Forgiven Christians (Ephesians 2:8-9)

FORGIVEN CHRISTIANS (Ephesians 2:8-9) is a website ministry. We encourage the reader to explore and unite with a Biblically based Church in your neighborhood. Be sure to look for a well-balanced Church which will teach you both the benefits and cost of discipleship. When all is said and done, we hope you will find the beauty of the Church as "home."

There is no substitute for being an active member of a healthy, "Christ Centered" Church. The intention of this ministry is to compliment the teachings and prayer life you experience at your local place of worship and to introduce nonbelievers to the true source of joy, peace, and love - Jesus Christ our Savior.

In some seasons of our lives, we are unable to attend a place of worship. Physical and emotional limitations may be keeping us from being fully engaged in a public environment.

Through radio, television, and the internet we can thank God for the opportunity to hear and apply the Word of God from just about anywhere. Forgiven Christians desires to serve you as a supplement to your local Church, and to guide you to other Biblically based sites. You can find links to some of our highest regarded ministries in the "Other Resources" section of this website.

Contemplative prayer, the traditions and practices of "Sacramental" churches as well as time spent absorbing God's magnificence in nature all have benefits in developing our relationship with the Holy Trinity. The early Celtic Christians are a great example of integrating their religion with daily life and further study of this culture is worthy of our time. An excellent resource for learning more about developing one's interior life is The Prayer Foundation website, www.prayerfoundation.org hosted by Monk Preston and Monk Linda.

 Please know that Joe's heart goes out to those who are homebound for whatever reason, whether it is physical, psychological, or a sense of "not belonging." Christ knows your heart, loves you personally, and desires an intimate relationship with you.

Homebound for several weeks after major surgery, the Good Lord taught him the painful reality of people under similar circumstances, or who are permanently restricted from attending a local church. With a renewed determination, Joe wants to reach out to those undergoing a season of loneliness, disability, and (at times) despair.

Feel free to contact Joe at joe@forgivenchristians.org with prayer requests or simply to have someone to visit with. You are loved, and God knows your needs and anxieties. Psalm 139 affirms that Jesus understands exactly what you are going through and will never abandon you.

Our Mission:

FORGIVEN CHRISTIANS exists to encourage and unite those of us who know we've lived hard and realize that through our own power our lives are messed up. We've been "bucked off" time and again, and many of us have seen and done things we look back on and consider "unforgivable." Yet, we cling to the hope and understanding that there's only one way to get back on the horse, to realize peace in our hearts - through grasping the pierced hand of Jesus.

It is the purpose of this ministry to assure all Christians that God is a loving and faithful Father, Jesus has redeemed us once and for all (our works are the fruit of our gratitude for the Salvation He provided us), and the Holy Spirit is our constant companion and source of our life as Christians.

We believe the surest way to witness to unbelieving friends and neighbors is to let our lives be a conduit for the Joy of the Lord. We must look for opportunities to reach out to others in the spirit of Matthew 25:34-36, "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'" We are grateful for every opportunity to share the Gospel with others.

Being a "good person" and doing "good works" are as filthy rags unless we point others to the source of our strength, the Gospel and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, knowing the Gospel without having love  in our hearts (1 Corinthians 13, the "love chapter") renders us useless.

We do not subscribe to "name it and claim it" preaching. Jesus was specific that we as Christians would come under pain, suffering, abuse of all kinds for His Name's sake. Our joy which surpasses all understanding is that we are "more than conquerors" (see Romans 8:31-39) through Jesus Christ. We are in this world but not of this world. We would rather have a stable in heaven than a Ferrari in our garage. Whatever state we are in, we are content (Phil.4:11 - "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned that whatever state I am, to be content").

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.

Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.

Where there is despair, let me sow hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, every joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled...as to console.

To be understood...as to understand.

To be loved...as to love.

For

It is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

(Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)

About Joe:

Joe is a Christian, saved by the grace of God. He was born and raised Roman Catholic. After high school he attended a Carmelite formation house to  examine his call to ministry. He chose to leave the Seminary after one year and experience life in the difficult and hurting world where he hoped to be a minister in the Name of Christ.

A pivotal period of his youth was spending a couple of summers on a friend's horse ranch. He learned the values of hard work, down to earth honesty and a love of the outdoors. He found "Jesus with the skin on" living and working alongside cowboys and corporate executives, waitresses and philanthropists. Christ lives and works in the hearts of all who have given their hearts to Him.

Joe spent many years as a "lapsed Christian" - following his own heart and getting deeper into the ways of the world. Without going into detail, he has experienced pain and suffering, and regrets being responsible for inflicting the same. He relates well with the parable of the Prodigal Son. He is saved by God's grace - certainly not by his own works.

Among other things,  Joe has worked in the construction field for over thirty years. Being a minister of our Lord Jesus Christ is his first love. He pays the bills and serves others as a public works inspector. 

Eventually Joe took his call to ministry seriously and started serving in various churches, doing everything from janitorial work to ministering to the sick.

After graduating from the Master's College, he investigated several seminaries, finding each had a bias towards their denominational affiliation. Joe wanted to live and preach the Gospel clearly, in the spirit of the Apostles, proclaiming the Word of God without bias toward any one denomination. 

 His education took the form of discerning which preachers were teaching unvarnished Bible doctrine, then voraciously listening to audio tapes and reading books by John MacArthur, R.C Sproul, Charles Stanley, Adrian Rogers, Max Lucado, Alistair Begg and others. It goes without saying the Bible in its entirety was and is the final authority. Each of Joe's "teachers" use Scripture to defend and validate their positions.

While recently recovering from back surgery, Joe was inspired to seek clarity on "Celtic Christianity." He found a breath of fresh air in studying the writings of John O'Donohue, J. Philip Newell, Isabel Hill Elder and others. While finding the writings of many Celtic Christian authors refreshing, Joe cautions readers to maintain sound Biblical doctrine while embracing the Celtic view of the Holy Trinity as lover of our souls.

The decision to become an ordained minister came when a grading contractor asked him if he knew a Pastor who would officiate at his wedding (the man had no "home church" but was a Christian and lived acknowledging Jesus as His Lord and Savior). Joe contacted several Pastors who would not perform the ceremony because the man did not belong to "their" churches.

Well, Joe didn't see in the Bible where Jesus rejected anyone with a sincere heart who reached out to Him, so he sought and was approved for Ordination as an independent Christian Minister. He is a member of the Celtic Rite Order of Saint Francis (log on to www.cosf.webs.com for more information).

Joe is a Christian first,, last, and always. His passion and ministry is in reaching out to disenchanted Christians as well as unbelievers with the message that we are saved through repentance and trusting in the saving sacrifice of Christ on the cross, leading to an intimate relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Joe has a simple faith based on the Bible. The world is full of more learned men and women than Joe who can discuss and debate doctrinal issues with eloquence and fervor.  Rather than pitting one denomination against the other, he prays for reunification of the Christian Church without compromising Biblical Truth. He believes Our Lord is using the various denominations as a "refining fire," helping each other to stay true to the Gospel of Christ.

Jesus taught us, "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength...you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30,31). As Christians who really have a grasp on the Biblical Jesus and the Trinity, this commandment is our compass.

Respect for all truly Christian denominations and prayers for their leadership is integral to this ministry.