So I haven't written in a while. I apologize from the bottom of my heart...
I've got a really cool idea for a blog... which may become a book at some point in time!! But it's going to take a lot of thought and work, so I'm procrastinating.. as usual.
Last weekend, I went to the Strength to Stand Conference in Pigeon Forge, TN... or maybe Gatlinburg? I really don't even know... oh well, it doesn't matter. Anyways, the theme for the weekend was "STIR." STIR was an acronym for the words sustaining - truth - integrity - relational.
I think. I could never get it right. The whole time I was that oddball that was shouting stuff like " Santa Ties Inverse Rhombii" because I couldn't remember what it actually was.
Wait, what? Is "rhombii" a word?
Yeah, crazy.
There were so many things that stood out to me, so many things that God used to mature my heart a little. (Not very much obviously... I just used Santa and Rhombii in relation to each other.. what?) One thing that God has really been pressing upon my heart lately, is to defy tradition. He has put an absolute distaste in my mouth for all things "normal." Especially when it comes to church. I've come to the point where it annoys me for people to recite standard prayers aloud, to sing standard songs in a standard way, to stick to the standard reaction for invitation time (if you're a couple, only go pray at the altar together if you're having marital problems; if you're a teenager, only go pray at the altar if you've just come back from camp; and whatever you do, DON'T TALK TO THE PREACHER!!!)
Over and over God has been hammering me with the Acts church... the original way that things were supposed to go. It's like He's given me this passion to renovate "church" as we know it... to change the way we do our worship, the way we respond to the Word, the way we "glorify Him in all that we do"...ya know, like we say at the end of all of our prayers.
I want so badly to grab people by the shoulders and scream "PASSION!!!" in their faces until it becomes a part of them, but I can't do that.
Mainly because the majority of the people I would choose to do that too would probably disinegrate (sp?) in my hands, they're so old.
God has given me this passion, and I feel like I'm the only one; as though perhaps God wants me to do this, with only His help. Not saying it's not possible, but that's a LOT of old hearts to change. To shift the emphasis, that's a lot of OLD hearts to change.
I'm praying that God will spread this passion throughout my church, Grove Hill Baptist, and into surrounding Christian churches, and continue into the ghettos and neighborhoods of my county.
All I can do is cling to 1 Timothy 4:12. My youthfulness is nothing. My God is everything.
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Not all traditions are bad. Christ gave us our first traditions. When people start defying traditional values, e.q Pineview Baptist Church, Thomasville vs. Scott Myers, things go nuts and split a church right in half. Scott tried to change Pineview's traditions to cater to him. This so called "Man of God" and "Pastor" was the absolute worst pastor imaginable. His conduct on his facebook page and on his wife's page prove just how radical he is. As a result, to this day, Pineview is split in half, there's no leadership because everyone hates each other, and souls were lost or turned off. Believe it or not people notice the conduct of so called Christians and it shows. When Scott tried to erase Pineviews values and replace them with his own punk attitude, rock music, and scripture lessons that made no sense, people were swayed from God and began to feed his ego and as a result people worshipped the pastor and not God. He is NOT a man of God and his conduct proves it. As the rapper T.I said, "My actions are what make me worthy of respect, the things I do go farther than the things I say". This is true in Christians lives as well because people notice. When you get away from what JESUS said the church should be like and start replacing it with radical ideas that humans have, things fail and souls are lost. Look at Pineview, people are dying and going to hell as a result of one mans actions and he'll have to answer for that. There is a right way to change things, but if you do it wrong and press things upon people, things will fail. Actions are what Christians in America need today. To many talk a good talk but no one acts. I have been on mission trips to deserts in Arizona and other places and know what the ghetto is like. I have friends in the ghetto. The people who need Christ look at Christians and they see our negative actions and they think, "Why would I want that". All the computer gooning that Christians make only reflect negative. As Christians we must hold fast in our traditions but use them in a tactful way so that souls are saved for Christ, not lost. Actions speak louder than words
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you'll receive an e-mail, etc. about me commenting back to you.
ReplyDeleteJust in case you DO, I'd like for you to let me know who you are, and how you know me.
I'd also like for you to explain to the public why you deem it so necessary to bad-mouth a brother in Christ (assuming you are a Christian) in such an atrocious manner.
Traditions for the sake of traditions is POINTLESS. Please understand that. And change for the sake of change is, of course, just as RIDICULOUS. I understand that. But don't think that Jeremiah preached on the steps of the temple for no reason. Also, don't think that Jesus tossed the temple tables because He felt like it.
Sometimes, we get too set in our ways to see His ways.
Tville26, you are in my prayers.