Many thanks to writer and filmmaker Rena Montedoro for joining me to take a look at the Church of Wells, a controversial church in a small Texas town that has managed to gather a lot of publicity, often for bad reasons. Rena's film to be released in the future is called Machine, and you can learn about it here. We take a look at this small congregation and ask if it is a cult, and what makes something a cult in general. This congregation often has a presence at conferences and college campuses, and is a church we should definitely keep our eye on. Thanks again Rena for your time!
Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.
First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.
