;)

[jack404]

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said "Stop! Don't do it!" He said "Why shouldn't I?".
I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?"
I said, "Well, are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious."
I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?" He said, "Christian."
I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?" He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?" He said, "Baptist!"
I said, "Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist church of god or Baptist church of the lord?" He said, "Baptist church of god!"
I said, "Me too! Are you original Baptist church of god, or are you reformed Baptist church of god?" He said, "Reformed Baptist church of god!"
I said, "Me too! Are you reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!"
I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.


seems to be a lot about so thought i'd bring up this old old joke as a reminder

[BlackEagle]

Sad but true all too often.

I sometimes think of the Church as a garden with lots of different kinds of plants. Daffodils grow together, petunias grow together, etc.; grass grows everywhere; corn and potatoes grow there and produce their fruit;other plants, weeds, need to be taken out, but the different good plants are all welcome and part of the garden.

Christians need to realise that salvation is God's free gift and is on His terms, not ours, and comes from receiving Christ as Saviour.

I have seen lots of very animated discussions with high emotion in church courts over things that, in the long run, are not that important. Splitting theological hairs is needlessly divisive and is distracting rather than carrying out God's commands to us in Matt. 28:18-20.

Thanks for the humerous reminder, Jack.

Good one.

[hstout1143]

[ampaterry]

For the fine details, I think of the line Bill Murry taught the campers

It Just Doesn't Matter!!

[Jerryboy]

one of the things that really turns me off from fellowship with other Believers is Legalism:

"if you smoke you're going to hell"
"if you drink you're going to hell"
"if you dance you're going to hell"
"if you don't wear a suit and tie to church you're going to hell"
"if you eat pork products you're going to hell"
"if you own/don't own a gun you're going to hell"

if God wanted us to avoid the good things in life His name would be Allah and we would be called Muslims.

[jack404]

Jerry , you got it !

[ampaterry]

+ 1 !!!

[Ironvarmint]

Originally Posted by Jerryboy

one of the things that really turns me off from fellowship with other Believers is Legalism:

"if you smoke you're going to hell"
"if you drink you're going to hell"
"if you dance you're going to hell"
"if you don't wear a suit and tie to church you're going to hell"
"if you eat pork products you're going to hell"
"if you own/don't own a gun you're going to hell"

if God wanted us to avoid the good things in life His name would be Allah and we would be called Muslims.

I agree with Jerryboy, but if a new Christian (a Babe in Christ) would see me going into a bar or coming out of a bar what would that do for his walk with Christ? I’m not a pastor but I’m an elder at my church and I may be the only bible someone might see. I don’t have a problem with someone having a drink or a smoke and I know the Lord don’t want to see me dance! But like my pastor says; being a Christian you have every eye on you and if you mess up someone will bring it to your attention. By the way I just had some good fellowship with a brother in Christ and another Elder in our church. Last Saturday we spent the day at the Perry County gun bash at New Lexington Ohio. It was a great time and my 18 year old son enjoyed also.

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by Ironvarmint

I agree with Jerryboy, but if a new Christian (a Babe in Christ) would see me going into a bar or coming out of a bar what would that do for his walk with Christ? I’m not a pastor but I’m an elder at my church and I may be the only bible someone might see. I don’t have a problem with someone having a drink or a smoke and I know the Lord don’t want to see me dance! But like my pastor says; being a Christian you have every eye on you and if you mess up someone will bring it to your attention. By the way I just had some good fellowship with a brother in Christ and another Elder in our church. Last Saturday we spent the day at the Perry County gun bash at New Lexington Ohio. It was a great time and my 18 year old son enjoyed also.

Agreed.

See Romans 14.

One of the questions I was asked in getting my firearms certificate was how I could resolve it with my religion. I simply said that my father was a pastor and I had grown up with guns. They are tools like the hammers and axes and plows the pioneers brought with them when settling their new homesteads.

[oldfartrr]

ONE thing ya all forgot !!!!
if it TASTE good
or is FUN
IT IS IMMORAL,, INDECENT,, OR FATTENING !!!
sooo what else is there to live for

[oldfartrr]

Originally Posted by Jerryboy

one of the things that really turns me off from fellowship with other Believers is Legalism:

"if you smoke you're going to hell"
"if you drink you're going to hell"
"if you dance you're going to hell"
"if you don't wear a suit and tie to church you're going to hell"
"if you eat pork products you're going to hell"
"if you own/don't own a gun you're going to hell"

if God wanted us to avoid the good things in life His name would be Allah and we would be called Muslims.

just remember that if u go to hell ,,, you will most likely be with your friends or at least a lot of people u know .....

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by oldfartrr

just remember that if u go to hell ,,, you will most likely be with your friends or at least a lot of people u know .....

Two suprises await us wherever we go...who we see, and who we don't see.

[Deacon_Man]

Guys, this is the kind of crap that keeps a lot of good people out of church. They don't think they can live up to the churchs standards. If a man/woman has a drink, smoke or goes to a dance, it's nobodys damn business. It's between them and God, and I don't think God really cares about the little things. It's a sin only if you think it is and you do it anyway. Being kind,generous and loving to those in need is what God cares about not the little liberal crap.

[jack404]

Deacon man , i'm one who has been brought up before the elders and explained i'm not good enough , i smoke , i make my own booze , and i like guns , i'm outspoken on Islam and the defence of my own Faith and in many Churches these are all bad things

thats why its been hard for me to find a decent fellowship but i'm out of the city again now and found a couple nice places where i am welcome and where what i do monday through saterday dont worry them

before i had the anglican diocese attempt to come to my flat in little gaza they where most vocal on my actions against islam and sharia

after they where attacked their car highjacked them beaten they just sent me letters still telling me the reason islam attacks folks is because we dont understand them

i understand

i understand some folks are better than me , that they will always be better than me in their own minds and theres nothing i can do or say to change that

i also understand that if things go the way i expect these same people4 will sell us out for peace and security , they'll give up all rights and privaledges for peace , that they wont get

and in the mean time i'll watch these same people chase so many away from Christ its not funny

i hate brands...

[jack404]

i'll scan and post the letter the baptist ministry sent me where i'm a terrorist
and the cause of all the unrest within the islamic community here

i replied i have seen them protest many things but never once me myself , thats been left to the Christians who support sharia ... and the removal of the Christian Faith . which is the humanists/greenies/lefties/islamist goal

they dont write me no more just attack me via the media , why ?

i dared to debate the validity of another religous system, like theirs

so they have a religous system too?

but not a Faith ??

pass on brands eh ..

[BlackEagle]

Whether a person is a Christian or not is defined by the Bible, not by which religious group he belongs to or how he behaves. God is the one who defines who a Christian is, not man.

John 1:12 is one verse of many throughout the Bible that sumarises it:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name

[oldfartrr]

Originally Posted by jack404

Deacon man , i'm one who has been brought up before the elders and explained i'm not good enough , i smoke , i make my own booze , and i like guns , i'm outspoken on Islam and the defence of my own Faith and in many Churches these are all bad things

thats why its been hard for me to find a decent fellowship but i'm out of the city again now and found a couple nice places where i am welcome and where what i do monday through saterday dont worry them

before i had the anglican diocese attempt to come to my flat in little gaza they where most vocal on my actions against islam and sharia

after they where attacked their car highjacked them beaten they just sent me letters still telling me the reason islam attacks folks is because we dont understand them

i understand

i understand some folks are better than me , that they will always be better than me in their own minds and theres nothing i can do or say to change that

i also understand that if things go the way i expect these same people4 will sell us out for peace and security , they'll give up all rights and privaledges for peace , that they wont get

and in the mean time i'll watch these same people chase so many away from Christ its not funny

i hate brands...

dont want to write a book here,, but have had visits from the deacons and their minions (old prunefaces that try and control the church).
i didnt tythe enough, missed tooo many sundays, was living with my wife before marriage, etc etc.
dont miss the posers who try and out dress each other, who drives the fanciest car, who puts the most hundred dollar bills in the collection plate.
OUT IN THE WOODS UNDER GOD'S BEAUTIFUL SKY AND SURROUNDED BY HIS CREATIONS,,, THERE ARE NO DISTRACTIONS AND I CAN HAVE MY DISCUSSION WITH HIM ABOUT MY FAILINGS... AND I BET HE CAN HEAR ME JUST FINE !!!!!

[Double D]

I wouldnt and couldnt belong to a legalistic church that worried about the way you dressed or if you wore jewelry or whatever. I am a casual dresser and I dont like to dress up. I go to church in jeans and shirt tails out with a 45 on my side and if I thought someone had a problem with it, I wouldnt be there. Tithing is between you and God and nobody should see or know how much you give. If you are doing it for that reason, you are throwing money down the drain anyhow. I cant stand legalistic churches.

[ozo]

Not many know....I was a pastor.
A congregation of over 1800 members.
Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Ya, may seem unbelievable to some......
I don't attend any Sunday services at present.

[Double D]

Originally Posted by ozo

Not many know....I was a pastor.
A congregation of over 1800 members.
Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Ya, may seem unbelievable to some......
I don't attend any Sunday services at present.

Why? Because you dont look the part or talk a certain way? Hogwash. God uses whoever will answer the call. Pastor ZO. Wow, 1800 members is big.

[soundguy]

too funny!

[ampaterry]

Originally Posted by Double D

Why? Because you dont look the part or talk a certain way? Hogwash. God uses whoever will answer the call. Pastor ZO. Wow, 1800 members is big.

Truer words were never spake.

I am living proof of that!

Old Alky biker with an eye for the girls and a temper problem!!

God has sanded off most of the rough edges with time, though -

[BlackEagle]

ozo, it's tempting to be like Elijah, in 1 Kings 19; totally discouraged, burned out, but God had a way of putting him back on his feet after a "time out" with a new mission and message.

As Terry's signature implies, there can be good people in even the strictest of churches. Please don't "throw the baby out with the bathwater" when it comes to churches and denominations and independent churches and fellowship groups.

[ozo]

Oh, I'm not burned out.....
I/we have church and fellowship quite often,
sometimes 3 or 4 days a week.....
just don't do it in the money temple and only
on Sunday ....at present.

"Solomon did a deep study into worldly wisdom and wrote his summary in the book of Ecclesiastes. His conclusion? All is vanity under the sun--chasing after the wind--without God."---blackeagle
I'm right there with ya.....

[BlackEagle]

ozo, glad to hear that.