Church purpose versus church growth

The opposition between God’s purpose for the Church and numerical growth as a purpose for churches

Vivir en paz con otros

Si es posible, y en cuanto dependa de ustedes, vivan en paz con todos. Esto es uno de los principios más importantes de las Escrituras, porque Dios es amor.

Lo que nace del Espíritu Santo es imprevisible, como el viento. Y también lo seremos, si vivamos en Él.

lo que nace del Espíritu es imprevisible, como el viento. Pero generalmente preferimos evitar a los individuos que pueden desencadenar los tipos de corrección violente del rumbo —paroxismon— de los que se habla en Hebreos 10:24.

One who is born of the Holy Spirit is unpredictable like the wind, and so we will be, if we live by Him.

What is born of the Spirit is unpredictable, like the wind. But we generally prefer to avoid individuals who can trigger the types of violent course correction—paroxysmon—spoken of in Hebrews 10:24.

A Grudge Imprisons All Parties to It

I’ve heard it preached that, when I hold a grudge, I hurt only myself. The other person is not affected. But this is simply false. As long as either of us is holding a grudge, we are both imprisoned in it, until the one holding the grudge releases it. I must offer unlimited forgiveness, and not give in to bearing a grudge toward those who have hurt me. And I must be aware that my grudge always affects other people.

Is There Anything God Can’t Forgive?

God can’t forgive a grudge I am holding against you. I have to do that. And God can’t forgive a grudge you are holding against me. You have to do that. To know God’s forgiveness, I must choose to live in it.

What Really Happened in the Garden

God created the first human, male and female, as a being like himself with whom he could share his life and his creation. But the disobedience of the first humans introduced shame, which drove them away from God and hindered them from agreeing with God about their sin and returning to him. This is always the effect of shame, which comes from us, not from God.

Sin, Offense, Guilt and Shame–Definitions, God’s Work and the Social Order.

Defines the common sets of terms pertaining to sin, offense, guilt, shame and honor, with a discussion of God’s work and initial comments on the importance of their confusion in maintaining the social order.

The Son of Man has Power on Earth to Forgive Sins

When Jesus said that the son of man has power to forgive sins on Earth, he was referring to his humanity–and ours. God has already forgiven. Like Jesus, we have the power–and the mission–to offer forgiveness on Earth.

The Power of My Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Revisited

My forgiveness or unforgiveness of you has real power. If I hold onto a grudge against you, or you hold onto a grudge against me, it binds both of us, limits the Body of Christ, and affects the whole world, until it is released. So we must properly deal with grudges.

God’s Work and Voice in Me, Part 7D: Voices Anyone? An immodest proposal,

As one who has long had the experience of being aware, at times, of God’s voice, I propose to the Church at large that we should 1) treat spiritual “voices,” in general, as real and not as mere symptoms of mental illness, 2) learn to distinguish God’s voice from the other voices in our world, and 3) resolve to follow God’s voice. #3 is the key, because we will not be able to discern God’s voice unless we are his sheep, who hear and follow it.