And Now for Something a Little Different...

[AzA]

I think I see what you are saying - everything is God's so we can't lose what isn't ours. C.S. Lewis noticed that God does, however, delegate out a great deal of authority.

Yes -- successful CEOs often delegate a great deal... as much as possible flowing from the hands of one into the hands of the many increases what that "many" is capable of as individuals and thereby increases collective capacity. It's a very neat principle.

In the Christian context, "dominion" may be one of the terms we use to describe the "many" at work as tasked on God's property. Tend and keep, be fruitful, multiply, be my witnesses, go ye therefore, and so on.

 

[BigRedBus]

Thanks for that, Aza.

Were you referring to this?

(you'll need to add the www manually because I can't post links yet) spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/09/24/best_local_conference_world_church

Even if you weren't, it certainly makes inspiring reading.

I think we will take a trip to one of the two churches you mentioned soon! Thanks for the tip.

I'll PM you too.

 

[BigRedBus]

Hi Aza, I can't do PMs yet either. No worries.

 

[AzA]

Hey bro; we'll work something out.

Yes, that was the article I was thinking of. I love the guy's energy and I can't tell you how pleased I am that the administrators are supportive.
They simply can't afford to keep doing the usual and am glad they see that.

Thanks!

 

[Avonia]

Hi Aza, I can't do PMs yet either. No worries.

If you become a site supporter (contribution) you may be able to send PMs right away.

 

[AzA]

If you become a site supporter (contribution) you may be able to send PMs right away.

Crisis averted -- we resolved it.

 

[Princessdi]

A. What's the church?

The is each one of us. I say that because, the entire returning for a "church without spot or wrinkle" gets a little hard to manage if the church is millions upon millions of members. we get what we kind of have now, which is orgs nearly demanding conformitiy to keep the wrinkles ironed out........ .....and failing miserably, I might add.

B. What's it for?

The primary purpose of "the church" is to witness(pointing them to a relationship with Jesus Christ). It was the purpose of Israel, by their example of being under theocracy of God, to be a living witness to other nations. People are extremely visual, if they "see" something they like, they want to know more about it(Here is where you might put in Bible studies, Rev Sem. lessons if you feel you need them) obtain it.

 

[OldStudent]

One of the ways I look at the implimentation of Christianity is as a lab class. Some of us have taken lab classes at some point in school - chemistry, physics, home ec, building trades. There is class time where we hit the books and a teacher brings his wisdom to enlarge on it and help with questions. Then there is a day or two in the week where we went to the lab, the kitchen, the construction site to get our hands on how it works.

The Bible is our core text and may be suplimented by other works. Our own persons and our relations to others comprise the laboratory in which we get our hands on time to learn the practice of the many qualities of God's love and grace. Too often I hear something like, "We need more prayer and Bible study." Most often we/they need more commitment to the lab part of the class - time trading the discoveries of our prayer and study and from other peoples study, discovering how others deal with their weak spots, setting up trustful and loving accountablilites to aid eachother in victorious life. All this builds love attachments. As this experience gets us into situations we have real, live situations to bring to prayer, study, and discussion. The sequence becomes all the more interesting as we grow up the spiral staircase. Prayer, study, service: these are three legs of the stool supporting the platform of the church. In a sense the church comprises the function of the ark of Noah in giving us a vehicle going through to the New Earth.

Another part of the lab sessions is attracting people so we can introduce them to Jesus and hopes and joys He has brought to us and bring them into the ark of salvation.

The church provides the place for necessary "classroom" and "lab" experience.