a writing tablet for my thoughts
Luke 1:63

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Some time ago, I posted 40 Theses with issues addressed by Henry Kriete in his letter, Honest to God. I asked if anything had changed, I mean really changed. A part of me would cringe when the answer would come back, “I don’t see scripture there, just opinions. Have you not read Romans 14:1?” It’s not a bad request at all to ask to see scriptures to back them up. It takes more time to explain it and work through it and that is what can be aggravating. However, the Bereans were praised for their noble character (Acts 17:11) in searching the scriptures - being accurate with the Bible is important!

It reminds me of an article I read thatasked, “Can we hold each other accountable with any degree of expediency if all our communication requires chapter, verse and cross-reference?” My response is, “where in the Bible does it say that God strives for expediency?” I read that we are to be patient with one another (Eph 4:2, 1 Thess 5:14). There are reasons that we should be ’slow to speak’ and ‘quick to listen’ (James 1:19). One of them is that we should speak with reverence as if we were speaking the words of God (1 Peter 4:11).

So, largely based on a list used in Los Angelos, here are twenty-six questions:

• Do we live as if the ICoC is the One True Church (improper study and usage between the ICOC as an organization and the universal church) (Luke 17:20-19) (Mark 9:38-41)
• Are we going to acknowledge doctrines where we twisted the Scriptures in order to be unique or ‘more radical’ than other churches? (2nd Peter 3:14-18)
• Will we honestly address the situations that happened in Indianapolis and Milan? (Romans 16:17-18) (3rd John 1:9-10)
• Will we continue to ask members to be unified as the answer to asking questions about church issues? (Acts 17:10-11)
• Will leaders still demand respect and trust instead of earn it? (Proverbs 10:9)
• Will the pulpit still be used to demonize those that ask questions? (3rd John 9-10)
• Will we address the deeper issues of heirarchal command or will we revert back to it? (John 13:12-17) (Luke 20:
  5-47)
• Do we still believe that all members must be ‘discipled’ by someone after they become Christians? (Acts 8: 26-40)
• Will our leadership continue to live in the best neighborhoods and earn disproportionate salaries compared to the members? (1st Corinthians 5:11) (Luke 12:15)
• Will we ignore the one to minister to the ninety-nine? (Luke 15: 1-7)
• Will we continue to worship each other instead of God? (Hosea 4:5-14)
• M. Self anointing (Jeremiah 23: 16-32)
• Will we acknowledge and unteach our doctrinal errors? (Ezekiel 34: 1-24)
• Will we continue to minimize the sins of the leadership? Will we continue to minimize the sins of other members? (3rd John 9-10)
• P. God’s Modern Day Movement=God’s Modern Day Pharisees (Philippians 3:1-11)
• Will we baptize people according to when it will ‘encourage the church’ instead of when a person wants to be saved? (Acts 11: 15-17)
• Will we continue to withhold restoring someone to membership because they do not appear to be ‘broken’? (1st Corinthians 3:6-7) (2nd Corinthians 2:5-11)
• Will we expect maturity among church members? (Hosea 4:5-14)
• Will we continue to condemn other denominations without knowledge? (James 4:11-12)
• Will we continue to value some spiritual gifts (like leadership, or singing ability) above others (like serving, helping, or encouraging)? (Ephesians 4:30) (1st Thessalonians 5:19)
• Will we ever promote sound exegesis as a model for all members? (Proverbs 1:23)
• Will there continue to be different standards of repentance depending on position in leadership? (Luke 12:41-48)
• Will elders ever be publicly rebuked? (1st Timothy 5: 17-20)
• Z. Fear of men instead of fearing The Lord (John 9: 20-23)

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