Does being A cal Give "Greater Confidence/boldness" To Teach/preach Jesus?

Hmmmm. You don't have much experience do you?

 

I just happen to have my eyes open.

Ones tenure in the Word/ministry doesn't necessitate proper theology or interpretational abilities, as I see many problems and errors with yours in your understanding, which actually serves as a buffer to prove my theory. But perhaps I am mistaking you for being long-in-the-tooth and having a lengthy tenure of experience. If so, my bad and I understand. If not? Well then.

 

Tom,

This is in fact the way it SHOULD be (and not just for calvinists), but too often it does not come across that way, at least here in BB land. Perhaps it is different on ones home turf and church.

 

Your eyes open to what? It seems that you have your blinders on instead.
Being a missionary for a good many years has given my the opportunity to travel across the States from Washington to South Carolina, visiting at least 37 of the 50 and hundreds of churches (both Cal and non-Cal alike). Likewise I have been from the Maritimes on the east coast of Canada to Vancouver on the West Coast. Most of my travel is done by car. Sure, I have seen the occasional non-Cal church with a shallow message and visitation program. But most of them are not like that. So your sweeping generalization patterned after a small minority turns out to be a lie.

I have also seen a Calvinist church, who for lack of evangelism and the inability to keep a pastor closed their doors, sell their assets and scatter to other churches. Should I take that same broad brush you take and say that that will be the demise of every Calvinistic church. That is the way that they will end up. No, I won't do that, because I know better.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Every word you post is visible to everyone. And much of it is very foolish. Think before you post.

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

And yet more personal attacks from one who is so experienced. Perhaps your experience has embittered you?

My theory proven yet again, length of tenure doesn't cross-over into grace in Spirit and concise theology, nor in faithfulness to the Gospel message. You're proving that for sure.

And by the way, my broad brush isn't such, as it is based upon my experience in many churches. So you know of one calvinist church that closed? That's hilarious. I know of many non-cal churches that are gone. The calvinist churches are thriving, the non-cals, are dying, at least around here. Why? Shallow preaching, topical messages, and starving sheep. And those sheep are becoming enamored with the truth and depth of reformed doctrine.

You need to think before you go calling a person foolish, and put some of that experience you say you have to work and start practicing what you know, all I hear is a tingling symbol with you, a sounding brass. But this is typical you DHK. Just more personal attacks.

- Peace

 

There was no bitterness in my post. You should re-read it carefully. It was kind advice. There was no personal attack. I did not call you foolish; you just took it that way, not reading carefully enough. As you seem to have stated your experience is limited to one small part of America. I am not going to go on with an argument or debate here because that is not my intention. I put out the facts that are true, and showed you where you were wrong in your post. That is all I needed to do. There is nothing more to debate.

 

You showed me where I was wrong in my post? Where?

All you did was come out with a personal attack, calling my experience into question, which is OK, as you know nothing of my experience or tenure, then calling me foolish.

You've done nothing to show a thing wrong with my post, so yes, if I were you, I'd bow out now as you are doing while your behind.

Back to the OP and my response to it, minus your response:

 

I have never had a Reformed church knock on my door, although my church knocks on doors every week. I have not done so recently, but have in the past. I have shared the gospel with several co-workers recently, many over the years.

We have had the Mormons, the JWs and an AoG church knock on our door that I remember.

Unfortunately, I see the Mormons and JWs as being far more aggressive to go out and evangelize than true Christian churches.

 

Page 1, Post #4 of this thread, I made the statement that the opening post only serves to emphasize division among the brethren.

You only have to look at Pages 2 and 3 to see that that's exactly what's happened.

It may not have been JesusFan's intent, but, man, did I call that or what?

 

Yeah DHK, you better bow out now, you are so far behind. Better quit now and just admit you were wrong. No matter what you say, you will always be wrong.

:BangHead:

 

You are correct Don, I should stop.....I will quit contributing to the delinquency of this conversation. Thanks for the reminder. Blessings

 

This is where you are wrong in your post. It is your opinion, but it is not factual:

It is the broad sweeping brush of the "most non-cals preaching..." You don't have a clue what you are talking about. You have limited experience, limited travel, limited exposure, etc. I can say that just by looking at your post. You make the choice. Either what I just posted is true. Or you have great experience and have just posted a lie. Which is it? For what you have said is not true of most non-cal churches.

Go and read my post. I did not call you foolish. I said that some of what you had posted in the past was foolish. Is that true or false? Or are you like Jesus, sinless, and full of perfect wisdom?

I already had pointed out that using a broad sweeping brush to paint everyone alike is wrong. You didn't believe me. Now I have pointed it out in your own words. I hope you will believe me this time. I was ready to bow out last time. But you always have to have the last word. Listen again for your own good. You cannot paint all non-cal churches with one brush. They are not all the same. Most of them do not preach shallow messages and have a shallow gospel message. Those are false allegations.

Again, if I paint you with the same kind of brush that you paint me or us with I would say that most Calvinistic churches are on their way to shutting their doors for good for a lack of evangelization and no interest in winning the lost. Their doors will soon be shut for good. I know; I have seen it happen. (But I am not that foolish to make such a broad sweeping generalization).

Here is the OP:

You have hardly done it justice, and as it has been pointed out already, it is a question that is worded in such a way as to cause division.

 

Oh, so you believe asking the person "Are you 100% assured if you died you are going to heaven" then having them say a prayer is preaching the Gospel? That's too bad. I am saddened that you disagree with me that this is not the Gospel.

- Peace

 

There you go again--painting "most non-Cal churches" with the same broad brush. What makes you think that most non-Cals practice that type of evangelism? Why do you so may presuppositions that end up so false?

 

So you won't admit that such is not the Gospel, correct? Is that what you are saying?

My experience isn't presuppositional, and your deputation travels don't give you an accurate true picture of the churches you've visited. Sentimentalism is blinding to reality.

Tell me, since you have presupposed my experience level, and the states I've been in, how long have I been in the ministry, and in how many states, since you allude to some inner knowledge of this? By the way, I know many many many missionaries who have travelled as you have, and haven't grown a bit in theology or knowledge, nor in grace, and have been in ministry for years. The problem is, many have had one years experience 40-50 times in a row.

Non-cal churches tend to preach topical, shallow messages, (as you've admitted) and fail in the true representation of the Gospel, watering it down to a John 3:16 only essence. Typically they also rank low in other theological understandings, and completely skip over hard truths.

Reformed churches? Not so much.

 

This misrepresentation shows how little you know about this entire subject.