Nathan van Eyk

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW If this person were to see that there was a better option available to him, and yet he still wants to be member at your church, why would you accept him into your fold if you knew he'd receive better shepherding elsewhere? Isn't this pretty clearly obstinance or belligerence?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW But you're fine not admitting when another church is a better fit, and there's no reason this Christian cannot attend that other better fit?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham He's not barring on the basis of ethnicity, exactly. So again, your entire rebuttal is moot. You actually support his position.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW So you refuse to take Spangler at his word, and instead go with what you wished he said?

Would you have a problem with an AME church referring a white Christian to one of the three nearby white churches instead of their own black church?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham We're not talking about barring on the basis of ethnicity. At least, Spangler doesn't seem to be. Why do you prop up this strawman?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@joemoomia @CN_Coolidge @TPageCW I see the issue. You don't know how to read dispassionately.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@Thatbrian Shedd.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW "Our church is black" is still true even when a few white people join. Have you heard of AME churches? Are all members African? No. But they're still AME.

Do you have as huge a problem with a majority black church self-consciously calling itself a black church?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham Again, not sure where the exclusivity is coming from, other than your misreading of Spangler. I would guess that early church in its local visible expressions would still have one majority ethnicity, and other local expressions would have other majority ethnicities.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham And as shown, Spangler has not barred anyone. As you said, that's your only issue, but that's easily resolved upon a careful reading.

So seeing as you've misunderstood his position up till now, it seems you actually support what he's saying.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW Spangler has never said that. He's only said it would be unlikely. Probably *very* unlikely, but it's still not an absolute principle.

It seems you've based your entire rebuttal on a strawman.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham Of course the global visible church is multiethnic. This doesn't have any bearing on local visible churches.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW "I'd *likely* not invite him to...be a member. I'd do all I could to help him find a good church among his own people."

Doesn't sound like an absolute barring in the least. Sounds like he's eager to assist someone he would consider to be a brother in Christ.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @joemoomia @TPageCW Can you show me that comment?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham "It's natural for [whites] to go to churches with [other whites]." This is an example of the position you hold?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham Where is the barring? From what I see, belligerence would be barred. But it seems that a black Christian would be counseled to attend another church. I don't think Spangler has said that a black Christian with no other options would be barred.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham You didn't understand my comment.

But do you have data backing up your claim that the early church was multiethnic like the U.S. is today?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@joemoomia @TPageCW Where did he say that? I heard him affirm that they are a white church. Didn't hear him say they would absolutely exclude anyone else on principle. Are you sure you're listening carefully enough? Seems like you're trying to strawman.

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@joemoomia @TPageCW How is he saying anything different than black churches? They are proud of their blackness and though they may let whites in, they don't cease to call themselves a black church. Is Spangler saying that a black man who cannot find any other church must be excluded?

[Nathan van Eyk @nvaneyk85]

@CN_Coolidge @megbasham To me, your request is anachronistic and begs the question.