*Christian* Hard Rock Experiment

If you can get to New Jersey, you can go for me. I said I'd go before I remembered that I'm going to be in Ocean City that weekend.

 

I think this sums up the problem with "church" today.

I don't need any denominational/man's authority to be a missionary unless I want their funding

But if I want to reach out with the gospel to someone...anyone....I do have the authority of Jesus when He says "go and lo I am with you always...."

Religion might judge people by appearance but God looks on the heart. POD has a heart and extreme passion for people that would intimidate most christians...maybe even scare you.

They replaced their last guitarist because he was letting stardom go to his head. The band knows the danger of pride because so many people are waiting for them to fail so they can wag the finger.

They have a tough missionary ministry and I couldn't imagine the temptation they must have...but I also know their heart by what they say...and, yes, how they say it and who they are saying it to.

It ain't for Aaron or Enda so it doesn't matter what they think about POD and others like them.


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Just got this in from POD's regular email to their fans


This verse is how they themselves sum up their vision for the upcoming new album.



"we felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves, but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us." - II Cor 1:9


I admire these kids so much that I'll defend them to those who dont'understand them in the church. They are "the real deal" whether you can see it or not. Luckily, they are not concerned with impressing anyone but the Lord.

Pray for them even IF you think they are your enemy.

 

Another trait of charismania. "MY authority is from GOD! I don't need no stinkin' endorsement from a church."

I refer to it as the Delusion of an Apostolic Calling. These folks go about thinking that they were called and ordained by Christ Himself without the laying of hands by the presbytery.

To validate their calling they appeal to all the wonderful things that have accompanied them and that were accomplished at their hands.

Well, you aren't apostles, and if you circumvent ecclesiastical authority you are not the ministers of Christ.

 

And you are an ordained authority to speak on this matter?

we are all called to be missionaries whether you like it or not. We get that authority and responsibility from Jesus Himself.

Laying on of hands by a "presbytery" is for an office within church administration. No disciple had to be ordained to be a witness.

It a religious spirit that wants to control the laity. I call it the Delusion of Legalistic Death.

 

I spit coffee all over my computer when I read that.

 

I laughed too, but for a different reason.

Ecclesiastical authority rests in the congregation, yod. What's this horse pucky about wanting to control the laity?

 

there is an artificial food chain of authority OUTSIDE of the church building. Far too many churches don't equip the saints for anything but serving the "ecclesiatical authority".

not all are called to be apostles. The office of apostle is as an overseer of the church administration. Ecclesiatical "authority" itself can go against the authority given by God alone....as in homosexual bishops or pedaphile Cardinals.

The authority, resposibility, and obligation for every member of the Body of Christ to be a witness in the world is given by THE authority of Jesus' own words...not some hierarchy of a religious institution, seminary training, or a traditional ritual.

 

yod, you missed the point entirely. Apostles are not overseerers, though they often served in that capacity. The word means "one who is sent." The word "missionary" has its root in the Latin form of the word "apostle," but the title and office of Apostle, so far, has seen only twelve men.

An apostle is one who was chosen, ordained and educated by Christ Himself. Timothy was not an apostle. Titus was not an apostle. And there are no apostles running around today. That's why I call certain attitudes and notions "delusions."

God has established the church, and has ordained authority in the church. No minister of Christ acts outside that authority.

Now, if you want to say that we're all witnesses, that's fine, but we are also all under the authority of a church—if we're really Christians. The statements I made that you are reacting to were in response to someone calling these artists "missionaries." And he didn't mean missionary in the sense of a witness, he meant missionary in the sense of J. Hudson Taylor.

 

Aaron, this argument makes absolutely no difference. Who really cares if they are ordained? The authority of the Church comes from Christ himself, not man. And don't twist my words to make it seem like I called them apostles, it is you who did that.

They ARE Christians taking God's love to a sorely unreached, unchurched people that many tradional churches try to ignore or simply outright condemns as without hope(people who do that are normally called missionaries). Honestly they have a bigger impact then I do in furthering God's kingdom, and I'm totally confident in saying it's more then you have too.