----- Original Message -----

From: Name And Address Withheld

To: reborn@oraclesofgod.org (Paul Stringini)

Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:09 PM

Subject: Churches

I found your revealings about Arnold Murray very interesting.  I started listening to him two years ago.  I too have DVD's and CD's and cassettes of his teachings because I thought I finally found a great teacher who studied verse by verse and chapter by chapter.  I was duped again. 

 

What church do you attend now, I wish I could find one if there are any.  How will I know, I guess the answer is to read the Bible  from beginning to end by myself? Please advise !

 

Thank You!!

 

XXXXXX XXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX, Tx.

----- Original Message -----

From: Paul Stringini

To: XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 1:59 PM

Subject: Re: Churches

I attend Spirit of Truth Church in Lyons Wisconsin.  (I left Spirit of Truth Church in May 2009, and dissassociated myself from it's ministry) I'm also webmaster for the church on our website at  spiritoftruthchurch.org (in May 2009 I also resigned from this position ) I can now recommend my Free Audio Bible Study Course

I do not recommend reading the bible from beginning to end, but that is just my preference, I would say that as a Christian you should make yourself very familiar with the new testament, foremost, but not to the neglecting of the law and the prophets, but the writings of the Apostles of Jesus are most critical, if you do not "get" that stuff, the rest is pointless.

 

I would not look for a single Church/teacher/group as the answer.  But also, it is a mistake to think that we can rely solely on ourselves for the answer.  The new Testament uses the analogy of the body to say,  "Can the eye say to the head, I don't need you?"  Part of what God has ordained for us is that we should grow in the faith in the company of other believers.  We should not be dead weight either, like babies who need to be fed and changed and burped.  So there is a balance between lone-ranger-land and glassy-eyed-follower (sitting in church).  We need to be studying for ourselves (truly, and not according to Dr. Murrays methods which are analogous to a two year old being guided on an Easter egg hunt by his parent, by that I mean that he teaches you to study the word in such a way that you will reach the same conclusions he does)  We study by ourselves and we must also learn from others (preferably not people on TV) 

 

Here is the hardest part, finding sincere people to study the word with, it seems like everyone has a doctrine and they all want to get other people to agree with them, everyone thinks that they have a special truth, It seems that God has made it so that no one has all the truth (not that we cannot have pure truth, but that to one person is not revealed all things.  We obtain a broader understanding when we are in fellowship with others who are also receiving instruction from God.  I get some, my brother gets some and together we see a greater measure of the truth.

 

I would be suspicious of unusual doctrines which are not spelled out in scripture.  I would also be suspicious of doctrines that do not account for all the scriptures on a subject.  Many times on the basis of one or two scriptures an entire doctrine is created despite the fact that there are ten that make it impossible. People make bad decisions like that all the time when studying, a lot of it is because of personal preferences and I-wish-it-was-so feelings, but we cannot let ourselves be guided by preference or even by what we can understand.  The bible is full of truths which people do not accept because they cannot understand how they could be so.    

 

Pr 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

 

1John3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

 

Most people, flat out, just do not believe these scriptures, mostly just because of their own prejudice and lack of understanding, or unwillingness to understand.

 

However you go about it, I pray that the Lord guide you and keep you,

 

Feel free to write me if I may be of any further assistance.

 

Sincerely,

Paul