House Church Talk - Phil & his Visualizing

[Rick Smith]

Brother Lee and Brother Jim,

I have not seen all of the emails that have been batted back and forth  
over this issue, as I am new to the group and ernestly seeking the  
encouragement and information regarding home church that I believed I was  
signing up to receive.  Imagine my dissapointment to see so little  
difference between this forum and the institutional church I have  
endeavored to leave behind in my search for Christ-likeness.


Galatians 6:1 says,  "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which  
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering  
thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

So to respond to the obvious error of trying to visualize Christ in order  
to get closer to Him seems a right thing - so long as it is done in  
meekness, love, and is based solely on the scriptures (which reveal a  
picture of Christ that requires no visualtion techniques, and the ernest,  
whole-hearted study of which will bring one closer to Christ than any  
other thing man can do.

However, none of what has transpired since has been in keeping with what I  
understood the purpose of this forum was - and in fact has run contrary to  
what the list informtion page has asked of us

"HC-Talk cannot serve as a forum to analyze or discuss every doctrine or  
aspect of the Faith. In other words, it is not, nor is it intended to be a  
general theology or general experience Christian list. Many such lists  
already exist in large numbers. Please, therefore, post only messages  
which contain content relevant to those in house churches."

Might I humbly suggest that the two of you work out your difference in  
private, rather than using the forum as a platform to
perform a nominally Christian jousting contest that it is obvious neither  
of you will concede victory ot the other in.  Then let us all return in a  
spirit of unity to the task of helping individuals to discover the joys  
and the wonder of serving God almighty as his Church in our houses.

In His Grip,

Rick


On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 14:38:43 -0600, jim sutton <goodword at bresnan.net>  
wrote:

> Lee Underwood wrote:
>
>> I take offensive to your comment of shedding innocent blood (but I  
>> forgive you). Boy, if that is the case, then Jesus and all the  
>> disciples did their share of shedding innocent blood. This is not about  
>> humanism. This is about the Kingdom of God.
>
>
> And so on it goes...
>
> Thank you, Lee, for explaining how you feel, and for forgiving me.  I do  
> not need your forgiveness, but I know that you need to forgive.  Just as  
> I need to understand how and why we can jump on a tiny thing and build  
> it into a big mountain.  And I need to forgive those who did so to my  
> brother.
>
> Lee, try to understand.  I'm not saying that anyone here felt angry or  
> like fighting when they posted to Phil.  That?s part of the problem.   
> I?m sure it probably felt good to stomp all over his innocent comments.   
> And I do understand that.
>
> In my mind, I can visualize churches -- both the old buildings and the  
> groups of people -- all over America.  So many good fellowships of  
> decades past that have dwindled down to nothing, or to almost nothing.   
> Too many communities that once had hundreds of believers are lucky now  
> to have a dozen or two real Christians.  And one reason for that  
> shrinking fellowship is that it can feel so good to beat up on a brother  
> or a sister -- all in the name of love and helping.
>
> We see a problem, or think we see a problem, and we just want to help.   
> And then later, when we tell our other brothers and sisters about it, we  
> just mean for them to pray.  We?re not spreading tales.  And when we  
> continue to examine our hearts, to see if there was any bad intent, we  
> see none, and so we continue to justify ourselves.
>
> By all means stand for godly and correct teaching, doctrine, practice  
> and lifestyle.  Anyone who knows me knows that I take that stand.
>
> But don't be bound to a catchword, or a mistaken notion, to the extent  
> that you just keep posting, one after another of you, to the same good  
> brother.  If someone has already questioned an idea, a practice, or  
> whatever, then wait and allow the brother to answer for himself.  Make  
> certain that he really has a real problem before all of you jump in to  
> fix it (sorry, I meant to say "repair it", I'm from Texas).
>
> Be considerate of the feelings and of the life of every good brother you  
> have.  A brother is not an enemy.  Give him some space, and if he really  
> does try to actively promote error, then just one or two of you share  
> with him -- not the whole list.
>
> Phil is our brother.  Unless we all have Alzheimer's, we should be able  
> to recall all the good things he has shared with us.  So why, on a  
> single misunderstanding will we suddenly assume the worst.  That is  
> shameful behavior.  And that is one reason so many flee the "fellowship"  
> we have to offer.  Not just on here on this list, but in too many places.
>
> Not everyone must say everything exactly as we do, or think just as we  
> do, in order to know and love our Lord Jesus.  Many believers all around  
> this world are going to say things, expressing the same faith we have,  
> but with different phrases and terms and words.  They will use different  
> illustrations.  But they are one in the Lord with us.
>
> And so on.  But I've said enough on this topic.  You guys say and do as  
> you will.  I believe you do mean well.  But we need to move beyond  
> ?meaning well? in our relationships, if we want to honor both the Lord  
> and each other.  Preferring others does not mean justifying ourselves.
>
> God bless each of you, no matter how you respond to this.  I know I?m an  
> old crank, and old cranks are good at getting things started.  I love  
> each of you in the Lord, and I really do mean well.
>
> Jim
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