Comments for Faith and Inches

Comment on Prophecy Overview 2009 – Part 4: The Mark of the Beast by emmanuel agyare

emmanuel agyare — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:51:01 +0000

thanks for helping christians to know more about our
creator.

Comment on Partakers of the Divine Nature by samuel

samuel — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:16:31 +0000

good bless you sir real good …..u are an encouragement to me

Comment on The Skillful Worship Leader by Jim Goodman

Jim Goodman — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:00:54 +0000

Deacon Terry – I am glad God has used this article to bless you.

It is interesting in how when we freely receive then freely give how the Lord blesses and adds life even the smallest and simplest of things for His Kingdom.

God is Great and Worthy is He to be Praised! Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Comment on The Skillful Worship Leader by Deacon Terry

Deacon Terry — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:25:00 +0000

Thanks alot for posting this article. It has truly blessed my life and my ministry as a praise and worship leader. Thanks once again…

Comment on The Living Church – Part 2 by marem

marem — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:39:28 +0000

there is nothing in the world I enjoy more than learning. In fact, i’d rather be learning now!

Comment on The Living Church – Part 2 by Jim Goodman

Jim Goodman — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:48:30 +0000

Jenni I think I am following you. Most definitely in many churches there is an assembly line type of faith or mentality. In most of these churches new converts are handed some literature and then encouraged to read the Bible, pray and come to church. The Midwest (the less urban places) is a little more behind in this, but many churches do have specific discipleship groups and home fellowship to accommodate true discipleship through kononia – simply intimate sharing together, if you will so there is much progress of recent years. Small groups and home fellowships, Stott hits on, are a solution to the problem of discipling, not to forget a great place for intimate, less formal worship.

The people of the church should be truly jazzed about their faith and sharing because they can’t contain it, but they do. Some where there faith on the sleeve, but it is nothing more than a badge of self righteousness doing more to keep the lost out than invite them in. The only remedy, sadly most evangelicals, is the power (dunamis) of the Holy Spirit and the torrents of Living Water that gush forth to the world around us.

Pentecost was a singular historical even in which 120 tarried for 7-10 days (depending on the commentators math) and the Holy Spirit descended upon them. There was the sound of a rushing mighty wind and they began praising God in other tongues. That was what was going on INSIDE, the sound spilled over to the OUTSIDE and the people who there in that divinely appointed hour heard that sound and inquired. The church was cooking before a single convert was added.

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones a wonderful, conservative preacher, not a charismatic by definition, declared that we don’t see this in today’s church because we have effectively denied the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and tossed the gifts out along with it leaving us with nothing but man’s best effort to reach the lost and disciple. Now Stott and Lloyd-Jones were contemporaries who seriously disagreed on this very point. I agree with Stott and Lloyd-Jones who agree Pentecost was a once and only event that church celebrates on the calendar. But I part with Stott and join Lloyd-Jones on the need for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the manifest gifts to empower the church to be an effective witness. What that means it outside the scope of this response, but simply to acknowledge whether one agrees with the term Baptism or not it does come down to is the Holy Spirit lighting your faith on fire! A forest only has fuel and oxygen on a day to day basis these are 2 of the 3 necessary elements to create a forest fire – it can’t become a raging forest fire and burn until external source of ignition is applied and so it is with the church.

When looking at Acts 2:42-27 one has to consider the rest of chapter 2 and include the finer points of 1-7 in particular chapter 6 which holds the key in my opinion.

Anyway thanks for commenting and the encouragement. I may be stepping out to plant a church sooner than later.

Comment on The Living Church – Part 2 by Jenni

Jenni — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:16:26 +0000

I love and soak up your spiritual thoughts, preaching. Essentially that is what you are providing. Online preaching. I’ve seaid it before and I’ll say it again. You need to pastor your own church !!!! It is obvious your passion for God’s word. Anyway I was so struck by something you posted that I thought I would comment, if you don’t mind.
The words : “We urgently need to return to this eager expectation. I some church which haven’t had a convert for ten years or more. And if they got one, they wouldn’t know what to do with him, her or it. so extraordinary would this phenomenon appear to them! But the early church anticipated the arrival of new beleivers, and made provision for their nurture.”
Struck me. We, and I say that as a mere generalization of today’s churchs’, preach God’s word but do not have a system into place to nurture, guide , build up and send out new believers. We tell them “Come to Jesus” then we pray with them, shake their hand and pat their back and send them on their way. Now, let me preface this with Christ Jesus can do anything. It is all through His power, channeled through us that we edify one another(the church) so we are an unncessary necessity for the Mission of God if you will. What about internal discipleship ? We tend to confuse this with internal “healing”. Now ,hear my heart on this one. We want the “lame, blind,widowed and orphaned ” to come to Christ through church. But do we, as a chruch (generaling again) tend to comfort , bandage and pray through one’s “valley of darkenss” only to set them on their merry way once the valley has been walked through? That is not the true misson of The Lord. We are commanded “Go ye into ALL nations” so that they may know God’s Word. I only “see” this once you stated your second part of your post about the day of Pentecost. For 120 days they “tarried” in the upperroom only because they were waiting for the Holy Spirit. Prior to this wonderful event occuring Christ had commanded that they “wait for power on high ” before going out to witness , fullfill the great commission. So is this occuring in today’s church ? Are we even seeking the power , which is already with in us, that we are commanded to do, then fulfilling tahe mission ? I believe not. In part , yes. However, today’s church is not just a “spiritual hospital ” it is to be a school for learning ,teaching and growing. And like all schools we must continue to advance to the next grade level eventually gradutating in our area of specialty and going forth.
Hope I got across the thought you were hoping to get across. I tend to skew from teh path sometimes.
Jenni

Comment on Basic Bible Doctrines in Outline for New Believers by Jon D. Wilke

Jon D. Wilke — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:28:45 +0000

Thanks Jim! You are right; 70% of believers have never even read the New Testament, some of which are the most committed to church life and activity. Every thing people can do to encourage Bible engagement is important. Thank you.
Blessings!
Jon

Comment on Basic Bible Doctrines in Outline for New Believers by Jim Goodman

Jim Goodman — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:22:11 +0000

Hello Jon and thanks for commenting. Biblical illiteracy is becoming a huge problem even amongst quote unquote Bible teachers.

I do have mp3 downloads in the Resources page. I looked at the site you represent thanks for pointing me in that direction. I will add it to the resources here (and facebook) and perhaps a banner as well.

Thanks again!
Jim

Comment on Basic Bible Doctrines in Outline for New Believers by Jon D. WIlke

Jon D. WIlke — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:01:28 +0000

Hi Jim,
Thanks for offering new believers some resources to grow in their walk. Getting people in the Word is the most important habit for new believers to develop. But unfortunately, so many people don’t read anymore. Would you be interested in offering audio Bible downloads from your blog?
Jon
for FaithComesByHearing.com