Salyan

Cat

Comes and goes.

Do we want God to work in the midst of other believers, or not? Yes, there are serious doctrinal problems - but what better way for God to change their hearts and minds than through revival? Do we expect them to repent and come to true doctrine without the working of God in their spirit? There's a story I remember reading of the Welsh revival. That revival changed the face of a nation. Bars closed down due to lack of customers, churches (often Baptist) were planted across the country (most are empty now, but when I visited my great-grandfather's Welsh valley a few years back, I saw 3 or 4 old Baptist churches within a very few miles of each other), and the nation of singers became the nation of hymn writers. The revival did not respect denominational lines, and many believers went to wherever the Spirit was moving, regardless of creed. But there was one church on one island that refused to allow its people to join the revival. They refused because the meeting houses where it was occurring in their area were not of their creed. That church did not end up experiencing this amazing (and irrefutable) revival. As an IFB, that story bothers me. I'm fairly certain I'd be one of those that wouldn't go to a place because of their doctrinal problems (I probably wouldn't go to Asbury). But I'd also have missed out. I don't know how to reconcile this. How can we as IFB respect the work of the Spirit where He moves without discounting genuine doctrinal concerns? I don't know if this is or isn't genuine revival. Honestly, if the kids present are getting right with God & each other, then they likely are being revived, regardless of how far this may go. I am alarmed by this mindset that presumes that God won't revive other Christians - other true believers - because they aren't us. How many of the great revivals & awakenings of yesteryear were purely Baptist revivals?

The part I found most interesting was the story of a couple of alien abduction researchers who noted that so-called abductions occurred to all sorts of people - across cultural, racial and religious lines - except for the group that called themselves born-again Christians. So being slightly more scientific than idealistic, they decided to investigate why this group was exempt. During that research, they found that some people in this group had experiences that mirrored the beginning of described abductions (floating out of body, experiments). However, any of these believers that called on the Name of Jesus - even silently - during the experience found the event to instantly cease, sometimes with the feeling that their attacker was in pain. The researchers ended up getting saved. The Bible says that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, and I believe that's just so evident in the experiences so-called abductees have had. It's also interesting that the history of observed UFO/alien technology (if you will) mimics the known developed technology d(or science fiction inventions) of the observers. Satan is not creative - he copies.

You can get a used copy off Amazon for $6. Seriously such an interesting book! https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Intrusion-Updated-Expanded-Bates/dp/0890514356/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Q0L4WMDOL14R&keywords=alien+intrusion+bates&qid=1676671922&sprefix=alien+intrusion+bates%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1

Maybe you should give Napsterdad the compliment.. he's who I was responding to. ?

Trey, if you know this is something God wants you to do (and you do, since there is a scriptural command for it - and if that wasn't enough, He's also convicting you about it), you need to pray and trust God for the strength and just obey. He will give you grace for the nervousness - but you're not going to get the grace in advance! It'll happen right when you need and not before. I'd encourage you to talk to your pastor and get a date set. Write out your testimony so you can read it - having things written down will probably help any pre-jitters. And you don't need to actually look at anyone except whoever's baptizing you. ? Maybe you can ask them to turn the lights up really bright so you can't see anyone. ?

Let's not get personal, here. I'm confused - what show and who is the 'he' who isn't saved? I thought this was talking about an ad campaign funded by a group of anonymous families.

I agree that people are awfully quick to say that this or that technology or event is a prophetic event when it's not. That being said, I do think that the preponderance on sci fi (aliens, abduction, offworld creatures), with eastern religious influence (think Stargate and ascending [i.e. moving to another level of existence]), mixed with New Age foretelling (spirit guides purporting to be aliens come to help humankind to a better stage of existence, who say that the conservative/religious/non-new-age folk are putting out bad vibes that keep everyone else from ascending) are fairly likely to be Satan trying to condition the world to be pleased rather than alarmed when the Christians disappear. Have any of y'all ever read Alien Intrusion, by Gary Bates? Excellent read.

You sound like my dad. He's convinced Father's Day is for people who don't treat their father right the rest of the year. Doesn't keep him from enjoying any goodies I bring. ?

If it does turn into false fire, that doesn't prevent the first/current work from being genuine. Satan loves to corrupt works of God if he can. Here's some thoughts on Asbury by someone who is respected by people I respect. ? https://www.revivalfocus.org/the-spirit-of-revival-at-asbury/?mibextid=unz460&fbclid=IwAR0JLfaQdrkuHHN_YQnPZkV1HhDG-3yRHSCtE0p_Qkr1frVXpUPBYDhKx-k

But not all IFB hold to that particular definition. For example, I’m not against a particular IFB church creating its own mission agency, to provide logistical support to missionaries that may then be supported by a variety of churches who have each individually decided to support that missionary. Like Canamera Missions out of Pembina Valley Baptist Church in Winkler, MB. I could see someone describing that as a mission group. ?? And it sounds like there is a local church involved here that doesn’t know how to move forward on its own - exactly the situation in which help from a more experienced sending church is desirable. In any case, we understood the request even while potentially disagreeing with the mechanics. So the terminology debate is moot. ?

Having learned during Covid to not believe a word the media says, I am extremely distrustful of this whole 'Russia is evil! Ukraine is innocent!' narrative. I extremely doubt the whole thing is a black and white as the media would like us to believe. (And honestly, we Westerners should mind our own business and stay out of other nation's affairs. Russia & Ukraine have been fighting over land for about as long as they both have existed. Which is significantly longer than either the US or Canada.)

Moderating the moderator, here. ? Fair questions, but maybe we should discuss the terminology on a different thread?

Well, exactly. Regardless of what church discipline may be taking place, if actual abuse is occurring it MUST be reported to the earthly authorities. God put them in place for the punishment of evildoers, and it is not within the church/pastoral authority to interfere with that mandate.

That guys sounds like he doesn’t actually have anything to say to God or knows how to talk to Him. ?

This is one area where I feel our churches struggle to provide appropriate and helpful counsel and support, and often fail to support the victim. I’ve heard of multiple instances of wives being counseled to ‘forgive and return’ when the husband is saying all the “right things”, but not demonstrating any practical changes in his behavior. I fear we make it too easy for a manipulative man to talk his way out of church discipline, while not adequately protecting the victimized wife and children.

I think that is wise advice for relationships in the home. When it comes to a bear attack, I think it's quite right for adults to protect the children first. Other adults are presumably capable of removing themselves from teh situation (and frankly, no mother I know would leave without ensuring her child was safe anyways, so the dad could fight her to move her, or move the child and she'll come along. ? )

I feel like if the apostle Paul visited that church, he’d tell the men to keep quiet in the church. ?

I don’t think the American founders wanted a ‘distinct separation between church and state’ so much as they wanted the state to stay out of their religious choices and to not have to pay tithes to a state church. And even that had to be fought for by the Baptists; other church groups in early America were fine with a state church (as long as it was theirs).

We did suggest that to one of our friends when he wanted to go back down for college. ? Bet they just decided they didn’t want the warehouse staff in the office cafeteria and used Covid as an excuse.

Did you know that the US is among the last nations in the world to still require foreign visitors to have a Covid vaccine? Y’all need to get on your politician’s cases and get that silly rule out of there. I have friends I want to come visit. ??

It’s not uncommon. My church will sing O Canada on the service close to Canada Day, and if it’s not on Sunday, will often do a church picnic or ball game. That being said, the evangelical churches I grew up in were somewhat less likely to do special stuff for Canada Day. Not sure if that’s because their people were more likely to join community events, or because the IFB churches have had a lot of American missionaries planting them. ?

I’d probably take it down myself! ? No, they use Canadian flags. It’s just a weirdly over-patriotic move that only Americans do. Canadians never did much flag-waving until last February (at which point it became a symbol of resistance and sone people got tickets for them). ?