Being that no one reads this anyway, I figure why not just be honest.

Question: What in the heck has happened to the body of Christ?

What has happened to the church? Is it now a building? A club? Is it all budgets and long winded fancy sounding monologues laced with intelligent sounding speech? Is it about standing up and sitting down at the right time? Is it an order of service? Is it a group of committees that meet and talk about the Godly sounding "stuff" we're going to do for God?

I could go on, and on, and on.......

Am I the only guy in this whole stinking world that feels this way?????

So what do you do when you just can't stomach it anymore? Oh, I'm sure anyone reading this would think me to be a cocky guy. I can hear it now, "He really thinks he knows better than everyone else." "Mr. know it all!!!" ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! I HAVE NO CLUE ANYMORE!!!! ZIPPO, ZERO, NOTTA, NO CLUE!!!! Just because my cup of religion "runneth over", does not mean I know how to get it together. I DON'T! I just can't help but feel that we are sorely missing the point! By the way, I am part of that "we"!!!! As a matter of fact I love being a part of the "we". I love the "church". Not the building, but the people! I just want us to know the truth about what this is really all about. Heck, I want to know what this is really all about. If it's about something other than knowing Jesus....then I 'm just cluless.

Please know that this is simply a cry from the heart of a guy whose searching and struggling. If you read this and use what I've said for ill purposes....well, I guess you just don't get it!

If I Told You the Truth

If I told you the truth....you'd most likely be angry, but you'd be wrong.

If I told you the truth....you'd probably ask me to leave, but I would be gone before you could.

If I told you the truth....you'd ask me to resign, but I already have.

If I told you the truth....you'd avoid me, but He wouldn't.

If I told you the truth....you'd think me to be a hypocrite.....could be!

If I told you the truth....you'd think about it, but dismiss it....most likely.

If I told you the truth....I'd seem less in your eyes maybe, but I'm okay with that.

If I told you the truth....would you listen?

Would you consider my words?

Would you look for yourself instead of wearing your Sunday morning bib and opening wide for another spoonful?

Would you ask the hard questions, risk not fitting in, walk away from the business of it all.....would you....if He told you the truth?

Would you listen?

I know....it is certainly hard.....isn't it?

Take It Or Leave It.

Take the body alive and active. Leave the upside down hierarchical triangle.

Take leadership. Leave the profession.

Take the heart to heart sharing. Leave the sitting and soaking.

Take the royal priesthood. Leave the priestly royalty.

Take heartfelt giving. Leave guilt inducing legalism.

Take what He says. Leave what they say He's saying.

Take the fellowship and tend it. Leave the business and forget about it.

Take the programs, plans, and committees and toss them. Leave the process behind.

Take the freedom and life and embrace it. Leave better than you came.

Take your heart and place it on His altar..............leave it there.

I refuse to play this game we continue to play. God's people = THE CHURCH.

Membership is by grace alone!

What If......

What if things could be better?

What if we have been wrong all this time?

What if all that seemed so very much "of God" really had very little to do with Him at all?

What if we really took a little more time and looked a little deeper?

What if we found answers that didn't quite line up with the "popular" line of thought?

What would we do? Would we change? Would we cower? Would we let go of the traditions or cling to our comfort zone? What if it meant everything would have to change?

Would we be willing to throw out the baby, the bath water.......and the tub?

What if I quit speaking in "weird riddle language" and just said what I mean?

Well........half of the people would just get mad at me and think me to be a trouble maker. The other half.......would just think I'm way out of touch with the truth.

So for now.......I'll just keep it to myself.

"LOSTNESS"

Being lost is impossibly hard. You want to be found so very badly, but you don't know how to make it happen. It's like being surrounded by a thick fog without any idea of which way to turn. There are no exit signs, no bread crumbs and no light houses to lead you to safety. You dare not move lest your situation grow worse (if that's possible). So, you sit and watch the fog continually swirl around your head. "Lostness" cripples you with fear and indecision. It mockingly suggests that your situation will never change and deliverance is a word reserved for everyone.....but you! I am in this place and I despise it. I can't seem to hear a voice behind me saying, "this is the way, walk in it". I can't see beyond my eyelashes. My mind is a jumble of "could haves"and "should haves". I do not know where to turn, what to say, or even what to pray. I am lost.

"These are the places I was so sure I'd find Him. I've looked in the pages, and I've looked down on my knees. I've waited in great expectation, to see the sun still refusing to shine."

Tithing....any thoughts

As I stated in an earlier blog entry, I can be quite controversial. Read at your own risk!

In my last blog, I challenged each of us to begin to consider "why" we believe "what" we believe. Well, this time I'm asking for some input in regard to a particular issue.

As you (and I) know, each and every Sunday a small number of individuals make there way through the ranks of the congregation with polished metal plates. As the plates are passed from row to row, people place various amounts of funds into these plates. These funds are generally termed as being "tithes" and "offerings".

My question is this: Is tithing still applicable to the modern church under the new covenant established by God through our Lord Jesus Christ?

Regardless of your answer, would you PLEASE take the time to share with me "why" you believe "what" you believe?

There's ALWAYS a reason for such lines of thought!

Ken

Blind Man's Bluff and Sacred Cows

Have you ever considered why you believe what you believe about Christianity? I mean why do you (and I) cling to certain “sacred cows” within the church and ignore others? I think we would all agree on the basics. Those of course being that man sinned, and God sent Jesus as a sacrifice. Through His sacrifice we can receive pardon, reconciliation, and salvation. Again, I doubt very many folks would have any problem with that line of thought, but what about the other “stuff”? You know, the “stuff”. The stuff that makes up how we “do” Christianity. Let me give you a few examples.

What about tithing? Is tithing still something we should worry about? Now most of you are probably saying, “Well yeah you big dummy, of course it is!” If that’s your response, let me ask you a question? Why? Why do you believe that? Can you (or me) at this very moment explain what the bible has to say about the subject of tithing especially as it pertains to the new covenant? Would you attempt to answer the “why” based on what you have been told by someone, or by what God has revealed to you through His word? What about jobs within the church? Is there really such a thing as a “senior pastor”? Did God create a hierarchy within His church, or did man? What’s your answer? Again, why do you believe what you believe? What about drinking alcohol, or female deacons and pastors? I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Now you may be wondering if I am just trying to stir up trouble (I have been known to do that), or do I really have a point. Well…..yes, I do have a point and here it is.

I believe we are living in an age in which many Christians are for the most part biblically illiterate. No one seems to know (or even cares to know) what “Thus saith the Lord”. Oh people are full of opinions, but ask them to back it up with the word and you’ll get plenty of funny looks! Yes it is important to know “what” you believe, but shouldn’t we also know why we believe it? I “believe” it is not only important, but absolutely crucial!

So, why did I write this? To stir up trouble of course! NO, actually I just wanted to challenge you and I to do a little thinking. If we’re relying on what “Thus saith the preacher”, we’re probably in serious trouble. Heck “preachers” are usually just as screwed up as the rest of us (they are human you know). They just generally don’t want people to know they’re screwed up (it’s a job security thing). They do the best they can, but you should ALWAYS check them out. Always find out what the word has to say before you take any message to heart.

In 2 Timothy it says, “…..from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Bottom line: Without God’s word, our “precious” faith becomes just a guessing game! Blind Man’s Bluff is pretty fun to play, but it makes for a sad approach to finding truth to live by! So, take off that blindfold and look around (in His word). You might be surprised at “what” you find!