The science on this is where mine and your view will differ but that's another topic.

For me, it has nothing to do with science. In the Bible, God says, before you ever were I knew your name.

 

To me, that says that God sees the fetus as a person. He cares and loves for that person. And I should too as well as equally caring for the mother that is carrying that child.

 

But as you said that is another topic that has been discussed in detail on here and I am sure will be again.

 

Good conversation both here and in PM's.:thumb:

For me, it has nothing to do with science. In the Bible, God says, before you ever were I knew your name.

 

To me, that says that God sees the fetus as a person. He cares and loves for that person. And I should too as well as equally caring for the mother that is carrying that child.

 

But as you said that is another topic that has been discussed in detail on here and I am sure will be again.

 

Good conversation both here and in PM's.:thumb:

 

 

I agree, I see your point of view and I hope you see where I come from too:thumb:

I agree, I see your point of view and I hope you see where I come from too:thumb:

Absolutely. I lived 27 and 1/2 years as a non-Christian. I have only lived 13 and 1/2 years as a Christian.

 

Most of my life was different in some aspects than it is now. And some wasn't.

 

I would have been described as a "good" person before. Now I would be described as a Christian. In the political view, that can change you from a liberal Democrat to a conservative Christian all with one good dunking.:lol:

I guess we didn't leave anything else to talk about, or everyone thinks were nut jobs.

I guess we didn't leave anything else to talk about, or everyone thinks were nut jobs.

I have been on here long enough to remove any doubt about myself.:sssh:

I guess we didn't leave anything else to talk about, or everyone thinks were nut jobs.

Or...I'm just happy to be out of the middle. :banana:

I'll be short..."Some are called to be teachers, some to be leaders, some to be Pastors, some to be Deacons,...some are called to cut the grass, cook meals, babysit the babies, pray, sing, coach a team, well y'all get my drift.

 

Some cannot go door to door and share Jesus. They don't have the Gift too, but they do have some type of Gift that lifts up the church and should find out what it is. Anyone and everyone should help in some way, because we are called out and we are special. I had to stop..I said I'd be short.

Hey guys. I read the first couple posts. Let me just say this.

 

I am not the most religious man. I have faith, but by no means am I the best example of living the word.

 

That said. --- I always responded better to the person who encouraged me in subtle ways to listen to religion than those who "thumped the Bible"

 

I am almost certainly simplifying the debate going on here but here is my 2 cents:

 

Those wishing to spread the word of God should be a good saleman. People are busy, people have honorable responsibilities. Telling someone they MUST do something just doesn't work. You have to "sale" people on things these days, IMO that is just the way it is, for better or worse.

Hey guys. I read the first couple posts. Let me just say this.

 

I am not the most religious man. I have faith, but by no means am I the best example of living the word.

 

That said. --- I always responded better to the person who encouraged me in subtle ways to listen to religion than those who "thumped the Bible"

 

I am almost certainly simplifying the debate going on here but here is my 2 cents:

 

Those wishing to spread the word of God should be a good saleman. People are busy, people have honorable responsibilities. Telling someone they MUST do something just doesn't work. You have to "sale" people on things these days, IMO that is just the way it is, for better or worse.

 

As a leader of the church, should that person seriously look to stand in front of God and when he is to report on what the church did under his leadership and say to God, "But people were busy."

 

I am not saying "thump the Bible" and preach that everyone is going to h-e-double hockey sticks. I am saying EXPECTING Christians to serve their communities as Jesus called them to do.

Hey guys. I read the first couple posts. Let me just say this.

 

I am not the most religious man. I have faith, but by no means am I the best example of living the word.

 

That said. --- I always responded better to the person who encouraged me in subtle ways to listen to religion than those who "thumped the Bible"

 

I am almost certainly simplifying the debate going on here but here is my 2 cents:

 

Those wishing to spread the word of God should be a good saleman. People are busy, people have honorable responsibilities. Telling someone they MUST do something just doesn't work. You have to "sale" people on things these days, IMO that is just the way it is, for better or worse.

 

IMO simplifying things usually leads to better results in the end:thumb:

Did you ever move your idea forward and present it to your congregation. Just curious if you did what their responses were?

Did you ever move your idea forward and present it to your congregation. Just curious if you did what their responses were?

It would be awhile down the way till it ever came to the congregation.

 

It would take me a month or two more to formulate it in my mind, then I would present it to the elders. They would consider and pray about it all the while looking for Scriptures to study about this issue and how the church in Acts would view this. I would say the earliest that it would occur would be late 2007 or early 2008.

 

It is not something presented now and done in 4 weeks. Issues like this have to have serious praying and asking for guidance.

Christians become involved in ministries because they want to be involved, not because someone takes them on a guilt trip. All you can do is encourage people to help. To me, this is just plain wrong. The whole attitude of serve or leave sickens me.

I agree with you here, can't have it both ways, on one hand saying serve because you want to not because of guilt, while holding the door open and telling them to leave if they don't serve?

 

I think God gave us something called free will, Plus I know a whole lot of the so called "Sunday morning Christians" who are more Christian than some who do a lot more and serve every week. People should go to church as well as serve because of what they feel in their heart, what they feel like THEY need to do, not because it's compulsory. Sounds like Nazism to me. God and Jesus never turn anyone away, why should a church?

 

Encourage to serve? Yes, I can see that, but end the conversation if the person is not interested at that time.

I haven't read this whole thread, so I'm probably stepping on somebody's toes here, but here goes...

 

There is an old saying that in most organizations, 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I would assume this has been true for at least several millennia. I don't know how you're going to change that today... but if you do, let me know, I'll help you market it and we'll make millions.

 

Another problem is how you evaluate meaningful service.

 

There are a lot of ways to serve the Kingdom of God that have little to do with being a direct ministry of a local church. For one thing, the people attending a church are already open to the message of the Gospel. I think that many of us can achieve much more by actually living what we believe in our daily lives for those who aren't likely to darken the doorstep of a local sanctuary.

 

I know a guy who serves by mentoring kids as a "Christian" Little League coach, a youth basketball coach, the adult sponsor of a school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes program and as an Ambassador for Promise Keepers, in addition to sharing why his life is filled with joy, peace and meaning to any who want to know as he makes his rounds in his business. He impacts far more lives daily than he could ever affect strictly within a church ministry.

 

I'm not knocking church ministry at all, but limiting our own ministry to "church only" activities is far too narrow. You can tell me that my friend would be better off investing all his energy in a local church. A hundred kids and I would tell you you're wrong. :thumb:

 

The whole reason we've been given the gift is to take it to the world and share it. It's hard to do that only in church.

I agree with you here, can't have it both ways, on one hand saying serve because you want to not because of guilt, while holding the door open and telling them to leave if they don't serve?

 

I think God gave us something called free will, Plus I know a whole lot of the so called "Sunday morning Christians" who are more Christian than some who do a lot more and serve every week. People should go to church as well as serve because of what they feel in their heart, what they feel like THEY need to do, not because it's compulsory. Sounds like Nazism to me. God and Jesus never turn anyone away, why should a church?

 

Encourage to serve? Yes, I can see that, but end the conversation if the person is not interested at that time.

 

 

I agree with you here, it sounds like a cult if you ask me.