The Good Story

Do I rant too much? I think that I am using this blog to complain too much. Am I the stereotype of the rebellious emergent church? nevertheless...

Working for a church organization offers me the chance to see alot of heartache. I am often befuddled by the we as people act when confronted with a challenge or a conflict. Some of us stand up; we get aggressive and attack anyone in our path until we win or our outcome is achieved. Others of us hold up our shield and get defensive. We deflect everything until nothing could possibly touch us. Others of us run; we run away so we don't even have to deal with the challenge or conflict. I think the last one is the most common. I see myself do it all the time. When something presents itself as a challenge or a conflict, I avoid the situation... actually in my case, I avoid and work myself up about it until i am ready to BURST and THEN I get agressive.... but I digress... many just run away. Never resolving the conflict, never facing the challenge, feeling victorious in the decision to run away.

Conflict happens! Challenges come up! Heck, God is the greatest storyteller of all time. What kind of author would he be if there were no conflicts in the storyline. How could we have a happy ending if we don't have a challenge presented. How can we know what a resolution is if we don't have a conflict. My best friends and I have always developed a stronger bond when a conflict comes in and we resolve it. How can we have ANY relationships if we run away at a conflict? I am learning that if I am to live in a community, ESPECIALLY a community of believers, I have to be willing to get through conflict without just running away. I hope that I can learn how to live in community as we wrestle through conflicts and resolutions... happiness and sadness... strength and weakness. And for you I hope the same...

Change

Its funny how life is constantly in change and flux. Just when you are getting used to a situation, everything shifts again. I see this with my friends. My friend Dominick is back at school and therefore not around as much anymore. My friends back home in Virginia.... some of them have moved across the country and I may very well never see them again. My mom just moved to Ypsilanti Michigan. Things are always changing... but I am glad. I would get very bored if things stayed the same.

There is a line from a Gungor song that says: "Jesus, you're the one who saves us, constantly creates us into something new." I like being reminded of that concept. We are constantly being created into something new. While I may have been "saved" in a single moment, I continue to "work out my salvation" (Philippians 2:12) as God constantly shapes me and refines me. It is easy to think that a painful change is a bad one. But when a potter finds a flaw in the pot while it spins, he will often smash the clay down and begin again. 

So what shall I become next?... a pot?... a bowl?.... something beautiful?... something small?.... something grand?.... something useful?.... 

Let us both be encouraged that the potter is constantly creating us into something new.... and He is a darn good potter.....

I've been reading some Christian literature. Some of this literature I REALLY enjoy and I see some wonderful directions that christian philosophy is heading (or getting back to!). However, I personally have a hard time reading certain books. I am trying to read one right now... I won't say the name as I don't want to taint anyones view of it... it is a fine book. But this particular book frustrates me for one reason... it's overuse of the bible.

WHAT??!!??!! Gordon... you are NOT allowed to say that! There is no such THING as overuse of the bible. Gordon you are a heathen and will burn eternally for your careless blog!

Ok now that we God that out of the way. What I mean by overuse of the bible is not that I think that the bible shouldnt be in the book, it's just the manner in how it is used to teach. For example... it may say something like:

"The bible says in 1 John that......... and again in Deuteronomy.... ..... It also says.... ... in 2 Timothy so that means we need to pray."

Ok. Thank you Mr. Author for spouting off three unrelated verses just to say I should pray. You could give me ONE verse and then discuss it for a bit, and perhaps it would shine more light on that verse for me. But since you went all ADD with the bible, I am not sure what any of those tiny snipets of verses REALLY mean in context and how they truly relate to the issue of prayer. When I read an author who has been published and is earning a living with book royalties, I expect it to be more than just a guy who sat down at his bible and compiled his favorite verses. I am looking for someone who has spend TIME on a concept and has the God given gift of teaching and communication to express that concept in writing. Spouting off Christianeese or tallying up how many bible verses you can compile teaches me very little! Give me something to chew on! To sleep on! To live on! I don't want to be a Christian robot who reads the three random verses, reads that I need to pray, and then nod my head and say "wow this book is amazing". 

I read something in the message translation the other day. It's at the end of Collosians 3:"Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work." Christian Music, Literature, Art, Television, Movies.....Whatever it is... just because it is Christian, doesn't cover it up if it is bad work....