Can anyone inform me on Pastor Melissa Scott?

[seanD]

My reply to seanD's post #419 -

Where in the above statement does the grace and power of God fit in? You were "kept from falling" by a MAN? Please read 1 Peter 1:5 and remind yourself who it is that really keeps you: -

Ephesians 4:11-12 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

You have it mixed up. I was kept from falling BY GOD through a man -- through one of his servants that was more mature and knowledgeable than me at the time.

[josephine]

Last night's lesson was good. Anyone watch it?

[Pilgrim]

Was it the one about Satan tempting Jesus?

[josephine]

Was it the one about Satan tempting Jesus?

Didn't watch it, did you?

[Pilgrim]

I watched her webisode. I was curious if what she posts as webisode is the same as her most recent TV broadcast.

[Alan3838]

I hear what you're saying and I'd agree. With Ms. Scott two of the problems you raise are present: she's claiming an expertise she doesn't have, and she's often wrong. Especially on the languages.

Pilgrim does one need to atted college to be an expert if they are lead by the Holy Spirit? As you know I watch her and I have never heard her say anything about her education.

[Pilgrim]

Pilgrim does one need to atted college to be an expert if they are lead by the Holy Spirit? As you know I watch her and I have never heard her say anything about her education.

To be an expert at something you need to be an expert. That means, be definition, that you have a certain experience with the material, a specialized education in it. Does that mean college? Not necessarily. Does that mean a non expert is necessarily wrong? No. And I've never actually claimed otherwise.

The most recent episode I watched, the webisode on her site, I'd say was pretty orthodox. It was a big more scattered than I prefer, jumping from point to point and making points not born out by the text she was using, but the points in and of themselves seemed pretty orthodox.

[kohog]

"You have it mixed up. I was kept from falling BY GOD through a man -- through one of his servants that was more mature and knowledgeable than me at the time."

This may be true, brother, but the word "indebted" (to a man) stood out to me and I felt to say something because we're to "owe no man anything" - please forgive me for treading a bit too heavily on your toes, though.

Changing direction a little and keeping on the subject of the thread (Melissa Scott) - ask yourselves this. If God is all things to all men as 2 Cor 9:8 says He is, do we REALLY need to be versed in the original languages of scripture in order to understand the mind of God or is it a crafty red herring?

It is all too easy to get lost in the minutiae of a sentence or a word of scripture and completely lose the gist of what God is trying to say to us. Some scholars debate for days over the nuances of one word; this isn't the Spirit of God at work but the flesh. It's like a car in a wet field, the deeper the mud the more the wheels spin. Soon the car is stuck and has to be towed out. The scripture says it this way - "the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life."

I have done studies in God's word and have gone nowhere simply because God was not involved, just MY intellect. Other times, when the Spirit of God took over, it was just the opposite. I can testify that in none of the times the HS has led me on these studies did I lack for "bread" because my Greek or Aramaic was defective. I often use Strong's and sometimes Thayer's but that's about the extent of it. If you trust God, He will teach you privately - in your own language. Jesus is always into simplicity even though His message is deep.

God will allow us to do anything we want. If we want to be a brilliant scholar of scripture He will not stop us but though we'll be recognized by our peers and lauded by our students we will not prosper in Him. The man or woman who allows themselves to be "led" by His Spirit WILL prosper in Him.

Otherwise, we just degenerate into NT Greek mentality where great emphasis was placed on wisdom and people were judged on their knowledge and debating skills. But this just makes a mockery of the cross of Christ. God's word is not an equation, it's a living word and many of us need a revelation of just what the difference is.

If we accumulate great learning and linguistic abilities we will trust in them and lose a lot of or all of what God has for us. Why? We are to be of no reputation. We are to be weak so He might be strong in us that He might accomplish His will in our lives. The more empty we are of all things that are of the flesh, that tend to pride and that tend to cause us to rely on them (like learning, diplomas, wealth, etc.) the more able we are to follow Him and the richer we will be.

There are saints around the world who are simple, some barely able to read, write or speak but they are powerful in His Spirit because they love and trust Him and are strong in faith. Their strength in faith has nothing to do with their linguistic ability at all.

If you have invited the Holy Spirit into your heart you already have all you NEED - the faith of God to believe Him for all things, especially understanding scripture.

[josephine]

If that were true, we could just throw away all our Bibles, never gather with fellow believers, and just go about our merry way waiting for His return.

It's more than having the indwelling of His Spirit. Like many things of a religious/spiritual nature, we tend to want to make everything either/or, a bit of lawkeeping, IMO, but I believe God is showing us that He has made available to us as many means as is necessary to keep us on the path toward Him, and to bring along with us as many as we can.

Not either/or, but both.

[puck7777]

Pastor Scott is like a breath of fresh air. She is definitely a Christian.she displays an excitement for the word of God. I read the allegations about her porn past I don't really care. I would like to have something answered for me, was her relationship with her husband an adulterous affair or not?

I am so glad I do not have the hangups that religious Christians have. in a way I'm so glad I came to Christ in my 20s, I had no hangups many of those do. I got caught the word of God in that non-denominational church.

I have found that each pastor carves out his own niche or specialty. Pastor Melissa's specialty happens to be history and linguistics. Freddy price happens to be on faith, Joyce Meyer happens to be on practical living. Thank God for all of them.

I take a precept upon precept class occasionally as time allows. And Pastor Scott is right the English language does not do the Bible justice. I use the new international version for the sake of its flow and it is a pretty accurate translation.

[OneSizeFit]

I'm sorry I tried watching her, I almost fell asleep a couple of times. I kept thinking, get to the point, get to the point.

[Pilgrim]

I hear you OSF. Plus this idea that shes an expert on the languages is a bit far fetched. But so what? One does not have to be an expert on the languages.

[OneSizeFit]

Yeah, I think maybe once or twice her overly intellectualized teachings, actually made me think "wow, that was profound, that actually added to my understanding of the NT."

[josephine]

Yeah, I think maybe once or twice her overly intellectualized teachings, actually made me think "wow, that was profound, that actually added to my understanding of the NT."

I don't think the problem is that her teachings are intellectual, "overly" so, as you describe them, but that we are undereducated, lazy students of His Word. She challenges us to learn more, to be better students of the Word. She's a meat teacher. Not many teaching pastors do that anymore.

We learn as much as we desire to learn. Our desire to know Him better is what's lacking.

[Pilgrim]

A meat teacher? Like she teaches you about steaks and sausages?