing can be found in chapter 14 of Escaping Church: A Guide to Life Outside the Institution which can be found at www.TimMather.com.

A Stage two of the grieving process is Anger. This is the moment when the lie becomes clear and the wound is inflicted. We’ve been lied to: the clergy said the institution is God’s plan for the Called Out Ones.

They lied. And we’re… Continue

Added by Tim Mather on November 29, 2008 at 6:00pm — 2 Comments

Vision for a Church

The Perfected Church

1. We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is truly the head, the Chief Shepherd, the Source of all that we are. He directs our meetings, inspires our testimonies, ministers to the sick, the lonely, the destitute and He alone is glorified among us. I Peter 2:25 and Isaiah 48:11

2. We meet in a home (Acts 20:20), and if there are too many we start a new group. Perhaps, as the Lord would direct, we might have fellowship in a larger setting with the other groups. But… Continue

Added by dean on November 29, 2008 at 3:47pm — 1 Comment

Viral Christianity

I wrote a little bit about the idea of Viral Christianity on my primary blog. You can find that article here.

Added by Tim Thompson on November 29, 2008 at 2:29pm — No Comments

Intentional Discipleship

I recently read a blog post by Molong Nacau regarding what he terms Intentional Discipleship. I was challenged by this blog because it breaks down discipleship into a very livable, natural part of our Christian life. I think in the West we sometimes struggle with the term discipleship and try to systematize it beyond what it was intended. Though systemitazation has its place, it can make discipleship programmatic, cold, and non-relational, something us Westerners are very good at. As we… Continue

Added by Phillip Stehman on November 29, 2008 at 11:00am — No Comments

Stripping Down to Christ Alone: Rethinking the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

House2House published this article recently. Go to:

http://www.story.house2house.com/2008/11/26/stripping-down-to-christ-alone/

Added by Frank Viola on November 29, 2008 at 9:10am — 1 Comment

Facility Search

We are seeking an off-site camping facility for our annual Family Camp for The Christian Family Fellowship Ministry. The following are preferred amenities (understanding that these might not all be available):

GENERAL:

• Prefer camping in our own private housing/meeting/dining area, but would not have to have the entire campgrounds to ourselves; we understand that recreation may have to be shared

• Prefer more of a not-too-rustic camping environment, rather than a… Continue

Added by Robert A. Lightfoot on November 28, 2008 at 5:12pm — 1 Comment

Sin You Must Teaching

Sin-You-Must -- This teaching holds that a person will continue to commit sin after being saved and that as a believer you will sin in word, thought, and deed almost daily. Teachers of this doctrine say that we should try not to sin but that sinning and repenting is the reality of living in this flesh.

Most would teach that if you commit a serious sin like fornication or adultery you would fall out of fellowship with God. If you would continued committing… Continue

Added by Bob Mutch on November 27, 2008 at 1:29pm — 6 Comments

Deinstitutionalization - Part I

The following is an excerpt from my book Escaping Church which can be found at www.timmather.com in ebook form.

Your recovery from institutionalism will take time. Give yourself permission to heal from

the chains. Take time to heal well. It is much the same as what one experiences grieving the

loss of a loved one. A grieving process will take a similar route Kubler-Ross describe as denial,

anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, the acronym for which is:… Continue

Added by Tim Mather on November 27, 2008 at 7:30am — 4 Comments

I Love the New Look of the Site - Nicely Done - Happy Thanksgiving to All Who Celebrate It

Blessings,
Frank
www.frankviola.wordpress.com

Added by Frank Viola on November 27, 2008 at 7:21am — No Comments

Forums, Universalism, and "In honor preferring one another!"

Well, over the last 8 days while I have been lounging out in the sun in Mexico and gently ignoring the rest of the world (except for my oldest son and daughter-in-law who were with us), I find that I am being described as:

-to busy to respond

-letting the devil get a foothold

-allowing purgatory on earth by letting the discussion boards flow without policing

-obviously happy with the situation because my lack of response speaks volumes!

-allowing this like a cancer to… Continue

Added by Tony Dale on November 26, 2008 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Part 3 of the Dale travelogue and some thoughts on blogs and forums and social networking sites!

I can't believe that it has taken three of these e-letters just to try to get up to date on our recent travel and mission opportunities. I used to hate watching old home movies, and the last thing that I want to do for any of you kind enough to read these e-letters is bore you to death. So ignore the next few paragraphs, and skip to the thoughts on blogs and social networks if the lessons learned in travel are not of interest to you!.

China and Hong Kong: For any of you who have not… Continue

Added by Tony Dale on November 26, 2008 at 12:04pm — No Comments

Primer on HyperPreterism

I have found this primer and thought it may be useful for those who would like to understand more about preterism, hyperpreterism, or pantelism. I myself am an orthodox preterist and would deny the views of hyperpreterism or pantelism. Feel free to ask questions afterwards or comment accordingly.

Blessings,

Michael

This primer or introduction has been written with intent to be used by pastors & “congregants” to familiarize themselves… Continue

Added by Miguel on November 25, 2008 at 11:08pm — 15 Comments

Linda's Journal - November 21-25, 2008

Friday, November 21, 2008

I have been thinking about how weird it is to not be “worried” or struggling with anything lately. Things seem to have just settled into a “normal routine”… but when I think about our life, nothing about it is normal!! But then I guess it depends on your definition of normal too :)

Tom and I have been doing very well the last week or two. Tom seems to be more at peace with things lately. We were talking the other day about the fact that he hasn’t… Continue

Added by Linda Daniels on November 25, 2008 at 11:45am — No Comments

Being Transparent

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

This past week, I was asked a question that on the surface didn’t seem that penetrating, but in the end was life changing for me. The question was simply: “What do you need from me this week?” Now this wouldn’t seem like a difficult question to answer, but for me it was. After a few seconds of thought I gave the standard surface answer: “You can pray for me.”

It was from this exchange that God began to unravel my inner wiring… Continue

Added by Carl Willis on November 24, 2008 at 9:14am — No Comments

Giving, Tithing, What?

My husband and I are still in the Institutional Church. Today, our pastor preached a sermon on giving. Boy, was it a doozy Here are some of the points that he made:

-Don't give if you're not going to give cheerfully (okay)

-If you don't "tithe" then it is like you are taking a bite of "the fruit" (referring to the fall in Genesis). Basically I guess he was saying if you don't give, then you are sinning (what!?!) And hey, isn't tithing a practice of the old covenant??… Continue

Added by RacquelG on November 24, 2008 at 12:43am — 6 Comments

Overlooking an Offense

Overlooking an Offense - From Challies.com

“How do you discern when to take something up with a person and when is it something to just let go (is it ever right to just “let it go”?).”

There are a couple of Scripture verses that seem especially and immediately applicable to this question. Proverbs 17:14 says, “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.” This tells me that there are some situations in which strife is unnecessary and… Continue

Added by Miguel on November 23, 2008 at 9:26pm — No Comments

What if they came to your house...

I have a question. If someone like Sarah (Sarah's Imagination - recently removed from SimpleChurch - who was an Indigo Bhuddist Christian) came to your home meeting, at what point would you say... ahhhh.... I don't think this is the truth.. and define and limit the presentation of material that is quite clearly not founded on the Lordship of Jesus Christ? You want your house church to be evangelistic, it is a wonderful way to reach the lost, so how do you face the issue there? This is a real… Continue

Added by Carolyn on November 23, 2008 at 7:21am — 1 Comment