Five days ago I offered to start another cyber-discipling group. Since then, nine of you have signed up (though only one did so on line). So now I’m closing the door on this group. I’ve learned a few things from the last experiment and hope that this next couple of months will not only help us to grow individually, but will also teach us a few things about using the internet as an adjunct to spiritual growth. We have much to share with a generation being weaned on it.
Like it or not, we’re not around each other in this modern world as much as we need to be to disciple as Jesus did. So, we need to find ways to bridge the gaps we face. This blog and these periodic experiments in discipling are my little attempt to do so.
Tonight at 11:31 I’ve got Eva Cassidy* on the stereo singing “Tall Trees in Georgia.” If you were here in my living room, who knows what great conversations we’d have together. But we’re separated by who knows how many miles and how many life experiences. And so the nine of us will start where we are and see where it takes us.
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*You ought to buy this album – listen to this typical review: “Simply put, this CD has changed my life. “Over the Rainbow” stopped me in my
tracks the first time I heard it, bringing tears to my eyes. I’ve listened to it
at least 50 times in the last few days, and it still moves me like no other
piece of music ever has. Eva Cassidy has raised the bar by which vocal performance will be measured from
now on.”
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Dear Seth,
I have been working with Kathy Dresham. She is a lovely person. We have not worked on much biblically. I had some deep personal issues . And I thank you for leading me to her.
Again, thank you for your help.
I was interested to see that you have a cyber program for discipling.
I have been studying dispensational doctrine that points me to Paul and the Church Age. I went to a dispensational church and it ended up being too intellectual.
I want to find people in my area that are truly caught up in Romans through Philemon. I do not find many people that see Paul as the Church Age apostle and that teach that in a way I need. There are lots of churches that are doing a moral teaching format. I really want a study group that has the heart for what the Ascended Lord’s instructions and manner of living are, some one that will be a friend in Christ. It makes a person wonder when so many of your friends go to Beth Moore seminars and leave singing Kumba Ya and have’nt changed a bit.
I have a longing heart hear in Milford Michigan. I just joined a new church and my pastor said he does not believe in dispensational doctrine.
I am not asking dispensationalism to be taught…but I am asking for the admission that God has very understandable ways of entreating information to this Church age. What is wrong with this overt admission in our churches? What is the fear? Where is the Holy Spirits leading in our churches? Why are we letting Him down? I think it is the mis reading of the bible. And our leadership is easily strayed away from truth. What do you think about Paul
1 Corinthians 15; 1-4 as the Gosple of Truth to the Church… not John 3:16. That was said prior to Jesus dying to the Jewish converts. The Power of John 3:16 was based on 1 Corinthians 15 1-4 happening. It seems no true Salvation could occured until..Jesus died was Buried and Rose because Salvation had not been completed with His Ascension and seating at the right hand of the Father.
The bible is produced by the Greatest Teacher there was…and Jesus is not confusing. I sure find the churches to be.
Thank you for any comments you can send along. If you teach in this way I would like to be a part of your cyber discipling…if not I will live with my own form of confusion and take my chances. The bible has to make sense.
Thank you,
Anita Del Favero
This is interesting.
Because there is no more discipling in church on earth any more. When I got saved, I was immediately absorbed into the dramatic, exciting pentecostal, and later, charismatic movement. For the next seventeen years, I was to go through an experience ranging from false hope from the horrible prosperity preaching and teaching, to a totally failed ‘Christian’ living based on a theology that depicted God as always striving with a powerful devil, and who (devil) was frustrating Him (God). In my mind, God became the classic loser, no matter what was screamed from the pulpit. By definition I became confusion incarnate.
There is not a thing I did not try, as I was then taught by men and women – many of them merely, and unknowingly, confessing an emotional ‘salvation’. I will not go into it deeper than that for now. Suffice it to say that I finally ended up in ‘kingdom academy’ owned by a cultic pastor which taught that ‘I was a Christ’, and fed me with so much new age rubbish that God opened up my eyes and I saw it for what it was. I told them off and quit.
That was I 2008.
But, all along, I knew that the only thing I wanted to do was to know Christ, to focus on who he is, what he has done, my hope in him, and my life and thoughts to be centered on him, literally. It looked rediculous to me, and I thought, ‘Wait, this is arrogant’, but it persisted.
I quit the pentecostal movement, because that is what it only is – a movement, not anchored on Christ, but on the one event of Pentecost 2000 years ago. They are more interested in the devil, curses that need so-called ‘anointed’ humans to do what Christ is no longer relevant for, and a spiritism which, in Africa, has degenerated into direct witchcraft. Suffering for Christ is not taught. Living for Christ is not taught. In almost all churches. Even mainline evangelical churches have finally given up on the Son of the Most High God, and gone into marketplace pentecostalism.
I am not concerned with so-called dispensation this or that. I have not been a member of a church since November 2008. Hardly is anyone teaching Christ and him crucified.
If I join this group, I would rather it be for fellowship, rather than for one person to be my pastor, or, worse, ‘mentor’ or spiritual somebody over me. I have been ‘under’ for 20 years, and I no longer trust ‘men’ – (men or women) in matters of followership of Christ.
Jesus said: “Love one another” as his last commandment. Paul came on the scene and announced: “And now, here is the mystery hidden over the ages: Christ in you.” That is wherew I want to be, ‘In Christ’, and the discipline that ascertains my living that way. Close fellowshipping, on the basis of a shared, Berean-like discipline and mutual encouragement, friendship and respect for one another – and if we rely strictly on the Word of God, without any of us trying to impose their own view on others, and SPEAKING the truth that is bourne by the Bible, I would be happy to join in.
We have to watch out for one thing. Christians, after a while, get ‘used to one another’ and begin to show resentment, to want to introduce own made up rules and practices: ‘Oh, I hear the Spirit telling me that we should all, as a group, separate ourselves in the month of May, and fast and pray for 21 days…’ which is what super-charismatic-pentecostalism is, and leads to a horrible from of judgementalness and hypocrisy, at which point I would quit.
Paul of Tarsus was very simple. He only followed Christ. Everything else was dung to him.
Well, I will pause here for now, and God bless you.
(My name is Paul, and am Kenyan)
Have you read the book “The Hurt and the Healer” by Bart Millard (of the Mercy Me singing group) along with Andew Farley? also listen to Andrew Farley Live out of Lubbock TX.
he is a great bible teacher and clearly knows His New Idnetity in Jesus Christ. You can also catch him on satellite radio on sunday afternoon at Family Talk radio 1 pm central standard time. Andrew has many more books…God without Religion is a very good book along with Relaxing with God. I encourage you to read it.
Thanks, Verda – sounds good.