The Character Of The god of Order

[Musicmaster]

I want to start out by apologize to those who think I doth post too much, but I couldn't let this one go by, given that it's a topic of discussion Major and I had in another thread.

Additionally, I'm not suggesting that this is a problem in all institutional church organizations. It's, perhaps, an image of the many out there that the others who have not experienced this would label as an extreme...but is it? The god of order, in the minds of some, exists because of assumption. It's assumed by many that, dare the god of order be ignored by way of an allowance for openness for mutual ministry and sharing within the large gathering, among the membership, that total chaos would ensue.

I have seen firsthand that this assumption is just that...an assumption. The cost of that assumption is your total silence, and dare you break that silence...Hell hath no fury...

What are YOUR thoughts about mutual ministry, sharing, blessing, and...dare we broach the subject...mutual edification?

MM

 

[Musicmaster]

That video can cover a whole multitude of elements in our ministry toward others. How we treat others, even those caught up in cults, it makes a difference. That doesn't mean we accept their sin, but that we love them as creations of the Lord we claim to love and follow.

It is to the praise of the Lord that He has the perfect measure of love to fix my failures toward others. Where it's true that none of us has the power to do damage to God's perfect plans, what's desirable in any loving follower of Christ is to create as little need for His corrective actions as possible, in the wake of our mistakes!

MM

 

[Major]

I want to start out by apologize to those who think I doth post too much, but I couldn't let this one go by, given that it's a topic of discussion Major and I had in another thread.

Additionally, I'm not suggesting that this is a problem in all institutional church organizations. It's, perhaps, an image of the many out there that the others who have not experienced this would label as an extreme...but is it? The god of order, in the minds of some, exists because of assumption. It's assumed by many that, dare the god of order be ignored by way of an allowance for openness for mutual ministry and sharing within the large gathering, among the membership, that total chaos would ensue.

I have seen firsthand that this assumption is just that...an assumption. The cost of that assumption is your total silence, and dare you break that silence...Hell hath no fury...

What are YOUR thoughts about mutual ministry, sharing, blessing, and...dare we broach the subject...mutual edification?

MM

First of all.........I appreciate ALL of your posts! They are ALL though provoking and cause me to look inside of myself! I guess we can call that the conviction of the Holy Spirit! Maybe a guilty conscience but I guess that those are one n the same.

Now for that video. Situations must taken equally with all sides being considered. What if the ringing phone was not answered? What if that ringing phone destroyed the conviction of a mans sin right at the moment of a decision! Would we then blame the phone or the person with the phone.

What if a couple were kissing and makeing out in the pew during a service. Should they be ignored or corrected????

I believe the Bible is clear in that Church services should be done in order with out chaos.

I can tell you that personally, in the same situation I had a teenager's phone ring in the middle of my sermon. Our youth sat down front so it was very distracting. This young lady answered the phone and sat there talking on it loud enough that most every one could hear the conversation including the laughing. Now...........what do you think I should have done? Ignore here. Schold her? Yell at her? Embarrass her?

What I did do was stop.....
walked over to the steps leading up to the pulpit platform and sat down and looked at her. After 20 or 30 seconds she said.......
"I have to go now".

Her parents did the rest after that!!!!

From that day on.......my secretary placed in big RED bold letters on the front page of the church bulletin.....Turn off all cell phones!

 

[Musicmaster]

First of all.........I appreciate ALL of your posts! They are ALL though provoking and cause me to look inside of myself! I guess we can call that the conviction of the Holy Spirit! Maybe a guilty conscience but I guess that those are one n the same.

Now for that video. Situations must taken equally with all sides being considered. What if the ringing phone was not answered? What if that ringing phone destroyed the conviction of a mans sin right at the moment of a decision! Would we then blame the phone or the person with the phone.

What if a couple were kissing and makeing out in the pew during a service. Should they be ignored or corrected????

I believe the Bible is clear in that Church services should be done in order with out chaos.

I can tell you that personally, in the same situation I had a teenager's phone ring in the middle of my sermon. Our youth sat down front so it was very distracting. This young lady answered the phone and sat there talking on it loud enough that most every one could hear the conversation including the laughing. Now...........what do you think I should have done? Ignore here. Schold her? Yell at her? Embarrass her?

What I did do was stop.....
walked over to the steps leading up to the pulpit platform and sat down and looked at her. After 20 or 30 seconds she said.......
"I have to go now".

Her parents did the rest after that!!!!

From that day on.......my secretary placed in big RED bold letters on the front page of the church bulletin.....Turn off all cell phones!

I do sympathize with you on the level of extreme that situation got to in that service of yours, but there are some observations I would like to make, if I may:

* Where was the proper parenting BEFORE that girl's interruptions became so extreme? Maybe THEY are the ones who needed to be paddled!
* I normally avoid hypotheticals, but had someone been at the point of a decision for Christ when that phone rang, as you had set up as a scenario, I wouldn't be so quick to become disconcerted about that man's salvation. Why? Simply stated, recall the Lord always has a plan for ensuring His will is seen through to its end, and the flood alone shows to us that nothing, not even a cell phone ringing, will get in His way.

Now, I'm not suggesting the extreme of TULIP thinking, but given the preciousness of each and every soul to the Lord, I can say that I rest assured that anyone's salvation is indeed in the Hands of the Most High, and that His abilities to see through the condition of the souls that have and would come to Him, He will always see His will through to the conclusion of His good pleasure.

With the Lord, opportunities never cease.

MM