What are the Benefits of Being Independent?

[A_PoMo]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

Doesn't that mean you're Trinitarian as well?


I guess I put all Trinitarian Pentecostals in the same lump! What makes an Open Bible Church any different from the AoG?

Ooops, sorry. I didn't see the question until now.

The OBC, from what I can tell, is pretty laid back and from what I'm told is fairly hill billy and backwards in some respects. Not alot of vision and their biggest church is 1000 I think. The only reason I'm attracted to them is that our region is very progressive and trying to turn the ship around (which is attainable since it has all the big churches and all the money). But really the biggest draw for me is the chance to work w/my OBC pastor and to maybe realize my dream/passion of starting an emergent type Pentecostal church. I've come to really respect my pastor and I want to work for him. If it helps him that I get licensed then that's cool w/me.

My impression and personal experience w/the AoG is that it's a highly politicized environment that is very strong on its AoG traditions. I'm not too much down w/all that. Plus, did I mention the haircut and goatee thing?

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by tv1a

The devils believe in one God and wet themselves. Scriptures shows an understanding of a oneness doctrine is revelatory. Our priorities are so far out of whacked we have seem to miss the boat. Jesus name batpism is important. Understand a oneness theology. Not that important. Many seem not to separate the two.

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. LOL!

[mizpeh]

Does emergent to you mean you don't believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God or the ultimate source for truth?

[A_PoMo]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

Does emergent to you mean you don't believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God or the ultimate source for truth?

No. I'm not that kind of emergent...that's Emergent, capital E. Although I've benefited from some of their ideas (McLaren, Jones, et al) I'm not a theological liberal in that regard.

I'm emergent in that I want to reach emerging generations and I want to use creative and unorthodox methods to do so when effective.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by A_PoMo

No. I'm not that kind of emergent...that's Emergent, capital E. Although I've benefited from some of their ideas (McLaren, Jones, et al) I'm not a theological liberal in that regard.

I'm emergent in that I want to reach emerging generations and I want to use creative and unorthodox methods to do so when effective.

I've been learning about Post Modernism at this site:

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/268theologyquestions

Check out questions 13-21.

Are you okay with answering some questions I might have after I finish watching these videos?

[A_PoMo]

Sure, just as long as you don't expect me to have all the answers. I'm post-modern, I have alot of questions and very few answers.

It's funny the reactions I get from church folk when I mention pomo and emergent. I carpool to school w/a good Conservative Baptist guy and you should have seen him weird out and get all twitchy when I said, "I want to start a church for post-moderns." I thought that was a pretty harmless statement, but he about passed a large-print KJV hardback in my front seat. After awhile he calmed down and now we're friends again. There's alot of misinformation out there about 'the emerging church' from what I can tell, although I can't comment either way on your website. You recommended it to me recently but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. I bookmarked it though.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by A_PoMo

Sure, just as long as you don't expect me to have all the answers. I'm post-modern, I have alot of questions and very few answers.

It's funny the reactions I get from church folk when I mention pomo and emergent. I carpool to school w/a good Conservative Baptist guy and you should have seen him weird out and get all twitchy when I said, "I want to start a church for post-moderns." I thought that was a pretty harmless statement, but he about passed a large-print KJV hardback in my front seat. After awhile he calmed down and now we're friends again. There's alot of misinformation out there about 'the emerging church' from what I can tell, although I can't comment either way on your website. You recommended it to me recently but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. I bookmarked it though.

You should check out the blog on that site called Parchment and Pen. There's mucho stuff on the emerging church as of late and this article which reminds me of you. LOL Here's a snippet:

"Bono’s Charge Against American Evangelicalism
~ C Michael Patton ~

With all this talk about the problems in my Evangelical tradition and the way it is perceived from the outside, I thought that I would have you look at it through the eyes of Irish rocker and lead singer of U2 Bono (Paul Hewson). Bono is a Christian, but he would be best classified as an emerging Christian. As I often say, Bono was emerging when emerging wasn’t cool. All of his songs tell a message, a Christian message, of some sort.

Below is an interpretation of “Crumbs from Your Table.” Bono has said that this song was written to the Evangelical church many years ago (late nineties). In recent interviews, however, he says that he has changed his opinion, to some degree, about the Evangelical church because they have proved themselves more concerned about social issues. President Bush was part of the reason that Bono changed, but it also came through many meetings Bono had with Evangelical leaders in the last few years. (I was actually in charge of facilitating one meeting between Bono and Chuck Swindoll, but it never happened—Chuck said he did not know who he was!)"

It didn't copy the huge pic of Bono!

[NW Pastor]

Originally Posted by Whole Hearted

For one thing not being pressured all the time for offering.

I'd like to know what are the benefits of being in an org.?

I personally haven't seen any

How true. I hate constantly feeling the pressure to do my part to reach souls around the world, people I will never see and cannot touch. Furthermore, they cannot do anything for me, or add anything to my reputation or my ministry by becoming a number to boast about on my record breaking services. Souls reached via these useless offerings can never carry my bible or mow my church lawn, or pay me their tithes.

What a total waste of money.

It is so much easier to fullfill the Great Commission on my own anyway, without all the pesky intrustions from those others whose ideas are often suspect and inferior than mine. That's why my money only funds my ideas.

Also, it is so hard to get along with all those differing viewpoints in an organization. It would take a life of constant prayer and devotion to our common purpose to keep us unified. Boy, it's so hard to cooperate with all those others when I am so busy building my (I mean his) kingdom.

[RandyWayne]

After all, there is no "I", in "We".

[A_PoMo]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

You should check out the blog on that site called Parchment and Pen. There's mucho stuff on the emerging church as of late and this article which reminds me of you. LOL Here's a snippet:




It didn't copy the huge pic of Bono!

Yeah, Bono says alot of good things to say about the evangelical church now. He talked alot about it in his Rolling Stone magazine interview a couple of years ago. In fact, that article was pretty amazing because Bono spent at least half of the time talking about his faith, the Bible, how evangelicals came through for the AIDS crisis in Africa, how their songs are essentially prayers, etc.... You'da thought he was interviewing for CCM or something (except for the ocassional cuss word. ). Rolling Stone isn't exactly a conservative rag. He was single handedly instrumental in getting Bill Hybels involved reaching out to Africa. Bill did a really cool interview with Bono that they broadcast at the Willow Creek Summit a couple of years ago. Excellent interview. Bono called him and he didn't know who Bono was either. Bill's kids told him 'DAD! YOU GOTTA RETURN THAT CALL!!!". haha.

Here are the lyrics you're referring to...

"You speak of signs and wonders
I need something other
I would believe if I was able
But I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table"



Ouch.