For a number of years a seed has been planted in my mind. I have felt a desire to engage fellow believers in serious discussion on numerous issues that impact our spiritual walk personally, our life in the church and our outreach to our neighbors next door as well as around the world. We are all impacted by the roots from our past as well as the current environment in which we live and worship.

We often spend much of our lives trying sort out the Biblical validity of the things we were taught and the worldview that has emerged from the things we have experienced. Many of us can say that indeed we have been blessed. Many good people have walked before us and have impacted our lives in a positive way. Yet, we sense our weaknesses and our need to mature in practice and doctrine.

This blog will be slanted towards issues relating to the Anabaptist/Pietistic/Brethren framework, since this is where my roots are and is the church environment in which I participate.

The topics to be explored are numerous. The burning question for many in the rising generation is, “What does a church that is faithful to the New Testament look like in the 21st century.” I am witnessing many youth who are wrestling with this question. I also see a passion in many to serve others in the name of Christ. We have much to learn about ministry, both locally and cross-culturally. What is the gospel? What are the cultural expressions of our understanding of the gospel?

I invite you to be part of the discussion. I insist that the discussion would always reflect love and respect for others. Ultimately our goal is to see more perfectly the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.  Faith is not static. It is dynamic and each individual must come face-to-face with God. But that does not mean we can tailor truth to suit us. The writer of the book of Hebrews begins his message with these words:

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…”

To learn we must listen. We must hear the voice speaking from heaven. We also need to be listening to each other. Sometimes God chooses to speak to us through our brother or our sister. We are a body with Christ our head. Every part of the body is needed.

May His name be glorified,

Dennis St. John

 

And the Word was made flesh,and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  John 1:14, 17