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Freedom's Ring: Issue 28

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  • I discovered your page and appreciate it very much. If I had found it earlier, I might not have left the Christian Church which I helped establish and was very active in for 10 years. Legalism can be an extremely oppressive thing. Keep up the good work!! You are sorely needed. -Roy Andrews , Emporia, KS roandre@valu-line.net

  • I enjoy your newsletter and web page very much. I too believe that the church of Christ (and most other organized religions) are legalistic and manipulating. I also believe that despite its flaws, the church of Christ is still closer to the truth than most other religious groups. Unfortunately, most churches of Christ are not able to fully accept members who exercise their freedom in Christ. Those members who chose to move away from the control and legalism of the mainstream body will find themselves slowly excluded from participating in any significant activities. -Ken Cooper k.cooper@usa.net

  • It is great to be a Generic Christian. Keep up the wonderful work. -Alton & Virginia Johnson Medina, TX virjohn@indian-creek.net

  • Wonderful site. Would love you to come to Alaska. -Bill DeValcourt, Fairbanks cajun@alaska.net

  • Great information! I am a former church of Christ member who left a depressed, heavy-hearted believer. The extreme legalistic teachings made me feel like I had to earn my way into heaven. What ever happened to grace? I found it again, but at a different church. It’s funny that I still carry around a lot of c of C attitudes, but at least I can recognize them and pray for forgiveness!! (Only partially kidding.) May God richly bless you in this fabulous ministry - putting the JOY back into Jesus!!! -Tim Ray, Spokane, WA tray@-coldwellbanker.com

  • What a wonderful discovery. I wish I had met you while you lived in this area. Better late than never!! -Henry Daughtry, San Antonio, Hdaughtry@aol.com

  • Excellent webpage, keep up the great work for Christ. Even though you claim to primarily write this page with "Churches of Christ" in mind, I was able to see some parallel patterns of legalism you referenced in the Churches of Christ to the church I was raised up in as a child. I was raised in the highly judgmental and highly legalistic "old-time southern Pentecostal / holiness" churches where all you could do was to think about what you could not do. Reading some of the articles have brought to me some healings and freedoms from legalistic and cyclic / destructive behavior patterns that were manifesting and dictated how I acted in my life today. Excellent webpage. Thanks for your keen insight. -Bob Rouse, availablelight@christweb.com

  • I have been reading your writings for many years. I enjoy them very much and on occasion go back and refresh my memory on certain issues. I too, was raised in the CofC and respect my heritage. But a few years ago I felt it was time to explore other areas of religious doctrine. We in the "church" have ignored or given it our own meaning. I have moved away from legalism into God’s grace. May God bless Cecil and his wife. -Daryl Lucas, Millbrook, AL DLPLX@AOL.COM

  • This has been a source of information and inspiration to me for the past year. Thanks! -Dave Manley, Montgomery, AL dmanley@us.oracle.com

  • "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." It is not the name on the door that makes us right, but the Spirit that dwells within. God is moving in all the churches that are coming together in unity NOT through doctrine or church government, but in JESUS! I really believe we are living in a great moment in time of God working through His people. -Tom Hawkins, Tecumseh, MI hawkins@lni.net

  • I thoroughly enjoy Freedom’s Ring and have enjoyed Cecil’s writings for many years. He was one of the influences in my life (I am a COC preacher) that led me out of legalism and into God’s freedom. -Greg England, Long Beach, CA

  • Cecil, I have been visiting this site since it began. I’ve read all of your books along with all of Max’s and Rubel’s. I receive your newsletter and read from cover to cover the minute it arrives! Same thing with Wineskins and Image. I was a part of the "Stand In The Gap" with a brother, I believe you know, Brian Casey. I’ve shared your material with everyone I can. It has really helped my sister. I’m praying for you and your wife. Keep up the great work! It truly is needed!! -David Smith, Bridgeville, PA DASmith@aol.com

  • I am enjoying our books! There is nothing like looking at scripture without preconceptions of what you are going to find. -Victor Hunt, Prattville, AL vhunt@adph.state.al.us

  • Great - just fantastic. I’m still in awe, breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. After years of struggling with my beliefs in the "Church of Christ", it is so comforting to know there are others with the same questions. I finally have found a group of believerrs in Jesus who enjoy freedom instead of bondage. Thank you so much for your page. Now, if I could only get our small congregation to study what the scripturese really say and mean! -Marc Shepherd, Beaumont, TX Mshep641@aol.com

  • You need to add "God’s Grace" to the list of "How I found you"! I am a deacon of the Twickenham congregation in Huntsville, AL. I was raised in the "Church of Christ" and believed most of the Sommerist line until I began to study the word, on a challenge from a Baptist friend, in the original languages. This didn’t convert me to his denomination, but finally made me aware of my own! His one statement I whole-heartedly endorse was that most inter- and intra- denominational fusses arise from a limited, restricted and often ignorant reading of the King James version, with no study or understanding of the liberties taken in translation of even that version! Thank you (and God) for this site! We need historical understanding of who we are and where we come from to know what we are doing. God bless you in this work! -Arthur Brown, abrown@tecmasters.com

  • I am teaching a Bible Study on God’s grace. I was thrilled to read some of the things I found on this web site. I have fought legalism in my local congregation for about 8 years. God has led me to understand that His grace is wonderfully liberating. Keep up the good work. (I found you by typing in "God’s Grace" in the Yahoo search engine.) Mt. Carmel, IL.

  • I received Free In Christ last summer from a good friend, but was unable to read it until recently. I must say you attacked all my sacred cows, but I appreciate it tremendously. I’m now passing the book on to as many friends as possible. I never realized just how legalistic I am until I read your book. Thank you for your teaching and your boldness in sharing the message. -Jackson, TN.

  • I shouted for joy when I found your web site. I was a part of the Indianapolis Church of Christ staff back in February of 1994. It was your book that was part of the inspiration for Ed Powers to begin thinking of some of the misuses and abuses of scripture and people that were occurring in the Boston Movement (ICC). This book prompted him to take the stand that eventually led to the entire staff to be kicked out of the Movement. homer@mpinet.net

  • Just a note of thanks, Cecil for your latest essay. Will always be grateful that you helped us (my husband also) find our way out of the mess. We were there for sooo long! 35 years. I don’t write much, but always appreciate what you have to say. jmayhew@preferred.com

  • As a christian I have to say that having read your book, I felt quite saddened that you concentrate on such fault-finding. I found that reading the Bible was so much more uplifting than your comments. I hope that you find the peace that you must be seeking but as for myself I would much rather concentrate on whatever is noble and pure and edifying. mhilborn@baxter.net

  • Having met and read Cecil for a number of years, I would ask those normally being judgmental of such thoughts to at least look at the thoughts in light of Scripture, not "what we have always taught (or been taught). The one thing I have come to realize in the past few years, the secret to unity is in Ephesians 4. Past that group of "ones" I find nothing upon which to base our foundations of unity. If we can find others who are in Christ according to the above cited passages, we probably are going to disagree on many other things. But so did the early church. Acknowledging other brothers and sisters with whom we disagree can be very liberating as well as uncomfortable. But if I am going to be ultimately judged guilty of something, I would rather be judged guilty of accepting someone God rejected than of rejecting someone God accepts. -Jack R. Bruce, Lubbock, TX jrbruce@mymail.net

  • Finally, an intellectually-honest Church of Christ preacher. Keep up the wonderful work. -Jeff jbryce@tnaccess.com

  • I am sick of the legalism that exists in the church today and I think that it is partly responsible for rebellion in the lives of our youths. -Marvin Little , Lakeland, FL mklittle@secollege.edu

  • Great website! It is good to see that the original restoration movement is still alive. Salvation and unity can only come through Christ and not law. Unity based on law always divides because it requires a lawyer’s mentality. (And we know that lawyers always agree on everything!) - Mike Hollis, Columbia, SC hollis@logicsouth.com

  • I have read several of the freedom books and want to thank you for asking the questions that so many of us have been asking for a long time. -Elaine Fisher , San Leandro, CA JJONE@WEBTV.NET

  • Thank you for your love of God and His truth, and thanks for sharing that love with us. He is faithful and so good to provide the spiritual nourishment we seek and need so desperately. -Sherry Amick, Wilder, ID sdamicks@-cyberhighway.net

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