Comments for 520life.org http://520life.org We are therefore Christ's ambassadors... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:32:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on This is church by Kevinhttp://520life.org/2010/03/this-is-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1844 Kevin Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:32:01 +0000 http://520life.org/?p=614#comment-1844 I couldn't agree more. I am blessed to be able to meet with small groups outside the "church building" (restaurants, homes, etc) and it is almost always some of my best church time. We have even built in extended prayer times and fellowship into our ministry meetings, making them feel more like real church, rather than just meetings. I couldn’t agree more. I am blessed to be able to meet with small groups outside the “church building” (restaurants, homes, etc) and it is almost always some of my best church time. We have even built in extended prayer times and fellowship into our ministry meetings, making them feel more like real church, rather than just meetings.

]]> Comment on This is church by Tashahttp://520life.org/2010/03/this-is-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1786 Tasha Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:51:47 +0000 http://520life.org/?p=614#comment-1786 amen. amen.

]]> Comment on Introducing the newest Leake by Jessica Dumont-Oatmanhttp://520life.org/2009/02/introducing-the-newest-leake/comment-page-1/#comment-1754 Jessica Dumont-Oatman Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:39:01 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2009/02/02/introducing-the-newest-leake/#comment-1754 Hi Chris, It's been a long time but I just found your site and wanted to congratulate you on the newest addition to your family. They all are just adorable and you guys make one cute family. Continue the hard work you are doing in spreading the word of God. It is only through Him that we have hope. God Bless. -Jessica and Family www.caringbridge.org/visit/montanaoatman Hi Chris,
It’s been a long time but I just found your site and wanted to congratulate you on the newest addition to your family. They all are just adorable and you guys make one cute family. Continue the hard work you are doing in spreading the word of God. It is only through Him that we have hope. God Bless.
-Jessica and Family
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/montanaoatman

]]> Comment on Books for beginning missionaries by Friday Finds December 25 2009http://520life.org/2009/12/beginning-missionary-books/comment-page-1/#comment-1321 Friday Finds December 25 2009 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:53:58 +0000 http://520life.org/?p=601#comment-1321 [...] Books for beginning missionaries [...] [...] Books for beginning missionaries [...]

]]> Comment on The most important spiritual discipline for new disciples by Rickhttp://520life.org/2008/01/most-important-discipline/comment-page-1/#comment-1309 Rick Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:03:57 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2008/01/22/most-important-discipline/#comment-1309 Hey Daniel,I read your post and I certainly will not burn or stone you.I'm just gonna lay it all out for you my friend as the the Lord has laid it out for me over the past 4 years.All of theses spiritual disciplines the Lord Jesus had taught His disciples came after He had asked them to "first" be with Him.This tells me that the Lord Jesus wanted to develop a personal love relationship with each of His disciples first.Then Jesus demonstrated (in His own life) to them the needs to discipline their lives spiritually to guard against their own tendency to sin and defend against the devil.So, I believe that there is no one all important spiritual discipline. They all work together in our walk and communion with the Lord. Amen?I think you would benefit greatly from a Ministry called Communion with God Ministries. The fella that started that ministry has written several books about hearing God's voice. They are tremendous reading. Please write me back when you get the time. Hey Daniel,I read your post and I certainly will not burn or stone you.I’m just gonna lay it all out for you my friend as the the Lord has laid it out for me over the past 4 years.All of theses spiritual disciplines the Lord Jesus had taught His disciples came after He had asked them to “first” be with Him.This tells me that the Lord Jesus wanted to develop a personal love relationship with each of His disciples first.Then Jesus demonstrated (in His own life) to them the needs to discipline their lives spiritually to guard against their own tendency to sin and defend against the devil.So, I believe that there is no one all important spiritual discipline. They all work together in our walk and communion with the Lord. Amen?I think you would benefit greatly from a Ministry called Communion with God Ministries. The fella that started that ministry has written several books about hearing God’s voice. They are tremendous reading. Please write me back when you get the time.

]]> Comment on How to develop better theology by Chrishttp://520life.org/2009/03/how-to-develop-better-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-1306 Chris Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:01:09 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2009/03/20/how-to-develop-better-theology/#comment-1306 The fortress mentality can really get in the way, huh? I'm glad to see more believers moving away from being scared of cultures to interacting with them and finding the redeeming characteristics in them.Thanks, Sarah! The fortress mentality can really get in the way, huh? I’m glad to see more believers moving away from being scared of cultures to interacting with them and finding the redeeming characteristics in them.

Thanks, Sarah!

]]> Comment on How to develop better theology by Sarahhttp://520life.org/2009/03/how-to-develop-better-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-1273 Sarah Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:41:55 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2009/03/20/how-to-develop-better-theology/#comment-1273 I think about this all the time! I absolutely believe that this is a sure-fire way to get develop better theology (unless one has a fortress mentality when encountering other cultures). I am so encouraged by this post. You put it so well. I think about this all the time! I absolutely believe that this is a sure-fire way to get develop better theology (unless one has a fortress mentality when encountering other cultures). I am so encouraged by this post. You put it so well.

]]> Comment on I’m quitting church planting by Sarahhttp://520life.org/2008/01/quitting-church-planting/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 Sarah Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:28:55 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2008/01/25/quitting-church-planting/#comment-1272 Wow, I love it. Wow, I love it.

]]> Comment on Contextualization: Can a Muslim or a Hindu be a Christian? by Chrishttp://520life.org/2008/04/contextualization/comment-page-1/#comment-1264 Chris Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:38:26 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2008/04/23/contextualization-can-a-muslim-or-a-hindu-be-a-christian/#comment-1264 Sarah, thanks for joining the conversation, I love what you had to say. In my opinion, I think you've nailed it about the contextualization of the gospel in every culture. That's a very interesting perspective you shared on Mormonism; I hadn't heard that before. God is teaching me a lot right now about the difference between religion and the kingdom. It seems that any religious activity outside of what God defined as pure religion only ever stands in the way of knowing God. In light of that, I think your statement about religion as culture is very interesting, and I love what you said about incorporating the good and rejecting or reinterpreting the bad.I hope you continue to be a part of discussions on this blog! Sarah, thanks for joining the conversation, I love what you had to say. In my opinion, I think you’ve nailed it about the contextualization of the gospel in every culture. That’s a very interesting perspective you shared on Mormonism; I hadn’t heard that before. God is teaching me a lot right now about the difference between religion and the kingdom. It seems that any religious activity outside of what God defined as pure religion only ever stands in the way of knowing God. In light of that, I think your statement about religion as culture is very interesting, and I love what you said about incorporating the good and rejecting or reinterpreting the bad.

I hope you continue to be a part of discussions on this blog!

]]> Comment on Contextualization: Can a Muslim or a Hindu be a Christian? by Sarahhttp://520life.org/2008/04/contextualization/comment-page-1/#comment-1254 Sarah Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:36:52 +0000 http://www.520life.org/2008/04/23/contextualization-can-a-muslim-or-a-hindu-be-a-christian/#comment-1254 Hi Chris, I love your heart. I just happened upon your blog this morning, so apologies for entering this conversation a year and a half late.I wanted to comment on your comparison of Hinduism to Mormonism vs. Native Americans or Jews. I live in Utah, and Mormonism is every bit as much a culture as Hinduism is, in my opinion. There are Latter-day Saints who believe in multiple gods, there are Latter-day Saints who believe in one God, and there are people who culturally identify as Latter-day Saints who are agnostics and atheists. Also, there are Latter-day Saint followers of Jesus. There is wide diversity of belief within the LDS Church and culture. I don't mean to be nitpicky, as what I want to say actually has little to do with Mormonism.Is it possible that everything we consider to be a religion is really a culture, including American evangelical Christianity? That it is part of our jobs, as followers of Jesus, to incorporate into our walks the parts of our culture that are conducive to faith in Christ, and reject or reinterpret the parts that aren't?Westerners tend to view contextualization through a lens of "how do we contextualize the gospel for this foreign culture" without realizing that it is contextualized even for our own culture. I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that it's not until I'm able to see the ways in which I have erroneously viewed evangelical Christianity as the uncorrupted, doctrinally pure faith (when really, it is a culture in its own right) that I'm able not to look down on other cultures. I want to be able to internalize the fact that a Hindu follower of Jesus is not a second-class Christian, that she is every inch as much a part of the Kingdom as I am, and that I have my own cultural baggage that I bring to the gospel, just as she does. Hi Chris,
I love your heart. I just happened upon your blog this morning, so apologies for entering this conversation a year and a half late.

I wanted to comment on your comparison of Hinduism to Mormonism vs. Native Americans or Jews. I live in Utah, and Mormonism is every bit as much a culture as Hinduism is, in my opinion. There are Latter-day Saints who believe in multiple gods, there are Latter-day Saints who believe in one God, and there are people who culturally identify as Latter-day Saints who are agnostics and atheists. Also, there are Latter-day Saint followers of Jesus. There is wide diversity of belief within the LDS Church and culture. I don’t mean to be nitpicky, as what I want to say actually has little to do with Mormonism.

Is it possible that everything we consider to be a religion is really a culture, including American evangelical Christianity? That it is part of our jobs, as followers of Jesus, to incorporate into our walks the parts of our culture that are conducive to faith in Christ, and reject or reinterpret the parts that aren’t?

Westerners tend to view contextualization through a lens of “how do we contextualize the gospel for this foreign culture” without realizing that it is contextualized even for our own culture. I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that it’s not until I’m able to see the ways in which I have erroneously viewed evangelical Christianity as the uncorrupted, doctrinally pure faith (when really, it is a culture in its own right) that I’m able not to look down on other cultures. I want to be able to internalize the fact that a Hindu follower of Jesus is not a second-class Christian, that she is every inch as much a part of the Kingdom as I am, and that I have my own cultural baggage that I bring to the gospel, just as she does.

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