I have a wife.

And she is awesome and she left a comment on the last entry so if you scroll down in the comment section you can read a little of her story.  Here is the link.

One Step Forward…

Two steps back.  I envy those that have a simple faith.  Those that love God and simply do what he says.  I think I would love that.  But for now, I have to live with these thoughts and these questions so here goes another ranting from the lunatic fringe.    

Is the church organization the best way to show God’s love to the world?

If it is just a mechanism to allow people to get together…there are many other organizations that do that far better.  If it is to come together to worship God…He makes it quite clear that he doesn’t dwell in our buildings but in us, therefore, where ever we are…he is there also.  If it is to be used as a classroom for teaching the scriptures…there are schools that are created specifically for that purpose and would be more accurate in the information transferred.  Also, the majority of the human population learns through experience and not in a sermon/one-way conversation.  If it is about giving to the poor and helping the needy…check the financial statement of your church organization.  I would be shocked if the largest expenditure wasn’t the salaries and the building.  There are far better organizations out there to give your money to that help people directly and give you great opportunities to get involved.  

So, here is the thing…I can’t find a reason for the church building, program, organization to exist.  

This is a real issue for me.  I am trying to find a way to live out what I now believe.  I used to think Jesus was a wet noodle and I was embarrassed of him and for him.  After removing a lot of the ‘christian’ culture and religion from my thinking…I can now really get Jesus.  I can follow someone like him now that I realized he stuck up for the poor and the oppressed.  That he partied and hung out with the crap of society (just like me!).  So where do I go now to experience this?  My local church?  It doesn’t fit anymore.  People have said to me, “Let’s start a church together!” or “Come to our church, it’s alive and doing awesome!”.  I don’t think anyone is getting what I am saying.  

I don’t think I fit into a church anymore.  I don’t fit.  And this applies to any church.  Sorry to offend anyone but I have been in other churches, I was raised in a very progressive church, I was immersed in church culture by my father (who I love and respect deeply) and he showed me models that worked and those that didn’t, I have read books on churches and been to classes on churches and the bottom line is….every time I walk into the building, I cringe.  Something inside of me starts screaming and I need to get out.  

So this is the dilema.  Either I move out of small town Sask and get on board with something I think I now believe in or I stay here and keep wrestling with my thoughts and be patient.    

or…

I stop giving a shit and delete this blog.  It would be one way of making life simpler.  But I don’t think it would solve any of my problems.

Laugh it up

Here are some funny comics sent by a friend.  Enjoy. 

 

Street kids matter to God more than hitting the right notes

Clarence Peters is a good friend of mine.  He was also my pastor for the last 10 years I have lived here.  He recently retired from that position (for a variety of reasons) and has taken up the cause of street children in the Congo.  I can’t speak for God, but according to his word, children matter to him.  I see some of the good things happening in the Congo and have a hard time believing that God would care more about how well the morning service went or if the band hit all the notes.  If this is such a priority to him, why is it not to our church leadership?  

I myself have a Christian & Missionary Alliance background but for the last 10 years, I had been a member of a Mennonite Bretheren Church.  Because I was a member, I have had the benefit of receiving the MB Herald (which does have some great articles in it) but there was a small paragraph read to me today by a friend, it states:

Campus Crusade for Christ is seeking donations to put Bibles in the hands of Africans to counter the missionary efforts of Islamic organizations that are building schools and hospitals.  

 We laughed, “Those bastards!  How dare they build schools and hospitals!”  How did the message get lost that we are to care for people and show love?  How is it that our church leaders have graduated from college and seminary and have more knowledge about the scriptures then most but have overlooked the main message of Jesus?  People.  Jesus came to save people because he loves them.  Something I am still learning how to do.  

Clarence’s website is www.rescuestreetkids.org  Please check it out if you got time and leave him a message of encouragement.