Trinity Church is experiencing a study through the Book of 1 John, Christian Atheist. Many of you have joined new Growth Groups to expand your study. Others are working through the study questions on their own or just trying to live out what they are hearing at Trinity. This blog is for all of you. Take the time to share something that happened in or as a result of your group. If you have a question, ask it. Or, just let us know how the series is going in your life.

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Growth Group Challenge
Nov 1 2010 - 4:16pm

During week #7 (Oct. 23/24) we were challenged to "see a need, meet a need, tell the story." One of our Growth Group members had shared previously in pour group about upcoming foot surgery. So when we gathered as a group to meet on Oct. 24thone of our group members organized a sign-up for our Growth Group to make meals for a period of time for this family. Everyone signed up and it will be cool to see how this will be an encouragement to this family. I was also impressed with how the family receiving the meals was so willing to accept this act of kindness. It would be easy to say, “That’s okay, you don’t need to do that.” It takes humility to be willing to accept a little help.

Question-See the need, meet the need?
Oct 27 2010 - 1:22pm

Hello,
I was just thinking about the current topic this week which is showing love to others. As I was reading through the study guide, I noted that there was "see the need, meet the need". I have a little trouble with this because I know that there are legitimate needs out there but sometimes we are "taken in" by people who take advantage of others through their alleged "neediness". Should we not be wise and discerning when it comes to needs? Not just "see any need, meet any need" but to ask the LORD to lead us to real needs. I have found that if we just try to meet any need we see we can not only get into "co-dependent" situations but also we can burn out because there are "needs" everywhere!

Any thoughts/response?

Labeling "Heresy"
Oct 8 2010 - 3:17pm

Many Christians aren't comfortable labeling anything as "heresy." John's opponents said they were Christians, but they put a spin on Christian doctrine that the apostle found detestable. Should we be as intolerant -even abrasive - as John was when confronting these views?

In a society of "tolerance" I have found that it is out of "vogue" to speak the truth. This fear of speaking truth has infiltrated many churches as well. For fear of looking "bigoted" or intolerant many people opt for watered down truth. Sin is no longer called sin and what John and the fathers of faith labeled as "heresy" are now given "softer" titles...so as not to offend the guilty. The problem sometimes is that we need to know who our audience is. Are we speaking to those who say they are Christ followers or people who do not know or follow Him?

It seems that Jesus was quite hard on those who labeled themselves religious but tender-hearted toward those who knew they were sinners. Speaking the truth in love is not always a "soft-spoken" answer...love can be tough and strong and can even look severe. Was it not the love of God that hung Christ Jesus on the cross for our sakes? God asks us to speak the truth in love so first we must be sure that it is love that is in our hearts toward those we are addressing. We must search our own hearts before we speak. Then and only then can we speak the truth boldly...as the Holy Spirit directs us.

There is an adage that says: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." This is true in many situations... There will be those who appreciate that we were willing to speak up in love...but there will still be some who will be offended at our confrontation. It is those who Jesus shook His head sadly at knowing that their heart was hard. May we be the ones who when someone confronts us with truth, are wise enough to consider what is being said.

Week 3 - The Obedience Test and Love Test
Sep 28 2010 - 4:51pm

Through 1 John 2.3-11 we see that it's God's will of command that we obey Him and love others. There is obviously action that we need to take, for example "keep His word" (v5) and "walk in the same way in which He walked" (v6).

So how do we actually go about "keeping", "walking" and "loving"? Well sure, we can try to do this under our own strength, but we will fail miserably and it will lack the power and truth as compared to doing these things with a humble spirit while focused on Christ, by the power and motive generated by the Holy Spirit. That's the key, to "do" things with the motive, joy, love and power that only the Holy Spirit gives. When powered by Him, it's such a JOY to keep His commands and it's a JOY to love others that are created in God's image.

Don't just obey and love because you're supposed to, but obey and love because you GET to! And that attitude and vantage point only comes from the Holy Spirit. "Thank you Lord that from You, through You, and to You are all things!" (Rom 11.36)

Today's Questions in a Timeless Letter
Sep 10 2010 - 5:43pm

Welcome to the Christian Atheist? blog! 1 John may have been written in the late first century, but it raises questions that are relevant in the church today. The NIV Application Commentary raises some of the "John's Timeless Questions." Choose one - or raise another question of your own - and leave your thoughts here!
1. How do we handle conflict within the church - what happens when disagreement becomes so biting that it threatens to split the church?
2. How do we confront wrong teaching when the people doing the teaching claim they are hearing from the Holy Spirit?
3. Many Christians aren't comfortable labeling anything as "heresy." John's opponents said they were Christians, but they put a spin on Christian doctrine that the apostle found detestable. Should we be as intolerant -even abrasive - as John was when confronting these views?
4. 1 John repeatedly affirms love. Is love the most important value? For example, in one denomination, some read the Bible literally and believe no one living an actively homosexual lifestyle should be in leadership in the Church; others think this is "gay-bashing" and a violation of Scripture's command to love. Is it possible to take an inflexible stand on theological truth and still be loving and accepting of others?
5. Does Christian faith require Christian behavior? In other words, if someone has crystal clear understanding of Scriptural truth but their behavior and attitudes seem untouched and un-Christlike, is it appropriate to question the reality of their faith or their seriousness about being a disciple?
What do you think?

Audio Available
Sep 9 2010 - 1:09pm

For those of you who missed the weekend message and your Growth Group meets before the video message is posted, our Worship Department is making a special effort to provide us with the audio version of the message available by 1:00 p.m. on Sunday of each weekend. Just look for the button on the sermon series page or the growth group guides page--or even go to the calendar and click on the message to get to the individual weekend page.