Sports bible verses

I have really strong faith in God but I feel like I’m not a strong enough Christian. I talk about Jesus all the time and people ask questions about the Bible to me. I love that they want to learn more but it gets me so down because I can’t answer the questions. Like I don’t feel like I’m well enough versed in the Bible. I’ve been reading the Bible but here’s a few of my dilemmas •I don’t know where to start •what parts do I highlight •how do I get the motivation to do it every day?
When I sit down to read the Bible I get so lost because I don’t know where to start.
Also, what are the main stories like Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, and so on.
I feel like I’m overthinking this but i would like some help pls ❤️

Even though I see the miracles that He keeps doing everyday. There are days were I keeps asking myself if he's real.
Then I have those depression thoughts coming in, and I start crying. I don't understand how I keep question my own faith in God when I know that he's here watching.
I love God. I do. But why do I question my own love for him. I read the bible daily. Either they are verses or chapters, I read at least once a day.

Guys after struggling my whole teenage and adult life I’m finally free.
It’s simple and easy to do and you’ve heard it a million times but until you understand it with all your heart, you will continue to struggle.
Believe in the Lord, repent, confess and walk with God daily.
I used to think to repent meant to turn from your sin. It doesn’t. If it was that easy, everybody would do it. Repent means to change your way of thinking. Repent means to make up your mind about your sin. You have to hate it. You have to decide that no matter what, you are going to change.
If you walk according to the spirit you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. This verse doesn’t say you might not carry out the desires of the flesh. It says you will not.
I finally started reading my bible everyday, praying everyday , going to church and I cut back drinking and started working out. I have no urges guys. I have no desire to indulge in this filth anymore. It’s gone. I pray you guys begin to understand how to break free. I know how it feels.
If you wonder if God has left you, he hasn’t. He’s made it clear he hasn’t left me .

This is another story from the small rural California town Grocery store that I run.
We’ve had this boomer coming in for years, on the surface he’s a super sweet old man, loves making conversations with the older employees, everyone knows him and mostly everyone likes him.
He used to come in seemingly only to brag about his great football star grandson. “My grandsons a football star, he’s gonna go to state and maybe get drafted by the NFL.” Always giving us updates, letting us know how he performed at the last game. He was so proud and it was nice and positive interactions all around.
Until one day he stopped talking about his football star grandson and started exclusively complaining about (drumroll) “…the Gays” from that day on he never mentioned his football star grandson again.
Then the only place left to go was downhill from there. Since then He started aggressively hitting on the teenage girl employees and straight confronted a Mexican family in the aisle to ask if they were illegal. I watched as he stared daggers at an interracial couple in line in front of him, and when it became his turn he asked if I remember the Bible verse that says to marry within your race. We have to shuffle stations around when he comes in so no teen girls clerks are stuck helping him because he WILL make them uncomfortable.
The older employees are still nice to him but I’m pretty sure everyone else hates him. He came thru my line the other day and asked if I wanna hear a joke, I said ‘no thanks’ so he launches into his joke about a squirrel and a raccoon, (already sounds racist) so I yelled ‘no! I said I don’t want to hear it!’
I’ll be glad when he dies, and most likely, so will his football star grandson.

Romans 1:26-28 TW "clobber" verses
Hi everyone, I don't usually post on here but I saw someone raise an interesting point which didn't get answered on a separate thread. I'm bisexual, and I've been deconstructing for the last year to equate my Christian faith from being someone who was previously deeply closeted and homophobic, to wildly supportive as an ally before realising oh heck wait.. I might not be straight either. I'm in an extremely strict Christian social circle, (evangelical) and tho I'm not out publicly, I've been put through the paces to explain myself (eyeroll) at why I'm not studying the Bible and coming to the same conclusions my homophobic friends are essentially.
Ultimately let me share my views: I very strongly believe the Bible has been edited again and again, to agendas of misogyny for example, due to the cultures of the time. However I fail to see how God would send good, loving, consensual homosexual people to hell with the likes of Hitler (for example) for loving the "wrong" person. All love comes from God after all. I believe that ANY healthy relationship, God has placed us into.
I've got answers for 3 out of the 4 "clobber verses" that I know, (the mistranslation argument that there were no loving consensual homosexual relationships in biblical times and what the various people namely Paul was addressing and in Leviticus was the fact that it was common practice for a Roman man to assert dominance on his slaves by raping them, and then (Lev) hiring male prostitutes was a sin.
However - I've realised if anyone questions me on where lesbian and gay sexuality is condemned in Romans 1:26-28, I haven't got an answer to hand except for repeating the above.
Much might still apply but I'm wondering if anyone's ever looked into the translations of this etc. I know it's told in a story context of "this people were evil worshipped false gods etc, and so God "gave them over" to "unnatural and lustful desires " in "exchange for the natural (straight) ones".
However it also talks about their sinful (straight) desires in the paragraph above as well.
This Could have been Paul's take on this story and he was deathly homophobic as we all know. I'm just wondering if anyone has a biblical answer I can shut Evangelicals up with 😆

Hi everyone, I don't usually post on here but I saw someone raise an interesting point which didn't get answered on a separate thread. I'm bisexual, and I've been deconstructing for the last year to equate my Christian faith from being someone who was previously deeply closeted and homophobic, to wildly supportive as an ally before realising oh heck wait.. I might not be straight either. I'm in an extremely strict Christian social circle, (evangelical) and tho I'm not out publicly, I've been put through the paces to explain myself (eyeroll) at why I'm not studying the Bible and coming to the same conclusions my homophobic friends are essentially.
Ultimately let me share my views: I very strongly believe the Bible has been edited again and again, to agendas of misogyny for example, due to the cultures of the time. However I fail to see how God would send good, loving, consensual homosexual people to hell with the likes of Hitler (for example) for loving the "wrong" person. All love comes from God after all. I believe that ANY healthy relationship, God has placed us into.
I've got answers for 3 out of the 4 "clobber verses" that I know, (the mistranslation argument that there were no loving consensual homosexual relationships in biblical times and what the various people namely Paul was addressing and in Leviticus was the fact that it was common practice for a Roman man to assert dominance on his slaves by raping them, and then (Lev) hiring male prostitutes was a sin.
However - I've realised if anyone questions me on where lesbian and gay sexuality is condemned in Romans 1:26-28, I haven't got an answer to hand except for repeating the above.
Much might still apply but I'm wondering if anyone's ever looked into the translations of this etc. I know it's told in a story context of "this people were evil worshipped false gods etc, and so God "gave them over" to "unnatural and lustful desires " in "exchange for the natural (straight) ones".
However it also talks about their sinful (straight) desires in the paragraph above as well.
This Could have been Paul's take on this story and he was deathly homophobic as we all know. I'm just wondering if anyone has a biblical answer I can shut Evangelicals up with 😆

So I've been wanting to build relationship with God since February and not that much has changed, I feel like I only want a relationship with God because I'm afraid to go to Hell, I had multipe times where I thought I was on fire for God but then went back to my fleshly desires, I see other belivers have different ideas on what a verse means for an example Hebrews 10:26, I've been getting in a habbit of reading my Bible more and I think it's making my faith stronger, but that Hebrews 10:26 verse keeps getting in my head, especially since I'm not a 100% sure, because the thing is I live in willful sin but I'm trying to stop I knew this verse for awhile but still couldn't get myself to stop my willful sin, my question is even if I do stop will God still forgive me, there's multiple ideas of what this verse means (1) That if you sin willfully that you can never be forgiven again. (2) that it talks about animal sacrifices (3) that it talks about apostates (4) it talks about people who hear the gospel but don't believe it, I just I hope it isn't the first one, I can't stand that I was foolish enough to keep on with my habitual sin after knowing this verse, but other than that I'm just really frustrated and tired, I think I may have to get off social media, I need to find a genuine brothesister in Christ that can help me with this, if there's actually still hope for me.

So I've been wanting to build relationship with God since February and not that much has changed, I feel like I only want a relationship with God because I'm afraid to go to Hell, I had multipe times where I thought I was on fire for God but then went back to my fleshly desires, I see other belivers have different ideas on what a verse means for an example Hebrews 10:26, I've been getting in a habbit of reading my Bible more and I think it's making my faith stronger, but that Hebrews 10:26 verse keeps getting in my head, especially since I'm not a 100% sure, because the thing is I live in willful sin but I'm trying to stop I knew this verse for awhile but still couldn't get myself to stop my willful sin, my question is even if I do stop will God still forgive me, there's multiple ideas of what this verse means (1) That if you sin willfully that you can never be forgiven again. (2) that it talks about animal sacrifices (3) that it talks about apostates (4) it talks about people who hear the gospel but don't believe it, I just I hope it isn't the first one, I can't stand that I was foolish enough to keep on with my habitual sin after knowing this verse, but other than that I'm just really frustrated and tired, I think I may have to get off social media, I need to find a genuine brothesister in Christ that can help me with this, if there's actually still hope for me.

I asked Microsoft Copilot "What is the purpose of man?" Below is the response. Aside from point 2, all of the other references were religious, with the summary saying our purpose should lead to God's glory. The sources it referenced were primarily religious, including Pat Robertson's awful CBN website. I'm not well-versed in AI technology, but this decidedly Christian slanted answer was disappointing. Maybe we anti-theists need a bigger online presence for AI to reference!
"The purpose of man has been contemplated by various perspectives, including religious, philosophical, and personal viewpoints. Here are some insights on the purpose of man from different angles: 1. Biblical Perspective: According to the Bible, the ultimate purpose of man is to glorify God. God created humanity for His glory, and our lives find fulfillment when we acknowledge Him as our Creator and worship Him. Living in relationship with God and faithfully serving Him aligns with this purpose. Additionally, God gave us dominion over the earth, emphasizing our responsibility to care for it (1). 2. Personal Growth and Excellence: From a personal development standpoint, a man’s purpose is to become the best version of himself. This involves striving for excellence, aligning with values and goals, and adding value to the world around him (2). 3. Stewardship and Righteousness: God wants us to be stewards of His creation, managing the world as His sons and daughters. Our purpose includes bringing about righteousness and growing in our relationship with God (3). 4. Four Basic Purposes: MorningStar Ministries identifies four basic purposes for man: Fellowship: To have fellowship with God. Cultivation: To cultivate the garden (which can symbolize our environment and relationships). Fruitfulness: To be fruitful and multiply. Dominion: To rule over the earth and all that is in it (4).
In summary, while interpretations may vary, common themes include honoring God, personal growth, stewardship, and contributing positively to the world. Ultimately, each person’s unique purpose should lead to God’s glory."
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Would it be unethical to make a 'moral tulpa'? Just something/one I can memorise bible verses with & also tell me off when I do immoral things (lying, stealing, instigating fights, et cetera et cetera).
I'm told that they are like living people, so I ask because I don't want to force the Tulpa into feeling pressured- but if s/he were to he created with that purpose, would they feel/want anything else.
This would be my first time trying to make a Tulpa. I do wish to take this with care, so if there is anything that could harm a Tulpa, I'd feel morally responsible, & I'd like to steer clear and avoid that.

Thinking about theology in 1 in the morning, something occured to me. There is a difference in the way that Catholicism and Protestantism think of sexuality.
Catholicism sees sexuality as fundamentally good. God created men and women, and set them up to form families and children, man with woman. Popes and bishops spend countless paragraphs of countless documents praising this divine plan. The divine plan is at the same time the natural plan, because God works through nature, as a primary cause working through secondary causes.
It occured to me that Protestantism doesn't do that, because of how central the role of original sin is to its view of human nature. Protestants generally do not treat nature, and particularly human nature, as something worth praising in itself, without the grace of God. Instead, we are given an emphasis on the sinfulness, debasement, brokenness of human nature, and as an extension of that, the inherent brokenness of human sexuality. The emphasis is not on God working through nature, but on God saving from nature.
This is why, when talking to well-meaning Protestants about gayness, one often hears them say "we are all broken", or that gayness is "just one sin among many".
This is in contrast to Catholics, to the popes and bishops who in their documents seem to have the attitude "let us just explain to you once again how glorious and wonderful nature is, and you'll be convinced that gayness is not the way to go, nor was it ever intended to be."
I find the Protestant view to be less unfair, in a way, even though it has its own problems, because under the Catholic view, gay/bi people have somehow missed the boat, and they are not participating in the amazing natural blessing of heterosexuality. A gay/bi person might start to consider (like I myself did) if under Catholicism I am some sort of cosmic mistake.
By contrast, the Protestant view can simply ignore this question of "who is and who isn't a cosmic mistake", because it answers we all are, apart from Jesus
Of course, conservative forms of Protestantism manage to botch their relationship to gay/bi people in their own way, mostly by obsessively taking out of context certain verses of the Bible. This is why I think conservative Catholics drive gay/bi people to despair using nature, while conservative Protestants drive them to despair using Scripture. They use different tools, which shows their different roots.
Thanks for reading!

After reading the post about Kristen's post about being pregnant and people's thoughts about her as a mother and the boys, I ended up listening to her podcast episode from last year about raising the boys and here are a few things that stood out to me.
1) She is very careful not mentioning anything about the boys pasts or time in Ukraine or bringing up trauma they might have or associated behaviours. They are clearly keeping the boys history and background private which not all adoptive parents do. There was a lot of care taken not discussing their private details or difficult stories about them but more surface level things that happen to anyone.
2) She talks about a lot about discipling the boys and incorporating God's word into their daily lives. Lot of it sounds heavy handed (you don´t need a bible verse for everything and kids are kids) but sounds like they are also working to teach the kids good communication skills.
3) This one surprised me, she mentions they are focused on making sure the boys know they can discuss anything with them and they have open and frank conversations with them about things.
4) "Christian masculinity" comes up a lot - teaching the boys how to be gentlemen, them doing "manly sports" seems to be a huge focus. Christianity is obvs a very strong thread in all they do (in good and bad ways).
5) They seem to focus a lot on one-on-one time with the boys and developing a relationship with them. Kristen talked a lot about not just teaching the boys or disciplining them but finding the time to have fun with them, enjoying them, as a key component.
6) She talked a lot about giving the boys responsibility and taking ownership of what they do. Sounds like there is a fair amount of chores they do and work (she dubs it extra work) but I did appreciate hearing that she encourages the boys to order their own food etc and be independent in their own decision making.
Overall it was an interesting listen. I am not trying to defend Kristen and neither do I think she is somehow a perfect parent or should not be criticised. But I also think it would be unfair to make entire assumptions and insinuations about her and her parenting when what we see online is very tiny glimpses of their entire lives. Both Kristen and Zach have clearly drawn boundaries about what they share about the boys publicly and their lives and I think we need to respect at least not discussing the boys or insinuate things about their past and current situation based on something we know nothing about. Their past and history is theirs to own, not for us to speculate on. It remains to be seen how the family will handle all the changes coming up but certainly I don't want to wish them ill or hope things will fail. I can only hope the best for them and what lies ahead.

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Introduction: Discover the Key to Fruitful Living

Have you ever wondered about the secret to a life full of joy, purpose, and fulfillment? Look no further than the depths of John 15:5. This powerful verse holds the blueprint for a flourishing life, deeply rooted in connection and divine wisdom. In an age of constant hustle and bustle, it’s crucial to pause and reflect on the source of our strength and success. Let’s dive into the profound lessons packed within John 15:5 and uncover the vibrant life that awaits when we embrace divine connection.

Exploring John 15:5: The Heart of Productivity

John 15:5 states, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” This verse is a cornerstone of Christian belief, illustrating the intimate relationship between believers and Christ. It emphasizes the importance of abiding in Jesus to lead a life that’s not only productive but also rich in spiritual fruitfulness. But what does this look like in practical terms?

• Dependence on Jesus: Recognizing that our strength and wisdom come from Jesus, not ourselves.
• Constant Connection: Keeping our hearts and minds in tune with God through prayer, worship, and reading the Word.
• Fruitful Living: Living in a way that reflects love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Applying John 15:5 to Our Lives

Understanding John 15:5 is one thing; living it out is another. It calls for a conscious effort to remain connected to Jesus, acknowledging that He is the source of our vitality and success. This connection isn’t a one-time event but a continuous, life-giving relationship that sustains and empowers us. Here are practical ways to live out this verse:

1. Start Your Day with Jesus: Begin each day with prayer and reading the Bible to set a foundation of dependency on Him.
2. Stay in Conversation: Make prayer a continuous dialogue throughout your day, remembering that Jesus is always with you.
3. Seek Guidance: Before making decisions, big or small, seek Jesus’ guidance, acknowledging Him as your ultimate source of wisdom.
4. Reflect Jesus: Aim to live in a way that mirrors the character of Jesus, impacting those around you with His love and grace.

Embracing a Life of Divine Connection

John 15:5 is more than a verse; it’s a way of life. It invites us into a dynamic and fruitful relationship with Jesus, the true Vine. By staying connected to Him, we are empowered to lead lives of significant impact, marked by spiritual growth and success. This divine connection offers us a lifeline, especially in times of challenge and uncertainty, promising that with Jesus, we can overcome and thrive.

Conclusion: Step into Fruitfulness with John 15:5

In an era that often celebrates self-sufficiency, John 15:5 reminds us of the true source of our strength and success. It calls us to a deeper dependency on Jesus, assuring us that a life rooted in Him is the most productive life we can lead. As we embrace this truth, let’s commit to maintaining our connection to the Vine, confident that our lives will bear abundant fruit as a result. Are you ready to unlock the power of connection and step into a life of divine fruitfulness? Let John 15:5 be your guide, and watch as your life transforms into a vibrant testament to the power of living in Christ.
Call to Action: Start today by setting aside intentional time to connect with Jesus. Whether it’s through prayer, reading the Word, or simply sitting in His presence, make that divine connection your priority. Let the truth of John 15:5 fuel your journey toward a life of unparalleled fruitfulness and fulfillment.
If you want to want to research more Bible Answers on your own, please try our Bible Answers GPT. It’s easy to get lost in the interesting responses you’ll find… every search is like a new treasure hunt 🙂
Source =

I've been looking for one to back up my argument on why God doesn't want homosexuality. I know theres something in lectivus, but I can seem to find it. Any help?

Over on the cryonet emailing list on groups io, Lou gerstner published a post that I think is very important for cryo in general and I'm going to repost some of it here along with my responses to his post (Lou contacted several funeral homes and talk to them about whether they could ship his body to cry on The Institute after his death, and his post is the results of his research) : My response : Well thank you very much for posting this, for doing this research, Lou . By doing this you're doing something that I have never seen done before, although I have not read all of the cryonics publications since 1970, I have probably read more than half of all Cryonics Publications since 1970.. I haven't read anywhere near all of the cryonics Institute Publications, but I have read all the alcor Publications and all of the old cryonet messages..
And no one has ever done what you just did here. So this is something of import, something significant. However I've been getting up my will for trying to get ready to do this funeral home research myself, even though I already have a contract with alcor, and I don't need it, but I want to provide the information for other people should they decide to go to Oregon brain preservation.
but I do have some questions for you: Lou wrote : "First only ask costs for full body donation costs,don’t get into who or why yet."
Lou, Can you please explain more about what you meant here.? Thank you..
Also Lou wrote: "Be aware if the operator is strong Christian they probably wouldn’t give a price as I was turned down by about half."
This is a very good point, Lou . And something that is incredibly important if we need to if we want to establish cryo as a mainstream movement. Because we can't go mainstream unless we can get the price down to around the same cost as a funeral for the entry level option, which is going to be Oregon brain preservation plus a funeral home.. and this is exactly what I suspected: that there would be spiritual / religious / philosophical objections to cryonics from funeral homes, and that they would be very strong objections..
but this is why I have been doing Bible research that will justify the practice of cryonics Through the Bible
I think and I hope, Lou, that you will recognize that if you had been able to justify cryo using Bible verses, then maybe you could have overcome some of the funeral home objections to cryo and maybe you could even get someone to do your Funeral Home work for you a bit easier .
Over the years, I have put all these Bible justifications out in various videos and many posts throughout the years, but of course Matthew 10:8 is the best one.. where Jesus simply tells his followers to raise the Dead.
You can just tell the funeral home people "this is my religious belief and I base it on the Bible verse of Matthew 10:8, where Jesus tells us to raise the dead.. and I'm trying to raise myself from the dead just like Jesus wants us to do."
As an atheist You may find it silly, but then again we're talking about religion and spirituality which operates almost totally beyond the realm of logic and rationality..
Now here's the most important part in your post that you left out: How much is it going to cost for someone living in the eastern half of America, which is where most Americans live, to have the funeral home get the body and ship it to Oregon cryo/brain preservation foundation ? Or more importantly, how much would it cost for the funeral home to take out the brain, put it in a box of dry ice and ship it to Oregon brain preservation and then donate the body to science?

Many religious traditions emphasize transcending the ego to achieve spiritual enlightenment, inner peace, or union with the divine. Here are key teachings from various religious leaders and texts that advocate for ego transcendence:

Buddhism

The Dhammapada (Sayings of the Buddha):

"Overcome anger by non-anger; overcome evil by good. Overcome the miser by giving; overcome the liar by truth." (Dhammapada, Chapter 17, Verse 223)

Nagarjuna (Buddhist philosopher):

"When Buddhas don't appear, and their followers are gone, the wisdom of awakening bursts forth by itself."

Hinduism

The Bhagavad Gita:

"When a man gives up all desires that emerge from the mind, and rests contented in the Self by the Self, he is called a man of steady wisdom." (Bhagavad Gita 2:55)

Sri Ramakrishna:

"Ego is like a cloud which keeps God hidden from our sight. Remove the cloud and you will see Him."

Christianity

The Bible:

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25)

Thomas Merton:

"We must be willing to be unknown and counted as nothing in order to understand and accept our own nothingness."

Islam

The Qur'an:

"And those who shun the worship of false gods and turn to Allah, for them are glad tidings. So announce the good tidings to My servants, who listen to the word and follow the best thereof. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding." (Qur'an 39:17-18)

Rumi (Sufi mystic):

"The ego is a veil between humans and God. In prayer, all are equal."

Judaism

The Talmud:

"Whosoever humbles himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, raises him up; and whosoever exalts himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, humbles him." (Eruvin 13b)

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov:

"The essence of wisdom is to remain silent and let the ego dissolve."

Taoism

Tao Te Ching:

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." (Tao Te Ching, Chapter 44)

Laozi:

"The sage puts himself last and becomes the first. He is detached thus at one with all. Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment."

Sikhism

Guru Granth Sahib:

"He alone is a yogi, who practices the Divine Yoga of the self, who serves at the Guru's feet, and rises above himself." (Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1383)

Guru Nanak:

"Ego is a chronic disease, but it contains its own cure as well. If the Lord's grace bestows humility upon us, this wealth, this true capital, then one is cured of ego."

Jainism

Acaranga Sutra:

"One who is free from ego does not harm any living being, does not engage in violence."

Mahavira:

"A man is seated on top of a tree in the midst of a burning forest. He sees all living beings perishing. If he does not jump, he too will burn. Similarly, one who does not transcend the ego will be consumed by the fire of suffering."

Bahá'í Faith

Bahá'u'lláh:

"O Son of Spirit! Vaunt not thyself over the poor, for I lead him on his way and behold thee in thy evil plight and confound thee forevermore." (The Hidden Words)

Conclusion

Across various religions, transcending the ego is a common theme, encouraging humility, selflessness, and spiritual growth. These teachings highlight the universal importance of moving beyond self-centered desires to achieve a deeper connection with the divine and with others.

There are many verses in the Bible which appear to condone slavery and very few which appear to criticize it. On the other hand the Bible explicitly make it clear that homosexuality is this horrid sin, an "abomination" despite it not being something harmful. Because of this Christians for hundreds of years believed slavery was acceptable and justified it using the Bible. Why didn't God explicitly condemn slavery the way he does homosexuality? I'm pretty sure the majority of Christians would agree that slavery is worse than homosexuality despite the Bible making it clear that the opposite is the case.

If you are thinking about working at or if you are thinking about donating to Faith Comes By Hearing/Hosanna [https://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com](https://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/) you should consider the following. Having worked at Faith Comes By Hearing myself for decades, you should be aware of their culture and ideology. (Arranged from most important to least.)
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\*Treatment of the Bible:
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Grammatical, historical and cultural context as well as literary genre are all ignored by top management. So, Scripture is often misquoted and misused:
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Ignoring basic, common sense guidelines, rules for interpreting the Bible results in misinterpreting, misunderstanding, and misapplying the Bible. Management ignores the fact that observation (what the text says) must always come before interpretation (what the text means); and interpretation always comes before application (how the text applies to me). They do not consider the Bible text objectively first: They treat the text subjectively or relatively or assume what the passage text means. And they ignore the fact that a text cannot mean today what it never could have meant to the original authors and original readers. Exegesis is often contrasted with “eisegesis”; the Greek preposition εἰς means “into,” and hence eisegesis means reading your own meaning into the text. Bible study is not reading your personal theology into some biblical passage. Bible study is letting the text talk to us; we are the listeners, not the talkers. Many Christians just want to know what the Bible “means to me.” If you stop to think about it, this just is not possible. We must do the hard work of learning the author’s original meaning first, and without that we can’t ever know “what it means to me.” A text cannot mean what it never meant.
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\*Feelings and experiences rule:
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There is a focus by top management on personal experiences and feelings instead of a studied period of reflection: Emotional, simple, popular teaching instead of intellectually careful and doctrinally precise teaching. Bible studies go straight to the question, “What does this passage mean to me?” while bypassing the prior question, “What does the passage say and why do I think my interpretation is correct?” Management promotes and allows employees to get away with applying an understanding of a passage that is based on vague feelings or first impressions and not on the hard work of reading the context, verifying with commentaries and using study tools such as concordances, Bible dictionaries, and the like because a careful exercise of reason is not important in understanding what the Bible actually says for management. Besides, it takes work! For management, Christianity is identified with subjective feelings, sincere motives, personal piety, and blind faith. Management tests the truth not by a careful application of our God-given faculties of thought, or even by biblical mandates (for example, 2 Corinthians 10:5), but rather by private subjective experiences. For the most part, theoretical reason is just not part of the culture at FCBH. In fact, top management will often spiritualizing normal, everyday things like advice, facts, common knowledge:
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Example during a meeting, the CEO said he saw a full moon, then clouds formed & covered the moon, then clouds dissipated. He then said he felt God say: "I can turn nothing into something; something into nothing; turn this ministry into something & if it goes thick & blocks Jesus; it has to diminish.”
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So, personal, subjective experiences that top management shares equals truth that employees must agree with or at least accept as true.
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Also, time is money, but management uses their mandatory meetings to discuss controversial or complex topics (e.g., fasting, communion, tithing, personal stewardship of money, helping the homeless, how to create more interaction with remote workers, how to retain employees, how to hire more Gen Z employees, past trauma), most of which are unrelated to the actual work. Then they ask employees (most of which have no authority to get things changed/done) what their opinion is about the controversial or complex topic, instead of consulting with professionals or experts.
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So, top management will read a bible verse (not a paragraph, not a chapter, a verse; usually out of context) using a version of the Bible that is almost a paraphrase. Then share something personal that happened to them, something they did or saw or experienced or a personal conviction that is not related to the verse. Then explain how they felt about it, how they interpreted it. Then they will ask employees (especially internationals) to share similar experiences. And, then if no one shares or comments or speaks, management makes employees feel guilty: Along the lines of “So, God is not working in your life?”
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Example: “I felt God give me this verse about gossip. Let me share with you some personal stories about gossip…. This is how I see it. Now, in the last 5 min of our time, I want people to share. I especially want input from internationals. Does anyone have anything to say about this? No, one? Is God not speaking to you? How can God not be moving and speaking? This is unreal….”
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Top management will often use a reader response or subjective biblical interpretation: “This is what I think this verse means. What do you think this verse means? What stood out to you? What did you learn? What is God asking you to apply?” This is a very self-centered way to interpret Scripture. The focus is all about you. What you think. What you feel. But, “The Bible is not about you.” - Timothy Keller. And this leads to people looking at the same verse and coming up with completely different interpretations. Everybody seems to have an opinion on what the Bible says/teaches.
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So, instead of discovering what the original author said to the original readers. They will take Biblical concepts (e.g., called to ministry; felt led by the Spirit; God spoke to me; felt peace) and then add new meanings to them which the original author did not intend. This is dangerous since it leaves employees with doubt, disillusionment, disappointment, discouragement, and false hope and can leave them with unmet, unrealistic, and false expectations. Top management will also take subjective, unclear biblical principles or non-essentials, or personal convictions and make them scriptural authority and then judge other Christians who do not agree. They will treat the Proverbs as promises. They will also not make an effort to distinguish between Biblical principles and practices which are relative, time bound, culturally subjective, Biblically illustrated (not commanded). They will often make hasty generalizations. They will beg the question. They will commit special pleading, dictionary simpliciter, reductive, faulty analogy and many other fallacies. They will also allegorize promises in Scripture and spiritualize all principles. They assume that all historical narratives have individual identifiable moral application. God’s word should be taught clearly, not in a distorted manner. Top management will proof text and use religious words to promote their agenda.
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And top management will encourage others to have this view/philosophy of Bible interpretation. Many incorrectly interpret the Bible and do not even realize it.
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I pray to God that this bad method of interpretation is not being taught to internationals, to people who have never had bibles, who do not have biblical discernment, who don't know any better.
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\*Inductive Bible study and internationals:
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Hermeneutics has been defined as the science and art of biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics helps us understand the Bible. It is a science because there are specific rules the interpreter must follow. It is an art because it takes years of practice to develop the ability to employ those rules properly. There is a difference between a novice and a seasoned interpreter. Hermeneutics has two basic steps, finding what the text meant to its original audience, and then seeing how it applies to our current situation. Unfortunately, many people (Americans included), impose their own personal experiences, theology, and modern culture on to the Biblical text.
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Fortunately, God has allowed us (especially Americans) to have Bible dictionaries, commentaries, handbooks, atlases, etc., to help us with correct hermeneutics, to understand the essential historical and cultural information - the context of the original author and readers of the Bible. We have tools that shed light on the text and help us to arrive at the correct interpretation. When you read a commentary, it will provide checks and balances against your possible mistakes. They can answer questions that a reading of the text can never provide or ask questions that you may never think of asking. Unfortunately, many international people groups do not have access to these tools (or even access to mature, trained, and experienced Christians and pastors). And even if they do have access to resources, they may not know how to use them properly (i.e., limitations of commentaries).
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Grammatical-Historical Method or Inductive Bible study can easily be done with printed or digital Bibles. But how can a person do this with audio and video Bibles? This is critical especially for international people groups that do not have access to (and may never have) print Bibles.
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False gospels and heresies are popular in illiterate people groups because they are not taught discernment or how to evaluate Scripture and the thoughts of others for themselves. People with ulterior motives misuse Scripture and end up influencing the illiterate.
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If these Bible Films and audio Bibles are considered to be actual Bible Translations – video and audio translations of the Bible and the equivalent to and sometimes a replacement for print scripture – then should we also make it a point to teach people who are watching and listening to our video and audio Bible translations Biblical hermeneutics (historical-grammatical interpretation)? How to study the Bible properly for themselves?
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My experience has been that many non-Christians (and Christians) misquote or misinterpret the Bible because they do not know how to actually read and study it on their own to find out what the text actually meant to the original author and audience and seeing how it applies to their current situation.
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There are many ways to study the Bible, and there are many excellent study aids available to help you with specific books of the Bible. But the most important thing you need to remember is that to find out what the Bible says, you need to read it yourself in a way that will help you discover what it says, what it means, and how you are to apply it to your life. And the best way to do this is through the process called inductive study. Inductive study doesn’t tell you what the Bible means or what you should believe. Instead, it teaches you a method of studying God’s Word that can be applied to any portion of Scripture at any time.
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Inductive Bible study draws you into personal interaction with the Scripture and thus with the God of the Scriptures so that your beliefs are based on a prayerful understanding and legitimate interpretation of Scripture.
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\*Artistic freedom concerns:
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Another concern is with the artistic freedom or personal preference when it comes to audio and video Bible media (when these function as replacements for print Scripture). How much can be taken before you compromise the historical accuracy or the meaning and understanding of the original message? A good translation must be faithful to the historical situation and not change the cultural background. In Bible Translation, the translator’s first job is to study the text carefully to discover the correct meaning (what the original author wanted to communicate). Do international people groups understand that the “artistic freedom” (e.g., how the film is lit, the key shots, angles it shoots from, close-ups, point of view, sets, locations and props, editing, the dialogue and the actors’ performance and emotions, wardrobe choices, soundtrack, visual transitions, reference shots), the visuals and sound, are all NOT inspired?
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Biblical and Orthodox Christianity teaches that All Scripture (not just some) is inspired by God who utilized the human element within man to accomplish this without error.The very WORDS (not just the ideas, even parts of letters, and sometimes the tense of verbs) are a result of the mind of God expressed in human terms and conditions. The Bible IS fully true in all that it teaches or asserts to be true (including historical and scientific matters). Only the original documents (autographs) are completely free from error. Does FCBH make an effort to explain this to people groups? If not, then there will be conflict when the visuals and sounds that are added do not match the Biblical text. There will be confusion, doubt, disillusionment, disappointment, discouragement, false hope when people are confronted with unmet, unrealistic, and false expectations.
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So, using audio and especially video as Bibles should come with some teaching of the basic principles of film criticism, the doctrine of inspiration (difference between artistic freedom and the Word of God), and inductive Bible study or Bible interpretation.
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\*Communicating the truth:
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They employ a presuppositional and fideistic/experiential approach to evangelism: In the many testimonies that are shared, many of the people who receive the audio bibles say they believe in Jesus because FCBH gave them bibles that are in their native language. Makes you wonder what would happen if the audio was from the Quran or book of Mormon. Would they believe in anything as long as it was in their own language? FCBH does not seem to make sure people are actually believing facts. There seems to be no appeals to evidence and reason for the truthfulness of the Christianity. One should become a Christian and believe that Jesus is God because it is true (from reason, historical evidence, archaeological evidence, theistic arguments) and not because the Bible one reads is in a certain language. You should follow Jesus because He is God and proved it; not because He speaks your language.
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\*Hearing from God?
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Many in management practice “hearing from God” and then claim God said something specific and personal to them and to the ministry. This practice uses God's name in vain. And often use God to avoid personal responsibility - “I heard from God; God told me; I felt led; God spoke to me…” They then put what happens on God, so they avoid any personal responsibility if it does not come to pass. They make Christianity out to be personal, private, and a matter of “how I feel about things.” Many Christians actually feel spiritually sub-standard and defeated because for them “the heavens have been silent”. This can be debilitating, and it’s profoundly unfair to employees if their only shortcoming is entertaining a false expectation of what a relationship with God entails. Conversations are often littered with casual references to one’s latest revelations without any sense of the gravity of the assertion, or any sense of responsibility to justify the claim. Even Jesus Himself didn’t presume to speak for God without compelling evidence. But, management takes personal opinions and spiritualize them as if they were God’s word to give divine authority to impulses or thoughts that drift through their minds. To say “God is telling me” gives feelings an authority the Scripture does not justify and virtually ends debate. You can’t argue with the person if God supposedly gave the command. Trusting inner feelings is not biblical. It’s confusing at best, and dangerous at worst.
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And with certain requests from employees, when top management does not want to do something, they will respond by saying things like: “I need to pray about it first. Sorry, I do not feel led. I need to get confirmation first. I need to have peace about it first. I need to hear from God first.” But with other things, with things they want to do, they do not need to pray about it first, do not need to feel led, do not need to get confirmation first, do not need to have a peace about it first, do not need to hear from God first. When management does not want to do something, they pass the responsibility off to God (“We cannot…. because God didn’t tell us to do it. Didn't get confirmation.”); but when they do want to do something, they don't seek God and do what they want (“We have decided and are going to… and we don’t need to ask God for guidance or permission”).

KJV 1 Corinthians 6:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [G3120], nor abusers [G733] of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Strong's Greek: 3120. μαλακός (malakos) — 4 Occurrences
BDAG μαλακός:

② pert. to being passive in a same-sex relationship, effeminate esp. of catamites, of men and boys who are sodomized by other males in such a relationship, opp. ἀρσενοκοίτης

Strong's Greek: 733. ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites) — 2 Occurrences
BDAG ἀρσενοκοίτης:

a male who engages in sexual activity w. a pers. of his own sex … homosexuals.

G3120 did not mean just any effeminate. The context showed that both the passive partner and the dominant partner of the homosexual practitioners sinned.
ESV:

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.