I’ve been to many of our congregations throughout the US and find each one to be unique, with its own strengths and weaknesses. Yet we all live by the same spirit.

We see from those letters to the 7 churches that God speaks differently to each church, according to its uniqueness.

Also – most denominations started out as an “emerging church” at some point. It seems people are constantly, over a matter of centuries, feeling the need to break off from their church to “get back to the heart of the matter”. Except the forget that their denomination was once that same “emerging church” that was bucking the trend back in its heyday. What changed? What makes a “movement” no longer relevant?

I think it’s spiritual apathy. It slowly grows roots in a group over decades or centuries. We must continually be renewed daily. Otherwise our once “radical” movements may become irrelevent in the eyes of our children’s children.

- “You have forsaken your first love; Remember; repent, do the things you did at first”
- “You tolerate Jezebel with her immorality and idolatry. Repent”
- “You are actually dead. Wake up. Strengthen what remains. Remember what you have received, obey it, and repent”.
- You are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Be earnest and repent”.

Please, note that in every letter the Lord repeatedly speaks the truth about their failures with bluntness and uses sharp words of condemnation, rebuke, and exhortation in order to remind them of His promises to overcome. According to Him, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline”. (Rev3:19)

About “young (or older) people are asking honest but difficult questions” …it is because we are ignorant…because we do not read…because we are not being taught…because we are being lulled into deeper slumber by myths and fables that is causing our faith to diminish and deteriorate to the point of even forsaking it.

Anyway, am not any “elder” or teacher…merely a little dumb sheep of His flock… will continue to bleat out and butt in because of my love and concern for the fellow sheep…if it is necessary, will not hesitate to lock horns and pull the straying ones to safety…if it hurts then so be it. Will do whatever it takes to avoid having to watch uneasy and painful “cliffhanger moments” due to “damaged faith” within the Church!

Usually your imaginations run wild about everything, and when it comes to a cat, is it reduced to a mere mouse? No way…“what-if”, she is weighing profound thoughts on the significance of the site. Cool pic… keep up the good work!

However, one of their members has secretly invented a time machine and had traveled to the future and seen the results of their “new” teachings.

The new and emerging church they found was hardly recognizable as a church to them. Though the players seen the mistake of changing the way in which Christ was beeing presented to people in the future. The future could not be altered, the Rapture was coming and so was judgement.

Only a dramatization, but a pretty good demonstration of the dangers of presenting Christ as anything but HOLY.

I was raised as a child in an old fashioned United Brotheren Church, in the early 60’s it merged with the Methodist Church and became the United Methodist Church. Many of the attendees from both denominations refused to go to church again because of the action.

I continued to attend the Methodist church and had my own son “Baptised” there. We continued to attend until Problems emerged whereas I began attending The Church of God.

I personaly find disagreement in many doctrines, presented by various organisations. In talking with many people including some of you here on this blog. I see that one of my problems is that I think sometimes too much.
We tend to make up our own minds about nearly every subject. The acceptance and surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Master of our lives is as personal as it gets.In our personal relationship with our LORD, we find peace and comfort. And can get quite emotional if we feel that comfort zone is challanged.

My little brother, who will be 50 this January only in the last 8 years has become a Christian. It was a combination of events in his life and people in his life that brought him to accepting the Lord. He and his family attend one of the new non-denominatioal churches in his area. Hardly recognizable to me as my old fashioned church experiance. However it works for him. It has brought his family into a group of believers.

Once the acceptance, the heart can be more receptive to hearing that still small voice inside our hearts. The Holy Spirit will grow us and guide us if we open to listening. Some people are “saved” by only reading a short message from a small pamphlet. Some takes different and more dire measures to heed that call.

I have a few fundemental beliefs. 1. Jesus was born to the virgin by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. 2. Jesus is the SON of GOD. 3. Jesus died and was resurected by his own power. 4. Jesus is the only way to salvation.
5.Jesus is in fact GOD.

Any church or doctorine that disagrees with these fundimentals. I have issue with. Wether new or old churches.

I’ll work on another post to try to describe a more subtle process that happens when young (or older) people are asking honest but difficult questions, or what happens when in an attempt to bring others in, they try things that are questionable. In such cases I’m convinced that the elders who respond to them need show not only wisdom, but also the attitudes the Scriptures call for in “evaluative” or “corrective” situations (i.e. 2Tim 2:24-26 and Gal 6:1).

And yes, if the issue is that leaders are influencing many with dangerous or false teaching, the response needs to be strong, clear, and persuasive. But in all cases, the “elders” who are doing the confronting and correcting need to do so with the attitudes of Christ, and only after checking out their suspicions and facts, so that they don’t do more damage to the faith== in the way they are confronting– than the young/or old are doing in trying to deal with difficult questions or challenges.

…the picture of a cat was taken by a traveler to Ephesus. Am guessing it’s not weighing profound thoughts on the significance of the site, but is watching a mouse… To see link to source, click cursor on pic…

Following the example of Jesus, the “traditional” parents should encourage the “emerging” kids to first look at “Him” as it is not about the lights, the music, the clothes or the place of worship. The issue is indeed one of both attitudes and facts. Which parent in their right mind will have their children worship with the lights turned off… that is scary… if this is a “fact”. If they are departing away from His word then it is our duty to show “grace and mercy” by showing them the right way. Simply trying to be Mr. or Ms. Nice to win their approvals and be in their good books will cause more harm than good. True wisdom will always discern and should disturb all followers of Christ when absolute truth is being denied, relativism is being promoted and sound doctrine is lacking.

Speaking of “treating one another”…I would expect to be whipped and stoned for saying silly things like “Jesus is not the only way” or “Bible is not the Word of God” as this is exactly how I would respond to the above statements…it is “hate me now and love me later” rather the opposite of it. If we all follow Jesus and obey His commandments there is no chance for any one to be “messed up– and in danger” and by diligently doing this we the Church will help each other grow in truth and grace!

Question about the pic: What is the kitty representing? …hope its something nice… Is that the prison ruins on the Aegean island of Patmos?