Jesse Steele – Page 238 – Pacific Daily Times

July 26, 2012

The following statement was issued today by Billy Graham:

I want to express my support for my good friends Truett Cathy and his son Dan Cathy, and for their strong stand for the Christian faith. I’ve known their family for many years and have watched them grow Chick-fil-A into one of the best businesses in America while never compromising their values…

Each generation faces different issues and challenges, but our standard must always be measured by God’s word. I appreciate the Cathy family’s public support for God’s definition of marriage.

I also appreciate Governor Mike Huckabee’s leadership and for encouraging Americans to support Chick-fil-A on August 1…

Billy Graham is a strong advocate for the biblical definition of marriage and recently stated his public support for the marriage amendment in his home state of North Carolina, which voters resoundingly passed on May 8.

http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=8824 · · · →

In Blog

Why the West Misunderstood Willow Creek

Jesse SteeleJuly 25, 2012Leave a comment

In 1975, Bill Hybels and Dr. Bilezikian discussed a concept that would be one of the most impacting—and one of the most misunderstood—in the Western Church.

While they implemented may ideas, some of the more notorious included diligent research and feedback, emphasis on local community, and effective communication. These principals, and others, grew their numbers at a startling rate, and eventually drew respect of many in the American Church, including some of their largest opponents from their early years.

Why was their such a misunderstanding, though? And why do many Christian groups misrepresent what Hybels did at Willow Creek? Perhaps this is easier to understand if we review three closet assumptions held by many Christians in America…

1. Research and market feed back are shallow, aesthetically-focuses, and greed-driven, only used by top-heavy, bureaucratic, for-profit businesses.

2. Good Bible teaching must use big words that normal people shouldn’t understand. Since seminaries teach with big words, those big words must be taught to the plumber in the pew before he can understand the Bible… even though those big words aren’t in the Bible. · · · →

In Faith

Local Church Movement and Today

Jesse SteeleJuly 24, 2012

The Local Church movement of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee has been the source of much controversy over the last century, since the movement began in China, before the Communist revolution of Mao Zedong. Though there is room for improvements to the movement—as the Body of Christ remains an unfinished work of the Lord until His return—it offers significant insight into an understanding of healthy structure for many aspects of ministry function.

I have met with living witnesses who knew Nee and Lee very well. I have been given privileged information which I have been asked not to publish out of personal respect. While my sources shall remain anonymous, and while I will defend the credibility of my claims because that would compromise their anonymity, the reader must understand that I have had many talks and cups and cups of coffee with some of the oldest living Christians who were there in the beginning with Nee and Lee. · · · →

In Blog

No Joke

Jesse SteeleJuly 21, 2012Leave a comment

Zombies, perverts in airport security, and now the movie theater seats show the same criminal genius as the movie theater screen. Where did it start?

Rather than thinking legal/policy, just for a moment, connect the spiritual dots. The music and entertainment industry’s blatant agenda, tolerance without wisdom, hate is everywhere, immorality defended, murder aliased abortion, spite for the Ten Commandments… “Religious rules only oppress people,” they say. What’s wrong with forbidding murder? Wouldn’t it have been nice if the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not commit murder,” had been welcome in a Colorado theater at midnight on July 20?

Movies don’t kill people. Guns don’t kill people. Baseball bats don’t kill people. People kill people. Human beings give power to tools and inspiration of death and sadness—and we give such power through participation and tolerance of sin. What about giving power to tools and inspiration of Life? We can’t outlaw love for morals, then ban weapons of crime anymore than we can demand more jobs while punishing employers who create those jobs. · · · →