Tag Archives: institutional church

Oct 11 2021

Witness – The Church, the Body of Christ: 'Monday morning Musings - October 12, 2021'

 

The Christian community, the church, the ekklesia, the Body of Christ is supposed to be the full-spectrum incarnation of the resurrected life of Christ, in the flesh, on earth.  The Church IS the witness.

______________________________________

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.

Sep 20 2021

Escape and Assurance: 'Monday Morning Musings - September 20, 2021'

In many common presentations of the Gospel in modern evangelicalism, the themes of escape and assurance have had a dominant presence. If we are pursuing Christian community with those two values as primary motivators, we will assure ourselves of unnecessary relationship difficulties. A local community is not something we should hope to escape at the first whiff of an unpleasant experience. A local community is the laboratory of relational life where the ethics of what we say we believe gets tested.  I am not saying there are never good reasons to leave a group. There are. But “I am not enjoying myself” or “it is too hard,” or “it hurts,” are not among the legitimate reasons. 

 

_________

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 Rayson Tan on Unsplash

Sep 13 2021

The Dream versus The Reality – Dealing with “Unpleasantness”: 'Monday Morning Musings - September 13, 2021'

 

“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.” – D. Bonhoeffer

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined the phrase the “Dream Wish” in the context of the search for Christian community. He makes the point that the Dream Wish will destroy any Christian Community because it is idealistic and unattainable. It is intolerant of weakness and defect. We must be open to the possibility that “God’s wonderful plan for our lives” might include an assignment to unpleasant people and places. Life can be hard. When it so, it does not mean we have missed God in any way.

_____________

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 Jan Canty on Unsplash

May 31 2021

Ekklesia – Part Four – Leadership: Looking for Patterns that Don’t Exist: 'Monday Morning Musings - May 31, 2021'

 

Sometimes people look for a one-size-fits-all pattern in the New Testament about this or that, but especially how local churches are structured and led. This is particularly true regarding the Book of Acts. It is a serious mistake to try to make historical narrative scripture universally, eternally, and rigidly binding on all believers for all time. The church in Jerusalem, the church Antioch, and the church in Ephesus were all structured and “led” differently. There was a core message that was the same, and core ethics that were the same, but the expressions were different, including in how the communities were led.

__________________________________

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 Jed Owen on Unsplash

May 17 2021

Ekklesia – Part Two – What’s Love Got to do With it? Everything.: 'Monday Morning Musings - May 17, 2021'

 

The venues in which we meet, have no spiritual significance. The values we hold in our heart, and express toward others, mean everything. Changing the “form” and “practices” of our meeting or gathering, without first having a heart transformation is not an advanced form of Christian spirituality. It is like rearranging the deck chairs and listening to the orchestra play while the Titanic continues to sink.

_____________________________

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.

Church Refugee Sanity Guide -Children's Ministry in Organic Churches
Jul 18 2016

The Church Refugee Sanity Guide – Part Ten: 'What About Our Children?'

This installment of the Church Refugee Sanity Guide deconstructs religious values regarding our children in “church.” It provides hopeful alternatives to meet the socialization and spiritual needs of our children and youth outside of traditional church constructs. Not attending a traditional church, Sunday school, or youth ministry program is not a liability. It is an opportunity.

Continue reading →

Jul 12 2016

The Church Refugee Sanity Guide – Part Nine – Evangelism: 'Taking the Dread Out of Evangelism'

Taking the terror out of evangelism. Church Refugee Sanity Guide Part Nine

Church Refugee Sanity Guide – Part Nine – Evangelism

In this installment of the Church Refugee Sanity Guide, I take a fresh look at the topic of evangelism and discipleship apart from traditional theology, mindsets, and methods.

Continue reading →

Jul 1 2016

Church Refugee Sanity Guide – Part Eight: 'What About Praise and Worship?'

Praise and Worship - The Most Sacred, Sacred Cow

Church Refugee Sanity Guide – Part Eight – Praise and Worship: The Most Sacred, Sacred Cow

When it comes to the most sacred of sacred cows in the Christian herd, praise and worship is the lead steer. In this installment of the Church Refugee Sanity Guide, I take a look at the theology, methods, and values behind much evangelical worship expression.

Continue reading →