My brain and my time to undergo evanjellyfish torture

[Me Died Blue]

I was just invited to join a "small group" here at Rhodes, through the on-campus ministry. A junior leads it, and it's going to me me and two other freshmen. I mainly wanted to get to know a few people better, and it was an opportunity to perhaps meet some like-minded people.

One of the things we are going to do throughout this semester as we meet once a week to discuss honest life issues and daily casual thoughts with each other is to also read a book to guide conversation a bit. Well, of us four, I was the only one who voted against reading Wild At Heart, so we are now going to be reading that and discussing it every week.

It's times like this that I wish Tim LaHaye's eschatology was correct!

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by joshua
Just dismantle it...starthng with Eldridge's "God took a risk with Adam and Eve" statement.

He said that??? I had read excerpts and heard summaries before, and knew it was fluff, but I didn't know he did that!

 

[ANT]

Yeah, this would be a great time to introduce them to the Truth of the teachings in Word of God. Hopefully, you will be able to walk them through this book, showing them with the Word of God why the Author is not interpreting scripture correctly.

Or ...

At least hold out until they boot you out of the group for disagreeing with them.

 

[LadyFlynt]

Oh, my...stay away from Eldridge...the guy is involved in Theophostic healing...a nut...or at least someone who takes advantage of superstitious ppl.

 

[ReformedWretch]

It's times like this that I wish Tim LaHaye's eschatology was correct!

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Seriously, Blue,
You might just want to resign from the group, gracefully, or bluntly speaking with the leader, or even without a word to anyone. Consider how this might be one of those "foolish" arguments Paul warns Timothy against (2 Tim. 2:15,16,23). Spending time preparing for and engaging in "combat" at this level will be a sword that cuts both ways. You will quite possibly be seen not as a contender for the truth but as a show off, or a partisan seeking a following. This, because those you are dealing with people who lack even basic discernment skills, and education into a body of truth used as a standard for judgment.

If you decline the opportunity to participate, and someone asks you why, you will have a much more fruitful ministry in explaining what's wrong with the study, than if you show up at the gatherings, week after week, taking the book on, and by extension the group leader or several people at once. That approach seldom works to establish you among your peers as a trustworthy guide in the Word. They will likely just ask, "Why did you sign up? If you knew you would be so hostile before we started? Did you just want a forum to fight in?"

Anyway, that's my

 

[heartoflesh]

Originally posted by Contra_Mundum
Seriously, Blue,
You might just want to resign from the group, gracefully, or bluntly speaking with the leader, or even without a word to anyone. Consider how this might be one of those "foolish" arguments Paul warns Timothy against (2 Tim. 2:15,16,23). Spending time preparing for and engaging in "combat" at this level will be a sword that cuts both ways. You will quite possibly be seen not as a contender for the truth but as a show off, or a partisan seeking a following. This, because those you are dealing with people who lack even basic discernment skills, and education into a body of truth used as a standard for judgment.

If you decline the opportunity to participate, and someone asks you why, you will have a much more fruitful ministry in explaining what's wrong with the study, than if you show up at the gatherings, week after week, taking the book on, and by extension the group leader or several people at once. That approach seldom works to establish you among your peers as a trustworthy guide in the Word. They will likely just ask, "Why did you sign up? If you knew you would be so hostile before we started? Did you just want a forum to fight in?"

Anyway, that's my

Wise words.

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by Contra_Mundum
You will quite possibly be seen not as a contender for the truth but as a show off, or a partisan seeking a following. This, because those you are dealing with people who lack even basic discernment skills, and education into a body of truth used as a standard for judgment.

I might go to the first couple of meetings and see what impression I get of our interaction, and if it seems to be going in a mutually healthy direction, or in the possible direction you mention above.

Originally posted by Contra_Mundum
They will likely just ask, "Why did you sign up? If you knew you would be so hostile before we started? Did you just want a forum to fight in?"

The thing is, I only signed up for a "small group." It was only after the groups were assigned, and we had our first meeting today to kind of "set the grounds," that the book was announced.

Thanks for your advice. What do you think of the situation in light of my two above points?

 

[FrozenChosen]

Chris,

I think this review is a great review of the book. Perhaps you should give a copy to your study group leader as a summary of some of the concerns you have about the book.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Really, you have a good idea where this study is headed simply by the book selected, and the vote taken to accept this direction. You may be surprised to find that the leader really engages the book critically, that is finding strengths (?) and weaknesses, trying to get typical freshmen to push beyond their familiar jello-Christianity. But I wouldn't put my money on it.

Going once or twice will probably give you an opportunity to see what's up; just don't go in dressed to kill. If I were a group leader, I would expect a % chance of one or two "challengers" in any random selection of people, and I'd have a plan to deal with the situation. And if he doesn't, his reaction to perceiving an unexpected "challenge" (even though you don't have any such designs) might be even more unpredictable and savoring of the world. If you speak: make a definite point, back it up with Scripture, and wait, and see what happens. I wouldn't backtrack; I wouldn't concede what I knew was true; but I wouldn't fight to score a point in this forum. The price of "losing" in other ways is too much. You are still a freshman; you have plenty of time still to build up whatever influence or clout-capital you may before you are through with your college career.


I realize you didn't ask for this set-up; it was thrust on you. Maybe you do need to stay. OR God may want you to exercise some biblical decision making in how best to use your time. He may have known your time this semester would be better spent than in one of these groups, even a good one; so in this way he's unburdening you of an extra distraction, if you choose wisely. No one but you can see the situation that clearly.

Praying...