Charles R. Swindoll -- can anyone offer a summary of his teachings and such?
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He is a good man. i have listened to him for several years.
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Ugggh, homework? It's summer soltice!  Give us a break!  \nI take issue with this article's assumptions, which are very general.  First the author makes the statement that Christianity's two prime articles of faith are "revelation and Crucifixion."  There are major divisions amongst Christianity itself on the person of Jesus Christ, the saving nature of his life, death, resurrection, teachings. And the question of whether or not he is the definitive and only saviour for all people of all times, is not universally agreed on by all Christians.  \nThe role of the Crucifixion is also not understood uniformly across the board by all Christians.  The question has long been asked and debated, "how is Jesus' death and crucifixion redemptive?" Is it? Redemption, atonement, sacrifice, are all traditional understandings, but theology has always had several understandings of and interpretations of soteriology, and Christology.\nInterestingly enough the earliest Christian art showed nothing of the crucifixion...\nBut I'm off the hook since your author inists that "no man" this and "no man" that...
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to follow his teachings
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I think John MacArthur is an excellent teacher of the Word. I own one of his study Bibles and I've heard his program Grace to You on quite a few occasions.\n\nWhen I was new in my walk with Christ I fell under conviction while listening to him talk about sexual sin because he talked about young people coming up to him and asking "how far they could go before it became a sin?"\n\nHe said they were asking the wrong question because they had the wrong motive. He said that a believer should be asking what can I do to stay as far away from the slippery slope that leads to falling into sin. Not how close can I get to the edge of the pit so that I can enjoy myself.\n\nIf I had any criticisms of his teaching I would point out that he takes a hard line stand on some debatable doctrines like sign gifts. I admire the way he lays out the case for his beliefs from Scripture, however I think that by taking the stand he does he runs the risk of dividing the body of Christ over non-essentials and also cuts himself off from further revelation on these subjects.\n\nI know several other excellent teachers in the body of Christ who have just as convincing arguments from Scripture on the other side of the "sign gifts" debate who always stress that this issue should not be used by the enemy to cause division.
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"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he can never lose."\n\n--Jim Elliot, Christian missionary to South America, in Through Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot
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L. Ron Hubbard invented it.  I don't really understand what they teach.  I was trying to read about it last week, but I don't get it, here's there link.
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Yes he spoke to his co-writers in late 1940's about creating a religion.  The quote was:\n\n"Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion" \n\nReader's Digest reprint, May 1980, p.1\n\nHe then read a lot of crackpot ideas and blended it with eastern & western philosophy, and religion.  He had very few of his own ideas, and invented very little.  He did indeed write Dianetics and then later created the Church of Scientology.\n\nWhile we have the adv. of knowing that scientology is a dangerous cult, and therefore won't be duped by it, not everyone is luckly to have come across this information first.  Or perhpas they were later convinced by scientologists that this information was entheta and written by people who hate all self-improvement groups, and are just criminals anyway  - thats you and I btw.\n\nFor anyone that does not know about the dangers of Scientology, please research this website amongst others, http://www.clambake.org (same as http://www.xenu.net )\n\nYou are correct it is not possible to take the OCA Personality test and not get something negative.  \n\nHere is an article on just that.\nhttp://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/oca.html  \n\nA bit lengthy and boring, but accurate.\n\nHere is a bit more, + the what are considered to be the correct answers at the bottom. "(try it at an Scientology shop, and they'll still recommend you buy their courses!)"\nhttp://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/
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I'm a Christian, and my boyfriend is Buddhist.  I'm very interested in how the two intersect, and they can and do very easily.  The teachings of Christ and Buddha are similar in many areas.  The book "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh is a great examination of that.  There have also been many Buddhist Christians, with the adherents following Christian doctrine and Buddhist philosophy.  I think they work well together.
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Ask them what they need and do that. \n\nJust be a helping hand.\n\nListen.\n\nChuck Swindoll talked about how he helped an older woman when he was a cabbie and she was moving into a "home." Google him and look for his sermon from a couple weeks ago if you want to hear the story. Not a religious ploy just a good story.
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You might want to do a search on Charles Spurgeon, who was one of the best preachers. He's done a ton of sermons and there are many books containing his sermons. Try Amazon dot com or your local Christian bookstore. <*)))><
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I find it very helpful, plenty of notes, references, defintions - it taught me a lot. \n\nIt does rabbit trail some. If there is something you disagree on in the side notes, just put the idea on the shelf and go on. There is an abundance of information in those annotations. \n\nI recently found out he put together the "Zondervan Expanded Concordance" that I want to buy and check out. \nI think it was from the 70's.\n\nAlso check out http://www.dakebible.com \nit has other books and such, and also a new biography about him is out now.
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I found this article on the web. This guy really sounds like he knows what he is talking about.  It should be easky to skim over and get the information you need.
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I looked at your links, and I went to the home page of the first and looked at more of the articles. I'm sorry, but it did not change my mind. Much of what he said made good sense, and in coming to his conclusions, I think he felt what we refer to as "red flags" in his religion that caused him to doubt its logic. But, I find red flags in the fact that like many, including Christians, his understanding of Christianity seems to be in parts of the the concept rather than the whole. \n\nCase in point... The "contradiction" he mentions as a very serious one: salvation by faith vs. works/law\n\nQuoted are:\nJohn 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. \n\nJohn 6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. \n\nJohn 6:28-29Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." \n\nversus\n\nMatt 19:16-21  16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 17 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, " YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." \n\n\nFor my answer to this supposed contradiction, please see the link where I have already answered the same question.\n\nP.S. - I do agree with you that the asker should have been able to look at the info provided and form his own opinion rather than immediately dismissing it, apparently w/o reading it. I would, however, be careful in claiming evidence as proof - even the writer of the articles in the first link admits he cannot disprove God.
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This is all I could find...\n\nhttp://www.themaninthesynagogue.org/index.htm
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I didn't, but I did listen to Dr. Charles Stanley preach.  He was wonderful.  If rhere was ever a man to be admired, he is the man.  I have so much respect for him.  An ethereal awe.
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I'm answering tentatively, because I'm not sure exactly what you're describing and there *is* a lot of crazy stuff out there, unfortunately.  \n\nIf you mean the spiritual perfection of the Church on earth "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing" through "Christ in me, the hope of glory" then I'm with ya.  George Warnock.  Bill Britton.  "The manifestation of the sons of God."  Wonderful truths that are warred against feverishly.  Even among those that believe, many often change their mind or become discouraged because they forget that it is a work that *God* is going to do, not us.  We can't perfect ourselves.  :)  But God IS going to have His overcoming Church on earth!\n\nIf this is what you're talking about, e-mail me at silverdeege@yahoo.com.  I'd love to talk.  My pastor preaches this and, additionally, wrote a book you might enjoy if you find yourself interested.  Also, if you haven't read George Warnock, check out:  \n\nhttp://meatindueseason.org/warnock/warnock-index.html
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Hi Tamara,\nI met the Dr. Sells once. I was walking to the corner market for a loaf of bread when I had to pass by a neighborhood church. I was somewhat acquainted with the structure as it was always mentioned in the newspaper's community section. Known as "The loft," folks would gather there on Thursday evenings for poetry readings. \nHowever, this day happened to be a Saturday afternoon and a pair of gentlemen greeted me as I walked by. They invited me inside to sample an hour of their presentation. Ok, I went inside and found myself to be a prospective new recruit for their brand of religion. \n\nMost of the pews were filled with hooded monks chanting a haunting rhythm. There were others who like me, were wearing their regular denims. The service began like most others that church-goers would be familiar with. A grand master of ceremonies led the group through some songs and gave a sermon. Near the end of the hour it was time for their ritual of "laying on of the hands." Some of the parishioners would come forward and ask for prayers for their ailments or for a sick grand mum who fell down in the tub. All the hooded dudes whose faces could not readily be seen would all place a hand on the person and their combined energies were presumed to have a strength and expedite a solution to the problem. \n\nOK now, there was another new guy in the pews who was watching eagerly. I recognized Dr. Sells from a wanted poster viewed earlier at the post office. When he saw a chance, he approached the ring of conspirators and described how he was always moving around and never able to settle down. The hooded goons closed in upon him, all to make a physical connection. The master of ceremonies began a prayer, a dogmatic mix of logic and pure hocus-pocus. I immediately saw the effects of the procedure as the tension went out of Dr. Sells' body. When the beseeching was near an end, the master asked, "Are the brothers ready?" \n\nA suspenseful few moments passed until he almost shouted, "NOW!" \n\nOn that cue, the brothers began to pummel their hapless victim. Continually delivering blows over head and to the solar plexus until Dr. Sells was down on the floor getting stomped. After another minute, the grand Pooh-Bah decided the treatment administered was sufficient to induce a relaxing calm that would assuage the nervousness of Dr. Sells for a long, long time. \n\nI can't say for certain if Dr. Sells got the comeuppance he deserved as I had a loaf of bread to buy and some other errands to do that day. I hope for you Tamara, that you do find a sense of closure to this difficult episode of life. \n\nRegards,Trevor