Is Crucifixion Necessary For Us To Enter the Kingdom?

2018-10-18T00:44:00+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Concentric Circles of Love

Last updated on: October 18, 2018 at 12:44 am By Keith Giles

We talk a lot in the house church movement about “Being the Church” versus “Going to Church” but what does that really mean? What does it look like in practical terms to “be the Church”? I can only speak for myself and share what we’ve experienced in our own house church family regardign this idea. A few years ago, when my wife Wendy and I started a house church out of our home called “The Mission,” part of our rationale... Read more

Discipleship

Ekklesia

Preemptive Love

2018-10-16T00:36:56+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Childlikeness of God

Last updated on: October 16, 2018 at 12:36 am By Keith Giles

“And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken the child in his arms, he said, “Whoever receives a child like this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not only me, but also the Father who sent me.” [Mark 9:33-37] Such a simple, yet profound illustration here by Jesus. I fear it is often overlooked for its simplicity, sadly. So, I’d like to take a moment to... Read more

2018-10-13T19:38:43+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why I Hate Going To Church

Last updated on: October 13, 2018 at 7:38 pm By Keith Giles

It would be very easy to post a very long list of reasons why I hate going to church, but the main reason is that “going to Church” is a sad excuse for “being the Church” and those who follow Christ are called to be the Church, not to attend one.In other words, “going to Church” involves having a meeting about Jesus. Whereas “being the Church” involves meeting with Jesus and allowing Him to do the speaking, the teaching, the leading and the directing. Going... Read more

Ekklesia

Uncategorized

2018-10-12T01:10:40+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

No, Jesus Was Not Separated From The Father On The Cross

Last updated on: October 12, 2018 at 1:10 am By Keith Giles

On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” From this single sentence, many bible teachers and pastors have theorized that it was in this moment that the Father looked away from Jesus – because of all of our sins being laid upon Jesus – and it was in this moment that Jesus experienced separation from the Father for the only time in all of eternity. As dramatic and poetically compelling that might be,... Read more

General Christian Topics

2018-10-11T04:26:13+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Gospel Did Paul Preach? [Hint: It Wasn’t Penal Substitutionary Atonement]

Last updated on: October 11, 2018 at 4:26 am By Keith Giles

What is the Gospel? Well, it depends on who you ask. If you ask some Christians today, especially the Reformed kind, you’ll hear something that sounds like a description of the crucifixion. That’s also called Penal Substitutionary Atonement Theory, or the Satisfaction Atonement Theory. All you need to know is: That’s not the Gospel. At least, not according to the New Testament, or to Jesus. It’s also a very new doctrine that didn’t show up until about a thousand years... Read more

2018-10-05T23:03:48+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How To Respond When They Call You A Heretic

Last updated on: October 5, 2018 at 11:03 pm By Keith Giles

Everyone is someone’s heretic. At least, that’s my opinion these days. Whenever someone calls you a false teacher or a heretic, what they really mean to say is: “Your theology isn’t the same as mine. I can’t be wrong about anything, therefore you must be a heretic.” What these people don’t realize is that, to someone else, they are the heretic. See, Christians disagree on all sorts of things. This is why there are thousands of different denominations around the... Read more

Preemptive Love

2018-10-04T23:44:57+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Statement of Faith

Last updated on: October 4, 2018 at 11:44 pm By Keith Giles

Someone asked me what my statement of faith was today. Honestly, I’ve never really thought about my own personal statement of faith very much. Usually I simply say that I am fascinated by the person of Jesus and I’m committed to following his teachings in my daily life. Our house church family never had any formal statement of faith for the entire 11 years we were together. So, I’m not convinced that one is necessary for a functional organic... Read more

Discipleship

Preemptive Love

2018-10-04T02:56:21+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Kingdom Reality

Last updated on: October 4, 2018 at 2:56 am By Keith Giles

The Kingdom of God is the present reality which breaks into this illusion of ours intermittently, like very bad cell phone reception. It’s God’s way of saying, “Can you hear me now?” In fact, experiencing and living in this Kingdom Reality is, in itself, an exercise in the Kingdom principles of “Letting Go” and “The Power of Weakness”. When we give up on our strength and wait for God’s power to come and to move it’s a testimony of our... Read more

2018-09-29T02:17:54+00:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Movement Will Not Be Televised (But It Will Be On Facebook)

Last updated on: September 29, 2018 at 2:17 am By Keith Giles

I’ve started to notice a subtle shift in the atmosphere the last few years, and lately I think it’s starting to build momentum. What am I talking about? Well, I think there’s a very strong undercurrent of Christians who are starting to question the status quo. Whether that’s asking questions about the traditional views of the afterlife, or the nature of God, or the atonement, or even the way we should relate to the Bible, pretty much everything that can... Read more

Ekklesia

Eschatology

General Christian Topics