I'm a Christian

[ImaginaryDay]

I am not:
A fan
A follower
Someone who thinks Jesus is cool
Someone who is a Male Feminist
Someone who is a member of the "He-man woman haters club"
Part of the 'manosphere'
An 'AYM'
An 'AY __' (except my last name which begins in Ay )
Someone who "hates religion but loves Jesus"
Believes in OSAS - Your attitude and lifestyle can alienate you from Christ-been there, done that, remember the day I repented.

I am:
A Christian.

I Do:
Believe everything that the Bible stands for and confirm that Nicene creed. Evangelicals (which, for my purposes includes everyone who does not identify as Catholic, Protestant, EO, Anglican/Episcopalian, or Lutheran from your faith icon) would do well to read the following and ask - is this me?

http://www.anevangelicalmanifesto.com/docs/Evangelical_Manifesto.pdf

Ask - do I live up to these standards and share them with the world around me?

As for me, Evangelicals are starting to make me take a real look at myself and my faith. For that, I want to thank you. Perhaps in a way that was not intended by some of you, but it's a look inside and a faith journey nonetheless.

But what I do know is that I am a Christian and that is unshaken.

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts 11:25-26).

 

[ChristianGolfer]

Are you inviting discussion or did you just want to put that out there?

 

[mkgal1]

I didn't read the 20 page manifesto, but personally, I believe there are members of His body in all denominations. There is no particular marker of what a Christian looks like.......it's not what style of music they listen to.....what political party they vote for.....or any other marker other than their love for God and love for others.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ...~1st Corinthians 12:12-31

 

[Hetta]

I agree with what my 17 year old son said to me yesterday. He loves Jesus but he cannot stand the church.

 

[mkgal1]

Evangelicals are starting to make me take a real look at myself and my faith

Isn't that manifesto an "evangelical" manifesto, though? Are you saying you want to convert because of the manifesto?

 

[ImaginaryDay]

Are you inviting discussion or did you just want to put that out there?

Discussion is fine within the limits of the CF rules.

 

[ImaginaryDay]

I didn't read the 20 page manifesto, but personally, I believe there are members of His body in all denominations.

I agree with you here.

There is no particular marker of what a Christian looks like.......it's not what style of music they listen to.....what political party they vote for.....or any other marker other than their love for God and love for others.

Here is where I would part ways (not on the subject of music, political, social stance, etc.), but on what are the 'characteristics' of a Christian. The Church in Antioch was important enough for Saul (Paul) to spend a year with them, teaching Christian doctrine and fundamentals of the faith. We still have that teaching today in his letters and (hopefully) being taught in our churches by men and women of God.
At one point, the writer of Hebrews was wishing that he could take the churches he was writing to from spiritual milk to meat, but they were not yet ready. His tone is almost one of exasperation at that fact. Evidently he knew certain markers to look for as well.

My point, I guess, is that we get so caught up in the simpler matters of faith that some of us can lose sight of how we witness to others, and ourselves.

 

[ImaginaryDay]

Isn't that manifesto an "evangelical" manifesto, though? Are you saying you want to convert because of the manifesto?

It would be closer to say that some of those who identify as 'Evangelical' at times don't live up to evangelical values. I believe that's why the manifesto was written (or part of the reason anyway) to give Evangelicals something to look toward as a 'target' or 'identifier', i.e. "this is how the world will know we are Evangelical".

 

[mkgal1]

My point, I guess, is that we get so caught up in the simpler matters of faith that some of us can lose sight of how we witness to others, and ourselves.

Actually.....I *do* agree with you (I think). We are to mature in faith. I'm not sure where we disagree, though. Learning how to love like Christ....and to conform our ways to His ways is a life-long journey.

 

[ProudMomxmany]

I agree with what my 17 year old son said to me yesterday. He loves Jesus but he cannot stand the church.

That would be me...the older I get, the less I like to "fellowship" with other believers...too many victims of "check your brain at the door" syndrome, as if reading or listening to something that doesn't fit in their little box could possibly wreck their faith.

These things include:
Books by atheists
Books by anyone that doesn't fit their worldview
Music by anyone
Movies by anyone (Remember the brouhaha over Avatar??)

It almost seems that their faith is built on such a sandy foundation that anything that might cause them to think might cause them to lose or question their faith....

God gave you a brain for more than keeping your head from imploding!

 

[Hetta]

That would be me...the older I get, the less I like to "fellowship" with other believers...too many victims of "check your brain at the door" syndrome, as if reading or listening to something that doesn't fit in their little box could possibly wreck their faith.

These things include:
Books by atheists
Books by anyone that doesn't fit their worldview
Music by anyone
Movies by anyone (Remember the brouhaha over Avatar??)

It almost seems that their faith is built on such a sandy foundation that anything that might cause them to think might cause them to lose or question their faith....

God gave you a brain for more than keeping your head from imploding!

I am with you. I scan the threads on CF (and I know you do too) and I read, and sometimes I respond, but more and more I'm trying to bite my tongue (or cross my fingers perhaps) and just move on, leaving them to their incredibly narrow lives. The tv is evil, the internet is evil (hello, what do you think you are using to say that?), cell phones are evil, movies are evil, music is evil ... oh my. I just want to say - did Jesus really say any of this? And I'm so glad that my kids still believe in Jesus, because it was touch and go for a while after some of our church experiences - and how bad is that? When my son said that on Sunday, I could have wept and cheered, but settled for giving him a big hug and agreeing with him.

Yes, we don't have a church 'home' because I don't believe in church 'homes' any more.

 

[Hetta]

Discussion is fine within the limits of the CF rules.

 

[Niffer]

I love my church and the fellowship I receive from it.
There will always be those "everything is evil and credit cards are the mark of the beast..." people.
But writing off the entire Christian community, just because of those people is really throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Not to mention how we're told that we should be part of the 'community of saints' and should be part of the body of believers.
Which, to my understanding means not only part of the spiritual body, but of the actual active community.

~ Niff

 

[Hetta]

One may have community with other Christians without a church. And nobody is writing off the entire Christian community.

 

[andy b]

One may have community with other Christians without a church. And nobody is writing off the entire Christian community.

Agreed im new here but i thought being a Christian was about love tolerance
forgiveness and enjoying life....i really struggle with the fire and brimstone statements because at my essence thats not what i believe to be either right or true

 

[Hetta]

Agreed im new here but i thought being a Christian was about love tolerance
forgiveness and enjoying life....i really struggle with the fire and brimstone statements because at my essence thats not what i believe to be either right or true

 

[ImaginaryDay]

In reference to the recently closed thread, i.e. "play nice"

 

[ImaginaryDay]

One may have community with other Christians without a church.

How, exactly? Unless one is seeking, one should have a community of faith.

 

[HannahT]

How, exactly? Unless one is seeking, one should have a community of faith.

You can have a community with friends. It doesn't have to be a church.

I read an article a couple of months back about the 'nones'. Sounds like they got burned out on the clics, check your brain at the door, and the everything is evil crowds - among other things of course.

The fellowship together, and left the denomination behind.

Sounds like an unconventional community of faith, but it still is one to them.

 

[ImaginaryDay]

I love my church and the fellowship I receive from it.
There will always be those "everything is evil and credit cards are the mark of the beast..." people.
But writing off the entire Christian community, just because of those people is really throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

I understand. And that's not what I'm really trying to do. What I've found is that many Evangelicals seem unfocused, especially as is pertains to interacting with each other. If I spend a week on this sub-forum, then on the GT sub-forum, I will come away with a whole different concept of what Christians are like, how they interact, and how they treat one another. Granted, there are still disagreements, but even in disagreement there is still respect. Maybe all I'd like to get out of it is the realisation on the part of some that there's a better way to live and be a witness, even to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. That's part of why the manifesto was written.

However, for me, that's been only part of my thinking process lately. In my faith I'd like to move beyond the "here's how to cope with the every day" teaching and find something that digs a little deeper. My own personal interest that I may delve into soon is church history and the 'Early Church Fathers' since I rarely hear it spoken about. All in all, it's just a different direction I'm going.

Not to mention how we're told that we should be part of the 'community of saints' and should be part of the body of believers.
Which, to my understanding means not only part of the spiritual body, but of the actual active community.

~ Niff

No plans to leave my current church. I had said in another thread that if all that comes out of this is I am more educated and understand others a little better then that's good for everyone.