Jesus is the only way

[jgredline]

Today My wife and I drove into ELA...We were in the mood for some good mexican food so the 20 mile or so drive was worth it...While down there we noticed a few things....and asked some questions from some of the good folks down there....

The picture quality is not that good as we were driving and I was taking pics..Here is where we were at......

Cruising down Ceasar Chavez we ran into this group of church folks doing some outreach....Among some of what they were preaching via the mega phone was that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that Mary will not get you there....Those are big words in that part of town...Here are some pics..Enjoy...



Here is the flyer they were passing out...front and back. I am considering going to see if I can be of help, even if it is only to pray...

Here is a pic of the street action including one of a guy caring his cross...How cool is this....These folks get it..It is all about the cross and nothing else.. Praise God.....

 

[tim-from-pa]

jgredline:

Those are wonderful pictures of what they are doing, and wonderful testimonies, especially the second picture regarding his testimony about being saved from that type of life of sin and becoming a pastor..

It's along these lines that I have some serious concerns with my church. Our church is in a state of upheaval right now. We decided to break from the UCC denomination because we felt they were not scriptural any longer, but somehow, the remaining people got caught up in the need for new insurance due to liability. (UCC benefits are no longer available and we have to go about it more on our own).

Long story short, the insurance person scared the tar out of our pastor and the congregation that they actually want to do background checks for our Sunday school teachers including criminal checks. Since I am the Sunday School superintendent, I was dead set against that (especially since my teachers teach in pairs and one can watch over the other). I believed that this was the outside world telling us who we may have doing God's service---- what if they were in trouble and repented like this pastor? As a matter of fact, our youth choir director and her husband did some jail time yet repented and in all these years they are doing a great job with the kids, but will be leaving the church soon. Can one imagine saying, "Thank you for volunteering to serve in Sunday School. As soon as we do your criminal background check, you can go to your class."?? :o

This became such an issue that I had severe head-butting with the pastor and consistory, but they just decided to do what they wanted anyway----- so much so that I am leaving the position myself this June and they are very sorry. I cannot live with this kind of contradiction and I cannot believe that the people in our congregation have such an unamerican and unchristian mindset as to worry about lawsuits instead of trusting the Lord .

To me, this is the world's way of meddling with the church, and IMO this is a subtle infringement of the freedom of religion. Or..... to put it another way, God cannot save any longer and change a person. Once someone has a record, they are done! Because if they were put into any position and "something happened", then the church would be responsible (the law is so twisted these days that nobody takes personal responsibility any longer---- it's always someone else's fault that is "over" them.

I lost all respect for my "wussy" pastor. We prayed for him, but he's too "two-minded".

Thanks for letting me vent, but could you imagine this repentant fellow in your picture not being a minister because he had a record??????

 

[jgredline]

Tim
My heart breaks after reading what has happened at your church....
I was quickly reminded of such folks like

Bayless conleyy http://www.cottonwood.org/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=47
who was in and out of jail, drugs etc and now heads a bible school and church ministry....

Raul Ries, http://www.calvarygs.org/calvary/raul_ries/page_6.html
has one of the largest ministries on the planet and he was a drunk, drug attick and in and out of jail,

I think of chip hetzeg was a satanist http://www.calvaryabq.org/ and now has a mega church and bible college

How About Franklin Graham...Billys son who runs samaritans purse http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and who was a Pot head, drunk in his teens and early 20's...I have read his book ''rebel with a cause''

I could go on and on, but these folks come quickly to mind....

The Lord will bless you for your willingness to stay stead fast to the word of God....When a person is Born Again, he is a new creation.....God knows of no jail records, drug abuse, or whatever...Those sins were nailed to the cross.....What right does anyone have to accuse these folks who are trying to further the kingdom, when God does not do it.....

Tim, may the Lord bless you and keep you and your new church to come

 

[tim-from-pa]

Tim
My heart breaks after reading what has happened at your church....
I was quickly reminded of such folks like

Bayless conleyy http://www.cottonwood.org/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=47
who was in and out of jail, drugs etc and now heads a bible school and church ministry....

Raul Ries, http://www.calvarygs.org/calvary/raul_ries/page_6.html
has one of the largest ministries on the planet and he was a drunk, drug attick and in and out of jail,

I think of chip hetzeg was a satanist http://www.calvaryabq.org/ and now has a mega church and bible college

How About Franklin Graham...Billys son who runs samaritans purse http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and who was a Pot head, drunk in his teens and early 20's...I have read his book ''rebel with a cause''

I could go on and on, but these folks come quickly to mind....

The Lord will bless you for your willingness to stay stead fast to the word of God....When a person is Born Again, he is a new creation.....God knows of no jail records, drug abuse, or whatever...Those sins were nailed to the cross.....What right does anyone have to accuse these folks who are trying to further the kingdom, when God does not do it.....

Tim, may the Lord bless you and keep you and your new church to come

Thank you. The main thing that is disturbing to me, is the fear involved (as if the Lord cannot take care of his church).

And what bothers me even more is when I asked the same question on another so-called Christian forum I got myself kicked off. They were all in agreement that this should be done. It's the "I have nothing to hide" syndrome. I actually had some "Christians" comment that I must have something to hide somewhere. The overly self-righteous attitude and severely warped thinking has me in great concern for this country, as the enemies that Christians claim to fight against clearly subverted their thinking from the inside. It reminds me of these mega-churches with everyone dressed up with smiling glitter-teeth. Do many of those have repentant people that serve? Sometime I think that true Christians that you posted pictures of are seen as second-class Christians because they did not experience the same background.

 

[jgredline]

Thank you. The main thing that is disturbing to me, is the fear involved (as if the Lord cannot take care of his church).

This is exactly the kind of humbleness the Lord Jesus Christ expects from us...Knowing that ''we'' are fragile people who have fears and doughts, but also recognize that it is the Lord who will handle what he needs to handle....Afterall, ''he'' did not give us a spirit of fear...That comes from with in or the evil one....But he gave us a spirit of power, love and a ''sound mind'' Amen....So go and do it in the strength of the Lord through prayer and fasting.....

And what bothers me even more is when I asked the same question on another so-called Christian forum I got myself kicked off. They were all in agreement that this should be done. It's the "I have nothing to hide" syndrome. I actually had some "Christians" comment that I must have something to hide somewhere. The overly self-righteous attitude and severely warped thinking has me in great concern for this country, as the enemies that Christians claim to fight against clearly subverted their thinking from the inside. It reminds me of these mega-churches with everyone dressed up with smiling glitter-teeth. Do many of those have repentant people that serve? Sometime I think that true Christians that you posted pictures of are seen as second-class Christians because they did not experience the same background.

....Sadly this is true of many places, including churches...I have also been a witness to it....But take heart in knowing that it is not like that everyplace, but in those places where ''religion is practiced'' instead of fellowshipping through the spirit with Jesus as the guest of honor....In other words, those who have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ would not be casting of the first stones....