Why are we here, part 2

I've been more a reader than a poster lately, sometimes it's better to remain silent than post hastily. But not taking the time to post has allowed me to read more. And some of what I'm reading raises question marks, again, as to why we are here.

So - are you here to teach? Have you actually ever changed anyone's mind or stance on an issue?

Are you here to learn? Share with us something you've learned here, or how your mind or stance on an issue has been changed.

The poll is anonymous, so be honest.

Im here for fellowship really. To bless and be blessed.

That should have been part of the original question! How did I miss it?

I'm here for fellowship first and foremost and to teach but more so, learn from others.

It just struck me as I read thread after thread that there are a whole lotta teachers here, but very few learners, especially among the established. Page after page after page of people trying to convince other people who will never allow themselves to be. Maybe that's a form of fellowship. But it looks like a lot of wasted energy, spinning our wheels while the world spins down the drain. If only there were some way to harness that energy, and use it to, oh, say, empty hospitals of the sick..?

Well, most learners are also lurkers, I would imagine. They are going to be less vocal unless they have specific questions that haven't been addressed. I know that when I go to a forum to learn, I mostly just read up on the topics I'm interested in.

I'm here for fellowship also. I tend to be careful in the Bible Discussion and some other forums where women "teaching" or even appearing to teach isn't looked on kindly, though sometimes I throw my .02 in anyway. I do a whole lot of learning. But fellowship, yeah.

I often get in trouble in the Bible Discussion forum with trolls and false prophets and teachers.

you mean Mos Eisley right? thats BD new name to me.

Yes to both your questions. Now why are you here?

I originally came here because I had too much free time and we know what happens with idle hands. It was a place to put my mind on God. And I came as a teacher, mea culpa, tired of the injury of fallacy as it was put elsewhere and determined to set the world straight. But I've come to learn that the world won't be put straight, at least not most of it. Besides the issue that maybe my idea of 'straight' ain't necessarily so, we've all become so entrenched and inflexible. I just can't recall ever seeing anyone here change their stand on a major or even minor issue. I know it has to have happened, I think, that's kinda why I asked if anyone has convinced/ been convinced to change, to please share with me. Otherwise, I find myself to have become just one of the many 'clanging gongs', half of which ironically do so without even speaking in tongues lol.

But I've learned, too. Have I changed a major stance? No, but I understand a lot better about how the 'other side' (we're all on the same team, right? So how is it there's an 'other side'?) sees and understand things. And while I haven't necessarily changed my views, I have altered and modified many of them. Honestly, I test my stands all the time, that's the only way I know they're honed and true. I just don't see much of that going on here; I don't know, maybe it is and I'm just missing it. But for the most part it seems to be people endlessly trying to convince other people of things they'll never allow themselves to be convinced of. While the world spinning down the drain gets only two replies.

What is wrong with us?

What is it the you want most from the members of this site?

Yes, we're all on the same team. Not all of us act like it.

I came here because I wanted to talk about Jesus in a world that doesn't.

I came for fellowship. I live alone and due to a physical disability, am not able to get out and about as I once did. I want to interact with others that talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. Books are good. Sewing is great. My kitty is wonderful, but interacting with people is grand.

I came to share, to encourage and at the same receive the same. I'm not here to change anyone's mind - that's God's work, not mine. God has done so much for me in my life, I just want to say that He is not respecter of persons. If He did for me, and He did and still is, He can and will do it for you.

EXCELLENT Question!!!

Truth, realness, compassion, understanding, laughter, hope, encouragement, support. A friend.

We're here because we're here...

[video=youtube;3Ps85649fWk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ps85649fWk[/video]

Well, let me answer that with what I didn't expect from members - and yet got caught up in myself. I didn't expect the disagreement, disunity, disharmony, and disaccord - you know, those things Paul repeatedly scolded the churches for. Honestly if I was an on-the-fence believer and I heard what I read here, I'd think 'wow if these people who are steeped in it can't agree on what it means, what chance do I have?' Just as one young man is currently pondering in another thread. Paul's answer to the problem was elegantly simple... 1, stick with what he taught us, and 2 if anyone teaches anything different from what he taught us, we are to refer back to rule number one and stick with what he taught us. But evidently even what he taught us is up for dis-play. So I find myself, and a whole bunch of other good people, spinning our wheels getting nowhere doing the first thing we were told not to do. And I cringe when I think of who that benefits.

What do I expect from members? Well, if we were doing what the Lord told us to, and what Paul told us to, I expect the Prayer Request forum would be the most heavily visited, and the Bible Discussion forum would be a quiet place of learning not debate. I expect we would be in one accord, as He tells us to be. But we're not. Again I cringe...

I think the turning point for me was a word I got not tooo long ago. A bunch of cessationists had questioned why, if healing still worked today, were we not going out and emptying hospitals? And I prayed long and hard on that, because it's a valid question. And what came back to me, loud and clear is this: "If all My people believed we could, We would." And ever since then this effort to convince the unconviceable has seemed as such a waste of time and effort. Time and effort better spent on those who believe enough to seek.

People it's time, we all know it. We need to discern where our efforts go, and use them best we can to grab the last few from the drain. Those who know the meaning of Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil must stop squandering their gifts on meaningless exchange, and pursue God's glory in the practice thereof upon the hurting. And so many of us are hurting; actually aren't we all? So let us pray for one another, instead of bickering with each other; that those who fence-sit may see us and say Praise God!

It's the Spirit, RickyZ. Like the wind blows from one direction to another, the Spirit doesn't stand still but moves. From what you've written the Spirit seems to have moved you here for a short time (the same as me)...and while here we share what we've learned with other believers. But eventually the time is coming when it'll be time to move on. It's the Spirit that teaches anyhow; we're just the vessels fit for his use. Our job is edification and when that's no longer occurring and we're simply trying to win an argument, it's time to step back like you say.

There are two categories of jobs articulated throughout scripture: The priests of God (with their mission to the world), and The prophets to God (with their mission to God's people). Both are clearly defined roles throughout scripture. We understand the priest's role pretty will, but a prophet is simply a person who was selected as the mouthpiece of God, meant to point out errors in the worship of God's people (as we must worship God in Spirit and Truth, not tradition). The prophet was no one special on his own outside of God being with him. But unfortunately, what also was true is prophets are despised and rejected by people because no one like to be corrected. That's just the nature of the role. But hey, at least these days it's only verbal daggers because back then you might have been tossed into a pit...or sawed in two lol .

The body of Christ's job is to spread the gospel to the world as God's priests...but there are those within the body who are meant to get the body in shipshape for the lord's arrival; to make sure there's oil in the bridesmaid's lamps. To make sure every attendee is wearing a wedding garment instead of "coming as [they] are" [a phrase not found anywhere in scripture and that only applies to new converts], else the unprepared wedding guest will be thrown out of the wedding, even though they were invited.

Matthew 22:11-14
That's a powerful parable and I encourage you to read it from the beginning again (I know you've read it before). Also notice from earlier in the parable that many invited guests (believers) were too busy (distracted) with their lives to attend. The time is coming, and is now here, when God will say "leave the nations alone and get my temple in proper order" (Revelation 11:1-2) because he's on his way.

Ephesians 5:27