What a Moment in the Body!

The recent events that have filled the Christian World and the Christian Blogosphere are revealing that the Church is at a crossroad. Many of the Generals of the Faith are passing on or adavanced in age, and many of us were not ready, nor in position to catch the mantles that they could or could have passed on. We now have any number of our prominent younger leaders in The Body of Christ who are dealing with issues that have made the news in ways that are not flattering. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus because it is apparent that many in The Body of Christ have had our eyes on our leaders and not on Jesus Christ. What can we do to take advantage of this moment in The Body of Christ?

Pastor Stephen F. Smith

StephenFSmith.Org

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Christianity 2.0 and Christianity 3.0!

The web has undergone many changes since the days of it’s infancy. The social networking revolution, otherwise known as Web 2.0 has changed the lives of many people worldwide. We all are now familiar with blogs, wikis, online videos, friends’ lists, and much of the new jargon that has been created by the social networking revolution. These changes have taught all of us the power of networks. Many online communities have brought about tangible change in our society. When will the church of Jesus Christ harness the power of these technological advancements?

The church should use some of these technological advancements to further the cause of Christ. We should forsake turning to the weekly Church Gossip Columns that litter the Christian Blogosphere! You know the ones that only bash other believers. Let’s use our time online to network and foster interaction between believers across the globe. The exchange of ideas that benefit the Kingdom of God, through the networking of believers on the Internet should be one of the church’sprimary goals . What works in Atlanta may just work in Memphis and vice versa. Let’s fulfill the Great Commission through Web 2.0 and the coming Web 3.0.

Pastor Stephen F. Smith

Stephen F Smith.Org

Baffled?

The newly minted Christian Blogosphere (I happened to come up with that name the other Night) is a puzzling collection of different blogs and totally different individuals. This blog has tried to maintain a positive slant and highlight some of the good things that are going on in the Body of Christ. Yet there are so many other Christian Gospel Rags that favor Christian Gossip Columns more than blogs where hope and redemption are offered. Some of the owners of these Christian Blogs are not filled with the love of God at all. If we are to mark those who sow discord among the brethren then’s let mark them!

My church is under the COGIC Banner, yet it was incorporated as an Independent Church. Amazingly, because I don’t dance to the music of these vindictive blog owners they threaten to go to COGIC leadership because I don’t agree with them. Real Men that God can use speak with the voices of men and not as little boys. I love my Church and those of it, yet I am not anyone’s puppet. I am sorry, but I am not letting these attack oriented blog owners pull that small time stuff over on me! I have loved God and I have followed his ways for years. I haven’t been perfect by no means, yet I am striving to get there.

Bishop Patterson once told me in a private conversation, that people are always looking for what’s wrong with the church and amazingly everyone knows that there are things wrong with the church. He told me to never give them the ammunition or the excuse to leave the church. He basically told me that people are looking for excuses to leave the church, don’t give them the ammunition by focusing on the negatives of the church. He wasn’t talking about being soft on sin because he fought sin wherever he found it, but he was talking about always speaking of problems in the church! Those who only point out problems in the church should be examined! Highlighting the faults of others in the church consistently is a silent form of pride. What happened to positive messages from one believer to another? The pride of these vindictive Christian bloggers will lead them into places that they will wish they had not gone. Some of the Christian Blogosphere are literally in danger of God’s judgment by turning off so many of the Faith and giving them their final excuse to leave the Church!

So one finds one Pulpit Pimp-(A Title Given to Some Preachers Just For Their Prospering-All Preachers Should Be Barely Making It According to these Individuals) and one then goes all out to harm that so called Pulpit Pimps family, friends, and thousands of church members. I am sorry God does not work that way! We should fight apostasy at every turn, but sheer jealously of an individual’s success should not turn us into pharisitical mobs that are seeking to cast the first stone, nor turn us into mobs that are holding the coats or mouses of those doing so.

Speaking With The Voice of a Man,

Pastor Stephen F. Smith

Sure House Church, Inc.