One Right Church

This has been on our minds again. It never really leaves. In this encore episode, we discuss the doctrine of rejection. Followers of Christ, like other groups, practice shunning or rejection because it was taught from the beginning. We look at the teaching and biblical ideas behind that practice.

Does God still speak? Or, more specifically, does he say new things? In this episode, we talk about how God reveals Himself. It is common for churches that consider themselves the one right church to seek new or additional revelation through a called or appointed man. How can you trust that God is speaking? We hope our discussion helps you discern the voice of God.

It has been said that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. One characteristic of the One Right Church is that a secondary issue becomes primary. The church begins to focus on something that isn't the main thing. Then, either peer pressure or a dominant leader enforces the importance of the secondary thing. The primary thing disappears when the secondary becomes too important. In this episode, we talk about a tragic turn that this took recently, when a family in the Followers of Christ failed to seek medical care for their infant. It is a sobering reminder to keep Jesus, not an auxiliary belief, central.

The name of our podcast is The One Right Church. But what is it? What makes a church the one right church? We thought it would be worthwhile to discuss a list of characteristics that, I hope, will help you know if you are in a situation that might fall into the category of the "One Right Church."

In this episode, we talk about the hard things. What do you do when you are afflicted? Why would God let bad things happen to you? And, to the point, is how you handle the pain in your life really helping you? We hope this episode on affliction is helpful to you. More than that, we hope the fact that your life isn't easy will help you know Jesus. He suffered, too. He chose his hard things for your good. Isaiah 53:4-7 connects our affliction and the affliction of Jesus! Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. Affliction can help you know and love Jesus!

Prayer is a mystery and a privilege. Prayer is to being a Christian as conversation is to marriage. In this episode, we discuss what makes prayer effective and why we should pray. Christian prayer is distinguished by having Christ Jesus as a great high priest. It isn't just that Christ makes prayer Christian; he makes it successful. We hope this will help you pray more and better.

Shame can be the central tool of a group. That tool is used to control or shape the behavior of members. Some entire cultures are known as Shame/Honor cultures. When a group exercises shame, it looks like the threat of being cast out, publicly censured, or humiliated. This becomes a powerful means of control. In Galatians 5:1, Paul writes: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Healthy faith communities liberate rather than subjugate. In this episode, we expand our look at shame to the group to which one belongs. Shame can become an invisible tool of control. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.