Growing Up Catholic - Part 2

I mentioned in my last post that I would share an encounter I had with a Catholic priest when I was probably about 8 years old. I don't recall many of the details, but here is what is burned in my memory. 

I had stopped by the church to find my brother. I am not sure why I thought he would be there, but I thought he would be. I went into the church, and there was a service going on. I opened the door of the sanctuary and peered about, hoping to see him, but I did not. I closed the door, and was headed out of the building when I was approached by a priest who asked what I was doing. I told him that I was looking for my brother, but did not see him. He told me that what I had done was a mortal sin. Even now, it seems odd to me that he would say this. But I was eight, and in my eight year old understanding, there were two types of sin. One being venial, which I understood to be forgivable, and the other to be mortal, which I understood to be unforgiveable. I was stunned, as I felt that this meant that I was now doomed to an eternity in hell. The one thought that I strongly remember having was, I can't tell my mother about this, she would be devastated.

That is legalism, a death sentence to true faith. Catholics are not the only ones with a strong sense of legalism. I recall in high school how one girl in particular always wore modest, homemade clothes, and was not allowed to go to movies or dances. Other faiths have other conditions. I recall how the conservative Christian college I went to had many such rules, not that these rules were bound on us by Scripture, but that we needed to go above and beyond because we were under a microscope as ambassadors for Christ. So keep that face clean shaven and that hair above your collar. You don't want to look like Jesus, do you?

1 Thess 4:1-8

SCRIPTURE

1 Thess 4:1-8

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;  that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,  not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;  that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.  For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Comment

I heard a video on You Tube where someone was talking about all of the expectations that are set forth for Christians, and how faith alone is not mentioned in the Bible. Sounds a lot like the kind of stuff Paul was combating in Galatians, where the Judaizers were all clamoring for circumcision.

Yes, there are plenty of passages that talk about what true Christianity should look like. Like this passage. But these are descriptive passages, because it is important that we have a good look at what Christianity should be about. They are not prescriptive, telling us how to live in each and every situation. That would be law, and we are no longer under the law, but under grace.

Now there are some who abuse this too, saying that since we are under grace, we can do as we please. They are also wrong. They are the very reason for the need of passages such as this. 

Such teachings, in either case, go against the Holy Spirit. If you can't see that, maybe read and pray a bit more, or maybe just get your head out of da Nile. 

 Descriptive, not prescriptive

Hit the road, Jack

If the pastor’s face is the logo of a church, there’s a chance that Jesus is not the hero. If programs, creativity, leadership savvy, or innovation is your hero, this is a good indication that the church is not centered on the gospel . Jesus is always the hero of a church centered on the gospel.

Chandler, Matt; Geiger, Eric; Patterson, Josh (2013-11-26). Creature of the Word: The Jesus-Centered Church (Kindle Locations 1481-1483). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

We attended a church for a while where the pastor did about everything. He hardly missed a Sunday in the pulpit, visited every person is the hospital (and made sure to mention it on Sunday morning), and developed every plan or program that the church had to offer. And most people loved him for it.

So when we asked some questions about his theology, or gave another interpretation of what a passage might mean to our small group, it was not taken well. In fact, if we couldn't completely support the pastor without question, we were told there were other churches we could attend.

This church had been through some rough times, almost closing because of a split prior to this pastor coming on board. The people loved him for seeing them through that. You just might say they worshiped him, because they did. He was their new savior. And he relished the role.

The church was growing, not by leaps and bounds, but maybe 5-10 members per year. And growth means God's okay with whatever you do. At least that was leadership's opinion. It did not seem to matter that people were also leaving at a brisk pace. Turnover was the key. Keep a few more than you lose each year, and everything is fine.

There is a line in their stewardship video that just about sums it up for me. It comes around the 0:56 mark. The pastor states, "...and we probably wouldn't be here now if these facilities had not been built to meet our needs." Perhaps following up with a few lines from one of our hymns. "My faith is built on nothing less than this fine building and self-righteousness." Thank goodness their needs were met. We wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, have a church if our needs were not met. Faith and trust in Jesus will apparently only take you so far.

So after shaking the dust off our feet, we hit the road.

In the same way, church cultures void of the gospel are empty and worthless. Church cultures, apart from the grace of Jesus, are utterly broken . And just because a church talks about grace does not mean its culture is filled with grace.

Chandler, Matt; Geiger, Eric; Patterson, Josh (2013-11-26). Creature of the Word: The Jesus-Centered Church (Kindle Locations 1536-1538). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Is heaven for real?

I saw the movie today. Not that I wanted to, but my daughter did. I wanted to see it so we could talk about it.

As far as movies go, it was okay. As far as the message, I guess I am as conflicted as the pastor in the movie.

Burpo wants to believe his kid. So do I. But he is not my child, and I do not know how factual the movie records the actual events. So I guess I am a bit more skeptical than the father.

My wife says, "As long as it gets people talking about heaven, then it is a good thing." But I ask myself, is that enough? Is it enough to just talk about heaven? Burpo has been talking about heaven for a long time. He is a pastor, and has raised his children to have faith. He is apparently a good speaker and has a church that is growing. But when things get tough, he questions God and his own faith. So what kind of faith has he been preaching about?

Heaven is a great comfort. To know that grampa is there, or an unborn child, that would be great. But is that what God wants from us, a desire to be with our loved ones? Or is heaven first and foremost about being with God? When we are told that we must love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, where does the idea of eternal bliss fit into this picture? Why didn't Jesus spend more time using this means to attract followers and converts? Instead, he talked about things like turning the other cheek and going the extra mile and picking up our cross to follow Him.

Well, maybe God has changed tactics. Maybe this one will work a lot better. Maybe.

Glutton for Punishment

I must be a glutton for punishment.

Seriously.

I already struggle with church, and the inch deep relationships, and the digging in the word until it begins to hurt and then changing the subject, and the materialism of the church while it preaches that we live by faith, and...well, you get the idea.

So what do I do? I start reading "Creature of the Word: The Jesus-Centered Church" I do this knowing that Matt Chandler is one of the authors, and he is going to say things that will get me more stirred up, all the while knowing how important it is to be a part of a church.

Short of moving to Dallas, this is going to be tough.

So it is time to look at another book. If I can keep from going crazy, I will blog some quotes as I have time.

This should be interesting.

If anyone is interested, here is the site for the book trailer. And by the way, when did books get trailers?

And here is a link to Tim Challies review of the book. So don't just take my word for it.

Bet you didn't see that coming!

Natural religion, spirituality, and morality are in fact our chief means of running away from God. (Chapter 2)

For some reason I went back into the archives of my blog and read the letter the pastor sent to us after we had met with him.

Yes, many of my comments were sarcastic and harsh. But my writing was my venting. It's cheaper than a gun and doesn't get you in as much trouble. (There goes that sarcasm again!)

As I read that, and then this quote, a feeling of sadness comes upon me. It serves to validate this quote to me. It is that whole idea of working our way toward God rather than letting God come to us. But how can we come to God, when all our best works are but filthy rags? How do we dare approach him? Is not Isaiah's attitude better, knowing that we are people of unclean lips? Shouldn't we instead fall down at our knees and be afraid?

As I read the words of that letter, and as it caused me to think about that later meeting with the elders, it breaks my heart. Surely this is not what Jesus had in mind for his church. I think of the verse where we are told that the path to heaven is narrow, and few find it. But how few is few? Perhaps that few is a bit smaller than we might be comfortable with. Perhaps that few does not have as many American Christians on it as we would like to imagine. But all I get out of this for right now is that I need to watch where I am stepping, I need to make sure that my feet are on the right path.

It's okay to vent, but I pray for these people. And for the souls of those they lead. God help us all.

Which curtain shall I choose, Monty?

...the law makes sense to us already; the gospel has to be told by heralds. (Ch. 1)

Human nature. We all have it by virtue of being human. So why is it that we look at the human nature of the Pharisees, and can wag a finger at them, while not realizing that those same human tendencies exist within us?

The law makes sense. Give me something tangible that I can see and hold on to. None of that blind faith stuff for me. Tell me what kind of movies to watch, how long to wear my hair, where to draw the line with my girlfriend, etc. Give me details!

Having a law just makes sense to us. But the gospel frees us from the law. We are not saved by the law, we are saved from the law. Now we become a law unto ourselves. (Paraphrase of a Matt Chandler quote.) That law is not written on tablets of stone, but on our hearts!

Enter the gospel. Not written on tablets of stone, but heralded by angels, Jesus himself, the disciples and Apostles, and hopefully you and me!

Or maybe you could just give a something to hold on to. A tract or Bible with all of the important verses highlighted. Or just a list of the top ten rules. That I can handle so much better.

Unity or Conformity?

Another post found while digging through the archives and dredging up the drafts. Just couldn't delete it...

Christ calls for us to be united. But what does unity mean? Does it mean that we don't rock the boat? Does it mean that we never complain or confront? What does unity mean?

I have put together a few thoughts. Please feel free to share yours.

Unity means harmony, conformity means one note.

• When everyone sings one note, it is easier to sing along, and harmony does takes effort. But it is harmony that makes the music beautiful.

Unity invites discussion, conformity demands you listen to it.

• Discussion can be difficult. What if someone asks a question I don't like? What if I don't know an answer or have to struggle through something? I might even have to grow...

Unity is accomplished out of love, conformity is commanded out of fear.

• There is a lot of control issues in the church. So many denominations, probably because when something gets difficult, we just leave or get kicked out. Is that the kind of love that God models for us? When the going gets tough, the tough get going...right out the door. (Sometimes with a shove)

Unity breeds compassion, conformity breeds contempt.

• If you are different, you get treated different. I think the book of James addresses this well. (Don't read it unless you want to feel bad. Just saying...)

Unity allows for differences, conformity demands compliance.

• When is the last time you saw a diverse church? Either in ethnicity, theology, etc. It's an anomoly, isn't it?

Unity comes from a clean inside, comformity looks good on the outside.

• Matthew 23:25 anyone?

Unity seeks truth, conformity seeks to be right.

• And only one can be right, right? And of course, it is me...

Unity comforts, conformity intimidates.

• Even when we see someone in error (that does not lead to death), should our response be to beat them into submission? Is that how Jesus worked? Sure, he was tough on some, but had great compassion for others. What made the difference? (Think about it)

Unity plays by the rules, conformity makes its own rules.

• Now, where is that found in the Bible? And doesn't this passage apply too?

Unity brings things to light, conformity hides things.

• This is kind of a dysfunctional thing. Are there any dysfunctional churches out there?

Unity considers the body, conformity considers the self.

• See that big toe? Do we really need him?

What about you> How do you see unity?

Unity is its own reward, conformity expects to be rewarded.

Carbon Copies

Does anyone besides me remember the days of the carbon copy? When you had to put a sheet between the pages to that your typewriter would be able to  make a copy for you. We have come a long way since then and I am thankful for that.

Now, we can scan copies and fill them out, or alter them, or just leave them as is.

Jesus calls us to make disciples. But are these disciples carbon copies? And if so, copies of what?

I think a lot of churches want to make copies rather than disciples. Copies are comfortable. We can look at a copy and see if it looks like the rest very easily. We can control the copies by what we put into the copier.

But I don't think making disciples means making copies of ourselves. If it did, we wouldn't need much of the New Testament, because much of the New Testament teaches us how to deal with the problems that are created by our differences.

I am not a carbon copy. I need the New Testament. Jesus did not create or expect carbon copies in his disciples.

I think Jesus came to break the copy machine. Good thing too, because I have dealt with copiers, and they are a pain to maintain.

Abrasive like sandpaper

I admit it, I can be abrasive. For instance, my wife never asks if "these pants make my butt look big," because she knows I will tell her the truth. I have a thing for the truth, even when it hurts sometimes.

The gospel is like that. It can be abrasive and rub people the wrong way. I went to David Platt's "Secret Church" simulcast last Friday. There were about 100 people there, most whom I did not know, a few I did know. There were some local ministers in the audience.

At one point, David said (not an exact quote), "You can have said a prayer, signed a card, been baptized, even be in church leadership, and still not be saved!" Do you think that some found this abrasive? I think some did. But the bigger question is, is it true? And if it is, David would be doing a disservice to the gospel by not saying it. People can take it however they want, they can choose to act or not act upon these words, but David was not wrong in speaking those words to them.

Sometimes the truth hurts. Sometimes we would rather hear a lie. Sometimes we would rather believe a lie that tells us we are okay, that we are safe and secure in God's arms and nothing bad is going to happen to us. That sounds so good, doesn't it? I want that kind of religion. But that is not the religion that Jesus preached. I seem to recall something about carrying our own crosses, not denying Him, going the extra mile, etc.

Listen! Then ask yourself, Does my preacher love me? Is he telling me the whole truth, or just stepping on my toes enough to make me uncomfortable a bit (if at all)? Is he motivating me to have a deeper walk with Christ, or just to modify my behavior? Is God the center of his message, or something else? Do you walk away from there feeling like you want to embrace God or feeling ashamed and thinking you must try harder?

The real gospel is abrasive, and some will reject it. But to those who have open hearts, the real gospel is like a steak dinner, drawing us to it, letting us taste and see that it is good, and satisfying us completely. But don't eat too much, cause it might make your butt look too big.

The Pastor's Letter - Conclusion

All in all, if you just read through his letter, it is amazingly well crafted. He gets his point across without saying anything that would likely get him into trouble on its face value. He "thought a letter might be simpler than trying to schedule another meeting." How considerate on its face value. Thanking us for our integrity and courage. Sharing his pain. It almost seems as if he has had a change of heart. But then the stonewall defense. My friends stand behind me, you misinterpreted or misheard my message, that wasn't what I intended to stay...and then the wall goes up. "I do not intend to give a rebuttal..." Can't lose a game if you won't get on the court!

Then more defenses, but not of his message, just of himself. I spend time and effort preparing, researching, crafting my sermons. I have my message vetted by the same people who always vet them, they have doctorates, I take far more precaution than the average preacher, etc. All in defense of him and his integrity, nothing about the message because that would not be "a helpful process."

So an analogy. I go to a doctor, who diagnosis a problem, say cancer. I go for a second opinion, and this doctor says it is not cancer, but a lesser, easier treatable disease. I go back to my doctor to discuss the other diagnosis. Instead of considering the possibility or even hearing the other doctors reasons, he simply says that he will not give rebuttal to that doctor, to do so would not be helpful. He warns me that the potential of quarreling with him could have life-threatening consequences! He then goes on to tell me that he takes his job seriously, reads medical journals, discusses his cases with other, even more qualified doctors than himself. He talks about how long I have been his patient, and doesn't that count for something? But he never reexamines me or listens to the reasons for the other doctor's diagnosis. I am supposed to have total trust in him because he says he cares for me. But his actions say that he cares for himself, and that he is hurt and angry about my checking with another doctor. So what do I do? Do I trust him or the other doctor? In reality, I probably do neither. Instead, I start researching some for myself, and probably even get a third or fourth opinion. My health is too important for me to lay at the feet of some quack who, though knowledgeable of some things, clearly does not have my best interests at heart.

So is my spiritual health. So, if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...you know the rest. Quack!

The Pastor's Letter - Part 5

The previous 4 parts are my previous 4 posts. My musings are in bold type.

I hope and pray that knowing where I stand on these issues will allow you to interpret my comments in the future in a way that you find harmonious with Scripture. (Sorry, I don't base my interpretation of Scripture based on knowing the person who is speaking. We all fall short, and no one knows it all. And it is sad that you would even expect this. At one time, you commended us for our searching of the Bible, as did the Berean Christians. Apparently, however, if we do not do so and then quickly and blindly come to the conclusion that you are right, then it is a problem.) I pray that you will now be able to be encouraged, deified, challenged and changed as a result of God working through my efforts in preaching. (Actually, because of how you handled this, even less so.) I am hoping you will be able to embrace me and my preaching just as you have embraced the other aspects of our ministry here at UCC. (Of course that is what you are hoping will happen, because then you won't have to deal with any problems in your perfect church, full of perfect people who all agree with you apparently.) If so, that will be a wonderful answer to prayer!

But if after this you still do not have confidence in me or my preaching, then-sadly-we are probably not the church for you. (So, there is no room for disagreement with the pastor in "your" church. No questioning, no discussion, just fall in or fall out.)There will be no hard feelings on my part should you decide to move on, (In fact, I will be dancing the whole day!) and I pray God blesses you wherever you make your church home. (Because otherwise you might come back!) Of course, this would not be the outcome I have been praying for, (Because there are 4 of you, and that will hurt our attendance averages) but it would probably be a better outcome than you being in a church with preaching you cannot support. (Better for me that is, because this stuff hurts my feelings and makes me uncomfortable.) My sermons reflect not only my positions, but those of our leadership and the church as a whole. (When I say the church as a whole, that excludes you, of course.) It would be difficult, at best, for you to be happy and to grow here if you are on a different page regarding matters as important as those reflected in your paper. (Actually, quite the opposite. Your preaching has caused me to search my Bible more than at any other time in my life. It is kind of like being in school and preparing for a debate. You have to be on your toes and do your research, or you will fail. I have done my research, and feel that I am more than ever prepared to give an answer for what I believe to be true. I just am sorry that it has fallen on deaf ears. Well, not really deaf, more so unwilling to listen. I believe that there is a difference!) It would be more likely that your frustrations would only grow. (First, I don't base my "happiness" on external things. My joy is in the Lord, and being unhappy is not the problem for me that it is for you. To quote John Piper, "God is most glorified when I am most satisfied in him." So my joy is not based on my circumstances. God's blessings surround me in times of plenty and times of little, in times of despair and times of rejoicing. I see that as a major difference in our approaches to Him.)

Whatever you decide, I will regard you as friends and as my brother and sister in Christ. (If this is how you treat your family, I feel sorry for them.)

There you have it. The entire text plus added commentary. It makes me sad to go through this, but it also helps affirm our choice and see the value of the past 18 or so months. Praise God.

The Pastor's Letter - Part 4

Parts 1-3 are the previous posts. My musings are bolded.

I regret that you came to a different conclusion about me as a preacher and that you interpreted my comments in a negative and objectionable light. Perhaps it was because you did not know me and were not sure about some of my foundational beliefs, so when certain statements were made you feared I meant them one way when, if you had known me better, you would have known that I did not mean them that way. (Yeah, Jesus had that same problem when He spoke to the Pharisees. But seriously, if you have to know the preacher to understand what he says when he preaches, isn't that a problem?)

One theme that seemed to permeate your comments was the theme that we need to focus on giving glory to God, not get caught up in a bunch of works and rules, etc. to (Okay, perhaps I was not clear enough for you. It is not that we should not being doing good things, it is that the good things we do should should be motivated by our love for God and seeing Him as beautiful, and not by a desire to be blessed or curry God's favor. When 90% of the sermon is telling us how to behave and the other 10% is offering an invitation, that does not glorify God.) I assure you, that I agree that glorifying God is paramount. (That is what you say, so then why is that not reflected in your messages?) I also believe that we can best glorify God when we devote ourselves to the disciplines and practices given us to follow in the New Testament. (Okay, so you admit this.) Preaching on such things is not intended to replace the goal of glorifying God, but rather to enable us to reach that goal. (While that might not be intended, it is the result. We do not reach the goal of glorifying God by human effort. You can espouse all the behaviors you want, without the gospel it is in vain. Gal. 1:6-7  ⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.)

Another theme I picked up on in your responses was an emphasis on the fact that God has to bring about the change in our lives - we don't do it ourselves. Again, I agree with you and my sermons are not intended to contradict that truth. (Again, while that may not be the intention, I believe it is the result.)  At the same time, I believe that God won't bring that change into our lives against our free will. As I said in Come and Be Fed,  we can't do it without Him and He chooses not to do it without us. (Yes, cliches are fine, but what does that really mean? How much is God and how much is us? How much do we need Him and how much does he need us? Inquiring minds want to know.)    

More later.

The Pastor's Letter - Part 3

Parts 1 and 2 are the preceding posts. My musings are bolded.

As I mentioned to you when we met together, I spend much time and effort every week researching the text (reading a book), praying for insight, crafting the message (Looking for proof-texts, even if I have to take something out of context), choosing words and phrases carefully, and trying to develop a sermon that accurately communicates God's truth in a manner that will interest and impact the listener. (Even if it takes every bad joke I have, doggone it!) I not only labor over what to say, but how to say it. I also have my message vetted each week by three other Christian Church ministers, two of which have doctorate degrees. (Should I be impressed? Are their names Annas and Caiaphas?) These men do not pull punches when it comes to their evaluations. (So you can take criticism from them, but not those within your own congregation? They can be honest, but others don't even get a response?) I read the sermon out loud to them while they have a copy in their hands to mark and write comments on. (Maybe we should compare notes!) Then they point out anything they see that might make my sermon stronger, including phrases that could be misunderstood or taken the wrong way. (They really let you keep in that bunny joke last Easter? That was cruel of them.) That is one reason I am surprised that you have misunderstood the intended meaning of phrases, points or entire messages I have preached. (I see it more as a disagreement that a misunderstanding. I will get to posting some of my comments and maybe some will post their understandings as well.) I am trying to do everything I can to rightly handle the Word of Truth and am taking for more precautions than the average preacher in doing so. (Did you just call yourself above-average? I happen to know that 50% of all people are below average.) I have been reassured by other mature and respected Christian leaders (who happen to be my friends) that my preaching is Biblical (because I use the Bible), on target, and effective. I will always be striving to grow and improve as a preacher and follower of Jesus, but I believe I am already competent as a preacher of the Gospel. (I have seen some of your other beliefs, so I am not impressed)

It is hard for me not to take a sarcastic tone in light of the events that have transpired. The lies and manipulations, the hurtful words, the pettiness over things like our not acknowledging a postcard. It is all unbelievable at times. I read through my concerns, concerns that I still have today regarding your preaching and the leadership of University Christian Church. But I must wipe the dust off of my feet and move on. Hopefully to a better place, but that is in the hands of God.

The Pastor's Letter - Part 2

Part one was yesterday's post. My musings are bolded.

After carefully reading your entire paper, spending considerable time in prayer about it, and discussing my preaching with our Elders and other ministers, I feel comfortable standing behind my comments as I intended them and as the vast majority of listeners apparently heard them. (So does Joel Osteen) I appreciate the time and thought that went into the responses in your paper; however, I do not intend to give rebuttal to them because I do not believe it would be a helpful process. (Since when is considering another point of view healthy anyway. Now what was that comment that Elder T made at our meeting, that the minister had responded to every point in my letter? But I don't really think it was the truth they were after anyway. I think it was more about being right and in charge.) As 2 Timothy 2:14 says, "...Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins the hearers." (It is quarreling because I have a different opinion and I don't agree with you? What about classroom discussion? Are you saying I should be warned? Why have you only picked out half a verse here? Isn't the real meaning of this passage about Paul reminding Timothy to focus on the gospel, and not on trivial words? And that is the very reason we came to talk to you!)

Frustrating! I do see a real comparison here to Joel Osteen and other prosperity gospel preachers. The whole idea that they are above reproach, and if they are confronted they just gather around them the very people who give him his power to form a hedge of protection. What about always being ready to give an answer for the hope that you have? There are other Scriptures that come to mind, but you don't really want to hear them now, do you?

The Pastor's Letter - Part 1

Over a year ago, we had spoken to our pastor regarding some questions we had about some things he had said in some messages. We met face to face in his office. Although the meeting seemed to start off on a defensive note, by the end of the meeting we left feeling positive, with an assurance that he would prayerfully consider our concerns and we would meet again.

About a week or so later, we received a letter from the pastor. Here is the beginning, my comments are bolded...

Letterhead states:
University Christian Church
Where Christ is the Master and People Matter

Dear Don and Paula,

I had promised to get back with you after reading your comments and praying about your concerns, (Yes, you did. This was both our understanding as we left the meeting.) and I thought a letter might be simpler than trying to schedule another meeting (although I am not opposed to meeting again with you if you still want to do so after reading this). (Reading between the lines, I am sending a letter because I really don't want to give you an opportunity to talk with me. My hope is that after reading this, you will not return.)

Let me begin by thanking you for having the integrity and courage to share your concerns directly with me, rather than going to a third party. (because that would require much more damage control.) That is the Biblical approach, (So what part of the Biblical approach involves sending a letter instead of dealing with someone face-to-face?) but so often not what people choose to do. (Like your choices and the choices of the eldership, for example?) It was difficult and painful for me to hear and read your perception of my preaching, but it also challenged me to scrutinize myself even more than usual. Such an exercise can be quite healthy from time to time. (Personal scrutiny is your answer to this? "Let me see if I am okay, yup, I'm fine.")

There you have the first 2 paragraphs. There is more to come.

Kicked to the Curb - Part 2

So they decided that they were right and I was wrong. Even though, they don't know my position, because they have never talked TO me, they have only talked AT me. There was never any discussion involving me. Just their own amongst themselves. Probably went something like this...

Elder T: So, what do you think of this whippersnapper, coming in and challenging the pastor's messages. This pastor has been here what, 7 or eight years now? Surely we couldn't be wrong that long.

Elder G: You know it. I don't care if I have talked to him and find some of his thoughts interesting. He actually has the audacity to disagree with the pastor!

Elder L: But perhaps, to be on the safe side, we should listen to one of the pastor's sermons with a more critical eye.

(After listening to a sermon)

Elder G: Well, that does it. He says the same wonderful things that he always says. What a spirit-inspired genius. I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, maybe just a little bit better, but I have more important work to do for God.

Elder T: Well said G. We didn't even have to open a Bible to agree with the pastor, it just made so much sense to me. And the pastor put all of those proof-texts in so I didnt have to anyway.

Elder G: Yes, just like he does when he answers questions in Bible studies. He can quote them almost as good as I can.

Elder T: So there we have it, we agree with ourselves, no need to discuss anything. And anyone who does not agree with us, well, they are just divisive. We have it nailed, no problems here. Well, except when someone disagrees with us. Then we have to shut them up to protect the poor little sheeps in our flock.

Elder L: That's sheep. The plural of sheep is sheep.

Elder G: Gentlemen, let's not disagree. Here, give me that dictionary. (Writes in an "s" after the entry for sheep.) See? We just all need to agree.

Elder L: My apologies. How could I have not seen that before?

Well, maybe that is not exactly how it happened, but I think it is close.

I just couldn't resist..

Story found here.

News flash: Atheist group uses unholy water to unbless a highway! Does anyone else find this ironic?

First, if they wanted to unbless it, does that not imply that it was previously blessed? So when the Christians sought to seek God's favor upon this stretch of highway, the atheists sought to undo what they do not believe in.

Seond, they claim to have unholy water. To have something be unholy, does that not imply that its opposite exists? And if something is holy, does that not imply the existence of God?

So, these people had nothing better to do than to go out on a day of the week, gather together, and do something about something that they really have no practical belief in.

Sounds like church to me.

Love it!

Found here

And if you liked that one, click here!

This one sounds familiar

From Trevin Wax, whose blog can be found here

This one reminds me of our Wednesday night service a couple of weeks ago, where the preacher was talking about our non-denominational denomination. It seems that God orchestrated several events about a hundred years ago culminating in the Christian Church/Churches of Christ, who now number about a million in the United States alone.

God moved so that 1/3 of 1% of us could get it right. Go God!

I was teaching students about similes, and once one came up with this one...as slow as a turtle with an elephant on its back. God not only moves in mysterious ways, he takes his time too. But if we focus on the word "million" it sounds so much better. So let's do that instead.