Frequently Asked Questions About God, Jesus, The Bible, And Our Ministry
Q: How do I reconcile the fact that the Bible talks about a creation that supposedly occurred around 6,000 years ago, yet science has made numerous discoveries which obviously date over hundreds of millions of years? There doesn't seem to be any question that the earth is much older than the Bible seems to indicate.
Q: Is there proof that the Bible is true?
Q: If God is good and loving, why is there so much pain and suffering on the earth?
Q: Did Jesus Christ really live?
Q: Aren't all religions the same?
Q: Is Jesus really more than just a man?
Q: Why do so many so called servants of God do things that are evil? They seem to be no different than everybody else. Why should I want to be like them?
Q: What happens to those who never heard about Jesus?
Q: How do I get right with God?
Q: How do I become a Christian?
Q: How do I know that I am forgiven of my sins?
Q: What should I do after becoming a Christian?
Q: Does LifeSprings observe traditional church Ceremonies and Ordinances?
Q: Does LifeSprings believe in "Spiritual Gifts"?
Q: Does LifeSprings believe in the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit"?
Q: Does LifeSprings allow the practice of "Speaking in Tongues" in church services?
Q: Does LifeSprings believe in Divine Healing?
Q: Does LifeSprings believe in the "Rapture"?
Q: Does LifeSprings believe that true Christians can be demon possessed?
Q: Is LifeSprings a life education, wellness counseling or personal growth center?
Q: Is LifeSprings associated with John Hanley Sr. PhD, or use an experiential education, or participatory learning model?
Q: Does LifeSprings have healing rooms or use mystical water for anointing?
Q: Does LifeSprings teach contemplative or breath prayer?
Q: Does LifeSprings practice or recommend "Inner Healing" or "Theophostic" prayer ministry?
Q: Does LifeSprings use experiential and anecdotal evidence to support its beliefs?
Q: Does LifeSprings teach that sickness in a Christian is the result of being oppressed by the devil?
Q: Does LifeSprings teach that humans have a body, soul, and spirit?
How do I reconcile the fact that the Bible talks about a creation that supposedly occurred around 6,000 years ago, yet science has made numerous discoveries which obviously date over hundreds of millions of years? There doesn't seem to be any question that the earth is much older than the Bible seems to indicate.
Many Bible scholars teach that the Bible describes a recreation of the earth that occurred approximately 6,000 years ago. The Hebrew text in the second sentence in the Bible indicates that the earth became "formless and void." God subsequently began the creation process that was recorded for us by the writer of the first five books of the Bible. Scattered throughout the Bible are references referring to things that occurred on the earth prior to its current existence. There are not many details, because the Bible is primarily an account of our current existence. There are enough passages, however, that close study will put at rest a mind that is struggling to reconcile science with a belief in God. Another theory, which was at first discounted by many scholars, is now becoming very popular. This theory is based upon the fact that prior to the flood described in the Book of Genesis, chapters 7 and 8, the earth had a protective covering of clouds that filtered out ultraviolet light and other harmful rays from the sun and acted somewhat like a greenhouse covering the entire earth. Recent archaeological discoveries indicate that dinosaurs and men did live on earth at the same time and that geological formations previously thought to have taken millions of years to form can easily be explained by the flood.
Is there proof that the Bible is true?
Christianity is not a blind ignorant faith, but an intelligent one. Never has any individual been called to commit intellectual suicide in trusting Jesus as forgiver and leader. Christianity claims a moral certainty, to anyone who is willing to take the evidence, weigh and evaluate it. It claims an external verification through evidence, as well as an internal witness through God.
To those outside the Christian faith, Christianity can be shown to rest on strong evidence and have a high degree of probability for its truth claims.
Science:
The facts of science and geology completely support Biblical Creation and Christianity and disprove the myth of evolution. The fossil record shows the sudden appearance of each fixed kind of creature God created, with unbridgeable gaps in between. Evolution would require them to be blended together by countless transitional links. However, there are no fossils or any creatures around today showing any gradual change between kinds, nor is there any possible mechanism. Mutations are rare and harmful and cannot lead to sustained positive change. Likewise, natural selection leads to a loss of, rather than to, new information. Also, complex structures with many interdependent parts like the eye and the reproductive system could never form in steps by evolution. They would be of no use or advantage only partially formed. They had to be created complete and operational by God, just as the Bible and Christianity teach.
Archaeology And History:
The Bible and Christianity are true. All the Bible's accounts are fully trustworthy and are supported by archaeological finds and historical records, including the Genesis Flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Israel's miraculous exodus from Egypt and the many kings and battles mentioned, as well as the eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus - which are even supported by the writings of non-Christian first century historians, despite their being hostile to Christianity itself. Overwhelming manuscript evidence shows the whole Bible has been reliably preserved. The incredible patterns of numerics, plus the Bible and Messiah Codes found incorporated in its text, as well as its internal harmony further prove its Author to be God, and Christianity to be true.
Fulfilled Prophecies:
Literally hundreds of Bible prophecies of the coming of Jesus have been amazingly fulfilled. The Old Testament (the part of the Bible written before Jesus' birth) was completed in 450BC, hundreds of years before Jesus was born. More than 300 prophecies were made in the Old Testament and the fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection.
Here are just a few of the many prophecies in the Bible that were fulfilled by Jesus.
Of His Birth:
1. He will be born of a woman (Gen. 3:15, fulfilled in Gal. 4:4)
2. He will come from the nation of Israel (Gen. 12:3, fulfilled in Matt.1:1-16)
3. He will come from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10, fulfilled in Matt.1:1-16)
4. He will be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Matt. 1:23)
5. He will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, fulfilled in Luke 2:4)
Of His Death:
1. He will be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9, fulfilled in John13:18-21)
2. He will be mocked (Psalm 22:7:8, fulfilled in Matt. 27:39-44)
3. He will be forsaken by God (Psalm 22:1, fulfilled in Matt. 27:46)
Of His Resurrection and Ascension:
1. His body will not be corrupted in Death (Psalm16:10, fulfilled in Luke 24:6, 31, 34)
2. He will ascend to heaven and give gifts to man. (Psalm 68:18, fulfilled in Acts:1:9 and Eph. 4:7-13)
3. He will sit on the right hand of God in Majesty. (Psalm110:1, fulfilled in Heb. 1:3)
The chances of one person fulfilling a mere 8 of these prophecies are 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering. That's 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power! (1 with 157 zeros after it!). Add to that the 250 other prophecies and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
Changed Lives:
There are literally millions of people who's lives have been dramatically changed as a result of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. We invite you to come to Living Waters and hear for yourself similar stories and meet those who have been forever changed as well.
If God is good and loving why is there so much pain and suffering on the earth? 
One of the most haunting questions we face concerns the problem of evil and suffering. If God is love, then He must be powerful enough to deal with all the evil and injustice in the world. Then why isn't He doing something about it? Does this mean that He is really an evil God since He's not doing anything about it even though He has the capability? Is He really a God of power and love or a God of evil that's not all powerful?"
Even the biblical writers complained about suffering and evil. "Evils have encompassed me without number" (Psalm 40:12, RSV). "Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?" (Jeremiah 15:18, RSV). "The whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now" (Romans 8:22, RSV).
We admit that those are legitimate and honest questions. We also agree that if God created the world the way it is today, He would not be a God of love, but rather an evil God.
However, the Bible makes it plain that God did not create the world in the state in which it is now, but that evil came as a result of the selfishness of man. The Bible says that God is a God of love and He desired to create a person and eventually a race that would love Him. But genuine love cannot exist unless freely given through freedom of choice and freedom of will.
Mankind was given freedom of choice to either accept God's love or to reject it. This freedom made the possibility of evil become very real. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, they did not choose something God created. Through the free will to choose, they ultimately brought evil, or what we call "sin"quota, into the world, which entered into mankind s very being and nature. As a result mankind has been separated from the Creator. God is neither evil nor did He create evil. Mankind brought evil upon himself by selfishly choosing his own way apart from God's way.
Because of mankind's disobedience, or fall, the natural world, or ecosystem is abnormal as well. Nature as we know it really isn't natural as God originally intended it to be. Nature is not always kind to mankind and the animal world can also be an enemy. Conflicts, wars, hatred, racism, violence, and so on, all can trace their beginnings back to the Fall. None of these conditions were true before the Fall. Any solution that might be given to the many problems mankind faces must take into consideration that the world as it stands now is not normal.
Although evil and suffering are here and very real, they are also temporary. They will eventually be destroyed. This is the hope that the mankind has through Jesus Christ. There is a new world coming in which there will be no more tears or pain because all things will be made new (Revelation 21:5). Paradise lost will be paradise regained. God will ultimately make right every wrong and put away evil and suffering once and for all.
This does not mean that there is no justification for fighting evil, immorality and corruption in the world. Because the world was not designed with evil in mind, Christians have a real basis for fighting social ills. The Christian should never condone wrongdoing, nor should they assume that tragedies, or suffering, or pain, is agreed to by God. God does not desire evil nor does He ever condone it. He hates evil, and the Christian also is not only to despise evil, they are obligated to do something about it.
Even though sin is real, it is not something that the Christian accepts as the way things ought to be. By identifying with Jesus, a Christian has a duty to call things wrong that are wrong and to speak out when evil is overtaking good. The Christian is not fighting against God by fighting social problems. Natural disasters, crime, and mental retardation should not be the accepted order of things, because they were never meant to be and they will not be in God's future kingdom.
However, some people are still bothered that God even "allows" terrible things to happen in the first place. They question His wisdom in giving man a choice in the matter. Or even worse still they impugn His very nature and character by saying, "It was God's will"; when some terrible tragedy or event takes place. A loving parent would never directly allow their children to be harmed in any way, shape or form. If a parent lets their child play in the yard and the child accidentally falls and breaks its arm, does that mean the parent allowed it, or even caused it to happen? If a loving parent was accused of treating their children as God the Father has been accused of treating mankind, they would be arrested for child abuse and put away for a long, long time.
God chose to make us just as we are. Our freedom of choice has made us subject to suffering, sorrow and death. Yet our Creator God had the honesty and the courage to set into motion the ultimate way in which mankind could recover at the very moment of the Fall. He chose to send Jesus to be the Way.
Our Creator will never demand from mankind that which He has not demanded from Himself. Jesus went through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money, to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair and death. When He became man, He was completely man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile. He has proved Himself to be trustworthy and deserving of our honor, of our worship, and the total surrender of our body, soul, mind and life. The free choice you are now confronted with is to accept or reject this reality.
Did you look at a newspaper today? How about a calendar? What year is this? Oh really? That many years from when? From the birth of Jesus Christ. It is not just the Bible that tells of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The story can also be found in the secular history books of the era. The fact that Jesus lived, was crucified, and rose again from the dead is one of the most factually documented events on earth. Any serious inquiry will lead one to the conclusion that Jesus really existed, and that the account of His life as written in the first four books of the New Testament is true. Think about this country's history. Two thousand years from now, would George Washington have existed? Would he still have been the first president of the United States? If you really need some scientific evidence, check out these books by Josh McDowell: "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", 'More Evidence that Demands a Verdict', and "He Walked Among Us" (co-authored by Bill Wilson). These books can be found in most Christian book stores.
Aren't all religions the same? (See "What Others Believe" Page)
Religions all promise to help man reach God. In that sense, I guess they are all the same. But here is a revelation. Religion is not how you reach God. In fact, God hates religion. To say about a true Christian that he or she is "religious" is an insult. What God wants is a voluntary relationship with the people that he created. Jesus Christ claimed to be the only way to reach God the Father. He proved His authority to make such a claim by coming back from the dead. He is the only one who has done that. His is the only empty tomb. None of the "religious" leaders have empty tombs. They are all dead. So forget religion. What you want is a relationship with God and that can be found by accepting Jesus Christ as your savior.
Is Jesus really more than just a man?
There are only four options for the identity of Jesus Christ. He is either a legend, a liar, a lunatic, or He is God. There is NO likelihood that Jesus claims are legend. There just wasn't enough time for any legendary development of the story to replace what really happened. Also, if the claims Jesus made for Himself are legendary, the early Jewish opponents of Christianity would surely have charged that these claims never happened. Unlike modern skeptics, the religious leaders of that time apparently never denied that Jesus made such claims for Himself. Instead, they called Him a liar.
Jesus thought of Himself as divine. He was put to death because He claimed to be the Creator of the Universe. Throughout the New Testament we are also told that Jesus believed He had the power to perform miracles and the power to forgive sins. He even made the bold and powerful claim that in order to get to Heaven, you had to go through Him. Jesus said that He was the: "way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (Jn 14:6)
Since Jesus claimed to be God, His claims are either true or false. If false, He must have been a liar, deliberately misleading the multitudes who followed Him and is not worthy of one moments thought. Or, He was a lunatic, sincerely believing Himself to be God, when in reality He was just a man.
Jesus' moral character and His willingness to die for His claim to be God have convinced most people that Jesus was not lying. Jesus' humility and unselfish love, His intelligent communication with the crowds, and His amazing self control and composure amidst the tremendous physical and emotional stress of His betrayal and crucifixion, all point to His contact with reality. Jesus was no lunatic.
Since the evidence shows that He is neither a liar nor a lunatic, then the only other alternative left is that His claim is true. Jesus is Lord and God. That conclusion is further supported by remarkable evidence that Jesus rose physically from the grave. If you want to learn more about the historical evidence and see living evidence come and join us at Village Church.
Why have so many terrible things been done by those who are so called servants of God and do things that are evil? They seem to be no different than everybody else. Why should I want to be like them?
Just as there are good parents and bad parents, there are good Christians and bad Christians. People
fail for a number of reasons: lack of commitment, lack of proper training, lack of support, old habits they never conquer, failure to turn from their old lifestyle, unwillingness to change. Many fail, many do not.
You cannot judge the teachings and truth of Christianity by the conduct of people who do not live up to them. Many have tried to discredit Christianity by pointing out the failures and faults of followers who were not obeying and abiding in the teachings of Jesus. The standard by which to judge Christianity is the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself.
Living Waters is full of people just like you who have been completely and dramatically changed by becoming true followers of Jesus. We invite you to come and see for yourself.
What happens to those who never heard about Jesus?
Although the Bible does not give us the complete answer to this question, it does tell us that God "will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity (or fairness)" (Psalm 98:9). God will not condemn a person for rejecting a Christ they never heard about. However, we already stand condemned for something far more basic.
God has revealed Himself to everyone through the creation around us, and the sense of right and wrong inside us. Each person knows enough about God that He says we are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20). It is for this suppression, distortion and rejection of the true knowledge of God placed within each one of us, and for the accompanying violation of God's laws, that we stand condemned.
Only by casting oneself completely on the mercy of God, and not counting on any of one's deeds -- religious or otherwise -- for right standing with God, can anyone possibly be saved.
Throughout time, man has tried many different ways to get right with God. But none of man's ways were successful. Religion, baptism, good works, high moral standards, philosophy and all other ways are just man trying to reach God on man's merit.You must first realize that God really does love you! He proved it by sending Jesus to die for you so that you could find peace with Him and find joy in life.
THE BIBLE SAYS...
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
God loves you and all the people in the world. God wants you to have peace and to enjoy life to it's fullest. If that's true then why don't you have peace in your life today? Sin separates us from God. God is Holy and He cannot tolerate sin. Sin separates us from God, but it doesn't keep God from loving us and wanting us to come to Him.
THE BIBLE SAYS...
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
"There are none righteous, no not even one." Romans 3:10
"for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
God has provided the way to get right with Him. The Bible says :"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12) The way is through Jesus Christ and the cross. Jesus died on the cross and He rose from the dead, paying the penalty for our sins. Jesus makes it possible for us to be reconciled with God.
THE BIBLE SAYS...
"God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Gods offers you the free gift of salvation; "for by grace you are saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 Grace means God's unmerited favor. God's gift of salvation is free; there is nothing you can do to earn it. All you have to do is accept it, by receiving Jesus Christ.
We receive Jesus Christ when we accept what He has done for us. We recognize that He died on the Cross for us, in our place and He rose again from the dead.
THE BIBLE SAYS...
"if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9
How do I become a Christian and start living a new life?
You must first receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior! All you have to do is follow these four simple steps. I can guarantee you will never be the same again.
1. Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for me and showed He was God by coming back to life. (Cor.15:4)
2. Accept God's free forgiveness for my sins.(Rom 3:22)
3. Switch to God's plan for my life. (Mark 1:15)
4. Express your desire for Christ to be the leader (Lord) of your life and forgiver (Savior) of your sins. (Rom 10:9)
Salvation is simply praying and inviting Jesus into your heart.
Pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I invite You into my heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to begin trusting in You. Thank You that I am now a child of God and am going to heaven. Amen!
How do I know that I am forgiven of my sins? 
If you prayed to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior He has guaranteed your sins are forgiven.
THE BIBLE SAYS...
"for whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13
"...God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins." Colossians 2:13
"I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:38
What should I do after becoming a Christian?
Here are the first steps you should take:
1. Read your Bible daily.
2. Talk to God in prayer everyday.
3. Attend a Bible teaching church like Village Church.
4. Get involved in a small group.
5. Tell others of your new life in Christ.
Does LifeSprings observe traditional church Ceremonies and Ordinances? 
We don't do a lot of the things you might find in a traditional church, but we do follow two ordinances that are commanded by the Scriptures:
Baptism in Water
All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Rom. 6:4
Holy Communion
The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements --bread and the fruit of the vine-- is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of his suffering and death (1Cor. 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Cor 11:26), and is enjoined on all Believers "till He comes!"
Does LifeSprings believe in "Spiritual Gifts"? 
We believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb.13:8) The supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures are as valid today as Jesus is because He is the one who gives them to believers as needed. We allow their use as long as they are exercised within the Scriptural guidelines. As Believers we are to covet the best gifts, seeking to exercise them in love so that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. We believe that love is more important than the most spectacular gifts, and without this love all exercise of spiritual gifts is worthless. (1 Cor. 12:29 -14:1; 1 Cor. 12:4 - 12)
Does LifeSprings believe in the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit"?
All Believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek all that the Father has promised for us. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church.
We believe this experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. We acknowledge that the "Rushing Wind" of Acts 2:2 is primarily the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for salvation under the "New Covenant" or promise from God to all who would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. However, we also believe that God has offered a second outpouring (see John 20:22) for all believers as an endowment of power for life and service, and the bestowal of the supernatural gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; Acts 1:8) Acts 8:12-17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 11:14-16; Acts 15:7-9)
Does LifeSprings condone the practice of "Speaking in Tongues", without interpretation, in ministry services?
We do not condone outbursts of "tongues" during ministry services. Although we acknowledge that tongues is a viable gift of Holy Spirit, we believe the following:
1. We believe God still provides the gift of tongues to be used as a prayer language for all Believers and that the primary and appropriate use of this gift is in the privacy of prayer.
2. We believe that although tongues can be the evidence to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit that there are other evidences that are just as important and in some cases more convincing. (1 Cor 12:30, 31; 13:1)
3. We reject the teaching that unless one has spoken in tongues, he/she can not have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. God distributes as He wills. (1 Cor. 12:11 Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:4-10; 1 Cor. 12:28)
We focus on a personal and intimate relationship with God through worship, prayer, and the teaching of the Bible. We do not allow condone shouting or speaking in tongues, or spontaneous prophesying aloud while a service is in progress because we do not believe that Holy Spirit would interrupt Himself. We do, however believe in, and practice these gifts within scriptural guidelines.
Does LifeSprings believe in Divine Healing? 
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. We believe that God still heals according to His purposes and timing. However, we firmly believe that God's will is for every Christian is to live in Divine Health.
We believe that God is sovereign and that we live in a fallen world and must therefore depend upon Him. (Matt. 8:16,17; James 5:14-16)
Does LifeSprings believe in the "Rapture"?
We believe that the second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on the earth will be personal and visible. There is much debate in the Christian world about the timing of the Rapture. While we support the Pre-Tribulation period view, we recognize that there is also room for other interpretation and that it is ultimately irrelevant since "no man can know the day or the hour". Our recommendation is to live your life as if Jesus was coming back today and plan your life as if He wasn't coming back for a 100 years. (1 Thess. 4:16,17; Rom 8:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor 15:51,52)
Does LifeSprings believe that true Christians can be demon possessed? (1 Cor 6:19)
We believe that a true born again Christian is "possessed" by God Himself. The physical body ("Naos" of God) of every Believer is the Temple (Gk:Holy Of Holies) of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor. 6:18) The darkness of the enemy's presence can not stay in the light of God's presence. (John 8:12; 2 Cor. 4:6, 6:14; 1 Peter 2:9)
Is LifeSprings a life education, wellness counseling, or personal growth center?
We are not a personal, family, drug, alcohol, corporate wellness counseling, rehabilitation, or growth center.
Is LifeSprings associated with John Hanley, Sr. PhD, or use an experiential education, or participatory learning model?
No. We are based solely on the Bible. Please refer to the "What We Believe" page.
Does LifeSprings have healing rooms or use mystical water for anointing?
We do not have special rooms for healing, nor do we use water taken from a lake that was blessed and used by Native American Shaumans to anoint people. We follow the biblical example and anoint with oil as needed.
Does LifeSprings teach contemplative or breath prayer?
No. However we strongly support contemplative worship. We believe that prayer is simply a two-way conversation, not some ethereal mental exercise of mystical introspection and spiritual assent through breath prayers in a candle filled room to a God that lives way out there somewhere.Nor do we believe Christians need to traverse some man-made labyrinth to find a special place to pray or write a list of objectives in which to petition the Lord or empty the mind in order to hear God's voice.
Does LifeSprings practice or recommend "Inner Healing" or "Theophostic" prayer ministry?
It is our belief that there is no biblical or scientific basis for the use of the past as a determinant of behavior or the unconscious as a hidden region of the mind with powerful needs and motivational energy. We acknowledge that humans have been both emotionally and spiritually wounded through painful past experiences in some form or another, not just from lies associated with those experiences. However, we believe that humans need redemption and that all painful experiences are both directly and indirectly caused as a result of the sinful nature passed down to all of humanity through the rebellious fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
The Bible teaches that God works through conscious cooperation and personal responsibility. People are not determined by their unconscious or their past. The Cross of Christ took care of it. The Bible implores us to forget the past and press forward. (See Phil. 3:13-14)
The Bible gives no instructions to search for forgotten circumstances through past memories in order to be healed. Rather, the Bible instructs the Christian to consider the past self (old nature) dead and to live the new life in Christ Jesus: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 6:11).
There is no biblical foundation or support for teaching that a person needs to conjure up a mental image of Jesus in the memory of a painful life circumstance or situation. We believe that Holy Spirit will reveal a specific event or behavior that needs healing at the moment He deems it necessary and that He will provide the guidance to bring about complete healing and wholeness when He is ready, not when a person attempts to make it happen.
We believe that human beings can be emotionally, physically, and spiritually wounded and have their hearts and minds completely healed by Jesus Christ. After many decades of experience and study we believe that the foundation of all spiritual, emotional, and physical healing (and health) is found in forgiveness - through both receiving and giving - as defined by the shedding of Jesus blood on the Cross. Although biblical principles are applied in the practice of inner healing methodology, there is also a significant mixture of psychology and occultic teaching. Therefore, we can not support, recommend, or condone its practice.
Does LifeSprings use experiential and anecdotal evidence to support its beliefs?
LifeSprings has many testimonies, experiential and anecdotal evidence to support our methods of ministry. However, we believe that the only sure testimony is that of the Bible. The primary apologetic for our beliefs and methods is firmly based in the biblical science of Hermeneutics and the systematic exegesis of Scripture.
Does LifeSprings teach that sickness in a Christian is the result of being oppressed by the devil?
No. The Bible tells us that Jesus healed all those who were under the power of the enemy. (Acts 10:38) In the Greek the word 'oppressed' means to 'exercise dominion (rule / authority) against.' The enemy has NO authority over a Born-Again Christian.
Sickness is part of the devil's kingdom. Through the shed blood of Jesus, every Believer has already been 'rescued'… 'from the dominion of darkness and brought" ... "into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."(Col 1:13-14 NIV)
Jesus gave His disciples power over the devil and all sickness (Luke 9:1-2). Every Believer has power over the power of the devil because 'Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world!' (1 John 4:4) Christians have already overcome the enemy. (1 John 2:13-14). Jesus destroyed the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8) and lives IN every Believer. The physical body is His dwelling place, the Holy of Holies. (1 Cor 6:19).
Does LifeSprings teach that humans have a body, soul, and spirit?
We believe that the Bible shows the way for every born-again Christian to walk in divine wholeness and health spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Because it is impossible to be dogmatic on this subject, we do not arrogantly hold to the primary theories that humans are Monochotomous (single natured), Dichotomous (Body / soul-spirit), or Trichotomous (Body / soul / spirit).
There are raging debates and good arguments for all views. Human beings possess much more that a body, a soul, and a spirit! We choose to focus on the Beautiful Creator God through whom we are fearfully and wonderfully made(Ps 139:14).
Have more questions? Write us! We will make every attempt to respond as quickly as possible.
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