May 17 2022

Baptism: Born for Battle: 'May 9, 2022'

 

Among other things, the early church understood the significance of baptism in “military” language. Not in a sense of obnoxious aggressiveness, nor charismatic spiritual warfare. but rather, that the life of a follower of Jesus will be characterized by struggle and adversity for which, at baptism, a candidate was “signing up” like a loyal soldier. This facet of understanding is virtually unknown today in many parts of Western Christianity.

 

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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.

 

 

Apr 18 2022

The Manifest Presence of God: 'April 18, 2022'

Jesus links his manifest presence to obedience and ministering to and among the “less-than” other. How and why do we shift the association to praise and worship? Because of bad typology from OT proof-texts and because it is just easier and more enjoyable. We like to pretend adrenaline-driven spiritual narcissism is an enlightened form of corporate worship.

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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.

Apr 12 2022

“Covering” Sins?: 'April 11, 2022'

Why do so many worship choruses, songs and hymns focus on our sins being “covered” by God, or the “blood of Jesus” when the NT/Christian scripture never uses that language in relation to God and our sins. It is all based on OT Jewish scripture typology. We have a better covenant based on better promises. Let’s sing better songs.

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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.

Apr 4 2022

The Restoration of David’s Tabernacle: 'April 4, 2022'

 

Out of the Latter Rain Movement of 1948 came a belief system regarding praise and worship centered around Amos 9:11– the restoration of David’s Tabernacle (tent). It is an unquestioned and unexamined doctrine in almost any modern expression of praise and worship, particularly in Pentecostal, Charismatic, Apostolic-Prophetic and even many Evangelical congregations

 

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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.

Mar 21 2022

Praise and Worship: A New Covenant Perspective – Introduction: 'March 21, 2022'

For the next several weeks I will be breaking out some highlights and excerpts from my book: “Praise, Worship and the Presence of the Lord”. If you have been exposed to teachings about the alleged Restoration of David’s Tabernacle, or other Old Covenant typology about praise and worship, strap yourself in, and join me for some thought provoking and challenging re-examinations of those kinds of things from a New Covenant Perspective. The book is available on Amazon in soft cover and Kindle.

 

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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.

 

 

Mar 14 2022

Atonement – To Whom?: 'March 14, 2022'

 

In the Hebrew scriptures the word kippur (atonement) never has God as the object of the atonement. Rather, the object is the enslaving power of sin. God does not have to “conditioned” with anything to love and forgive.

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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.

 

Mar 7 2022

If You Only Knew: 'March 7, 2022'

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness to, to make known Christ and the Cross. The Holy Spirit does not do magical, automatic Bible interpretation for a believer. So-called “Holy Spirit downloads” do not take the place of the hard work of understanding even the simplest thing from Scripture. Take the little word “if” for example . . .

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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.

Feb 21 2022

Why I Am No Longer a Pastor: 'Discovering Ministry Outside of Church'

Why I Quit Pastoring

Why I am no Longer a Pastor

It is almost twenty years since I quit being a pastor. It wasn’t always easy, but I do not regret the decision for a minute. I have been, and currently am, enjoying the best, most fruitful days of my Christian life. Someone recently asked me why I quit being a pastor. This blog will give you seven reasons why.  

Continue reading →

Feb 8 2022

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.

Feb 8 2022

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.