Where are all the Acts 2:38 folks (3-steppers)??

[ChristopherHall]

In the wake of hearing about an Islamic extremist killing a world leader and blowing himself up...I'm realizing why the world doesn't take Apostolics seriously.
Muslims are dying for what they believe. Catholics are dying for what they believe...we on the other hand....we compromise the truth for the sake of debate on web forums. Frankly...I don't take us seriously either.

They love their Allah more than some of us do our Jesus.

[Brother Price]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

In the wake of hearing about an Islamic extremist killing a world leader and blowing himself up...I'm realizing why the world doesn't take Apostolics seriously.
Muslims are dying for what they believe. Catholics are dying for what they believe...we on the other hand....we compromise the truth for the sake of debate on web forums. Frankly...I don't take us seriously either.

They love their Allah more than some of us do our Jesus.

I know this is not talking to me. I love my Jesus with all within me. He saved me from my sins when I repented and asked forgiveness. I love Him enough to die for Him!

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Brother Price

I know this is not talking to me. I love my Jesus with all within me. He saved me from my sins when I repented and asked forgiveness. I love Him enough to die for Him!

Ok...you repented and asked his forgiveness. He had believers be baptized throughout his ministry and commanded the church to do so in the Great Commission. If one refuses baptism as a necessity, they are doing violence to the very teachings of Jesus Christ.

If one says they love Jesus in one breath...and then discounts his teachings with the next, I'd say their love and devotion is questionable at best.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

In the wake of hearing about an Islamic extremist killing a world leader and blowing himself up...I'm realizing why the world doesn't take Apostolics seriously.
Muslims are dying for what they believe. Catholics are dying for what they believe...we on the other hand....we compromise the truth for the sake of debate on web forums. Frankly...I don't take us seriously either.

They love their Allah more than some of us do our Jesus.

PREACH!!!!!!!

[scotty]

Originally Posted by pelathais

That really is a more complex issue and I'm sure it confounds the admin team at times. For example:

My beliefs tend to put me in the "1 Stepper" camp. When it comes down to the term "Apostolic doctrine" I am persuaded that I am following in the truest pattern of Apostolic teachings and beliefs as evidenced by the writings of the early 20th century Apostolic pioneers.

However, when an ardent "3 Stepper" comes into the fray, they may feel threatened when I don't agree with their statement "All 'trinnies' are LOST!" I can support my argument from the Bible and especially from the writings of our early 20th century Apostolic pioneers. Yet my "3 Stepper" brother may complain that I'm "tearing down" Oneness doctrine.

How should the admin team handle something like this?

Easy brother, this falls within the realm of debate "within" the apostolic beliefs, yet if started , that debate should be policed so as not to allow other posting that are obviously not even close to apostolic doctrine, ie. all are saved in the end, once saved always save, etc. Let those post debates against our doctrine in a different area,

People this very question is why this thread was started. A thread gets started that debates the Apostolic Doctrine with in itself then gets hijacked by those whose post are degrading, insulting, and/or anti-apostolic in any belief. That is when most of us here walk away, some leave the board for a while and some just go to other parts of the board, either way what started out as an awesome debate amoungst saints of God gets taken apart, dissasembled and the remains resembles the aftermath of a war zone with little if any sign of Apostolic Friends what so ever.


STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Brothers and Sisters of AFF,
As Bro. Ferd has said, there are some good debates among the Apostolic beliefs going on right now. Go back through the pages with one question in mind, where are the anti-apostolics?
Thats right, they are not here. WHY?!? BECAUSE WE ARE HERE.!!! Divided among ourselves, yet united as saints of the gospel. There are one or two post from them but they have not hijacked this thread despite our doctrinal debate.

While we have come together to stand for our forum, we lost a spiritual battle as evidenced by this thread. Whenever others who would tear us down appear on a thread, there should have been a show of power of those here now flooding that thread as we have flooded this one. Instead we have allowed them to pick us apart to the point they have almost hijacked the whole board and coralled us into one thread (this one) arguing and trying to figure out how we got here.

This is not Admin. Friends Forum, it is the Apostolic Friends Forum!! It is our board, our belief, our gospel!! If anyone turns away from a thread hijacked by those against us, it better be to call in the rest of the forum and make a stand!

(PS .. there are some here who have asked questions of me I have not answered, You deserve a reason. This thread has branches going into different debates, which was not Matts intention. I could start 20 threads on just the questions asked of me. I will try to return responses asap but would prefer to do so on threads pertaining to that subject. If you require an answer or understanding of me that can't wait, then please pm me. Thanks, and God Bless you all)

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by scotty

Easy brother, this falls within the realm of debate "within" the apostolic beliefs, yet if started , that debate should be policed so as not to allow other posting that are obviously not even close to apostolic doctrine, ie. all are saved in the end, once saved always save, etc. Let those post debates against our doctrine in a different area,

...


This is not Admin. Friends Forum, it is the Apostolic Friends Forum!! It is our board, our belief, our gospel!! If anyone turns away from a thread hijacked by those against us, it better be to call in the rest of the forum and make a stand!

(PS .. there are some here who have asked questions of me I have not answered, You deserve a reason. This thread has branches going into different debates, which was not Matts intention. I could start 20 threads on just the questions asked of me. I will try to return responses asap but would prefer to do so on threads pertaining to that subject. If you require an answer or understanding of me that can't wait, then please pm me. Thanks, and God Bless you all)

I appreciate your concerns Scotty, but I'm still looking for answers.

I'm afraid I haven't had an opportunity to get to know you, but I would like to point out a problem I have with the underlined statement above (underlined by me for emphasis). While I share your democratic sentiments about life on the board, for all practical purposes the AFF board does belong to a group of people and the Admin team is delegated to at least try and keep the whole project on course. To be successful they obviously have to allow a certain spontaneity and chaos to reign, but that's part of the fun too.

However, it really is their board. If BOOMM were to insert a script limiting access to only Ubuntu users, then that's just the way it goes. Either ditch Windows or move on to about.com. It's their board. (I've broken up this response into two parts... and that was a rather rude ending, so please continue reading).

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Originally Posted by pelathais

I appreciate your concerns Scotty, but I'm still looking for answers.

I'm afraid I haven't had an opportunity to get to know you, but I would like to point out a problem I have with the underlined statement above (underlined by me for emphasis). While I share your democratic sentiments about life on the board, for all practical purposes the AFF board does belong to a group of people and the Admin team is delegated to at least try and keep the whole project on course. To be successful they obviously have to allow a certain spontaneity and chaos to reign, but that's part of the fun too.

However, it really is their board. If BOOMM were to insert a script limiting access to only Ubuntu users, then that's just the way it goes. Either ditch Windows or move on to about.com. It's their board. (I've broken up this response into two parts... and that was a rather rude ending, so please continue reading).

This WILL NOT happen.

We are even easy on those Mac users.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by BoredOutOfMyMind

This WILL NOT happen.

We are even easy on those Mac users.

LOL! It's just that new avatar seems to reveal so many things about you that I never considered before.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by scotty

Easy brother, this falls within the realm of debate "within" the apostolic beliefs, yet if started , that debate should be policed so as not to allow other posting that are obviously not even close to apostolic doctrine, ie. all are saved in the end, once saved always save, etc. Let those post debates against our doctrine in a different area,
...

Next, you started to address my question, but I don't know if you've considered the implications of "within Apostolics." Our Apostolic pioneers in the early 20th century were all Trintarians at one time. "Within Apostolics" included discussion promoting the doctrine of the Trinity and many other topics that are not always thought to be "Apostolic" by some people today.

Further, ever since 1945 there has been a very strong move by some to remove Apostolic material and writings from the books published by the Pentecostal Publishing House. Why are some things considered to be "acceptable" Apostolic material and other things are said to be unacceptable? At the PPH the decisions were and are made behind closed doors by a small handful of men. Why are these guys the "guardians" of what is to be considered Apostolic?

Boards like AFF and its predecessors sprang up to allow a fuller discussion of these issues that were being silenced by officialdom. We should follow that spirit and allow for frank but respectful dialogue. There is a lot that has been swept under the rug. It's nice to learn about some of the bumps in the carpeting that we've been stumbling over for so many years.

I know for a fact that I could get a good fight brewing simply by preaching A.D. Urshan's doctrines and telling everyone else that "You're not Apostolic because you don't follow our great Apostolic pioneer, A.D. Urshan!" From your posts, I think that you would fall into this catagory of "non-Apostolics."

So what are the admins to do? Kick Scotty off the board for not being an Apostolic? What if we instead insert the name S.G. Norris? Or Howard A. Goss? What about men who were as diverse as John H. Dearing and W.T. Witherspoon?

From reading your posts over just the last few days, Scotty, my impression is that you don 't really line up with any of our Apostolic pioneers. Should I mount a campaign to get you banned?

I don't think I will. But, for the admin team; How do I answer Scotty when he asks me "What are you talking about- not lining up?" To be fair to Scotty I would have to give a good accounting of myself, and in the end, brethren, you know I'm right. The policy of exclusivism was never Apostolic until just recently.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by pelathais

From reading your posts over just the last few days, Scotty, my impression is that you don 't really line up with any of our Apostolic pioneers. Should I mount a campaign to get you banned?

Really? I would be curious to know what post that would be?