Comments for A Recovering Fundamentalist http://markculton.wordpress.com transplanting the heart of fundamentalism Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:35:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Marital Purity in the Old and New Testament by Dan http://markculton.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/marital-purity-in-the-old-and-new-testament/#comment-73 Dan Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:35:48 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=67#comment-73 First off, thanks for returning to the blog!! I realize that life gets busy, but you have to remember those of us that have down times at work and rely on bloggers like yourself to keep us from completely detaching from society and our sanity! Good thoughts on Ezra. I am starting to really appreciate those places in Scripture when God rocks our theology by doing something we think He wouldn't or shouldn't do. Sometimes I wonder if He doesn't just puts those passages in there to humble us. Ultimately though, I'm glad that you are embracing the whole of Scripture and not hiding away from it. I think many of us encountered the "problem passages" in college or whatever and pondered them just long enough to commit to never going back there again. But like you said, we need to be reading all of His word so that we can get closer to Him. The older I get the more I'm understanding that I will forever be realizing who God is. First off, thanks for returning to the blog!! I realize that life gets busy, but you have to remember those of us that have down times at work and rely on bloggers like yourself to keep us from completely detaching from society and our sanity!

Good thoughts on Ezra. I am starting to really appreciate those places in Scripture when God rocks our theology by doing something we think He wouldn’t or shouldn’t do. Sometimes I wonder if He doesn’t just puts those passages in there to humble us.

Ultimately though, I’m glad that you are embracing the whole of Scripture and not hiding away from it. I think many of us encountered the “problem passages” in college or whatever and pondered them just long enough to commit to never going back there again. But like you said, we need to be reading all of His word so that we can get closer to Him. The older I get the more I’m understanding that I will forever be realizing who God is.

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by wiredtoinspire http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-71 wiredtoinspire Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:21:09 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-71 Looks like your wandering is over . . . :-D Welcome to Ebenezer. Looks like your wandering is over . . . :-D Welcome to Ebenezer.

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by Rebecca http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-70 Rebecca Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:48:24 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-70 My husband and I too have been without work since August. Living by faith......isn't it a wonderful life? Well, it has been for us. I praise the Lord that we have his word and his promises that we can trust in. He promises he will take care of his children. My husband and I too have been without work since August.
Living by faith……isn’t it a wonderful life?
Well, it has been for us.
I praise the Lord that we have his word and his promises that we can trust in.
He promises he will take care of his children.

]]> Comment on Fundamentalism As I Have Experienced It by Rebecca http://markculton.wordpress.com/fundamentalism-as-i-have-experienced-it/#comment-69 Rebecca Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:37:53 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?page_id=51#comment-69 I to was brought up in a Fundamental home, By the age 12 years old, I was sure I had no desire to be a part of the religion I was being brought up in. I Thank God that later on in life, I began to really search out what truth was. At the age of 25 I did come to the realization of my need for a Saviour. We had started going to a church that was a very separated church. But I saw a geniune love in the hearts of these people that I did not see while growing up. Both churches were what you would call Fundamentalists. But there was a definite diference, In the latter church we were taught the word of God and we were taught to add those convictions into our lives because we loved the Lord, not just because the Pastor says so. The one thing that is lost in churches today is the Love of Christ. We must love others unconditionally, without reservation. This is just my thought.......but I believe that the movement of easy believism that has gone through our country has caused a huge amount of unconverted people sitting in our fundamental churches. No Spirit of God, I say this from experience. My husband and I both were lost church members before coming to know the Lord personally 17 years ago. My husband recently pastored a church for two years and he spent much time preaching on the inward man and did not concentrate on the outside as most fundamental churches do, within the first year of him pastoring that church we had 29 church members get saved. I mean they got SAVED!!!!!!!!! They were new creatures, their hearts were changed, the critical spirit seemed to disappear. I believe some spend so much time cleaning up from the outside in, which in reality the true cleansing that God does is from the inside out. I believe with all my heart, that if the heart of a person is right with God, all of the other things will take care of themselves if we as leaders will take the time to allow them to grow. Teach them to live clean lives because they love their blessed Saviour, not because they love you as their leader. I to was brought up in a Fundamental home, By the age 12 years old, I was sure I had no desire to be a part of the religion I was being brought up in.
I Thank God that later on in life, I began to really search out what truth was. At the age of 25 I did come to the realization of my need for a Saviour. We had started going to a church that was a very separated church. But I saw a geniune love in the hearts of these people that I did not see while growing up.
Both churches were what you would call Fundamentalists. But there was a definite diference, In the latter church we were taught the word of God and we were taught to add those convictions into our lives because we loved the Lord, not just because the Pastor says so.
The one thing that is lost in churches today is the Love of Christ.
We must love others unconditionally, without reservation.

This is just my thought…….but I believe that the movement of easy believism that has gone through our country has caused a huge amount of unconverted people sitting in our fundamental churches. No Spirit of God, I say this from experience. My husband and I both were lost church members before coming to know the Lord personally 17 years ago.

My husband recently pastored a church for two years and he spent much time preaching on the inward man and did not concentrate on the outside as most fundamental churches do, within the first year of him pastoring that church we had 29 church members get saved.
I mean they got SAVED!!!!!!!!! They were new creatures, their hearts were changed, the critical spirit seemed to disappear.
I believe some spend so much time cleaning up from the outside in, which in reality the true cleansing that God does is from the inside out.
I believe with all my heart, that if the heart of a person is right with God, all of the other things will take care of themselves if we as leaders will take the time to allow them to grow.
Teach them to live clean lives because they love their blessed Saviour, not because they love you as their leader.

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by Caribbean Shulamite http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-68 Caribbean Shulamite Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:19:14 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-68 Hi I just discovered your blog via a link on Living Journey's blog re the Emergent Church...will be reading you, very interesting blog. Blessings to you and your family in Jesus! Hi I just discovered your blog via a link on Living Journey’s blog re the Emergent Church…will be reading you, very interesting blog.
Blessings to you and your family in Jesus!

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by Susannah Cook http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-67 Susannah Cook Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:10:58 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-67 I'm encouraged to hear you like Rock Band. :] But, seriously, I think it's neat how much you've been learning from the experience. I really like the five points of youth ministry that you outlined, and I think they fit well with our philosophy. It was great to meet you and your family this past weekend at the coffeehouse. I'm glad you got to see the broad spectrum of our students' personalities so you can consider all of that as you are reflecting on where God is sending you. I’m encouraged to hear you like Rock Band. :] But, seriously, I think it’s neat how much you’ve been learning from the experience. I really like the five points of youth ministry that you outlined, and I think they fit well with our philosophy.

It was great to meet you and your family this past weekend at the coffeehouse. I’m glad you got to see the broad spectrum of our students’ personalities so you can consider all of that as you are reflecting on where God is sending you.

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by Dan Harney http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-66 Dan Harney Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:06:30 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-66 It's encouraging on a humanistic level that you're finding the "silver lining" of being unemployed. But it's inspiring to be reminded, once again, that God makes no mistakes and is in complete control of our lives! The crap is scared out of me everytime I think of the possible ways God is going to teach me to just trust Him, but it's comforting to know that He's got us in His hand! Thanks for sharing!! It’s encouraging on a humanistic level that you’re finding the “silver lining” of being unemployed. But it’s inspiring to be reminded, once again, that God makes no mistakes and is in complete control of our lives! The crap is scared out of me everytime I think of the possible ways God is going to teach me to just trust Him, but it’s comforting to know that He’s got us in His hand!

Thanks for sharing!!

]]> Comment on The Beautiful Wilderness of Pastoral Unemployment by John Zdon http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/the-beautiful-wilderness-of-pastoral-unemployment/#comment-65 John Zdon Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:46:17 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-65 Mark I am sure you are enjoying your time but are also concerned for finances, etc. but just to let you know I have been praying for you and that God will lead you to a vibrant ministry. The other day I heard a youth leader say that his passion was to develope Godly children and not good children. That personal family commitment has worked its way into his philosophy of teen ministry. If that is the goal then truly it may take on an appearance that our preconceived fundamentalist views finds unacceptable, but what God is teaching me is that I cannot put God nor his Holy Spirit in a box nor in a certain denomination. The kingdom is much larger than I use to envision it as. Once I removed the blinders and asked God to truly reveal himself to me. God had done that by revealing himself in so many different believers. Basically don't be afraid of where God may lead you and who he may lead you to partner with. Your in my prayers. John Mark I am sure you are enjoying your time but are also concerned for finances, etc. but just to let you know I have been praying for you and that God will lead you to a vibrant ministry. The other day I heard a youth leader say that his passion was to develope Godly children and not good children. That personal family commitment has worked its way into his philosophy of teen ministry. If that is the goal then truly it may take on an appearance that our preconceived fundamentalist views finds unacceptable, but what God is teaching me is that I cannot put God nor his Holy Spirit in a box nor in a certain denomination. The kingdom is much larger than I use to envision it as. Once I removed the blinders and asked God to truly reveal himself to me. God had done that by revealing himself in so many different believers. Basically don’t be afraid of where God may lead you and who he may lead you to partner with. Your in my prayers. John

]]> Comment on I Think We Dropped the Ball (the ball that is our planet…) by secondbornPK http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/i-think-we-dropped-the-ball-the-ball-that-is-our-planet/#comment-62 secondbornPK Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:53:52 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-62 I never caught the "theological" part of Bush's statement till just this time around. Seems he took a bit of the middle of the road on it, to me... I'd have to agree in the most simplest form of argument that the Creator will destroy in His time and good pleasure though I doubt it will be so pleasurable for Him. It would be like one of us working for ten years on the restoration or creation of a relic to be treasured by generations to come and then placing it in the hands of one who could give a rats butt for any of it, drinking coffee, eating donuts (and not the good pastry kind either), smoking cigarettes and throwing their fast food trash and burning butts out the window of their speeding car causing a forest fire that burns down thousands of acres of "prehistoric" forests while they are on vacation in someone else's part of the world just to return home to their own 3000 sq.ft. air conditioned palace fenced off to the world around them except for the trashman that collects their bi-weekly array of refuse that never seems to hit any portion of a recycling dispenser because that's just a waste of time because "they probably just throw it all in the same dump anyway so I'm saving them the agravation." (breathe, breathe) Yeah, it may be "culurally relevent" to be good stewards with what God has given us but it's probably what He said we should do anyway... hmmm... where in God's green earth was I going with that??? Oh, well...never mind. I never caught the “theological” part of Bush’s statement till just this time around. Seems he took a bit of the middle of the road on it, to me… I’d have to agree in the most simplest form of argument that the Creator will destroy in His time and good pleasure though I doubt it will be so pleasurable for Him. It would be like one of us working for ten years on the restoration or creation of a relic to be treasured by generations to come and then placing it in the hands of one who could give a rats butt for any of it, drinking coffee, eating donuts (and not the good pastry kind either), smoking cigarettes and throwing their fast food trash and burning butts out the window of their speeding car causing a forest fire that burns down thousands of acres of “prehistoric” forests while they are on vacation in someone else’s part of the world just to return home to their own 3000 sq.ft. air conditioned palace fenced off to the world around them except for the trashman that collects their bi-weekly array of refuse that never seems to hit any portion of a recycling dispenser because that’s just a waste of time because “they probably just throw it all in the same dump anyway so I’m saving them the agravation.” (breathe, breathe) Yeah, it may be “culurally relevent” to be good stewards with what God has given us but it’s probably what He said we should do anyway… hmmm… where in God’s green earth was I going with that??? Oh, well…never mind.

]]> Comment on I Think We Dropped the Ball (the ball that is our planet…) by John Zdon http://markculton.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/i-think-we-dropped-the-ball-the-ball-that-is-our-planet/#comment-61 John Zdon Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:54:55 +0000 http://markculton.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-61 Mark, I do think we have responsibility and it is a key issue of many in the world. No matter what side of the fence you are on, we are required to be good stewards of what God has given us. Actually I have a T-shirt that reads "Jesus Recycles" inside the recycling symbol. I often use my desire to recycle and to be more green as a tool to explain that it is my Christian duty. It amazes people to think that I have a concern because I believe it to be pleasing to God. Plus the environment is a high priority to the postmodern thinker and who else are we suppose to reach. I think it is part of being culturally relevant. John Mark, I do think we have responsibility and it is a key issue of many in the world. No matter what side of the fence you are on, we are required to be good stewards of what God has given us. Actually I have a T-shirt that reads “Jesus Recycles” inside the recycling symbol. I often use my desire to recycle and to be more green as a tool to explain that it is my Christian duty. It amazes people to think that I have a concern because I believe it to be pleasing to God. Plus the environment is a high priority to the postmodern thinker and who else are we suppose to reach. I think it is part of being culturally relevant.
John

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