----- Original Message -----
From: <moe.bergeron@...>
To: <soundofgrace@...>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 5:51 PM
Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] CJ Mahaney Speaking in New England. - Moe


> Brethren,
>
> As some of you are aware I attend a Sovereign Grace Ministries church here
in my neck of the woods. As was noted the association does teach and
practice what they understand to be the gifts. That's where they are coming
from. Some of the churches do so more than others. My home church has only
heard what they understand to be tongue speaking twice in over two years.
Thankfully the sermons have been spot on.
>
> I may not agree with every facet of what they understand as the gifts but
I am quite thrilled they have moved toward a solid sovereign grace position.
They describe themselves as essentially reformed. To an observer that's
where they are heading. After nearly two years I can happily state they have
a refreshing Berean spirit about them. They are not stone throwers but are
known to duck every now and then. There are over 50 churches within their
association and they are still growing through church adoptions and church
plants. Their leadership comes across as a very humble and godly bunch. They
enjoy a great deal of accountability and stress such at all levels.
>
> As someone who was birthed as a Roman Catholic, saved under fundamentalism
and enjoyed my youth as a Reformed Baptist and then matured as a Sovereign
Grace Baptist I can truly say the journey has proven to be quite
interesting. These SGM folks are not the nuts who feign to be Christians
while stealing the savings of the elderly and the less fortunate. There are
no healers, wheelers and dealers among them. Just the opposite is true. They
have a zeal for God according to knowledge though they are not perfect. Nor
am I. Nor are we. We are all on this journey together as we grow together in
and through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
>
> The concerns I have with my church affiliation are small and next to
nothing when contrasted with infant baptism, easy believeism, arminianism,
liberalism, the new perspective on justification, and the growing host of
errors embraced by the cold and lifeless thing out there that attempts to
pass itself off as "in Christ". I rejoice that God in His mercy has led a
few more of His saints to the deeper waters we  love and appreciate and know
as Sovereign Grace. Sure they have baggage. We all do!
>
> Wish we ran to meet them as they head in our direction. Sadly many of us
treat them like lepers. It is reported (somewhere?) that the fastest growing
movement towards Calvinism comes from the direction of the Charismatics. Can
anyone confirm such a claim?
>
>  In His love,
>       Moe
>
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