WHEN THE CHURCH IS WRONG: DISCUSSING CHRISTIAN MYTHS is a collection of essays where the author communicates his personal theology and practices pertaining to long-held traditions in the church and challenges the myths associated with these traditions in Christianity.

This book is perhaps a sequel to If Paul Wrote…

This book could be used as a devotional or a discussion tool for an Adult Sunday School class or group.

This comes from pages 65-67.

ONE RIGHT, ALL OTHERS WRONG

     Most of the essays and discussions included in this book of Christian myths are topics in which there are heated debates and disagreements. Churches, denominations, and Christians within congregations have opposing and argumentative views.

     Many of these disagreements are non-essential to living your life as a follower of Jesus. It is possible to be a true Christian and have sharp disagreements about baptism and be okay with God and mankind. On many of these issues, you can be wrong and maintain a spiritual walk with God and live your life showing the love of God by following the lessons and example of Jesus to all people.

     Let me use an example that is not portrayed in this book. Imagine that there are a group of Christians that believe that incense, meditation, and yoga are an essential part of personal and corporate worship. Their practices and rituals are so intertwined that they have difficulty worshiping in environments where they are missing.

     I could not worship in a church where incense and yoga were a big part of the service. I believe that those practices are not necessary for worship and those who claimed that they were essential for everyone would be wrong. However, people that choose to worship in an environment of incense, yoga, and meditation are not necessarily failing to worship. It is possible for people to worship in different methods and manners and that is okay.

     For the topics and discussions in this book, my beliefs are presented and aligned to what I believe to be correct. While I present what I believe to be right, practices that I believe to be wrong do not always indicate those who wrongly believe them are not Christians. Misconceptions about incense, baptism, communion, or tongues need not be preventative issues for walking with God and living a life following Christ’s example. Whether my baptism matches your beliefs or if I have been baptized at all, is not relevant in the greater design of Christian living.

     We all have beliefs that we believe to be correct. We all have doctrinal differences with some other groups or persons. It is possible to be wrong on some traditions and still be right in the way you live your life.

     We must be careful in our personal beliefs that we do not alienate others with opposing beliefs to the point of excluding them from participation in God’s plan of love and acceptance.

     If your beliefs do not exclude others, then live in peace and harmony with others, accepting differences. However, if your beliefs exclude others from God and your church, then you must evolve and change.

Myth: For all issues, there is one exact right way and all other ways are wrong.

There are many issues associated with religion and beliefs in which there are disagreements that are not essential. Individual beliefs about communion or baptism do not separate people into Christian and non-Christian.

Some issues where people are excluded challenge those who claim to be Christian to actually walk by their faith and demonstrate love beyond their human understanding.

This book may be purchased at www.amazon.com/author/larryponder in paperback, e-book, or audiblebook formats.