The Freedom Church Network

Our Only Incorporation is the Body of Christ. Free Christians and Churches.

The Freedom Church Network provides resources and networking opportunities for those who believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only God.

Latest Activity

NCTBaptist is now a member of The Freedom Church Network
May 20
Jim and Siobhan Croto replied to Stephen Simons's discussion Supporting Local Church Plants in the group Church Planters
"My fluently bilingual wife of 24 years (almost 25), our son, and I are being called to bring back a former church in a multilingual, multicultural community to serve as a church and as a new and vital ministry to provide services to individuals with…"
Apr 12
Jim and Siobhan Croto joined Stephen Simons's group
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Church Planters

For those who are working in His vineyard on launching new congregations and reaching the lost in new areas.
Apr 12
Jim and Siobhan Croto updated their profile
Apr 12
Jim and Siobhan Croto added a discussion to the group Angel Investors
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Help needed for seed money for a new church

My fluently bilingual wife of 24 years (almost 25), our son, and I are being called to bring back a former church in a multilingual, multicultural community to serve as a church and as a new and vital ministry to provide services to individuals with intellectual challenges, individuals who are homebound, after-school care, food and clothing bank, soup kitchen, and much more.  These are each ministries we have done on part-time - tent-making basis in the past, but our hearts and souls have been…See More
Apr 12
Jim and Siobhan Croto joined Stephen Simons's group
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Angel Investors

Network with people looking to support ministries, start-ups, and church plants.
Apr 12
Jim and Siobhan Croto is now a member of The Freedom Church Network
Apr 12
Eric Johnson updated their profile
Apr 8
Eric Johnson is now a member of The Freedom Church Network
Apr 8
Joel Ackley commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"Income defined by law is a corporate profit. Human beings are not corporations (aka- fictitious creatures of the state)."
Mar 9
Dr. Bill Benton commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"On the more general issue of Title 26 and "Income tax," are you folks aware of what income is, strickly speaking?  Naturally, income tax would only be applicable to income, not to anything else.  The truth might surprise you."
Mar 8
Dr. Bill Benton commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"I would't mind a  gander at that IRS publication 526, just for the heck of it.  According to that one official, cited by your link related to unincorporation of churches, churches who want the tax deduction feature do not have to have…"
Mar 8
Dr. Bill Benton commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"The tax Code is law. Well, not exactly. It lies in a "gray area." Used to be, we were subject to the federal and state constitutions, the Common Law, and a relatively small body of legislative-enacted law, consistent with the constitutions…"
Mar 8
Dr. Bill Benton commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"  My collection includes one of those “in-between” times. Pretty neat to examine, and underlines nicely the issue I am attempting to communicate. A parallel case: You might expect that a surgeon in a state like California might need…"
Mar 8
Dr. Bill Benton commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"I will repeat that a church's applying for 501(c)(3) status may well be a mistake. In NAZI Germany, all the judges were required to wear a swastika on their robes, and a bust of A. Hitler was generally present behind or adjacent to the bench.…"
Mar 8
Joel Ackley commented on Stephen Simons's blog post To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)
"Further information may be found at www.hushmoney.org"
Mar 7

Members

 

Welcome

The Freedom Church Network is dedicated to supporting Free Christians and Free Churches. As mainstream Christianity breaks free of the institutions that established it, and evolves into the living, breathing, and active body of Christ, the Freedom Church Network seeks to provide resources and networking opportunities for all those who walk with Christ in faith and life. Because our only incorporation is the body of Christ, whether you are an unaffiliated Christian believer sharing the gospel on an individual basis, or you are working for change in a denominational setting, we hope you will join us , strengthen us, encourage us, and walk with us as we all pursue our walks with the one true God and eternal life, Jesus Christ.

Daily Bible Verse

True Christian Religion 209 - Daily Bible Verse - May 28

In short, the power of the Lord proceeding from His Word is infinite.

Blog Posts

To 501(c)(3) or Not To 501(c)(3)

Posted by Stephen Simons on May 11, 2010 at 12:14pm 33 Comments

Are churches 501(c)(3) non-profits? Should they be? Do they have to be? Is there any other way that they can be recognized by the state? What is a "church" anyway? What legal entity, if any, is the best form for a church to take? Does it violate the church as the living body of Christ, to be embodied/incorporated under the state?


I am not yet ready to propose an answer to any of these questions. But I have begun collecting research on what various people have…
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The Priesthood of All Believers and The Network of Free Churches

Posted by Stephen Simons on February 7, 2011 at 9:57pm 0 Comments

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days." - Joel 2



The single greatest protection against and correction for abuse, sin, and corruption in the body of Christ is the individual believer. Every believer, regardless of their primary function, is also called by Jesus to work in the… Continue

Followers of Christ - Disciples or Subordinates?

Posted by Stephen Simons on November 25, 2009 at 1:14am 2 Comments

There are two types of followers: disciples and subordinates. The Freedom Church model is dependent on leaders who empower their followers as disciples, not those who would command and control their followers as subordinates.



Jesus said, "...don't you be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ." (… Continue

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Posted by Stephen Simons on July 29, 2009 at 1:18pm 2 Comments

In the book of Revelation, John warns believers of a coming threat to Christianity, which He describes as



"MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." - Revelation 17:5



He describes her as "The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth." But what exactly is he warning us of? Rather than… Continue

Plants as a correspondence for spiritual growth

Posted by Tom Andrews on March 21, 2010 at 5:30pm 2 Comments

Ethan preached this morning about plants (it's the first day of spring, of course) and how their stages of growth correspond to regeneration. I found myself thinking about my challenges as a plant grower. (Anything to avoid thinking about my own spritual growth !!) Do all the pests that I contend with in trying to get my fruit trees to grow correspond to temptations of various sorts? If so, what sorts? What do the Writings have to say about this, if anything? Ethan noted the passages dealing… Continue

2012 SPRING/SUMMER SPORTS MINISTRY MISSIONS PLACEMENTS

Posted by Albert KUNIHIRA on February 17, 2012 at 3:13pm 0 Comments

KINDLY CIRCULATE WIDELY!
Dear Believers in Christ,
 
Calvary Greetings. Have you been looking for a Sports Ministry Volunteer  or Missions opportunities in Africa, look no further, the opportunity is here. Follow the links below to get more…
Continue

Pastors - Employees or Business Owners?

Posted by Stephen Simons on November 2, 2009 at 8:32am 5 Comments

In the traditional model of denominational Christianity, following in the footsteps of the universal Catholic church that preceded it, the leaders/teachers/pastors in the body of Christ are supported in their work by receiving compensation as employees of their organizations. This is based on the pattern of Jesus sending out the seventy disciples to share the good news:



Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him…
Continue

The Free Church Business Model

Posted by Stephen Simons on September 15, 2009 at 7:30am 0 Comments

Check out a new blog by Freedom Church Network member, Mac Frazier, "Stewardship", exploring his work in a denominational setting to reset the thinking of his church about how money is spent or saved.



Free churches are cash economies, not investment vehicles. Jesus explicitly warned us not to build extra… Continue

Speak Up Movement

Lawsuit Filed By A Christian Schoolteacher Fired For Premarital Sex Can Go To Trial

A woman of childbearing age was hired as a teacher at a small Christian school. Then she got pregnant, married, and fired. In that order. Then she filed a lawsuit.

Biblical Truth Equals Voter Intimidation?

One church found itself at the center of the controversy during the voting this past week. The Devon Park United Methodist Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, served as a polling place and also put a message on its church sign that read, "A true marriage is male and female and God."

Freeing Pastors to Equip the Body of Christ

Please pray for victory in the battles for religious freedom in Lexington, in New Mexico, and across America. Pray for free speech for our pastors

Second Advent Christian

Christmas Salvation

Jesus came for you.  You are one of His people.  When He made the plan to be born on earth more than 2000 years ago, He was thinking of you. He knew you would need saving, and He wanted to give Himself the ability to reach you in a meaningful and lasting way.  That’s why [...]

A God-Given Destiny

You have a purpose.  You have a God-given destiny.  Believe it? The enemy would have you believe that you’re nothing special — that life is some combination of chance, circumstance, and heredity.  But God has so much more for you.  God has blessings, opportunities, promises, and a destiny that He has been planning to give [...]

Born of the Spirit

Being born again, being born of the spirit, is the central calling in every believer’s life.  Whether you are a pastor or a musician, a business executive or a garbage collector — no matter your profession or position in life your primary purpose on this earth is to be born again.  When Nicodemus, a teacher [...]

Ed Bahler

Living Well

Thanks for your patience as I took a break from blogging after my cancer experience. There was a lot to catch up on and so many thoughts to sort through. One question I’ve been pondering is, “How do you live well?” After receiving my diagnosis, the question that I wrestled with was, “How do you die well?” [...]

I am Convinced

Ten days ago I shared how God fulfills His promise to show up when we’re in big trouble. That was the first big lesson from my journey with cancer. The second lesson became clear when others showed up as well. The apostle Paul gave us this promise: For I am convinced that neither death nor [...]

Our Prince of Peace

It’s rare to receive a death sentence. It’s even rarer to receive a death sentence and survive. With survival rates in the single digits, people considered my “Pancreatic Cancer” diagnosis last month as nothing less than a death sentence. And I did too. I’ll never forget that night, driving to each of my kid’s homes [...]

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Forum

What is redemption according to Swedenborg?

Started by Makram Max Abdelmalek Youssef in Sample Title. Last reply by Chad Wooters Mar 2. 5 Replies

Swedenborg and Paul

Started by Makram Max Abdelmalek Youssef in Sample Title Jun 8, 2011. 0 Replies

Joel Osteen

#515 - The Power of Letting Go

We all go through disappointments, setbacks and things we don't understand. Maybe you prayed for a loved one, but they didn't get well. Or, maybe you worked hard for a promotion, but you didn't get it. You stood in faith for a relationship, but it didn't work out. Proverbs 20:24 says, "Since the Lord is directing our steps, why do we try to figure out everything that happens along the way?" Instead of trying to find a reason behind everything that happens, one of the best things you can do is release it to God and let it go. God is directing you every step of the way. He has a way of causing all things to work together for your good. Your part is to trust and release.

#539 - God's Purpose Will Come to Pass

Isaiah 14:27 says, "The LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?" (ESV) God's plan for your life can't be stopped by a bad break, someone leaving you, an injustice or a mistake. It's easy to think that because we aren't where we want to be in life, or we've made poor decisions or faced unfortunate setbacks that God's plans for our life are over. Nothing you have done or haven't done can cancel you from your destiny as long as you keep God first place and continually seek Him. When you don't see a way, God can make a way. When it looks like it's over, God has the final say.

#538 - Accept People For Who They Are

It's easy to focus on others' faults and what we would like to change about them. But, God is the one that put the talents, creativity and strengths into each person. Isaiah 64:8 says, "We're the clay and you're our potter: all of us are what you made us." (The Message) Our job isn't to change people. Learn to accept that God is the one directing their steps, making them and molding them into who He wants them to be. If you'll learn to love, honor and accept people for who they are right now, your relationships will go to a whole new level.

The Christian Century

Ready, set, speak!

It was late and one chair sat empty when I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Looking at the panelists seated up front, I knew the speaker from the Jewish tradition, the Islamist, and the Buddhist were present. By process of elimination, I figured the other two occupying their chairs were the Hindu and Baha’i speakers. Which left a lone seat empty for the Christian.

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Liberating Pentecost

God speaks.

And the people understood.

This confused them.

In a nutshell, this is Pentecost, or at least, the most intriguing detail of the famous Acts story. But too often this significant detail gets lost in the celebration of rushing wind, fiery tongues and the so-called birth of the church.

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Why we need to stop requiring churches to interview a woman

How do we solve the gender gap in ministry? With women outnumbering men in seminaries today, how we do break that stained glass ceiling?

Our current approach in the Presbyterian Church is to require churches, when looking for a pastor, to interview at least one female candidate. The thinking is, of the final three or four candidates, there would be a woman in the mix, and perhaps even churches with an unspoken default of pastor=male might be sufficiently moved to think outside the box. Not that every church will follow that up with a call to that woman, of course. This is mysterious Holy Spirit stuff, not to mention that there are women pastors who aren’t all that. But churches should at least look.

Do you think this helps?

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