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Post by Zorro on Aug 6, 2006 13:15:37 GMT -5
The messages on this thread have been that the messages given at gospel meetings were boring. What messages would make the gospel meetings not boring? Have you ever been to any other church where all their messages were boring? Where any of their messages were boring? Is boring a "mind set"?
My interests are in the "Life Application" teachings of Jesus Christ.
A couple of weeks ago we attended a church with another couple (also exes) and the joy exhibited was inspiring. Just in front of us a man was interpreting the music for some deaf there.....I wish that somehow you all could see the unadulterated joy on that man's face as he signed for them. We had deaf come to our home for 20 years and now I understand what they were asking for all those years....but they were always told that joyous expression in sign was just for show. As for "the "Life Application" teachings of Jesus Christ"....after the service we were talking about it and we agreed that the single most appropriate word to describe it was "relevant". The theme was "relationships" and the pastor spoke of fellowship and relationships with God and man in way that was so relevant and helpful (and so scriptural!!!) that it was a huge surprise, considering that I'd believed for 30 years that the F&Ws "wrote the book" on fellowship. What an eye opener. In closing, I will just say that in one of my last in-depth conversations with the workers, I was describing to 2 overseers that I believed that a life lived in the grace of God should be one of joy......the response was that really, fear needs to have its rightful place. It was painfully obvious that the workers felt that grace was to be equated with license to sin, and they had no real idea what I was trying to express. Anybody ever wonder why the word "hallelujah" isn't in the F&Ws vocabulary? Is there a single word that can describe true, overwhelming joy better?
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Post by mrleo on Aug 6, 2006 13:24:47 GMT -5
It seems to me that fear is the antithesis of joy. There are so many things to be afraid of in this life, but there are equally as many things (if not more) to be joyful about...so it seems to come down to a matter of perspective. And that makes me think of the verse that says something like "perfect love casts out fear". What is this perfect love that would keep our perspective on joy instead of fear? Is perfect love a choice? Is it something we must seek or strive for and then are given?
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Post by seekingtruth on Aug 6, 2006 13:35:25 GMT -5
Fear is living in constant anxiety. I don't believe that is what the fear of God is...I think that fear is not wanting to disappoint Him. His grace allows us to draw near regardless of our state. I wonder, Zorro, if they have grace confused with permissiveness? "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...."
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Post by Zorro on Aug 6, 2006 14:09:58 GMT -5
I wonder, Zorro, if they have grace confused with permissiveness?
That would probably be right..... "presumptive" may be another word.
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Post by Fear of failure on Aug 6, 2006 18:14:01 GMT -5
The fear the F&W's exhibit is a fear of not measuring up to the standard they feel is required for a place in eternity with God. They presume they have their own destiny in their hands. They fear God's judgment on their inability to be sinless.
True believers on the other hand know they are saved not by their own merits but by the blood and righteousness of Christ.
With joy they look for the coming of the Lord, they have no fear because they are relying on the truth of the Gospel that what God has said is true. They have eternal life and they are those whom God has given to Christ to redeem. They love God's promises and know the God who gave them.
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heard a kiwi worker
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Post by heard a kiwi worker on Aug 7, 2006 7:22:41 GMT -5
I loved the old farts who would get up and ramble on till they were told to shut up and sit down, bless em, they did make it entertaining, but seriously if you yanks think you had a boring time we used to hope that we would have a worker from the states speaking cause they were a lot more interesting than a lot of our good ole kiwi one's
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Post by kiwi again on Aug 7, 2006 7:25:37 GMT -5
with a yank worker we were at least allowed to laugh and not feel like we had spoiled the santity and peace of the meeting
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Post by seekingtruth on Aug 7, 2006 8:25:29 GMT -5
Knew an old Kiwi who came to the states...I wondered if all the F&W folks there wore their underwear too tight. Meetings were painfully serious. ;D
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Post by withopeneyes (Mandy) on Aug 8, 2006 13:54:32 GMT -5
I have an active brain, and sitting there listening to one person with no visual stimulation or change in tone often leads my brain to wander focus elsewhere. I enjoy our bible studies, but I wish gospel meetings were more enthusiastic. HEY.. THIS IS THE GOOOOOOOOD NEWS of Christ... be excited!
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eurp
Senior Member
Posts: 290
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Post by eurp on Aug 8, 2006 14:54:43 GMT -5
"HEY.. THIS IS THE GOOOOOOOOD NEWS of Christ... be excited!"
Recently listened where the worker was so enthusiastic and excited about the message of grace that she went on for 45 mins, hardly leaving time for companion, who just said "well, its been said well enough, I agree!"
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Post by withopeneyes (Mandy) on Aug 8, 2006 15:37:03 GMT -5
I love enthusiastic people. When your passion for Christ spills out... that's just a great thing to see and feel.
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Post by YEAH on Aug 8, 2006 18:08:19 GMT -5
We went to a church that the pastor got SO excited that he started jumping. He is an OLD man.......it was so awesome to see him so excited. I wanted to hear his message-I wanted to be as excited about serving the Lord as he was! Yeah BROTHER, do you hear! Do you HEAR what the Lord is saying!
This old pastor was employed by a US company until he retired. Then he began his preaching career. He receives no pay from preaching. He owns his own house bought when he was working. He drives a car that he and his wife purchased. He doesn't live off the church-he lives to serve.
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Post by jumping is fun on Aug 8, 2006 18:24:50 GMT -5
Well, happy jumping. Yippee! You might want to rent one of those jump things they have at parties for kids.
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Post by jxr on Aug 9, 2006 8:17:19 GMT -5
Knew an old Kiwi who came to the states...I wondered if all the F&W folks there wore their underwear too tight. Meetings were painfully serious. ;D Tight underwear doesn't only cause seriosity. You shuld hiar thir excint!
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BC
Senior Member
Posts: 852
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Post by BC on Aug 9, 2006 23:15:08 GMT -5
Whuts roong wiff our uccsent, eh? carnt ya unndastand sumpel Unglush huh?
[shadow=red,left,300]Regards BC[/shadow] the KIWI (not to be mistaken for the Kiwi who responed in earlier posts on this thread. I find many of our workers to be easy to listen to. Some just need a little of lifes experiences to wake em up.
PS we aren't all boring and speak in mono tones either ;D
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Post by prayhard on Aug 10, 2006 12:29:55 GMT -5
Brad,
I understand your plight. Meetings made me nauseous too.
The propagated message I heard was not that of the Living Christ as the mediator and redeemer, but that of following a blindly-led message of updated Gnosticism. ( Jesus+a bunch of enforced rules and shunning of real Christ-followers)
I fully believe that the 2x2 church members are not taught to have a living relationship, one-on-one with Jesus, and taught to rely only on HIM, but, rather, are taught to trust in the sacrifices of a common person who has taken on a title of "worker."
It's a spirirtually dead organization, no doubt about that.
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