David Bercot
It has been awhile since I updated my blogs. I think one reason for this is because I get the feeling that nobody is reading them. I know that you should blog for yourself, but the truth is that one reason a person would publish their own diary is to be read. I know that with blogs, a person needs to really get out there in the blog community and be interactive and get your URL out there. I only visit a short amount of other people’s blog’s, and there are several reasons for this. One of which is that, in all honesty, I don’t really want to hear what they have to say. I understand that this is completely disrespectful, and I suppose that I reap what I sow. I read and read these other blogs and usually find the same humanistic reasonings and observations, that are to one degree or another a regurgitation of the same opinions as the other people that they are all linked to. I think that it is very common in the blog-o-sphere to find a link ring of people who share like minded opinions. Perhaps I need to find a diversity of thinkers and link them to what I have to say. I think perhaps there is very little interest in what I have to say, and I can understand this. I tend to be very dogmatic, a little intense, mostly making matters a point of seeing only black and white, very little room for gray areas, and I really, really tend to preach. This usually doesn’t make for very interesting reading. But ranting is one of my favorite past times. This is partly due to my excessive spare time. The bible warns of this dilemma be a potential vessel for idleness and evil, so I personally must be careful. School starts up again today, and I am very glad.
I have been reading! Last month I read two C.S. Lewis books: Mere Christianity, and The Great Divorce. Both of which are extraordinary. I highly, highly recommend Mere Christianity to anyone who considers themselves a Christian. He gives us a definitive essay on Christianity and it basic foundations. He talks of Christian life, and the differences to be found in a Christian and other non believing individuals. It is both motivating, and validating. It is beautifully written, and easy to read. He does however get quite complex in his intellectual tackling of some hard to deal with issues. Through out the book, there is little guessing as to the fact that Christianity is the thinking persons faith, and also the soft hearted persons faith. He talks of what we do to allow our hearts to harden to Christ and lays it out like an x-ray. This book is essential to anybody not just claiming to be a Christian, but to somebody who is interested in becoming a Christian. There is just one point in which Mr. Lewis and I differ, and that point is the issue of war. Since I have discussed this in a previous post, I won’t get into it right now.
The Great Divorce is a fictional account of a man who travels between hell and heaven, and during that time he faces a variety of situations that show him how we can make the wrong decisions with our relationship with God, and how we can exclude ourselves from God’s grace. Although, the heaven and hell in this book are more conceptual than biblically realistic, he really drives the point home. The Great Divorce is a quick and easy read, and a mandatory read for anybody who wants to examine their own heart. It can be challenging at times, and allowed me to see my own spiritual weaknesses. It is an excellent book.
I have also been taking time to read this http://www.deerparkwashingtondisciples.net/believers/main.php web site, and have been fascinated with how they are almost exactly what, why, and how I feel and have concluded on my own through bible study and life experiences. The more I read the website, the more I think, “These people have been reading my mind.” I think that the cool thing is that I have come to almost all of the same conclusions that this group of people have come to. I still have trouble trusting though; I am confident that my trust issues are from my religious past.
My past is curious to me. In almost all my stages of Christianity, I was full on convinced that what I was doing was the complete truth; more so, truth that I was willing to die for. I am still willing to die for my faith in Christ, for that is my Christian duty, but I tire of this juggling of the paradigms. I have only been a member of the Disciples of Christ, International church of Christ, and the mainline church of Christ. However, I have visited fellowships of charismatic churches, catholic churches, and Methodist churches. I have also studied with the Jehovah’s Witness’, the Mormon’s (on dozens of occasions), and Baptist’s. I have read up on many other types of Christian faith. Keeping all that in mind, I can faithfully say that one of these “Christian paradigms” are no less better than the rest of them. They all have major biblical fundamental flaws in them. This is frustrating to me. So much so that I felt that there must truly be very few who seek God for His sake (for the promise there in is that you will find wisdom when you do that), and not for self. Then I found this Home fellowship group. http://www.deerparkwashingtondisciples.net/believers/main.php and I can’t find anything that they say on their website that I disagree with. There are a few things that make me leery, but I’m sure that is from my scared heart. But my point is this: what if I find out in the future that even this group is not what the bible requires. I think that all I can do is do what my heart says is right according to what I understand in the bible and go from there. Regardless, I am going to start having our own worship service in our home on Sunday’s, and will start inviting people to join us. I am inspired by the brothers in this home fellowship group, who refuse to name themselves, for the bible didn’t either. I am inspired by their deep bible knowledge and their rich knowledge in church history. They refer to a publishing company at www.scrollpublishing.com which is really the publishing company of David Bercot (author of “Will the Real Heretic Please Stand up?”). They have some great deals on many publications, and a whole series of lectures by brother Bercot himself. I think that I will be making a few purchases there soon.
Due to a research deal I made with my bestest buddy, I have been reading a great deal of writing of the early church fathers, and I see that there are vast differences in what the condoned and condemned and what is practiced in modern day “Christian” practice. Currently I am reading a book called, “A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs” edited by David Bercot. It is quite a book (just over 700 pages), and filled with excellent organizing of topics. Although I have had this book for some time, you can order your own copy at www.scrollpublishing.com.
So, if you are a Christian, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the home fellowship website and what they have to say. Here is to studying…
I have been reading! Last month I read two C.S. Lewis books: Mere Christianity, and The Great Divorce. Both of which are extraordinary. I highly, highly recommend Mere Christianity to anyone who considers themselves a Christian. He gives us a definitive essay on Christianity and it basic foundations. He talks of Christian life, and the differences to be found in a Christian and other non believing individuals. It is both motivating, and validating. It is beautifully written, and easy to read. He does however get quite complex in his intellectual tackling of some hard to deal with issues. Through out the book, there is little guessing as to the fact that Christianity is the thinking persons faith, and also the soft hearted persons faith. He talks of what we do to allow our hearts to harden to Christ and lays it out like an x-ray. This book is essential to anybody not just claiming to be a Christian, but to somebody who is interested in becoming a Christian. There is just one point in which Mr. Lewis and I differ, and that point is the issue of war. Since I have discussed this in a previous post, I won’t get into it right now.
The Great Divorce is a fictional account of a man who travels between hell and heaven, and during that time he faces a variety of situations that show him how we can make the wrong decisions with our relationship with God, and how we can exclude ourselves from God’s grace. Although, the heaven and hell in this book are more conceptual than biblically realistic, he really drives the point home. The Great Divorce is a quick and easy read, and a mandatory read for anybody who wants to examine their own heart. It can be challenging at times, and allowed me to see my own spiritual weaknesses. It is an excellent book.
I have also been taking time to read this http://www.deerparkwashingtondisciples.net/believers/main.php web site, and have been fascinated with how they are almost exactly what, why, and how I feel and have concluded on my own through bible study and life experiences. The more I read the website, the more I think, “These people have been reading my mind.” I think that the cool thing is that I have come to almost all of the same conclusions that this group of people have come to. I still have trouble trusting though; I am confident that my trust issues are from my religious past.
My past is curious to me. In almost all my stages of Christianity, I was full on convinced that what I was doing was the complete truth; more so, truth that I was willing to die for. I am still willing to die for my faith in Christ, for that is my Christian duty, but I tire of this juggling of the paradigms. I have only been a member of the Disciples of Christ, International church of Christ, and the mainline church of Christ. However, I have visited fellowships of charismatic churches, catholic churches, and Methodist churches. I have also studied with the Jehovah’s Witness’, the Mormon’s (on dozens of occasions), and Baptist’s. I have read up on many other types of Christian faith. Keeping all that in mind, I can faithfully say that one of these “Christian paradigms” are no less better than the rest of them. They all have major biblical fundamental flaws in them. This is frustrating to me. So much so that I felt that there must truly be very few who seek God for His sake (for the promise there in is that you will find wisdom when you do that), and not for self. Then I found this Home fellowship group. http://www.deerparkwashingtondisciples.net/believers/main.php and I can’t find anything that they say on their website that I disagree with. There are a few things that make me leery, but I’m sure that is from my scared heart. But my point is this: what if I find out in the future that even this group is not what the bible requires. I think that all I can do is do what my heart says is right according to what I understand in the bible and go from there. Regardless, I am going to start having our own worship service in our home on Sunday’s, and will start inviting people to join us. I am inspired by the brothers in this home fellowship group, who refuse to name themselves, for the bible didn’t either. I am inspired by their deep bible knowledge and their rich knowledge in church history. They refer to a publishing company at www.scrollpublishing.com which is really the publishing company of David Bercot (author of “Will the Real Heretic Please Stand up?”). They have some great deals on many publications, and a whole series of lectures by brother Bercot himself. I think that I will be making a few purchases there soon.
Due to a research deal I made with my bestest buddy, I have been reading a great deal of writing of the early church fathers, and I see that there are vast differences in what the condoned and condemned and what is practiced in modern day “Christian” practice. Currently I am reading a book called, “A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs” edited by David Bercot. It is quite a book (just over 700 pages), and filled with excellent organizing of topics. Although I have had this book for some time, you can order your own copy at www.scrollpublishing.com.
So, if you are a Christian, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the home fellowship website and what they have to say. Here is to studying…
posted by P. Allan Frederick at 7:41 AM
5 Comments:
I rad mere Christianity a year or so ago and loved it. I hadn't heard of The Great Divorce before and you're the second blogger to mention it recently.
I can relate to the struggle over finding a group that's got it on straight. Think about this, however: If they are sincere and eager and earnest, yet still wrong, what's to say that you aren't wrong as well? I know you understand this, but what I mean is that some of the things you're fired up about in one group or another might be wrong and some things that you find wrong in one group or another might be just fine.
This helps me put things in perspective. I'm messed up, they're messed up. Finding the perfect group is not only impossible, it's ill advised. Instead, focus on giving yourself to the Lord and giving to those around you so that they can better give themselves to Him too. I can have fellowship with many and not worry about being convinced of their 'correctness' or whatever (although I can't seem to get that out of my head.)
BTW - Does this 'house church' mean that you are no longer with the Flatwoods COC?
Argh. I had a long comment written and it seems that Blogger may have eaten it. Phooey.
Just so you know, brother, I always read and enjoy your blog, even if I don't always comment. Thank you for letting me into your head and heart when you post.
I was part of the deer park group for five years. Things are not always as they seem. The group never was what the webpage represented. It was, for the most part, one man's wishful thinking with very little application. Sadly, the group has long since disbanded due to a horrific sin that the man who founded the group and the website had been hiding from the rest of us. His family is destroyed, he has walked away from the accountability of his brothers, and he may very well be in prison for years for his crimes against society. I am sorry to be so blunt. Although most of the content was truth, the site simply did not represent the truth of what the group ever was. It sure sounded good, though.
Thanks Gary, sadly I've found this to be true with many of the House Church people I have seen online. However, as of a few months ago, I have seen the house church movement of Gene Edwards (author of Divine Romance and Tale of Three Kings, plus many other highly recommended books like Why You Should Consider Leaving The Pastorate, The Christian Woman Set Free, and Your Lord is a Blue Collar Worker. They are at www.seedsowers.com or .net, one or the other...anyway, I have since changed much of my thinking on these matters, particularly as far as changing the respect I give to others in listening to them. So many people have such great faith and show the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, including vast understandings and insights to the word. I put much greater value in Faith than i do dogmatism. I've stopped trying to look for differences and started looking for opportunities of unity. The person who hears the gospel, repents of the world, and is baptized into the Father, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and continue a life of faithfulness, then I consider them converted; However, I've seen faith and from what Paul says in Romans about Abraham, that rocks this world. I've also seen people who have gone through the ritualistic conversion and have zero faith in anything like God. We can't put faith in a box, and we can't put God in a box, and that is what we do when we get dogmatic and ritualistic about conversion. The bible was written so out of order and context that it is hard to figure out what exactly we need to think. That is where faith comes in. Oh, Gary, BTW, if you get a chance, go back to a version of the bible that doesn't use the Latin Vulgate. St. Jerome was a torn, angry, chauvinistic man who was filled with rage and tried to use his translation of the bible to get in good with the church. I mean, when you start looking into it, you can find that Martin Luther condoned the killing of peasants, and was a woman hater, as was John Calvin, who considered women to be less than human. HEY, we all have our faults, but that is my point. We rely so much on these men to have brought is the bible, when, just as Gutenburg brought us commoners the bible, so now there are those who are bringing us an even better translation. Right now, there are those who are working on a new translation, that came from the un-chapter-ed and versed bible, and putting the books in the order that they were written with historical study helps as to where the authors, along with the Holy Spirit, were in their lives and where the church was at the time. I"ll post on here as to exactly when it comes out. Yes, it is being done by Eugene Edwards and his group, but I have come to trust his insight tremendously. I also trust his indignant responses to mistranslation.
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