Hello Everyone
First I'd like to thank Rick for giving me this wonderful chance to share my thoughts and hopefully provoke thought in a positive direction toward our relationship with God. I am NOT an Oracle of God and do not claim to be the soul arbiter and provenance of the Word of God. (even though I've told Rick I'm, but we'll keep that between our group and not tell him )
You will never hear me say "I Have the Truth and you'd better listen to me". I will only tell you what I feel God has revealed to me. I am responsible for me and not you, so I am not under any pressure to convert people to my way of thinking. If what I present helps you produce a closer relationship with God, whether because of agreement or disagreement, that is all that counts.

My Name is Russell and I have a desire to help those wounded by the religious church.
The religious church has produced a "Spiritual Slaughter House", and through my years I have seen Christians ravaged and torn to shreds, leaving their life in tatters by the holier than thou's. I have seen people so destroyed that they refuse to step foot in a church again because of the emotional hurt. I have seen their marriages, homes, jobs and children strewn about in carnage as if hit by a bomb.
The only way to over come this savagery is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but many of us don't know what the Gospel is because the church has hidden it in plain view through deception. They have twisted the words to mean something else, something that Jesus never taught or even focused on. I find that when I preach the Gospel the same way as Jesus, people in the church resist the message as did the Pharisees.
As long as we preach the same thing as the religious church no one will know the difference between the true and false church and what the Gospel truly offers.

__________________
Russell
Acts 28:31 KJV) "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ," with all confidence, ....

Healing those hurt by the church

I think that is great what you are doing...

I am thankful for this post it has my attention..for 2 reason..!!! #1 to search myself..am I hurting anyone with religion #2 I have been hurt by religion
you stated, sharing the gospel..the way Jesus taught us..I am a witness..to that!!!!
the true gospel..not the greed gospel..or the feel good gospel..etc

Yes you are correct in asking yourself that question. "Am I unintentionally practicing anything that hurts peoples relationship with God". These things we practice are placed in our heads over the years as we attend church. We imitate those who were our mentors. Now that I look back they were some of the most disgusting people in my life and I had assumed some of their traits.

I was raised a Baptist and went to a fundamentalist college. I was exposed to systematic theologies. I was later Baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to walk in the power of the Spirit. However there were a lot of unanswered questions, dead ends, disharmony and things that just did not fit the character of God placed in my head by these systematic theologies. One day I decided to start from scratch and re-read the scripture from God's point of view. I was going to read the scripture as it was without any interference from commentaries, books, and teachings. I approached the scripture as though I was right there and having a conversation with Jesus and others. I was not going to be a witness to some scholar and what he thought. I wanted to be a first hand witness of God through the Holy Spirit teaching me. What I read astounded me. I was not reading and understanding what I was taught to believe, but something totally different. I read the scripture as you and I would have a conversation not knowing what would be said next. I let the scripture interpret its self and it was amazing what was being said. In other words I did not approach the scripture with a preconceived idea of what some scholar thought. I was not letting my mind control the scripture but letting the Holy Spirit control my mind and what was being said. I was set free from the corruption and false teachings of the systematic theologies and for the first time seeing the scripture and God's message.

__________________
Russell
Acts 28:31 KJV) "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ," with all confidence, ....

Healing those hurt by the church

Hi! Praise God for leading me to this forum! I have been to about seven or eight "Christian" forum websites and, boy, was I attacked for my "radical views on the gospel"! Some of the points raised where I was attacked on are: salvation is by grace through faith, not works and my rather "sexist" belief that women are not to be pastors. I was labeled a "Christian bashing Christian"... Well, that's how offensive the Gospel is, I guess.
Anyway, I just wanted to express my joy in finding this forum. I think I will be staying here longer this time.
Oh, and I have not introduced myself yet, Hazel from the Philippines, a bond-slave of the Lord, disciple, wife and blogger (balutpress.com/zhey). Yeah, you can go over to my blog and be offended by the Gospel that husband and I preach over there, too...

Welcome aboard Hazel and we hope you will be staying a long time also. I'm looking forward to reading your contributions!

Blessings,

Denise

__________________

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles" Isaiah 40:31

So what is your "Radical" view of the Gospel and is it helpful or hurtful to those who hear it???? Hmmm!

__________________
Russell
Acts 28:31 KJV) "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ," with all confidence, ....

Healing those hurt by the church