Just let be: church welcome without affirmation
- How should a church respond to people with gender dysphoria or alternative lifestyles who come to its doors?
A reminder to the church: when people walk into a church building, 'they're here, and the word of the Lord is going out' — let them soak it in. One voice argues churches should not battle over affirm-or-not-affirm but 'just let be and let God do his thing,' without forcing a timeline ('eliminating God's time... You must be this and right now' is a people problem, not a God problem). Another voice shares having told a congregant of an alternative lifestyle that they are welcome while refusing to change teaching to avoid discomfort — 'we're representing God's word, and they respect it.' A third warns against flattening people into cartoons: 'these are people created in the image and likeness of God.'
More on Church
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Church, emotions, and the self-focus of affluence
- How do you help people in an affluent, self-focused culture see that they need Jesus?
Ben revives a question from two or three shows back: are church services and worship tunes postured toward certain personality types — predominantly emotions and dealing with emotions?
From No. 603 · Found Out
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Leadership training for church leaders: get a business manager
- Do people who lead churches need leadership training?
Mike's real question: to what extent do people need leadership training to lead churches? Ben gives two distinct answers.
From No. 602 · Relationship Counseling
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The New Testament case for human shaping
- What does the New Testament actually say about spiritual authority and submission?
Ben walks the New Testament texts: Hebrews 13:17 ('obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls') presumes a soul-watching laborer, not a rule-maker;…
From No. 600 · Rage The Elephant
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Confetti and lasers: what should God's people be known for?
- Do we want to be known as the confetti and lasers people?
- What should God's people be known for?
Ben redirects to the docket's denomination question: when someone hears Silas's church described as 'the confetti and lasers people,' should that sting?
From No. 598 · Emphasis | Accountability, Worship and Praying with Strangers