Breaking in the new guy

Hopefully things will improve for you with the new pastor. Thank you for your commitment to the boys!

Not to beat a dead horse, but here is an insight.

My wife was in the Ladies' Sunday School Class, and there was a reading from a Contemporary Bible (NIV or such).

After the reading Pastor's wife (a very nice lady, but a Kool-Aid Drinker) picked up a KJV Bible and said, "Now let's see what Jesus REALLY said".

Claymore wrote:We're not talking about holding a leader on his back and shoving a book down his throat in order to be certified.

We're talking about Knowledge, in general from various sources.

The guy that I was referring to was so "King James Only" that he believed that Jesus spoke in 16th Century King James English.

If you showed him a translation of the original Greek or Hebrew Text, and it did not DIRECTLY translate to the King James, then the Original Text and its translation must be in error.

While many of you know my preference is is KJV but even I am not that ridiculous. I love greek word studies and the precision of greek words. We have "love" but the greek have philos, eros, agape, etc that defines its context more cleary. There are many words and phrases in the bible that you have no clue unless you research them from third party sources. Some of what Paul speaks about regarding angels is said to be from the Talmud, the oral tradition. Talmud is not something most Christians are cery familiar with.

Philip, what we find is many times these latest and greatest books that are promoted have poop sandwiched in between truths. Its subtle way of introducing false teaching. Profit is a strong motive for producing these self help books guised as Christian. Not everyday is going to feel like Friday...

Grin. I may be the guy you guys are talking about.

I had a whole library of Jehovah's Witness books about the bible.. (by and large they were on target..with a little bit of poop in them) I tossed them.

I have a whole cabinet of books from Royal Rangers...hundreds of dollars of them. All out of date and no longer of any real value other than history. Many good ideas in them but no longer current.

I have a bible. God's holy word. I have the Spirit of God that resides in me and guides me. Bible says He is closer than a brother calls him a comforter a teacher.

When I HEAR the word of God preached. When I read the Word of God. Some how the Spirit of God teaches me.

The rest of those books are not inspired by God. They are the wisdom of man. Some may be good. My thinking is this. If I believe that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and told us to wait on Him for power and authority why would I want to invest my time in the man empowerment stuff?

I would say the only reading I do is how to. Mainly my time is so precious I don't have a lot of time to invest in self enrichment or self entertainment. I know a lot of folks that do enjoy a good read. Yet it's mainly self that is being pleased with this.

My thoughts are this. I would rather spend the time investing in others in this short test of a life I live.

My wife. Reads tons of fiction. Hours a day in the summer sitting quietly under a palm tree down next to the lazy river getting up to get take a cool dip in the water and a drink of sweet tea. She confesses Christ just as I do and we will both make heaven our home. I am cut different. The older I get the more I realize it's not about me. Not saying we are bad to indulge self and certainly not judging what each of us is called to do. Just a different view here.
God's Word has shown this to me. I am a Bible man. The rest of it... not so much. GRIN!

Mark Jones

Some do argue that even the most altruistic person has some motivation for doing things for others. NTC had a good teaching on priorities: God, spouse, family, job, church, ministry, and self. Its still relevant today.

Mark, I'm curious about whether you sit in church services and listen to a message from a pastor? In my mind a book is not really different than a message from a pulpit. Some are, IMO, inspired by the Holy Spirit and others aren't. I've preached plenty of times. There have been times when I was teaching out of my own (Biblical) learning and other times when I turned off, so to speak, and I obediently spoke what the Holy Spirit impressed upon me at that time. Same with working within the gifts. Other times I've preached straight from my notes because Holy Spirit lead me through the study process.

I don't see a book as much different. Some messages and books don't quite sit well with my spirit when I hear or read them. Others "bare witness" with my spirit. 

I just find blanket statements difficult to qualify. HOWEVER, if that is something that God has lead YOU to then far be it from me to attack that. I do believe that Holy Spirit leads us all in a very personal way. I have VERY strong convictions about certain things that other believers don't. Some things that don't bother me, are strong convictions for others. 

Just interested to understand your point of view a little better.

I agree there are messages preached that don't sound right. For instances the accountability partners at COR12. Either sermons or books can be inline biblically or way off. The bigger difference it doesn't cosr me $19.99+ per sermon if I here poop with a book it does. There are some good books. Many times people think cause a favorite personality wrote thats all biblical and don't research of its claims

I do understand your personal convictions. I have them regarding going certain places but not others. I stick with KJV is "my preference". Some don't read Message or amplified or New World Translation (JW). I believe Mark is so busy in going and doing the work God calls him to that he has just enough time to read the inspired Word instead of sifting through other books.

Check the bold print.  Hearing..mainly but not limited to reading.  Only the past few centuries have we been able to READ the Bible.  While the Bible says in the last days the wisdom will increase it also says they will exchange the truth for a lie.  Good sound preaching or Bible is all I really need.  The rest of that hoooey just as what was preached at National Camporama is man's modern day psycobable.  Sure you can find some good in there...devil would be a even bigger fool if he tried to bring in error on error..he brings it in on truth so we will accept it.

God's by His Holy Spirit is really all we need.  I have kids that are AG Pastors...some of what they were taught right here at Central Bible College comes right out of the heart of man...not worth the big bucks I paid for.  GRIN!  Ok..I won't sugar coat it.  The gospel is a simple thing.  Only man with all his Empowerment drawing from his inner power and (In)telligence would even consider trying to top God with their seminary.  Many lf the most dead spiritually come out of our cemetaries.  I mean siminaries.  

I am busy doing what God has called me to do. I just don't have the desire or time to go chasing after some man's thought on a subject...doesn't interest me.  The Spirit guides and directs.  Once that veil was ripped I don't really need a man between me and God.
Grin
I listen to Christian programing most every day over the radio.  Yet I am generally being productive and doing something rather than just enriching mylife.

Mark Jones

Mark Jones wrote:Grin.  I may be the guy you guys are talking about.  

I had a whole library of Jehovah's Witness books about the bible.. (by and large they were on target..with a little bit of poop in them)  I tossed them.  

I have a whole cabinet of books from Royal Rangers...hundreds of dollars of them.  All out of date and no longer of any real value other than history.  Many good ideas in them but no longer current.

I have a bible.  God's holy word.  I have the Spirit of God that resides in me and guides me.  Bible says He is closer than a brother calls him a comforter a teacher.  

When I HEAR the word of God preached.  When I read the Word of God.  Some how the Spirit of God teaches me.  I think you may have missed this part.

The rest of those books are not inspired by God. They are the wisdom of man. Some may be good.  My thinking is this.  If I believe that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and told us to wait on Him for power and authority why would I want to invest my time in the man empowerment stuff?

I would say the only reading I do is how to.  Mainly my time is so precious I don't have a lot of time to invest in self enrichment or self entertainment.  I know a lot of folks that do enjoy a good read.  Yet it's mainly self that is being pleased with this.  

My thoughts are this.  I would rather spend the time investing in others in this short test of a life I live.    

My wife.  Reads tons of fiction.  Hours a day in the summer sitting quietly under a palm tree down next to the lazy river getting up to get take a cool dip in the water and a drink of sweet tea.  She confesses Christ just as I do and we will both make heaven our home.  I am cut different.  The older I get the more I realize it's not about me.  Not saying we are bad to indulge self and certainly not judging what each of us is called to do.  Just a different view here.  
God's Word has shown this to me.  I am a Bible man. The rest of it... not so much. GRIN!

Mark Jones

RRCmdrBennett wrote:..... NTC had a good teaching on priorities: God, spouse, family, job, church, ministry, and self. Its still relevant today.

Totally agrees! On the other hand you just cant really deviate much away from these priority.

Does Singapore still use NTC or NRMC? Have you taken both?

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Does Singapore still use NTC or NRMC?  Have you taken both?

Have taken NTC and NA, locally we have not abopted NRMC yet.

I'd keep it NTC. Do you have all of the other nat'l camps like Winter, canoe, and training trails?

Don't think they have winter camp, Dan. They're within 100 miles of the equator. That reminds me of something our San Diego sectional commander tried, though. There was a refrigerated warehouse down by the waterfront for the fishing fleet. Tried to line it up along with a snow-making machine. Didn't happen, but it was a cool idea.

Yes, I realized that after posting that. San Diego Royal Rangers could go to northern California.

The Laguna mountain range east of San Diego gets the occasional snow. One winter I planned a 4-outpost campout. There was enough snow to teach the boys some survival skills (shelters, etc). Ended the weekend burying a time capsule, listing where we prayed our personal goals would have us in 6 years. On Jan 1, 2000, my boys and I went back up there to dig it back up. No one else in the group showed up, but it didn't matter. In the intervening years, park rangers had built a fence around our dig site, because there was a protected plant species there.  

RRCmdrBennett wrote:I'd keep it NTC. Do you have all of the other nat'l camps like Winter, canoe, and training trails?

We only have NTC, NTT, ANTC, NA, Advance NA for leaders training camp thus far.

Do you split up Singapore into districts.

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Do you split up Singapore into districts.

apparently we do not split up into districts, as a whole national team are still able to manage.

How many outposts is there total in Singapore?

Every time y'all get together its like a camporama!

Phillip Gross wrote:How many outposts is there total in Singapore?

There are 11 active outposts in Singapore
Source: http://royalrangers.com.sg/meetings/

Looks like you have up to Outpost #20. Wonder why the other outposts aren't active anymore? 

In general, how prevalent are "full gospel" churches in Singapore? I noticed while I was doing a little reading about Singapore that Israel seems to be a strong ally. I hope that continues as so many nations are turning their backs on Israel these days. I suppose that they all will one day...

Phillip Gross wrote:Looks like you have up to Outpost #20. Wonder why the other outposts aren't active anymore? 

In general, how prevalent are "full gospel" churches in Singapore? I noticed while I was doing a little reading about Singapore that Israel seems to be a strong ally. I hope that continues as so many nations are turning their backs on Israel these days. I suppose that they all will one day...

My outpost is #77, but there are only 7 of us left in the state. Whatever the reason, Singapore is doing better than us.

Yeah, but we're Americans... Americans, IMO, are way too ready to jump and run instead of staying true through hard times. 

We're outpost #210 and I KNOW we don't have anywhere near that many outposts in SC!

What happens is Philip is a new number is issued sequentially in each district as new churches charter. If a church discontinues Royal Rangers there will be gaps. If an outpost recharters it keeps its old #. My number is 215 but I doubt we have that many chartered or even unchartered outposts in Ohio.

Philip, define "full-gospel" church?