Feb 08
I have been asked by the ABJ to remove this. Please keep add ing comments if you would like.
Mr. Smith
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I have been asked by the ABJ to remove this. Please keep add ing comments if you would like.
I just finished reading the news article and it saddens me that this mom should find it cult-like for her son to accept Christ and begin a new life in Him. When will people realize that it is not about religion at all but about accepting that Christ died to save us…not about what we do but about what HE has done already! Did the mom even try to listen, really listen, to what happened in her son’s life? mmmm…I wonder. If she did, she might not be slamming a good Bible church and the people who attend over her perceived notions of a cult. It’s sad and I commend the church for it’s stand for Christ…He didn’t say it would be an easy road but that it is the only one to take….!
Tom, this is really sad. I hope nothing but happiness and joy for you and if this is it that is even sadder. You are an adult and you are doing as you wish. No one is stopping you. But I find it interesting that you can follow the family is most important and then do this, it seems your are very confused and conflicted about what you preach.
The best of luck in your future, as always I love you and at any time you want to leave there you are welcome here.
Love, mom
We’re still praying for you Mrs. Smith, but it is evident to everyone reading the article you have not treated your son well. It is very clear who started a rift in the relationship and I pray only that this rift would be mended.
I have just finished reading the article in the ABJ 2-8-09. I can not help but wonder if Annemarie ever accompanied her son to the church (other than to protest outside) because perhaps she should have. I attended with my son on a Saturday evening and I found the service very uplifting. We are Catholic also, and my son, who attends the Xenos Christian Fellowsip was raised Catholic. He now chooses another road. You know what I have to say about this???? He has God in his life and that is the important factor. I did not feel as tho I was in a cult environment and I am sure that our son is NOT possesed or in a cult. We learned about different books in the Bible and it was a very pleasant evening. I think you, Keith, were a very effective speaker. I did not see the young people drinking or stealing. No one seemed to be attending against their will. I do believe that God would like the people of our society to obtain religious teachings in the enviornment they feel comfortable with. I pray for Annemarie and her family, a true Christian, (catholic or not), would be thankful that her son has found God. At some point in time alot of youth are in some sort of trouble, like he is. Does this mean if he were a practicing Catholic he would not have gotten into trouble?? I doubt that. I pray for all involved and I hope you can continue the teachings of the Lord.
Dear Mr. Smith,
May God bless you, and may the white protective light of the Holy Spirit surround you always. Despite the chaos that your family has raised, with Christ-consciousness you pray for the growth of their souls and the opening of their minds & hearts. As will I.
The search for God IS very lonely and chaotic. You must go through the period of “dark days”. This is when you are finding yourself. When you speak of feeling that you’re in third person, you very well may be. You are your physical self AND you are your spiritual self. When God decided to make man in His image, it was just that…God is Spirit. In this way we are all one. And, a true connection with God IS is spirit.
People that surrounded you, while you were wandering, trying to find your path, don’t understand when you wander form the group. Parents may worry that you’ll get lost or hurt. miguided as it may be, it’s their love. I’m a recovering Catholic. I know the ways of “THE CHURCH”. When I was a small child, they terrified me. When I was a teen, they drove me so far away from God, it’s any wonder I found my way back! In the news article, it states that your mom declared that you were baptized Catholic. You were baptized to wash away ‘original sin’. Just as Jesus, born of flesh, had to have John the Baptist baptize Him. Neither Jesus or John were Catholics!
When the Cleve. Diocese elevated the newest Bishop, his first vow was to ‘the church’! Not to God; not to Jesus Christ! Are you a Xenos, or a Christian?
It seems that ‘endurance’ may be one of your life themes. Stay strong in your conviction. Let no man deter you, (Even Jesus stated that you will not be understood in your own village). Let no religious dogma own you. If their comes a time that Xenos hampers you, or subscribes to anything that is disconcerting, take what you’ve gained up to that point and move on.
I used to attend Xenos. I did not leave because I thought it was a cult. Nor was I under discipline. And I didn’t “walk away” from God – I still follow him to this day. God just had a different path for my life that didnt include Xenos. I still have family and friends who attend, and I still see most of them all the time and am still close with them. If Xenos were a cult, these people would be told to ignore me! There are those who do not talk to me anymore because I no longer attend. However, they aren’t in leadership positions. It is a solidly Biblical church. I never once heard anything taught that I thought was wrong or dangerous – things that you would hear in a cult. In fact, people are often encouraged to bring up things the do not agree with, or to challenge something that they do not feel is correct. That does not happen in a cult either. I will say that I do think the youth of this world are very impressionable, and one must encourage themn to think for themselves! Out of the elders of Xenos, I never once saw them telling the young how to think or what to feel. In fact, they did not encourage pressure and stuff like that. Not one of the elders styles themselves as a cult leader tends to do – they all will say they are just men, and sinners at that, who love God and want to follow him. They doi not claim to have special knowledge, as is typical of cult leaders. Not to mention, lets just look at pure logic. Could Xenos really have gotten so huge and be a cult? Could it have support of well known evangelical leaders, and be a cult? Could politicians recognize it as helpful to the community and it still be a cult? Or its schools – which are recognized as being excellent in academics! If it was a cult, would this be the case? What about world mission organizations, who respect Xenos, and work with them? Lets be real here! For everyone still in doubt, read the First Amendment. For the same reason, Annmarie can protest peacefully, so can Xenos practice their beleifs. And to be even more frank, everything I have read about and seen, Xenos has been overly kind considering they have been harrassed and slandered – two things not covered by the First Amendment. Thanks.
Dear friends at Neo Xenos,
I thought of the following scriptures as I reflected on the article in the news:
1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.
14 Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God’s own children. And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God’s Good News? 18 And
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what chance will the godless and sinners have?”
19 So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you.
As someone who visits and partners with Churches form many denominations and all around the country, I want to encourage you in your faith and soundness of your fellowship.
Thanks so much for all you do to reach out to those who don’t know Christ, to those who are confused about their faith and to those in need.
Jim
In 1992, I started a support group at The Chapel (near the University of Akron) to help people come to Jesus Christ. It was a controversial group because the group’s main purpose was to reach out to people in our community who struggled with sin. We didn’t want our group to be a typical, “cookie cutter” type of ministry so we took a strong stand against sin. Soon the Akron Beacon Journal called me and requested an interview.
Like you Tom, the ABJ reporter wanted me to share “personal” information. I guess the reporter wanted her article to be interesting. I told the reporter all about my sinful past as a teenager and how Jesus Christ saved me and brought me out of spiritual bondage. The reporter wanted to write about my relationship with my family, primarily my dad. I shared a few things that I probably sholdn’t have, because some of my family members expressed hurt and embarrassment.
However, the ABJ did some good too. It gave me and my family the opportunity to talk about issues that needed to be addressed. In addition, many of my friends read the article and talked to me about my faith in the Lord.
Years have gone since that AJB article, and many of my family members have come to Christ. The support group at The Chapel exists to this day, and still reaches out to sinners seeking healing from Jesus and His church.
The ABJ which was written about you will create some rifts between you and some people you know, but in the long term I believe the article will be a blessing like it was for me and my family.
You should continue to open up pathways of communication between you and your family, but don’t think YOU are responsible for them to come to Christ. Remember that it’s their choice to accept the Lord. All you can do is pray, and be willing to talk about your faith when the time comes (and it will come).
The bond between a mother and her son is VERY strong. I’m sure your mom is hurting not only because of your differences in faith, but also because you are now a man and not a boy. Every mother hurts when her son becomes a man and goes on his own way. So, don’t forget to remind your mom that you love her and have not left her. Ephesians 6:2 reminds us to honor our parents (in the Lord), but Jesus also taught if we are to become His disciples we need to follow His ways, even if it means to leave our father and mother.
Tom, I don’t want to frighten you, but I think God allowed the ABJ to write this article about Xenos and you because He has great and mighty plans for you. I don’t know you, but when God permits these things to happen, it’s usually to prepare people for leadership. Expect it to happen. Study to show yourself worthy.
To Xenos and the Christian community… I encourage you to support Tom Smith and help him reach the goals God has set for him. Pray for Tom and hold him accountable to seek God’s perfect will.
What an amazing prophecy, brother. It is sweet. I concur with everything you said. Thanks for stopping by and blessing Tom and the rest of us.
@Jim
Thanks bro for stopping by with the encouragment! Love ya
@ Barb
Thanks you for your awesome comment. It really is sad being apart from my parents. People ask me more than anything, how I am dealing with all this, and it the mystery of Christ. And my mom never asked question or ever attended. One of the biggest criticism my parents had about me is that I never asked them to come to church with me. But I never asked them because for the majority of the time I was not saved and then once I was saved I was in very bad sin shortly after than. Sister, it is truly an amazing thing Christ give up and please use all the blessing Christ has given me as inspiration for you to be a rebel for Christ and never stop evangelizing.
@ Elaine Haney
Trust me it is amazing to hear that you are coming to CT this week. I have talked to your son many times and its cool to hear our support. I’m glad your really enjoyed the teaching you have attended. I cant wait to talk to you his weekend.
@ Chris Bertison
Please realize these are not dark days in my life. My life is so amazing. I am teaching in you college bible study’s, and were seeing salvation at an unheard of rate for such a small group. Also I am helping tutor inner city kids in Akron. Its so amazing. The only way to describe my life is joyful. However the fact that I am away from my parents is sad. But I know that as long as I have faith and trust in him, things will work out. I too realize pledging allegiance to “the church” is not right. The only leader I have is Christ and I will follow him to dinner with the tax collectors and prostitutes. (Mark 2)
@ Linda
Thanks for your praise sister. I am glad to hear you had a great experience with Xenos. I agree the allegations of us being a cult really are bad. The simple fact that xenos Columbus has over 5,000 people that interact with society on a daily basis, should be proof enough that were not a cult.
@ Jim Swearingen
Hey I totally don’t know you but I have heard so much about you and your son. And brother I am so glad I have reaching out to people with us. Having the support of all your c-bus xenoids praying for us has made the difference. Praise the lord. I can’t wait till I get the chance to meet you in person brother.
@ Tom Scott
Well brother I am so glad that you are found me on face book and spent the time of reading all my stuff. It so cool to hear that the ABJ wrote an article about you too! I truly think that the lord is putting our entire college group through all these trials and hardships to prepare us for what is to come. The time to be radical for Christ and never hold back is now. The youth of America is in its most depraved state and we need to reach out to them, in a way that is effective to them.
I praise your work brother. I hope that sometime we can get together and chill. I know we will eventually in heaven.
My mom just sent me that article to read and I thought it was such an interesting read. I went to Texas A&M where a huge percent of the student body are members of non-denominational churches centered around bible study much like Xenos. In Texas these types of churches are so much the norm that no one ever questions it. If you need a change of pace I think you would fit in well down here.
By the way, my mom says we are cousins. We have the same great grandma and grandpa Cippant. We should be facebook friends if you facebook (http://www.facebook.com/people/Kristen-Cippant/8306589).
Tom I liked to notify people if I mention them on my blog. There is a thread regarding the aticle at Xenos, Akron.
Tom, I just wanted you to know that there are a lot of people here at the Columbus Xenos praying for you and your family. I know it can be tough. But God never gives us more then we can handle. And I’m sure with everything that you have been through inthe last year or so, He has some great plans for you.
Your brother in Him,
Todd
Hey Todd, this is really cool you guys are praying for Tom like this. Very encouraging. Please stop by our online magazine at http://RevolutionaryJoy.org and join the Revolution!!