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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimonies?

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Lordoitagain
Member



Joined: 2008/5/23
Posts: 632
Monroe, LA - USA

 JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimonies?


When I ask this question, I am not referring to lives that have been encouraged, uplifted and edified by SI discussions. I am speaking of changes in doctrinal thinking or in ideas about Biblical principles that have truly been changed or affected as a result SI discussions. Are there any testimonies of Christians who felt that they were in error, and were enlightened to the truth as a result of discussions on this forum?

The reason that I ask is that I fear that many participants have wasted (possibly to the point of sin)many hours that could have otherwise been used in a much more eternally productive manner. If we search for people near where we live who do not even know “the basics” of Christianity and form home Bible studies with them, we can teach them (from ground up) in what we “know” to be sound Biblical teaching. In the process, they may even get saved and prepared for heaven.


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Michael Strickland

 2012/12/7 18:48Profile
hulsey
Moderator



Joined: 2006/7/5
Posts: 653
Missouri

 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

I don't know about the forums but the sermons have had a great impact on my life.


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Jeremy Hulsey

 2012/12/7 19:51Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:


The forums for myself have been a great place of encouragement, growth and challenge. Also I can testify God has used it greatly to connect like-minded brethren. Also at times the charity and love expressed amongst those on the forums has been a tremendous witness to many. It has been something that people have testified that there has been a marked difference between the SI forums and all other Christian forums on the internet.

This is only by the grace of God that there has been this fruit.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2012/12/7 20:12Profile









 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

The sermons first helped me. Then reading the forums and getting help from the saints here has helped a lot in addition. Doctrinally i have been here and there, realizing that the scripture is the final authority.

but yes my life has been changed by the counsel and spirit of the saints here. And i'm sure it will continue to benefit me.


I am learning how to approach situations with people groups like Catholics/JWs/Mormons/etc so its very important for me to understand the spirit in which we ought to go about our sharing the gospel. I realize the narrow road is the best and hardest (walking in the Spirit), so i'm hoping to grow in that area.

 2012/12/7 21:38
Lordoitagain
Member



Joined: 2008/5/23
Posts: 632
Monroe, LA - USA

 Re:



I perfectly agree that "at times the charity and love expressed amongst those on the forums has been a tremendous witness to many."

Although I don't get to participate in the forums as often as I'd like, I look at them often and often I find great encouragement in them. So often, my own thoughts are expressed by others very clearly on these forums because it is the same Holy Spirit working within each of us as we grow in our knowledge of the Lord.

I prefer to get my "news"information from SI because it is filtered through godly people who will post things that I would be more interested in.

The main emphasis of this thread is not necessarily the blessing that SI forums are to our lives, but I suppose that this question better fits what I'm asking:

" Are there any testimonies of Christians who felt that they were in error, and were enlightened to the truth as a result of discussions on this forum?"

So often hours and hours are poured into "proving my point" on the forums about some particular doctrinal position or view of and interpretation of scripture. I've been guilty myself. Often when one's view gets attacked or countered,volumes are written in defense of one's particular view, but to what avail???

What fruit has ever been accomplished on these forums for such intense arguing over different views of the scripture? Can ANYBODY testify that he saw the error in his thinking on a certain issue because of reading arguments on SI?

Can a witness step forth to prove that it is profitable???

As a personal testimony I can say that some of my own beliefs about issues such as church structure have been strengthened on these forums, but I don't know that I can say that I've actually been enlightened and changed a strongly held view of the scripture as a result of a debate on these forums.

We don't want to hear the words: "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness ..." because we unprofitably squandered our time proving our points, when God had other plans for our time.

How about it? Are there any witnesses?


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Michael Strickland

 2012/12/7 21:50Profile









 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

The doctrines that we hold to are being tweaked often. There have been people on here that have let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. I can feel it strongly in my spirit that was is being said comes directly from God. So yes, I have had to tweak the doctrine that I hold to and my mind is changing regarding repentance, a whole new world of thinking is developing.

 2012/12/7 22:05
PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re:

Dear brethren, I've always thought that prayerful participation in these forums is an excellent place to gather seeds whereby God can grow us in wisdom and grace. If the heart is right with God and man, and you come here without an agenda, God can do miraculous things in your spiritual life. It is this very principle many have understood, and the Spirit brings us back here again and again, to share, to express joy, to learn humility - and very often to rearrange our theological furniture. I truly believe that this is the warmest and most wonderful place on the internet and I am honored to be a servant here.

Naturally, a place like this will be attacked. The attacks, though, are for a season only, and God uses them to profit us all even greater. It is always a win-win situation with the Lord if you walk in His light and remember to humble yourself in every occasion. God always restores, cleans, renews. I see in this forum a microcosm of my actual walk with Christ outside this cyber-fellowship. I see the same seasons of attack, different occasions to abase myself, and times to share what God has been showing me in the midst of trials.

This place can be an absolute blessing if it is not abused with agendas or used as a soapbox to vent. And to answer the original question of the thread: yes, my life has been changed tremendously because of God using Sermon Index; I will even go as far to say it is the indirect cause of who I am today in Christ. Through SI's influence, God has given me many powerful tools of grace to build my faith and groom my understanding of His love for me in Christ Jesus.

Brother Paul


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Paul Frederick West

 2012/12/7 22:07Profile









 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

I find your question strangely difficult to answer brother. Inwardly I discern that since I have been reading the posts especially I have undergone a real inner change. But I cant put my finger on it and say precisely what it is. I think it has something to do with an wakening to an understanding of the Churches in North America. Why that should have benefitted me I really cant say. As a matter of interest I could not have conceived of the church in North America without this site. It has been really sobered to me.

Doctrinally I have shifted my understanding as well. But this is peripheral and still less clear to me. I can say without a doubt that I thank God the day I came across this site. I have really learned "something" which to me is a treasure and now that it has been buried in me for the future it is out of sight of my mind. It is real though to my spirit. Praise God for that. I have an expectancy because of it and a renewed sense of trusting the God of our salvation and a realisation that I have never really learned to trust God in the things which are personal to me, though as we all do, I trust Him with my eternal soul.

I take your point about wasting time to the point of sin. I can't speak for others but this has not been my own conviction. I have no interest in politics, never watch the news, never read any books other than Scriptures and hardly speak with other men save for the lost and one brother or sister here or there. Go figure that. For nearly 30 years it has been my portion to wait knowing that there is a revelation of things to come. SermonIndex has certainly awakened and stirred that expectancy and in that I am really encouraged.

It is also truly sad as well as in it are some sobering and difficult realities of men. It is a bitter sweet drink. But it is food for my soul and a rod and a staff to my spirit.

 2012/12/8 2:12
yuehan
Member



Joined: 2011/6/15
Posts: 562


 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

*deleted*

 2012/12/8 3:50Profile
yuehan
Member



Joined: 2011/6/15
Posts: 562


 Re: JUST CURIOUS … How many lives have been changed by SI discussions? Any testimoni

I've benefited greatly from the SermonIndex forum archives over the years. John Sung used to say that a believer's life was like a living Bible, and I am grateful for the many participants who have shared their journey with Jesus here.

I used to be part of a Charismatic church, during which I had concerns about certain practices. What I gleaned here was that God is more real than we could conceive Him to be, and there is indeed a baptism in the Spirit; yet there was also emphasis on the necessity for discernment. Every experience with God engages not only the emotions, but also the mind, the soul and the spirit - our whole being; and every such experience is always in perfect harmony with Scripture.

Some years back, I was acquainted with people whose denomination decided to discard the doctrine of the Trinity. Though the denomination had a global reach, the mother church was in Hong Kong and they had been officially labelled a cult. To help them out, I tried to compile various discussions on the Trinity - and SermonIndex was immensely useful in that.

Sometimes it seems to me that most of what can be asked can be found in the forum archives. I have benefited from the insights and sharing of many posters here, and I trust that I am not alone in that.

 2012/12/8 3:50Profile





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