Janis, What is your opinion about a young couple in their late twenties who are engaged, but cancelled the wedding due to lots of conflict concerning lifestyle choices and religious disagreements? They have decided to move in together and be roommates instead until they can be comfortable with getting married. Both of these people profess Christ. One of them plays the drums during the worship service at church every Sunday. They insist they are not "living together" only roommate situation. Jocelyn
From Janis Hill (Belize Biblical Resource Center):
When we profess to be anything, no matter what it may be, we have to appear to be what we say we are. Otherwise we cast doubt in the mind of others.
I Thessalonians 5:22 commands us to Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Living in the same house--even if it is only as roommates--puts temptation in this couple's path. When Jesus set a standard for how we are to pray, in part He said "..and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." From this passage it is clear that we can be led straight into temptation...and if we are allowing ourselves to be led into temptation, then who is doing the leading (we are also commanded in scripture to flee temptation)?
Jocelyn, I believe the couple should be told that if they are already in disagreement about such vital matters, it would be best to separate and to seek the Lord and His will for their lives. They also need to be made aware that if they continue to live together (platonically or not) that (s)he should not be allowed to continue in the music ministry at church as their living arragements bring reproach to the Lord.
Explain that one does not have to be in sin for others to perceive sin...and that others who know them (co-workers, etc) are watching and they will never believe that this couple is not involved in a sexual relationship, therefore it brings reproach to the very Lord they profess to serve! In other words, in affects their testimony before others.
Excerp of a sermon entitled, "Are you truly a child of God?" preached by Andrew Hill (Belize Biblical Resource Center):
When the Holy Spirit comes into a person He makes His presence felt. It happens in the same way that your presence is felt in your home. When you go home today and walk into your house, I want you to notice how the furnishings are arranged. You have a table in a certain place and chairs placed a certain way, a picture on one wall.... Why are they arranged that way? They are arranged that way because that is how you like them. This is the same kind of thing that happens when the Spirit of Christ comes into a person. He begins to arrange the" furniture" of your life to His liking. He makes His presence felt by changing the things you like and dislike....Would you like to know for sure if you are God’s child? Today, I want to challenge you to examine yourself by God’s Word to see if you are truly His child.
From Sharecropper Christian Radio:
We emailed the question that began this blog to our friends, Janis and Andrew Hill in Belize. We also sought counsel from two other respected Christian friends--whose responses were identical to the Hill's. The reason for the emails was that we were involved in confronting that very situation at a small church fellowship we were attending. Before sending the emails, We had already given both the couple in question and the pastor of the church the same counsel we received from the Hills and the others--but to no avail. The pastor of our church (along with his wife) had no problem with the church drummer publicly living with his Fiance.
We left the church.
In first John, the Bible tells us that if we are able to comfortably practice sin, then we do not belong to Christ. We are commanded in scripture not to make lifestyle choices that are obviously sinful--all the while professing to be Christians. The Bible clearly tells us that we are not to live our lives in such a way as to bring a reproach upon the name of Christ.
We are confident that the artists we feature on Sharecropper Christian Radio care deeply about how they represent our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ--not only through their music, but through their public Christian testimony as well.
Early next year, we will be sponsering the very first Sharecropper GATHERING in which all Sharecropper Artists will have opportunity to participate in the music ministry of the event. We encourage you to bring your friends, both saved and unsaved. We will love and accept them all. But we also ask that any who do not belong to Christ or who profess Christ but whose personal testimony and lifestyle brings a reproach upon his name, not be included in the ministry team at our event (hopefully at your events too!).
Allowing someone who is not saved or who professes salvation but whose life-style is not reflecting what their mouth is professing (such as the situation described in our email to the Hills) to sing or play an instrument during a public ministry event is not the way to minister or witness to them. In fact, it is a great spiritual hindrance to them and everyone else present as it sends a false message as to what is acceptable to Christ and what is not.
Christ is only honored through us when we are doers of the Word and not hearers only.
As we prepare for our first Sharecropper GATHERING, let us keep these things in mind. THE GATHERING is intended for fellowship with, and the edification of, Sharecropper Artists, but it will be held outdoors in a lovely public setting, so the opportunities to reach out to the lost through our fellowship and music ministry to one another (and just plain fun jamming throughout the day) will be excellent.
Sharecropper Christian Radio is the radio voice of Hungry Hearts Ministries, and we at Hungry Hearts Ministries do not believe in lowering the bar. The standard set in scripture is the only standard there is. And the Bible says, "Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am Holy." The Scriptures also say, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man will see God."
From Janis Hill (Belize Biblical Resource Center):
When we profess to be anything, no matter what it may be, we have to appear to be what we say we are. Otherwise we cast doubt in the mind of others.
I Thessalonians 5:22 commands us to Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Living in the same house--even if it is only as roommates--puts temptation in this couple's path. When Jesus set a standard for how we are to pray, in part He said "..and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." From this passage it is clear that we can be led straight into temptation...and if we are allowing ourselves to be led into temptation, then who is doing the leading (we are also commanded in scripture to flee temptation)?
Jocelyn, I believe the couple should be told that if they are already in disagreement about such vital matters, it would be best to separate and to seek the Lord and His will for their lives. They also need to be made aware that if they continue to live together (platonically or not) that (s)he should not be allowed to continue in the music ministry at church as their living arragements bring reproach to the Lord.
Explain that one does not have to be in sin for others to perceive sin...and that others who know them (co-workers, etc) are watching and they will never believe that this couple is not involved in a sexual relationship, therefore it brings reproach to the very Lord they profess to serve! In other words, in affects their testimony before others.
Excerp of a sermon entitled, "Are you truly a child of God?" preached by Andrew Hill (Belize Biblical Resource Center):
When the Holy Spirit comes into a person He makes His presence felt. It happens in the same way that your presence is felt in your home. When you go home today and walk into your house, I want you to notice how the furnishings are arranged. You have a table in a certain place and chairs placed a certain way, a picture on one wall.... Why are they arranged that way? They are arranged that way because that is how you like them. This is the same kind of thing that happens when the Spirit of Christ comes into a person. He begins to arrange the" furniture" of your life to His liking. He makes His presence felt by changing the things you like and dislike....Would you like to know for sure if you are God’s child? Today, I want to challenge you to examine yourself by God’s Word to see if you are truly His child.
From Sharecropper Christian Radio:
We emailed the question that began this blog to our friends, Janis and Andrew Hill in Belize. We also sought counsel from two other respected Christian friends--whose responses were identical to the Hill's. The reason for the emails was that we were involved in confronting that very situation at a small church fellowship we were attending. Before sending the emails, We had already given both the couple in question and the pastor of the church the same counsel we received from the Hills and the others--but to no avail. The pastor of our church (along with his wife) had no problem with the church drummer publicly living with his Fiance.
We left the church.
In first John, the Bible tells us that if we are able to comfortably practice sin, then we do not belong to Christ. We are commanded in scripture not to make lifestyle choices that are obviously sinful--all the while professing to be Christians. The Bible clearly tells us that we are not to live our lives in such a way as to bring a reproach upon the name of Christ.
We are confident that the artists we feature on Sharecropper Christian Radio care deeply about how they represent our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ--not only through their music, but through their public Christian testimony as well.
Early next year, we will be sponsering the very first Sharecropper GATHERING in which all Sharecropper Artists will have opportunity to participate in the music ministry of the event. We encourage you to bring your friends, both saved and unsaved. We will love and accept them all. But we also ask that any who do not belong to Christ or who profess Christ but whose personal testimony and lifestyle brings a reproach upon his name, not be included in the ministry team at our event (hopefully at your events too!).
Allowing someone who is not saved or who professes salvation but whose life-style is not reflecting what their mouth is professing (such as the situation described in our email to the Hills) to sing or play an instrument during a public ministry event is not the way to minister or witness to them. In fact, it is a great spiritual hindrance to them and everyone else present as it sends a false message as to what is acceptable to Christ and what is not.
Christ is only honored through us when we are doers of the Word and not hearers only.
As we prepare for our first Sharecropper GATHERING, let us keep these things in mind. THE GATHERING is intended for fellowship with, and the edification of, Sharecropper Artists, but it will be held outdoors in a lovely public setting, so the opportunities to reach out to the lost through our fellowship and music ministry to one another (and just plain fun jamming throughout the day) will be excellent.
Sharecropper Christian Radio is the radio voice of Hungry Hearts Ministries, and we at Hungry Hearts Ministries do not believe in lowering the bar. The standard set in scripture is the only standard there is. And the Bible says, "Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am Holy." The Scriptures also say, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man will see God."
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