Friday Free For All

So this last week I went to go see a friend of mine in a singing group lead worship at a revival that was being put on by a local penticostal church. Music was upbeat...fine, the congregation was into the worship...as was I, however when the lead singer of the group kept preaching inbetween songs...I was dissapointed, not that the guy was preaching, but what they guy was preaching. Now I have a lot of tolerance...but everyone has their limit. The guy was drawing a line between pentecostal churches and "nominal" non-pentecostal churches. Churches that "had the spirit" in his opinion and churches that did not. He went on to say that the worship in these nominal churches was considered "witchcraft" as they have to keep conguring up the spirit. He then went on to say that he was glad to be in a church, "where the spirit was already here!" Then they went into encouraging everyone..."everyone" to begin to pray in tongues and worship in tongues! I had never hearrd of worshipping in tongues...that was new to me! However, just wondering if any of you have seen such a line drawn from your pentecostal churches in your area? I listed a couple key doctrines off of this churches website which I will remain nameless at this time.

WE BELIEVE...the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a Special Experience Following Salvation that empowers believers for witnessing and effective service, just as it did in New Testament times. [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]

WE BELIEVE... The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is ‘Speaking in Tongues,’ as experienced on the Day of Pentecost and referenced throughout Acts and the Epistles.

So is this false doctrine? Bad Theology? How do you intereact with a person who thinks you are powerless without the spirit and your worship is witchcraft? If tongues is a spiritual gift how should we use it today: personally and congregationally? Does scriptures really say that the only phisical evidence of the Holy Spirit is tongues? Didn't Jesus say baptize in the name of the Father Son and the Holy Spirit? So why baptize twice in the Spirit? Should the Spirit be excluded from the trinitarian instruction of baptism? Have fun with this one this weekend! See ya'll on Monday!

Way of the Pastor,
Joe

Thursday Night Theology Throw-Down

This next question for Thursday Night Theology Throw-Down is quite simple, yet complex. I have ben asked this question more times in my ministry than any other cocerning SIN! Think about it, struggle with it, sleep on it and then get ready to THROW DOWN BABY!

Do we sin everyday? If so can "one" sin disqualify you from eternity in heaven when you die? We talked about suicide earlier this week...I heard the words unconfessed sin...so do we sin on a daily basis? Okay, it just got complex...are we eternally secure? Or can we loose our salvation? Therefore, is daily sin a beginning of a downward spiral in the process of loosing one's salvation? Or just part of our somewhat Calvanist's lifestyles? Shoot away fellas!

Way of the Pastor,
Joe

Tuesdays with Todd Friel

What a strange week it has been...I found myself agreeing with Brian McLaren on Monday and now I find myself struggling with Todd Friel's comments today (Tuesday). Surely I am not emerging? Ha. Well I encourage you all to take a listen to this podcast of Way of the Master Radio June 23, 2006 - Hour 1 "Does everyone who commits suicide go to hell?" Interesting topic! Let me know what you think of Todd's answer along with what you believe and what scriptures show us concerning this subject!

http://www.wotmradio.com/2006/06/23/june-23-2006-hour-1/

Way of the Pastor,
Joe

Mondays with McLaren

In several places, I see opposite things going on simultaneously in the church that is emerging. Many people in emergent come from communities that have always valued tradition – fixed-hour prayer, stations of the cross, the church year, and so on. Some are just discovering these practice-based approaches to faith for the first time – often the through the work of Tony Jones, Robert Webber, Mark Pierson, Scott McKnight, or Sally Morgenthaler. But at the same time, other people and groups are moving away from traditional approaches to public worship and spiritual formation.
Those who are moving farther away from tradition and historic practices are rightly rejecting traditionalism and ritualism – the inflexible tyranny of “the way we’ve always done it before.” Along these lines, I like the definition of a ritual as “using an action of your body to bond to meaning.” Ritualism and traditionalism happen when we keep doing certain actions but have no idea what the meaning is.
Conversely, those who are discovering or preserving tradition and historic practices are rightly rejecting a knowledge-fixated approach to spiritual formation – the idea that more Bible facts or more theological information will make one a better follower of Christ.
I think there is plenty of room for both trends in the emergent conversation, but both groups should be careful to preserve the freedom to celebrate both/and: both the value of ritual and tradition, always connected to the meanings they help us bond to – and the freedom to adapt or drop traditions that aren’t effective or sensible for their community. It would be a shame to throw out the bathwater of traditionalism and lose the baby of tradition too, just as it would be a shame to take on extra baggage that a community doesn’t need – just because “everybody’s doing fixed-hour prayer,” or whatever.

Friday Free For All

I apologize for the delay in daily posts. I have been extremley busy and unable to fit in time for my 11th passion in life "blogging!" Thanks for checking each day to see if anything new had been posted! I appreciate all of your responses as we continue to grow in knowledge and in truth!

So let me start out with a frustration this week. I am about tired of hearing poeple call themselves "Christians" and not knowing if they are born again! Not knowing where they would spend eternity if they were to die tonight! Jesus said you are either for me or against me! Shouldn't we be more defined in our faith and our Father and where He is leading us? So many walking around wondering spiritually? Hoping that the decision they made to follow Jesus Christ will really end up with spending eternity with Him! Let me know what you think...the phone lines are now open!

Way of the Pastor,
Joe

Thursday Night Theology Throw Down

Is Jesus Christ the only way to God? Salvation? Peace? What do you say to someone who believes that "It's intolerant to say that Jesus is the only way to God?" What would be your defense? What scriptures might you want to have memorized for sucha an occassion? What evidence do you have that backs up your beliefs? Let us know what you think!

Thursday Night Theology Thrown Down

For the sake of answering the Thursday Night Theology Question with more focus, we have decided here at Way of the Pastor to start asking just one big debatable question at a time!

1. Did Jesus decend into Hell during his three days in the tomb?

Tuesdays with Todd Friel

Happy Tuesday everyone, today is where I take a segment from Way of the Master Radio with host Todd Friel and attempt to get you to challenge yourself for approx: 1 hour by listening to Christian Radio like it's never been done before! So when you get a chance, connect to this segment, keep working, or just kick back...it's only Tuesday and keep sharpening the saw (your mind) for another episode of Way of the Master Radio!

http://www.wotmradio.com/page/3/
Show Notes:
Terry thinks Todd is a little harsh when he witnesses.
Todd precedes to tell Terry off.
Do these two verses contradict each other?
Is hell eternal?
What is baptism of the Holy Spirit…in Todd’s opinion.
John gets saved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What to do when a Christian family member is not bearing fruit?
Yowza! A Brazilian science teacher gets saved…on the spot.
Brian and his wife both got saved recently…and he has some splainin’ to do…should he?

Monday's with McLaren

Brian McLaren’s Inferno: five proposals for reexamining our doctrine of hell found at (found at Leadership Blog out of Ur)
In this final installment of his interview on hell, Brian McLaren provides more insight into how he understands the teachings of Jesus, and offers five suggestions for rethinking our traditional understanding of hell. This monday we will just look at one suggestion!

"Let me offer five suggestions on how we could re-approach this subject by looking at the Scriptures in a fresh light. After all, my opinions aren’t worth two cents compared to what the Scriptures actually say. First, I’d suspend the common assumption that every time the word judgment occurs in the Bible, it means “going to hell after you die,” or every time the word save occurs, it means “going to heaven after you die.”

Okay, thanks alot Brian...tell us what "NOT" to think about scripture but...leave us with just wishful thinking that those words are not really packed full of God's Wrath and God's Grace? Will there be a literal judgment? Will that judgment be based on those who are under the law and those who are under the new covenant? Will God really send people to Hell for eternity to burn in torment? Brian doesn't think so....so what about you??? The phone lines are now....open! Post away!

Way of the Pastor,
Joe

Thursday Night Theology Throw-Down

1. Why did Jesus send out the 72?
(Luke 10)

2. How will the tribe in Zimbabwe, who has never heard about Jesus Christ (not to mention the 1.1 billion people who stil have not heard about Jesus Christ) be judged according to (Romans 1:18-20)?

3. So with (Romans 1:18-20) in mind, what is the relevance of the "Great Commission" (Matthew 28:19,20) since men are without excuse?