Embedded Files
THEOLOGY CONVERSATION TOPICS
THEOLOGY CONVERSATION TOPICS
September Topic: Stick your neck out for Christ
If called how do you live a bold life for Christ?
Bible Verses: Philippians 1:20–21
Bible Verses: Philippians 1:20–21
"...I will not be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." — Paul expresses his readiness to suffer or die for Christ.
"...I will not be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." — Paul expresses his readiness to suffer or die for Christ.
Romans 1:16
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes..."
— Paul declares his fearless commitment to proclaiming Christ.
Matthew 10:32–33
"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven."
— Jesus emphasizes the eternal importance of standing up for Him publicly.
Acts 4:19–20
"But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'"
— The apostles refuse to be silenced, even under threat.
2 Timothy 1:7–8
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord..."
— A call to courage and bold witness.
Hebrews 13:13
"Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore."
— A metaphor for leaving comfort behind and embracing the cost of discipleship.
July Topic: Nicene Creed - July 17th
Theological Threshold: “the shortest summary of the Bible”
Theological Threshold: “the shortest summary of the Bible”
Seventeen hundred years ago, a Roman emperor ordered Christians to work out their differences and put an end to a theological controversy about the nature of Christ that was roiling churches in the Middle East.
So a group of bishops gathered in the town of Nicaea (located in modern-day Turkey) and crafted a document that one recent scholar called “the first credal statement to claim universal, unconditional assent” from followers of Jesus—the Nicene Creed.
June Topic: The Pope, apostolic successor to Saint Peter, or just lots of Papal Bull?
How does and should the Pope guide and influence Christianity in the World?
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19
The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, Pontifex maximus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope
Pope Leo XIV is an Augustinian, what are you? The last Pope was a Jesuit. There are not quite as many Catholic Orders as there are Protestant denominations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_order_(Catholic)
More importantly, is the Pope still a White Sox fan?
Papal Bull https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_bull
May Topic: Are All Men Sins Created Equal?
Do all sins have the same separating from God action?
Are all sins equal in the world?
Are All Sins Equal? This article says yes, maybe.
"All sin is equally wrong, but not all sin is equally bad."
https://www.youthpastortheologian.com/blog/are-all-sins-equal
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” James 2:10
Are all sins equally offensive to God? This article says no, there are mortal and venial sins.
https://www.catholic.com/qa/are-all-sins-equally-offensive-to-god
Are all Sins Equal to God? This article presents a balanced perspective.
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/sin/does-god-see-all-sins-as-equal-to-one-another.html
What Is Sin? - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19CuqgFvjxo
Admit to two sins from the list in Romans, do they feel equal to you?
Romans 1:28-31 King James Version
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Lincoln Movie CLIP #4 - Created Equal (2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH0WD4XpoJ8
"I do not hold with equality in all things. Only with equality before the law." Thaddeus Stevens
April Topic: Roll Away the Stone
What's blocking you from rolling away your stone and running out of the grave?
100 Bible Verses about God Rolled Away The Stone
https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_rolled_away_the_stone
Mumford and Sons - Roll Away Your Stone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eEobPFhpws
Roman Soldiers Excited For Super-Easy Job Guarding Tomb Of Some Jewish Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eEobPFhpws
Roman Soldiers Excited For Super-Easy Job Guarding Tomb Of Some Jewish Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7A1IBMEzvo
Passion - Glorious Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gklJ2XZwDHc
Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOfCgkyEj0
P.S. Jesus rolled away the stone for all of us who would believe in him.
March Topic: Lets Lent Together
What do you do for Lent?
Are you giving up something or committing to do something more?
How have you come to know lent or practiced it over the years?
Is Lent biblical? If it's not is it still a good thing to practice?
Matthew 6:17-18 KJV. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
A Short Version of the Long History of Lent
https://groundworkonline.com/blog/a-short-version-of-the-long-history-of-lent
The Biblical Foundations of Lent and Ash Wednesday
20 Unique Things to Give Up for Lent
https://focus.org/posts/20-unique-things-to-give-up-for-lent/
Three Questions to Ask Yourself During Lent - Bishop Barron Sunday Sermon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQkkO7iQ9JM
February Topic: What is Love?
How is love more than Valentines Day?
What are the better biblical interpretations of what love is and should be?
Should there be limits to love? What should be hated?
How is the Holly Spirit the love that connects the Father and the Son and also connects us to the Son?
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8 (KJV)
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)
What Is Love? 58 Bible Verses about Love and How to Study Them
https://www.logos.com/grow/bible-verses-about-love/
love (n.)
https://www.etymonline.com/word/love
agápē, érōs, philía, philautía, storgē, and xenía
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love
Love (agápē) is to "to will the good of another". Thomas Aquinas
https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/to-will-the-good-of-the-other/
January Topic: The young and the old
Young Earth Creationism v. Old Earth Creationism
How old is man kind, the earth, the solar system, the universe?
What is the highest interpretation of Genesis 1-2?
Is Genesis 1-2 a historical account like what we would expect from contemporary accounts of the last 7 days?
What is the book of Job describing in Job 40:15-24? Did man walk along side dinosaurs?
What about global flood geology v. contemporary science (ice ages, plate tectonics, etc.)?
Is a particular belief in the age of the earth a disputable or indisputable matter of faith and salvation?
If creation was a literal 6 days, then what did Jesus mean when he said "Take eat: this is my body... ...do this in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:24-25) ?
For example, the Answers in Genesis organization does not believe in the transubstantiation of the Eucharist. This belief is primarily held by the Roman Catholic Church, which teaches that during the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ. Answers in Genesis, being a young-Earth creationist ministry, aligns with Protestant evangelical theology, which generally views the Eucharist as a symbolic act rather than a literal transformation.
Orthodoxy and Genesis
https://answersingenesis.org/reviews/books/orthodoxy-and-genesis-what-the-fathers-really-taught/
What is the Catholic Position on the age of the earth?
https://www.catholicbridge.com/catholic/catholic-creationism.php
Bishop Barron Presents | Michael Knowles - Philosophy and Culture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_xzWKR7ZNw&pp=ygUaIFZvbHVudGVyaXN1bSBiYXJvbiBrbm93bHM%3D
Note the conversation on volunteerism and it's potential relation to natural law and divine will. God could make 2+2=5, and could also make the world in 7 days, but would he?
1 Corinthians 11:24-25 (KJV)
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Genesis 1-2 (KJV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201&version=KJV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202&version=KJV
Curious math if you figure 7 days of creation being 1,000 years each plus the generational age math from the Old Testament, you get 12,500 years, the same time since the younger dryas period. 5,500 years + 7 days x 1000 years = 12,500 years
How Old is the Earth | Debate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAsp62SfEp8
Job 40:15-24
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2040%3A15-24%2CJob%2041&version=KJV
December Topic: We Three Kings
Matthew 2:1-12, that's it.
Who were the three known as kings, wise men, or magi?
Why did they come to find and give homage to the Christ child?
What did the gifts of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh represent?
Why did they come from the east and not the west?
Why did they depart another way?
Why were they after the shepherds?
Matthew 2:1-12 (KJV)
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The Magi and the Spiritual Journey - Word on Fire
magi | Etymology of magi by etymonline
magi (n.)
c. 1200, "skilled magicians, astrologers," from Latin magi, plural of magus "magician, learned magician," from Greek magos, a word used for the Persian learned and priestly class as portrayed in the Bible (said by ancient historians to have been originally the name of a Median tribe), from Old Persian magush "magician" (see magic). Also, in Christian history, the "wise men" who, according to Matthew, came from the east to Jerusalem to do homage to the newborn Christ (late 14c.). Related: Magian.
Not Three Kings (199): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Ji-D4KUek
But Mark Wahlberg has come along way since then playing Father Stu in 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHREzAdyCPs
November Topic: Apocalypse Now
Daniel 7:13-14, Mark 13:24-32, Mark 15:37-39
Is this the end or are we just seeing past the vial?
Greek word Apokalypsis, meaning 'unveiling' or 'revelation'.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/apocalypse
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=revelation
Daniel 7:13-14
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Mark 13:24-32
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mark 15:37-39
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
For fun...
The Man Comes Around Song by Johnny Cash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMXK9eDrMY
R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) https://youtu.be/Z0GFRcFm-aY?si=AGrr2u7ujaznn2Z4
Dr. Strangelove https://youtu.be/H3zN4-n8ZWg?si=RdFweIuskehvqMwh
October Topic: One Nation Under God...
Exodus 20:2-6, Matthew 22:15-22
Where do you put God? Where do you put the Nation?
Exodus 20:2-6 (KJV) 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Matthew 22:15-22 (KJV) 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
September Topic: Why is great suffering allowed?
Job v. Dawkins & Fry
Why God allows evil in the world | Robert Barron and Lex Fridman
With all this suffering, how could there be a God? | Tim Keller at Columbia University
The Problem of Evil and Suffering | William Lane Craig
Bishop Barron Comments on Stephen Fry, Job, and Suffering
The Most Evil Idea in the New Testament - Richard Dawkins
August Topic: One Nation Under God...
Exodus 20:2-6, Matthew 22:15-22
August 2024
Where do you put God? Where do you put the Nation?
Exodus 20:2-6 (KJV) 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Matthew 22:15-22 (KJV) 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
July Topic: Let the Spirit move you...
Acts 2:1-13
June 2024
Christ & Culture - June 2024
The problem has challenged the church during the course of its entire existence: How are Christians to engage and relate to the surrounding culture? How should we then live? What does it look like to be in the world but not of it?
H. Richard Niebuhr’s classic book, Christ and Culture, has influenced or at least informed the discussion, notably among Western evangelicals, since it was published in 1951. Niebuhr proposed five models, which he labeled as:
Christ against culture
All expressions of culture outside the church are viewed with a high degree of suspicion and as irreparably corrupted by sin. They are to be withdrawn from and avoided as much as possible.
Christ and culture in paradox
It sees human culture as a good creation that’s been tainted by sin. As a result, there’s a tension in the Christian’s relationship to culture, simultaneously embracing and rejecting certain aspects of it.
Christ the transformer of culture
It also recognizes human culture as initially good and subsequently corrupted by the fall. But since Christ is redeeming all of creation, the Christian can and should work to transform culture to the glory of God.
Christ above culture
A middle position regards cultural expressions as basically good, as far as they go. However, they need to be augmented and perfected by Christian revelation and the work of the church, with Christ supreme over both.
Christ of culture
Cultural expressions as a whole are accepted uncritically and celebrated as a good thing. In theory, little or no conflict is seen between culture and Christian truth. In practice, the latter is compromised to accommodate the former.
Going beyond the five views - It’s important to note that while Christ and Culture has remained influential on evangelical thought for over 60 years, Niebuhr himself was writing as a liberal Protestant in mid-20th-century America. His model, although helpful as a framework, is not without some serious problems. The last category (Christ of culture), in particular, isn’t even a viable option from a biblically orthodox perspective. It could be argued that the first category (Christ against culture) isn’t, either, although many conservative Christians continue to pursue it.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:2
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. - Colossians 2:8
Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. - Mark 7:8
May 2024
Who’s the scapegoat now?
Genesis 22, Exodus 32:11–14
Can prayer and sacrifice change how we
perceive/experience God's will?
Scripture:
7And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:10 (KJV)
21And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: Leviticus 16:21 (KJV)
Why is Jesus the scapegoat now?
Two types of people exist; those who take full responsibility for their actions and those who don’t. Either group could dismiss the idea that someone else would take their place, much less admit to wrongdoing that requires a repayment (atonement). That wrongdoing is sin, and so many people refuse to acknowledge that anything they do may be called a sin.
24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26
Discussion Questions:
- Why do we still tend to send metaphorical scapegoats into the wilderness?
- If Jesus is the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world, why do you need to take up your cross?
- How do you take up your cross (responsibility) and move to follow God’s will?
Lincoln Cathedral | ~1300 A.D.
Please submit your topic ideas in the form at the bottom of this web page or the home page.
https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/baptism-of-christ-by-perugino
April 2024
The immutability of God. Does God change his mind?
Genesis 22, Exodus 32:11–14
Can prayer and sacrifice change how we
perceive/experience God's will?
Scripture:
Genesis 22
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Exodus 32:11-14 (KJV)
11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Immutability
https://www.etymonline.com/word/immutable
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immutability_(theology)
Prayer
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=Prayer
Sacrifice (verb)
https://www.etymonline.com/word/sacrifice
Discussion Questions:
- Does Gods' mind ever change or does he just change our heart/mind and perspective?
- Do you use prayer in your life to change God's will or align your will with God's?
- Does sacrificing something cause God's will/favor to change? Or do you just more fully experience God's unchanging love?
Please submit your topic ideas in the form at the bottom of this web page or the home page.
https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/baptism-of-christ-by-perugino
March 2024
Born Again… John 3:1-7, Acts 2:38–39, Matthew 3:13-17
How is one born again? Are there better times to be baptized?
Scripture:
“1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ” John 3:1-7.
“38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38–39
“13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17
Baptism (noun)
"initiatory sacrament of the Christian faith, consisting in immersion in or application of water by an authorized administrator," c. 1300, bapteme, from Old French batesme, bapteme "baptism" (11c., Modern French baptême), from Latin baptismus, from Greek baptismos, noun of action from baptizein (see baptize).
Discussion Questions:
- What merits does infant baptism have? - Do you need immersion or will just a splash do?
- With baptism are you just getting started or confirming your faith?
- Is there just “One baptism for the forgiveness of sins”?
- Why was Jesus baptized by John?
Please submit your topic ideas in the form at the bottom of this web page or the home page.
https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/baptism-of-christ-by-perugino
January/February 2024 - Your testimony or why you came to...
January/February 2024 - Your testimony or why you came to...
How do you act as a witness to Christ? Why you came to know Christ?
or… Why you came here tonight?
February 22, 2024: 7 - 9pm at 64oz. Taphouse (SpeakEasy Basement!)
This evening is a time for us to begin to get to know one another in part by sharing how you’ve come to know Christ, turned to his will (Matthew 6:10) and how you act as a witness letting “...your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.
or… You can share share why you came here tonight and where you are on your journey.
4 Basic Principles of Writing Your Testimony:
Remember your testimony is not actually yours. You do not own it, it is God’s story of what he has done in your life.
Being specific about the amount or gravity of sin, does not usually add to your testimony. Be careful not to glorify the sin, it robs the limelight from God.
Your Christian testimony is about God’s pursuit, and your cooperation and surrender. Remember, he plays the primary role and you play the secondary role. We should try to showcase what God has done rather than on what we did to follow him.
Writing a testimony can be a bit like writing an examination of conscience. There may be a part of writing it that calls you to repentance.
Please submit your topic ideas in the form at the bottom of this web page or the home page.
* NOTE: Group Hiatus Summer 2021 - January 2024 *
* NOTE: Group Hiatus Summer 2021 - January 2024 *
Can Salvation Be Lost?
Can Salvation Be Lost?
April 8th, 2021: 7 - 9pm at Stonehedge Gardens (Outdoor Space)
Holding on or Eternally Held: Is My Salvation in Christ Secure, or Can I Lose/Renounce My Salvation?
Theologically speaking, what we are talking about here is the concept of “Apostasy.” This term comes from a Greek word that means “to stand away from.” When we talk about those who have become apostate or have committed apostasy, we’re talking about those who have fallen from the faith or at least from the profession of faith in Christ that they once made.
We should distinguish a serious and radical fall from a total and final fall. Reformed theologians have noted that the Bible is full of examples of true believers who fall into gross sin and even protracted periods of impenitence. So, Christians do fall and they fall radically. What could be more serious than Peter’s public denial of Jesus Christ?
Are these people who are guilty of a real fall irretrievably fallen and eternally lost, or is this fall a temporary condition that will, in the final analysis, be remedied by their restoration? In the case of a person such as Peter, we see that his fall was remedied by his repentance. However, what about those who fall away finally? Were they ever truly believers in the first place? (1 John 2:19)
This question of whether a person can lose his salvation is not an abstract question. It touches us at the very core of our Christian lives, not only with regard to our concerns for our own perseverance, but also with regard to our concern for our family and friends, particularly those who seemed, for all outward appearances, to have made a genuine profession of faith. We thought their profession was credible, only to find out that they repudiated that faith.
Salvation (Eternal Life), is the gift of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. A gift is characterized by three vital aspects:
It is given freely out of the giver’s generosity (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It can be accepted or rejected (Hebrews 3:14-15)
It demands a responsibility (Philippians 2:12)
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. - 1 John 3:6
You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. - Galatians 5:4
Resource: Can a Christian Lose Salvation? by: Christianity.com
Resource: Can a Christian Lose Their Salvation? by: Ligonier.com
Resource: Is My Salvation in Christ Secure, or Can I Lose My Salvation? by BackToTheBible.com
Discussion Printout: Can Salvation Be Lost? - April 8th 2021.pdf
Christ & Culture
Christ & Culture
March 11th, 2021: 7 - 9pm at Grateful Vineyard (Outdoor Space)
The problem has challenged the church during the course of its entire existence: How are Christians to engage and relate to the surrounding culture? How should we then live? What does it look like to be in the world but not of it?
H. Richard Niebuhr’s classic book, Christ and Culture, has influenced or at least informed the discussion, notably among Western evangelicals, since it was published in 1951. Niebuhr’s work begins with definitions:
Who is Christ? He is the New Testament figure, crucified and raised from the dead, the One whom Christians accept as their authority
What is culture? It is the social life of humanity, the environment created by human beings in the areas of “language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values”
Niebuhr proposed five models, which he labeled as:
Christ against culture
Christ and the church entails a rejection of culture and society. The lines between the church and the world are sharp because the church is a community whose existence judges the world.
Christ and culture in paradox
The dualistic version of “Christ above Culture:” the conflict between God and humanity is ever present and this conflict represents Christ and culture as well. “Grace is in God, and sin is in man,” the basis for seeing human depravity that pervades and corrupts all human work and culture creation. Upholding the paradox of law and grace, divine wrath and mercy, the Christian lives between two magnetic poles.
Christ the transformer of culture
All of culture is under the judgment of God, and yet culture is also under God’s sovereign rule. Therefore, “the Christian must carry on cultural work in obedience to the Lord.”
Christ above culture
The dominant voice of church history. The fundamental issue is between God and humanity, not God and the world.
Christ of culture
A lack of tension between the church and the world, since Jesus is the fulfiller of society’s hopes and aspirations.
Resource: Christ and Culture by: H. Richard Niebuhr
Resource: “Christ and Culture” – An Overview of a Christian Classic by: TheGospalCoalition.org
Resource: At work & Theology 101: Christ and Culture by: Institute for Faith, Work & Economics
Discussion Printout: Christ & Culture - Mar 11th 2021.pdf
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts
February 13th, 2020: 7 - 9pm at Ferment Brewing Company
A spiritual gift is something God has chosen specifically for you so that you can help with the advancement of the church on earth by serving and using your special ability. As we seek to follow and be used by Jesus Christ, we need to utilize all that he has made available to us. One of the great blessings Jesus has given to his church and to us as individuals is the gifts of the Spirit. Why has he given these gifts? The Bible has this to say about the vital role they play in the lives of believers:
Spiritual Gifts Enable Us to Grow in the Knowledge of Christ
Spiritual Gifts Are to Be Used
Each Spiritual Gift Has a Special Place in the Body of Christ
Attaining spiritual gifts is not the goal—they are the gateway. They are not a hobby to play with—they are tools to build with, weapons to fight with. We will be more effective as we put them to use for God’s glory and not our own. The C&MA Founder A. B. Simpson wrote these insightful words:
Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord.
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word.
Once his gifts I wanted, now the Giver own.
Once I sought for healing, now himself alone.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)
Resource: Wikipedia - Spiritual Gift (Good Overview and List)
Resource: How (Not) to Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
Resource: Desiring God Podcast Sermon & Transcript of Spiritual Gifts (37 mins)
Discussion Printout: Spiritual Gifts - Feb 13th 2020.pdf
A Cross Section of Christianity
A Cross Section of Christianity
January 9th, 2020: 7 - 9pm at pFriem (Upstairs)
A look at the major denominations of Christianity, their origins and compare/contrast major philosophies.
Although there is only one universal Christian Church, there are tens of thousands of Christian branches of Christianity. These branches of Christianity are referred to as denominations. These denominations have formed and divided since the time of Christ, because Christians have had differences in beliefs and practices. Some of the main groups include Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and the Protestant churches and Pentecostal churches.
A great first step is to (re) acquaint yourself with the Christian Missionary and Alliance Church core beliefs as you compare and think about the versatility of Christianity.
Resource: Compare the Beliefs of 7 Christian Denominations
Resource: Christianity Comparison Charts (LOTS of links from topics to compare/contrast denominations)
Discussion Printout: A Cross Section of Christianity - Jan 9th 2020.pdf
Sanctification - All our doing or God's?
Sanctification - All our doing or God's?
December 11th, 2019 - Volcanic Bottle Shoppe
Sanctification is a biblical doctrine that is emphasized a great deal in Christian teaching. Yet despite its importance, it is often perceived as a religious notion too complex to comprehend. Though sanctification may at first seem to be a foreign concept, it is one of the greatest things that has and is happening to every believer in Jesus Christ. Here we will explore the basic biblical doctrine of sanctification and discuss the key role it plays in a Christian's spiritual growth.
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Primary Resource: Sanctification Part 1; Sanctification Part 2
Resource: 6 things every Christian needs to know about sanctification
Discussion Printout: Sanctification - Dec 11th 2019.pdf
Rethinking Church As A Verb
Rethinking Church As A Verb
November 13th, 2019 - Double Mountain Brewery
What if church was a verb – not a noun...? The church is dynamic, not static.
Jesus gave the Great Commission, and told us to “Go into the world” doing the things that he did: teaching, healing, feeding hungry people, speaking out about injustice, and calling the world to more faithful living. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples to begin a movement.
What should the church look like? What are some things that we need to rethink? What are some things the church is doing right that we need to keep and maintain? What is the ESSENCE of CHURCH?
Resource: Church is a Verb (These are different articles, not a typo!)
Resource: Church is a Verb—or at Least it Should Be
Discussion Printout: Church as a Verb Nov 12th 2019.pdf
Jesus: Liar, Lunatic or Lord?
Jesus: Liar, Lunatic or Lord?
October 9th, 2019 - pFriem Upstairs
Per the great Christian apologist C. S. Lewis, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else He would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
C.S. Lewis popularized this “Trilemma” argument, this 3-legged stool quickly gets to the heart of the matter: will we accept Jesus — or not? Was Jesus a liar, lunatic — or Lord? Let’s look at each option. Here is one of many writings to get you thinking.
Resource: An Investigation: Is Jesus Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
Why Do We Believe in the Bible?
Why Do We Believe in the Bible?
August 14th, 2019- Red Carpet Inn Patio
Resource: Why I Believe the Bible Is the Word of God.
Personal Testimonies
Personal Testimonies
July 8th, 2019 - Solera Brewery Patio
Resource: Preparing Your Personal Testimony.
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