Greetings ALL

I became a fully surrendered Christian to God in 1984. Before that time I had given my life to Christ but was not obedient due to various reasons. My home church was a Southern Baptist Church. None of my family was religious during my growing up years and neither were any of my friends.

Once I surrendered to Christ with the help of an Assemblies of God attendee, I followed my parents to Faith Center, a Word of Faith Church. My parents had gone there for a little while. I was about 25 at the time.

I had a message from God telling me that my wife would be Judy. The message came to me while I was away for training for eighteen weeks. It came in a dream. I knew when I got home that we would go out for a date. Around Christmas God told Judy that I was the one for her. We both had seen each other once before. But we had never spoken.

We dated starting January 1st twenty-two years ago. Then, we got engaged seven weeks later. And finally married on October 18th.

I seemingly fit in to Faith Center right away. I had a testimony of what God had done for me. He delivered me of some sin habits that I developed during my adolescent years. He helped me to understand who I am in Christ and completed the reconciliation that started in my life at about eighteen years of age.

I got involved in many ministries including: Children’s, Choir, Evangelism Explosion, and Deliverance. My eventual ministry, which I believe God wired me for, is apologetics. I started going to “Nationally known Kevin Johnson of Mount Carmel Outreach” apologetics class.

During the first few years of involvement at Faith Center and Mount Carmel Outreach, I had heard that there were people who left Faith Center and bad mouthed it. Well, the usual comment was that they had a bitter spirit or lacked faith. Being one of the “Spiritual” leaders of Faith Center, I bought in to those reasons.

While studying the scriptures, I found some problems with the Word Faith movement. It seemed that they left some important things out of their formulas. First God’s will isn’t necessarily our will. Our idea of good for us isn’t necessarily God’s idea of good for us. Finally, God is sovereign not man. The rampant personalization and out-of-context use of scripture was more like incantations of people hoping to somehow hit the spiritual lottery.

The first great error that I encountered was the JDS (Jesus Died Spiritually) doctrine which sent up a huge flag. I found that many Word Faith Teachers/Preachers taught that Jesus did not pay for our sins on the cross. It was actually done in Hell. Then he had to be Born Again (BAJ).

The second problem I ran in to was that the teachers/preachers also taught that you are a little god. More flags went up.
I mentioned these items to someone who had called my home. Her husband went to the pastor and said that I was trying to be a schismatic and cause trouble. He also said that I was sending a petition around to get Word Faith books out of our store. At this point, I had not considered these things. I eventually asked the pastor to remove them. Of course, that did not happen. A side note, that man was later to be found addicted to cocaine during this time frame. He recently died a painful death.

There was much travail in my home and spiritual life. My wife and I left the church. We came back for a short time. But, that was it. A woman even told my wife that she had every right to leave me.

I began to study and learn all that I could on the Word Faith Movement. Most of the books were short with some good points. But they were not giving me the full value that I needed.
Some of those books were:

The Born-Again Jesus of the Faith Movement, Judith Matta
JDS: The Jesus Died Spiritually Heresy, Hobart Freeman
The Health and Wealth Gospel, Bruce Barron

I finally found a book by D.R. McConnell called, A Different Gospel. This book hit it all on the head. The historical roots of the Word Faith movement were the metaphysical mind science cults. And probably two years later, Christianity in Crisis was released. This was another solid book documenting what these guys were actually saying. One last book that I read recently was “The Word Faith Controversy” by Robert Bowman.

In a nutshell, if there were no “Little gods” doctrine or BAJ/JDS, I would have stayed at Faith Center much longer.

Recently, the last two plus years, I have gotten back in to apologetics. There was a two-fold reason. First, I had a Mormon come to my door and though I knew what to say, I was rusty. Second, my son attended an Assembly of God School which is loaded with Word Faith adherents.

Well, a year later, I got to defend the faith again with some visiting Mormons. And, my son had some questions about what some of his friends believed. I was able to clearly explain the Orthodox Christian perspective and show the error of the WoF system.

While spending time at CARM, I met Tallen who is solidly a Reformed-believer and is a strong proponent of the Confessions. He has had a profound impact on my understanding of Reformed Theology. I had a general understanding of the Confessions. I adhered to the London Confession mostly due to my SBC background. Since, I have taken time to research and write about, “The Three Forms of Unity”. And have begun to use the WCF as a resource when discussing doctrine with those of the cultic or heterodox persuasion.

I love systematic theology. I have A.A. and Charles Hodge, Berkhof, and Thiessen as resources. My library does include The Christian Institutes. I am a BIG R.C. SPROUL fan. I must have 7 or 8 of his books.

I do have a sticking point in my theology. I am firmly covenantal in my eschatology. I lean towards Partial-Preterism or perhaps some version of Post- Millenialism. I have taken the Amill position before. In some respects, I’m a tweener. I’m between these various views not knowing which to hold to. So, in this area, have patience with me.

Shalom,

The Big Dog, a.k.a. YP

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Joseph R. Guth Jr. Deacon (In Training) Community Bible Church of Rockford

Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.

Martin Luther (1483 - 1546), Luther's Response to the Inquisition at the Diet of Worms

Welcome, Sir. Please forgive me, but I did not read all of your introduction (yet).

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules-Signature Requirements-Suggestions?

Welcome.

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B.B.
Elder
GBC

Deo volente

Welcome.

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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA
Church Blog

"there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, who loves us more than Jesus Christ"
Belgic Confession, Article 26

So do you still receive prophetic words from God?

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Davidius
Member: First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham (RPCNA) - Durham, NC
Student: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, German Literature and Classics

And though the really inspired artist may complain that, with the majority, piano-playing is mere strumming, and painting little more than daubing, yet, the exuberant feeling of having a share in the privileges of art is so overwhelming, that the scorn of the artist is preferred to the abandonment of art training in education. To have laid a production of your own, however poor, upon the altar of art becomes more and more the characteristic of an accomplished civilization. - Abraham Kuyper

Greetings and Mega Dittos!



Sproul good is he!

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

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John J.
Member Christ Prebyterian Church (OPC) Preparing For Eldership
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.christpres.net
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...
Currently reading Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship

Welcome

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Donnie MacLeod
Westminster PCA, Atlanta, GA
MDiv Student Covenant Theological Seminary

You filled my heart with greater joy
than others may have found
As they rejoiced at harvest time,
when grain and wine abound.Ps 4:7, Sing Psalms 2003

Welcome, sir!

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Jacob Mearse
Racine Christian Reformed Church
Student, Reformed Theological Seminary (Virtual)
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
Husband to April; Daddy to Wesley, Cyrus, and FaithMarie.

Welcome to the Puritan Board.

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"On land, at sea, at home, abroad, / I smoke my pipe and worship God." -- J.S. Bach

Welcome!

__________________
The man who is disposed to think of his sin as a great calamity, rather than as a heinous crime, is not likely either to reverence God or to respect His law. - John Kennedy, 1873
Meg
Blog

Member, Intown Presbyterian Church,PCA, Portland, OR

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements

To the Puritan Board, hmmm. are you!

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Sterling Harmon
Coventry, CT
PCA
Deacon
________________

"Whatever is laudable in our works proceeds from the grace of God."
-- John Calvin, Institutes III:xv.3.

"Our Lord God must be a good man, to be fond of worthless fellows. I cannot like them, and yet I, myself, am one."
-- Martin Luther, Table Talk

Not on who I am to marry.

Welcome

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Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church

Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
My Blog

Welcome

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Dennis E. McFadden
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

Welcome to the Purtianboard!

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How often have you wondered why Christ should set His heart upon such a one as you! --Octavius Winslow

Lon Wadkins (Jesup, Iowa)
New Covenant Fellowship, OPC
Independence, Iowa

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)
http://reformedcovenanter.wordpress.com/
The Regulative Principle of Worship: Explained and Applied (Xulon Press)
A Conquered Kingdom: Biblical Civil Government (Reformed Worldview Books)

Greetings!

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~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

Heylo!

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Nikki Edmond
New Beginnings Believers Bible Fellowship (Family's Church), Non-Denom
Los Angeles, CA
www.haveatulip.com - Chat Room for Reformed Believers
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

to the PB. Nice to have you.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
Teacher Aide, Union County Public Schools, NC
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

Good to see you brother, be not weary in well doing.

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Ted Clore
Cascades Fellowship (CRC)
Jackson, MI

Joseph,

Welcome to the Purtian Board!

You are close to me being in Rockford. In the next few weeks my wife and I will be moving to the Rockford/Beloit/Poplar Grove area (obviously we haven't quite pinned down a place to live yet). I work at the Beloit Wal-Mart as an assistant manager and I am the pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church in Poplar Grove.

Perhaps we can find time for a visit. Presently I live in Burlington, WI. The drive is killing me and my wallet!

Again, welcome, sir!

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Ivan Schoen, Pastor
Maranatha Baptist Church
Poplar Grove, Illinois USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org/
Husband to Nancy
Father to Sherril, Sarah, Kathryn
Grandfather to Phillip
Faith is the refusal to panic. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

I know where Marantha is. I have seen your church numerous times on my way to Edward's Apple Orchard. I did see your name earlier and your location, Poplar Grove. I was hoping to connect with you once I re-found your profile! Blessings Brother...