Faith?

There are a lot of strange doctrines out there bouncing throughout the Church because the teachers are cherry picking Scriptures out of context.  Some Prosperity teachers say that it is God's will for all believers to be rich, and they use Paul'sown words to support their position.  After all, didn't Paul say in 2 Cor. 9:8 (NIV)  "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."   Therefore, they teach that it is God's will is for us to be well off.  Yes, it does appear from that one verse that we're suppose to have plenty of stuff to take care of ourselves and others. On the other hand, Paul also said in Romans 8:35 (NIV)  "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"   In this passage, Paul taught that we as Christians might sometimes go h...

New prospects will most probably attend a weekend worship service.  Since that is true, it is wise to speak to them in words & terms they understand.  I'm certainly  not  suggesting that God's Word be diluted,  but what I am saying is to communicate God's truth in words and phrases that  anyone  can understand. Jesus adapted His message to His hearers, too.  Jesus told interesting stories about farming, birds, sheep, and children. He explained Biblical truth in an amazingly fun way.  However, when Jesus was in a smaller group, He cultivated an environment of give and take.  If you read John 13-17 for example, Jesus is responding to questions from Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas.  He's even reading facial expressions and observing group dynamics throughout.  If you're a small group teacher like Jesus, you should create an environment of give and take, too. If you are a small group lea...