We all know there are two issues that are taboo to bloggers – politics and religion. I will, though, occasionally talk about these two issues for two reasons:
1. this blog is a journal of my life and I would like my family to know how I felt about said issues.
2. I would like to show you, dear blog readers, the how and why I believe what I do. Perhaps my beliefs will lead readers who are spiritually insecure, or do not have a very strong faith foundation, onto a dynamic path to spiritual comfort. God has blessed our family. And it’s largely due to the fact that we love God, that we read and trust His word on a regular basis and that we believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ, God’s son, died on the cross for our sins. We are on a journey to please God and as a result, we are successful, we are secure, and we are loved. You too can find peace and happiness in your lives.
We do not go to church. I learned, at a very early age, that pastors/preachers liked to veer off the bible and go off on their own tangents to promote their own agendas. I’m not saying every pastor/preacher is this way, I’m merely saying that the pastor/preachers I’ve had access to in my life were this way – the bottom line was, they were teaching the bible out of context and as a person who’s always had a certain fascination with language, this just didn’t ring true to me; something felt … wrong.
I remember sitting in church one Sunday, listening to the preacher, my attention sharp, my soul hungry to learn about our wonderful God. The preacher referenced a verse in the bible, then proceeded to elaborate on said verse. I continued reading the chapter of the verse he referenced. And I was shocked to discover, that what the preacher was talking about had absolutely nothing to do with what the verse meant. That when you read the context of said verse, it, in fact, meant something completely different. The message was positive and uplifting, the message the preacher was giving us was not. In fact, it was depressing and in essence, he was chastising us for being bad people as a whole and how we were doomed to go to hell.
Once the shock wore off (how could a man of God get it so wrong? I thought), I was furious. God is not about hell and damnation, God is about love, happiness and believing so that we may lead rich, abundant lives, and feel confident enough to go out and share His word with others.
I stopped going to church. I had no desire to step foot into another church. But I was starving to learn more about God. Then I met my husband. And he introduced me to an organization called, “The Way.” They call themselves this because Christ says, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6. The Way taught me so much about the bible and what God expects of me. It taught me the meaning of life in general and what I needed out of my own life specifically.
But as is often the case in so many religions, disagreement arose and members of The Way left the ministry to begin their own ministry. Hence, the birth of Truth or Tradition. Truth or Tradition is “dedicated to helping you understand the Word of God, free from the traditions of men.”
Once the founder of The Way passed away, and a new administration took over, the organization felt .. disjointed and we didn’t exactly agree with the direction the new administrators were trying to steer the ministry, so we checked out Truth or Tradition, loved what we saw and have been listening to their teachings ever since.
We currently have bible study, in our home, every Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. We sit around our dining room table, bibles in hand, and watch one of the numerous video teachings offered by Truth or Tradition. These teachings have TRULY BLESSED US and we thank God for John W. Schoenheit and his wonderful teaching talents. Our boys have grown up with Mr. Schoenheit and I’m quite confident have a solid faith-based foundation to build the rest of their lives with.
I’m not overly religious – I don’t go out of my way to speak the word of God. But if the occasion arises, and my audience is receptive, then I do not hesitate to tell people about the Truth or Tradition ministry and how it has blessed me and my family.
I feel God has been trying to tell me something these past weeks and I’m just now at a point in my life that I can listen to Him. This blog is a convenient platform in which to help spread His word via the Truth or Tradition teachings. I plan on offering various videos and links to the Truth or Tradition teachings every Sunday; I hope you will take the time to look into this ministry whether you’ve been searching for something like this, or are already established in your current beliefs.
It never hurts to learn about various viewpoints, in all aspects of our lives, in order to gauge whether or not our current beliefs/thoughts/practices are real and true. It’s possible to listen to opposing, or different views, if you will allow yourself to do so.
This first video is wonderful (they’re all wonderful, IMO). It talks about WHY we should get saved. It addresses a lot of popular doubts and questions about salvation and I pray it blesses you.
Thank you for listening and God bless.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.
Write From Karen 