DISCUSSIONS PAGE

Dear friends,
The purpose of this question has been greatly defeated because there have been numerous diversion from the core purpose of the question. It is a simple one and nothing as complicated as we have made it to sound; it should end up in being a war but rather a reflection on understanding this mission stand for; which is the life of God which abides in us as believers, pentecostal (the Holy Spirit in us) and the great commision of all christians to preaching the good news.
This should have been our main focus and not the wedging of war that I see above.
Guys please lets keep it simple and real. Many users who haven't encountered the Lord might be visiting and seeing such great disaccord might influence their judgement.

I mean the best for us all so please once again, let's keep it simple.

God bless
Shalom

Ndamele,yes you were a Muslim,but understand that what you were before you were saved doesn't matter but the fact that all are saved.Muslim or non Muslim,all will go were unbelievers go if they do not accept Jesus,i don't understand your reason of mentioning that.you said "I was born and a Muslim...This last statement is enough to tell you whom you might be talking to.",this statement tells me that you seem to still boast in what you were before conversion than what you are now.You pick my words like most charismatic brethren who pick scriptures out of context.I said and i quote,"That my church is doing something doesn't mean it is the truth.Matt 15:6b says we have taken the tradition of men above the word of God,even though i am found in a church like that,i refuse to be molded by it except by the word of God.",if i am in a church that is employing the doctrines of men above the word of God,i will not be molded by that tradition as followed by the church but the word of God.My brother,show me where in the bible you see that word apostolic covering,that is one of those leaves men have employed like Adam to cover up their nakedness.The word of God is my Covering,the living word of God,Jesus Christ the Righteous,in a community of believers,my fellow brethren who are walking with the Lord are the Lord's hand of covering to me ,men and brethren who are walking with the Lord,no matter their place of work in the body,they are my covering if at all that word makes any scriptural sense and not a man who considers himself lord and master above his brethren against the teachings of the Lord Jesus.Apostolic covering,may the Lord help us out of this rut.Where is the Church of Jesus Christ with their Elderssss,Deacons and body of saints edifying each other,and here you tell my about apostolic covering,one of those deceptive doctrines.The church is made of Elders,Deacons and the entire body of saints and the Apostles,prophets,evangelists and Pastor-Teachers are found in their midst.I do not know what you mean by tolerant in this day and age,is it to tolerate the doctrines of men above the true doctrines?The scriptures says Jesus washes his church by the word not by our opinions.You said "I thank God for the guys to first preached the gospel to me, if they had done it the way you and I are going about now,i would have resisted it outright.",really,that is exactly the same way John and Jesus preached to pharisees,"you brood of vipers",the same way Stephen preached to the religious world and they killed him instead of repenting,the same way peter preached to the people and they begged him to tell them what to do.I was just speaking with my lovely sister who brought me here,that i am misunderstood for pride in this forum because of the way i speak and you just voiced it out,the same way David's brothers misunderstood his outspokenness to kill Goliath for pride,the same picture is all over the scripture.The same way the history of the church have always killed men who rose with the undefiled word of God as heretics.Ndamele my brother,whatever you see me write here has no desire of pride or arrogance but if it comes accross to you as pride and arrogance,i think you should examine yourself in the word.Let me tell you what pride is;Pride is arrogantly living and declaring things that are totally against the nature and characteristics of Christ while Humility is accepting,adhering,declaring and living strictly to the teachings that declare the nature and characteristics of Christ.My brother we can learn so much from each other constructively than this,i am in church today because i am saved and having grown in the knowledge of my Lord ,i have come to see that the immaturity amongst believers today is because our churches today do not have the true foundations as the Lord intends but built on men's precepts and vain imaginations,and guess what ,i am not ashamed to declare it when given the opportunity.Can i ask you a question which i will love you to answer,can you please show me the biblical proof that a pastor should be the head of the local church or lead a local church?The word pastor was used only ones in the new testament.My brother the scriptures declares that the church is the pillar and foundation of TRUTH.so if we have our understanding of church wrongly,our theology or truth will be wrong too.I have a little understanding of the church,and it pains me to see the havoc that lack of it have done to the church.Jesus sat and learnt from the pharisees,asking them questions at a younger age,i think thats what i am doing now along with many of like brethren scattered all over the world.My brother,please open the bible and check out things for yourself.Why did James say that if you are sick,go to the elders and they will specifically anoint you with oil and the prayer of faith will heal you.And again why didn't he say elders.Our misunderstanding of what the church is ,have caused us to turn the anointing oil into a magical resource for healing.My dear,i saw in the word,the picture of the body of Christ and it ruined my life forever for Jesus,thats why i speak the way i do,to awaken my own brethren to open the living word.My brother,anything you see me write here is out of love and compassion that my fellow youths will awaken to the reality of the word of God and go back there,if you see me misinterpret and misuse the scriptures which i am so much afraid to do,please let me know,i will appreciate and take your correction,but guess what,i think we have so much to learn from each other,smile my brother,Jesus is Lord.I love you dearly.Forgive me for offending you in anyway mistakenly..Smile my dear,Jesus Loves us...

Messengermicah, if you read my response really well you will realize that i have emphasized the need to be tolerant in this day and age. Be careful, i'm NOT asking as to to pervert or dilute the Gospel but preach it to all men. I hold the Holy scriptures as the infallible word of God and I beleive you do too, but I just do it differently. I thank God for the guys to first preached the gospel to me, if they had done it the way you and I are going about now,i would have resisted it outright. Let me give a little background about me. I was born and a muslim...This last statement is enough to tell you whom you might be talking to. I also now know that I became a christian by faith through the work of the Holy Spirit, who produces His fruit in us. This is very profound, isn't it? But having come to the knowledge of the truth, I have studied the scriptures and have had very great appreciation for the first century christians in several areas. The one worth noting is God giving them SPIRITUAL GIFTS for the purpose of expansion of His kingdom. I still beleive God to be the same yestaday today and forever. Listen one more time. I am not easily swayed by the philosophies of men. I have traveled quite a bit and anywhere i went, before I subscribed membership to any local church i first read their FAITH, VISION and MISSION statements to make sure they are in line with scriptures. I'm not trying to persuade you to agree with my basic principles in life but I want to assure you that in my present local church, nothing matters but the GREAT COMMISSION and this is very important!! James says, faith without works is Dead, and this is not at odds with Rom 3:28 however. And it is through visions that a body of believers can carry our their humanitarian mandate, which James calls works. Paul says, he plants and Appollos waters but God causes the growth. Messengermicah, sorry if I misunderstood your last remarks but I was troubled a bit when I read your response that you " belong to local church but are not moulded by it". I'm concern that the spirit of pride might getting hold of you. And we can all help you in prayer. Submitting to authority (apostolic covering) is very important. If you wish to have this communication on a personal level I am available to help. You are my brother in the LORD. Or if you wish to have the difference between the words MISSION and VISION i will be glad to help to.
Please let us with help answer real issues next time and quit these debates,which i thing will not help our vision and purpose of this forum..Everyone hold you peace!!!
I appreciate your kind comments and may God bless you all..

That is the problem my brethren.The little knowledge i have is that of the scriptures,i'm obligated by conscience to speak the word i know or rather it will be sin,what i say is what the scriptures say,not men's opinion.There is no place in the scriptures that it says that God gives some men personal detailed revelation apart from the one great commission given in the scripture.Letters to the seven churches,each church was to read the several letters to other churches,the Lord addressed vital things that has to do with the church.I belong to a church but my point is,i refuse to accept anything that is not God's revelation even though it is generally accepted.The Lord Jesus gave one mandate only to the the disciples that walked with him.When paul came on scene,he gave him the same mandate,not a different one.Now you will tell me there are people given the mandate of the word of faith,right?Thats a misunderstanding of the word of God. Paul says the word of faith we preach which shows that the gospel is the word of faith,some are given prosperity to preach,that also is not a message from God.There is only one mission,Go preach the gospel to every creature,making disciples of all nations.I do not care who is doing anything else apart from this,paul says if an angel comes and preaches another gospel to you apart from this,let him be accursed.NO,i will not receive that curse.Where are the berean christians that search the living word for truth.That my church is doing something doesnt mean it is the truth.Matt 15:6b says we have taken the tradition of men above the word of God,even though i am found in a church like that,i refuse to be moulded by it except by the word of God.Its a pity that you consider my responses personal my friend,who am i or what am i,my responses so far has been the word of God not my own opinions,any so called local church that is not preaching the gospel and is not discipling people to walk like Jesus are deluded..they are deceived by the traditions of men.Let God be true and all men liars.is there any where in the bible we were given a clue that the local churches should have a human head apart from Christ Jesus?I might sound arrogant and out of place,but one day all you guys will remember my statements as you read your bible or face situations that defile human solutions.My brethren,my point in all these is that there is no other commision apart from what the bible says,any other thing is given to individual christians by the holy spirit showing them how they can be part of this gospel in impacting their society as God deems fit.Any question i see here,i tend to give a bible answer not my opinion,if i miss it,someone should please correct my mistake and sin.
Thank you

Messengermicah, I personally admire your thought process. You seem to have a Godly insight to many of the discussings we are having so far,yet you may be misunderstanding some of our panelists' questions. This may be evident in the very nature of your responses to general questions that seem to have no merit for attack. I urge you read closely and try not to make your responses personal.
The question shalom asked to me is simple. Every Bible-believing body of believers, also called a local church, which is a part of the universal body of Christ, has "the great commission" as it's main mission. However, through his infinite wisdom, God has given certain leaders a detailed VISION, which is orchestrated through the members in their fulfilment of a particular God-given purpose in that community. In infact, it is through your vision that you get individual members fulfill the great commission with the help of Holy Spirit, who leads us to all truth. Remember, every local churh's vision must be in line with great commission. Hopefully, I have answered some of your questions or concerns.
For the purpose of this forum, no one is obligated to answering or responding to any questions they have no knowledge of. Haven said that, I also urge all of us to try and put out more generic/stimulating discusions so that everyone can contribute. I Hope you belong to a local church. I also hope that your local church has a vision, if not, ask you Pastor about this,seriously!!
Shalom,follow ejays directions by logging on to zoe website and read the vision of the founder.
God bless you all..

Ok......................
Zoe -is the eternal life of God that Jesus gives to everyone who receives him.
Pentecost day -was a Jewish festival which was a shadow of the reality which was in Christ.On that day Jesus was glorified in the heavens and the Holy Spirit descended.So the word itself is obsolete for us as Christians,the disciples where not celebrating Pentecost rather locked away waiting on God,the ones that where celebrating Pentecost called them drunk.So the Israelites should use the word Pentecost while we should experience and live its reality which is the Holy Spirit,every little thing matters to God in this our kingdom race.
Mission-Go ,preach the gospel to all creatures,make disciples of all nations.

Jesus said in (John 10:10)...I have come that they may have life, and have it in abundance. The Greek word for life used there was ZOE which is The very life of God. Pentecostal has to do with a personal experience with God through the holy spirit. Our mission is outlined on our website check that out.

http://zoepentecostalmissionintl.org/ourmission.html

And that is my point,there is no different church but one church.There are no different churches that stand for different things in the church,the church stands for one thing and one thing alone,to preach the gospel to all creatures and make disciples of all nation,do we understand what this means?Jesus says that if we cant deny ourselves,carry our cross daily and follow him,we cant be his disciples.Are we preaching the gospel and teaching people to deny themselves,carry their cross and follow Jesus daily?What is the gospel?What does it mean to deny ourselves,carry our cross and follow Jesus?We don't even know what this means,this is Christianity and Church,this is what we should be asking to know.Do not demarcate the body of Christ.Paul says that you say i am of paul,i am of Apollos,i am of cephas,i am of Christ,are you not carnal?Paul tell us that all the demarcation we see in the body of Christ based on personalities is the work of the flesh not the work of God's eternal purpose.Thats hard to swallow but its the scriptures,may God help us.The scriptures is for reproof,correction etc...

MessengerMicah, I agree with you but what I was trying to say is different; given that this forum is designed for members of the church (this does not mean that your presence here is not appreciated), it will be good for people to know what the church stands for and to know what our drive is.
I believe we should know the position we occupy in the body of christ as a whole; this is what the question is pointing out, not exhalting this particular church but to raise an awareness in members to research and know what we stand and believe.

God bless.

shalom

I did not say i do not know it,i said i am not a member of this church denomination but a member of the body of Christ which have but one commission.Zoe,pentecostal,Mission is not the Great commission by the way,the great commission is to go and preach the gospel to all creation,the question remains,what is the gospel.My friends,you guys might not like the way i talk but i will keep saying this,youths,you have to awake to the reality of the Gospel and the word of God.God never gave a command apart from the one in the word of God.We don't even understand that scriptural command but many are running with another command.Matt 15:6b,read please,i am not here to discuss the traditions and commands of men,i am not here to discuss what men have said about God but what the Living word through the scriptures is saying about God.My dear youths,honor your fathers in the faith but do not end there,go to the cross and receive the living word daily,if your spiritual father had lied to you,which will you choose God or him,honor men but honor the living word with your life,on that day the Lord will not ask you what men told you but what you did with his living word.I have come to realize that i am afraid of the truth,there is nothing good in me (flesh)and thats why i am afraid of the truth,so that drives me to the cross daily.the question is WHAT DO WE UNDERSTAND BY THE GREAT COMMISSION,GO AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATURES ?