Dear Friends,
I’m writing this note with great thankfulness. There are a number of things I want to report and for which I want to give the Lord praise.
First, thank you all so much for supporting the new book, “Finding Organic Church.” The book hit #12 on Amazon.com (that’s #12 out of 7 million books!) and it was the #2 book in the Christianity section the day it launched. Interest in the book is still very strong, and people and groups are emailing us with great reports on how they are being benefited by it.
A very sincere “thanks” to all of you who made the effort to help the book on September 1st.

Errr, ah, it makes sense but I wouldn’t say it makes any more sense as I wasn’t confused at all in the first place. But thanks for trying to clarify for me in case I was.

Btw, “Hi Carole!!!!!”

GD, that is such a wonderful place to be. I think God is moving me more in that direction at the moment. Thanks for sharing and being an encouragement.

You’re applying faulty logic. I could sell any book I wanted on this site with an amazon account. I could also buy in bulk, directly from the publisher, who is in business to sell books.

There is nothing any author could do about it, and they would have no idea I was doing it. The authors would not be “affiliated” with me.

You owe Barna and Viola an apology. I’ve read the book-it does not promote universalism.

Do you think that anyone wants to be deceived or in heresy? Why would anyone puposely believe in a false doctrine? It is no fun being ridiculed, labeled, ostracized, banned, ex-communicated, etc.

Some Catholics think that Protestants are heretics and vice versa. Some Calvinists accuse Arminians of heresy and vice versa. No matter how “orthodox” or Biblically based we think our views are, we will be heretics in someone’s view. We all see dimly. None of us has perfect doctrine. That is why I enjoy healthy, open, and honest dialogue. It is by God’s grace that we are able to see and understand the truth.

If someone is arrogant, prideful, unteachable, contentious, etc, then we may need to shake the dust from our feet. But if someone is simply convinced of a certain doctrine from their understanding of God’s word, then should we not be patient and gently instruct those who see differently? Or maybe even be instructed by them? Are they always the ones with the logs in their eyes, or could it be the “orthodox” Christians with the beams?

So who are the REAL heretics? The Catholics? The Baptists? The Pentecostals? The Calvinists? The Arminians? All of the above? May God have mercy on us all.

In what way are Barna and Viola “affiliated” with tentmakers? Does tentmakers sell or recommend their books, or have you seen an endorsement from Barna/Viola of tentmakers? Is CCEF “affilated” with this blog because I link to them? No.

Barna/Viola are not universalists.

Please explain the nature of their affiliation. If you’ve slandered Barna/Viola, please do the right thing and recant.

To the best of my knowledge, Frank Viola has no association whatsoever to Tentmaker. Tentmaker simply endorses the book, “Pagan Christianity”.

Presbyterian,

Calvinism puts limits on God, limits salvation, and limits the cross. God is LOVE and LOVE does not take into account a wrong suffered. God is not willing that ANY should perish, not just the elect. God so loved the WORLD, not just the elect. God loves the non-elect just as much as the elect. Salvation is not limited to the elect. God has a specific plan and purpose for the elect, but his salvation is not limited to the elect. It took me many, many years to see this.

Jesus came to set the CAPTIVES free… not just the elect. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus came as the Last Adam to free us free from the sin of the first Adam. On the cross, did Jesus say, “Father, forgive the elect for they know not what they do”?

Pres, did Jesus defeat sin on the cross – yes or no? Are only the elect in sin? Are only the elect born in Adam?

Romans 5:18 “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”

The free gift came to all men, not just the elect.

I never said that salvation was a choice. It is not. But I am neither Arminian, nor Calvinistic in my views. They are both wrong.

God chose Paul to be the apostle to the gentiles. It was an election to a calling, and a specific purpose and plan. God will not eliminate people from His Kingdom because they were not elected or chosen. Salvation is not about free will, and it is not about election. Salvation is about the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ, His resurrection, and His defeat of sin, death, evil, and Satan.

I trust no man to tell me what God’s word REALLY means. I have spent many years now studying God’s word for myself, including 1000’s of hours studying indepth Greek grammar, hermeneutics, linguistics, exegesis, etymolgy, church history, etc. There are very learned theologians in all denominations, and they all disagree on many doctinal positions. I am accountable to God, not to any theologian.

Paul, should the Catholics trust the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests? These men all had many years of seminary training. Baptist seminaries teach Baptist theology. Presbyterian seminaries teach Presbyterian theology. Lutheran seminaries … I think you get the picture.

I was severely brainwashed by Calvinism and thier doctrine of election for over 25 years. I was completely convinced that only the elect had any chance of salvation. Many even taught double predestination – i.e. A W Pink. Made sense to me! I did trust these men to tell me the truth. That is how people end up in cults. The blind following the blind.

I want to know God and His word for myself. I will no longer trust or rely on any man’s interpretaion. I will listen to what they have to say (sometimes) and then research it for myself. Paul warned about following men – “I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas, I am of Paul”. We will not stand before men on Judgement Day. I will not be able to blame anyone else for my wrong theology and false teachings. I am accountable to God alone for what I believe and teach.

So I will no longer follow any blind guides, no matter how BIG their name stands out amongst Christians. I trust none of them.