Show

Five times, I've almost skipped over this short discussion, and just made #42 out of the next. Five times I've been brought back to the fact that a disciple needs to hear this... needs to know this can happen. Sometimes, some people are going to just stop loving you. Sometimes it's going to be because you've become unlovely, and we have to face that fact, but sometimes it's because they can't accept that you're right and they're wrong. Always, it hurts.

One of our listeners and friends wrote us asking about the Trinity, "I heard a sermon on this subject; I would like to hear a discussion by you. Some sermons even say, 'Forget the Trinity - they are all "Jesus."' So what is your take?"

The other half of Brian's message, "What are you doing about the poor?" It's so easy to get stuck on the "stewardship" issues of "is this wise," "are these people playing the system," "how do we know they really need help," "can we trust them..."? Well... we talk about it.

As always, we treasure your feedback. If you like the show, tell a friend about it! If you don't like it, tell someone you don't like! In either case, you can send us feedback at feedback@opendiscipleship.org

Ephesians 5:21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1 Corinthians 16:15-18

You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

We seem to get a lot of feedback condemning the Church or condemning the people that go to church, or condemning the reasons people go to church, or just condemning people because "those people" [blah, blah, blah].

Well, I'm tired of it! Listen up, people! "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." If you've got a problem with that.... you've got a problem

"Dear Lord, bless this food.... and ... uh ... thanks for the ... uh ... great life .... and the kids ... and the wife .... .... and ... uh .... bless the .... uh ... those who are traveling ... and .... uh .... " (*pssst! the food's getting cold!*) " .... Amen!"

So, everything we have is from God, and he provides it to us in his time. What's his, what's 'ours,' and when does he provide it....

Send us feedback at feedback@opendiscipleship.org

Disagreeing with someone you love over something that's important to you is the hardest thing. It's often the thing that causes friction in families and churches. If we, as Christians, can learn how to disagree in love, we can learn from those disagreements. We need to learn that there's a big, important difference between 'unity' and 'uniformity.' We are called to unity -- not uniformity. That means we are going to disagree, and that's a good thing!

Send us feedback at feedback@opendiscipleship.org

Do churches pass over the people God has planted in our congregations that could or should be ministering because they don't have a Bible College degree? Are we hiring people who have a Bible College degree who aren't called to be our ministers while we overlook gifted, qualified people who are already established to minister to our churches and communities?

Send us feedback at feedback@opendiscipleship.org

What's in a name? Everything! We build a lot of walls around our understandings of Christianity, but Jesus told us that if we believe in him, or as the Apostles put it, "in the name of Jesus," we will be saved. Amen! Powerful, powerful truth.

So, I expect that you'll disagree with us.... we both disagreed with this not very long ago....

Send us feedback at feedback@opendiscipleship.org

God speaks to each of us. He speaks to each of us in unique ways. Sometimes those words are sharp and striking, sometimes sweet and subtle. When and where does God speak to you? When does he call your name? How does God tell you, "I love you"?

Dan interviews Tom Micheaud of Valley Christian Academy in Roswell, NM.

Well... how, exactly, do you introduce the topic of world views? Since so many people aren't even aware that world views exist, and even fewer aware that they have one.... Put most simply, "Our worldview is our framework for viewing reality." (wikipedia) It's a very difficult idea for some people, but the place to start is in identifying that we have a world view. Once we've cleared that, we can start identifying what's broken in our world view and figuring out how to fix it.

Forgiveness. Probably the central tenant of Christian behavior. One of the things Jesus talked most about, and gave instructions most about. He also modeled it for us, perfectly (i.e. on the cross). Also, interestingly enough, one of the least practiced behaviors among Christians.... Now, ain't that sumthin'?

As usual, this is not an exhaustive conversation. There is, however, a HOWTO Forgive embedded in there! (No, it's not a "do it yourself," or "forgiveness for dummies" kind of thing... but it oughta work for anyone who listens to this show.)

kinda of rambling conversation. We didn't know it would turn into a show, but it did. You can hear us clearing lunch from our throats, and talking around breath mints, but it's mostly good stuff worth thinking about. Angels, spirituality, law and legalism, and when Jesus says, "Shut up!"

If you don't like the stuff we're talking about, maybe you should be sending us feedback.

Popular culture and the modern Church teach about a "faith" that is believing without evidence, a kind of faith that is weakened by evidence. Real faith, Biblical faith, is actually evidence based belief. C.S. Lewis defines faith as continuing to believe what your reason has accepted. The real enemy of faith is fear, not reason.

Let's talk about grace.... for a while. It's a long one, people! Weighing in at 42 min, 35 seconds, this is our all-time, most overweight show... Listen to it, anyway.

"His very power of enjoyment destroyed half his joys. By asking for pleasure, he lost the chief pleasure; for the chief pleasure is surprise." -- G.K. Chesterton

Dan and Jody talk about our culture's pursuit of pleasure and the price the family pays as a result. Is there a way back? Can the family be restored? Just some thoughts on that kind of stuff.

Dan tells a story about a Church he ministered to when confrontation was the only path to healing. "It's one of those stories that just freaks me out."

Starting in 1 Timothy 3 , we wrestle with the office of Elder, the "office of minister," and more tradition-inflicted bondage in the Church. Were do we find the "office of minister" in the Bible, anyway?

MF wrote in (a long time ago) asking us, "Is worship about entertainment? When the focus is so much on the music style isn't that about entertaining the congregation? Shouldn't the congregation be more concerned with worshiping rather than person entertainment?" Dan and Jody take on the question....

Send feedback.

Show link: GeeksAndGod.com (I love these guys!)