Conference yukon::christian_v7

    *&^)
    
    In agreement with you, Bing.  Thanks much for sharing!
    
    -greta

	Thank you
							Andrew

    Hi Bing,
    
    The same situation occurs in local churches, I have seen a large church
    split due to what seemed at the time an insignificant disagreement,
    which expanded until some members of the church left to form their own
    fellowship.
    
    The small differences in beliefs of churches, in my opinion also
    hinders the witness in the local area, as each church tries to bring
    people into their church.
    
    It was fantastic during the Billy Graham Crusade in Scotland to see
    alot of people from different denominations all with the one goal of
    bringing people to know Jesus as their Saviour.
    
    I pray regularly that Christians of all Denominations will unite and
    fight againt the evil in this world rather than amoung themselves.
    
    
    

    Bing, you touched an experience that I had many years ago.  I was
    serving on a Community Planning Commission and a church was applying
    for a land use exception.  They wanted to run a day care center on the
    church property and it was a commercial operation, which was not
    permitted under the existing zoning.  There was a great deal of
    community debate and we were about to rule, when I asked for any final
    thoughts.
    
    A gentleman from the church observed that he was obviously in the
    minority regarding the opinion of the community.  He said his church
    had a rule, that when there was disagreement, the minority opinion
    would be given twice as much discussion time as the majority.  He asked
    for the additional time, represented his material and arguements, and
    swayed our Council and probably most of the residents who had protested
    his request originally.
    
    Your right, we need to listen more, seek the agreements and finally
    resolve the differences.

    The old divide and conquer strategy is one Satan uses well.  Something
    to keep in mind when minor doctrinal debate turns heated.
    
    -steve

    Bing
    
    Excellent message. I heard someone say that the army of God has
    different battallions but they are all part of the same body. Each
    battallion has a specific role to play and, personally speaking, I find
    different denominations each have varying things to offer God, the
    world and other christians. All people are different and I believe it
    is good that unbelievers have a variety of churches to choose from (so
    long as the church they choose stands on the word of God and preaches
    the Gospel of Jesus Christ). 
    
    The problems come when people get too hung up over second-rate issues
    whilst ignoring the essential issues (ie LOVE - love for the lost, the
    underpriveleged, each other), we are called to build each other up not
    knock each other down (rebuild the ancient ruins) - Isaiah 61 has been
    called the job spec. of christians, it is a constructive call, not
    destructive.
    
    Sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush but I feel very strongly about unity in
    the body and I wanted to add my backing to Bings note, if I've typed
    anything offensive/that doesn't make sense please forgive me, I'm sure
    it's just the fault of me being in a rush and not re-reading what I've
    written.
    
    Your brother (like it or not)
    Ben

	Bing, GREAT note! Do you think the label thing stops at the
denomination door, or do you think it goes further than that, as long
as the belief in Christ is there. 



Glen

    Max Lucado, in his book "And The Angels Were Silent", writes the 
    following:
    
    "Some time ago I came across a song by Dennis Tice which shows the 
    absurdity of fighting over futile territory.  With his permission, I 
    share it with you.  You'll love the title, it's called 'Did Adam and 
    Eve Have Navels?'
    
       "Did Adam and Eve have navels or a blank spot where it should be?
       Do other folks lie awake at night or is it only me?
       Thinkin' about the question that plagues all mankind
       Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
       Belly-button fuzz wuzza part of creation how could I be so blind?
       
       I think I'll start a church someday to preach this creed of mine
       Cause Adam and Eve had navels and I'll prove it at the end of time.
       Sure 'God is love' and 'Jesus saves,' but what about this truth?
       I found the answer just last year in 1 John chapter 2
       
       Seek out the truth, the truth will set you free
       Wait upon the Lord in all sincerity
       And then you'll reach the highest level of Christianity
       When you become a Navelist, your eyes will finally see
       That Adam and Eve had navels, I'm telling you today
       Yeah, I'm splitting hairs for Jesus and that makes it all okay
       And I'm going to take you deeper than your eyes can currently see
       I'm splittin' hairs for Jesus for more spirituality
       
       I shared this truth with all the land and navelism grew
       A thousand members growing strong, (cause I preach salvation too)
       But now the church is splittin over some technicality,
       Did their buttons go in or pop on out, how picky can they be?"
       

    re .1
    
    Well said Bing!
    
    Richard

    re .9
    
    I meant .0
    
    Sorry,		Richard

    re .7
    >>Do you think the label thing stops at the
    >>denomination door, or do you think it goes further than that, as long
    >>as the belief in Christ is there.
    
    Glen,
    
    I not exactly sure what you're asking.  Are you talking about
    disagreement within church's of the same denomination?
    
    Bing

    to first note....Right on Bing.
    
    1TI 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure 
    heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
    Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless
    talk.
    
    PHI 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
    so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without
    fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like
    stars in the universe.
    
    1TH 5:11 Therefore encourge one another and build each other up,
    just as in fact you are doing.
    
    2TI 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be 
    kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
    
    COL 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
    clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
    patience.
    
    EPH 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but
    only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
    that may benefit those who listen.
    
    As God's people we have the highest standards to apply to our lives.
    We are to be different to the point where the world will look at us
    and say...See how much they love each other!
    
    Maranatha...

	Bing, the differences between denominations seems to be ok as long as
there is a belief in Christ (at least that was what I gathered from your note).
What I am wondering is do you only go as far as the denominations or do you
take it one step further? That step being those who believe in Christ that may
or may not attend any church reguarly or those who believe in Christ but may
or may not identify with any particular religion?


Glen

� Bing, the differences between denominations seems to be ok as long as there 
� is a belief in Christ (at least that was what I gathered from your note).

Glen, the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19).  It's not lipservice, 
but heartservice.  If the heart is serving, the lips will be also.  The 
converse does not follow.  That is why you can call yourself by any 
denomination without actually knowing salvation.  When salvation gives the 
throne of our heart to the LORD, the denominational tag becomes secondary 
to the truth of Who we know...

							Andrew

	Andrew, what you said makes PERFECT sense and it was what I was driving
at. That was why I stated the belief in Christ. Thanks for saying it a lot
clearer. :-)


Glen

    >Bing, the differences between denominations seems to be ok as long as
    >there is a belief in Christ (at least that was what I gathered from
    >your note). What I am wondering is do you only go as far as the 
    >denominations or do you take it one step further? That step being those 
    >who believe in Christ that may or may not attend any church reguarly or 
    >those who believe in Christ but may or may not identify with any 
    >particular religion?
    
    Glen,
    
    God IS love.  God places great value on each of us.  Each person (whether 
    Christian or not) is a CREATION of God and is of great worth to God.  We 
    first have to understand God's love for us and receive His love for us 
    before we can allow Him to love others through us.
    
    1Jo  4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
    
    1Jo  4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he
    loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
    
    I agree with Andrew, that being a Christian is much more than simply 
    believing in Christ.  It is by faith accepting the free gift of grace that 
    God has for me.  Acceptance of that grace involves faith (trusting God with
    my life and responding to Him in faith).  Ro 5:17 "For if by one man's 
    offence death reigned by one; much more they who receive abundance of grace
    and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."
    Gal 2:20 says that when we are born again that we are crucified with Christ
    (We give up our old life with it's rights) and Christ comes to live in us. 
    When we accept Christ into our lives, we are adopted as children of God 
    (John 1:12).
    
    As those who have received God's love for us, we are to love ALL people.  
    We need to treat each person with dignity and respect, not because of their
    outward behavior, but because they have been created in the image of God.  
    This is the kind of love God has for us.  Rom 5:8 "But God commendeth his 
    love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
    us."  Christ died in order that we might be reconciled to God.  We should 
    desire that each person come to know God and to experience His saving grace
    and abundant life.  We should desire that each person know that God loves 
    them in a personal way and wants to spend time with them.
    
    There is a special BOND with fellow believers.  We are not only God's 
    creation, but we are His CHILDREN.  We are brothers and sisters.  We are 
    joint heirs.  We each have the Spirit of the Living Christ within us.  I 
    would hope that anyone who knows Christ in a personal way would be looking 
    to fellowship with other believers.  We need each other.  If a person is 
    really a child of God, I believe that they will want to be united with 
    others who share a common relationship with God the Father through Christ. 
    I believe if a person is identified with Christ, that person will also want
    to identify with others who have also identified with Christ.  There may, 
    of course, be times when folks are looking for a church home.  The 
    scripture says that they will know us by our love for one another.  If we 
    are not uniting with other Christians, I don't see how we can have a love 
    for each other that stands out above all other loves.
    
    Here are some other verses on how we are to allow Christ to love others 
    through us.
    1Jo  4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
    
    1Jo  4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is from God; and every 
    one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  4:8 He that loveth not 
    knoweth not God; for God is love.
    
    From the Living Bible...
      1 Cor 13
       
       1) If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without 
       learning them, and could speak in every language there is in all of 
       heaven and earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making noise.  
       2) If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to 
       happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn't love 
       others, what good would it do?  Even if I had the gift of faith so that I
       could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth 
       nothing at all without love.  3) If I gave everything I have to poor 
       people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn't 
       love others, it would be of no value whatever.  4) Love is very patient 
       and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud,  5)never 
       haughty or selfish or rude.  Love does not demand its own way.  It is 
       not irritable or touchy.  It does not hold grudges and will hardly even 
       notice when others do it wrong.  6) It is never glad about injustice, 
       but  rejoices whenever truth wins out.  7) If you love someone you will
       be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him,
       always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending 
       him.  
       8) All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an
       end, but love goes on forever.  Someday prophecy, and speaking in 
       unknown languages, and special knowledge - these gifts will disappear.  
       9) Now we know so little, even with our special gifts, and the preaching
       of those most gifted is still so poor.  10) But when we have been made
       perfect and complete, then the need for these inadequate special gifts 
       will come to an end, and they will disappear.
       11) It's like this: when I was a child I spoke and thought and reasoned 
       as a child does.  But when I became a man my thoughts grew far beyond 
       those of my childhood, and now I have put away the childish things. 12) 
       In the same way, we can see and understand only a little about God now, 
       as if we were peering at his reflection in a poor mirror; but someday we 
       are going to see him in his completeness, face to face.  Now all that I 
       know is hazy and blurred, but then I will see everything clearly, just 
       as clearly as God sees into my heart right now.
       13) There are three things that remain - faith, hope, and love - and
       the greatest of these is love.
    
    This is how God loves us.  He LIVES in the lives of those who 
    have by faith accepted His free gift of grace and desires to 
    love others through us with this same kind of love.
    
    Love in Christ,
    
    Bing

	Bing, GREAT NOTE! Thanks fer answering my question! :-)


Glen