Hi Jon! Have you done any writings on Sola Scriptura and how it relates to body life today? Although it seems like a good concept, I have seen it used to prevent the working of the Holy Spirit from being recognized. And it's clear we don't follow Sola Scriptura in either institutional churches (which say they are Sola Scriptura) or in organic groups. Is Sola Scriptura a good concept? Is it a godly principle or just man's logical thinking (Scripture is from God, God is good, Scripture is … [Read more...]

The way church is usually practiced renders the “laity” passive. Those sitting in the pews are used to a select sub-group – the pastor, an elder board, a deacon board – making key decisions for the church and then telling the membership what was decided. But what happens when believers gather in settings where traditional leadership categories are absent? How are decisions made in groups where everyone participates in body-life? In order to respond to these questions we must take a closer … [Read more...]

My good friend Frank Viola is doing an interesting new series called "Shocking Beliefs of ..." His purpose is to show that the great Christians of the past all had blind spots, and we shouldn't throw out their entire contribution just because some of their views were flawed. We all have flawed views in some areas and we are all growing in our knowledge and understanding. His first post in the series was on the shocking beliefs of C.S. Lewis. Recently, he wrote another post on the … [Read more...]

Jesus loves a free atmosphere where He can flow through His people with no hindrances. Amazing revelations happen in an open, Spirit-led gathering. This happened to us recently on a Sunday morning when we were eating together and remembering the Lord. Our sweet time together shifted gears suddenly. We each had sipped some wine from the pewter goblet. Dale picked it up, poured some wine out onto the table, and said with conviction, "His crucifixion was not neat, it was very messy." We were all … [Read more...]

America is one big celebrity culture. Big names. Big followings. Big money. One expects celebrity worship and big money in the culture of the world, but we can also see it in what calls itself church. Truth is, there has been a religious system in place since 250AD that has elevated church leaders in an extremely unhealthy way. In the early church there was no “clergy” and “laity” as these words have been used traditionally for centuries. In fact, the Greek word kleros (“inheritance”) – from … [Read more...]

  I am amazed by all the resources available to the twenty-first century reader. Some I find “accidentally” in the course of internet searches, while others are sent to me. Below I’ve written a synopsis of some I’d recommend. If any strike a chord, pursue them!   THE POWER OF WEAKNESS, Keith Giles, 2012, 96 pages. I’ve read this book twice. It is a needed salve in the strength-driven, celebrity-based religious culture that surrounds us. Keith emphasizes that the Gospel is … [Read more...]

I've known Frank Viola, my friend and brother in Christ, for many years. Our close friendship has continued to grow in the love and depths of Jesus Christ as we work together. It is an understatement to say that Father blessed my life with Frank. It seems that the more I know Frank, the more I am focused upon Christ and His body. Father has used Frank to unveil the glorious riches and heavenly treasures of Christ in each person within His body. Christ in Frank remains to be a powerful example to … [Read more...]

One of the most fundamental misunderstandings, in what calls itself church, is the notion that somebody in the church – usually the pastor – has to be “in charge.” Jesus taught just the opposite. He made it clear that He was in charge, and each person in His body on earth has a unique Spirit-driven contribution to make for the building up of the ekklesia. Closely linked to the mistaken idea that there has to be one leader, where the buck stops, is the tradition that males are to have center … [Read more...]

I remember well in 1964 when Barry Goldwater was running against somebody. Scott Chesley and Anita Anderson (Howard) had come to my door in Canoga Park, California, and presented the “Romans Road” to me. That was the first time I’d really heard anything from the Bible, and I was 19 then. After a week’s worth of meetings with Major Ed Bundy of the Church League of America, I ended up being increasingly involved in Faith Baptist Church, a fundamentalist Baptist church in Canoga Park, pastored … [Read more...]