I understand your initial reaction and I applaud you for at least thinking about this enough to ask your fellow community.
A Christian chat room really isn't the place to say that Jesus Christ isn't the savior of the world (and yes, believing that any and every religion will send you to heaven is EQUIVALENT to that statement). I don't see why that member would choose that setting to say what they did.
However, I do agree that these issues need to be taken with grace. I can understand members' concern for turning the chatroom into a hotbed of controversy that eventually degenerates into hurt feelings and irrational insults. So for the sake of the chatroom, I would avoid argument.
But Biblically, we're not supposed to debate? Give me a break. Jesus flipped over tables when the temple was turned into a marketplace, Paul said if a brother/sister in Christ (one who testifies that they ARE, indeed, Christian) continues to sin and doesn't listen to anybody then the church should no longer fellowship with them as a brother/sister in Christ. Elijah has a showdown with the prophets of Baal and then kills them all afterwards. How does the theme of NEVER debating or even sharing the truth of our faith reflect the context or outcome of these stories? This isn't somebody on the street, this is a registered member of a CHRISTIAN site.
Maybe you could converse with them via a private message and ask them about what they meant? That would be the best advice I can give.
You know, I may have only gone once or twice before. I have to say I enjoy it a whole lot. Dining alone is kind of weird to me, at least at restaurants..... the moment you walk in the door the host (or hostess) says "table for 2?" then the waiter/ress asks "are you waiting on anyone?" and then people glance at you and have that look of pity mixed with wonder.... did she get stood up? Bleh. No thank you. I don't go out alone to be noticed.
However, movie time is so different. You enter, take your seat, lights dim down, and suddenly you and everyone else partakes in the entertainment you all paid too much for. AWESOME.
Now, I must admit, I've never gone to a "new" movie alone, one of those which had a full house. Usually the theater was pretty empty. Like I said, loved it. :)
So I am interested in Africa! I've been to Kenya once (only country in Africa that I've been to) and I want to return to Africa. I am currently working on a master's in math and would like to use that while on the field. But honestly, I know very little about missions. I went to a seminary and learned a lot, but..... I still don't know very much about the paperwork and process to get on the field. I'm sure that varies by denomination: I am A/G (Assemblies of God).
Anybody have some advice about where to go from here? Anybody wanna volunteer to be my mentor? hehe :P
I am praying about direction and would appreciate your prayers as well.
Dealing with a Christian friend and their non-Christian spouse
Posted : 21 Apr, 2010 04:28 PM
Hi all,
My best friend was dating this guy on and off for like 3 years. She is a Christian (usually struggling with her faith) and he was not at all. Their relationship was highly unstable and I did try to advise her against really committing herself to a guy who not only respected our Lord but who also (in my opinion) did not fully respect her. I did this with much sensitivity and tried to really pick key moments to bring this particular topic up. Usually I remained very encouraging.
Well, a few months ago she got engaged to this guy, much to everyone's surprise. In the process of her engagement she received various messages and sat through numerous conversations all stating that she was making a big mistake. Out of frustration she pushed the wedding date approximately 3 months after the engagement.
There's a LOT of drama I am not sharing relating to the above paragraph. Anyways, she asked me once if I thought she was making a mistake to marry a non-Christian and of course I said yes. We suddenly were not on good terms anymore (understandably so, who wants to hear that from your bff?)
Well, wedding plans continued, I tried my best to be supportive and encouraging. I mean, she knows my opinion so what she does with it is no longer in my jurisdiction. She is married, has been for about three weeks.
I don't know what to do. Now that she is married my next plan is to pray for her and help her improve her marriage and hopefully bring her spouse to Christ. But how? She says things about God being awesome but I just feel like it's kind of superficial in light of how she lives her life. What can I do???
