Until I became Orthodox three years ago, I had been in various evangelical fellowships and churches for 57 years, baptist churches, charismatic fellowships etc..... I think that some decades ago, the evangelical churches were OK with being the outsiders, the followers of Christ who could expect very little in this world except pity and ridicule - and in many places, outright persecution. I feel that over the past couple of decades or so, there has been a desire to "fit in" better, to be more culturally acceptable, or "cool" even, which has caused a cooling of spiritual ardour. This is perhaps just my experience, other folk will doubtlessly see this differently.
Not rambling. Beautiful Bru. We have been walking a similar way. Will be following your journey with a great deal of interest - expecting God to continue to speak. We are praying for you
Amen. Jesus left us the Spirit to interpret the scriptures. Men want to be teachers, for whatever reason. In my church one 'elder' suggested that we are either a teacher or a pupil but, if the Holy Spirit is leading us and we discern the spirits through the Bible, do we really need teachers as adults? Maybe it is more appropriate to learn through discussions than lectures. There will always be dominant personalities, but we must learn to follow what the Spirit is telling us and have the confidence to maintain those beliefs in the face of opposition. The Spirit will give us the words we need if we do not prepare our positions and are open to be used.
I left the Anglican church a couple of years back and became Orthodox. Too much of what passes for "Christianity" these days is business and cult of personality.
I know exactly where you're coming from, mate. I'm in similar place. I also think monastics and first principles may be the way forward. We might have a good lot to talk about if we ever meet
As a default we will not pursue God, unless we realise our need of him. I escaped the Hamster wheel of Church adherence to be able to evangelise and disciple non believers. Church has become Laodicea full of prideful self evaluation. Spiritually poor and naked, we need to be negotiating with the lost. In humility after 35 year's i still need God to communicate his love effectively. Ask yourself whether we're awake and have enough Oil. Bring it back to scripture and walking in the fear of God
Watching your videos Sam resonates with me. Were you at St Paul’s Howell Hill? I fully support your comments and thoughts on the current state of the Anglican church.
@@SamHowson i may have gone off on too much of a diatribe but i think it is worth knowing about the surrounding history and tge teaching is all out there on you tube as u try and recalibrate. I got chucked out of aan AOG church for inadvertantly coming against prosperity teaching and i was going to be denounced from the pulpit.. 🙂 I know what this stuff feels like to some extent..
I would like to understand what you know faith/christianity/church ect to be. I just don’t know if we are talking about the same thing. I’m not being a smartass, I just want to know.
@ thank you for recommendation. Finding it very tough when I read just from the Bible. 1 Timothy 2:5 for example: For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. How can Jesus be the almighty God and be a mediator between us and the almighty God? Also reading further, Jesus is called the high priest…. How can the almighty God be a high priest? Appreciate your replies, will check out your suggestion!
Good presentation. I have long thought that the concept of a Christian ‘leader’ is a false one. There is only one leader and he is Jesus. We are all followers. A ministry focussed on a leader is not a good idea, no matter what the ‘denomination’. The primary teacher is the Holy Spirit. The ‘church’ does not seem to want to create mature Christians - there is a continual diet of spiritual milk with little meat provided. Is it any wonder that many look outside the Christian fold for nourishment?
I agree, Adrian. Leaders need the led, and that can result in a pacified laity. When I was ordained in late 1980s, we were priests and ministers; now the language is about 'leaders'. Dangerous nonsense.
i agree that those personality-based churches are often reductive and harmful. This might sound a bit wishy washy to some, but IMHO, the best thing a pastor/reverend/viker can do is encourage and guide people on their own journey to discover what it means to follow Jesus for themselves. Obviously how someone follows Jesus is going to be different to the next person -we all have different gifts and talents, and are at different stages of life, so telling a congregation that they're not real christians unless they do xyz merely encourages personality cult-like devotion to the leader instead of seeking your own Truth
Its not the song it is the singer....countries that have their origins in Christianity have a far better foundation and evolved into a much better way of life for its citizens,.unlike other countries that are brutal and unequal to its citizens..unfortunately because of the very freedom that the Christian countries, rightly so,promote or promoted ,it also allows the rise of bad individuals who take advantage and use it to further their own agenda...
Welby hasn't been reading the bible carefully enough, he should know that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" Heb 10 31.As he wanders down a path of his own imagination.
Until I became Orthodox three years ago, I had been in various evangelical fellowships and churches for 57 years, baptist churches, charismatic fellowships etc..... I think that some decades ago, the evangelical churches were OK with being the outsiders, the followers of Christ who could expect very little in this world except pity and ridicule - and in many places, outright persecution. I feel that over the past couple of decades or so, there has been a desire to "fit in" better, to be more culturally acceptable, or "cool" even, which has caused a cooling of spiritual ardour. This is perhaps just my experience, other folk will doubtlessly see this differently.
it's certainly more mainstream - especially in the US
Not rambling. Beautiful Bru. We have been walking a similar way. Will be following your journey with a great deal of interest - expecting God to continue to speak. We are praying for you
Awesome. Thank you!
@@SamHowson Repeat - stop the waffle. Be more clear. Have some respect for your audience.
Amen. Jesus left us the Spirit to interpret the scriptures. Men want to be teachers, for whatever reason. In my church one 'elder' suggested that we are either a teacher or a pupil but, if the Holy Spirit is leading us and we discern the spirits through the Bible, do we really need teachers as adults? Maybe it is more appropriate to learn through discussions than lectures. There will always be dominant personalities, but we must learn to follow what the Spirit is telling us and have the confidence to maintain those beliefs in the face of opposition. The Spirit will give us the words we need if we do not prepare our positions and are open to be used.
Matthew 23:8
I left the Anglican church a couple of years back and became Orthodox. Too much of what passes for "Christianity" these days is business and cult of personality.
I know exactly where you're coming from, mate. I'm in similar place. I also think monastics and first principles may be the way forward. We might have a good lot to talk about if we ever meet
As a default we will not pursue God, unless we realise our need of him.
I escaped the Hamster wheel of Church adherence to be able to evangelise and disciple non believers. Church has become Laodicea full of prideful self evaluation. Spiritually poor and naked, we need to be negotiating with the lost. In humility after 35 year's i still need God to communicate his love effectively.
Ask yourself whether we're awake and have enough Oil. Bring it back to scripture and walking in the fear of God
Watching your videos Sam resonates with me. Were you at St Paul’s Howell Hill?
I fully support your comments and thoughts on the current state of the Anglican church.
hi David, I sure was. Thanks for your support. ✌
..praying for you..
Thanks Julie
@@SamHowson i may have gone off on too much of a diatribe but i think it is worth knowing about the surrounding history and tge teaching is all out there on you tube as u try and recalibrate. I got chucked out of aan AOG church for inadvertantly coming against prosperity teaching and i was going to be denounced from the pulpit.. 🙂
I know what this stuff feels like to some extent..
Totally, in the charismatic church they perverted the idea of discipleship. We are disciples of Jesus.
I don't like it when people use the phrase "praying for you" as a threat
I would like to understand what you know faith/christianity/church ect to be. I just don’t know if we are talking about the same thing. I’m not being a smartass, I just want to know.
Out of interest what do you think about this Trinity stuff? Having real trouble with it
I remember reading Paul Fiddes' Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity - and that really helped me
@ thank you for recommendation.
Finding it very tough when I read just from the Bible. 1 Timothy 2:5 for example:
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
How can Jesus be the almighty God and be a mediator between us and the almighty God?
Also reading further, Jesus is called the high priest….
How can the almighty God be a high priest?
Appreciate your replies, will check out your suggestion!
@@GD-Personal I can't get into trinitarian theology, my heads still in the last meeting I just had about.a retail centre.
Good presentation. I have long thought that the concept of a Christian ‘leader’ is a false one. There is only one leader and he is Jesus. We are all followers. A ministry focussed on a leader is not a good idea, no matter what the ‘denomination’. The primary teacher is the Holy Spirit. The ‘church’ does not seem to want to create mature Christians - there is a continual diet of spiritual milk with little meat provided. Is it any wonder that many look outside the Christian fold for nourishment?
I agree, Adrian. Leaders need the led, and that can result in a pacified laity. When I was ordained in late 1980s, we were priests and ministers; now the language is about 'leaders'. Dangerous nonsense.
Nobody needs a weekly book club to be a decent person who contributes to human flourishing.
i agree that those personality-based churches are often reductive and harmful. This might sound a bit wishy washy to some, but IMHO, the best thing a pastor/reverend/viker can do is encourage and guide people on their own journey to discover what it means to follow Jesus for themselves. Obviously how someone follows Jesus is going to be different to the next person -we all have different gifts and talents, and are at different stages of life, so telling a congregation that they're not real christians unless they do xyz merely encourages personality cult-like devotion to the leader instead of seeking your own Truth
Its not the song it is the singer....countries that have their origins in Christianity have a far better foundation and evolved into a much better way of life for its citizens,.unlike other countries that are brutal and unequal to its citizens..unfortunately because of the very freedom that the Christian countries, rightly so,promote or promoted ,it also allows the rise of bad individuals who take advantage and use it to further their own agenda...
Whose...
Welby hasn't been reading the bible carefully enough, he should know that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" Heb 10 31.As he wanders down a path of his own imagination.
What part of America?
Also i feel uncomfortable with when you go to churches people who work at the church are like celebrities on a stage.