This is actually a composite of the past two updates that go to our email list. If you’d like to added please just let me know. We also thank you for your prayers and for your standing with us. This is still a bit of a time of transition as Apprising Ministries now appears to be on the verge of an additional phase. This would be in the area of traveling and speaking. AM must be on the right track because those of us associated with the various outreaches which extend from us e.g. Christian Research Net are experiencing conflict from enemy forces.

At the same time I have been asked to come to an invitation only conference in January where it is hoped I can be part of a round-table discussion on how to combat the Emergent Church, neo-paganism, and contemplative spirituality with people like my friend Bob DeWaay. If it is God’s will that I attend we are seeking prayer that He will raise the finances.

We know it’s a busy time for all of us around the holidays but at such a time we remain so thankful for all of our faithful supporters. A work like Apprising Ministries depends entirely upon the people whom God calls to stand in the gap with us in a very unpopular type of ministry. I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that because of your gifts I have been here to able to dialogue off-line such as this below:

Just perousing the blogosphere of Christian culture and found this one. I was wondering what causes so much pointing out of ministries/personalities that are supposedly failing instead of pointing light towards Christ, which is something it seems all the faulty objects have in common on this site?

josh

My response in part:

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries. The noted Christian philosopher and apologist Dr. Francis Schaeffer used to say: “Honest questions deserve honest answers.” I believe this as well and so I will respond from a position of no offense taken and no intention of causing any. Setting this upfront due to the limitations of the written language.

You said: “I was wondering what causes so much pointing out of ministries/personalities that are supposedly failing instead of pointing light towards Christ, which is something it seems all the faulty objects have in common on this site?” Well first “the faulty objects” you speak of have in common pointing a wrong concept of light toward their misunderstandings concerning Christ.

And here was his follow up:

Your response with no offense taken was perfect!! E-mail can only communicate so much and I appreciate your giving me the benefit of the doubt because I truly only wanted to ask a question and know more about you and your ministry, so thank you. Also, I never actually thought I would get a response! The fact that you are willing to discuss why you do what you do shows that you are not just another critic or hopefully-famous blogger but a true Christ-follower. Thanks so much for taking the time to share with me the story that God has told about Himself through you, it is truly a pleasure!!

In Christ,

Josh

There are also these kinds of letters for information coming in as well:

I appreciate your ministry and also your apprehension about Emergence. Could you please supply some direct quotes from McLaren to back up your points? Some of us don’t want to have to wade through his books to try to find them.

Thank you,
Maureen

Please also know that your continued assistance will allow me the time to begin working on such things because I did explain to her that I really do want to be able to arrange some more short “bullet” type articles on Brian McLaren by subject, kind of like this one on his disciple Rob Bell:

ROB BELL IN A NUTSHELL: THE BIBLE

We’re still praying for a few churches to pick AM up as part of their missions giving but in closing, I just want to say thank you once again and I do pray that you’ll be able to see that you also share in these above interactions with people we’d never be able to reach except through God’s use of the Internet. And in this coming year as I move out into speaking I can say these sorts of things in a face to face fashion to people the Lord is bringing us into contact with through His labor here at AM and its main outreach CRN. Soli Deo Gloria!

For Christ’s honor I labor,

Ken Silva, pastor-teacher
Firebase Apprising