Hey all, here's Tom's Address in Prison! Write him and pack it in a metered envelope (no stamps). Keep contents simple, and if you send pics, make them printouts on copy paper. That way they won't just trash your letter.
Thomas Jewell Jr.
Fulton county Detention Center
2010 South 7th Street
Hickman, KY 42050
pray for Tom daily... pray for him to accomplish God's work there as God accomplishes His work in Tom, there.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Prayer Language: Response to a comment
In 1 Cor. 14, i do find the apostle saying, "I wish you all spoke in tongues..." in that chapter. This is surely because it builds up the person who does it. Let's all be hungry for that kind of thing!
I'm not so sure about the part where you say, "paul says everyone is definitely NOT supposed to have it."
I see that not everyone has it.
I read that not all do it.
I hear Paul desiring it for all.
I recognize that there are greater gifts.
But there doesn't seem to be a major problem with everyone having it.
Now, everyone going BERZERK with ecstatic stuff in a meeting of the church, that's not okay by the Scriptures. Definitely not.
but what about the use of this spiritual blessing in song, during the worship time of the church? I understand that people aren't to clash with each other in the use of this gift. I understand that we're not to crowd out the clear, upbuilding delivery of the prophetic word with ostentatious glossalalia... but what about the "Spirit Songs" of Col. 3:16 and 1 Cor. 14?
I'm not afraid of disagreement, division, or trouble in these things. Let's let down our guards and really talk about it. I'll be bold to say that it would do all our hearts a lot of good to have prayer languages. This is clear in scriptures! It'd also bless the socks off men and angels alike for us to really throw down intimacy with the Lord in our worship times...
These are things that aren't FORCED on you by hype, but must be taught and encouraged. Honestly, they're good things... there's so much good news here for all. God has blessings in store...
Focus on the cross. Jesus died for you. Live for him. This stuff comes in His perfect timing, as we lay our lives down in submission to Him...
Know this: we're a long way from disorder in our meetings. we're safe here to experiment in spiritual giftings. Here, we can seek the Lord together, and learn how to pray for one another, use tongues, listen for words of prophecy, heal, all the stuff of the Bible...
So be bold to lay hold of Jesus today. He has loved you so much. Don't let go of Him. He'll never let go of you. He loves you. He really does!
I'm not so sure about the part where you say, "paul says everyone is definitely NOT supposed to have it."
I see that not everyone has it.
I read that not all do it.
I hear Paul desiring it for all.
I recognize that there are greater gifts.
But there doesn't seem to be a major problem with everyone having it.
Now, everyone going BERZERK with ecstatic stuff in a meeting of the church, that's not okay by the Scriptures. Definitely not.
but what about the use of this spiritual blessing in song, during the worship time of the church? I understand that people aren't to clash with each other in the use of this gift. I understand that we're not to crowd out the clear, upbuilding delivery of the prophetic word with ostentatious glossalalia... but what about the "Spirit Songs" of Col. 3:16 and 1 Cor. 14?
I'm not afraid of disagreement, division, or trouble in these things. Let's let down our guards and really talk about it. I'll be bold to say that it would do all our hearts a lot of good to have prayer languages. This is clear in scriptures! It'd also bless the socks off men and angels alike for us to really throw down intimacy with the Lord in our worship times...
These are things that aren't FORCED on you by hype, but must be taught and encouraged. Honestly, they're good things... there's so much good news here for all. God has blessings in store...
Focus on the cross. Jesus died for you. Live for him. This stuff comes in His perfect timing, as we lay our lives down in submission to Him...
Know this: we're a long way from disorder in our meetings. we're safe here to experiment in spiritual giftings. Here, we can seek the Lord together, and learn how to pray for one another, use tongues, listen for words of prophecy, heal, all the stuff of the Bible...
So be bold to lay hold of Jesus today. He has loved you so much. Don't let go of Him. He'll never let go of you. He loves you. He really does!
JP's Comment to last post
HEY EVERYBODY, JP'S COMMENT IS WORTH BRINGING TO THE TOP OF THE PILE. I HOPE YOU ALL REPLY AND COMMENT AND THINK ON ALL THIS STUFF A LOT...
John said...
totally. here's the thing with praying in tongues: i simply CANNOT find any place in the bible that describes EVERYONE as having it! in fact, i find quite the opposite: paul says everyone is definitely NOT supposed to have it, or else we would be puffed up with pride, not depend on anyone (let alone JESUS!), and on top of it all look really goofy to the world. this past week it was argued that when paul gives his little set of rhetorical questions about spiritual gifts, what he MEANS is that tongues shouldn't be used by everyone in the public sphere...right...so then why didn't paul just SAY that? he very specifically describes public worship in other places; if that's what he meant, don't you think he would have SAID that?
gifts are meant to build up, to love, to serve. they are used to help those in need (ironically that's ALL of us!) and often unconsciously they help the individual. how? they show us that no one person has ALL the gifts, no one really can do it on his/her own. i've seen this really clearly in my life lately. it's neither healthy to pretend like we've got every spiritual gift, nor to pretend like we don't have any. God simply doesn't judge the way we do...(there's hope for me yet!!) we judge in terms of the result, the bottom line; he judges the heart. that's how thieves, whores, and swindlers always seemed to catch the eye of Jesus...and the self-righteous always caught the sharp edge of his tongue.
yeah man, let's use ALL our gifts, small or great, flashy or modest, to build up the body. let's encourage one another to lay down our pride or fear and let God use the individual HE made; not the one we think we're supposed to be or the one the world says we should be. embrace diversity...rejoice in the wide spectrum of color, talent, and creativity the Lord has used in his creation, especially his children. keep in mind...lew mentioned (paul did first) only using our gifts to BUILD UP. who? the body. not our own egos (that's hittin me now) or our own pride. my gifts aren't meant for me. they're meant for you. and it goes full circle. i go last, you go in front of me, and Jesus is at the head. let's go there.
10:01 AM
John said...
totally. here's the thing with praying in tongues: i simply CANNOT find any place in the bible that describes EVERYONE as having it! in fact, i find quite the opposite: paul says everyone is definitely NOT supposed to have it, or else we would be puffed up with pride, not depend on anyone (let alone JESUS!), and on top of it all look really goofy to the world. this past week it was argued that when paul gives his little set of rhetorical questions about spiritual gifts, what he MEANS is that tongues shouldn't be used by everyone in the public sphere...right...so then why didn't paul just SAY that? he very specifically describes public worship in other places; if that's what he meant, don't you think he would have SAID that?
gifts are meant to build up, to love, to serve. they are used to help those in need (ironically that's ALL of us!) and often unconsciously they help the individual. how? they show us that no one person has ALL the gifts, no one really can do it on his/her own. i've seen this really clearly in my life lately. it's neither healthy to pretend like we've got every spiritual gift, nor to pretend like we don't have any. God simply doesn't judge the way we do...(there's hope for me yet!!) we judge in terms of the result, the bottom line; he judges the heart. that's how thieves, whores, and swindlers always seemed to catch the eye of Jesus...and the self-righteous always caught the sharp edge of his tongue.
yeah man, let's use ALL our gifts, small or great, flashy or modest, to build up the body. let's encourage one another to lay down our pride or fear and let God use the individual HE made; not the one we think we're supposed to be or the one the world says we should be. embrace diversity...rejoice in the wide spectrum of color, talent, and creativity the Lord has used in his creation, especially his children. keep in mind...lew mentioned (paul did first) only using our gifts to BUILD UP. who? the body. not our own egos (that's hittin me now) or our own pride. my gifts aren't meant for me. they're meant for you. and it goes full circle. i go last, you go in front of me, and Jesus is at the head. let's go there.
10:01 AM
more on prayer language
the comments on the last post were really helpful in framing some thoughts of agreement and response... Yes, we all have different parts in the Body, and different communities may frame up application of different gifts in different ways, depending on the gifts of administration, helps, teaching, etc, among them... That's wonderful.
In our meetings, there has been ample opportunity for the use of supernatual gifts. We have a format, a context, a history that lends itself easily to the use of spiritual gifts WITHIN the boundaries of Love...
When someone has a word of prophecy, it is in order for them to share it, for us to look at scripture around it, and for the community's leaders/elders to test it and implement actions around the message...
You see, as far as our meeting style is concerned, we've taken 1 Cor. 14:26 as a cornerstone for our philosophy of ministry... "So, my dear brothers, what conclusion is to be drawn? At all your meetings let everyone be ready with a psalm or a sermon or a revelation, or ready ot use his gift of tongues or to give an interpretation; but it must always be for the common good." The Common Good is the bottom line. We are christians who prepare ourselves to share in the meeting, together... Our meetings are simple: prepare a meal, eat it, clean up, sing, pray, share in the Word and the gifts...
Around such meetings is rising a culture of proximity: people moving into the neighborhood to be near each other.
From such love rises a sense of mission: people moving toward the lowly/poor in their sphere of influence, as they see themselves in such people... as they recognize Jesus in such people...
from such life rise the behaviors of love, otherwise known as holiness... (Gal. 3:15) "...be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in WORKS OF LOVE, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself."
So, "the common good", in avoidance of "self-indulgence", will keep us safe from hurting each other with our gifts. Isn't that the danger when the Lord grants power to us? We can end up using our powers to subjugate each other, to elevate ourselves! This is poisonous and violent in nature. But we were intended to use our powers for good (or for awesome)! That is realized when our hearts intend "the common good", and to "serve one another".
Let's guard against the desire to stake our claim in the meetings of the faithful! Be afraid! Don't let yourself glory in God using you! Whether it's one thing, or another, always set apart christ as Lord in your heart. Never take assurance or self-stock in whether or not God uses you! There are many who are used of God who will never see the kingdom.
Look at mat 7: there're those who prophesy, do miracles, cast out demons--people who set people free! Who will never enter into rest!
Look at luke 10:17-20: the real reason to rejoice in this world is because it's not our home and none of it holds any power over us, since we're HIS!!!
So, as we exercise spiritual gifts, let's remember Jesus in mat.6, where he warns us to avoid making a show, or playing to a crowd. Let's "eschew" (push away from us) all "ostentation" (showiness) in the use of any of the gifts the Lord gives us.
Don't forget to encourage each other daily to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, clinging to Jesus in our hearts, leaning on Him in each other! There are too many who live like the Church is a club.
In our meetings, there has been ample opportunity for the use of supernatual gifts. We have a format, a context, a history that lends itself easily to the use of spiritual gifts WITHIN the boundaries of Love...
When someone has a word of prophecy, it is in order for them to share it, for us to look at scripture around it, and for the community's leaders/elders to test it and implement actions around the message...
You see, as far as our meeting style is concerned, we've taken 1 Cor. 14:26 as a cornerstone for our philosophy of ministry... "So, my dear brothers, what conclusion is to be drawn? At all your meetings let everyone be ready with a psalm or a sermon or a revelation, or ready ot use his gift of tongues or to give an interpretation; but it must always be for the common good." The Common Good is the bottom line. We are christians who prepare ourselves to share in the meeting, together... Our meetings are simple: prepare a meal, eat it, clean up, sing, pray, share in the Word and the gifts...
Around such meetings is rising a culture of proximity: people moving into the neighborhood to be near each other.
From such love rises a sense of mission: people moving toward the lowly/poor in their sphere of influence, as they see themselves in such people... as they recognize Jesus in such people...
from such life rise the behaviors of love, otherwise known as holiness... (Gal. 3:15) "...be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in WORKS OF LOVE, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself."
So, "the common good", in avoidance of "self-indulgence", will keep us safe from hurting each other with our gifts. Isn't that the danger when the Lord grants power to us? We can end up using our powers to subjugate each other, to elevate ourselves! This is poisonous and violent in nature. But we were intended to use our powers for good (or for awesome)! That is realized when our hearts intend "the common good", and to "serve one another".
Let's guard against the desire to stake our claim in the meetings of the faithful! Be afraid! Don't let yourself glory in God using you! Whether it's one thing, or another, always set apart christ as Lord in your heart. Never take assurance or self-stock in whether or not God uses you! There are many who are used of God who will never see the kingdom.
Look at mat 7: there're those who prophesy, do miracles, cast out demons--people who set people free! Who will never enter into rest!
Look at luke 10:17-20: the real reason to rejoice in this world is because it's not our home and none of it holds any power over us, since we're HIS!!!
So, as we exercise spiritual gifts, let's remember Jesus in mat.6, where he warns us to avoid making a show, or playing to a crowd. Let's "eschew" (push away from us) all "ostentation" (showiness) in the use of any of the gifts the Lord gives us.
Don't forget to encourage each other daily to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, clinging to Jesus in our hearts, leaning on Him in each other! There are too many who live like the Church is a club.
6AM COFFEE TIME, FRIDAYS
I'm writing this post to talk about our weekly 6am Bible Study.
In the last month I've failed to make it with shocking regularity. I think I have made 3 of the last 8. Something like that...
I made an agreement with one of our guys and I'd like to refresh it on a broader scale:
Since I've been having a lot of trouble getting to Bible Study (allmyfaultsosorry), would you hold me accountable and shoot me a call those mornings if you wonder (and even if you dont)? All you guys can!
I'm in a season right now where one week i'm on a trip to Philly, one week to VA, one week to NY, last night up above Dayton till midnight... The exchange student placement season is GRUELING... Judy is in San Francisco, I have two German Students sheltering with us... And I have a three-year-old and an 11-yr. old to look after the whole time, except Mon, Tues, and Thurs. from 10am to 2pm. So I have a lot more trouble getting up and remembering to set my alarm correctly...
I'm not attempting to make an excuse, though you may find material there to help you understand some "bigger picture" issues as to why I've been failing so badly in regard to this. I'm asking for help... So JP, Smitty, Zach, Justin, Chris, can you guys just shoot a call? It'd work, but none of you's tried it yet, even once! Come on, man! Help a brother out. Sometimes we need each others' help to be faithful...
In the last month I've failed to make it with shocking regularity. I think I have made 3 of the last 8. Something like that...
I made an agreement with one of our guys and I'd like to refresh it on a broader scale:
Since I've been having a lot of trouble getting to Bible Study (allmyfaultsosorry), would you hold me accountable and shoot me a call those mornings if you wonder (and even if you dont)? All you guys can!
I'm in a season right now where one week i'm on a trip to Philly, one week to VA, one week to NY, last night up above Dayton till midnight... The exchange student placement season is GRUELING... Judy is in San Francisco, I have two German Students sheltering with us... And I have a three-year-old and an 11-yr. old to look after the whole time, except Mon, Tues, and Thurs. from 10am to 2pm. So I have a lot more trouble getting up and remembering to set my alarm correctly...
I'm not attempting to make an excuse, though you may find material there to help you understand some "bigger picture" issues as to why I've been failing so badly in regard to this. I'm asking for help... So JP, Smitty, Zach, Justin, Chris, can you guys just shoot a call? It'd work, but none of you's tried it yet, even once! Come on, man! Help a brother out. Sometimes we need each others' help to be faithful...
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Radical
Did you know that the word "radical" comes from the word "root" in some other language? Problly latin. What does that say about people we're calling "radicals". Are they bettter connected to the root? the Root of Jesse?
Friday Morning bible Study
Hey all you Friday 6am Clifton Starbucks guys! that's right FRIDAY! Now we're on Friday. Last week was a no-show, but this week is on. Are you in? comment to rsvp! Let's tear it up!
New Prayer Gathering
At six am on Mondays and Wednesdays, there's an opportunity for leaders of ministries in Northside/Cincinnati to meet at the Sidewinder Cafe, on Hamilton Ave...
This morning, I got up at 530am, jumped on the longboard and scooted down. gary and joanne from North Church were there. Gary works with City Cure, a big outreach to cincinnati. Very famous, city Cure... Joanne is an "urban missioner" with the Presbyterian Church... It's cool... Gary does Youth Ministry at North. Joanne, too. They are bringing in "interns" to work with ministries in the neighborhood. It's probable that their interns will join in our learning from Jesus, on the streets here...
Still processing a great ride last night, up and down Chase, at 11pmish... I love the way people are out. I know they're supposed to be up to no good, but they're just so "available". The guys who yelled out to me as I passed them on my board were likely to have been trying to just be friendly! I'm serious... I think racism and fear are ground deep into us who have been raised in affluence. don't we remember that we're all going to die, anyway? Why not try finding out that you weren't in so much danger as you thought.
This morning, I got up at 530am, jumped on the longboard and scooted down. gary and joanne from North Church were there. Gary works with City Cure, a big outreach to cincinnati. Very famous, city Cure... Joanne is an "urban missioner" with the Presbyterian Church... It's cool... Gary does Youth Ministry at North. Joanne, too. They are bringing in "interns" to work with ministries in the neighborhood. It's probable that their interns will join in our learning from Jesus, on the streets here...
Still processing a great ride last night, up and down Chase, at 11pmish... I love the way people are out. I know they're supposed to be up to no good, but they're just so "available". The guys who yelled out to me as I passed them on my board were likely to have been trying to just be friendly! I'm serious... I think racism and fear are ground deep into us who have been raised in affluence. don't we remember that we're all going to die, anyway? Why not try finding out that you weren't in so much danger as you thought.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
prayer language
Last sunday night, we hit cult heights. In addition to moving into a dangerous urban area...
SIDE NOTE: to all parents of twenty-somethings who got withme to ask me, "is this a safe move for my son/daughter (moving into this neighborhood)":
I WAS SINCERE, BUT I WAS WRONG. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT AS SAFE AS I THOUGHT. I AM SORRY IF YOU FEEL BETRAYED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S ROUGHER, TWO BLOCKS DOWN, THAN I KNEW.
end of side note
so, in addition to moving people into the urban to live... in addition to sharing a strong message of unapologetic, "follow Jesus radically, no matter the cost"... in addition to sending two to Kenya, where the AIDS epidemic is ravaging... in addition to believing in the stuff of the New Testament accounts to be NORMATIVE for the Church...
...we now have a septigenarian who has forced the issue of speaking in tongues, prayer language, singing in the spirit, etc...
yep, for those who were not there, Mr. Weiss shared a burden to have more "singing in the spirit" in our meetings, last Sunday. he shared his opinion that this was a neglected practise: the use of glossalalia during musical interludes--speaking in tongues/singing in tongues, and making up songs of adoration in English, spontaneously... He shared that we should honor the Scripture in 1 Cor. 14 where it says, "I will sing with the understanding, I will sing with the Spirit..." by spontaneously worshipping God with tongues during our singing times...
Then he really crossed the line, eh? He says, "let's do it now." and so I fires up the old 2-chord medly background on that black beauty of mine and we all tries to sing our hearts out.
Was it wrong?
Was it forced?
Did you hate it?
Did you feel something?
I'd like you to know that this stuff is real. I'm afraid that some of you might feel offended by a slight to your sense of pride or dignity... You need that.
Others might feel afraid. Afraid that if you don't do this--speak and sing in tongues--that you're somehow less loved, less Christian, less anything.
That makes me really freak out. Look, if this experience shook you from confidence in the Lord's love for you, I'm really freaked out about that. You need to know, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS TO BELONG TO JESUS! Love the Lord your God and serve Him only! follow Him unreservedly!
More later...
SIDE NOTE: to all parents of twenty-somethings who got withme to ask me, "is this a safe move for my son/daughter (moving into this neighborhood)":
I WAS SINCERE, BUT I WAS WRONG. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT AS SAFE AS I THOUGHT. I AM SORRY IF YOU FEEL BETRAYED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S ROUGHER, TWO BLOCKS DOWN, THAN I KNEW.
end of side note
so, in addition to moving people into the urban to live... in addition to sharing a strong message of unapologetic, "follow Jesus radically, no matter the cost"... in addition to sending two to Kenya, where the AIDS epidemic is ravaging... in addition to believing in the stuff of the New Testament accounts to be NORMATIVE for the Church...
...we now have a septigenarian who has forced the issue of speaking in tongues, prayer language, singing in the spirit, etc...
yep, for those who were not there, Mr. Weiss shared a burden to have more "singing in the spirit" in our meetings, last Sunday. he shared his opinion that this was a neglected practise: the use of glossalalia during musical interludes--speaking in tongues/singing in tongues, and making up songs of adoration in English, spontaneously... He shared that we should honor the Scripture in 1 Cor. 14 where it says, "I will sing with the understanding, I will sing with the Spirit..." by spontaneously worshipping God with tongues during our singing times...
Then he really crossed the line, eh? He says, "let's do it now." and so I fires up the old 2-chord medly background on that black beauty of mine and we all tries to sing our hearts out.
Was it wrong?
Was it forced?
Did you hate it?
Did you feel something?
I'd like you to know that this stuff is real. I'm afraid that some of you might feel offended by a slight to your sense of pride or dignity... You need that.
Others might feel afraid. Afraid that if you don't do this--speak and sing in tongues--that you're somehow less loved, less Christian, less anything.
That makes me really freak out. Look, if this experience shook you from confidence in the Lord's love for you, I'm really freaked out about that. You need to know, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS TO BELONG TO JESUS! Love the Lord your God and serve Him only! follow Him unreservedly!
More later...
Wi Fi
The guys come over and use the Wi Fi.
It really helps my life. Seeing them is a daily reminder that I belong to Jesus. That I serve him, overseeing souls and teaching the Word in the World...
They can just get a bit of the signal across the street, but to really get it to work well, they have to come over, sit at the table, or in the meeting room, and enjoy AC while they work.
This has led to a lot of encouraging discussions. In fact, our lives are getting really impacted, honed, sharpened... our minds, our hearts, our spirits... you never know what we'll get into!! It's been really exciting! At the same time, everyone shows a wonderful restraint, respecting when someone just HAS to work, and whatnot...
This was what I saw when we were praying into a house, and how to share it...
So...
there's all this talk about getting a "repeater" to boost the signal, so the other house gets signal just as well... bout a hundred dollars as far as I know.
yep, that's us. that's how we "improve" our situation... I wonder what the addition of the repeater will cost us, beyond 100 dollars out of dangerous hands...
It really helps my life. Seeing them is a daily reminder that I belong to Jesus. That I serve him, overseeing souls and teaching the Word in the World...
They can just get a bit of the signal across the street, but to really get it to work well, they have to come over, sit at the table, or in the meeting room, and enjoy AC while they work.
This has led to a lot of encouraging discussions. In fact, our lives are getting really impacted, honed, sharpened... our minds, our hearts, our spirits... you never know what we'll get into!! It's been really exciting! At the same time, everyone shows a wonderful restraint, respecting when someone just HAS to work, and whatnot...
This was what I saw when we were praying into a house, and how to share it...
So...
there's all this talk about getting a "repeater" to boost the signal, so the other house gets signal just as well... bout a hundred dollars as far as I know.
yep, that's us. that's how we "improve" our situation... I wonder what the addition of the repeater will cost us, beyond 100 dollars out of dangerous hands...
probably a cult
you know, in the last year... in the past few years, I've gotten several whiffs of "he's a cult leader" from the grapevine around the Cincinnati ministry scene.
you know, that's more than ok with me. it's great! Didn't Jesus say, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you?"
But what fools these people are, really. They literally shake my hand and bob their head, saying, "man, you're cool...you're alright... good to see ya... bless you..." And go away telling their proteges not to get involved with us because we seem like a cult... Then I see them again and they're all, "Heeeey brother!" again...
Man, ask me some hard questions! Grill me on theology. Confront my fruit--do people in my ministry live lives of sin, unconfronted? Do we teach falsely? Do we speak against God somehow? Are we bitter in any way that's inappropriate in view of the heart of God for a backslidden church?
Not once. Not once has one of these guys ever asked me anything challenging about my life, doctrine, practise, teaching, family... nothing. I'm available, but nothing. They just stay busy working, try to ignore me, patronize me when they see me, and then slander me subtly, "you'll want to watch out for that. It sounds cultic..." then, "heeeey, Lew how's it going, brother?" Well, get to know me.
If i were a false teacher, If I did tell lies, if I were an elitist snob, if I did work contrary to the Word, would you be faithful to raise a call to the Body? No. You would just skulk around the edges of it, too. I'd go unconfronted. It wouldn't matter unless it touched "your territory"... Well if I am, you'd better stop me. Because Jesus will hold you accountable for letting me go unchallenged to my death. He'll hold you accountable for my death and the death of many others...
There's no integrity in it.
Hey, if someone leans over to you and tells you that someone might be bad, ask them why they think so. Do they have a real reason to slander? To judge? Have they learned, listened, and discerned something real? Do they know what they're talking about, or is it just slander...
Hold each other to this.
you know, that's more than ok with me. it's great! Didn't Jesus say, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you?"
But what fools these people are, really. They literally shake my hand and bob their head, saying, "man, you're cool...you're alright... good to see ya... bless you..." And go away telling their proteges not to get involved with us because we seem like a cult... Then I see them again and they're all, "Heeeey brother!" again...
Man, ask me some hard questions! Grill me on theology. Confront my fruit--do people in my ministry live lives of sin, unconfronted? Do we teach falsely? Do we speak against God somehow? Are we bitter in any way that's inappropriate in view of the heart of God for a backslidden church?
Not once. Not once has one of these guys ever asked me anything challenging about my life, doctrine, practise, teaching, family... nothing. I'm available, but nothing. They just stay busy working, try to ignore me, patronize me when they see me, and then slander me subtly, "you'll want to watch out for that. It sounds cultic..." then, "heeeey, Lew how's it going, brother?" Well, get to know me.
If i were a false teacher, If I did tell lies, if I were an elitist snob, if I did work contrary to the Word, would you be faithful to raise a call to the Body? No. You would just skulk around the edges of it, too. I'd go unconfronted. It wouldn't matter unless it touched "your territory"... Well if I am, you'd better stop me. Because Jesus will hold you accountable for letting me go unchallenged to my death. He'll hold you accountable for my death and the death of many others...
There's no integrity in it.
Hey, if someone leans over to you and tells you that someone might be bad, ask them why they think so. Do they have a real reason to slander? To judge? Have they learned, listened, and discerned something real? Do they know what they're talking about, or is it just slander...
Hold each other to this.
Posts at Lewminator, Zach Cornelius
Hey folks, check out the links for Lewminator and Zach Cornelius. that's where there are personal news items from the folks who live here... The whole GK concept isn't to found some organization, but to provide support for the coalition of christians... the coalescence of christians into service of Jesus in the world...
To help us shake free from the stuff that is holding us down and run the race.
To help us shake free from the stuff that is holding us down and run the race.
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