Comments for Answers for Life http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com -wisdom for a confused and broken world- Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:33:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Help, I am being misrepresented! Seven time-tested principles by Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/help-i-am-being-misrepresented-how-should-i-respond/#comment-12244 Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:26:07 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/help-i-am-being-misrepresented-how-should-i-respond/#comment-12244 [...] http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/help-i-am-being-misrepresented-how-should-i-respond/ [...] [...] http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/help-i-am-being-misrepresented-how-should-i-respond/ [...]

]]> Comment on Church Leadership: An overview by Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/church-leadership-an-overview/#comment-12243 Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:16:14 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/church-leadership-an-overview/#comment-12243 [...]  see also: http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/church-leadership-an-overview/ [...] [...]  see also: http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/church-leadership-an-overview/ [...]

]]> Comment on Survivng and Thriving in Leadership by Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/survivng-and-thriving-in-leadership/#comment-12242 Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell « Answers for Life Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:24:21 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/survivng-and-thriving-in-leadership/#comment-12242 [...] See also: http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/survivng-and-thriving-in-leadership/ [...] [...] See also: http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/survivng-and-thriving-in-leadership/ [...]

]]> Comment on Forgiveness is one thing; Reconciliation is another by bptofr xfbdglwa http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/07/28/forgiveness-is-one-thing-reconciliation-is-another/#comment-12234 bptofr xfbdglwa Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:16:00 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/07/28/forgiveness-is-one-thing-reconciliation-is-another/#comment-12234 ldbw uwfzdkcmy vykugeoac hbuzwkpt enzpbmco ncbil knpgr ldbw uwfzdkcmy vykugeoac hbuzwkpt enzpbmco ncbil knpgr

]]> Comment on Mega VBS at Millersville Bible Church! by Josh http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/mega-vbs-at-millersville-bible-church/#comment-12231 Josh Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:42:16 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/?p=356#comment-12231 Here's an excellent video of exactly what I'm talking about... http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/2008/07/paul-washer-ask-jesus-into-your-heart.html Here’s an excellent video of exactly what I’m talking about…

http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/2008/07/paul-washer-ask-jesus-into-your-heart.html

]]> Comment on Mega VBS at Millersville Bible Church! by Josh http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/mega-vbs-at-millersville-bible-church/#comment-12226 Josh Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:37:55 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/?p=356#comment-12226 I don't know if this relates to your church or not but I believe the whole concept of VBS should be rethought for most churches in America. If VBS exists to reach the lost, let it be Gospel centered and not fun centered. There is nothing wrong with playing and games outside of Bible teaching time but too often the fun gets brought into the sacred which sends the wrong message to the children. Sadly, most "American" parents don't want this type of training in Christian doctrine, they just want a Disney world at church for their children. I went to a service recently where 6 children were baptized and gave their testimony. At least 3 of them were saved at VBS and during their testimony they described how scary hell is and said "they didn't want to go to hell...so they chose Jesus." If you ask a child if he'd rather have an ice cream cone or go to hell, which will they choose? Of course, the ice cream cone. We need to rethink how we, in America, evangelize children. Currently, it's....get them to say a prayer, then get them baptized, and bang they are in. How many of them fall away...and all the while think they are saved? Sadly, it's the parents that are usually pushing this because they want their own assurance that their children are saved. I was excited when I read this from a church recently describing their youth ministry: Biblical Youth Ministry - Our youth ministry is not designed around the presumed unique needs or desires of young people, but is centered around God’s will for young people as revealed in His Word. Our goal is to strengthen parents in their God-called responsibility to “bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The so-called “generation gap” and the “adolescent years” are a result of sin and should not be encouraged by the church or youth ministries. Our youth ministry is not centered on music, drama, comedy, or other entertainments, but on the faithful preaching of God’s Word. While other activities may be allowed, they must never take the place of or de-emphasize the preaching of the Word. I don’t know if this relates to your church or not but I believe the whole concept of VBS should be rethought for most churches in America. If VBS exists to reach the lost, let it be Gospel centered and not fun centered. There is nothing wrong with playing and games outside of Bible teaching time but too often the fun gets brought into the sacred which sends the wrong message to the children. Sadly, most “American” parents don’t want this type of training in Christian doctrine, they just want a Disney world at church for their children.

I went to a service recently where 6 children were baptized and gave their testimony. At least 3 of them were saved at VBS and during their testimony they described how scary hell is and said “they didn’t want to go to hell…so they chose Jesus.” If you ask a child if he’d rather have an ice cream cone or go to hell, which will they choose? Of course, the ice cream cone.

We need to rethink how we, in America, evangelize children.

Currently, it’s….get them to say a prayer, then get them baptized, and bang they are in. How many of them fall away…and all the while think they are saved? Sadly, it’s the parents that are usually pushing this because they want their own assurance that their children are saved.

I was excited when I read this from a church recently describing their youth ministry:

Biblical Youth Ministry - Our youth ministry is not designed around the presumed unique needs or desires of young people, but is centered around God’s will for young people as revealed in His Word. Our goal is to strengthen parents in their God-called responsibility to “bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The so-called “generation gap” and the “adolescent years” are a result of sin and should not be encouraged by the church or youth ministries. Our youth ministry is not centered on music, drama, comedy, or other entertainments, but on the faithful preaching of God’s Word. While other activities may be allowed, they must never take the place of or de-emphasize the preaching of the Word.

]]> Comment on Forgiveness is one thing; Reconciliation is another by SAM http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/07/28/forgiveness-is-one-thing-reconciliation-is-another/#comment-12222 SAM Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:43:21 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/07/28/forgiveness-is-one-thing-reconciliation-is-another/#comment-12222 Great article, but there's one relational aspect I don't think it covered. Let me tell you a little about the situation (feel free to edit as you see fit). Please know it is my hearts desire to act in a Godly, loving manner. Also, please know that I have forgiven the offender. I am just in a quandry about how to deal with someone who refuses to admit to wrongdoing; someone that I am in contact with not only during the small group Bible study (5 people) we both attend, but the social time before and after Bible study - it is the social time I am not sure how to deal with; how do I respond when this person comes up to me and starts talking? A Christian friend who attends the same Bible study I do became verbally abusive because I couldn't come to repair something for them that day and my assurance that I would do it the next day after Bible study was not good enough (It wasn't that it wouldn't work out). The verbal abuse (lasting about 15 min) was personal, over the top (and had nothing to do with the issue at hand, and ended with them hanging up. I finally decided to send a letter and confront the person, who called and left what I can only describe as a "haughty" message on my machine, making it clear beyond a doubt that there would be no apology. I feel that quitting Bible study would be running away from the problem. There must be a Godly solution to dealing with this kind of situation. Great article, but there’s one relational aspect I don’t think it covered. Let me tell you a little about the situation (feel free to edit as you see fit).
Please know it is my hearts desire to act in a Godly, loving manner. Also, please know that I have forgiven the offender. I am just in a quandry about how to deal with someone who refuses to admit to wrongdoing; someone that I am in contact with not only during the small group Bible study (5 people) we both attend, but the social time before and after Bible study - it is the social time I am not sure how to deal with; how do I respond when this person comes up to me and starts talking?

A Christian friend who attends the same Bible study I do became verbally abusive because I couldn’t come to repair something for them that day and my assurance that I would do it the next day after Bible study was not good enough (It wasn’t that it wouldn’t work out). The verbal abuse (lasting about 15 min) was personal, over the top (and had nothing to do with the issue at hand, and ended with them hanging up. I finally decided to send a letter and confront the person, who called and left what I can only describe as a “haughty” message on my machine, making it clear beyond a doubt that there would be no apology.

I feel that quitting Bible study would be running away from the problem. There must be a Godly solution to dealing with this kind of situation.

]]> Comment on The path to spiritual maturity by Ashley http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/the-path-to-spiritual-maturity/#comment-12217 Ashley Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:32:09 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/?p=352#comment-12217 This is totally on point Thanks for sharing This is totally on point
Thanks for sharing

]]> Comment on Speaking Schedule by Update: Conference Ministry in the Poconos! « Answers for Life http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/speaking-schedule/#comment-12207 Update: Conference Ministry in the Poconos! « Answers for Life Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:58:22 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/speaking-schedule/#comment-12207 [...] Speaking Schedule [...] [...] Speaking Schedule [...]

]]> Comment on When Christians Disagree by Battles Among Christians « Ministry of Reconciliation http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/when-christians-disagree/#comment-12204 Battles Among Christians « Ministry of Reconciliation Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:26:52 +0000 http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/when-christians-disagree/#comment-12204 [...] Debbie Kaufman @ 8:09 am Tags: Born Again Christians, Disunity I found this interesting post at Answers For Life entitled, When Christians Disagree, that I believe is correct on many levels. In giving us good [...] [...] Debbie Kaufman @ 8:09 am Tags: Born Again Christians, Disunity I found this interesting post at Answers For Life entitled, When Christians Disagree, that I believe is correct on many levels. In giving us good [...]

]]>