Found your site from your recent comments on Prodigal’s Knots on baptism and the resulting insanity of of some.

I am definitely subscribing to your feed because I like your approach. 2009 is the start of my blog for some of the same reasons as you. I’m still searching for my voice and my “niche.”

Love your boldness, brother. I am encouraged by what I’ve read so far and I’m eager to peruse your blog further.

Yours in Christ,

Joe.

” . . .if it weren’t for the fact. . . ,” Those are wonderful words, because they make all the difference; those words change everything. Those words are precisely the reason we Christians do what we do, because of the “Fact.”

Without that fact this world is very discouraging, as it should be. Without that fact the world wins and the Prince of death takes the booty; he raids the temple and takes all the treasures and leave a trail of death and destruction. Without that fact the law is king and delivers every soul to judgment with no one to plead his cause.

But, the Fact remains, although hidden in the chaos of Planet Earth. Jesus is the end of the Law for righteousness; He is the answer to the discouragement. The discouragement and hopelessness is part of the equation and exist to point us to Christ, and I thank the Lord for discouragement, because He lifts us out of a miry pit and sets us on a solid rock. Death comes before resurrection.

Death, discouragement, and conviction of sin iare the old Gospel. Are we set free from freedom? Are we set free from joy and peace? Of course not! We are set free from discouragement and hopelessness.

I know you already know this, but I love saying it anyway.

I visited your site and like it. I bought Barna’s and Viola’s book because of your reviews posted there. I have been out of the institutional church for some time now, and at times wonder about the discouragement of my choice, but the Fact is always there with the truth, and encourages me to press on for the sake of the elect. The facts have been suppressed for very many years but are now pushing through the soil, a fragile, new sprig reaching for the Light, and the Light is there, and it warms and comforts. That Fact will draw the Church to Itself.

You are correct, there are some inside the institutional church that will see the Light of truth, as I did, and will separate themselves at some point, when the time is right. They are the good seed amongst the tares.

Thanks for the visit,

God bless you,

Steve Blackwell

Great post, yet this could be incredibly discouraging if it weren’t for the fact that Jesus Himself said that He is building His church..

I’ve often tried to reconcile “…and the gates of hell will not prevail…” part to the failure of American Christianity, but then I realized that there are the people who are born into the “real” church that exists in many cases in the psuedo-church that is Institutional.

I had a pastor of one of the larger Churches in my city tell me that out of the 1000 or so people that attend his suburban church, he believed that maybe 20% of them were actually authentic born again believers. It’s sad.

I take comfort in the fact that while all of us are doing our part to contend for the true gospel, and it can seem daunting at times, Jesus is still building his true church.

Glod Bless Brother!

I didn’t know where else to let you know that I think you did a good job of trying to help Andrew Jones (Tall Skinny Kiwi) look at the real point re. Roger Oakland’s book.

What has happened to Roger really hasn’t relevance to what his research, with documentation, would show the reader.

I’m afraid this kind of statement from Andrew shows the real weakness of this alleged postmodernism:

“I think many of us no longer see the church in denominational or organizational terms so the RCC/Protestant divide is not so sharp.”

Who cares that “many of us” simply chose to think the Reformation away because they decided to “no longer see” it.

Sadly, they way they wish to see things doesn’t actually change reality. Hey, I wish I could do that with my bills!

And as a former Roman Catholic I have a much different view than Andrew.

I agree with you in respect to the church failing, and it was doomed from the start because man decided to take the reigns and bastardized that which was known.

We have been told to keep quiet and listen for too long. Jesus had dialog, how else can one really teach?

He even courted questions from those he knew had malicious intentions, in order that others may hear his answer.

There may be details that most of man kind may disagree with, but are they even important in the grand design? I think not.

Love thy neighbor and do unto others are two commandments given much talk but little walk, if you know what I mean.