The Reign and Rule of Love – Father/Son Ministry: Part 14: 'Monday Morning Musing - February 14, 2022'

 

When the central theme of Christ-crucified and risen in the power of self-giving love ceases to be our only metric, motif, and model of ministry, we have lost our way. When subordinate themes (legitimate or otherwise) take its place we are unnecessarily complicating things. When things which only possess transforming and liberating life and power when they derive freshly from the Holy Spirit are systematized and reduced to protocols of ministry, the logical outcome is human pain. This is simply because even something from Scripture, without the animating power of of the life and love of God, becomes a dispenser of misery. So it is with so-called father-son ministry motifs.

 

Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Spiritual Abuse: Culture of Honor: 'Monday Morning Musing - January 31, 2022'

In some churches leadership talks about “creating a culture of honor.” How honor is defined, and how it is expressed, makes all the difference between an authority-intoxicated cult and something truly wonderful and beneficial to all.

 

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Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Spiritual Abuse: Inauthentic Identity: 'Monday Morning Musing - January 24, 2022'

 

 

I am of Apollos. I am of Peter. I am of Paul. All these are false identity statements. Who am I and where do I fit in/belong? are two questions common to humanity. Predatory spiritual abusers take advantage of this human desire. This is especially so in those who are young, still being developed in their psychology, or those who because of trauma and abandonment may struggle in this area.

 

Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Honor Titles: 'Monday Morning Musing - January 17, 2021'

The mandatory use of honorific titles of position, hierarchy, rank and authority, do not create honorable hearts nor honorable cultures. Honor that is demanded or forced from a position of superiority, may work in the military, but that is not the motif for the new covenant family of God.

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Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Spiritual Abuse – Spiritual Predators: 'Monday Morning Musing - January 10, 2022'

So-called “spiritual sonship” can be nothing other than a predatory practice where human lives, gifts and talents become the fuel for a carnal leader’s ambition. Like throwing coal in a furnace, you will be consumed by another person’s “drive for success,” “need to be needed,” persona or charisma. They successfully recruit you by appealing to your ego and promising you special spiritual status as one of their “sons or daughters.”

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Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Spiritual Abuse: 'Monday Morning Musing - February 7, 2021'

Sadly, spiritual abuse abounds in many organizations and universes that identify with the Name of Christ. In many independent/Charismatic-leaning/”Apostolic-Prophetic/or so-called New Apostolic Reformation cultures, the father-son ministry paradigm is an unhealthy and unsafe environment of subtle manipulative psychological abuse. This is especially so when dealing with late adolescents or young adults.
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Copyright 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Signs and Wonders: 'Monday Morning Musings - June 21, 2021'

Signs and wonders are normal features of a full-spectrum Gospel of Jesus. However, they are not center stage. They are not to be commercialized, systematized nor reduced to “supernatural techniques” and methods. They also do not guarantee that those experiencing or seeing signs and wonders will inevitably accept the claims of Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus and the apostles did miracles and it did not make them popular nor successful. They were still martyred. Miracles do not guarantee conversion–or anything for that matter.

 

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Copyright 2021. Dr. Stephen R. Crosby. www.stevecrosby.org. For video and audio resources, sign up as a student here. You will find a mix of both free resources and those with cost. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this blog article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a contribution through our Paypal button to help? Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Thank you and God bless you.

Photo by Sam Mathews on Unsplash

We Don’t Need to Know: 'How to Handle Personal Spiritual Experiences'

Photo by Zachary Spears on Unsplash

How to Handle Spiritual Experiences

The Spirit of the Lord could subjectively instruct you to take all the pots and pans out of your kitchen and bang on them and make a joyful noise unto His Name. You could have a legitimate, transcendent, spiritual experience doing so. That does not mean:

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Apostolic Covering – Old Idea in a New Dress: 'Stop the Madness'

Apostolic Covering

Apostolic Covering – Stop the Madness

Within Charismatic circles, there is a widely influential subset group called the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). One of their strongly held beliefs is the necessity of submitting to an alleged “apostolic covering” or maintaining what is called “governmental alignment” to a “covering apostle.”  It is alleged that failure to do so, cuts off heavenly blessing and opens the individual to spiritual dangers and demonic attacks. The Protestant forefathers must be rolling over in their graves. They gave their life’s blood to do away with the belief system that required a class of religious professionals to broker or mediate the blessings of heaven to the believer. It is beyond painful to see the resurrected form of this doctrine being espoused in so-called apostolic churches and foisted under the banner of “new revelation,” “restoring apostolic covering,” and “restoring apostolic authority.” It is not new revelation. It is old heresy in a new dress.

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Spiritual Covering: 'Stop the Nonsense'

stopsignSpiritual covering is a biblically illegitimate, bad idea, that just won’t go away.

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