sag38 said:
So, some so called conservatives don't practice what they preach. Again, what does this have to do with pandering to liberals. You seem to be saying, "Because some conservatives are not what they claim to be that makes it ok to associate with the likes of Jimmy Carter and the rest of his ilk.
It is not just about practicing what we preach. It is more than that. It is about practicing what God commands. It is hard to effectively preach something we are not doing. I do not believe for one minute that the real issue is intellectual liberalism verses intellectual conservatism. One man told me it is like this: they lie in the same bed just on opposite ends. In many ways they are just alike. The real issue is genuine Christianity. I really do not think the majority of Christians know what it is nor have they experienced it. Too much of Christianity has been made out to be coming to church and making others feel good. The proof of a theology is found in the practice of its followers. A few years ago Henry Blackaby spoke about theological conservatism and practical atheism being found in the same people. For many years now there have Baptists who have come forward and warned of this. The response to them has been little to nothing. When we have churches who are not keeping up with at least the population growth percentage that tells me the families are not even reaching their own children.
If one hides their faith (whether it be liberal or conservative) under a bushel what differences does that make? The real difference it makes is that young people who are serious do not want any part of it and see it as a poor example. Those who are not serious see it as people who are fooled into believing something that is not real or something people are following blindly and they do not have a brain. They realize that what they see is not "it". In my younger years by the time I reached 13 what I saw I concluded as religious nonsense. I was not even a Christian and used those terms to describe what I saw. When I became a Christian I still saw much of the same thing in another denomination/convention among those who claim to follow Christ. Yes there are those who are doing the job of making disciples and it is obvious. When was the last time you knew about a pastor search committee asking about the disciples a prospective pastor has made? We have a lot of good orators who were in pulpits recently and crashed. Out those how many of them were making disciples?
Personally I agree with little of what the religious politicians teach and preach. When I consider what James, Mt 28:19, 20, and Heb. 13:7 teaches I fail to see many of them doing what God requires in making disciples and living the Christian life. If we are not making disciples then we are making babies, keeping house, and cleaning a building. The proof of a leader's ministry is found in the disciples he makes. When I hear noise from leaders and do not see that person making disciples as an effective leader then I seriously question those who listen to them and their ability to lead as Jesus called them to lead.
Out of my ignorance in my younger years and struggling with learning to make disciples I asked some of the leaders I met what they were doing to make disciples. Almost everyone gave me the same answer. It was obvious that most were uncomfortable with me asking about that. Some were making disciples and it was great to be encouraged by them.
sag38 said:
So, some so called conservatives don't practice what they preach. Again, what does this have to do with pandering to liberals. You seem to be saying, "Because some conservatives are not what they claim to be that makes it ok to associate with the likes of Jimmy Carter and the rest of his ilk.
It is not about practicing what we preach. It is more than that. It is about practicing what God commands. It is hard to effectively preach something we are not doing. I do not believe for one minute that the real issue is intellectual liberalism verses intellectual conservatism. One man told me it is like this: they lie in the same bed just on opposite ends. In many ways they are just alike. The real issue is genuine Christianity. I really do not think the majority of Christians know what it is nor have they experienced it. Too much of Christianity has been made out to be coming to church and making others feel good. The proof of a theology is found in the practice of its followers. A few years ago Henry Blackaby spoke about theological conservatism and practical atheism being found in the same people. For many years now there have Baptists who have come forward and warned of this. The response to them has been little to nothing. When we have churches who are not keeping up with at least the population growth percentage that tells me the families are not even reaching their own children.
If one hides their faith (whether it be liberal or conservative) under a bushel what differences does that make? The real difference it makes is that young people who are serious do not want any part of it and see it as a poor example. Those who are not serious see it as people who are fooled into believing something that is not real or something people are following blindly and they do not have a brain. They realize that what they see is not "it". In my younger years by the time I reached 13 what I saw I concluded as religious nonsense. I was not even a Christian and used those terms to describe what I saw. When I became a Christian I still saw much of the same thing in another denomination/convention among those who claim to follow Christ. Yes there are those who are doing the job of making disciples and it is obvious. When was the last time you knew about a pastor search committee asking about the disciples a prospective pastor has made? We have a lot of good orators who were in pulpits recently and crashed. Out those how many of them were making disciples?
Personally I agree with little of what the religious politicians teach and preach. When I consider what James, Mt 28:19, 20, and Heb. 13:7 teaches I fail to see many of them doing what God requires in making disciples and living the Christian life. If we are not making disciples then we are making babies, keeping house, and cleaning a building. The proof of a leader's ministry is found in the disciples he makes. When I hear noise from leaders and do not see that person making disciples as an effective leader then I seriously question those who listen to them and their ability to lead as Jesus called them to lead.
Out of my ignorance in my younger years and struggling with learning to make disciples I asked some of the leaders I met what they were doing to make disciples. Almost everyone gave me the same answer. It was obvious that most were uncomfortable with me asking about that. Some were making disciples and it was great to be encouraged by them.
