35758 North Persimmon Trail, San Tan Valley, Arizona 85140, United States
About me
I am a grey jedi
1989 2022
Steven G. Porter
I was born in 1970 and raised mostly in Kentucky, however, I have retired from military Service (1989-2015) in Arizona. As many young children of the eighties, I grew up with my head in the Stars.
Star Wars to be more precise.
I watched the original in 1977 in a Drive In with a speaker box in my Dad’s window
Damn I’m old.
Master's Degree from Trident University International (2012)
Bachelor's Degree From Capella University(2009)
Official DA Photo Circa 2013
What Is Ministry?
We are all called to do ministry and even minister, but in all kinds of different ways so that the gospel can be proclaimed, the kingdom can be built, and God can be glorified — it is the calling of God.
For most of my life, the word “ministry” was reserved for the elite, extra-spiritual pastors among us. People were “called to the ministry” and “doing ministry” in ways that always seemed to be in front of a crowd, preferably with a microphone.
The only exception was when we watched a slideshow of missionaries overseas “doing ministry” among unreached people. And even for me, when I was growing up, I felt a “call to ministry” that meant I was going to preach to people. In some ways, the idea of ministry was actually blown out of proportion.
But then, as I got older and actually began to be in ministry myself, as a pastor, I realized that my mentality and beliefs about ministry were irresponsibly too narrow and unbiblical. To be honest, there have even been times that I went too far and minimized the work of the ministry. So, as with most things in life, we need to find the right balance.
I am at the point now where I believe (with the risk of sounding irreverent) that every follower of Christ is essentially “called to the ministry” because ministry is simply what we do for God.
ve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13).
Ministry is about giving of ourselves and our time, talents, and resources to bless and help others. The cry is “someone’s gotta do it, might as well be me.” When we serve in ministry, we will find our greatest joy and most fulfillment in life.
The Path to Salvation
Modern Christianity teaches that salvation is possible through faith alone. For instance, in Ephesians 2: 8-9, Paul states that "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." However, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus instructed that faith and good works that demonstrated love, charity and compassion were required for salvation, and that "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Institutional Authority and Other Practices
Many modern Christian practices, particularly regarding institutional authority, are not reflected anywhere in Jesus' teachings. Among those practices are tithing; wearing specific clothing in church; ordaining ministers, deacons and pastors; and other customs that enforce separation and hierarchy. In addition, Jesus criticized religious institutions as seats of hypocrisy, stating: “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.” (Matthew 23:8)
Paul, however, emphasized respect for such institutional authority. In Romans 13:1-7, for instance, he says: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
The Holy Trinity
Another belief of modern Christianity that differs from Jesus' teachings is that of the Holy Trinity -- the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus often emphasized the existence of one God. In but one example, Mark 12:28-29, when a scribe asks Jesus, “'Which commandment is the most important of all,'" Jesus answers: "The most important is, 'Here o Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.'"
Paul, on the other hand, for reasons scholars theorize were mostly political, professed the idea of a Holy Trinity in passages such as Acts 5:30-32: “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witness to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Having been rejected by the Jews, Paul turned his efforts to preaching to gentiles who worshiped many gods. Thus, the creation of a Holy Trinity is believed by some to be a cultural adaptation by Paul in order to gain a wider audience. Today the idea of the Holy Trinity is widely accepted by modern Christians, though it was never taught by Jesus.
Missionary Efforts
The modern Christian practice of conversion through proselytizing and missionary efforts throughout the world does not find support in the teachings of Jesus. Rather, Jesus believed that his purpose was specifically to fulfill the prophecy of the Jews of Israel.
For instance, from Matthew 15:24-26: "He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' [...] 'It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.'" And, in Matthew 10:5-6: "These twelve that Jesus sent out, instructing them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans. But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'"
Although in Mark 16:9-20 it is written that Jesus says, "...Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation...", scholars have been unable to find proof of these lines in the original texts, and many believe these final instructions to be fabrications.
However, modern Christianity, backed by these passages and others written by Paul, teach that it is the will of God and the mission of Jesus to spread Christianity throughout the world by propagating the idea that Jesus was sacrificed in order to atone for humanity's sins. New evidence suggests that Jesus started to uncover the Anunnaki and the reality of his father as living not in the Heavens above earth, but on another planet.
Could Jesus have chosen the most brutal execution known to man at the time as atonement for the sins of the Anunnaki against humanity?
Could his apostles have misunderstood his flying away into the sky?
Maybe Jesus learned to fly?
Announcement!!!
Human Rights Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.