I've been reflecting on how church sermons are about interpreting the bible. Yet one would think that the complete, eternal word of God could stand on its own feet.
I've been to some services where a chapter would be read aloud. But my home church would grab different verses out of context and string them together into a sermon.
Similarly the existence of Children's Bibles seems strange to me. Isn't the regular Bible enough.
I think most Christians know this. Reading the Bible on one's own just causes them to become confused. Why does the word of God require a bachelor's level education just to understand
The human tendency toward schisms and sectarianism strikes me as so counterproductive. Within prima scriptura traditions that are living and vibrant and allowed to evolve, would it ever be possible for people to put aside comparatively minor differences in favor of unity?
Every Free Methodist congregation in my immediate area either is a megachurch or wishes it was one, and all of them hide their Methodist affiliation. I read an article lamenting how common this was, making me think it might be the default stance for FMC churches. Am I wrong? Please tell me I'm wrong.
I feel like I could benefit from weekly inspiration and the good feels that could entail without referencing the Bible and worshipping God.
I am interested in visiting a more-liberal Methodist Church.
I know a split movement within Methodism has been brewing for several years (simply stated as conservative vs liberal on a wide range of issues).
I would be interested in a list of the Methodist churches who have announced themselves as more. Anywhere in the HSV, Madison, area
Thanks
From our study book:
"God's redemptive grace and creative presence is not limited to one denomination."
"The Bible serves for us the role that John the Baptist served for the Messiah. He bore witness to the Light but was not to be equated with the Light."
"Reading passages in isolation from the broader biblical message results in proof-texting and may distort God's revelation." [The Methodists believe all scripture should be held up to the light of Christ. If there's an iffy passage, you should basically really ask, "What would Jesus do?"]
"The theological task does not start anew in each age or each person. Christianity does not leap from New Testament times to the present as though nothing were to be learned from that great cloud of witnesses in between."
I know some of you aren't Christian, and I really don't want this to come across as my attempt to proselytize (I respect your path too much to do that), but this bible study I'm participating in has been a wonderful experience for me in clearing up all the lingering CoC issues I've carried around for all these years. My husband knows my struggle, and he has at times encouraged me not to "study" too much because it causes me such distress, but this has been good for me. Really good, and I feel somewhat free, for lack of a better word.
I pulled those quotes because they are the ones that really stood out to me as being polar opposite to how the CoC functions. Hope they might help someone else.
Our feeder Cub Pack is a family Pack, and there are some girls who will be ready to join a Troop in the spring. Our Scouts BSA boy Troop is chartered to a Methodist church, and the new pastor is amenable to talking about starting a girl Troop (the old pastor was set against it). However, he wanted contact info for other Methodist churches that have girl Troops to be able to chat with their pastors.
We only have four girl Troops in our Council, and none are Methodist. Are there any Methodist girl Troops represented in this subreddit who are willing to share their pastors' contact information in a direct message, maybe? Thanks in advance on behalf of our Arrow of Light girls!
EDIT--Thank you to everyone who replied! I made a spreadsheet for the pastor, so he can contact other Methodist pastors as he sees fit. You were really helpful!
I'm apart of the Methodist church in the UK (specifically Wales) and today it has just gone through that same sex marriages can happen within our churches!!!
We're one step closer to acceptance and I felt like sharing the good news. And on the last day of Pride month too.
Here is the wording of the letter from Rev. Kendall Waller, Director of Admin Services for the Conference.
To all of our churches that work with Boy Scout organizations:
As you are probably aware the Boy Scouts of America are currently involved in bankruptcy hearings to resolve the claims that have been filed against them. The proceedings and the decisions made there will affect churches that charter with the BSA. The Rio Texas Annual Conference has joined other conferences across the United States in securing a legal team that will be advising the United Methodist churches in these proceedings. They are referred to in the following communication as “the Ad Hoc Committee”.
On July 2 the BSA filed a revised plan for resolution. You may have read some about it in the press. This week I received the following update from our legal counsel:
A few days after the BSA filed a revised plan on July 2, the Bankruptcy Court held a status conference. During that conference, one of the Ad Hoc Committee’s outside counsel (1) pointed out to the Court some of the issues and impacts the revised plan has on chartered organizations and (2) voiced support for extensions of certain unreasonable timelines associated with the revised plan. He noted the importance of the Boy Scouts ministry, both to the Church and to the BSA. He highlighted how the revised plan does not treat chartered organizations fairly and emphasized that such treatment could lead United Methodist chartered organizations to reconsider their relationships with the BSA. It was clear the judge heard our concerns, as well as how important chartered organizations are to the BSA’s future viability.
Because of some of the proceedings and how they affect our church’s exposure we are recommending that no church renew a charter with the Boy Scouts at this time. Some of the chartering language has been changed to limit the coverage of a chartering organization through BSA insurance. Other language may negatively affect our relationship to whatever agreement is reached in the Bankruptcy agreement. The communication continued:
While the Ad Hoc Committee is not recommending that local churches cease their Boy Scouts ministries at this point, it does recommend that chancellors advise their annual conferences to promote/suggest one or more of the following approaches to Boy Scouts ministries:
When a charter comes up for renewal, the local church can tell the Local Council it will not sign a new charter and w
... keep reading on reddit ➡I'm a Christian and I've heard a lot about Christ Church that is negative (some positive).
I am not planning to attend Christ Church; is there a church that any of you would recommend that you would call "bible believing". I am very committed to the bible as one of my personal guides and I'd like to know of any fellowship that feels the same.
Hey all! I'm coming to Miami in a little over a week and was curious if there were any Methodist churches near campus so I could still be an active member of the church! If there aren't, I'm also willing to become a member of other churches as long as they are relatively progressive!
I got the Idea of asking from another post I saw a bit ago. Figured it might catch some interests or hopefully some well structured debates! I was raised Methodist Christian from Birth, then when I was around 14 or 15, I made the switch to put my faith and affection towards the Old Gods.
I claim that it is possible to reject parts of the Bible and doctrines of Christian churches without rejecting Jesus.
Many modern historians agree that Jesus of Galilee existed and thus the Christian Gospels have some basis in fact.
Some Christians accuse various people of rejecting Jesus. A typical Christian church might say that anyone who rejects that church has rejected Jesus.
One outline of a typical Scriptural argument for salvation only through the church is at:
http://simplebiblestudies.com/pprejectChrist.pptx
Some illustrative quotes follow: He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. Acts 4:10-12
This first argument holds that to reject the church is to reject Christ; it does not address the possibility of a virtuous pagan such as Socrates.
Of course, since the earliest days of the church, many Christians have believed that virtuous pagans such as Socrates would not burn in Hell, and eventually this moral intuition was articulated as the notion of a "baptism of desire."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism_of_desire
Another argument is given at: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-no-salvation-outside-the-church-means
That includes: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6) "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:16)
This second argument introduces the question of those who unknowingly are outside the church versus those who are knowingly outside the church. It holds that Socrates and Marcus Aurelius never got a chance to convert, and thus they can hope for a "baptism of desire" -- that is, their desire to be good is good enough to count as baptism. However, those who have been exposed to the church are obligated to be baptized ONLY within the church, NOT through a "baptism of desire."
However, I do not believe that any church making any Scriptural argument for salvation only through the church is correct.
Some points in support of my position follow:
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The various Christian churches all seem to place excessive emphasis on some peripheral details of Pauline writings, to the point of ignoring Jesus. Thus I do not trust the churches to understand the meaning of the Scriptures on which they base their arguments.
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The various Christian churches a
It's not quite excommunication the way we would think of it, much less as a Catholic would consider it, but Sessions is being brought up on church law charges that could result in his expulsion -- though this is rare for non-ministers.
One of those involved said:
> I hope his pastor can have a good conversation with him and come to a good resolution that helps him reclaim his values that many of us feel he’s violated as a Methodist.
I would hope so too. Though my more realistic side says, "good luck with that."
