Growing: Movement is new form of evangelism

Religion News ^ | Dec 7th,2004

[maestro]

But if they think someone other than Jesus is the light of the world, then they aren't Christian.

Right!

Merry Christmas......means,.....God Incarnate!

(Romans 10:17)

[maestro]

LOL

Do you ever have anything constructive to add to the conversation?

Idol makers are 'like' their idols?

(Romans 10:17)

[jude24]

Idol makers are 'like' their idols?

Just what did this pablum mean?

[AD from SpringBay]

Ekklesia - Local Visible Assembly bump.

[MissAmericanPie]

Seattle?

[Cold Heat]

By this description, it sounds to me like any Sunday school class for any Methodist church I have ever attended.

I don't know why this would be considered new or different. People who study Christ don't just do it on Sundays, and church hierarchy does not help in that regard at all.

Although the UMC has been getting press for it's apparent leftward bent at the top, the hierarchal Church is not really where the people are. The real church starts when the service is over. The building and it's assets are only used as a place to meet and discuss what will never be discussed in the formality of the church.

At least that has been my experience.

[ktupper]

Are mental assent and biblical belief the same in your mind?

If your belief doesn't inform your actions is it really belief?

People say they believe a lot of things. James says your belief is demonstrated by your works.

Do you think Jesus came to give us a life in the hereafter but just leaves us to wallow in our sin now?

- Kevin

[unlearner]

This author makes a lot of broad claims about the nature of these churches, but how much research was done?

Since these groups are not part of a hierarchal system, how can the author generalize about what they believe, unless many local churches have been visited and observed.

I suspect that there is great diversity among these groups. They probably cannot all be lumped into one big group.

[Ulysses]

emergent bump for later...

[missyme]

Seems that Seattle and Denver are a breeding ground for Liberal heathens...

[CharlieOK1]

and they tend to reject the exclusivistic claims that many evangelicals make about salvation.

They are not about to damn the likes of Gandhi or the Dali Lama to hell simply because they have not embraced Christianity.

________

I am a Baptist and strong in my Christian beliefs, but this is something that I have struggled with. Would be interested in discussion on this subject, but maybe I need to head over to the Religion board.

[CharlieOK1]

see post #31. would appreciate your opinion on this subject...

[BibChr]

Sure, and I'll be to the point in my response.

Viscerally, I understand the reluctance. But we balk because of our skewed values. We feel like, if someone is "good" and kind, nice to kids and puppies, and merely doesn't happen to agree with us on this one doctrinal point... well, that's not worth his going to Hell over.

Basically, that's because we haven't worked out the implications of the First Commandment. Jesus says that the crucial commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; loving our neighbor comes second.

Saying that someone should get a pass on shattering the first commandment because he seems decent about the second shows we haven't fully embraced just how "first" the first commandment is. It is like saying, "Look, this guy pays his taxes, mows his lawn, feeds his dog. Just because he sexually molested that little girl — that's nothing to send him to jail over!" Well, yes it is. That crime "trumps" all the other virtues.

Or, to put it another way: here's a man with a loathesome, fatal disease. He'll take vitamins, he'll eat his vegetables, he'll subject himself to acupuncture. The only thing he refuses to do is to take the one medicine that will cure his fatal disease. Is it "unfair" that he dies?

Hope that helps. Go to my Message Board, get more answers and discussions.

Dan
Biblical Christianity web site
Biblical Christianity message board
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Jesus says that the crucial commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; loving our neighbor comes second. Saying that someone should get a pass on shattering the first commandment because he seems decent

This may be a response more suited to discussion on the religion board but here goes. If God did not find other religions acceptable, why does He keep putting souls into babies that will be born and raised to worship Buddha or Vishnu?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[BibChr]

Interesting question. Ask it over at my Board. Joining's easy.

Dan
(c8

[Ciexyz]

Many evangelical and pentecostal churches also start out in storefronts and home-based groups, then go on to buy a church building and develop into established churches with a paid pastor and board of directors.

In foreign countries, congregations meet in home groups because of persecution by national authorities. If they build a building, it's often bombed or torched. They have no choice but to meet this way.

[Tares]

Do you think Jesus came to give us a life in the hereafter but just leaves us to wallow in our sin now?

Good works are a fruit of salvation, not a condition necessary for it. Salvation is a free gift of God ("get out of jail free card"), given according to the pleasure of His good will.

[Tares]

("get out of jail hell free card")

[BibChr]

Yep. As I used to point out when I pastored a church meeting in homes, in the NT "church" never refers to a building.

The problem isn't where these groups meet; it's what they believe.

Dan
What Is Biblical Christianity?