Myth: Pentecostals/Charismatics are a fringe group within Christianity

• The Question: What is normal Christian life and practice?

• The Problem: The global explosion of Christianity over the last 110 years has grown with Pentecostal revival, not cessationist doctrine/practice.

• The Informing Text: Acts 2:38; Acts 1:8

• The Big Idea: The cessationist view of a huge Laodecean deception (dispensationalist church age doctrine) doesn’t really hold true to Scripture or recent church hisory.

Myth: Churchless Christianity is healthy/normal

• The Question: I don’t have to go to church to be saved, right? And church is all messed up, so why go?

• The Problem: Everyone else is doing it. Not only are people leaving churches, but lots of books are being written from Christian authors about how it’s the thing to do.

• The Informing Text: Galatians 3:14 (among others)

• The Big Idea: No matter what the latest books may prescribe, it is absolutely necessary that Christians verbally tell people the Gospel and call people to faith and repentance in Jesus Christ. We can’t do that effectively (at all really) with no visible witness (Church). And the same goes for discipleship, only more so.

First Circle minicast

Oops. I forgot that our group will not be meeting on Easter Sunday. The post below is for April 11. It’s been two weeks since we’ve been able to meet. I’m looking forward to getting back together with everyone. Our myth that we are discussing this time around is perhaps the one that fosters the most misunderstanding about being a Christian. The fact that we believe that a relationship with Jesus is the only way to eternal life (at least that’s the Biblical view – some church folk actually believe the myth that there are “many paths to the same truth”) sometimes labels us as intolerant. In some circles this is referred to as the scandal of Christianity – the fact that it is exclusive. When we get into our discussion, we’ll certainly examine this claim. And contrary to popular belief, Christianity isn’t the only belief system that claims exclusivity. We’ll bust that little myth open too. Sounds like we’ve got a lot to discuss, doesn’t it? Show up on April 11 with your Bible, your opinions, your comments, and the homemade cookies are a nice touch too. Props to those of you who passed the fragrant plate around last time!

Myth: We’re All God’s Children

• The Question: Are there many paths to one truth, or is Christianity as exclusive as it claims to be?

• The Problem: There are so many other beliefs, most of which claim exclusivity, even in our “age of tolerance”.

• The Informing Text: Acts 4, Romans 11

• The Big Idea: Although we believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life, this is no cause for personal pride because we ourselves have been grafted in by His Grace.