There are many techniques and methods used to develop one's own personal beliefs. In a world where we are immersed in competing view points, varying experiences, and differing systems of theology it's hard not to have an opinion on all things related to God, spirituality, and/or religion. What I have begun to see as a dangerous and all to prevalent trend in Christians is what I like to call "reaction theology".
Reaction theology is the act of hearing a belief, idea, concept about God that contradicts or even just mildly disagrees with our own beliefs, ideas, etc. and we respond by building an entire belief system around proving the opposing side wrong. Our reaction, due to the great amount of pride that comes with personal conviction, is never to seek out the truth that may lie in the opposing side's argument or middle ground. Unfortunately we often lack the humility to see that we are not perfect, therefore our beliefs may also inherit this imperfection. That's not to say that our beliefs are wrong but that they may be lacking in some area. By engaging an opposing argument/belief with a humble heart and a contrite spirit we may actually learn something that could benefit our spiritual lives immensely, if only to give us a more complete understanding of the many unique perspectives that exist in society.
This is why I believe people like Calvin have flawed theologies. Calvin's 5 point TULIP system is a reaction to the Arminiast's argument against predestination. Instead of seeking to find where the Arminiast obtained their perspective of God in scripture or even seeking out the truth of Scripture with an unbiased mindset, Calvin sought to prove his own ideas about God with Scripture. As a disclaimer, I definitely side more with Calvinists than Arminians, but I continue to wrestle with both points of view.
Our reaction to what we oppose usually leads to harsh condemnation of the other side's complete being. The more we enforce our own biased beliefs the more we seek to prove the other side wrong with the ultimate goal of destroying their entire credibility. It's an interesting paradigm in which we feel as though we are being enlightened but we are in actuality closing the doors in our hearts and minds that would, if left open, lead us to discover the whole truth found in considering both positions. It's like using a teeter-totter to measure weight. Inevitably you only find out that one side is heavier or lighter than the other side and not the actual weight of each object.
Current examples can be found by watching how conservatives REACT to liberal points of view and vice versa. Look at how Christians handle issues such as homosexuality, women in leadership, the trinity, and the rapture. We are so polarized by our reactions that I'm sure God looks down and is disgusted by the lack of UNITY amongst His people. We need to go back to the basics and be slow to speak, slow to get angry, and quick to listen. Maybe then we can actually reach some degree of true enlightenment and rectify the relationship lost amongst many religious communities and even maybe bridge the gap between believers and the secular society we inhabit.
So overall, my point is that the next time you or I hear something that contradicts something unspeakable inside ourselves that we should first look inside our hearts and minds then turn to scripture in order to find out why we disagree with what we've heard. This would be a much more rational option than lashing out externally to belittle the opposing beliefs and the people who hold them.
All that to say, just make sure you know what you know and why you believe what you believe before ya go spouting off about this and that. And don't ever spout off for that matter! Phew. Sigh. O well, it's just my reaction to take a shot in the dark about all this.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Faith or Reason?
Hebrews 11 is an awesome chapter filled with great examples of faith lived out. Or at least I thought so up until I got to verse 19. In this passage the author is writing about how Abraham was called by God to sacrifice his son and how Abraham proved his great faith by going along with it up until the very last moment when God stopped him to reveal that it was all a test.
Hebrews 11:19 says "Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." I emphasize the word reason here because it is the word that sparked my curiosity. Some other translations use the word "considered" but the overall meaning behind this verse is that Abraham used his intellect to rationalize that Isaac would not really be harmed, or that Abraham would not really lose his son to God in this manner. Now, this is where the lines get fuzzy in my mind. Is it still faith when you've calculated the odds and know that you will still come out ahead? How much is reasoning a part of having faith? It's hard to say that faith has to be logical, while we know it shouldn't be blind, because we have a faith that is based on the "mysterious ways" of God.
Abraham didn't seem to think that God's methods were too mysterious as he played along knowing that he would still have his son when it all was said and done. Abraham reasoned. Focus on that phrase for a second. He is viewed as the father of our religion and he used reason to figure out what God was going to do. I don't know why but that just seems like a stern contrast to faith. I have done a lot of things in my past where I had no idea what God was going to do with me but I had faith that His will is what is best for me, not that what I wanted to happen would happen because I know how to work the system.
The Wesleyan quadrilateral (which is more like a pyramid in actuality) emphasizes that reason be utilized in every area of our faith i.e. scripture, tradition and experience. I'm just wondering at what point we affirm someone for having good faith versus having excellent reasoning. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Thomas. I like Thomas because he had some serious balls. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples, he saw Jesus work tons of miracles and preach radical sermons yet he put his foot down and still wouldn't believe “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." John 20:25. I can really appreciate that kind of doubt. He wanted to be sure before he gave his life to such a radical cause.
However, Jesus called Thomas out on this rational style of faith. In John 20:29 Jesus says,“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So are we more blessed when we blindly believe in something we have not seen nor experienced? I think sometimes I would much rather be spared the extra blessing for some actual first hand experience with God. That's why I don't chalk up Abraham's actions to some great act of faith when he experienced God first hand and got to know the very nature of our Creature, thus making his decisions far easier.
So the question for me is, would I rather have a reason based faith or an actual unadulterated faith? Is our religion based more on faith or reason? Or both? Let's be honest, nothing to do with the ways of the Lord is ever black and white, making this issue is very much a deep shade of gray.
It's all just a rationalized shot in the dark for me.
Hebrews 11:19 says "Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." I emphasize the word reason here because it is the word that sparked my curiosity. Some other translations use the word "considered" but the overall meaning behind this verse is that Abraham used his intellect to rationalize that Isaac would not really be harmed, or that Abraham would not really lose his son to God in this manner. Now, this is where the lines get fuzzy in my mind. Is it still faith when you've calculated the odds and know that you will still come out ahead? How much is reasoning a part of having faith? It's hard to say that faith has to be logical, while we know it shouldn't be blind, because we have a faith that is based on the "mysterious ways" of God.
Abraham didn't seem to think that God's methods were too mysterious as he played along knowing that he would still have his son when it all was said and done. Abraham reasoned. Focus on that phrase for a second. He is viewed as the father of our religion and he used reason to figure out what God was going to do. I don't know why but that just seems like a stern contrast to faith. I have done a lot of things in my past where I had no idea what God was going to do with me but I had faith that His will is what is best for me, not that what I wanted to happen would happen because I know how to work the system.
The Wesleyan quadrilateral (which is more like a pyramid in actuality) emphasizes that reason be utilized in every area of our faith i.e. scripture, tradition and experience. I'm just wondering at what point we affirm someone for having good faith versus having excellent reasoning. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Thomas. I like Thomas because he had some serious balls. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples, he saw Jesus work tons of miracles and preach radical sermons yet he put his foot down and still wouldn't believe “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." John 20:25. I can really appreciate that kind of doubt. He wanted to be sure before he gave his life to such a radical cause.
However, Jesus called Thomas out on this rational style of faith. In John 20:29 Jesus says,“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So are we more blessed when we blindly believe in something we have not seen nor experienced? I think sometimes I would much rather be spared the extra blessing for some actual first hand experience with God. That's why I don't chalk up Abraham's actions to some great act of faith when he experienced God first hand and got to know the very nature of our Creature, thus making his decisions far easier.
So the question for me is, would I rather have a reason based faith or an actual unadulterated faith? Is our religion based more on faith or reason? Or both? Let's be honest, nothing to do with the ways of the Lord is ever black and white, making this issue is very much a deep shade of gray.
It's all just a rationalized shot in the dark for me.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The 3 C's of Crisis Management: an attempt at pastorship.
Crisis may be a strong word for what some of us just call "drama" in this life, but things will undoubtedly come up to rock our worlds that we never could've seen coming. So I found myself trying think like your average pastor today for a second and come up with a simple step-by-step process, while simultaneously attempting to employ such catchy literary devices as alliteration, for dealing with such an occasion. This is what I came up with;
Cry out.
Calm down.
Cooperate.
Catchy right? I thought so. Each step is something we naturally want to do so why not consciously do them in a controlled manner and in a specific order that provides the greatest sense of relief and productivity.
First, cry out to God with every bid of anger, sadness, or _________ and let Him begin to bring healing into your life. He already knows what you feel but until you admit those feelings to God, He doesn't step into the picture. Secondly, calm down. The most powerful being in the universe has got your back and knows what you're going through so try to relax a bit. There's not much more you can do than begin the next step, which is to cooperate. Some sore of action is always required after something dramatic goes down. Either an apology, confrontation, questioning, rectification or protection. Something along those lines is usually what lies on our plate at this point. I believe God weighs heavily on our spirit in the wake that comes shortly after crisis and lays on our heart instructions as to what would be best for us to do. A lot of times we stand still with the excuse that we don't know what to do next when indeed we do have an idea of what is required of us next but we are either too afraid or too proud to cooperate with what God is calling us to do. This is why cooperation is the most important step of crisis management.
This is the point where I clarify that there is as much satire as there is truth in this post. Nothing in life is ever this easy. Contemporary christian pastors would have a field day making this into a perfect 30-45 minute presentation with funny anecdotes, personal experience, and new testament excerpts. Next, all they would have to do is bring to a boil, stir frequently, and present the audience with a steaming bowl of fresh christian platitudes full of empty spiritual calories. We've honestly got to go so much deeper than this when it comes to teaching "the flock" and dealing with controversial, complex life experiences. We are smarter than this, or at least I like to hope so.
But what do I know? This is just my pastorial shot in the dark.
Cry out.
Calm down.
Cooperate.
Catchy right? I thought so. Each step is something we naturally want to do so why not consciously do them in a controlled manner and in a specific order that provides the greatest sense of relief and productivity.
First, cry out to God with every bid of anger, sadness, or _________ and let Him begin to bring healing into your life. He already knows what you feel but until you admit those feelings to God, He doesn't step into the picture. Secondly, calm down. The most powerful being in the universe has got your back and knows what you're going through so try to relax a bit. There's not much more you can do than begin the next step, which is to cooperate. Some sore of action is always required after something dramatic goes down. Either an apology, confrontation, questioning, rectification or protection. Something along those lines is usually what lies on our plate at this point. I believe God weighs heavily on our spirit in the wake that comes shortly after crisis and lays on our heart instructions as to what would be best for us to do. A lot of times we stand still with the excuse that we don't know what to do next when indeed we do have an idea of what is required of us next but we are either too afraid or too proud to cooperate with what God is calling us to do. This is why cooperation is the most important step of crisis management.
This is the point where I clarify that there is as much satire as there is truth in this post. Nothing in life is ever this easy. Contemporary christian pastors would have a field day making this into a perfect 30-45 minute presentation with funny anecdotes, personal experience, and new testament excerpts. Next, all they would have to do is bring to a boil, stir frequently, and present the audience with a steaming bowl of fresh christian platitudes full of empty spiritual calories. We've honestly got to go so much deeper than this when it comes to teaching "the flock" and dealing with controversial, complex life experiences. We are smarter than this, or at least I like to hope so.
But what do I know? This is just my pastorial shot in the dark.
Living Next to Life & Death: A quarter life crisis
Everyday I witness the two extremes of life. I see a 14 month old discover the world in all it's glory, from the heights of the couch cushions to the depths that lie beneath the kitchen counters. Everything is new and fascinating while nothing is ordinary or common. He is just starting life's race.
Right down the street from our house is an old folks retirement center called La Fetra. I often see them out walking around the front of their home or being driven in groups to the market. Rarely do I see them with anyone resembling a family member. I see them through the windows, playing cards or walking the grounds at a snails pace just to get a taste of the air that doesn't come from an oxygen tank. Ironically their home is located right next to a large park with baseball fields, a skateboard/BMX course, and playground all filled with teens and young children. They sit at the finish line and constantly have to endure the sight of healthy, young bodies filled with potential and yearning to begin the journey that once laid before them.
I wonder what it's like for them and all their years of experience to be at this stage of life. Sedentary and weak about to cross into the hereafter, the great unknown, dreamland, nirvana, bliss, or to blink for an exceptionally long period of time as Patch Adams would say. Maybe they are content...It's possible I have no idea of the peace that comes with that age. But having seen wars, pain, suffering, wealth, poverty, joy, ecstasy, and love all come and go this life has to be an incredibly weathering experience. Looking into the eyes of the elderly has told me at least this much.
I'm at a point in life where any path but the one straight ahead of me seems appealing. Let's be honest, if someone asked us if could go through life skipping all the moments when we lost a loved one or we got really sick or the bank foreclosed on the house and instead go straight to all the times when we felt like we were on top of the world, feeling high on life and drunk with love we would say "yes!" It's an easy decision for most. But I can't help notice how when we all look back on our past to all the horribly trying times we faced our common response is "I wouldn't have done anything different."
I know this is a common theme in a lot of my posts but I think it takes a lot for me to get over the way God designed this life to work. I feel like much of life resembles going to the doctor to get a series of vaccinations. Even if you don't mind needles, shots still suck. The logic behind injecting yourself with the very disease you hope not to get is remarkable. I wonder what the reaction was to the first person who suggest this technique...couldn't have gone over well. But anyway, such is life. We get hit with a strong dose of whatever it is we are trying to avoid and it is just enough not to kill us. Instead, we get stronger. We become immune to the problem. I can see this light at the end of the tunnel we call life but I'm not looking forward to all the shots I'm about to get. I know they will save my life but they will hurt like hell. I know that right now is probably about the time that God is going to raise my pain tolerance a few notches.
Right down the street from our house is an old folks retirement center called La Fetra. I often see them out walking around the front of their home or being driven in groups to the market. Rarely do I see them with anyone resembling a family member. I see them through the windows, playing cards or walking the grounds at a snails pace just to get a taste of the air that doesn't come from an oxygen tank. Ironically their home is located right next to a large park with baseball fields, a skateboard/BMX course, and playground all filled with teens and young children. They sit at the finish line and constantly have to endure the sight of healthy, young bodies filled with potential and yearning to begin the journey that once laid before them.
I wonder what it's like for them and all their years of experience to be at this stage of life. Sedentary and weak about to cross into the hereafter, the great unknown, dreamland, nirvana, bliss, or to blink for an exceptionally long period of time as Patch Adams would say. Maybe they are content...It's possible I have no idea of the peace that comes with that age. But having seen wars, pain, suffering, wealth, poverty, joy, ecstasy, and love all come and go this life has to be an incredibly weathering experience. Looking into the eyes of the elderly has told me at least this much.
I'm at a point in life where any path but the one straight ahead of me seems appealing. Let's be honest, if someone asked us if could go through life skipping all the moments when we lost a loved one or we got really sick or the bank foreclosed on the house and instead go straight to all the times when we felt like we were on top of the world, feeling high on life and drunk with love we would say "yes!" It's an easy decision for most. But I can't help notice how when we all look back on our past to all the horribly trying times we faced our common response is "I wouldn't have done anything different."
I know this is a common theme in a lot of my posts but I think it takes a lot for me to get over the way God designed this life to work. I feel like much of life resembles going to the doctor to get a series of vaccinations. Even if you don't mind needles, shots still suck. The logic behind injecting yourself with the very disease you hope not to get is remarkable. I wonder what the reaction was to the first person who suggest this technique...couldn't have gone over well. But anyway, such is life. We get hit with a strong dose of whatever it is we are trying to avoid and it is just enough not to kill us. Instead, we get stronger. We become immune to the problem. I can see this light at the end of the tunnel we call life but I'm not looking forward to all the shots I'm about to get. I know they will save my life but they will hurt like hell. I know that right now is probably about the time that God is going to raise my pain tolerance a few notches.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Accusation NOT Temptaion
I listened to a sermon today by RC Sproul. The man is brilliant. He is one of Marc Driscoll's favorite theologians if that gives you any idea of the weight Sproul brings to the religious community. He was speaking at a conference for other pastors and he was answering a question about bringing guilt into one's ministry. He said something profound and that is "Satan works primarily through accusation not temptation." We often feel that Satan is tempting us to sin but his craft is truly perfected in his constant accusation of the sin which we commit.
What this means is that the Devil is constantly doing things based on long term goals rather than short term achievements. For example, he may achieve success in tempting you to have sex in your teens but his goal is to keep you beating yourself up about it to the point that you can no longer have another fruitful relationship or feel justified in lecturing others about the importance of waiting to have sex until marriage. We are so good about emphasizing God's grace for our imperfections but WE are terrible about having any sort of grace for ourselves. I'm a perfectionist and I know this struggle first hand. Guilt is Satan's most effective tool for it creates a personal sense of inadequacy in our lives that prevents us from attaining any sort of positive forward motion.
Now, there may be confusion when it comes to what exactly we feel after we sin because their is an appropriate sense of conviction we should feel from the Holy Spirit. Sproul said that he has never felt accused of anything by the Holy Spirit but that it brings a sense of correction in almost a sweet, caring manner. We should feel uplifted by the Holy Spirit's conviction of our sins as there is always love and forgiveness when we turn to Christ. Satan is the only one that brings a sense of guilt and sorrow. I felt that these distinctions are vital to having a healthy, christian lifestyle.
I know as modern Christians today we almost have tunnel vision when it comes to what God does for us and how He works in our lives. However, it seems like we forget to focus on how the enemy works as well and we lose out on gaining valuable insight into what he may be doing in our lives as well. C.S. wrote a whole book called The Screwtape Letters all from the perspective of the enemy in order to enlighten us as to what we need to prepare ourselves against. To me, it's just like sports. No team ever just focuses on their offense, no matter how great it is. Every team needs to know what they're up against. It's necessary to know their moves in order to have the best defense. It doesn't mean we need to obsess about how good the enemy may be but instead be confident that our strengths can overpower theirs at every step and that we can protect ourselves from even their strongest attacks.
In the end, it's about having Grace for ourselves when we really screw things up. God showers us in His grace so why can't we have some for ourselves? If we ever find that we are constantly beating ourselves up about any one thing we need to realize that those thoughts come straight from the Devil himself. He delights in our guilt, so rise up. Find redemption and get on with life. That's just my shot at the darkness for now.
What this means is that the Devil is constantly doing things based on long term goals rather than short term achievements. For example, he may achieve success in tempting you to have sex in your teens but his goal is to keep you beating yourself up about it to the point that you can no longer have another fruitful relationship or feel justified in lecturing others about the importance of waiting to have sex until marriage. We are so good about emphasizing God's grace for our imperfections but WE are terrible about having any sort of grace for ourselves. I'm a perfectionist and I know this struggle first hand. Guilt is Satan's most effective tool for it creates a personal sense of inadequacy in our lives that prevents us from attaining any sort of positive forward motion.
Now, there may be confusion when it comes to what exactly we feel after we sin because their is an appropriate sense of conviction we should feel from the Holy Spirit. Sproul said that he has never felt accused of anything by the Holy Spirit but that it brings a sense of correction in almost a sweet, caring manner. We should feel uplifted by the Holy Spirit's conviction of our sins as there is always love and forgiveness when we turn to Christ. Satan is the only one that brings a sense of guilt and sorrow. I felt that these distinctions are vital to having a healthy, christian lifestyle.
I know as modern Christians today we almost have tunnel vision when it comes to what God does for us and how He works in our lives. However, it seems like we forget to focus on how the enemy works as well and we lose out on gaining valuable insight into what he may be doing in our lives as well. C.S. wrote a whole book called The Screwtape Letters all from the perspective of the enemy in order to enlighten us as to what we need to prepare ourselves against. To me, it's just like sports. No team ever just focuses on their offense, no matter how great it is. Every team needs to know what they're up against. It's necessary to know their moves in order to have the best defense. It doesn't mean we need to obsess about how good the enemy may be but instead be confident that our strengths can overpower theirs at every step and that we can protect ourselves from even their strongest attacks.
In the end, it's about having Grace for ourselves when we really screw things up. God showers us in His grace so why can't we have some for ourselves? If we ever find that we are constantly beating ourselves up about any one thing we need to realize that those thoughts come straight from the Devil himself. He delights in our guilt, so rise up. Find redemption and get on with life. That's just my shot at the darkness for now.
And you call that suffering (Perspective Part II)
I just read this in Hebrews 10:32-36
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.[j] Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with JOY. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Find joy even after loosing all of our possessions and being wrongfully imprisoned? I'm sure that kind of perspective comes with time but when the first mile seems difficult it's hard to imagine finishing the marathon. It all comes back to being confident that God will reward us for the trials we face today. We have to remember that at all costs or else failure becomes an option. That's just my perspective's continued shot in the dark for now.
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.[j] Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with JOY. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Find joy even after loosing all of our possessions and being wrongfully imprisoned? I'm sure that kind of perspective comes with time but when the first mile seems difficult it's hard to imagine finishing the marathon. It all comes back to being confident that God will reward us for the trials we face today. We have to remember that at all costs or else failure becomes an option. That's just my perspective's continued shot in the dark for now.
Sexcess! (warning: some material not suitable for children)
We are one horny bunch of people. We always have been. We have the profound ability to take something beautiful and sacred and water it down into something "casual". I have a lot of hope for the human race in areas such as improving energy systems, promoting fair trade, and creating a society devoid of racism. But when it comes to keeping Mr. Man out of Ms. Daisy's garden until the time is right (aka marriage), we seem hopeless. All joking aside, it's scary how sex is viewed as something as basic and necessary to daily life as eating, drinking or sleeping.
I know as a teenager in high school that sex is viewed as a right of passage. You are almost viewed as a foreigner (especially as a guy) if you make it into your twenties without having crossed the threshold. Even awkward, nerdy geeks can find other awkward, nerdy female geeks to hook up with freshman year in college, so what's the hold up? Those of us who try to wait are viewed as people who must have something truly insidiously disgusting about us deep down that has deterred the likes of every other female that has crossed our path.
Yesterday I was an audience member at the new Dr. Drew show called "Life Changers" and I was reminded of how warped society's view of sexual relations is. Dr. Drew was accompanied by a guy named Steve who hosts VH1's show called 'Tough Love". He's basically a loud, abrupt outcast of the Jersey Shore who bashes on some of the most sexually confused individuals alive in America today. Their advice to audience members and guests on the show was mind-blowing. I wanted so badly to know what percentage of importance they believe sex is to a relationship. I would guess, based on their comments, that 85% of what makes a relationship work is pure sexual activity. If the sex isn't good right away, or you don't have tons of it, or he/she wants to wait, than run because the relationship is bound to fail. Their statements confirmed my thoughts that our pop-culture world has watered-down the depths of the human existence to whether or not we can reach a point of physical ecstasy with one another. It has somehow become common belief that during this act of extremely personal interaction that there will be a complete absence of mental or spiritual connection.
I love the analogy that our sex lives are like a piece of tape. The first time you ever use that piece of tape it sticks great. However, each time you remove that piece of tape there is a residue left behind which makes it less and less sticky. Eventually, like the tape, we become more and more disconnected from the people to whom we choose to give ourselves to the point that sex does become casual. By doing this we loose touch with one of the most beautiful gifts in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is the ONLY sin we commit against our own body. There is a unique harm we do to ourselves when we sin sexually that has untold consequences to our bodies, minds, and hearts. Now, secular society doesn't know this and doesn't care, but Christian's do and have done several things wrong in response to the extreme sexual pressure we all deal with.
First, liberal Christians go to the heart. I believe all truly devoted Christians (I know that's a tough judgment to make but o well) know deep down that waiting to have sex until marriage is our utmost goal for physical interaction. However, we fail to wait and often times we fail young. So what do we do? We spend the years and years trying to find theologians to rationalize our actions by saying that we put sex on a pedestal, or that marriage occurs in the heart upon consumation, yada yada yada. We know we screwed up (no pun intended) and instead of seeking repentance we seek justification through circular argumentation and theological jargon that just confuses the generations to come.
The other thing Christians do is even more dangerous than this and that's rush. We rush to get married because we just can't wait another minute and "this person I'm with is good enough for now!" We get tired of seeing romance after romance in TV and movies, or listening to love songs alone in our rooms so that once we find a "good christian boy or girl" that waited just like we did it's enough to convince us that they are the one we have been searching for. It's painful to constantly hear our other married friends, or secular couples talk about how great sex is or how often they have it whenever they want that we just can't stand one more cold shower! Such a rough life it is. However, it doesn't take long before the sex can't hide the poor decision to spend your life with someone you don't really love and are now tired of seeing naked. Turns out society made sex up to be a whole lot more than it is, just as much as they downplayed the need to take it seriously.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
That's the verse I mentioned earlier from 1 Corinthians. Notice that it tells us to flee, as in urgently run away from, sexual immorality. Define sexual immorality for yourself but know that the answer is not what Hollywood or even our friends may tell us. We are equipped with an amazing conscience deep within us that we can choose to listen to at any time. If that seems to murky than Scripture is crystal clear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." I want to combat those myths, no matter how futile that fight may be. I know that a great deal of sex does not equal great success. I know that there is such a thing as an excess amount of sex. There is a time and place for everything and I wholeheartedly believe that great sex only happens in a committed, loving relationship where both parties have chosen to wait for each other for at least some time. I know it's cliche but I do believe that anything worth having is worth waiting for and God certainly makes us wait for the best things in life, sex being one of the greatest!
Deep breath, exhale. sigh. That's all I've got for now on this heavy topic. It's all just my passionate heart's shot in the dark anyhow.
I know as a teenager in high school that sex is viewed as a right of passage. You are almost viewed as a foreigner (especially as a guy) if you make it into your twenties without having crossed the threshold. Even awkward, nerdy geeks can find other awkward, nerdy female geeks to hook up with freshman year in college, so what's the hold up? Those of us who try to wait are viewed as people who must have something truly insidiously disgusting about us deep down that has deterred the likes of every other female that has crossed our path.
Yesterday I was an audience member at the new Dr. Drew show called "Life Changers" and I was reminded of how warped society's view of sexual relations is. Dr. Drew was accompanied by a guy named Steve who hosts VH1's show called 'Tough Love". He's basically a loud, abrupt outcast of the Jersey Shore who bashes on some of the most sexually confused individuals alive in America today. Their advice to audience members and guests on the show was mind-blowing. I wanted so badly to know what percentage of importance they believe sex is to a relationship. I would guess, based on their comments, that 85% of what makes a relationship work is pure sexual activity. If the sex isn't good right away, or you don't have tons of it, or he/she wants to wait, than run because the relationship is bound to fail. Their statements confirmed my thoughts that our pop-culture world has watered-down the depths of the human existence to whether or not we can reach a point of physical ecstasy with one another. It has somehow become common belief that during this act of extremely personal interaction that there will be a complete absence of mental or spiritual connection.
I love the analogy that our sex lives are like a piece of tape. The first time you ever use that piece of tape it sticks great. However, each time you remove that piece of tape there is a residue left behind which makes it less and less sticky. Eventually, like the tape, we become more and more disconnected from the people to whom we choose to give ourselves to the point that sex does become casual. By doing this we loose touch with one of the most beautiful gifts in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is the ONLY sin we commit against our own body. There is a unique harm we do to ourselves when we sin sexually that has untold consequences to our bodies, minds, and hearts. Now, secular society doesn't know this and doesn't care, but Christian's do and have done several things wrong in response to the extreme sexual pressure we all deal with.
First, liberal Christians go to the heart. I believe all truly devoted Christians (I know that's a tough judgment to make but o well) know deep down that waiting to have sex until marriage is our utmost goal for physical interaction. However, we fail to wait and often times we fail young. So what do we do? We spend the years and years trying to find theologians to rationalize our actions by saying that we put sex on a pedestal, or that marriage occurs in the heart upon consumation, yada yada yada. We know we screwed up (no pun intended) and instead of seeking repentance we seek justification through circular argumentation and theological jargon that just confuses the generations to come.
The other thing Christians do is even more dangerous than this and that's rush. We rush to get married because we just can't wait another minute and "this person I'm with is good enough for now!" We get tired of seeing romance after romance in TV and movies, or listening to love songs alone in our rooms so that once we find a "good christian boy or girl" that waited just like we did it's enough to convince us that they are the one we have been searching for. It's painful to constantly hear our other married friends, or secular couples talk about how great sex is or how often they have it whenever they want that we just can't stand one more cold shower! Such a rough life it is. However, it doesn't take long before the sex can't hide the poor decision to spend your life with someone you don't really love and are now tired of seeing naked. Turns out society made sex up to be a whole lot more than it is, just as much as they downplayed the need to take it seriously.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
That's the verse I mentioned earlier from 1 Corinthians. Notice that it tells us to flee, as in urgently run away from, sexual immorality. Define sexual immorality for yourself but know that the answer is not what Hollywood or even our friends may tell us. We are equipped with an amazing conscience deep within us that we can choose to listen to at any time. If that seems to murky than Scripture is crystal clear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." I want to combat those myths, no matter how futile that fight may be. I know that a great deal of sex does not equal great success. I know that there is such a thing as an excess amount of sex. There is a time and place for everything and I wholeheartedly believe that great sex only happens in a committed, loving relationship where both parties have chosen to wait for each other for at least some time. I know it's cliche but I do believe that anything worth having is worth waiting for and God certainly makes us wait for the best things in life, sex being one of the greatest!
Deep breath, exhale. sigh. That's all I've got for now on this heavy topic. It's all just my passionate heart's shot in the dark anyhow.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Humbled Colt
I lack humility. That is a basic statement for me that speaks volumes about what's wrong with me, and what's right with me (see there's the pride coming out). I know that I am far from perfect even though I am indeed a perfectionist. I guess that counts as being hypocritical? Who knows? I want so badly to be a vessel for Christ, to be completely open with everyone about everything I am but it scares me to death to even dream of doing so. Something about having a nice glossy veneer has always been appealing to me as people have usually looked at me as the clean-cut, white kid from the burbs who never experienced anything harmful or ever stepped out of line. However, at the same time I have always wanted to prove that I am troubled, dark and mysterious to those people as if that would raise my initial estimate in their books. When I work around celebrities my mind wanders as to how I would handle their lives. I like to think that I would do all the right things, speak out for Christ, spend my money conservatively and give lavishly to charities. I feel like I've seen all the famous people in the world do all the wrong things and that I could somehow be the exception. I could be the colt that Jesus rides into this world to proclaim His Gospel!!!
In Scripture it was prophesied that Jesus would ride the foal of a donkey, or a colt, into Jerusalem and He did in fact do so just before the end of His ministry (Mark 11: 7 for example). I always jokingly likened myself to this "colt" that Jesus road triumphantly into town to fulfill His destiny. Once, a teacher was talking about this story in class and when he got to the part where it read "Then they brought the colt to Jesus" I whispered over to a fellow classmate and pointed up at myself as if me and that colt had something in common. Just then the professor stopped to clarify that this colt could have also been labeled "an ass", being that it comes from the donkey family. What my professor did there, in so many words, was turn me from a noble vessel of Jesus' ministry to a stupid ass that someone tied to a gate and left to be stolen by a bunch of wandering apostles. I think it was the most appropriate lesson on humility I have ever been taught.
Life seems to do that to me though. Just when I am up, God lets the legs fall out from under my stool. Eventually, it seems like the goal is to just to get us to stop climbing up on the stool and be happy with Him being the only one seated above everyone else. I think He would even like it more if we started trying to get other people up on the stool so they can be nearer to Him. The only time we get to stay seated at the top is when we are giving all the glory to God and praising Him for what he does not only in our lives but the lives of our brothers and sisters. I've noticed that it is easy to say "Praise God" but even harder to say "Good for him/her" and really mean it. I want to be able to do those things with a clean heart and a clear conscious. To be truly proud of other people's accomplishments and give God every ounce of glory for the things I accomplish in this life through the gifts and talents He has given me.
It is very possible that my success in this life will be very simple and ordinary, maybe they will be greater if He chooses, or possibly I wont live to see tomorrow. In the end, I just want to be proud that God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me and that I did my best to live out His will for my life so I can hear "Well done my good and faithful servant." Right now, I have big dreams. But maybe someday soon those dreams will align with the dreams of my Father. I hope and pray that He gives me the humility to sacrifice all that I would want to do in this life and take up what it is He wants me to do with this gift we call life.
For now, this is just my humbling shot in the dark.
In Scripture it was prophesied that Jesus would ride the foal of a donkey, or a colt, into Jerusalem and He did in fact do so just before the end of His ministry (Mark 11: 7 for example). I always jokingly likened myself to this "colt" that Jesus road triumphantly into town to fulfill His destiny. Once, a teacher was talking about this story in class and when he got to the part where it read "Then they brought the colt to Jesus" I whispered over to a fellow classmate and pointed up at myself as if me and that colt had something in common. Just then the professor stopped to clarify that this colt could have also been labeled "an ass", being that it comes from the donkey family. What my professor did there, in so many words, was turn me from a noble vessel of Jesus' ministry to a stupid ass that someone tied to a gate and left to be stolen by a bunch of wandering apostles. I think it was the most appropriate lesson on humility I have ever been taught.
Life seems to do that to me though. Just when I am up, God lets the legs fall out from under my stool. Eventually, it seems like the goal is to just to get us to stop climbing up on the stool and be happy with Him being the only one seated above everyone else. I think He would even like it more if we started trying to get other people up on the stool so they can be nearer to Him. The only time we get to stay seated at the top is when we are giving all the glory to God and praising Him for what he does not only in our lives but the lives of our brothers and sisters. I've noticed that it is easy to say "Praise God" but even harder to say "Good for him/her" and really mean it. I want to be able to do those things with a clean heart and a clear conscious. To be truly proud of other people's accomplishments and give God every ounce of glory for the things I accomplish in this life through the gifts and talents He has given me.
It is very possible that my success in this life will be very simple and ordinary, maybe they will be greater if He chooses, or possibly I wont live to see tomorrow. In the end, I just want to be proud that God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me and that I did my best to live out His will for my life so I can hear "Well done my good and faithful servant." Right now, I have big dreams. But maybe someday soon those dreams will align with the dreams of my Father. I hope and pray that He gives me the humility to sacrifice all that I would want to do in this life and take up what it is He wants me to do with this gift we call life.
For now, this is just my humbling shot in the dark.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Perspective
If there's one thing children (especially infants) are good for it's giving you a renewed perspective on life. They reflect every natural, basic human characteristic we posses. Fear, joy, sadness, guilt, ecstasy, humor, and love are reflected in the maturing eyes and faces of children everywhere. No one has told them how they are supposed to feel in any given situation, they just know to feel it. There's a profound beauty in their innocence that brings me back to the incredible ways God has shaped us...
In the same way it brings me joy to watch Josh grow and become more aware of his surroundings it also brings me a great sense of anxiety. I've been working in Hollywood the past few weeks and to talk with kids who have just turned 18 or spent a few years in college is alarming because they show how ruined we can become so fast. In the past few days I have talked with teenagers who do ecstasy and acid like its no big thing. God says in James 1:2-3 that the trails in life are what grow us the most and give us the greatest sense of endurance with which to take on even more strife the next time. An even more popular Christian platitude for human suffering is 1 Corinthians 10:13 that says "The temptation in your life are no more different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
The only reasoning I can find as to why our generation seems so incredibly broken at such a young age is something that Andy Stanley said in one of his sermons on love and that is "This generation has an incredibly low pain-tolerance." That has to be true because it seems that any bit of family fracture, relationship failure, health issue or inability to achieve a personal goal/dream leads to a great deal sorrow which leads to self-medication via sex, drugs, alcohol or violence and never to Christ as it should. Deep down we may be able to achieve a divine level of perseverance but our current society is severely lacking in spiritual fortitude.
In all honesty, I am so afraid for Josh and his future in this world that seems to be spiraling downward at an alarming rate. I am even intimidated by the thought that the trails God is about to lead me into are far worse than the ones I've already experience. I know that it means spiritual growth and enlightenment will occur simultaneously, but it's hardly an encouraging thought as one stands before the fires of this life to know, that after passing through the flaming gauntlet, that the burns will heal to make the skin even stronger and thicker than it once was. But that's if, and only if, we aren't first overwhelmed by the flames themselves.
Hopefully, we can raise up this next generation with a higher pain tolerance than we were left with by our parents. If we fail to do so, there is no telling what the rates of divorce, suicide, abortion, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse will be like in the near future. It has to start now though. It has to start with us. Every time we have the chance to run from a difficult experience or mentally/physically/spiritually exhausting situation we have to choose to stick it out and trust that "God will give us strength along the way"-Jeff Vines (as cheesy as that is to quote, I just had to). That's easier said than done, especially when you're in the thick of it, but it's essential to internalize as our every instinct will tell us that things aren't working out easily enough because we aren't doing the right things. Often times things are the most difficult when they are exactly what we are to be doing. Places seem the most bleak when they are right where we are supposed to be. People appear the most hopeless when they are exactly who we are supposed to be with.
I know everybody's situation is different, I know God's word is tireless, I know we are everything but perfect and we will fail. But I also know that we never give ourselves enough credit for the things we can accomplish with God's help.
All in all, that's just my suffering shot in the dark.
In the same way it brings me joy to watch Josh grow and become more aware of his surroundings it also brings me a great sense of anxiety. I've been working in Hollywood the past few weeks and to talk with kids who have just turned 18 or spent a few years in college is alarming because they show how ruined we can become so fast. In the past few days I have talked with teenagers who do ecstasy and acid like its no big thing. God says in James 1:2-3 that the trails in life are what grow us the most and give us the greatest sense of endurance with which to take on even more strife the next time. An even more popular Christian platitude for human suffering is 1 Corinthians 10:13 that says "The temptation in your life are no more different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
The only reasoning I can find as to why our generation seems so incredibly broken at such a young age is something that Andy Stanley said in one of his sermons on love and that is "This generation has an incredibly low pain-tolerance." That has to be true because it seems that any bit of family fracture, relationship failure, health issue or inability to achieve a personal goal/dream leads to a great deal sorrow which leads to self-medication via sex, drugs, alcohol or violence and never to Christ as it should. Deep down we may be able to achieve a divine level of perseverance but our current society is severely lacking in spiritual fortitude.
In all honesty, I am so afraid for Josh and his future in this world that seems to be spiraling downward at an alarming rate. I am even intimidated by the thought that the trails God is about to lead me into are far worse than the ones I've already experience. I know that it means spiritual growth and enlightenment will occur simultaneously, but it's hardly an encouraging thought as one stands before the fires of this life to know, that after passing through the flaming gauntlet, that the burns will heal to make the skin even stronger and thicker than it once was. But that's if, and only if, we aren't first overwhelmed by the flames themselves.
Hopefully, we can raise up this next generation with a higher pain tolerance than we were left with by our parents. If we fail to do so, there is no telling what the rates of divorce, suicide, abortion, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse will be like in the near future. It has to start now though. It has to start with us. Every time we have the chance to run from a difficult experience or mentally/physically/spiritually exhausting situation we have to choose to stick it out and trust that "God will give us strength along the way"-Jeff Vines (as cheesy as that is to quote, I just had to). That's easier said than done, especially when you're in the thick of it, but it's essential to internalize as our every instinct will tell us that things aren't working out easily enough because we aren't doing the right things. Often times things are the most difficult when they are exactly what we are to be doing. Places seem the most bleak when they are right where we are supposed to be. People appear the most hopeless when they are exactly who we are supposed to be with.
I know everybody's situation is different, I know God's word is tireless, I know we are everything but perfect and we will fail. But I also know that we never give ourselves enough credit for the things we can accomplish with God's help.
All in all, that's just my suffering shot in the dark.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Baby Christians
I was studying through Hebrews 5 and 6 today and it was shocking to see the similarity between the Hebrew Church Paul was writing to and all the churches I have ever been to. I am always fascinated by such shocking similarities that existed thousands of years ago because it shows that all humans that have ever existed are undoubtedly the same. We don't change. We are no better or worse than the people that existed during the time of Jesus and Paul or even all those who lived throughout the Old Testament.
With that said, it seems that up until the end of chapter 5 that Paul is just instructing the Hebrew people as he instructs all the other people he writes letters to in the NT. But all of a sudden, in verse 11, Paul begins to rip into his listeners. Paul writes "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is diffcult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead , you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need mil abd cannot eat solid food...Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
For some reason that just caught my attention in a profound way. He goes on to say "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds, placing our faith in God, baptisms, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment."
I paraphrased a bit there but it seems like that's all we ever talk about in any church I have ever been to. Granted, my pastor now goes a bit deeper than most and the pastors I choose to listen to such as Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, and Andy Stanley are not too basic (definitely not Driscoll). But how can a church with thousands of people ever not be BASIC? Isn't that part of being SEEKER SENSITIVE? I truly hate that word because Jesus was anything but seeker sensitive. This is part of why I think I could never be a pastor because you have to repeat yourself over and over again because you constantly have new followers and are constantly trying to bring in new believers. The cost of this course of action is that you never build up the followers that have been there the whole time, those who can really do some damage for the Kingdom of God.
I think this is why Chapel at APU was always less and less popular with the most senior students. The freshman loved it (including myself 4 years ago) then the sophomores liked it because it solidified what they had heard last year, the juniors got disconnected after the third go around, and by senior year we were all so jaded from years of controversial bible courses questioning the most fundamental Christian beliefs that we began to resent the repetitive themes in messages and it took a truly profound, brilliant speaker to move us just an inch spiritually. Same goes for those that belong to any American Church.
So how do we take it deeper, those of us who are tired of the same old, same old Bible stories and predictable, spiritual platitudes from Pastors? If this is something churches have struggled with since the beginning of time than the answer must not be an easy one. It is vital, nonetheless, that we begin to find a way to get the masses of believers out of this infant stage of life. We NEED discipleship in our churches and other religious communities just as we need parents who raise their children up right in society. Maybe we just need to start telling it like it is, just like Paul....what a BA. Any way, that's just my critical shot in the dark.
With that said, it seems that up until the end of chapter 5 that Paul is just instructing the Hebrew people as he instructs all the other people he writes letters to in the NT. But all of a sudden, in verse 11, Paul begins to rip into his listeners. Paul writes "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is diffcult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead , you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need mil abd cannot eat solid food...Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
For some reason that just caught my attention in a profound way. He goes on to say "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds, placing our faith in God, baptisms, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment."
I paraphrased a bit there but it seems like that's all we ever talk about in any church I have ever been to. Granted, my pastor now goes a bit deeper than most and the pastors I choose to listen to such as Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, and Andy Stanley are not too basic (definitely not Driscoll). But how can a church with thousands of people ever not be BASIC? Isn't that part of being SEEKER SENSITIVE? I truly hate that word because Jesus was anything but seeker sensitive. This is part of why I think I could never be a pastor because you have to repeat yourself over and over again because you constantly have new followers and are constantly trying to bring in new believers. The cost of this course of action is that you never build up the followers that have been there the whole time, those who can really do some damage for the Kingdom of God.
I think this is why Chapel at APU was always less and less popular with the most senior students. The freshman loved it (including myself 4 years ago) then the sophomores liked it because it solidified what they had heard last year, the juniors got disconnected after the third go around, and by senior year we were all so jaded from years of controversial bible courses questioning the most fundamental Christian beliefs that we began to resent the repetitive themes in messages and it took a truly profound, brilliant speaker to move us just an inch spiritually. Same goes for those that belong to any American Church.
So how do we take it deeper, those of us who are tired of the same old, same old Bible stories and predictable, spiritual platitudes from Pastors? If this is something churches have struggled with since the beginning of time than the answer must not be an easy one. It is vital, nonetheless, that we begin to find a way to get the masses of believers out of this infant stage of life. We NEED discipleship in our churches and other religious communities just as we need parents who raise their children up right in society. Maybe we just need to start telling it like it is, just like Paul....what a BA. Any way, that's just my critical shot in the dark.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Church Gardening
I was just thinking about all the Church planting that goes on in America these days. Every time I turn around there is another Christian ministry graduate, or youth pastor leaving his or her position to start another Church. However, here in the USA you can't cross the street without seeing another Church of one of the many Christian denominations. Churches rise and fall as congregants swap out their church as often as they change the oil in their car. The other day I heard my pastor tell a joke about a man who was rescued from a desert island. When the rescuers saw his island they noticed two huts next to his own make-shift house. They asked the man what the huts were and his response was "The far hut is my church. The other hut is the church I used to go to."
The truth that lies behind that humor there is scary. People praise Martin Luther for posting his 95 thesis on the Catholic Church door and sparking the Protestant Reformation but what he did created a trend of abandoning the Church when things go bad instead of being bold enough to stick around and try to change things from the inside out. Luther's actions splintered the unity in our faith forever and created what seems like the hundred factions of Christianity we have today. Our generation of American's lacks the loyalty and dedication to persevere any religious trial yet we hopelessly maintain the spirit of progressive entrepreneurship that broke away from the UK hundreds of years ago in order to establish religious freedom. We can't shake the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side and that once WE get involved that things will be better than they have ever been. Instead, we need to swallow our pride, step up to the call of service and get behind the churches that already exist and are struggling because the current congregation is no longer entertained. There is such a waste of money that goes in the perpetual building up of new Churches that could be spent on building Churches over seas where there are people that have NEVER heard the Gospel in their lives.
My point is that instead of starting all over again with a new church plant maybe the answer is instead that by doing some basic gardening by means of pruning, clipping and watering our preexisting churches that we may finally be united under one God who called for love and unity amongst all believers above all else. Maybe then we can actually start building churches where they need to be built, like in the 10/40 window. But who knows? That's just my ecclesiastical shot in the dark.
The truth that lies behind that humor there is scary. People praise Martin Luther for posting his 95 thesis on the Catholic Church door and sparking the Protestant Reformation but what he did created a trend of abandoning the Church when things go bad instead of being bold enough to stick around and try to change things from the inside out. Luther's actions splintered the unity in our faith forever and created what seems like the hundred factions of Christianity we have today. Our generation of American's lacks the loyalty and dedication to persevere any religious trial yet we hopelessly maintain the spirit of progressive entrepreneurship that broke away from the UK hundreds of years ago in order to establish religious freedom. We can't shake the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side and that once WE get involved that things will be better than they have ever been. Instead, we need to swallow our pride, step up to the call of service and get behind the churches that already exist and are struggling because the current congregation is no longer entertained. There is such a waste of money that goes in the perpetual building up of new Churches that could be spent on building Churches over seas where there are people that have NEVER heard the Gospel in their lives.
My point is that instead of starting all over again with a new church plant maybe the answer is instead that by doing some basic gardening by means of pruning, clipping and watering our preexisting churches that we may finally be united under one God who called for love and unity amongst all believers above all else. Maybe then we can actually start building churches where they need to be built, like in the 10/40 window. But who knows? That's just my ecclesiastical shot in the dark.
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