Comments on: The Missing Ingredient

By: Elton

Elton — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:52:19 +0000

Is only Christ Who can raise brothers and sisters and fathers of the church. What we can do is like Ana said, just to admit that we cannot do anything without Him. There is only Him Who can lead us and makes us useful vessels for His Glory…….
On …the other side, I agree with brother Chip on the reality of missing “fathers” in our generation. This is because to be a father you need to have two basic things: Love and the Cross. You cannot be a real father without loving your kids. And also you must be prepared that you may not receive this love back. This is a part of the cross: to love and not to receive the love back.
Also the fatherhood has not a meaning without a family. You cannot be a father without having a family. The family is the ground where the fatherhood is born and is raised. You cannot be a father without being firstly a son and then a husband. This is the way how it functions in the natural life and it is similar with the spiritual life.
The real problem is that the modern Christians (mostly in the protestant world but not only there) do not see the church as their own family. This is the reason why today the fathers of the church are so rare. The church life cannot be some background of the christian life, but it is the cradle where the christian life is born and is nourished. We learn there to be sons, brothers,sisters, husbands and wives, and then fathers and mothers. (Not only in the natural way, but in the spiritual way).
I have seen recently the movie of the Father Pio of Pietrelcina. I think he is a real father of the church. He has raised many spiritual children and took the cross and followed Jesus step by step. I think we need many people like him. God has His lights on this dark world, may He open our eyes to see that these lights are there. These lights are the proof that the Christian life is not something that belongs only to the first centuries and then it was eradicated from the earth.

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:13:29 +0000

I’ve been a Christian since 1977 and could never seem to read or listen to messages from John’s three letters. It was like I either shut down or got heart sick. So attending a webinar about them is a testiment to the Lord’s faithfulness. Like another commenter said, “How did we miss it?” But now that His love is flowing more freely to and through my heart, so too the revelation and fruit. I know I’ve got a lo-o-ong way to go but now that I even desire to embrace the truths in John’s letters, it’s a good start.

Thanks Chip, for laying it all out there. It’s about time someone did.

Blessings and prayers, Christ is our life.

By: Jazmin

Jazmin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:31:48 +0000

“One father is worth more than ten thousand teachers.”

That was deep brother Chip! Once again an AMAZING article!!! May the Lord continue to illuminate you! God Bless!

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:13:26 +0000

Thanks Joan,yes there is a time when we least expect it, that the Lord touches the heart of a person and they are never the same again.I remember after my changed life when I returned back to the old home town, of which I was forbidden to do on my release from prison.And I met lovely Christian people who said to me, we were praying for you years ago.The power of prayer is wonderful-yours in the love of our Saviour,Thomas.

By: Joan

Joan — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:40:03 +0000

Thomas, God Bless You….You are not cut out from God’s Family….Love in Christ…
Love, God’s love casts out all fear….Is the greatest, and heals and saves…..
Here’s a story of God’s love. This happened a few years ago….There was a man, a drunkard of the worst kind, a pervert who liked to watch his stepdaughter bathe. God had always shown her to watch out for him….One day this young woman was to be married. She had no father. She prayed and God told her to allow this vile man to give her away at her wedding, against all warnings from family that he will ruin it with his drunkeness….
He was also known for beating and fighting with this young woman’s mother, whom he lived with.

The day of the wedding, he showed up with a new suit. No alcohol on his breath. Right to the last person that left the reception, this man did not have one drink. He felt honored, he acted humbly and did all the right things at the wedding. Not until the very last person left, did he have a drink.
A week after the wedding, this man left this family, never to hurt them again, and no one has seen him since.

I believe this man was helped through the love of a follower of Christ.. Perhaps Christ HImself .

By: frank pytel

frank pytel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:50:42 +0000

Your fellowship reminds me of Peter after his denying Jesus three times. The restoration of Peter was all about love. Jesus asked Peter three times in different ways, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). If you have love, then you can feed and shepherd others; no love, no service. May our love toward our Lord be channeled through us into others. May our love for Christ our Head who we cannot see, be displayed in our love for His Body who we can see!

By: Joe Griffo

Joe Griffo — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:27:25 +0000

I’d even say its the unused ingredient. Christ is in us, He is love. I have seen fear dissolve as I grow toward the image of Him. As we become one with Him we become like Him. Soon we can not help but to love, He becomes us, He becomes our nature.
Reminds me of the yeast that had to be worked through the dough…

By: Thomas Varney

Thomas Varney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:43:35 +0000

Thank you for the missing ingredient study.I came to Christ 40 years ogo. At that time I was still certified insane,and just released on trial leave.I was facing an 11 years prison sentence,I had already spent years away,I was married and was a proclaiming athiest.But our Lord changed all that, and today I still have that hunger in my heart, more than ever. I was drawn out of the traditional churches 30 yrs ago. Today, is the best time of my walk with God.Love is indeed the greatest gift in a persons life.Yesterday was the first time I had heard of Chip Brogden, and what a blessing it has been. The Spirit of the Lord moved me to tears.Most of those who have known my testimony, they have read my life story “From Gutter To Glory” they praised God for years for my freedom in Christ, but today they have all but cut me off,now that I have real freedom! Thanks Chip for your obedience to God to come out from among them-better things are up ahead for all Creation,much love to all-Tom and Barbara Varney, Queensland Australia.

By: Roger

Roger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:58:36 +0000

I have just read the above teaching – Bless you Chip in the name of Christ Jesus our Saviour and Lord – thankyou for the reminder of my own experience.
In my early days after accepting Jesus as my Saviour, I struggled to speak in tongues, for 8 long years – I was prayed over, had hands laid on me, pushed over ’till I lay on the floor, counselled, admonished – I was told I was in sin, had pride, and so on. I was depressed, desperate and wrongly focussing on a gift not the giver. My eyes were blinded to Pauls teaching to the Corinthians.
Finally, watching a TV program on the special Olympics where a leading runner stopped to pick up another, his friend, who had fallen, and so neither could win the race. Together they came over the line in last place – the crowd roared their approval.
At that instant God revealed Himself to me in pure love. At that instant I learnt that Jesus is LOVE, and that LOVE is indeed Pauls “..more excellent way..” 1 Cor.12-14
So, if the ‘called out ones’ are spiritually bound together by Jesus, then we are spiritually bound together in Love.

By: Alicia

Alicia — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:51:24 +0000

This is one of the most profound teachings that God has ever opened my eyes to, and since I stopped going to church over two years ago, God has graciously been opening my eyes and growing me closer to Him. I want God to give me a heart of love. I don’t see many people since I stopped going to church. I went to a home group for a while, but it seemed as dry as the churches I had attended, so basically I have been spending time with my Lord in Savior in prayer, Scripture study and just learning to wait on him. I am with my family daily. I just have to thank my Father in heaven for this revelation. This is profound and the complete truth. God Is Love! How have we missed this for so long? It doesn’t matter, since the Lord God will teach us all things by His Spirit, Hallelujah!