Comments on: Why I gave up consuming “The Glorious Church” http://www.journeyguy.com/why-i-gave-up-consuming-the-glorious-church/ Life, adventure and faith in south Arkansas Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:22:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mandy http://www.journeyguy.com/why-i-gave-up-consuming-the-glorious-church/#comment-16424 Mandy Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:17:23 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/archives/1242#comment-16424 I've never read anything by Nee so I can't comment too much on him... but I do agree with what you said vs. what he's written. God MADE us... I definitely don't think that he has any real 'need' from us... how could we offer much to him when we depend on him for everything?! I think we're purely here for his joy and glory. This may sound totally wacky, but I think of it like this: Clayton and i were total idiots and bought two parakeets when Samuel was one month old. (post baby insanity?) We had these ideas that they'd be nice birds that would come out and play with us, love us, and appreciate us rescuing them from Petco. Well, here we sit with two loud, unappreciative, unplayful, scared of us birds almost 4 months later. They take the food we give them, play with the toys we provide for them, and would surely die if we stopped caring for them.. yet they don't interact with us, talk to us, and they basically hate our guts and run away from us whenever we get too close. Isn't this a lot how many of us and people are with God? He gives us EVERYTHING yet we still run from him or just don't let him in like we should. All he wants is a relationship with us... just like all we want is a good pet out of these stupid birds. Some appreciation for all of the work we put into caring for them. Thankfully God has more grace than I do... I'm ready to leave the cage open outside and let the cats have a good time... and I've only dealt with them for a few months. God's had to deal with me for YEARS and I know I am still a constant disappointment. Thank you God for not leaving my cage open for the cats! ;) Anyway... just like I don't NEED anything from the birds... I don't think God needs anything from me. I am totally dependant on HIM just like these two creatures are on me. To think anything else seems a bit ridiculous! <em>Mandy's last blog post..</em><a href='http://peaceandcraziness.blogspot.com/2007/10/brotherly-love.html' rel="nofollow">Brotherly Love</a> I’ve never read anything by Nee so I can’t comment too much on him… but I do agree with what you said vs. what he’s written. God MADE us… I definitely don’t think that he has any real ‘need’ from us… how could we offer much to him when we depend on him for everything?! I think we’re purely here for his joy and glory. This may sound totally wacky, but I think of it like this:

Clayton and i were total idiots and bought two parakeets when Samuel was one month old. (post baby insanity?) We had these ideas that they’d be nice birds that would come out and play with us, love us, and appreciate us rescuing them from Petco. Well, here we sit with two loud, unappreciative, unplayful, scared of us birds almost 4 months later. They take the food we give them, play with the toys we provide for them, and would surely die if we stopped caring for them.. yet they don’t interact with us, talk to us, and they basically hate our guts and run away from us whenever we get too close. Isn’t this a lot how many of us and people are with God? He gives us EVERYTHING yet we still run from him or just don’t let him in like we should. All he wants is a relationship with us… just like all we want is a good pet out of these stupid birds. Some appreciation for all of the work we put into caring for them. Thankfully God has more grace than I do… I’m ready to leave the cage open outside and let the cats have a good time… and I’ve only dealt with them for a few months. God’s had to deal with me for YEARS and I know I am still a constant disappointment. Thank you God for not leaving my cage open for the cats! ;) Anyway… just like I don’t NEED anything from the birds… I don’t think God needs anything from me. I am totally dependant on HIM just like these two creatures are on me. To think anything else seems a bit ridiculous!

Mandy’s last blog post..Brotherly Love

]]> By: Elton http://www.journeyguy.com/why-i-gave-up-consuming-the-glorious-church/#comment-16423 Elton Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:07:38 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/archives/1242#comment-16423 Nee is an interesting writer. "Into His Likeness" and "Sit, Walk, Stand" were some of the first "adult" Christian books I ever read. However, not long ago I read "Spiritual Authority" and found some of the same things you object to. He tends to see man as a representative of God's authority (we are ambassadors, but ambassadors have no real authority). Jesus said, "All authority has been given to me", and then says, "You guys go make disciples." Following Nee's concept of spiritual authority leads to too much power in the hands of men in the church (which leads to hierarchy or abuse). I can stick with Nee on most of his personal spiritual growth teachings, but I can't agree with him on his views of the Church. But I often wonder how much of the disconnect is cultural. Maybe his views were huge steps towards the truth in Chinese culture, or maybe he couldn't see beyond some societal barrier to truth. Lord knows, I am constantly blinded to truth by living in American religious society. Only slightly related: the spiritual members of U2 were allegedly in a Nee-based church group when they got started together. <em>Elton's last blog post..</em><a href='http://blog.conrady.org/2007/09/06/entering-the-east-part-2/' rel="nofollow">Entering the East, Part 2</a> Nee is an interesting writer. “Into His Likeness” and “Sit, Walk, Stand” were some of the first “adult” Christian books I ever read. However, not long ago I read “Spiritual Authority” and found some of the same things you object to. He tends to see man as a representative of God’s authority (we are ambassadors, but ambassadors have no real authority). Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me”, and then says, “You guys go make disciples.” Following Nee’s concept of spiritual authority leads to too much power in the hands of men in the church (which leads to hierarchy or abuse). I can stick with Nee on most of his personal spiritual growth teachings, but I can’t agree with him on his views of the Church. But I often wonder how much of the disconnect is cultural. Maybe his views were huge steps towards the truth in Chinese culture, or maybe he couldn’t see beyond some societal barrier to truth. Lord knows, I am constantly blinded to truth by living in American religious society.

Only slightly related: the spiritual members of U2 were allegedly in a Nee-based church group when they got started together.

Elton’s last blog post..Entering the East, Part 2

]]> By: Jeff http://www.journeyguy.com/why-i-gave-up-consuming-the-glorious-church/#comment-16405 Jeff Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:20:38 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/archives/1242#comment-16405 Thanks for the heads up! Accidentally selected two categories... Thanks for the heads up! Accidentally selected two categories…

]]> By: K.T. http://www.journeyguy.com/why-i-gave-up-consuming-the-glorious-church/#comment-16402 K.T. Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:19:20 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/archives/1242#comment-16402 Its double posted.:) <em>K.T.'s last blog post..</em><a href='http://momma-tude.blogspot.com/2007/10/little-stressed.html' rel="nofollow">UPDATE:A little stressed</a> Its double posted.:)

K.T.’s last blog post..UPDATE:A little stressed

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