Brother, you encourage me and I am grateful. When U first became a Christian 50 years ago I was saved in a Catholic charismatic prayer group, witnessed to by an older Baptist man at work and met a young man at a prayer group in his home who was fulled with God's spirit, reflected Christ in such a way, I said to the Lord, "if You are real, I want to look like that someday. " He and his wife had just recently lost their baby girl but he talked about her and Jesus with such peace, I was overwhelmed. Then the Lord provided a book called "The Pastor's Barracks" about a group who were imprisoned together in a Nazi camp either as the confessing church or political prisoners. After 5 years of suffering together, they determined that all of their differences aside, what mattered was their shared love for Jesus, and the beliefs He died, was buried and rose again.
I didn't know much about all of the doctrinal fights. As a baby Christian, I just thought "you live Jesus and so do I, let's commune around Him " Then I grew up and realized each group secretly or openly disliked one another. This was very hard for me to reconcile with what I was reading in the Bible I was trying to pour over and absorb.
I still don't know everything or understand everything and I am grateful for men like you who also pour over and absorb but are also able, through God's gifting and talents, to convey what is important to hold on to and what can be dismissed. Gosh, I am so excited how Abba God is raising up men and women like you to stand today for Him and His Word. Thank you David
Love this! There is much fruit and learning to be gained from substantive discussions when the core is shared - such as the Nicene Creed. I am looking forward to participating in the Lausanne Orthodox Initiative meetings later this year. Each of our traditions has a "beige" version (I love that analogy!), but it does seem God has a "remnant" in each and challenges us to find one another and learn from one another.
One of the most fascinating things about an ecumenical council is who is not invited: by inviting Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants but not Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, or Jewish Rabbis, you not only improve relationships between the denominations, but you emphasize that believing in a orthodox conception of Jesus is if supreme importance. We can disagree about a lot of things and all still be one family and take part in the new creation when Jesus returns, but being monotheistic doesn’t cut it: you have to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man. As John says, anything else comes from the spirit of Antichrist. I’m glad you got to go to this conference (and see beautiful Italy!)
Brother, you encourage me and I am grateful. When U first became a Christian 50 years ago I was saved in a Catholic charismatic prayer group, witnessed to by an older Baptist man at work and met a young man at a prayer group in his home who was fulled with God's spirit, reflected Christ in such a way, I said to the Lord, "if You are real, I want to look like that someday. " He and his wife had just recently lost their baby girl but he talked about her and Jesus with such peace, I was overwhelmed. Then the Lord provided a book called "The Pastor's Barracks" about a group who were imprisoned together in a Nazi camp either as the confessing church or political prisoners. After 5 years of suffering together, they determined that all of their differences aside, what mattered was their shared love for Jesus, and the beliefs He died, was buried and rose again.
I didn't know much about all of the doctrinal fights. As a baby Christian, I just thought "you live Jesus and so do I, let's commune around Him " Then I grew up and realized each group secretly or openly disliked one another. This was very hard for me to reconcile with what I was reading in the Bible I was trying to pour over and absorb.
I still don't know everything or understand everything and I am grateful for men like you who also pour over and absorb but are also able, through God's gifting and talents, to convey what is important to hold on to and what can be dismissed. Gosh, I am so excited how Abba God is raising up men and women like you to stand today for Him and His Word. Thank you David
Love this! There is much fruit and learning to be gained from substantive discussions when the core is shared - such as the Nicene Creed. I am looking forward to participating in the Lausanne Orthodox Initiative meetings later this year. Each of our traditions has a "beige" version (I love that analogy!), but it does seem God has a "remnant" in each and challenges us to find one another and learn from one another.
One of the most fascinating things about an ecumenical council is who is not invited: by inviting Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants but not Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, or Jewish Rabbis, you not only improve relationships between the denominations, but you emphasize that believing in a orthodox conception of Jesus is if supreme importance. We can disagree about a lot of things and all still be one family and take part in the new creation when Jesus returns, but being monotheistic doesn’t cut it: you have to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man. As John says, anything else comes from the spirit of Antichrist. I’m glad you got to go to this conference (and see beautiful Italy!)
Be glad you were not in Rome during August.
And, more seriously, of course, thank you for a little glimpse of what you experienced, and for the link to join IOTA.