Suggestions or warning signs when looking for a church?

[Sing4Him]

I would stay away from any churches that promote contemplative prayer, Rick Warren's PDL and any Spiritual Disciplines and formation, any Rob Bell (Nooma series, Velvet Elvis, Sex God)

Calvary Chapel has been outspoken against Emergent Doctrine so it is worth checking out.

At this point in my life, I would stay away from the SBC.
They allow many people to go to courses on "The Simple CHurch" which teaches Contemplative prayer practices... also the SBC bookstore "Lifeway" has a TON of eastern mystic authors.

Man can NOT "bring God down"

God is the one who decides to interact with man.


A believer does not need to "Empty themself" inorder to be "filled" with something. (esp in prayer)

We are ALREADY filled with the Holy Spirit.

How do we pray?

We come Boldly to the throne of grace! Heb 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace


and do we need mantra, repetitious prayer of any sort? Pray walks, Labyrinth, Centering prayer, Breath prayers?

NO.. Matt 6:7 says

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

[Mishka]

Thanks everyone for the great info!

[MattinLondon]

May I ask if anyone of the so called Alpha critics have ever done an Alpha Course? I happen to attend Holy Trinity Brompton and I am surprised that a tool that has introduced millions of people to Jesus Christ is being derided and attacked. The Alpha Course is an introduction to Christianity and it has been able to unite many denominations to offer this introductory to millions of people around the world to the saving power of Jesus Christ shows the power of the Holy Spirit. Where is the unity, do an Alpha Course and point out the heretic bits? Is there anyone of these board who can speak on behalf of God? I have heard testimony after tesimony of people who have done an Alpha Course and who have come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour . Before people start jumping on a bandwagon and attacking it look at the fruit it produces.The Alpha goal is simple to fulfil the Great Commission of Jesus. It is not denomination specific because last time I checked in the Bible neither was Jesus.

http://www.alpha.org

[Mishka]

May I ask if anyone of the so called Alpha critics have ever done an Alpha Course? I happen to attend Holy Trinity Brompton and I am surprised that a tool that has introduced millions of people to Jesus Christ is being derided and attacked. The Alpha Course is an introduction to Christianity and it has been able to unite many denominations to offer this introductory to millions of people around the world to the saving power of Jesus Christ shows the power of the Holy Spirit. Where is the unity, do an Alpha Course and point out the heretic bits? Is there anyone of these board who can speak on behalf of God? I have heard testimony after tesimony of people who have done an Alpha Course and who have come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour . Before people start jumping on a bandwagon and attacking it look at the fruit it produces.The Alpha goal is simple to fulfil the Great Commission of Jesus. It is not denomination specific because last time I checked in the Bible neither was Jesus.

http://www.alpha.org

Thank you for the reply Mattin! I recently went through the express version of the Alpha course and I enjoyed it. I didn't really find a problem with it as far as I can tell. I guess I just wanted to get some more info. I think it's important to be careful about being led astray. Do you have some good testimonies about ALPHA you could share? Anyway, thanks again for the comment.

[No2Flesh]

The best thing is to pray for guidance and let the Spirit lead you to where you should be.:pray


Amen.

This is EXACTLY what worked for me and my wife 1 month ago.:)

[MattinLondon]

There are loads of testimonies in various books I think one is called The God Who Changes Lives .... http://www.christianbookshops.org.uk/reviews/godwhochangeslives.htm ... anyway the most relevant testimony would be that of my wife. She was raised as a Mormon and thankfully God used Alpha as the tool to get her away from that dangerous cult. She now knows the real Jesus. As per the comment of Alpha not doing a talk on God the Father ... if we want to know about God the Father we study Jesus..

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."
(Colossians 2:9-10)


5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8Philip said, [B]"Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 14

[Sing4Him]

Is there anyone of these board who can speak on behalf of God?

What kind of comment is this one? Please explain.

Also.. Contemplative Spirituality is NOT Scriptural.

The Alpha course Promotes this, plus the men assoc. with this course have written a distorted Bible, called Renovare.

If you would read ths above commentaries you will see where this ecumenical course has it's roots.

Yes, God's word is sharper than a two edged sword and the lost will come to Jesus despite what is presented should the Holy Spirit deem so.

No believer should take part of something that has "darkness" in it.

If you see poison in your food, are you still going to eat it?

[MattinLondon]

What kind of comment is this one? Please explain.

Also.. Contemplative Spirituality is NOT Scriptural.

The Alpha course Promotes this, plus the men assoc. with this course have written a distorted Bible, called Renovare.

If you would read ths above commentaries you will see where this ecumenical course has it's roots.

Yes, God's word is sharper than a two edged sword and the lost will come to Jesus despite what is presented should the Holy Spirit deem so.

No believer should take part of something that has "darkness" in it.

If you see poison in your food, are you still going to eat it?


Have you done an Alpha Course? Do you have any of its material? Or do you consider anything posted on the internet as authoritative?

[funmudder]

Why is it that every time we have someone defending an apostate author or an emergent church course like Alpha, the poster completely ignores the long replies that have already DETAILED the heresy and biblical twistings?

Instead we get the "I can't refure the twisted lies taught so instead I'll just ask if you subjected yourself to this course first" two step.

Which when you think about it is part of the emergent craftiness too. Tell them they can not have an opinion based on the works of people that have proven their scriptural soundness time and again (unless of course those people agree with the emergent "relevant" lie of the day) that HAVE gone in and looked at what these Alpha courses have taught.

Word of Faith followers like this tactic as well. They refute the very quotes from their own false prophets that show them to be liars because they like their ears being tickled.

[Sing4Him]

Do you have any of its material? Or do you consider anything posted on the internet as authoritative?

Yes, and the Bible is our authority. period.

No Alpha attendee learns that they were therefore conceived in sin and born with a depraved principle of evil permeating their very nature

and the promotion of corporate prayer is Biblical unsound.

why??
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6:14

This course brings ALL different religions together. That includes non believers and some believers. This kind of prayer is wrong.