This post is a little more devotional than provocative, I think, but I really felt that I should share this. Nothing earth-shattering, just a thought that came to me during our worship service this Sunday morning.
One of the songs we sang during worship was named "Fire Fall Down," by Hillsong. The chorus is a plea to God for his "fire" to fall down on us. I don't really think this is really what the rest of the song is about, but when I was singing, I got this picture in my head of when Elijah was doing his "Battle of the Dieties" with the prophets of Baal. You know the story....the Baal guys built an altar, put the offering on it, and prayed for Baal to send fire from heaven to consume the offering. They wailed and gnashed and danced and cut themselves, all to no avail.
After they finally gave up, Elijah built his altar and put the meat on it. Then he had the wood on the altar doused with many gallons of water so there was no way it could possibly burn. Then he simply prayed that God would answer.
I have a picture in my mind of Elijah finishing his prayer and then just turning around to walk away from the altar so he wouldn't get burned.....not even looking back to see what was going to happen, so great was his faith in his God. I think he wasn't at all surprised when the fire fell from Heaven and consumed not only the meat on the altar, but the wood, the rocks, and all the water that had been poured out.
Then I thought about how much Elijah's offering was like the offering we give God. And this isn't the typical guilt trip about how we give God our second best or our leftovers and how much better we need to do. Elijah killed a perfect ox, which was exactly what God told him to do and it was a perfectly acceptable offering. But that ox wasn't nearly enough to pay the debt Elijah and the people of Israel owed God, just like the very best we can give God.....our money, our time, our devotion, even our very lives....isn't nearly enough to pay the debt we owe to him. The ox was just a symbol for the ultimate sacrifice that would eventually be made and it was an act of obedience to show Elijah's faith in God.
And the altar Elijah made....? Sure, he rebuilt the altar of the Lord that was made according to God's instructions, but then he doused everything with water so that there was no way any offering, no matter how perfect, could be burned there. Our altars are just the same. We use the best we have to build them, to try to make our pathetic sacrifices acceptable to God, but all we have is a pile of rocks, some green soggy wood, and a pack of wet matches. Our very best offering on our very best altar ends up being nothing but a soggy mess. We can't even get the fire started, and pretty soon the meat is spoiled and isn't good for anything anyway.
So where does that leave us? Just exactly where Elijah was; in total dependence on his Father. God knew our offering would never be good enough. He knew we'd never be able to build a decent altar or even get the fire started, just like Elijah. We hear all the time that Jesus finished the work of salvation on the cross, but then the next thing we know, we're out somewhere working ourselves to death to try to please God or feeling like a failure because we are confronted by the fact that we just don't measure up. That our offering just wasn't good enough. We wonder if maybe we're too far gone to really be saved or maybe too messed up for God to use. Don't lie and tell me you've never had those thoughts, or that they've never kept you from just trusting God and being obedient.
Let me assure you of one thing: your offering isn't good enough! It's not and it never will be. Only when you realize that and figure out how to trust the work Jesus FINISHED on the cross will you ever have the peace that Elijah had when he prayed for God to let his fire fall down from Heaven and consume his offering. Jesus completely saved you when he died on the cross. Jesus made you completely holy when he died on the cross. The Christian life is about recognizing that, if you are a Christian, you are perfect before God, no matter what struggles you have with the flesh. I have fought with my human nature for a long time, trying to figure out how to "get better," only to realize I can't push myself to do it because I'm not strong enough. I'm finally beginning to understand that the only way I can grow in Christ is to fully appreciate the gift God gave me when he replaced my puny sacrifice with his own, when he let his holy wrath toward me be satisfied with the perfect sacrifice of his own son. Only when you realize what God has done for you will you be able to, not with a spirit of fear or duty, but of with a spirit of gratitude, allow God to draw you along the path he has laid out for you. And know that this journey will take a lifetime and that you'll mess up plenty along the way, but that his grace is sufficient to keep you when your own faithfulness is not.
He did the work. He built the perfect altar, He provided the perfect sacrifice, He consumed it and found it worthy. Accept his Gift, his Grace, and rest in it. Trust God to do for you what you could never do for yourself. Be obedient; give him your best offering on your best altar, but do it out of gratitude, not guilt; knowing it's not enough, trusting that the whole debt has already been paid.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
NOT Quittin' Church
I have a seven-year-old daughter. Sometimes she gets together with other kids to play. Kids being kids, and my daughter being an only child, minor squabbles and disagreements are inevitable. We've been around families where the mom hovers close by and jumps in at the first sign of friction and makes sure everything is going smoothly and no one ever gets their feelings hurt. I understand the motivation, but I've observed that, in addition to being particularly tiring for the hovering mom, the kids are also missing out on a wonderful opportunity to learn how to work through disagreements. My approach is usually to let the kids play, take advantage of the time they are occupied and out of my hair, and have some real interaction with the other adults in the room. If I hear screaming or extended silence (parents, you know what I mean), I'll go check the situation out, but otherwise I tend to let the kids play on their own. If my daughter comes to me complaining about some other kid not sharing her Barbies or not being nice, I usually tell her she's seven years old and is plenty big enough to go work it out with them. Kids that age usually know what's right, they just need practice in stepping back, thinking it through, and being willing to make a little sacrifice if necessary to resolve their problems.
This is a follow-up post to my last one about quitting church. I was sort of hoping at least a few people would glance over that one and write some scathing comments about me telling people they should quit church immediately, never mind what the post actually said. I follow a few "real" blogs and that's what always seems to happen to those guys, but I guess I'll have to keep at it for a while longer before that kind of stuff starts to happen to me. You people are harder to agitate than I anticipated.
Anyhow, I wanted to talk a little more about the topic of 'quitting' on a church. More specifically, I want to talk about why NOT to quit a church. I included the illustration about my daughter because a great many of the times I've seen someone leave a church, it has been for reasons very similar to the ones that cause disagreements among a bunch of seven-year-olds. People get mad at each other and can't resolve it, people get mad at the pastor or someone else in a leadership position, people don't like the way the church is spending it's money or conducting the worship service, people don't like the style of the preacher.....the list goes on and on. Now, some of these could very well become a reason to leave a church if, as I discussed in my last post, they keep you from being able to serve God in your church and can't be resolved after sincere attempts, but much of the time that's not the case. We get upset, stew about it, tell our friends in an attempt to get more people on "our side," then end up just leaving. And often becoming a problem at the next church we attend.
The problem boils down to one basic thing....we are selfish. We attend church because of what "we get out of it" and when we're not getting what we want, we think the problem is with the church and we need to find another one. Let's stop and ask ourselves what the purpose of the church is to begin with. It's not to cater to the members, that's for sure. The purpose of the church is to bring glory to God! The purpose of the church is to be a place that gives us as believers a place where we can learn, grow, and become better suited to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people around us! If a church is not (and has no intention of) fulfilling that function, it's no better than a social club and maybe you should leave. But if the problem is just that you're upset with someone or you don't like what's going on or you don't like the music.........I'll tell you what I tell my daughter: "You're old enough to know how to handle this. Go back and work it out!" We know the right things to do. If we're angry, forgive. If we feel we've been wronged, the Bible has clear steps we are to take in getting such issues resolved. If we don't like the way something is being done, maybe try to get it changed, maybe suck it up and live with it.
Here is a comment my friend Dave Burke posted on Facebook (take a look at his most excellent blog about raising his sons, Raising Men, at this link):
"Our main motivation for attending church shouldn't be an expectation that we will gain something from it. No human institution can hope to consistently satisfy the needs of everyone - disappointment and dissatisfaction are inevitable (and evident in many congregations). The model for the church is that individuals each bring to the group their own talents and abilities. Together those combine to create something bigger than the parts, not for the betterment of the parts themselves, but for the benefit of the whole. As a result there is mutual encouragement and blessing, and perhaps others will be inspired to become a part of it."
Dave points out that we shouldn't attend church because of what we think we will get out of it, but that we should attend and participate in a local congregation as an outlet for the talents and gifts God has given each one of us, to be used to the benefit of the kingdom of God as a whole. Maybe things aren't exactly like we want them. So what? If there are 200 people at your church, there are 200 different opinions as to how things would ideally be done. As Dave also states above, it would be impossible to satisfy every one of them, so it is necessary that some people will be at least mildly dissatisfied with something. Chances are, you'll be one of them.
I would challenge each of you to be willing to "take one for the team" if need be. Learning to sacrifice in this way is a remarkable opportunity for spiritual growth. If you don't particularly like the worship (or whatever) but your church is vibrant and growing, be willing to work through it for the sake of the people who are being reached. If you have a disagreement with someone else in the church, don't nurse it for years. Bring it out into the open, with help from the church leadership if need be, and work it out! If you have to be the one to give, then be the one to give for the sake of the church and the outsiders who are watching it all unfold. And believe me, they are watching.
The church is a family. Healthy families are messy. They have problems, disagreements, differences of opinion, maybe even a sharp division on occasion. But they are still family. They value being a family more than they value being right and they will work hard, have the tough conversations, do whatever it takes to keep the family together. Not in a sweep-it-under-the-rug unhealthy way, but in a let's-talk-this-through-and-come-to-an-agreement (read: Biblical) kind of way. Even with that weird uncle you're not too sure about or the sister who drinks too much and makes a scene at family get-togethers occasionally. But more importantly, the church is a family that isn't united by the blood of family relationships. The church is a family that is united by the blood of Jesus Christ. Let's not forget that. You got problems with your church or someone in it? You're grown. Go work it out.
This is a follow-up post to my last one about quitting church. I was sort of hoping at least a few people would glance over that one and write some scathing comments about me telling people they should quit church immediately, never mind what the post actually said. I follow a few "real" blogs and that's what always seems to happen to those guys, but I guess I'll have to keep at it for a while longer before that kind of stuff starts to happen to me. You people are harder to agitate than I anticipated.
Anyhow, I wanted to talk a little more about the topic of 'quitting' on a church. More specifically, I want to talk about why NOT to quit a church. I included the illustration about my daughter because a great many of the times I've seen someone leave a church, it has been for reasons very similar to the ones that cause disagreements among a bunch of seven-year-olds. People get mad at each other and can't resolve it, people get mad at the pastor or someone else in a leadership position, people don't like the way the church is spending it's money or conducting the worship service, people don't like the style of the preacher.....the list goes on and on. Now, some of these could very well become a reason to leave a church if, as I discussed in my last post, they keep you from being able to serve God in your church and can't be resolved after sincere attempts, but much of the time that's not the case. We get upset, stew about it, tell our friends in an attempt to get more people on "our side," then end up just leaving. And often becoming a problem at the next church we attend.
The problem boils down to one basic thing....we are selfish. We attend church because of what "we get out of it" and when we're not getting what we want, we think the problem is with the church and we need to find another one. Let's stop and ask ourselves what the purpose of the church is to begin with. It's not to cater to the members, that's for sure. The purpose of the church is to bring glory to God! The purpose of the church is to be a place that gives us as believers a place where we can learn, grow, and become better suited to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people around us! If a church is not (and has no intention of) fulfilling that function, it's no better than a social club and maybe you should leave. But if the problem is just that you're upset with someone or you don't like what's going on or you don't like the music.........I'll tell you what I tell my daughter: "You're old enough to know how to handle this. Go back and work it out!" We know the right things to do. If we're angry, forgive. If we feel we've been wronged, the Bible has clear steps we are to take in getting such issues resolved. If we don't like the way something is being done, maybe try to get it changed, maybe suck it up and live with it.
Here is a comment my friend Dave Burke posted on Facebook (take a look at his most excellent blog about raising his sons, Raising Men, at this link):
"Our main motivation for attending church shouldn't be an expectation that we will gain something from it. No human institution can hope to consistently satisfy the needs of everyone - disappointment and dissatisfaction are inevitable (and evident in many congregations). The model for the church is that individuals each bring to the group their own talents and abilities. Together those combine to create something bigger than the parts, not for the betterment of the parts themselves, but for the benefit of the whole. As a result there is mutual encouragement and blessing, and perhaps others will be inspired to become a part of it."
Dave points out that we shouldn't attend church because of what we think we will get out of it, but that we should attend and participate in a local congregation as an outlet for the talents and gifts God has given each one of us, to be used to the benefit of the kingdom of God as a whole. Maybe things aren't exactly like we want them. So what? If there are 200 people at your church, there are 200 different opinions as to how things would ideally be done. As Dave also states above, it would be impossible to satisfy every one of them, so it is necessary that some people will be at least mildly dissatisfied with something. Chances are, you'll be one of them.
I would challenge each of you to be willing to "take one for the team" if need be. Learning to sacrifice in this way is a remarkable opportunity for spiritual growth. If you don't particularly like the worship (or whatever) but your church is vibrant and growing, be willing to work through it for the sake of the people who are being reached. If you have a disagreement with someone else in the church, don't nurse it for years. Bring it out into the open, with help from the church leadership if need be, and work it out! If you have to be the one to give, then be the one to give for the sake of the church and the outsiders who are watching it all unfold. And believe me, they are watching.
The church is a family. Healthy families are messy. They have problems, disagreements, differences of opinion, maybe even a sharp division on occasion. But they are still family. They value being a family more than they value being right and they will work hard, have the tough conversations, do whatever it takes to keep the family together. Not in a sweep-it-under-the-rug unhealthy way, but in a let's-talk-this-through-and-come-to-an-agreement (read: Biblical) kind of way. Even with that weird uncle you're not too sure about or the sister who drinks too much and makes a scene at family get-togethers occasionally. But more importantly, the church is a family that isn't united by the blood of family relationships. The church is a family that is united by the blood of Jesus Christ. Let's not forget that. You got problems with your church or someone in it? You're grown. Go work it out.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Quittin' Church
Leaving a church is hard. Or at least it should be. Leaving a church for any reason other than a move that makes it physically impractical to attend there anymore should be a difficult, gut-wrenching decision. It should keep you up nights wondering if you're doing the right thing and questioning your own motives. You should pray, seek wise counsel, pray some more, then make the decision to leave only when you finally have peace about it.
I've done it before. In my adult life, which I will say began when I got married 18 years ago (my wife might dispute that assertion), we have been members of five churches, including the one we currently attend. It would stand to reason, then, that we have left four of them. The first we left because of a move, although I believe we might not have been there much longer if we hadn't moved unless some real changes were made. The second, after attending for several months, we left purposely because it was made fairly obvious to us that we were outsiders and would never really be welcomed into "the club." The third we left because of another move. The fourth we left because of a complicated combination of social reasons (which I'm still not sure I understand) and the fact that the culture and leadership of the church made it pretty much impossible for us to serve in the areas in which we were truly gifted and had a desire to serve.
The times we left a church intentionally were painful. We did wonder, in both cases, if we were just being selfish or petty. It felt almost like a divorce, especially the second one, although we had done all the things I mentioned above in coming to our decisions. Leaving a church you've committed to should be a last-ditch effort and should pretty much never happen.
Or should it?
This is the thing.....a lot of people, and I mean a LOT of people, go to church every Sunday, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, as well as to whatever other activities their church has throughout the week. Maybe they are part of the 20 or so percent that do all the work, the ones that spend 12 or 15 hours a week doing "church stuff." Maybe they are part of the other 80 or so percent that just show up and warm a pew a few hours a week and critique the music and sermons. The sad part is that no matter which of these groups any particular person is part of, a great majority of people do their "thing" for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years, support the church and all its programs and ministries, but never grow spiritually the least bit. They never figure out their own spritual gifts. They never learn to read the Bible and understand it for themselves. They never learn to be more humble, discerning, disciplined, loving, whatever thing is lacking in their particular makeup. They never know the passion and satisfaction of finding and doing what God specifically made them to do. They never learn to make the effort to intentionally come alongside a younger brother or sister and walk with them through their journey in the faith. They never learn to accept responsibility for themselves and be able to function independently as a mature member of the body of Christ, instead waiting on the preacher to tell them what to do and how to believe.
This may sound harsh and you may think I just have a beef with the traditional church because that's not where I am right now. But let me say, I've been around a lot of different churches for a long time and I've seen this over and over. People who are allowed to sneak in on Sunday morning for worship, then sneak out without talking to anyone for years without anyone taking the initiative to reach out to them. People who have claimed the name of Christ for forty plus years, but are some of the meanest people you ever met; who would allow their church to shrivel and die because becoming more relevant might mean they'd have to learn to like a different style of music. And I don't care if your church has a pipe organ or a drum set and guitars or bagpipes.....if people are not being intentionally drawn into Christian community, encouraged to grow in their faith, held accountable, and shown how to naturally and genuinely present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those inside and outside the church body, your church is pretty much useless. Those are tough words, but I've known of churches that have had the same pastor, same people, same everything literally for decades, but have hardly grown at all. I'm certainly not in a place to judge another person's ministry, but I can "inspect the fruit," and if there ain't any, well.....that just says something about the effectiveness of what's going on there.
The point is this: if your church is like this; if you wake up one day and realize you're busy all the time, but the energy you're expending is just supporting the organization of the church and not adding something meaningful to your life or anyone else's; if you see that your church is not "bad," there is just no place for you to use the gifts God has given you.....maybe it is time for a change. If your church isn't pressing you to become more like Christ, what is more important? Keeping the peace, avoiding conflict and change, not hurting anyone's feelings, or making sure that you are alive and growing spiritually in the way that God would have you to be?
Now please don't get the idea that I think everyone should leave their church and come to mine because it's so much better. I think it's great or I wouldn't be there, but every church has its warts. Life with other Christians is messy and if you're doing anything worthwhile, there will be differences of opinion, personality conflicts, and even the occasional major disagreement. That's natural and normal, and I'd say that if you never run into any of these things, you probably don't have real relationships with the people in your church. And you will notice that I never mentioned hurt feelings or disagreements as a reason to leave a church....it's something you deal with and work through, and everyone is made better by them if they will allow themselves to be.
My challenge to you would be to honestly evaluate yourself, your church, and the ways in which you are using your time, energy, and resources in Christian service (not just in church-related activities, but in your own personal ministry as well). If the group you're affiliated with is helping you grow closer to Jesus and other Christians, and helping you discover how to serve in the ways God made you to serve, that's great. If not, however, maybe it's time for a change. That might mean a change in you. Come in from the edges and get involved in Christian community. Seek help from your church leadership in finding your gifts and a meaningful way you can use them to build up the body of Christ. Maybe even try to initiate some changes in your church that will help it better fulfil these roles. But if you find yourself in a church that is unable or unwilling to serve its members in these ways, or at least start working toward it, maybe it's time to start looking for something else.
Leaving a church should be a tough decision. One that shouldn't be made quickly or out of emotion. But remaining in a place that allows you to sit on your good intentions for years or one that forces you to use up all your energy in pointless activities is, in my opinion, a prime example of sinfully bad stewardship (on your part) of the resources God gave you. He didn't give you these resources to build up yourself or some program or organization, he gave them to you to glorify Him and to build up the Body of Christ. Make sure you are using them for that purpose, even if you have to quit your church to do it.
The times we left a church intentionally were painful. We did wonder, in both cases, if we were just being selfish or petty. It felt almost like a divorce, especially the second one, although we had done all the things I mentioned above in coming to our decisions. Leaving a church you've committed to should be a last-ditch effort and should pretty much never happen.
Or should it?
[Let me add that there are some churches that have a completely toxic, controlling, unhealthy dynamic. They're not hard to spot and I'd leave one of those in about five minutes. That's not what I'm talking about here.]
This is the thing.....a lot of people, and I mean a LOT of people, go to church every Sunday, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, as well as to whatever other activities their church has throughout the week. Maybe they are part of the 20 or so percent that do all the work, the ones that spend 12 or 15 hours a week doing "church stuff." Maybe they are part of the other 80 or so percent that just show up and warm a pew a few hours a week and critique the music and sermons. The sad part is that no matter which of these groups any particular person is part of, a great majority of people do their "thing" for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years, support the church and all its programs and ministries, but never grow spiritually the least bit. They never figure out their own spritual gifts. They never learn to read the Bible and understand it for themselves. They never learn to be more humble, discerning, disciplined, loving, whatever thing is lacking in their particular makeup. They never know the passion and satisfaction of finding and doing what God specifically made them to do. They never learn to make the effort to intentionally come alongside a younger brother or sister and walk with them through their journey in the faith. They never learn to accept responsibility for themselves and be able to function independently as a mature member of the body of Christ, instead waiting on the preacher to tell them what to do and how to believe.
This may sound harsh and you may think I just have a beef with the traditional church because that's not where I am right now. But let me say, I've been around a lot of different churches for a long time and I've seen this over and over. People who are allowed to sneak in on Sunday morning for worship, then sneak out without talking to anyone for years without anyone taking the initiative to reach out to them. People who have claimed the name of Christ for forty plus years, but are some of the meanest people you ever met; who would allow their church to shrivel and die because becoming more relevant might mean they'd have to learn to like a different style of music. And I don't care if your church has a pipe organ or a drum set and guitars or bagpipes.....if people are not being intentionally drawn into Christian community, encouraged to grow in their faith, held accountable, and shown how to naturally and genuinely present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those inside and outside the church body, your church is pretty much useless. Those are tough words, but I've known of churches that have had the same pastor, same people, same everything literally for decades, but have hardly grown at all. I'm certainly not in a place to judge another person's ministry, but I can "inspect the fruit," and if there ain't any, well.....that just says something about the effectiveness of what's going on there.
The point is this: if your church is like this; if you wake up one day and realize you're busy all the time, but the energy you're expending is just supporting the organization of the church and not adding something meaningful to your life or anyone else's; if you see that your church is not "bad," there is just no place for you to use the gifts God has given you.....maybe it is time for a change. If your church isn't pressing you to become more like Christ, what is more important? Keeping the peace, avoiding conflict and change, not hurting anyone's feelings, or making sure that you are alive and growing spiritually in the way that God would have you to be?
Now please don't get the idea that I think everyone should leave their church and come to mine because it's so much better. I think it's great or I wouldn't be there, but every church has its warts. Life with other Christians is messy and if you're doing anything worthwhile, there will be differences of opinion, personality conflicts, and even the occasional major disagreement. That's natural and normal, and I'd say that if you never run into any of these things, you probably don't have real relationships with the people in your church. And you will notice that I never mentioned hurt feelings or disagreements as a reason to leave a church....it's something you deal with and work through, and everyone is made better by them if they will allow themselves to be.
My challenge to you would be to honestly evaluate yourself, your church, and the ways in which you are using your time, energy, and resources in Christian service (not just in church-related activities, but in your own personal ministry as well). If the group you're affiliated with is helping you grow closer to Jesus and other Christians, and helping you discover how to serve in the ways God made you to serve, that's great. If not, however, maybe it's time for a change. That might mean a change in you. Come in from the edges and get involved in Christian community. Seek help from your church leadership in finding your gifts and a meaningful way you can use them to build up the body of Christ. Maybe even try to initiate some changes in your church that will help it better fulfil these roles. But if you find yourself in a church that is unable or unwilling to serve its members in these ways, or at least start working toward it, maybe it's time to start looking for something else.
Leaving a church should be a tough decision. One that shouldn't be made quickly or out of emotion. But remaining in a place that allows you to sit on your good intentions for years or one that forces you to use up all your energy in pointless activities is, in my opinion, a prime example of sinfully bad stewardship (on your part) of the resources God gave you. He didn't give you these resources to build up yourself or some program or organization, he gave them to you to glorify Him and to build up the Body of Christ. Make sure you are using them for that purpose, even if you have to quit your church to do it.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Why I Believe
I tend to be a pretty practically-minded person. If something doesn't make sense to me, it's pretty much out. I like things that I can use, that serve a purpose, that make sense. I can't think of anything I own just because I like the way it looks....for me to spend money on an item, it has to be something I can pick up and use. I don't understand bed ruffles, throw pillows, doilies, and the like, although I have learned to live with them for the sake of my marriage. But in general, if there isn't a good, practical reason to have something, it's pretty much out.
Same for my beliefs. I don't believe in UFO's, bigfoot, or the loch ness monster because people have been looking for them for years and there's still no proof they exist. I don't believe in colon cleansing, ear candles, or fortune tellers because there's no evidence that they are effective for anything besides taking your money. What I do believe in is the amazing capacity of the human mind to convince itself of things it wants to be true, whether there is any evidence to support it or not. I guess I have become a bit of a skeptic about most things.
So why would a skeptical, analytical person like myself decide it was a good idea to believe it when some guy tells me there is an all-powerful being up in the sky somewhere who created the earth and everything in it and that after I die, this all-powerful being is going to judge me and either take me to Paradise to be with him or cast me into a place of eternal torment? Why would I believe him when he explained to me that this "God" is perfect and can't tolerate the presence of sin, that I am inherently sinful and not fit to be in God's presence, and will be judged accordingly, except for the fact that this "God" decided to send a part of himself to earth to die and pay the price for my sins so I can then be perfect in his sight? Why would I believe him when he said that this "God" is in control of all that happens and has a plan for this world and everyone in it, including myself?
Let's look at the evidence......
If you ask the right people, there is an unbelievable amount of archeological and historical evidence that suggests the Bible is true. There is a great amount of scientific evidence to suggest that the earth was created and that at least suggests the possibility of the existence of a supreme being. There are eyewitness accounts in the Bible that tell about the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But on the flip side, if you ask some other very smart people, there is also plenty of archeological and historical evidence that the Bible may not be historically accurate. There is also plenty of scientific evidence that can be interpreted to contradict things that are asserted in the Bible. There are plenty of people who claim to find multiple contradictions and inconsistencies in the Bible. And it only makes sense that using the Bible to back up claims that Christianity is real is kinda like me trying to convince you I'm not a liar by telling you I'm not lying, so we won't go there.
So from a non-biased perspective, the evidence is sketchy at best. Not enough to base one's entire belief system on in any case. You can find evidence for anything pretty much anywhere you look and you can make it say whatever you want. I'm not saying that conclusive evidence isn't out there somewhere; maybe we just haven't been smart enough to find the pieces and put them together correctly.
So why do I believe what I do? Why do I base my entire life on this "God", the things he says, and the things he has done on my behalf, when I can't remotely prove he's even real??
I dunno. Honestly. And just so I can stay true to the theme of this blog, let me say "neither do you." This is probably the part that will offend those who are inclined to be offended and are uncomfortable with the thought of questioning one's faith. This is also the part that will resonate so strongly with those of us who are honest with ourselves and admit that we struggle with the same questions. So the answer is.....I don't know.
What I do know is that when I was a kid I went to church sporadically. I heard the sermons, read the Bible stories, did vacation bible school, and it all went in one ear and out the other. That was the status quo until I was about fifteen, when I started going to this little church in my hometown. It wasn't an extraordinary church by any stretch, but the people were nice so I kept going. I remember hearing the sermons, which were not much different than any of the others I'd heard, and realizing the guy was talking about me. It was like a light came on. Long story short, I accepted Jesus as my savior that year. I don't have one of those miraculous salvation stories, far from it, but when I look back over my life, that event marked a real change in the direction of my life. I've been through a lot of struggles since then, many of which I wouldn't have had were it not for my faith. I've struggled with my faith a lot. There was a time I just couldn't get things to 'work' and really wanted to turn my back on it all, but for some reason I just couldn't do it. There were times when I just didn't believe. It didn't make sense and I didn't believe it and I wanted to turn away from it all and do my own thing, but again, I just couldn't do it, even though I probably would have been happier at the time if I could have.
What does that all mean? It means that once I was dead, without the power to even realize I was dead. It means that God, in his mercy, breathed life into me, not of my own decison but of his. It means that there was a change in my life that I know didn't come from within me. I didn't find him, he found me, and it has changed the direction of my life ever since, in ways I never could have orchestrated. There was nothing special about the sermons I heard or the church I went to that could have opened my eyes when nothing had ever been able to do it before. It means that God has preserved me through all my doubts, struggles, disobedience, rebellion, and has continued to work out his plans for me in spite of myself. I'm still square in the middle of that process, so I have no idea where I'm going from here, but I can look back over the last 27 years and see a lot of it as clear as day.
Even still, though, I have doubts. I've learned to accept them as part of being human and being the kind of person I am. God knows about them and he sustains me through them. The reason I believe is that I just do. Some things are simply a matter of faith. I can't explain it so that it will make sense to you if it doesn't already, except that God has placed this faith in my heart and try as I might, I can't let it go. Or maybe it won't let go of me. Maybe I'll die one day and that will be the end, in which case I've lost nothing. Or maybe I'll die one day and it won't be the end, in which case I have gained everything.
Is anyone willing to share how you have dealt with times of doubt in your Christian walk? Too many people struggle with this in silence, thinking they are the only one, so your story could make a lot of difference to someone.
Same for my beliefs. I don't believe in UFO's, bigfoot, or the loch ness monster because people have been looking for them for years and there's still no proof they exist. I don't believe in colon cleansing, ear candles, or fortune tellers because there's no evidence that they are effective for anything besides taking your money. What I do believe in is the amazing capacity of the human mind to convince itself of things it wants to be true, whether there is any evidence to support it or not. I guess I have become a bit of a skeptic about most things.
So why would a skeptical, analytical person like myself decide it was a good idea to believe it when some guy tells me there is an all-powerful being up in the sky somewhere who created the earth and everything in it and that after I die, this all-powerful being is going to judge me and either take me to Paradise to be with him or cast me into a place of eternal torment? Why would I believe him when he explained to me that this "God" is perfect and can't tolerate the presence of sin, that I am inherently sinful and not fit to be in God's presence, and will be judged accordingly, except for the fact that this "God" decided to send a part of himself to earth to die and pay the price for my sins so I can then be perfect in his sight? Why would I believe him when he said that this "God" is in control of all that happens and has a plan for this world and everyone in it, including myself?
Let's look at the evidence......
If you ask the right people, there is an unbelievable amount of archeological and historical evidence that suggests the Bible is true. There is a great amount of scientific evidence to suggest that the earth was created and that at least suggests the possibility of the existence of a supreme being. There are eyewitness accounts in the Bible that tell about the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But on the flip side, if you ask some other very smart people, there is also plenty of archeological and historical evidence that the Bible may not be historically accurate. There is also plenty of scientific evidence that can be interpreted to contradict things that are asserted in the Bible. There are plenty of people who claim to find multiple contradictions and inconsistencies in the Bible. And it only makes sense that using the Bible to back up claims that Christianity is real is kinda like me trying to convince you I'm not a liar by telling you I'm not lying, so we won't go there.
So from a non-biased perspective, the evidence is sketchy at best. Not enough to base one's entire belief system on in any case. You can find evidence for anything pretty much anywhere you look and you can make it say whatever you want. I'm not saying that conclusive evidence isn't out there somewhere; maybe we just haven't been smart enough to find the pieces and put them together correctly.
So why do I believe what I do? Why do I base my entire life on this "God", the things he says, and the things he has done on my behalf, when I can't remotely prove he's even real??
I dunno. Honestly. And just so I can stay true to the theme of this blog, let me say "neither do you." This is probably the part that will offend those who are inclined to be offended and are uncomfortable with the thought of questioning one's faith. This is also the part that will resonate so strongly with those of us who are honest with ourselves and admit that we struggle with the same questions. So the answer is.....I don't know.
What I do know is that when I was a kid I went to church sporadically. I heard the sermons, read the Bible stories, did vacation bible school, and it all went in one ear and out the other. That was the status quo until I was about fifteen, when I started going to this little church in my hometown. It wasn't an extraordinary church by any stretch, but the people were nice so I kept going. I remember hearing the sermons, which were not much different than any of the others I'd heard, and realizing the guy was talking about me. It was like a light came on. Long story short, I accepted Jesus as my savior that year. I don't have one of those miraculous salvation stories, far from it, but when I look back over my life, that event marked a real change in the direction of my life. I've been through a lot of struggles since then, many of which I wouldn't have had were it not for my faith. I've struggled with my faith a lot. There was a time I just couldn't get things to 'work' and really wanted to turn my back on it all, but for some reason I just couldn't do it. There were times when I just didn't believe. It didn't make sense and I didn't believe it and I wanted to turn away from it all and do my own thing, but again, I just couldn't do it, even though I probably would have been happier at the time if I could have.
What does that all mean? It means that once I was dead, without the power to even realize I was dead. It means that God, in his mercy, breathed life into me, not of my own decison but of his. It means that there was a change in my life that I know didn't come from within me. I didn't find him, he found me, and it has changed the direction of my life ever since, in ways I never could have orchestrated. There was nothing special about the sermons I heard or the church I went to that could have opened my eyes when nothing had ever been able to do it before. It means that God has preserved me through all my doubts, struggles, disobedience, rebellion, and has continued to work out his plans for me in spite of myself. I'm still square in the middle of that process, so I have no idea where I'm going from here, but I can look back over the last 27 years and see a lot of it as clear as day.
Even still, though, I have doubts. I've learned to accept them as part of being human and being the kind of person I am. God knows about them and he sustains me through them. The reason I believe is that I just do. Some things are simply a matter of faith. I can't explain it so that it will make sense to you if it doesn't already, except that God has placed this faith in my heart and try as I might, I can't let it go. Or maybe it won't let go of me. Maybe I'll die one day and that will be the end, in which case I've lost nothing. Or maybe I'll die one day and it won't be the end, in which case I have gained everything.
Is anyone willing to share how you have dealt with times of doubt in your Christian walk? Too many people struggle with this in silence, thinking they are the only one, so your story could make a lot of difference to someone.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Why not??
"Don't Read This....?" Kind of a strange name for a blog, I will admit. Although, like most of my peculiar actions, there is some method to the madness. I chose this name for a couple of reasons.
The first is a bit of reverse psychology. After over forty years of observing human behavior, I have realized that one of the most effective ways to induce people to do something is to forbid them to do it. Observe any "Do not..." sign placed anywhere there is a steady stream of people passing by. No matter what the undesired action is (sitting, pressing, touching, talking, walking, spitting, etc.), if a notice is posted that forbids it, not ten minutes will go by until someone does that very thing. In fact, it seems that people, once they know a certain action is forbidden, will be compelled to do it even if it was something that they would never have thought of doing until they became aware they weren't supposed to. So, the first reason I named this blog as I did is so that its very name might draw in a few passersby who are unaware of what they are getting into, in the hopes that they might read a few posts, become interested, and stay awhile.
The second reason is the more important one. I really mean the words "Don't Read This" as more of a warning than a prohibition. The basic warning here is that you shouldn't read this blog if you are easily offended. Now please don't misunderstand....there will be no pornographic images or language here; nothing patently offensive, as that would be pointless at best and divisive at worst. My goal here is to help the readers move forward in their lives, careers, marriages, and spiritual and emotional journeys. I hope to do this by providing some mixture, the proportions of which are yet to be determined, of amusement, encouragement, and challenge. Probably heavy on the challenge. So the entirety of the warning signified by the title of this blog should probably be something like "Don't read this if you are 'excessively offended' by any of the statements below." And by way of definition, "excessively offended" doesn't mean that you simply don't agree with these statements or even that you are greatly offended by them. It means that if one or more of the statements below offends or upsets you to the point that knowing the author believes them to be true causes you to be unable to see anything good in anything else that is written here, maybe you should stop reading after this post and find another, more like-minded blog to read. Civil debate and disagreement, however, are very welcome and will hopefully add at least as much value to this blog as the original posts.
Here are some examples of the kinds of things one might find offensive (or challenging, depending on one's perspective) in future posts on this blog. This list is not all inclusive by any stretch, since my capacity to "stir the pot" goes far beyond my ability to capture in one blog post. Here's the list. I believe all these statements to be pretty much accurate:
I realize full well that many of you may disagree with me on some of these points. That's perfectly fine. I have reasons for thinking the way I do, most of them fairly well thought out, and I plan to explain many of them here in the future. I have no need to "be different" or cause division....I have been called a peacemaker in the past and it's in my nature to try to resolve conflict. One of my goals here, though, is to cause you to question your beliefs on certain things, figure out exactly why you believe them, and either change your mind or be strengthened in your current convictions to the point that you begin to really live them out in your day to day life. I pray that you will value Jesus more highly than your long-held beliefs and traditions.
These are just a few of the things I plan to address in one way or another in this blog. Again, if any of these bother you to the point that you can't get past them, maybe you shouldn't visit here any more. On the flip side, if you disagree and think I'm spreading false teaching and you don't at least try to correct me, we may both end up being held accountable for it. So please share your opinions. I do have reasons for believing what I believe, but I'm not so prideful as to think I have everything right, so I welcome discussion even if it disagrees with my opinions.
I hope you are challenged by this blog. I hope it offers you a word of encouragement when you need it. I hope you get a laugh out of it on occasion. But my greatest hope, if I do manage to keep this going for a year, is that you will somehow be different, in a positive way, for having read what I have to say at the end of that time. I'm not here to idly amuse or to tell you what I had for dinner or who aggravated me at the store today. I have no illusions that my life is remotely interesting to anyone else, except in the sense that the things that happen to me also illustrate the things that are common to all of us.
So let's see where this goes. It may turn out nothing like I'm thinking right now and that's OK. I may get lazy and never post again. Paul Jones may make fun of me for not cussing or drunk-blogging. I may cuss and drunk-blog. People may get so upset that I decide to quit doing it and trash the whole thing. Nobody may read any of this junk. But the only way you'll ever know is to come back and see, so please do, please participate, please throw your thoughts into the mix and let's see where it goes!
The first is a bit of reverse psychology. After over forty years of observing human behavior, I have realized that one of the most effective ways to induce people to do something is to forbid them to do it. Observe any "Do not..." sign placed anywhere there is a steady stream of people passing by. No matter what the undesired action is (sitting, pressing, touching, talking, walking, spitting, etc.), if a notice is posted that forbids it, not ten minutes will go by until someone does that very thing. In fact, it seems that people, once they know a certain action is forbidden, will be compelled to do it even if it was something that they would never have thought of doing until they became aware they weren't supposed to. So, the first reason I named this blog as I did is so that its very name might draw in a few passersby who are unaware of what they are getting into, in the hopes that they might read a few posts, become interested, and stay awhile.
The second reason is the more important one. I really mean the words "Don't Read This" as more of a warning than a prohibition. The basic warning here is that you shouldn't read this blog if you are easily offended. Now please don't misunderstand....there will be no pornographic images or language here; nothing patently offensive, as that would be pointless at best and divisive at worst. My goal here is to help the readers move forward in their lives, careers, marriages, and spiritual and emotional journeys. I hope to do this by providing some mixture, the proportions of which are yet to be determined, of amusement, encouragement, and challenge. Probably heavy on the challenge. So the entirety of the warning signified by the title of this blog should probably be something like "Don't read this if you are 'excessively offended' by any of the statements below." And by way of definition, "excessively offended" doesn't mean that you simply don't agree with these statements or even that you are greatly offended by them. It means that if one or more of the statements below offends or upsets you to the point that knowing the author believes them to be true causes you to be unable to see anything good in anything else that is written here, maybe you should stop reading after this post and find another, more like-minded blog to read. Civil debate and disagreement, however, are very welcome and will hopefully add at least as much value to this blog as the original posts.
Here are some examples of the kinds of things one might find offensive (or challenging, depending on one's perspective) in future posts on this blog. This list is not all inclusive by any stretch, since my capacity to "stir the pot" goes far beyond my ability to capture in one blog post. Here's the list. I believe all these statements to be pretty much accurate:
- Jesus Christ is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him." [John 14:6]
- We are saved by grace, through faith, not by our works.
- If we don't have Christ, our good works will never be enough to save us. If we have Christ, our sins will never be enough to condemn us.
- Homosexuality is a sin according to God's word. If anyone claims to be a faithful Christian and unrepentantly practices this lifestyle, they have either rejected or misunderstood the meaning of God's word.
- We should love homosexuals. We should have gay friends and we should invite them into our homes, lives, and churches, and we should show them the love of Christ as much as we do anyone else. If anyone claims to be a Christian and does not believe this, they have either rejected or misunderstood the meaning of God's word.
- The above two statements could apply to many sins, not just homosexuality. I have no special axe to grind there, I just picked that one because it's a topic that evokes such strong emotion.
- God's word doesn't say it is a sin to drink alcohol in moderation. There is nothing sinful about a Christian having a beer, a glass of wine, or a mixed drink. You really can be a witness by having a beer with a lost person (if you like beer).
- I believe that the custom of dressing up for church is useless at best and harmful at worst.
- I don't believe in altar calls.
- I think a great percentage of what the modern church spends its time, money, and resources on is "as useless as tits on a boar hog" in the attempt to lead people to Christ and help them grow spiritually. And yes, I very likely mean 'your' church.
- I believe that the husband is the spiritual leader of the home and that he will answer to God, at least in part, for the spiritual health of his wife and children.
- I think a church that lets an attending married couple reach the point of divorce without getting "all up in their business" and holding them accountable is a poor excuse for a Christian community.
- I think most people are like Mark Twain; they don't go to church because they've already been.
- Lifeway stores are creepy.
I realize full well that many of you may disagree with me on some of these points. That's perfectly fine. I have reasons for thinking the way I do, most of them fairly well thought out, and I plan to explain many of them here in the future. I have no need to "be different" or cause division....I have been called a peacemaker in the past and it's in my nature to try to resolve conflict. One of my goals here, though, is to cause you to question your beliefs on certain things, figure out exactly why you believe them, and either change your mind or be strengthened in your current convictions to the point that you begin to really live them out in your day to day life. I pray that you will value Jesus more highly than your long-held beliefs and traditions.
These are just a few of the things I plan to address in one way or another in this blog. Again, if any of these bother you to the point that you can't get past them, maybe you shouldn't visit here any more. On the flip side, if you disagree and think I'm spreading false teaching and you don't at least try to correct me, we may both end up being held accountable for it. So please share your opinions. I do have reasons for believing what I believe, but I'm not so prideful as to think I have everything right, so I welcome discussion even if it disagrees with my opinions.
I hope you are challenged by this blog. I hope it offers you a word of encouragement when you need it. I hope you get a laugh out of it on occasion. But my greatest hope, if I do manage to keep this going for a year, is that you will somehow be different, in a positive way, for having read what I have to say at the end of that time. I'm not here to idly amuse or to tell you what I had for dinner or who aggravated me at the store today. I have no illusions that my life is remotely interesting to anyone else, except in the sense that the things that happen to me also illustrate the things that are common to all of us.
So let's see where this goes. It may turn out nothing like I'm thinking right now and that's OK. I may get lazy and never post again. Paul Jones may make fun of me for not cussing or drunk-blogging. I may cuss and drunk-blog. People may get so upset that I decide to quit doing it and trash the whole thing. Nobody may read any of this junk. But the only way you'll ever know is to come back and see, so please do, please participate, please throw your thoughts into the mix and let's see where it goes!
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