Comments on: The Holiness Manifesto – Is There a Crisis in the Church?

By: Kristi

Kristi — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:21:00 +0000

Thanks for stopping by the other day! Looks like you found Kc too. I’m beginning to feel like I follow him everywhere! ha ha.

By: jel

jel — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 20:15:00 +0000

hi Kevin,
thanks for wrriting,the other day!

and I read the Holiness Manifesto!

and the light bulb came on :)

thanks again!
take care
janice

By: Kc

Kc — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:47:00 +0000

Great thoughts and comments as well. I’m looking forward to catching up here. 😉

By: humblethyself

humblethyself — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 23:36:00 +0000

Kevin:

You wrote, "The message of Holiness is a message of the cross. It is a message of death. Death to sin and its power over my life.

That message is not necessarily a message that can be easily packaged and tied up with a bow."

I think you are right on. Holiness IS a message of the cross. Holiness IS a message of death. Holiness is a death to oneself...allowing "my will" to die...and surrendering to live God's complete and total will, just as His Son did.

"Jesus, the Son of God, freely suffered death for us in complete and free submission to the will of God, his Father. By his death he has conquered death, and so opened the possibility of salvation to all men."

How does man achieve that "possibility" of holiness? By succeeding in totally surrendering to God's will and living one's life in the complete example of His Son.

Very tough to do.

Are church leaders being bold and brave enough to clearly send this message and constantly challenge their flocks to this reality?

I think you raise a very interesting point about pastors engaging laymen in quality dialog around the issue of holiness, and the possibility that maybe not enough laymen have been interested in Holiness. I think that's very true.

And, taking a pastor's point of view for a second,...I also think it's very possible that not enough of us laymen are taking an interest in, and actually act in making it clear to our fellow laymen (and supporting them/helping them be accountable to) what we are all called to be: Holy.

And this is a reason why I really appreciate your Blog. You make me think, and that helps me act.

Thank you brother.

-Dave.

By: Godwyn Lim

Godwyn Lim — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 16:19:00 +0000

Awesome Post brother! I love it!

By: yeshua'smags

yeshua'smags — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:46:00 +0000

You are so smart and articulate, I can’t even believe you stopped on my site! Than you for what you said, it means a lot to get your encouragement! Thank You!

By: Leann

Leann — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:23:00 +0000

Great post! Thanks for stopping by my blog, btw. I will have to elaborate on my opinion sometime in the future but my quick answer is that if this movement calls people into a deeper relationship with Christ and is based on truth it cannot be a bad thing. I am interested to see where it takes those involved in these churches. 🙂

By: Inheritor of Heaven

Inheritor of Heaven — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 13:27:00 +0000

Reggie McNeal always talks about the need for the church to change the “club” mentality as well as to change the focus from counting nickels and noses. I also think your statements “The message of Holiness is a message of the cross. It is a message of death. Death to sin and its power over my life.” should really be contained under “The Message We Have Section of the Manifesto (maybe it is since you have only summarized it here). I will have to check it out. Thanks.

By: It is All About Jesus

It is All About Jesus — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:07:00 +0000

I received yur comment on my site.I stumbled upon the Holiness Manifesto while doing some internet searches on holiness. I thought the Manifesto was awesome.People who call themselves christians today, lots of them lack in holiness. If you read my blog, you will see that I believe that in many pulpits today, all that is being preached is a “feel -good” message. The gospel is watered down so as not to offend anyone. Sin is hardly mentioned, let alone holiness. What comes out of some of the largest churches in America is basically motivational speaking with a christian flare. Christians today blend in with the world. God calls us to be separate. Many have fallen prey to the “tolerance” thing. I believe there is a remnant of believers who need to speak the truth, no matter what the cost. Charles Finney did not have such great revival by beating around the bush, and watering things down. He preached with boldness. American church bases it’s success on how big the offering is and how many people show up on Sunday. The main focus is “when can we build a bigger building?” Unfortunately, many of those bigger buildings are being built to house rows of pews filled with unsaved people. People who come week after week, leave feeling good, and have never been confronted with their sinfullness and need for a Saviour.Check out my blog http://noreligionjustjesus.blogspot.com/

By: KJKEB

KJKEB — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 02:40:00 +0000

JEL,

I think you may have misunderstood my post. I agree wholeheartedly with you that it does not need to be fancy or flashy! The church that I belong to has it's roots on the wrong side of the railroad tracks where there was a need to minister to the down and out of Los Angeles.

A historical statement from our church's web site says in part, "They held that Christians sanctified by faith should follow Christ’s example and preach the gospel to the poor. They felt called especially to this work. They believed that unnecessary elegance and adornment of houses of worship did not represent the spirit of Christ but the spirit of the world, and that their expenditures of time and money should be given to Christlike ministries for the salvation of souls and the relief of the needy."

So, what I am in fact doing is longing for a return to the brush arbor revivals and baptisms in the local river from years gone by. I wan't my children to see a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a revival to sweep the nation. I am praying for a revival like the kind that swept Asbury in 1970.

But beyond that, I am calling for the church as a whole to Holiness. But it is really not me that calls us. It is the Lord. I Peter 1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

So, you are not sounding disrespectful at all. In fact, I think you and I agree on this issue.

~Kevin