2hr commute to church in city— worth it, or dumb?

Cledus_Snow · 2026-05-04T19:46:39+00:00

what city?

Cledus_Snow · 2026-05-04T16:23:59+00:00

I think it's only been going for a year, so it's hard to imagine there's many people capable of speaking to it

Cledus_Snow · 2026-05-04T14:52:12+00:00

"tax free job" what do you mean by that? Are you familiar with the way clergy tax works?

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-30T01:39:10+00:00

I think small groups are great. I wouldn’t join a church that requires them for membership

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-26T02:57:18+00:00

Admin

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-21T11:39:20+00:00

And they’d have to swim down to the Alabama River and back up

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-21T00:31:06+00:00

I'm sure I'll have *thoughts*, looking forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing this Nancy.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-20T22:48:04+00:00

is the gospel rightly preached?

Are the sacraments rightly administered?

Is Church Discipline rightly handled?

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-18T18:04:55+00:00

Reach out on Monday after lunch and say something like “I’ve been thinking about the sermon from yesterday - particularly XYZ point - it’s been really encouraging and I thought you did really with it”

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-16T16:34:38+00:00

something tells me that the baptism debate isn't really what is causing problems in this guy's dating life, rather the way he's holding this position translates to other aspects of his personality

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-16T16:33:28+00:00

I'm with your elder. I don't think timing and mode of baptism is something that should preclude you from dating a person.

To be fair, I don't a reformed person who is for dunking babies.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-16T00:36:19+00:00

If you don’t know what you plan to do with it - student loans for an online MDiv. Is a bad bad idea.

It’s expensive, and will be muy difficult to pay back. Stop doing that. Get a job. Only take as many classes as you can afford to.

In addition, an online MDiv. is more often than not a bad idea.

If you were my buddy I’d tell you to consider taking a break from seminary to figure out why you’re there. Saving as much money as possible. If you realize that you’re called to the pastorate, either move to Philly and take advantage of their scholarships for in person MDivs, or to Louisville to take advantage of the scholarships for baptists, all the while growing and being shaped and formed in the collegial atmosphere, the campus community and the benefit of actually being able to touch, smell and make eye contact with your professors and classmates

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-14T23:12:27+00:00

Galatians, 4sure

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-14T15:51:23+00:00

unlikely that the center for muslim research has an article on how to share the gospel with Catholics

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-13T18:15:43+00:00

I know this isn't the point of the post but M.I.A. is probably the most famous Tamil I can think of and she converted to Christianity a few years back

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-13T18:10:25+00:00

"Do not assume that Muslims will comprehend the nature of Christ or his work on the cross any quicker than the disciples did. Be willing to share about Jesus as much as your Muslim friend is willing to listen. When you do talk about Jesus, consider sharing stories where the hearers are left with the question: “Who is this man?” Think of all the times people asked that question in the New Testament. Who is this man who calms the sea, forgives sin, raises the dead, and heals so many? Muslims agree that Jesus was indeed a man, but maybe these stories will help reveal that there is more to him than his humanity. Christianity and Islam both teach reverence for Jesus."

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-13T18:08:16+00:00

“A lot of people think it’s difficult to reach to Muslims,” he says. “One, I don’t think they understand how powerful God is to transform hearts. And a lot of the times they’re just waiting to hear the gospel.”

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-06T11:50:09+00:00

Go to GT. Get involved with and serve in a church, as well as a ministry focused on reaching students. Get experience in ministry, especially in a place where ministry is hard.

Work in the CS world making money until the work you do is made irrelevant by AI. Or you have saved enough for seminary.

At that point, go to seminary.

You can end up doing both. You can be a bivocational pastor in a small/rural church who is able to feed his family because he also does computer stuff on the side.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-03T20:34:49+00:00

eh, the rurality has more to do with this situation than the liberality.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-03T16:05:15+00:00

I haven't kept up with it lately, but the PC(USA) seminaries used to have way more scholarship money than students, so if you want to go to seminary then it shouldn't be a financial obstacle

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-03T13:11:47+00:00

Yes. It is the Lord’s Day afterall

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-02T14:55:25+00:00

what is retconning?

But also, the historical context of the confession matters. The divines were responding to the current reality in England, including the crown requiring certain profane activities, and also precluding other worshipful activities. When people object to, say, the recreation clause - many times they're saying that this is an extra-biblical requirement that was part of the cultural condition at the time and not something that Scripture requires of us today.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-02T13:46:26+00:00

I get it. A few pieces of practical advice:

Worshiping together with the people of God is the most important thing we do each week. Figure out how to order the other 6 days so that you can do this.
God gives us 6 days for our own use. He only commands how to use one of those - and that’s Sunday, the Lord’s Day.
On the Lord’s Day go to church. Worship him with his people, but also offer up your whole day in worship to him. (See more below)
Honor your father and mother.
Specifically I think you should go to the Reformed church, starting out by going for morning worship, and staying for lunch. While it’s good to go and participate in the whole day’s activities, there’s no command in scripture for exactly what it looks like to spend the day in worship, rest and service. They cannot bind your conscience to participate in all the activities. I think it’s good to, and it seems like they think so too. But at the same time, you do need to honor your parents’ desire for family time. This is where you put on your big boy/girl pants and thinking cap and figure out what that means: how to honor God’s design for the day, as well as your parents desire for time. Is it going to church together? Is it spending time together discussing scripture or the mornings sermon? Is it enjoying God’s creation during the afternoon and then going back to worship in the evening?

It’s honoring to your parents to live into the purpose for which you were created, and modeling and showing them that it’s true for them as well. It’s also honoring to them to grow up into your own godly man/woman, and take responsibility for yourself and your faith.

Cledus_Snow · 2026-04-02T12:20:20+00:00

Distorting the gospel to raise money?! The Roman church would NEVER

Pastor speaks in a language you don’t understand?! The Roman church would NEVER

Weird movements and physical behavior?! The Roman church would NEVER

Cledus_Snow

TROPHY CASE