The church as commanded in the New Testament:
Simple relational gatherings of people who encourage and minister to one another in their different gifts and callings …
Not staged events by captivating “pastors” with their hip “worship” bands.
Let’s be the church …
And change the world once again.
Don’t waste your life:
If it ain’t worth dying for …
Then it likely ain’t worth living for either.
Jesus never said to be a “servant leader.”
Instead, He said to be a servant …
Just a servant (period).
Anything else is more about you …
Than about Him or others.
The measure of spiritual maturity is not perfection …
But how we deal with our imperfection.
We have it all backwards:
We designate a local leader and hope a church emerges around them.
In the New Testament, however, Paul started local fellowships first then let leaders emerge within them.
Big difference!
Often, we had no choice over bad things that happened in our past …
But whether we let them define us or instead turn them over to God is always our choice.
Failing to fully surrender them to Him, however …
Is why experiencing relational participatory church is so difficult for so many.
Consider this:
Actual relational participatory church is impossible …
Unless we learn to prefer one another above ourselves.
Continue readingIn marriage, the greatest gift we can give each other is the ability to love and be loved.
Wounds from past hurts, wrongs and regrets brought into marriage make this all too rare these days.
To give and receive the gift of love, then …
Care enough to pursue emotional health and spiritual wholeness.
Love may be gentle and kind …
But it also speaks truth, resists evil and defends the innocent.
Discipleship:
A vibrant relationship with the Living Word …
In submission to the authority and discipline of His written Word.
Coffee is proof that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.
If you need to write or read a whole book on how to hear God’s voice, something ain’t right.
Seriously.
Just start communicating and listening …
In whatever ways He created you to communicate and listen.
He’ll take care of the rest.
Freedoms and opportunities created through your own sacrifices for others are fleeting …
If they won’t likewise sacrifice to preserve them.
This is as true with individuals …
As with nations, cultures and generations.
Jesus hung out with those who are lost and know it …
While condemning those who are smug but deny it.
Many seem to have it backwards most Sunday mornings.
Want to restore New Testament power, form and function to the Church?
Then stop giving post-Biblical meanings to original New Testament words …
Based on post-Biblical presumptions, traditions and agendas.
Unfortunately, both conservative church traditionalists and “progressive” existential liberals do this …
With equally disastrous results.
Let’s let Scripture once again stand authoritative as God actually intended …
Over all presumptions, traditions and agendas to the contrary.
Wisdom is learning which problems have your name on them …
And which do not.
Today, “church” tries to lead folks into God’s presence.
In the New Testament, folks assembled to express God’s presence already in them – one to another.
Big difference!
Plumbline Faith 