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First Page True Stories

Truth really can be stranger than fiction.

First Page - Now launched! All the stories are true, or based on real events. Unlimited reading for $4.99 / month. No downloads. Read on your phone, tablet or computer.

La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.

First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.

Manna Minutes Christian Podcast

Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.

Podcast cristiano Manna Minutes

El podcast Manna Minutes: ¡Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.

Manna Minutes Christian Podcast

Manna Minutes Podcast Auf Deutsch: Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.



Is The Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate Of God? Or Is It Evil?

Did you know the Word of God (the Christian Bible) speaks directly against what governments are doing with Covid-19 vaccine mandates? Get the facts here

¿Viene de Dios el mandato de vacuna contra el Covid-19? O ¿acaso es malo?

¿Sabía que la Palabra de Dios (la Biblia cristiana) condena de manera directa lo que los gobiernos están haciendo a través de los mandatos de vacuna contra el Covid-19? Obtenga los hechos aquí.


 

The Third Man by Angela Sheffield

Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?

The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!


Should A Christian Practice Yoga Or Pilates? The Shocking Truth

Perhaps you practice yoga for health reasons, or to reduce stress. But, do you really know the diabolical goal of any form or style of yoga, including pilates? Get your answers here

La verdad espeluznante sobre el yoga revelada por la Biblia cristiana

Quizás practiques yoga por motivos de salud o para reducir el estrés. Pero, ¿realmente conoces el objetivo diabólico de cualquier forma o estilo de yoga, incluido el pilates? Obten tus respuestas aquí.


Communicating With The Dead: Learn The Shocking Truth

The spirit you think is mom, dad, or some other loved one from beyond the grave is NOT your loved one. But, what about the "proof" that the living can indeed talk to the dead? Let God's Word open your eyes to a deception that is pure evil. Read Spirits Of The Deceased

Comunicarse con los muertos: La impactante verdad

El espíritu que parece ser tu madre, padre o algún otro ser querido tuyo desde el más allá NO es tu ser querido. Pero, ¿qué hay de "la prueba" de que los vivos pueden comunicarse con los muertos? Permite que la Palabra de Dios te abra los ojos para que veas el engaño que es de la maldad pura. Te invitamos a leer ¿Están los muertos entre los vivos?

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sword

Capital Punishment Is Sanctioned By The Bible

Christians and believers in the Bible, the Word of God calls for the death penalty for first degree murder, rape, and other acts of violence. The Bible tells us to behold the goodness AND the severity of God whose Word--including in the New Testament--does NOT speak against capital punishment Read the scriptural proof now.

La Biblia sanciona la pena capital

Cristianos y creyentes en la Biblia, la Palabra de Dios pide la pena de muerte para el asesinato en primer grado, la violación y otros actos de violencia. La Biblia nos dice que contemplemos la bondad Y la severidad de Dios, cuya Palabra -incluso en el Nuevo Testamento- NO habla en contra de la pena capital. Lea ahora la prueba bíblica.


traducciones inglés español


Teofila Gottfried book

¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried

Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.


If I Am Not A Member Of A Local Church, Am I Wrong?

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"Not Forsaking The Assembling Of Ourselves Together..." Hebrews 10:25


First of all, let us say congregating with our brothers and sisters in Jesus, and having membership in a local church are two entirely different things. We do not deny that the Bible commands us to congregate. For the Scripture says, "Forsaking not the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another..." (Hebrews 10:25). What we do dispute is people telling you that you have to have membership within a local church. Hebrews 10:25 doesn't even mention the local church, much less membership in one. And given that we must not add to, or take away from God's Word, how can we stretch "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves" to mean "you have to join a local church"?

Do People Accuse You Of Looking For The Perfect Church?


Supporters of having membership in a local church are frequently quick to say, "There is no perfect church, you know." As if you didn't know that. At times, they use every type of tactic to convince you you're wrong if you don't belong to any local church. For example, a pastor shared an anecdote in which a young believer calls the apostles Paul and John for them to tell him where the perfect church is. The apostle Paul tells him about the problems of about ten churches to give him the lowdown on their condition: "They're competing a lot against one another in Corinth. There's jealousy, arguments, even fornication. In Ephesus, many people lack love. They're walking disorderly in Thessalonica. They take sides in Philippi. There are doctrinal problems, even heresies in Colosse. In Galatia, some are backbiting, and there's quite a lot of carnality. They're too tolerant in Thyatira. The Laodicieans are lukewarm. There are strange doctrines in Pergamos. And they're prejudiced against the Gentiles in Jerusalem." The anecdote ends with Paul telling him to stay where he is, which sends the message that each person should remain where he is, whatever the problems of his church may be.

Now then, we really should ask ourselves why the church of Smyrna was left out of the anecdote. Could it be because it's the only church that received no criticism from Jesus? And because it proves that the aforementioned problems do not have to exist in the church? Such truth interferes with his desire to emphasize his advice not to look at the sins in the local church. We read, "Unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things sayest the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich). And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried. And ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:8-10).

Why didn't the pastor mention the church of Smyrna? Could it be because it doesn't fit with his sermon in which he accuses those who haven't joined any local church of looking for the perfect church? He only mentions the churches with sins and problems. The carnal churches. The churches too tolerant. The churches with people who have no love. The churches where they "walk disorderly", have strange doctrines, and prejudices. Why is that? Could it be that he wishes to downplay the seriousness of the spiritual condition of those churches? To say "strange doctrines" softens the reality that they were doctrines of devils. And, leaving out the church of Smyrna sends the mssage that ALL churches are "congregations of men and women who leave their past life behind them, strive together to walk in holiness by obeying the Word, and being guided by the Spirit. But that...when all is said and done, they are flesh and blood men and women." According to the pastor, the "perfect" church does not exist here on earth. Translation: There is no church without one or more of the sins mentioned. What about the church of Smyrna? They received no criticism from the Lord. And what about the Scripture of Titus 2:12? It says, "Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, RIGHTEOUSLY, and GODLY in this PRESENT world"? "This present world" means ON THIS EARTH.

Plain and simple, the pastor's messages that teach that you're wrong if you don't become a member of a local church do NOT agree with the Word of God. And whenever we have teachings that go against Scripture, we should be suspicious.

Members Of The Universal Church


The pastor tries to make us believe that you can't bear fruit... That being members one of another is only possible when we're nearby. In other words, members of the universal church are not members of one another like members of the local church are with one another. But there's no passage or Scripture in the Bible that says there are various bodies and various Spirits. No. Ephesians 4:4 says, "There is ONE body and ONE Spirit."

If there's only one body, ALL the members of that one body have to work together. They should be united. They should love one another EQUALLY, independent of where they live. And who has heard of a healthy body whose members don't help one another? The body of Christ is spiritual, so of course its members are in various places. That's why the Bible tells us we should be in the same place...figuratively speaking. We read, "Be ye ALL of ONE MIND" (1 PETER 3:8).

First Corinthians, chapter 12 speaks of how the members of the body of Christ work. In no Scripture of that passage do we see the words "local church". It doesn't even make reference to a specific location. It is plain as day that the pastor is in error by teaching that God's children in China can't be members of Christ's body in a local church in France. Or that servants of Christ in a church in Brazil can't bear fruit by loving followers of Christ in Russia. Could this be why the Christians with this mentality don't bother to pray for their brethren persecuted for their faith...if those brethren congregate in a different church? Much less if they're in another country. What a shame. How sad.

We invite you to see for yourselves the universality of the international church by paying attention to what the Scriptures teach, not to the comments of a man whose personal opinions might have slipped into his sermon.

Greek Words Do Not Impress


To give credence to his teachings, the pastor begins talking about the meaning of Greek words used to speak of membership in the local church. He says that the meaning "behind" the Greek words translated prove that the authors were talking about physical closeness when they spoke of the congregation. Because "you can only love, console and exhort brethren when you're nearby." It's truly amazing that he overlooks the letters the apostle Paul wrote to love, comfort and exhort the brethren FROM A DISTANCE. It's as clear as day that he knew how to be an active member of the universal church, wherever he was physically located. How much more good can we do through the technology of e-mail, websites, and Skype, which allows us to look at the people with whom we're speaking!

The pastor harps on the first "records" of those who belonged to the local church. He speaks of when 3,000 people were added to the congregation in Jerusalem in order to emphasize the fact that there was a registry. And that the same Greek word used to speak of the census in the Old Testament was also used to speak of the church in the book of Acts. But look at what is said about the "membership" of that church: "There were added unto them ABOUT three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). "ABOUT three thousand" is not an exact figure. If it was truly a registry, wouldn't it be an exact number? And if we're going to be guided by what the church in the book of Acts did, why don't we do ALL that the brethren back then did? For we read, "All that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need" (Acts 2:44-45). The local churches don't even want to have all things in common. They do not "sell their properties and distribute the proceeds according to the need."

What's more is that the pastor sends the message that people who join mega churches don't want to have to give account to anyone. Does he not realize he just praised the growth of the church in Jerusalem that grew by approximately 3,000? Three thousand or so people make a mega church. Is he saying those people joined a large church to avoid having to give account to anyone?

The pastor harps on the Greek word used to refer to joining a church. But doesn't the Bible say, "A man shall leave father and mother, and cleave (join) unto his wife"? (Genesis 2:24). Yes, it does. And that was said before registrys ever existed. It's obvious we can join other people without our names being added to a registry.

¿Is Membership In A Local Church Needed To Resolve Conflict?


Another reason the pastor gives for the need to belong to a local church is the need to call the congregation together before which we can deal with conflict with brethren, because "we don't want to bring out our dirty laundry publicly." The pastor refers to the disciplinary process found in Matthew, chapter 18. Numerous churches play favoritism. They look down on poor parishioners, singles, and those who have come out of certain lifestyles. What's more is they hold in esteem the pastor's family, and the families of the elders, the deacons, and those with positions within the church. The Matthew 18 passage does not say that conflicts have to be resolved within the local church. What about the apostle Paul's letters in which he judged problems and conflicts, because he was FAR away from the brethren? The Spirit of God does not need physical closeness to work. The Spirit does not need membership in any local church to use whom He will. Does the Bible command us to congregate with brethren? Yes, it does. Does the Bible command us to belong to a local church? We do NOT see that anywhere in Scripture.

Recommended Christian Books and Bible Studies


Double Portion of Elijahs Spirit: Soul Transfer in the Bible?

True Paranormal Stories: Does the Christian Bible Explain the Fifth Dimension?

Spanish English Bilingual Bible Study and Sunday School Lessons

The Third Man by Angela Sheffield Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.



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