Comments on: The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/ Tue, 21 May 2013 03:55:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Wow, this is unbelievably tragic: “The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church” | Brokenness & Bravery http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-60975 Wow, this is unbelievably tragic: “The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church” | Brokenness & Bravery Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:26:35 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-60975 [...] The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church [...] [...] The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church [...]

]]> By: When schism has to happen « Notes from a Small Place http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31788 When schism has to happen « Notes from a Small Place Thu, 31 May 2012 17:01:47 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31788 [...] a story over at The Gospel Coalition: Instead of a soaring room flooded with natural light, they took their places in a cramped, [...] [...] a story over at The Gospel Coalition: Instead of a soaring room flooded with natural light, they took their places in a cramped, [...]

]]> By: Lynn Robinson http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31691 Lynn Robinson Tue, 29 May 2012 23:29:12 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31691 Pardon me, but to follow Jesus Christ is to be accepting of everyone. I have never heard or read where he spoke, treated, cured, or otherwise came into contact with only the currently acceptable people. Did he not go to the people least accepted by society? I cannot feel the least bit sorry for the people who followed the leader and left the Episcopal Church. I do, however, question their motives. Either you follow Christ and love and accept your neighbor, or you don't. Pardon me, but to follow Jesus Christ is to be accepting of everyone. I have never heard or read where he spoke, treated, cured, or otherwise came into contact with only the currently acceptable people. Did he not go to the people least accepted by society? I cannot feel the least bit sorry for the people who followed the leader and left the Episcopal Church. I do, however, question their motives. Either you follow Christ and love and accept your neighbor, or you don't.

]]> By: Paul http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31690 Paul Tue, 29 May 2012 23:23:25 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31690 Your statement is misinformed. I share your concern for unity, but the TEC showed little such concern when it ordained a practicing homosexual as a bishop against the wishes of the entire Anglican communion (most of whom do not affirm homosexual activity as normative Christian behavior). In so doing, the TEC disregarded the hard work of unity that involves making theological decisions on such divisive issues as part of the entire "catholic and apostolic" Church. CANA and ACNA should not be charged with caring little for "unity" and copping out for "biblical" reasons while ignoring the perspectival nature of their interpretations simply because they re-aligned with the majority of the Anglican communion. To stay in the TEC would have been to remain with a body openly rebelling against the entire communion (whether its leaders in England cared enough to do anything about it or not). It would have also been to remain in a denomination as dogmatically opposed in practice to fruitful theological discussion as any conservative fundamentalist is (and, apparently, as you think ACNA is). Your statement is misinformed. I share your concern for unity, but the TEC showed little such concern when it ordained a practicing homosexual as a bishop against the wishes of the entire Anglican communion (most of whom do not affirm homosexual activity as normative Christian behavior). In so doing, the TEC disregarded the hard work of unity that involves making theological decisions on such divisive issues as part of the entire "catholic and apostolic" Church. CANA and ACNA should not be charged with caring little for "unity" and copping out for "biblical" reasons while ignoring the perspectival nature of their interpretations simply because they re-aligned with the majority of the Anglican communion. To stay in the TEC would have been to remain with a body openly rebelling against the entire communion (whether its leaders in England cared enough to do anything about it or not). It would have also been to remain in a denomination as dogmatically opposed in practice to fruitful theological discussion as any conservative fundamentalist is (and, apparently, as you think ACNA is).

]]> By: Church Chair Guy http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31633 Church Chair Guy Tue, 29 May 2012 02:59:14 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31633 I read this story a while back in one of the DC papers. I appreciate TGC posting this article with additional details and different viewpoint. We have helped churches in similar circumstances and if ever needed, would love to do so here as well. I read this story a while back in one of the DC papers. I appreciate TGC posting this article with additional details and different viewpoint. We have helped churches in similar circumstances and if ever needed, would love to do so here as well.

]]> By: Jesus to The Falls Church: “Follow me.” « goodandfaithful http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31621 Jesus to The Falls Church: “Follow me.” « goodandfaithful Mon, 28 May 2012 16:33:56 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31621 [...] Jesus: “Follow me.” [...] [...] Jesus: “Follow me.” [...]

]]> By: DLE http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31576 DLE Sun, 27 May 2012 03:59:18 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31576 Unity is hard work. Disunity is easy. It's why so many people default to disunity almost immediately. Most Christians in America, no mater how faithful they claim to be, really don't want to be bothered with issues of community outside of their Sunday meeting. Maintaining unity becomes a bother. So they write it off and attach a million "biblical" reasons for taking the easy way out. It's time to stop lying to ourselves about how committed we are to community and unity. We simply aren't. We're committed to our own personal perspective, and it doesn't go much further than that. Unity is hard work. Disunity is easy. It's why so many people default to disunity almost immediately.

Most Christians in America, no mater how faithful they claim to be, really don't want to be bothered with issues of community outside of their Sunday meeting. Maintaining unity becomes a bother. So they write it off and attach a million "biblical" reasons for taking the easy way out.

It's time to stop lying to ourselves about how committed we are to community and unity. We simply aren't. We're committed to our own personal perspective, and it doesn't go much further than that.

]]> By: Todd Van Voorst http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31569 Todd Van Voorst Sun, 27 May 2012 02:03:40 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31569 Praise God for the fighting of the good fight. It is no small thing to choose God's will over comfort and security. Itching ears will continue to find their way into leadership among denominations and worshippers will have to choose Jesus and the suffering that comes along with intimacy with Him. Praise God for the testimony of those the world was not worthy, those devoted to Jesus and persecuted by the word (even when it invades the church). http://onceforalldelivered.blogspot.com// Praise God for the fighting of the good fight. It is no small thing to choose God's will over comfort and security. Itching ears will continue to find their way into leadership among denominations and worshippers will have to choose Jesus and the suffering that comes along with intimacy with Him. Praise God for the testimony of those the world was not worthy, those devoted to Jesus and persecuted by the word (even when it invades the church).

http://onceforalldelivered.blogspot.com//

]]> By: ccinnova http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31553 ccinnova Sat, 26 May 2012 20:48:26 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31553 Eric, the Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia filed the lawsuit after the Falls Church and ten other like-minded congregations voted to disaffiliate from TEC and affiliate with CANA. John Yates and the leadership of the other like-minded congregations had been in negotiations with then-Bishop of Virginia Peter Lee, but the negotiations were halted in the fall of 2006 on orders from newly-elected Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. Eric, the Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia filed the lawsuit after the Falls Church and ten other like-minded congregations voted to disaffiliate from TEC and affiliate with CANA. John Yates and the leadership of the other like-minded congregations had been in negotiations with then-Bishop of Virginia Peter Lee, but the negotiations were halted in the fall of 2006 on orders from newly-elected Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

]]> By: Ella http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/05/24/the-costly-faithfulness-of-the-falls-church/#comment-31547 Ella Sat, 26 May 2012 19:25:37 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=20713#comment-31547 Great point. I think it's one of the reasons why Paul had the city officials escort him personally out of prison in Acts 16:37. The way they had treated him before violated Paul's legal rights as Roman citizen. Yet by demanding to openly be escorted in broad daylight he first and foremostly helped the newly founded church. If the magistrates got away with mistreating and then dispatching Paul in a cloak-and-dagger operation, they might tend to treat the church in the same way without fearing concequences. In the same way, there are times where God leads individuals through a process of meekness. However, as a congregation in light of the morally declining society, it is a hard lesson and important step to openly face the charges. That way the E. church can't just hustle the A. denomination out of their ancient, history-laden and valuable building without having the A. denom. facing the trial with the most honorable boldness to claim what has been theirs for certuries. I greatly admire these brethren. I just think it a weird twist to the story that one of these churches has been turned into a mosque. How bizarre... Great point. I think it's one of the reasons why Paul had the city officials escort him personally out of prison in Acts 16:37. The way they had treated him before violated Paul's legal rights as Roman citizen. Yet by demanding to openly be escorted in broad daylight he first and foremostly helped the newly founded church. If the magistrates got away with mistreating and then dispatching Paul in a cloak-and-dagger operation, they might tend to treat the church in the same way without fearing concequences. In the same way, there are times where God leads individuals through a process of meekness. However, as a congregation in light of the morally declining society, it is a hard lesson and important step to openly face the charges. That way the E. church can't just hustle the A. denomination out of their ancient, history-laden and valuable building without having the A. denom. facing the trial with the most honorable boldness to claim what has been theirs for certuries. I greatly admire these brethren. I just think it a weird twist to the story that one of these churches has been turned into a mosque. How bizarre...

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