Two parents educate their own children and end up arrested for “child endangerment.”
Read the article:
A Montgomery County couple has been arrested on child endangerment charges for failing to register their children with the school district as they were home-schooled, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. [Read More]
I know folks are just going to quote the verses about “submitting to all those in authority;” but by what Biblical reasoning is the state taking sovereignty of education away from parents?
Education should be the domain mostly of parents, a little bit of church.
The state should acknowledge and yield to the parental right, authority, and responsibility to provide education for their children. Parents should not have to get any approval from the state for their eduction program.
Is earth a hopeless place that
Christians should neglect
because “it’s all going to burn anyway?”
The few camps that fight and quarrel about, Pre- Trib, Post-Trib, Mid Trib, etc, seems like a childish grade school game played at recess. I have out grown that goofy stuff. As my wife and I attended the Baptist church in our small town, I asked some older brothers about this stuff about Left Behind, etc., and they agreed with me that we THINK that we shall be Raptured up BEFORE the Great Tribulation. But if it doesn’t happen that way– we are still servants and followers of Jesus Christ and will obey and worship Him forever! Duh…. I simple don’t have the time or space to express every word, idea and scripture that it took me 30 some years to absorb. I know how to be SAVED and can explain and share that great thing with any of my readers… and that means your ever lasting life! [Read More]
This was my response over at his blog:
Does God have a bright future
for His Bride on earth?
Hi Tom!
I can certainly relate to the whole “why sweat the small stuff” idea.
I also think that anyone who is a brother or sister in Christ remains so even if we see some things differently. If we are disagreeing, we should remember that it is in the family!
I used to tell people I was “Pan-Trib” (It’ll all “pan out” in the end.)
However, I always questioned some of the basic stuff that I was taught about the end times when I was very young. As I have grown the questions have gotten louder and louder in my head and heart.
I began to observe that Christians in general seemed so convinced that everything was going down hill until Jesus returned that they were almost “self-fulfilling” the going down hill part by neglecting their duty to promote revival and reform in the world.
If we are so convinced that there is no hope for society, we’ll just sit back and let it burn.
I submit that this is not consistent with the Character of God.
Of course, I cannot go into the details here (you may find lots of details over at American Vision).
A different way of viewing “the end times” and the second coming of Christ has been unfolding in my life for quite some time. I read about an ever increasing Kingdom of God in the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:29-45). I am taught by Jesus to pray “Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done, on earth as it is in heaven! (Matthew 6:9-15)”
I have begun to see a picture of a victorious church being salt, light, and yeast into every area of human life. Starting with salvation, but flowing out into art, science, law, history, labor, creativity, love, etc.
God gave us dominion over everything in the earth.
My “pan-trib” philosophy did not stand up. Our view of the end times does matter (not in the “salvific” sense). It motivates us either to withdraw from or engage and conquer (with humility) societies issues.
I submit that it would be well worth your time to carefully investigate some of the stuff that Gary Demar and company over at American Vision are teaching.
Whatever you do, brothers and sisters in Christ remain brothers and sisters in Christ!
I have been participating in this post at American Vision.
Then I read Donald James Parker’s response:
I don’t think that God give’s a rat’s derriere about man’s fulfillment using his “gifts” to succeed in banking, truck driving, or whatever profession… [Read More]
Here is how I responded to Donald James Parker:
God is into Beauty and Excellence and Life!
In 2002 I spent an extended number of months studying the entire Bible. I was surprised how much of it is about everyday life. I saw prayer, evangelism, and worship in the Bible; but there was a whole lot more about how to live, how to do business, how to treat your employees, how to treat your boss, etc.
If I understand your point correctly, I think you are way, way off. I think you have missed a huge chunk of God’s heart. Perhaps I do not understand you.
Philippians 4:8 talks about thinking on things that are “true,” “noble,” “right,” “pure,” “lovely,” “admirable,” “excellent” or “praiseworthy.” What about beautiful music or art? What about doing things with excellence? What about creative solutions to agricultural challenges? What about inventing things that improve the quality of life? What about taking dominion of the earth? How about improved sanitation ideas? What about cures for diseases? I wonder if we would have light bulbs or Pentium chips if Christians all thought like your statement above.
God wants us to do all things well
Even Milk!
I have some dairy farmer friends who once said to me “what do we raise these cows for and sell their milk for but to make money for missions?” I thought long and hard about that. If only spiritual things have value to God, why does He have us work for six days and rest for one? I want to say to my dairy friends that in addition to their missions giving, making safe, affordable, delicious, nutritious and excellent-in-every-way milk is also valuable to God! We need to lead people to reconciliation to Christ, but we also need to glorify God in every area of our lives!
If you think that is “New Age” than you really don’t get the Bible.
Again, maybe I’m misunderstanding you. Feel free to clarify.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 talks about how God has given Israel excellent laws so that the whole world will see and wonder. They will see the Glory of God in the way the Israelites live.
God is into every area of life. It is impossible to make true disciples without teaching this. If one does not know this, one does not truly know God.
Salvation is only a start. Then? The World!
So… I don’t know Mr. Parker but I am interested in hearing his response to see if I have misunderstood.
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