I did a little research. NAR is not a church, it is an identification that said something along the lines of "companies that deal with information and technology will be refereed to as "IT Companies."
Only in this case the person that coined NAR said "The roots of the NAR go back to the beginning of the African Independent Church Movement in 1900, the Chinese House Church Movement beginning in 1976, the U.S. Independent Charismatic Movement beginning in the 1970s and the Latin American Grassroots Church Movement beginning around the same time. I was neither the founder nor a member of any of these movements, I was simply a professor who observed that they were the fastest growing churches in their respective regions and that they had a number of common characteristics."
Hmmmm....
I have a lot of issues with the Bible. I really do. I don't like the fact that Moses - a known murderer - was chosen to lead the people of Israel and is very close to God. I don't like Jacob at all. I don't like the fact that Jesus doesn't condemn slavery. But you know what I don't have a problem with, the book of Acts.
Who knows what was going on when the Holy Spirit launched on the scene. All we know is that things were so abnormal that it was attractive, compelling, convicting, and real.
So, when a group gets associated with the closest thing we have seen since the book of Acts, I don't understand why we should get up and throw rocks at it. Sure - test it, see if it is speaking truth. But seriously, to say they are leading people away from Christ seems like they are taking the battle to the choir. To quote one person in the thread
"Western Christians, you are good at cannibalizing yourself. Why don’t you instead go and preach the gospel in the Middle East. Pick your fights that matter."
My personal belief is that the music of this particular band has done more to bring people to Christ than most Christians.
Philippians 1:15-18 (NIV)Or we could see how things intended for evil turn out well from Joseph when he greeted the brothers who were jealous of his connection with God. They not only dishonored him, they sold him into slavery.
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Genesis 50:20 (NKJV)So, in protest to fighting among Christians, I opted not to post on the thread. And I posted this apparently horrible song here for your listening pleasure. Heaven forbid, it cause you to renounce Christ.
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people
O Praise The Name (Anástasis)
I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me.
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet.
My Savior on that cursed tree
His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb.
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Then on the third at break of dawn,
The Son of heaven rose again.
O trampled death where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
He shall return in robes of white,
The blazing Son shall pierce the night.
And I will rise among the saints,
My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Songwriters: Dean Ussher / Marty Sampson / Benjamin Hastings
This was in my devotional this morning; which is after I wrote the blog last night.
ReplyDeleteOut of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes.
Psalm 8:2
After watching ten-year-old Viola using a tree branch as a microphone to mimic a preacher, Michele decided to give Viola the opportunity to “preach” during a village outreach. Viola accepted. Michele, a missionary in South Sudan, wrote, “The crowd was enraptured. . . . A little girl who had been abandoned stood in authority before them as a daughter of the King of kings, powerfully sharing the reality of God’s Kingdom. Half the crowd came forward to receive Jesus” (Michele Perry, Love Has a Face).
The crowd that day hadn’t expected to hear a child preach. This incident brings to mind the phrase “out of the mouths of babes,” which comes from Psalm 8. David wrote, “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes” (v. 2 esv). Jesus later quoted this verse in Matthew 21:16, after the chief priests and scribes criticized the children calling out praise to Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem. The children were a nuisance to these leaders. By quoting this Scripture, Jesus showed that God took seriously the praise of these children. They did what the leaders were unwilling to do: give glory to the longed-for Messiah.
As Viola and the children in the temple showed, God can use even a child to bring Him glory. Out of their willing hearts came a fountain of praise.
By Linda Washington