Comments for Thoughts From One Never Alone http://togetherforchrist.com/blog Biblical Issues. Pastoral Concerns. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:33:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on A Matter of Interpretation? by Steve Rives http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2011/11/03/a-matter-of-interpretation/comment-page-1/#comment-775 Steve Rives Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:33:04 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=448#comment-775 Thanks for directing us to 2 Peter 1:20-21. Getting our personal agenda in the way is so easy. For example, applying texts that are written to ministers to non-ministers. I think part of the problem you are articulating is related to also identifying who is addressed in the given parts. A text to your wife will make sense to her, but may have no application to me. We recoil at the idea that the Bible has parts that are directed to the office of minister, but that's what we see, even in 2 Timothy 2. A personal agenda (as you rightly name it) may flatten the Bible, so that everyone is addressed the same -- which we would never do with a text written from a husband to his wife. So I really like your point, "we must first read it the way we read most anything else..." And this may be the hardest thing to do when we have personal agendas. Thanks Doug! Thanks for directing us to 2 Peter 1:20-21. Getting our personal agenda in the way is so easy. For example, applying texts that are written to ministers to non-ministers. I think part of the problem you are articulating is related to also identifying who is addressed in the given parts. A text to your wife will make sense to her, but may have no application to me. We recoil at the idea that the Bible has parts that are directed to the office of minister, but that’s what we see, even in 2 Timothy 2. A personal agenda (as you rightly name it) may flatten the Bible, so that everyone is addressed the same — which we would never do with a text written from a husband to his wife. So I really like your point, “we must first read it the way we read most anything else…” And this may be the hardest thing to do when we have personal agendas. Thanks Doug!

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]]> Comment on Try Jesus: A dangerous message in a culture of consumers. by Tweets that mention Try Jesus: A dangerous message in a culture of consumers. @ Thoughts From One Never Alone -- Topsy.com http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2011/10/17/try-jesus-a-dangerous-message-in-a-culture-of-consumers/comment-page-1/#comment-763 Tweets that mention Try Jesus: A dangerous message in a culture of consumers. @ Thoughts From One Never Alone -- Topsy.com Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:20:47 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=432#comment-763 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by travis keele and Doug Richey. Doug Richey said: my new blog post, 'Try Jesus: A dangerous message in a culture of consumers.' read it here http://bit.ly/fJnFdO [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by travis keele and Doug Richey. Doug Richey said: my new blog post, 'Try Jesus: A dangerous message in a culture of consumers.' read it here http://bit.ly/fJnFdO [...]

]]> Comment on A Helpful Index of Articles & Resources Re: Faithfulness in Church Membership by steve rives http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/06/08/a-helpful-index-of-articles-resources-re-faithfulness-in-church-membership/comment-page-1/#comment-754 steve rives Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:46:10 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=401#comment-754 Thanks Doug. You are the sound of "yop", but you know what happens to the yop! Thanks Doug. You are the sound of “yop”, but you know what happens to the yop!

]]> Comment on Helpful Books Regarding Church Membership by Doug http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/06/02/helpful-books-regarding-church-membership/comment-page-1/#comment-751 Doug Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:02:42 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=360#comment-751 Alan...you're right. Thabiti's book is very helpful. I'll get it added to the list. Alan…you’re right. Thabiti’s book is very helpful. I’ll get it added to the list.

]]> Comment on Helpful Books Regarding Church Membership by Alan Gomer http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/06/02/helpful-books-regarding-church-membership/comment-page-1/#comment-748 Alan Gomer Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:44:57 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=360#comment-748 Many of those books have proven beneficial to me as well. Another helpful book from IX Marks is by Thabiti Anyabwile, What is a Healthy Church Member? Thank you for this Scriptural emphasis. Many of those books have proven beneficial to me as well. Another helpful book from IX Marks is by Thabiti Anyabwile, What is a Healthy Church Member? Thank you for this Scriptural emphasis.

]]> Comment on What is gained by removing members from church rolls? by Dale Tripp http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/05/27/what-is-gained-by-removing-members-from-church-rolls/comment-page-1/#comment-741 Dale Tripp Sun, 30 May 2010 12:57:11 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=354#comment-741 It is a long process but most beneficial as you see benefit of calling people to faithfulness in the Body of Christ (His Church). It is a long process but most beneficial as you see benefit of calling people to faithfulness in the Body of Christ (His Church).

]]> Comment on What is gained by removing members from church rolls? by Josh C http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/05/27/what-is-gained-by-removing-members-from-church-rolls/comment-page-1/#comment-734 Josh C Fri, 28 May 2010 14:36:43 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=354#comment-734 Regarding the last question, it appears that by keeping inflating rolls, one might gain increased "credentials" in denominational life regarding the size of their church and ability to "grow" it. There's also for some perhaps an increased salary that goes along with it (other churches our size pay their pastor X amount, so should we.) I know one church secretary who told me that a former pastor she worked for asked her to increase the membership by 10-15% every year on the ACP regardless of what the actual numbers of the church were. He considered it "estimating." On the members' side, the sentimental motivation weighs heaviest, I think. Some may see a certain "number" nostalgically as a reminder of some past heyday in the church's life. Others (understandably) struggle with taking cousin Bobby who joined the church as a 6 year-old at VBS removed from the list even though he hasn't darkened the church door in 30 year. To them, they may be placing a hope for his salvation on his being on that list, since nothing in his life would ever confirm it. if you get the perfect storm of a pastor motivated by the first paragraph and people motivated by the second, you might explain a lot of SBC membership numbers. Regarding the last question, it appears that by keeping inflating rolls, one might gain increased “credentials” in denominational life regarding the size of their church and ability to “grow” it. There’s also for some perhaps an increased salary that goes along with it (other churches our size pay their pastor X amount, so should we.) I know one church secretary who told me that a former pastor she worked for asked her to increase the membership by 10-15% every year on the ACP regardless of what the actual numbers of the church were. He considered it “estimating.”

On the members’ side, the sentimental motivation weighs heaviest, I think. Some may see a certain “number” nostalgically as a reminder of some past heyday in the church’s life. Others (understandably) struggle with taking cousin Bobby who joined the church as a 6 year-old at VBS removed from the list even though he hasn’t darkened the church door in 30 year. To them, they may be placing a hope for his salvation on his being on that list, since nothing in his life would ever confirm it.

if you get the perfect storm of a pastor motivated by the first paragraph and people motivated by the second, you might explain a lot of SBC membership numbers.

]]> Comment on What is gained by removing members from church rolls? by Brian Whitaker http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/05/27/what-is-gained-by-removing-members-from-church-rolls/comment-page-1/#comment-732 Brian Whitaker Fri, 28 May 2010 04:09:43 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=354#comment-732 It is very easy for people to hide who they are by becoming a member somewhere but never becoming active in the ministry. They might be interested in voting, of course, or maybe influencing the church leadership by their giving if they give. You are correct by what the Scripture says about biblical church membership, which only brings out what a true biblical Christian is. It is very easy for people to hide who they are by becoming a member somewhere but never becoming active in the ministry. They might be interested in voting, of course, or maybe influencing the church leadership by their giving if they give. You are correct by what the Scripture says about biblical church membership, which only brings out what a true biblical Christian is.

]]> Comment on What is gained by removing members from church rolls? by John Mark Harris http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/2010/05/27/what-is-gained-by-removing-members-from-church-rolls/comment-page-1/#comment-730 John Mark Harris Thu, 27 May 2010 21:50:45 +0000 http://togetherforchrist.com/blog/?p=354#comment-730 It's not about removing people from the rolls, it's about identifying the faithful. Membership should be active, being removed from the rolls should be default. Not too soon, but if you don't show yourself faithful, there are no dead limbs in the body of Christ. Good for you. It’s not about removing people from the rolls, it’s about identifying the faithful.

Membership should be active, being removed from the rolls should be default. Not too soon, but if you don’t show yourself faithful, there are no dead limbs in the body of Christ.

Good for you.

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