Greetings

[Mr.Irrelevant]

Well, I've been lurking here for about 18 months and thought I'd finally introduce myself.

I am a conservative, born again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational evangelical Christian who hates labels.

About five years ago I began to feel an increasing urge to full time ministry, so I moved my family to Wisconsin to attend a small Bible Institute.  Things were going well and I was receiving considerable interest from churches with empty pulpits - when suddenly my world was rocked.  I was investigating one such church when I came across to a link to the Beacon of Grace Ministries, so I checked it out.  Long story short they seemed to be promoting this crazy teaching that one day everyone would be saved.  I knew that couldn't be true, and I wanted to see what verses they were taking out of context to back this doctrine of demons.

The problem was, the more I studied to prove it false, the more I found it to prove true.  This was not based on some emotional recoil against the idea of hell, this was simply sound exegesis.  It wasn't universal reconciliation that was taking verses our of context - it was eternal torment! This scared me, and so I started asking for help from my professors and pastors.  None of them could or would answer my questions.  For 6 months I studied nothing but this subject and finally I had to concede - everything I'd learned about hell was wrong! Our Great Father-God never had any intention of tormenting ANYBODY for eternity. (better stop now or I'll preach it for the next hour!)

This of course didn't go over well with the powers that be in the group of churches with which I was affiliated.  The
leadership of the Bible Institute took great pains to make sure that I was no longer welcome in any of the churches in which I had been preaching, and of course those open pulpits were no longer open to me.  Our local church even told me that my family was no longer welcome to worship with them.  Frankly, I thank God that heretic burning is out of fashion.

Anyway, if anyone knows of a church looking for a conservative, born-again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational, evangelical Universal Reconciliationist Christian to fill their pulpit, perhaps you can give them my name.

Jim

[WhiteWings]

I am a conservative, born again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational evangelical Christian who hates labels.

That are lot of labels for someone who doesn't like labels  :wink2:
Allow me to stick one more label on you.
UR-friend  :friendstu:

Welcome!

[Doc]

Well, I've been lurking here for about 18 months and thought I'd finally introduce myself.

I am a conservative, born again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational evangelical Christian who hates labels.

About five years ago I began to feel an increasing urge to full time ministry, so I moved my family to Wisconsin to attend a small Bible Institute.  Things were going well and I was receiving considerable interest from churches with empty pulpits - when suddenly my world was rocked.  I was investigating one such church when I came across to a link to the Beacon of Grace Ministries, so I checked it out.  Long story short they seemed to be promoting this crazy teaching that one day everyone would be saved.  I knew that couldn't be true, and I wanted to see what verses they were taking out of context to back this doctrine of demons.

The problem was, the more I studied to prove it false, the more I found it to prove true.  This was not based on some emotional recoil against the idea of hell, this was simply sound exegesis.  It wasn't universal reconciliation that was taking verses our of context - it was eternal torment! This scared me, and so I started asking for help from my professors and pastors.  None of them could or would answer my questions.  For 6 months I studied nothing but this subject and finally I had to concede - everything I'd learned about hell was wrong! Our Great Father-God never had any intention of tormenting ANYBODY for eternity. (better stop now or I'll preach it for the next hour!)

This of course didn't go over well with the powers that be in the group of churches with which I was affiliated.  The
leadership of the Bible Institute took great pains to make sure that I was no longer welcome in any of the churches in which I had been preaching, and of course those open pulpits were no longer open to me.  Our local church even told me that my family was no longer welcome to worship with them.  Frankly, I thank God that heretic burning is out of fashion.

Anyway, if anyone knows of a church looking for a conservative, born-again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational, evangelical Universal Reconciliationist Christian to fill their pulpit, perhaps you can give them my name.

Jim

Well, welcome to "heretic" land! I'm glad God decided to reveal it to you, much as he did me a little over 2 years ago.

[onlytruth]

welcome...where the truth sets you free ...including the church you attend :laughing7:
blessings :icon_king:

[jabcat]

From Jim to Jim;  my story in a nutshell;  Baptist, praise band/vocalist/writer/keyboardist held in high regard for years, no longer welcome to participate.  Welcome to the "called out ones", set aside for a purpose.  God's hand is on your life.

The following scripture was spoken specifically to the apostles, but IMO, there's a spiritual lesson/example for us.

"They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God."  John 16:2


Found this pertinent excerpt from a sermon:

HOW JESUS GOT KICKED OUT OF CHURCH. It happened at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. At the end of Chapter 3 Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Then it says at the beginning of chapter 4 that Jesus immediately was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. After the temptation in the wilderness verses 14-15 say, "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all." Jesus began going around Galilee from town to town teaching in the synagogues. He was getting a reputation for being a great preacher. Finally he comes to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as he had for every Sabbath day for the last thirty years, he went to synagogue. He had been a little boy in that synagogue. Everyone there knew him and his parents and his brothers and sisters, and aunts and uncles. He was probably related to half the congregation. 
When it came time for the scriptures to be read the rabbi motioned for Jesus to come up and read....

This brings me to the second part of my message which is WHY JESUS GOT KICKED OUT OF CHURCH. Jesus got kicked out of church, because he was a threat to synagogue religion. The Spirit of Jesus is always a threat to the spirit of religion. They sensed that threat and took action to eliminate that threat. There is nothing more dangerous to religion than the gospel, and vice versa...

Welcome here, you are among friends and fellow sojourners.  James.

[sparrow]

Anyway, if anyone knows of a church looking for a conservative, born-again, bible-believing, dispensational-leaning, non-denominational, evangelical Universal Reconciliationist Christian to fill their pulpit, perhaps you can give them my name.

Jim

Hi Jim!
Welcome to our "church", brother.

:icon_flower:

:HeartThrob:,
sparrow

[Cardinal]

Frankly, I thank God that heretic burning is out of fashion.

:cloud9: rofl....:laughing7: Good one...... :thumbsup:

Welcome to the Tent; you already sound like my big brother's-wife's-sister-in-law's-husband's-cousin, twice removed (ie. FAMILY).  :winkgrin:

[reFORMer]

Look at all the confiscation of lands and property, the torture and murder of saints that led up to the Reformation of the 1500's, something that was to continue for hundreds of years by other "Christians."  But I'm trying to make the point that people paid a price for us to have the liberty we have today.  And I think we're paying a price that those who come after us may go on farther in God because certain teachings like ceaseless torture for ever will become a thing of the past for most followers of Jesus...because of us!  Some of us are paying a price for other aspects of the Truth we are witnesses for as well.

[Cardinal]

Look at all the confiscation of lands and property, the torture and murder of saints that led up to the Reformation of the 1500's, something that was to continue for hundreds of years by other "Christians."  But I'm trying to make the point that people paid a price for us to have the liberty we have today.  And I think we're paying a price that those who come after us may go on farther in God because certain teachings like ceaseless torture for ever will become a thing of the past for most followers of Jesus...because of us!  Some of us are paying a price for other aspects of the Truth we are witnesses for as well.

:cloud9: Ain't that the truth...... :thumbsup:

[sven]

I enjoyed what you've written, I'm always glad to see when conservative evangelicals reject this doctrine, both my parents did the same recently.

welcome from me as well  :thumbsup:

[Redlettervoice]

Welcome, :welcome:
Brother!  You might stay around "here" for a "while!"


and :teaching: