The Colony — The Community — The Village!
AE is still an aspiration. It is still in the forming stages, and has been for a decade now. People initially get excited, respond and pledge a part, and then time passes, and they vanish. It is heartbreaking, because these people were looked upon, not only as (Kingdom of Heaven) eternal brothers and sisters, but also as fellow servants here on earth. I really do understand the tendency to instantly reply to something just read, especially when it's inspiring, or a new idea in our minds. I have done that too. However, what God builds does not fade away with time; that foundation is Christ and is (thus) longsuffering and eternal.
When I first thought of this endeavor, I consulted an Amish friend, who said it will never happen. He was only being honest and forthright, as I requested of him. He explained that, as Amish, they too, have problems with maintaining such unity. He explained that many people remain in Amish communities, but for some, only because they cannot survive in the outside world. Amish can tell when someone's heart is not in it. This was a candid confession, but I suppose there would be no logic withholding such knowledge, even from outsiders. I imagine it would be obvious, sooner or later, if a person's allegiance to the community (indeed, to Community) was not Spirit-centric, but was instead, economic or emotion driven, which are both short-lived.
Still, the work of the Lord requires of us, longsuffering and endurance, forgiveness and restoration; it is for this reason that I keep the AE light on. The Amish do not have many people who join from outside, but there are some. They will tell you that the most difficult part of leaving the worldly life and being Amish was/is not the language or the clothing, but the loss of modernity. Unfortunately for the Amish, this too, is changing. This can be good and bad. Read more about that topic at the page entitled Amish.
This website is intended first as a search for (individuals known collectively as) The Body of Christ. Any and all who are (at the theological core) Anabaptist, but have either been separated from Community (Colony; family); are seeking to branch out or begin anew; prefer a warmer climate-zone; or, are immersed in the world (in worldliness) but seeking a way out. Amish, ex-Amish; Brethren, ex-Brethren; Bruderhof, ex-Bruderhof; Hutterite, ex-Hutterite; Mennonite, ex-Mennonite; ex-Catholic, ex-Protestant. Names, labels and titles are really meaningless. I.E: Anyone who is Spiritually driven to follow Christ, in lifestyle and with purpose — but are like many of us — without Community to yoke and bond with; those of us not born into the fold. The goal here is to start — or join — Community.
What that means is perspicuous throughout this website. However, in short; the Body of Christ are more focused on being righteous, than just on just being right. The Body of Christ invest heavily in finding, yoking with and building brotherhood in Community, thus fulfilling Jesus' profound prayer: The Prayer of the Believers: John 17.
The reason this being a "forest" Community (fellowship) is to differentiate it from farming Colonies and Communities already well established in Northern US States. And since Amish, Brethren and Mennonite Communities are not strictly communal; they (unfortunately) would not be options for a communal fellowship, though any of them (as individuals or families) are more than welcome to join herein. Any/all who have heard His voice, are more than just welcome, you are very necessary. What your label is now, really has no bearing on this (fellowship) Community. This will not be a commercial farming operation; as forest dwellers, we will produce all our own (organic) foods, but not as a business, per say.
Now, raising Alpacas, chickens and goats, and growing vegetables and herbs, or other things that do not require a large farming (or ranching) operation, are sure to be explored. I am a simple Tekton, and so, others will have to bring their talents to the Community. However, the troubles today, will be a magnified version of what happened in the 1st Century, as expressed in Acts 5.
This is targeted to be located in a humid subtropical climate (Cfa zone), or a marine west-coast climate (Cfb zone / see: Climate Map): The reason being, is that there are many Communities and Colonies, all throughout the Northern States (from NW to NE) who are outgrowing themselves via births alone: Additionally, in a humid subtropical climate, growing seasons are longer and there's a wider selection of products to grow; there's almost no freezing (no hard-freeze), and more animals can tolerate its annual weather conditions. Summers are hot everywhere, but winters are milder in subtropical zones. Temperate forests, or deciduous forest biomes are superior and ideal for small-scale survivalist-type communities, due to their diversity.
It is easy for those who are born Hutterite or Amish or Mennonites, to fit into their familial communities, but for those not born and raised within (or next to) such Communities, the options are almost non-existent. I became a creationist and Protestant church-goer in 1991. I've been Anabaptist since Y2K, actively seeking Community for much of that, and yet I'm still alone. There are countless others just like me out there, seeking CommUnity; I know; I have some of their emails. I hurt for them, and why this effort is being presented. However, Noah's Ark was not an easy project and I don't expect this one to be either.
Please note also; land has not yet been purchased. And the focus will be simple living and Stewardship. Many "Christians" are too conformed to the modern culture; they've become Secular Christians, and, just the way it happened with the Catholics and their reformulated Protestants; these kind have long-been puffed up with knowledge, but never conquered by Love. The consequence is an anti-social tendency; a near-xenophobic state of mind, which is but a symptomatic infection of being yoked with, and tainted by, the world; being Christianized, but not Transformed.
The goal here, is to be that beacon of light to guide the way; to attract those who have surrendered unconditionally unto the supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ; those who have died to this life and have then been reborn as a new creation and are Spiritually Transformed, maturated, renewed and redeemed. The hope is to form an intentional forest Community from scratch, or, to join others already in said Community.
The beauty of an area like The Ozarks is further inhanced by Silver Dollar City as the national crafts festival; that area (Branson, MO) is not only a major entertainment venue, but boasts as one of the largest markets in the USA for handcrafts. Attempting to press beyond sociological stereotyping, such as the hillbilly, is a daunting path to tread. This same stereotyping occurs in theology, called Typology. The Indwelling Holy Spirit takes us so far above and beyond these carnal, primal thought-boxes, that indeed, those who remain within them only expose themselves for who they really are, on a Spiritual level.
Community income will be based on diversity; the energy market will be a part of that (and I'll share more about that with serious Community partners). Additionally, Ouachita Lake is huge and one of the cleanest lakes in the US. Arkansas has the best fishing (and fish) anywhere — and it's year-round — and the hunting is even better. Still, the goal is to remain open to any and all opportunities, anywhere. The main goal is to yoke the brethren in unity; to establish within an area with few other Anabaptists; to create a natural sanctuary for the Body of Christ.
The Body of Christ therefore, is the term used as replacement for the generic word Christian: Why? Because almost everyone identifies the self as Christian, and precious few of them will ever see the Kingdom of Heaven. The word Christian has become a label, not a lifestyle; a tradition, not a Transformation; an inheritance, not an Indwelling. In any religious people-group (within post-Christendom), there will be "many" who will never see the Kingdom of Heaven: This math comes straight from Jesus' lips (Matthew 7).
Therefore, what happens is that some will try to use leadership roles to manipulate others; and what is worse, are those who blindly follow them. However, there will be no one in Heaven that got there, either by Controlism or by followship. Even God cannot force anyone into being Holy or committed; its the blessing and the curse of volition. However, God knows already, who the Elect are, and who is not.
The only thing worse than child baptism is adult coercion. We, The Body of Christ, do not try to punish (or guilt) people into Holiness; we do not attempt to lord resources over those who are (simply) not Gods Elect. Scripture made clear that a pig is a pig, and a bath will not convert it into anything else. In like manner, we can (for example) coerce a female to wear conservative clothing, but this does not make her the Elect of God. Consequently, some men in leadership use whatever power they have to motivate or convince others to be Godly, but this "bath" is meaningless. When an individual person is dedicated to Christ as a consequence of unconditional surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, they follow Him no matter what else is happening around them. The Soul must first change.
These people are no better than senseless animals that live by their feelings and are born to be caught and killed. They speak evil of things they don't know anything about. But their own corrupt deeds will destroy them. They have done evil, and they will be rewarded with evil. They think it is fun to have wild parties during the day. They are immoral, and the meals they eat with you are spoiled by the shameful and selfish way they carry on. All they think about is having sex with someone else's husband or wife. There is no end to their wicked deeds. They trick people who are easily fooled, and their minds are filled with greedy thoughts. But they are headed for trouble.
They have left the true road and have gone down the wrong path by following the example of the prophet Balaam. He was the son of Beor and loved what he got from being a crook. But a donkey corrected him for this evil deed. It spoke to him with a human voice and made him stop his foolishness. These people are like dried up water holes and clouds blown by a windstorm. The darkest part of hell is waiting for them. They brag out loud about their stupid nonsense. And by being vulgar and crude, they trap people who have barely escaped from living the wrong kind of life. They promise freedom to everyone. But they are merely slaves of filthy living, because people are slaves of whatever controls them.
When they learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they escaped from the filthy things of this world. But they are again caught up and controlled by these filthy things, and now they are in worse shape than they were at first. They would have been better off if they had never known about the right way. Even after they knew what was right, they turned their backs on the holy commandments that they were given. What happened to them is just like the true saying: "A dog will come back to lick up its own vomit. A pig that has been washed will roll in the mud." 2nd Peter 2:6-22 (CEV)
The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour, no one knows; no, not the angels of Heaven, but only My Father. But as the days of Noah were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the Ark. And they did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Therefore watch; for you do not know what hour your Lord comes. Matthew 24:35-42
Jesus is saying that there will be those among us that will not ascend with us. And remember also, that in the days of Noah, everyone perished (except for the boatload); the sign of Noah is that the earth will be filled with countless people, but almost none of them will be saved. And that time is here. Anabaptists, the most persecuted of all people (Historically), had to walk away from the Christian Religionists (the official Orthodoxy's) in order to walk with God. This happens today as well: The great falling away has occurred.
There are no Godly leadership anywhere in modern Christendom, and thus, there is only power-mongering, abuse, extortion, disease, perversion and coercion. The TV thieves abound with their hands-out ministries fleecing the flock. However, it is not the flock of God they are fleecing, but the simpleton masses who long for Community. These extortionists are mammon servants who exploit God for personal or professional gain: You shall know them by those fruits.
If a person does not want to be Godly, let them go. Salvation is not a product that can be sold to someone with enough temptation, fear or force. Therefore, to offer an ultimatum is not Godly; it does not come from above. Everyone has an ulterior motive in all they do. Most people who make contact here, are just fishing for some option that will solve their immediate situation. They will pose questions designed to see if I (or others involved herein) have lots of money or resources to bring into their commune. Still others see this as yet another Capitalist opportunity they can exploit for personal gain. Regardless, they always involves mammon, or the lack thereof. Emails from all over Earth come in, trying to find out if there is some magic resolution here, but this is not a when all else fails stop-gap measure.
If all secular efforts have failed you; if you find yourself in-debt or out of mammon after a lifetime engaging the world, then there is no solution to that; here. In other words, this is an attempt at assembling the true Body and Bride of Christ; we seek those who are selling-out of this life, as we prepare for His arrival. However, this is no end-of-days (paranoia) Cult; we're not selling all and waiting on a mountaintop for Christ to return any day now. Anyone who does such things, is in-need of Spiritual and mental help.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths.
This will be logical, practical and thoughtful. We are, metaphorically speaking, designing and building "The Ark". We know that the Laodicean Age is well upon us, but we do not know the day or hour (Mark 13). This Ark is not yet built, and so, we are first building a fellowship (a collective) of true believers, who understand that the things of this earth, belong to God. If they are yours, then keep them. We believe this: All that you and I have, is not our own; we have it because God gave us the brain; the working legs and arms; the resources; the opportunities; the education; the time (and so on). We'd have nothing if God so willed it; and what exists, God allowed it.
This is My commandment, that you Love one another as I have Loved you. No one has greater Love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you. These things I command you, that you Love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:12-19
He spoke a parable to them, saying: The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room in which to store my fruits? And he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and I will store all my fruits and my goods there. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat drink and be merry. But God said to him, Fool. This night your soul shall be required of you, then whose shall be those things which you have prepared? So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:16-21
Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evil, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death. Do not err, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth with the Word of truth, for us to be a certain first fruit of His creatures. Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of God. James 1:13-20
Who is wise and knowing among you? Let him show his works by his good conduct with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and strife in your hearts, do not glory and lie against the truth. This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. For where envying and strife are, there is confusion and every foul deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13-18
And Jesus said to His disciples: How hardly those having riches will enter into the Kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answering again said to them: Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich one to enter into the Kingdom of God. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying to themselves; And who can be saved? And Jesus looking on them said: With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say to Him; Lo, we have left all and have followed You. And Jesus answered and said: Truly I say to you; there is no man that has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My sake, and the Gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come, eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Mark 10:23-31
Ask not, what God can do for you; ask what you can do for God.
There is a theme within the parables; there is a pattern: This was intentional. The rich man (Matthew 19) wanted to be perfected; to be under the Discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus went right to this mans earthly life; the power and the security he had with all of his possessions; his mammon; his entourage. It would take no faith to believe in a God who has already proved His existence; in fact, in doing so, God would have greatly affected this corporeal experiment. The rich have no need for faith when they are secure in all they need or want.
We cannot be a lord over others and serve The Lord. Jesus wanted him to first surrender, and in that state of complete vulnerability, trust only in God. However, the young man could not relinquish what was already certain. Why? Because that's what faith is (John 6); to have no other options but to trust in God. When we "let go and let God", we effectively enter into a new realm of existence. When we show our trust in Gods presence, God becomes more present. However, the differences between the Elect of God and the wolves in sheep ware (especially in the end-times), will not always be clear to us, and why Jesus said to beware (Matthew 24), and why He taught in parables.
Truly, truly, I say to you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but going up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber. But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him. For they know his voice. And they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. John 10:1-5
Blessed are the peacemakers. For they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake. For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 5:9-16
We look at Modernity through the filter of Scripture!
We either conform to our culture, or we're Transformed by the Indwelling. The conformed try to make Scripture relevant to their indoctrination and upbringing: Conversely, the Body of Christ is born again. Modernity is not our barometer; God is. We seek to live a natural and uncomplicated life on this earth, as a testmony of itself. The light we are to shine is that righteous life: It is a lifestyle that is sustainable; a Stewardship that is symbiotic and respectful of all Gods creation.
It is not to conform to cultural surroundings just to be accepted by the world: we are instructed to live below our means; to labor with our hands the thing that is good; to always make room from others by over-producing food, shelter, and so on. We do not Love by enabling evil acts and lifestyles or encouraging worldliness in others. We are to attenuate living as the world; trading our time for mammon to avoid laboring and toiling the proverbial soil; doing things for mammon that are not sustainable and do not honor and magnify our Lord Jesus Christ. We proactively provide for others in our design; we are prepared, just as the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us. We Love Neighbor as self — not in words only — but in deed.
Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the Devil. Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have something to give to him who needs. Let not any filthy word go out of your mouth, but if any is good to building up in respect of need, that it may give grace to the ones hearing. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and tumult and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:17-32
Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so the man is also through the woman; but all things of God. Judge among yourselves; is it right that a woman pray to God unveiled? Does not even nature itself teach you that if man has long hair, it is a shame to him? But if a woman should have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her in place of a veil. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the churches of God. But in enjoining this, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it. For there must also be heresies among you, {why?} that the approved ones may be revealed among you. 1st Corinthians 11:1-19
If someone does a thing, only because they feel threatened or manipulated, their motives are not pure, and you do not want that kind of a threat to be living among you anyway. Let them go. The hope for unity is valid, but it has to be from the free will of each and every part of the Body. We may sanction, but we are not to lord over others. We see this passage as a revelation of a simple truth: All Christ-centric adult females wear a headcovering (at least while in church and/or in prayer); however, not all headcovered women are the Elect of God. Compulsory acts do not show the true heart of anyone.
Remember also, who was writing this: An elitist Pharisee and Christian-killer, Dr. Saul. We are not to follow or imitate Paul, under any possible situation. Just because Paul said this to the church-fellowship in Corinth, does not mean that we are to disregard or taint the words of Jesus. These letters were written, not to be Scripture, but to help in the absence of the Scripture that we know of as the Gospels (and then much later, the canon of texts we have). What Jesus was dealing with, most of all, was the dogma and the pride of the Religionists of His time/culture. Much of Jesus' ministry was to confront and expose this for future followers.
Those rules — in and of themselves — are not bad or wrong, but what they represent is the fact that the Jews became Religionists and long-abandoned the child-like faith, trust and understanding of God (Matthew 18 & 19). They became the Godless-religious, and once the human is no longer led by God (or, for us today, by the Anointing; by the Indwelling Holy Spirit; Jesus-in-us, given post-Resurrection) they try to be God's people — but without God. The result? Legalism; Controlism; Domination. Or simply put: Rules before Relationship. It is to build the church on sinking sand, and not on the Sure Foundation; to gather around the human and not the Good Shepherd. God had to come, in Person, to set the record straight.
This is what Jesus Christ was doing here (on Earth); this is why God selected a particular sect or group of people (the Jews). There is otherwise, nothing special about this people. God could have used anyone at anytime. This time and this people was specific, and for a specific reason. For God so Loved the world; indeed, it is all His creation and God can do with it as He pleases. God was/is giving us all the necessary data (and the tools) we need to understand Life; to live it here and now: Ultimately, He is building a Kingdom that is eternal, and must make sure that He fills it with the right kind of individuals; to keep the promises of us being safe and tear-free. If you cannot prove unity in a few decades you will not be able to do so in eternity.
Our stature may change, but out character is our own. Our entry into the Kingdom of Heaven is not some allowance we get for being good Christians, or for just proclaiming faith. This life is the trial; it is the test, and if we cannot live as One, for a few decades, we will not be able to do so for ever. Spiritually, the Kingdom of God is the same as the Kingdom of Heaven. But the Kingdom of God is now within us (the chosen); the Indwelling Holy Spirit.
We — the Body of Christ, are One — memorize all of John 17. It is not those who claim to be Christian, but are just failing at unity; The true disciples of Christ are those living in unity and peace: That becomes the proof they're Christ's Disciples. It is Jesus Christ our Lord and Master, making the greatest prayer in all of Scripture, and the core of it is unity among the Body. The Body of Christ does not work iniquity, we work unity. However, it is not a unity of the religion-regulators, but the unity of the Body. Once the human is Saved; Transformed; Renewed, they/we have one primary and focused agenda in this life — Unity among our Spiritual Brethren.
This website and its purpose is one such focus: This is a proverbial candlestick burning in the dark. Unity and reunification are primary issues among Gods Elect. Conversely, the Godless-religious focus upon the things that feed their egos and their accounts. They are exposed (to those who can see) by their lifestyles, but also, by their focus. Remember what Jesus taught, concerning those who profess the faith: Understand that everything in Scripture must flow through the blood-filter (the red letters of Jesus Christ). We interpret all that precede and follow the Gospels, by the Gospels.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear what you hear and have not heard them. Therefore, hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the Word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown by the wayside. But that which was sown on the stony places is this; he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself, and is temporary. For when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, he immediately stumbles. And that sown into the thorns is this; he, who hears the Word, and the anxiety of this world, and the deceit of riches, choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful. But that sown on the good ground is this; he who hears the Word and understands, who also bears fruit and produces one truly a hundredfold; and one sixty; and one thirty. Matthew 13:16-23
Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have heard that anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-Christ's have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they were not all of us. But you have an Anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. These things I have written to you concerning those leading you astray. But the Anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His Anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is revealed, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him in His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness has been born of Him. 1st John 2:15-20 & 26-29
Without the Anointing, Scripture looks like a list of rules and laws to comply with; the Epistles as a way to get other's to kneel to the carnal need for Controlism (2nd Tim. 2). We read the narrative of Scripture and see the struggle as he goes from the eminent Saul, servant of Satan, to Paul, a bond-servant of our Lord. We see Peter, the one who denied even knowing Christ, and was the mouthpiece of Satan, into Petra — the Rock (Matthew 16 & 26) who spoke boldly of and for our Lord (Acts & 1&2 Peter). Paul's Epistles, more than anything else, taught us how the pathology of power and dominion lingers in the mind; the struggles of Paul, Peter, Timothy and others, are as our troubles. We can relate. That's why the Epistles were included in canon.
And this is true with any Christ-centric sub-culture. For example, Scripture teaches that the Body of Christ Share all things in common (Acts 2-5). We see this work in Hutterite (and their cousin, Bruderhof) Colonies. However, when you investigate, you'll find those (ex's) who wanted to leave the Colony; and who is it that most often wants to leave? Those men who knew they could do better financially on their own; those women who knew their beauty (or sexuality) would take them farther in the world than it would in the Colony. Simply put; those who are of the world, and attracted to the world, will want to escape in the world. Let them go. It hurts, but violating volition is sin. Everyone in Community must want to be there more than they want to serve the ego and the flesh.
All the exposed conflicts read about in Colony (or any communal) life, always centers on dominative leadership and the belief that you can somehow coerce a resident into Godliness. Trying to build a Christ-centric culture in a mammon-centric Nation; one that's far worse than Sodom City could have ever conceived; this should be self-explanatory. The term I created for this mentality is Ownerism: The lust to possess that, which is the property of God, for the purpose of being a lord, and lording it over others. That's what the World does.
When we understand the times Jesus lived in, we know that lordism was a very normal part of the socio-culture; the lord/master theme is throughout the New Testament. However, Jesus came to abolish lordism: This is why Jesus said that He considers us friend (John 15); to eliminate any dominatory pathology entrails. He came to put a bloody death to the religions of rule; to the mediators of men; to the mediocracy of mankind.
There is no need to manipulate adults; those who are not the Elect of God will be compelled to separate themselves from that light. Better to let them go. Remember, not all violence is physical: If we knowingly work against another person's free will, we are not behaving as Christ. It is a formula for violence — to oppose volition. It is violent to intimidate with fear. One thing is certain; it hurts to release someone you Love; I know this painfully well. However, many alternatives are too invasive, and rarely work long-term anyway. Darkness eventually moves away from light on its own.
The baptism of babies, who cannot express faith, does not seem to me to be derived from the Holy Spirit: Jesus never wanted to have unconverted masses baptized and made into Christians as a formality. The historical rise of the church of the masses confirms the fact that its origin was not from the Holy Spirit, who dwells only in the reborn. Eberhard Arnold
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