Plumbline Faith

Simple Faith, Simple Truth, Simple Virtue

AN EPITAPH FOR THE EXISTENTIAL FRINGE OF THE SIMPLE CHURCH MOVEMENT — January 1, 2016

AN EPITAPH FOR THE EXISTENTIAL FRINGE OF THE SIMPLE CHURCH MOVEMENT

The many years of repeated failures by the existential fringe of the simple, “organic” church movement – with authors like Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Milt Rodriguez, Jon Zens, Keith Giles and their buddies – stand as an object lesson moving forward:

Without the plenary authority of Scripture, simple participatory churches don’t succeed.

Although they are now fading away, in their day these fringe authors dismissed the plenary authority and discipline of Scripture – and in some cases even denied that the Bible is God’s written word – to peddle a Jesus of their own perception.

They then used the legitimate yearnings of others for simple, participatory house churches to promote their disastrous, extraneous agendas …

Eventually derailing the hopes and aspirations of many.

Their false Christ – who was little more than a projection of their own “deeper life” angst, post-modern sensibilities and trans-Biblical ideologies – inevitably led to dysfunctional, insular and anemic “communities.”

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COMMON SENSE — December 31, 2015
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER — December 30, 2015
COURAGEOUS FAITH — December 29, 2015
UNCOMFORTABLE LOVE — December 28, 2015
WHO’S DISCIPLES? — December 27, 2015

WHO’S DISCIPLES?


Real disciples follow Christ by submitting to the unadorned authority of Scripture as His written word …

While mutually building up each other through ministry one to another rooted in humble, Christ-centered fellowship with Jesus and each other, along side elders who emerge and serve among them.

Misdirected “disciples” instead follow some pinnacle “leader” by submitting to the self-serving authority of his own agendas and ambitions read back into Scripture …

While building up the reach and success of his “ministry” over others.

Big difference!

SIMPLE TRUTH — December 26, 2015
BIG FAITH — December 25, 2015
PEDDLING PROPHETS — December 24, 2015
A SURE FOUNDATION — December 23, 2015

A SURE FOUNDATION

“Progressive,” “Red Letter,” “Emergent,” “Insurgence” and “Deeper Life” – oh my!

Such post-modern, existential “Christians” know not Christ.

Instead of submitting their perceptions and sensibilities about Christ to all of Scripture …

They submit all of Scripture to their own perceptions and sensibilities about Christ.

In contrast, real disciples have a vibrant relationship with the Living Word …

In submission to the authority and discipline of His written Word.

Don’t settle for anything less.

THE TRINITY — December 22, 2015
DENYING CHRIST — December 21, 2015

DENYING CHRIST

Some proclaim that “Christ is All” in an attempt to deny all of Christ.

Typically, they reject the plenary authority of Scripture as His written word …

By claiming that their personal revelation of “Christ” supersedes all of the commands, precepts, propositional truths, narratives and moral imperatives He chose to reveal there.

As a result, they are left with a false “Christ” of their own creation.

The only thing their false Jesus really is all about is them …

And their own subjective follies and sensibilities.

Be discerning …

Deceptive cults love to use pithy but misleading slogans to promote unspoken premises and hidden agendas.

TOUGH LOVE — December 20, 2015
SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY — December 19, 2015
A FRACTURED LOGOS — December 18, 2015

A FRACTURED LOGOS

“Red letter” Christians only follow selective, out-of-context quotes by Jesus which conform to their own sensibilities …

While discounting the rest of Scripture.

Theirs is a pick-and-choose Jesus, supported by a fractured logos as they seek to divide the Living Word from His authority of Scripture as His written Word.

As a result, they know not Christ …

Which may explain their habitual existential angst and inability to create either viable disciples or functional churches.

FAITH IN ACTION — December 17, 2015
EXPRESSING GOD’S PRESENCE — December 16, 2015

EXPRESSING GOD’S PRESENCE

Who deceived you into believing “church” is where you go to encounter God’s presence?

The New Testament says that if you belong to Christ, YOU are God’s temple and His presence now dwells in YOU …

And that we should gather to mutually build up each other by expressing His presence already in us and thus among us through ministry one to another as the multi-gifted, multi-functional, multi-part Body of Christ.

The idea of instead going to staged “services” so religious professionals can usher us into His presence is NOT found in the New Testament.

Nope, not, nada …

Just ain’t there.

So let’s shift our understandings and start being the church …

Once again.

BECOMING FREE — December 15, 2015
SIMPLY FAKE — December 14, 2015

SIMPLY FAKE

Those who habitually are unable to start, sustain or successfully be part of a simple, participatory church in their own lives, home towns or anywhere else …

Often promote the published “organic church” writings of Frank Viola, Milt Rodriquez, Jon Zens and their buddies.

This is hardly surprising, because those authors and seminar speakers habitually haven’t been able to either.

Be discerning, because without authenticity …

Simple church simply doesn’t work.

JESUS AND HIS WORD — December 13, 2015
GRATITUDE — December 12, 2015
PASTORATE IDOLATRY — December 11, 2015
VAIN TRADITIONS — December 10, 2015
ONE ANOTHER — December 9, 2015
COUNTERFEIT CHURCH — December 8, 2015