Rationalizing

Recently I read that in a college class of 20, when asked what they thought 20 refused to take a stand against human sacrifice. I wonder if Sevier County is any different. I wonder if the GSMCOC is any different.

 

The author mentioned constant polling reporting a variety of beliefs implies there is no settled truth. The data from the Roper Poll on abortion is a good case in point. The question is:

 

Which of the following statements best reflects your view of abortion?

 

• 19 percent believed abortion is wrong under any circumstances.
• 7 percent believed abortion is wrong except to save the life of the mother.
• 18 percent believed abortion is wrong except to save the life of the mother and in cases of rape or incest.
• 11 percent believed abortion is wrong except in instances of rape or incest; to save the life of the mother; or in case of infant deformity, disease or retardation.
• 11 percent believed abortion is wrong, except in instances of rape or incest; to save the life of the mother; in case of infant deformity, disease or retardation; and where the child is unwanted and will not have a good quality of life.
• 9 percent believed abortion was permissible for any reason the woman chooses until the fetus can survive outside the womb.
• 4 percent believe abortion is permissible for any reason, except as a way to select the sex of a child.
• 7 percent believed abortion is permissible for any reason the woman chooses at any time during pregnancy; and no legal restrictions should be imposed, including parental notification or delay for informed consent.
• 6 percent believed that abortion is permissible during or any reason the woman chooses at any time during the pregnancy; there should be not legal restrictions of any kind; and the government should pay for the procedure if a woman cannot afford the expense.
• 8 percent do not know what they believe about abortion.

 

 

 

The question I have if abortion is wrong how do those other issues make it not wrong?

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Entrophy, It ain't what it used to be.

Prayers and Miracles?

Today a local company of Chimney Sweeps came out and cleaned out the chimney. Before they left, the owner, said "let me tell you about my miracle." I told her sure. She said last year she had cancer on her right index finger, they amputated to the second knuckle. She noticed a lump about the size of a decent sized potato under her right arm. She said the doctors removed 26 lymph nodes and gave her 6 months to 1 1/2 years to live. She says today she is cancer free and does not understand it. She says God took good care of her. Anything is possible and I will not begin to attempt to explain it because I have no idea. The question I have is, I have never heard a member of the church of Christ tell such a story, have you? We say we believe in prayer and we pray and everyone with serious illness dies and no one questions the results. Don't we have to allow for the possibility that we are wrong in our beliefs and teaching? James said you ask and do not receive because you ask for the wrong reasons. Religious groups around us say they experience miraculous healing similar to Joyce. We do not like to consider things. Karl Marx said religion is the opiate of the people and he may have been right things. 

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Entrophy, It ain't what it used to be.

What Form of Government art we to be?

If you were to ask what form of government we have most will respond that the United States of America is a Democracy but that is not correct. We are a Republic. A democracy is where the majority rules and the minority just suck it up. A Republic is where the majority are considerate of the minority. Have you ever thought of the form of government Jesus advocated? Have you ever thought it possible that Karl Marx had the right idea and it is we with our capitalism that is in error, biblically speaking of course?

 

2 Corinthians 8:14-15

    your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."

 

Acts 4:32

    Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 

  

2 Thessalonians 3:10

    For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 

 

   

Doesn't that sound a lot like:

 

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Karl Marx

 

We even have a welfare system that encourages people not to work giving them lots of time to eat. Can we imagine enforcing Paul's instructions to the Thessalonian church? Do you suppose Thessaloniki had immigration problems? You can see I have a lot of time to question....

God is Light

1 John 1:5  

    This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light (light that illuminates a person's darkened soul), and in him is no darkness at all. 

 

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

 

1 John 1:5

    This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 

 

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world—the very embodiment of the heavenly light

 

John 8:12

    Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

 

John 9:5

    As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 

 

The light of the knowledge of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

2 Corinthians 4:6

    For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus Christ "lights every man" who comes into the world.

 

John 1:9

    The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 

 

Believers are said to become "children of light" through belief in the Light, Jesus Christ Himself.

 

John 12:36

    While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 

 

Believers have been transferred from the dominion of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ, the inheritance of light.

 

Colossians 1:13

    He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 

 

Before they come to Christ, believers are not only in darkness but are an embodiment of darkness. But when they come to Christ, believers are placed in the Light and become an embodiment of the Light itself.

 

Ephesians 5:8

    for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 

 

Believers are the light of the world.

 

Matthew 5:14-16

    "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 

Believers are to set their light on a lampstand—to make their light conspicuous.

 

Matthew 5:15

    Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 

 

Evildoers shun the light.

 

John 3:20f

    For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

 

The creation of light is a picture of the expulsion of spiritual darkness.

 

Genesis 1:2f

    The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 

   

 

 

Job

I like Job. Each of us experience what Job experienced. Last night you asked why some unsaved people have many "blessings" and some saved people do not. You asked if anyone had the answer well I have one that satisfies me and which I believe the bible supports.

 

How we understand Job depends upon how we believe God interacts with people today. Does God bless with things and with health? Does God curse us by taking things away or by taking health away? Some people believe God does not know what we will do until we do it and is surprised when we do good things.  I do not believe the Bible supports that thinking.

 

To accept that God "blessed" Job with things puts undue importance on things. Job was a good business man and made good decisions. Once Satan got off his back he returned to being a good business man and made good decisions. Job was a millionaire at the beginning and he became a billionaire afterwards. Regardless seven more sons and three more daughters did not make up for the seven sons and three daughters killed. Intriguing, God permitted Job's children to be killed as a test to Job? That bothers me more than Job. Ten individuals just going along and die because God was allowing Satan to test their dad. Why not us? Why do we think he will not permit the same with us? Maybe we are better than Job (sarcasm).

 

Nature is unforgiving and allows for few if any mistakes. If an individual steps in front of a bus the individual's body will experience injuries and in some cases the individual will die. God did not kill the individual, nature, as God designed happened. If an individual comes in contact with bacteria or virus the individual's immune system (nature) will try to kill the invaders. Some times they are successful and some times they are not. God did not make the person sick nor does he heal the individual. Nature as God designed it happens.

 

Considering the number of Christians we have prayed for and they have still died or their health does not improve how do we explain what we say James told the twelve tribes of the dispersion? Do we understand what he really said? If the people called for the elders and the elders did their job how would anyone die? James makes no exceptions for the appointed unto men once to die argument.

 

That in addition to physical healing sins were forgiven James is apparently identifying a way we can have our sins forgiven without having to repent of those sins. If James' instructions are applicable today, if the sick call for the elders and the elders carry out James's instructions, no one will ever die and unrepentant individuals will experience forgiveness of their sins. That is not correct.

 

The book of James is thought to have been written during the 40s or 50s AD but we do not see the practice carried over in the books written later. In those books Christians became sick and died. James allows for no exceptions and guaranteed results, physical healing and forgiveness of sins. Paul had the ever present thorn in the flesh, Timothy had tummy problems and Paul left Trophimus in Miletus sick. Apparently the elders had been given miraculous gifts by the Apostles.

 

Understanding Job requires understanding and accepting how God deals with us. He has never guaranteed anything other than if we turn to him in every situation he will some how provide a peace we do not understand. He will help us through the situation and all things will work for good for those who love him.

 

Love?

Sunday the preacher talked about the verses below in 1 John. John wrote that God is love. Specifically what does that mean and what does it mean to us? We say it casually and continue on but I am convinced most people have no idea what it means and how they should relate to it. We use the word "love" to describe how we feel about people, animals, food, views, aromas, ideas. John says we should love each other in a social and moral sense because God loves us in affection and benevolence, charity, sense. What does that mean? In what way does love in a social and moral sense differ from love as in affection and benevolence, charity? Looking at the Strong's Concordance the following words are used and I have identified them in the verses below.

25 Love in a social and moral sense

26 Love in affection and benevolence, charity

1 John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us love (25 in a social and moral sense) one another, for love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity) is from God, and whoever loves (25 in a social and moral sense) has been born of God and knows God. [8] Anyone who does not love (25 in a social and moral sense) does not know God, because God is love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity). [9] In this the love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity) of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity), not that we have loved (25 in a social and moral sense) God but that he loved (25 in a social and moral sense) us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved (25 in a social and moral sense) us, we also ought to love (25 in a social and moral sense) one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; if we love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity) one another, God abides in us and his love (25 in a social and moral sense) is perfected in us.

1 John 3:16-17
By this we know love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity), that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. [17] But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love (26 in affection and benevolence, charity) abide in him?

an area we can impact in Sevier County with our new building....

Hi Howard, I've been reading again and am thinking this may be an area we can impact in Sevier County with our new building....

 

For the past fifty or sixty years changes in family patterns and childrearing have shifted the responsibility for the upbringing of children from the traditional family to other settings in society. With children spending a majority of their waking hours at school, parenting has largely been transferred to public school officials. In its modern context, public education cannot train character and teach right and wrong, providing the necessary moral limitations on behavior. This results in the state of the family being at the heart of many of the problems confronting young people today. Cornell University research shows that "While the family still has the primary moral and legal responsibility for the character development of children, it often lacks the power or opportunity to do the job, primarily because parents and children no longer spend enough time together in those situations in which training is possible. This is not because parents do not want to spend time with their children. It is simply that conditions have changed."

 

Today's young people often know more about sex, drugs, and violence than their adult counterparts. By the year 2000, 25 percent of U.S. teens were involved with weapons; 70 percent admitted cheating on tests in school; more than 15 percent had shown up for class drunk; and 5 million children---including three-year-olds---were regularly left home alone to care for themselves.

 

Young people are growing up in an age of overwhelming mass media, mixed messages, and multitasking. Forty-two percent of American homes are "constant TV households meaning that a set is on most of the time. The average American watches television about four hours per day, and it consumers 40 percent of his or her free time.

 

Wherever they turn, life is chaotic---wars, violence, environment crises, oil depletion, and terrorism. Children are confronted on a daily basis with issues, images, and material of all sorts---abortion, drugs, alcohol, pornography---and preyed upon by sexual predators, marketing mavens, even the government.

 

The impact that our school systems are having on young people and their psyches must be considered. Looking at our public schools today, it may be difficult to imagine that they were once considered the hope and freedom and democracy. Studies show "Ninety-five percent of American 17-year-olds cannot read well enough to understand technical materials and literary essays. This means just 5 percent of America's 17-year-olds can read well enough to understand the Bible…..Almost one-third of 17-year-olds do not know that Columbus discovered the New World before 1750! Additionally, we now have school systems that are, for the most part, heavy on curtailing inappropriate behavior and light on common sense and compassion. Nowhere is this more evident than in the over-all lockdown mentality sweeping through our public schools. TBC.....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.

Meditative Prayer, What is it?

This movement has been a long time in coming but it is here. Some problems are caused by sloppy vocabulary and too many "church" words. Words that mean nothing to anyone and everything to everyone, prayer is among those words.

Take Baptism, it means what you want it to mean. People can talk about baptism all day long and never be talking about the same thing. Church is another abused and misused word. We go to church, we do church, we meet in the church and we even use it to describe the lost (unchurched). Any organization with the word church in its name is considered religious. Prayer is another bad word. We pray, we pray for those whom we have a duty to pray for, pray tell what are you thinking and etc. When someone is leading (?) public prayer often he (or she) is preaching but no one mentions it because it is prayer.

Prayer is talking to God, nothing more and nothing less.  You cannot talk to God with an empty mind without words either spoken or thought. Meditative prayer is an oxymoron and cannot exist in reality.

It is too late to rid ourselves of church words but it might help if Christians would change their vocabulary. Maybe then the world will know what we mean.

Substitute "talking with God" for the word prayer. How does one do Meditative talking to God?

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.

James? Miraculous Times?

Considering the number of Christians we have prayed for and they have still died or their health is not improving how do we explain what we say James told the twelve tribes of the dispersion. Do we understand what he really said? If the people called for the elders and the elders did their job how would anyone die? James makes no exceptions for the appointed unto men to die argument.

 

James 5:14-16

    Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 

 

Was James' giving instructions in a time of miraculous gifts?

 

That in addition to physical healing if he had committed sins they will be forgiven. James is apparently identifying a way we can have our sins forgiven without having to repent of those sins. If James' instructions are applicable today, if the sick called for the elders as James tells us (or someone) and the elders carried out James's instructions, no one would ever die and we know it is appointed that we will all die…

 

The book of James is thought to have been written during the 40s or 50s AD but we do not see the practice carried over in the books written later. In those books Christians became sick and died. James allows for no exceptions and guarantees results, physical healing and forgiveness of sins. Paul had the ever present thorn in the flesh, Timothy had tummy problems and Paul left Trophimus in Miletus sick.

 

It suggests the elders had been given miraculous gifts by the Apostles.

 

 

The Assembly - Group Worship

Assembly and worship are not equivalent terms. The word "worship" is frequently used in the New Testament to describe an action outside an assembly, as when the wise men came to Bethlehem and finding Jesus "they bowed down and worshipped him" (Matthew 2:11, 12), or when the man born blind had been healed (John 9:38), or when the disciples in Galilee met Jesus after the resurrection (Matthew 28:17). Worship describes the expression of an attitude of heart characterized by awe, veneration, and respect. It always occurs individually whether one is alone or in an assembly.

Group worship is just a number of individuals sharing together---the actual worship occurs in the heart of each one.  All the others in an assembly may be worshiping while the individual is not. Or an individual may be worshiping while the others are not. The forms or acts such as singing and praying are not actually the worship. They are just the means of expressing the sense of awe or reverence that is in the heart. The heart must have a means of expressing itself, but the forms or actions without the heart are not worship. And the feelings and thoughts of each individual will not be identical even though all are participating in the same activity. Jesus was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane in the closest communion with God. Peter, James and John were a little way off physically and a long way off in heart and mind. The other apostles were even further away (Matthew 26:36-39).

A time for worship, whether of an individual alone or of a meeting of several people, is direct address to God.  He is the focus of attention and this is distinguished from the daily walk.

Our common expression for this assembly for direct address to God is "going to church," though it is not a very accurate expression.  

G. C. Brewer

The Model Church

Worship

A model church is necessarily a converted church. Its members have "put off the old man." They are in Christ, and are, therefore, new creatures. Their affections are on spiritual things---things above---and not on fleshly, worldly, sensual things; and, of course, therefore, they enjoy spiritual food, spiritual songs, spiritual surroundings, more than Sunday dinners, Sunday newspapers, Sunday baseball, or Sunday picture shows; for all such things are connected with sensual practices even if they are not sensual per se.

Worship is a natural expression of a consecrated soul. He who does not enjoy things spiritual is carnal-minded; hence, is in a state of death, is not a Christian, and cannot be saved unless he repents and is converted.

When the members of a model church assemble, they come into the worship with reverence. They come with one purpose, with one mind---their minds are all together on one thought. They come with devout hearts. They are all there when the worship begins, and they always take part. They all worship. They all participate in singing. Those who cannot sing follow the words of the hymn (for, of course the model church will have hymn books enough for every person present), and listen to the melody, and try to worship with grace in their hearts. All the members engage in prayers and say "Amen" at the close either audibly or in the heart. The worship is always orderly, systematic, and solemn. There is no confusion, no distractions, and no unseemly commotions; for there are no idle minds present. Everyone is worshiping; everyone is full of God. God is in the midst, and all are filled with awe. There is an atmosphere of calm, of quiet, of peace and reverence; for we are now living in the age "when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such does the Father seek to be his worshipers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

G. C. Brewer

The Model Church

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.

Church Culture

Culture: shared assumptions that a group of people have developed over time as the group has tried to solve its problems of external adaptation and internal integration. There assumptions are seen as proper methods of behavior. So, they become our norms. This is the correct way to think and behave.

Your preferred style of worship says more about your cultural background than your theology.

 

Joe Ed Furr

Public Worship Development

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.

Worship and Church Growth

Research shows there are generally five areas "seekers" are attracted to when looking for church homes.

1. A solid faith system
2. Warm, genuine hospitality
3. Qualify sermons
4. Quality programs for children
5. High quality public worship

In the 1970s studies into church growth the public assembly was not an important factor. The public assembly was considered an important part of a congregation's life but not until the 1990s was the public assembly considered to be highly relevant to the growth of the church.

Most church members want the church to satisfy their personal needs and preferences. They are not interested in taking action to satisfy the needs of others.  As long as core members are happy with the status quo, they see no need to change --- even if that means the congregation gradually declines.

Many members will object to change as being worldly. Change is seen as the pursuit of popular fads and fashions that ignore demands of the scriptures.  We are already doing what God has commanded us to do, so if we change we will be ignoring the Lord's commands.

Change is bad if change means apostasy. Change is not bad if it means repentance, growth, and development. Growth is change. Development to maturity is change. This change is good.

The failure of the public assembly directly contributes to the decline of the church. We cannot separate church growth from the need to develop and enrich the public assembly.

 

 

Joe Ed Furr

Public Worship Development

 

 

Truth - Tradition - Taste

When looking at how to improve and develop all aspects of the public assembly we need to first deal with a fundamental principle, the concept of church culture.

There are three concepts that provide background for church culture:

• Truth
• Tradition
• Taste

Truth: there are timeless, unchanging realities in our universe. The number one truth is "God is" and "God Never Changes". From the eternal and changeless nature of God come principles that are always relevant. Truth is never out-dated. Truth is not a trend. Truth is not a fad.

We believe the New Testament is our source for truth. Therefore, we respect the scriptures as being timeless and applicable to the modern church.

We believe the New Testament is our source for truth. Therefore, we respect the scriptures as being timeless and applicable to the modern church.

Tradition: God tells us what to do. That is truth. Often he does not tell us how to do it, so we must discover specific methods that enable us to do what God wants us to do and be successful. When our methods are productive we repeat them again and again.  Our methods become habits. Our habits become traditions.

A tradition is a method of behavior that becomes a norm within our group. We gradually develop the opinion that our tradition is the only right way to do things. When we form that opinion then we find ourselves confusing truth with traditions.

Most traditions have a life-cycle. Traditions are born out of necessity and experimentation. As we polish them they become more and more productive (growth stage). For a long period of time they become the standard way to act (maturity state). Then, eventually they gradually become more and more ineffective (declining stage). Traditions fade when world circumstances change,

Taste: Taste is what we like and dislike. Most people like to live in a stable state where everything is orderly and predictable. Change upsets the stable state so most people dislike changes that upset the comfortable world of order.

Many people confuse taste with truth. If we like X, then X must surely conform to God's will. So, X is truth. If we dislike Z, then Z must surely clash with God's will. So, Z is evil. We hold to the irrational belief that God likes everything we like and God hates everything we dislike. We fail to grasp the concept that God's likes and dislikes have nothing to do with our likes and dislikes.

Religious Culture: Truth is above culture. Truth is from God. Culture is a natural product of interpersonal human activity over a long period of time.

 

Our traditions and our tastes are two manifestations of culture. When we confuse traditions and taste with truth we are showing our personal blindness to the reality of culture. We are behaving as though true Christianity is composed only of truth and nothing more.

 Joe Ed Furr

Public Worship Development

 

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.

Worship

In the Bible, public worship is found in four stages of development. The first is the somewhat primitive mode practiced until the building of the temple. During this time no sharp line was drawn between private and public worship. In the second stage, it became highly organize in the Temple ritual which indeed had its origin in the tabernacle setup in the wilderness. It was led by priests assisted by the Levites, and included a complex ritual and system of sacrifices.  The third state was that of the synagogue, which began during the Exile.  This greatly differed from worship in the Temple. Whereas the latter was centralized in Jerusalem, the former was found wherever there were Jews. In the synagogues, however, the emphasis was more upon instruction than upon worship, although the latter was not neglected. The fourth stage was that of the early Christian churches. Jewish Christians continued, as long as they were permitted, to worship in the Temple and in the synagogue, although for them the whole ceremonial and sacrificial system ended with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Public Christian worship developed along the lines of the synagogue. It appears that from the first, Christians met in homes for private brotherhood meetings, and the time was the Lord's Day. 

Merrill C. Tenny