??? 2/23-25/2019
2/21/2019 - MEXIT: Methodists, Anglicans and the Limits of Disagreement
"...One wonders whether when the dust settles from the current church battles, there might be a genuine ecumenical koinonia, if not formal union, of Methodists (orthodox) and Anglicans (not Episcopalians) -- and, for that matter, Presbyterians (all of the other flavors but not PCUSA) and Lutherans (all of the other flavors but not the ELCA), as a part of the one holy, catholic and apostolic church. By that time (who knows?) perhaps Roman Catholicism will have gone through the refiner's fire and be looking quite different. Maybe, just maybe, as C.S. Lewis imagined, Aslan is on the move."
Once upon a time the Episcopal Church was one of the most conservative churches in America. I grew up in that church and when I was a kid I loved it, was altar boy, the whole nine yards. Now I wont claim them at all. The last 35 plus years the church has moved so far left I cant recognize it. The last three or four presiding Bishops have destroyed this fine church.
Very similar story for me. I left ECUSA in NOV 2003 when the Presiding Bishop consecrated the newly-elected bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire, an open-homosexual who had left his wife (with 2 grown daughters) and married his homosexual partner.
I am at the point I just pray at home.
If there is an Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod parish close-by, you might consider visiting it. I did and felt very comfortable with its liturgical order of service and its retention of orthodox Christianity.
I also supplement my church attendance with 2 evangelical TV shows (presented below) which also post videos of their sermons/ messages online. Both shows are broadcast on DayStar and Trinity Broadcast Network.
The Hal Lindsey Report
Hal Lindsey is strong on end times prophecies, but he does present a core message of salvation. And his review of current events is usually very interesting.
Michael Youssef - Church of the Apostles, Atlanta, GA
Born and raised a Christian in Egypt. He immigrated to Australia (I think he was ordained as an Anglican there - He has since left that denomination.) and later the U.S. where he furthered his formal Christian education and settled in Atlanta, GA. He ties his sermons directly to scripture. He reads (and probably speaks) Arabic and is very informed on the danger of Islam. His worldwide broadcast ministry especially focuses on Christians in the Middle East.
Oddly I know people who were told to "find another church" when they disagreed with the LGBT policy
Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.
Leviticus niv
18:22 Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
20:13 If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
Isaiah 3:9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.
2 Peter 2:13b Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
7. and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9. if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
But there IS hope!!!
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
If you could NOT change, you would be in most pitiful shape...