some premises of today's Church that I question

I question the notion that Jesus lived a life of suffering and sorrow so that we could live pothole-free lives of bliss.

I question that Christianity seems largely the nostalgic regard of historic events, rather than something that is lived and done while our own hands and hearts get cut and bruised and covered with filthy residue in the process.

I question the stainless and bullet-proof portrayal of being a follower of Jesus.

I question why singing songs seems to be the pinnacle of the faith.

I question why so many who slough Jesus' name out of their mouths have not once themselves gone to the other side of the tracks in town handing out food door-to-door.

I question why buildings are perceived to be holier than the chair you're sitting in right now.

I wonder why followers of Jesus talk about Emmanuel on one hand and speak of "entering His presence" on the other.

I question why Followers live with such a fierce attitude of entitlement.

I wonder why "church" consists of one person giving a monologue.

I question why churches embrace a pastor's "leadership" when in real life shepherds don't lead, they tend their flocks from behind.

I wonder why churches continually put on Leadership Conferences attended in droves, and why there are perpetually so many books and other series and sermons on leadership, when the Way is largely about following, not leading. (In fact, we're also warned that VERY few should aspire to leadership.)

I question why people are misled that they can become a son of God without being broken and dying.

I wonder why God is commonly treated and portrayed as nothing more than a Problem Fixer and Blessing Grantor.

I question why anything which is perceived as not going smoothly is a "battle" or an "attack of the enemy/satan".

I really, really, really wonder why many Followers think this life is only about glory, praise and victory and has zero allowance for hardship and suffering.

I wonder why Followers pass stupidity off as persecution.

I wonder why people ask me to pray for someone's healing, then go off on a 15-minute monologue about all the surgery and medication options.

I wonder why we ask Jesus to come into our life when His invitation is that we come into His.

connecting the dots

I've written two really long drafts about this topic. It's something that has been fermenting inside for months, and those drafts cover a lot of ground.

I'm thinking, however, to embrace brevity here to just hit the high points more or less.

I don't really understand how the Body has assumed tasks/duties/powers which until recently have been God's gig for centuries.

I look around and see many churches/ministries/people saying "we will empower you to (fill in the blank with some awesome sounding state of existence as a follower of Jesus)".

Some of the ones I've heard are people/ministries can show us how to "reach your High Place", "walk in divine overflow", "walk in your authority", "walk in your anointing", "walk in victory", etc.

Um...since when are we supposed to connect the spiritual dots for each other?

I don't know, but last time I checked 1 Corinthians 12 doesn't leave any qualms that the granting of power is the Holy Spirit's doing.

But I guess that depends on what type of power we're talking about.

The kind of empowering associated with the psychobabble and it's subsequent ministries is markedly different from the power via the Holy Spirit and the things He would bid us to.

Tied to this "we will empower you" stuff is the manner in which these folks determine the spiritual gifts in which Christians are to "operate" in.

Generally this is done through two methods: (1) human observation, and/or (2) some form of Spiritual Gift Inventory.

All I can say to the human observation angle is: Moses and his stuttering problem would NEVER be pegged by God's followers to be any type of leader. And I think this speaks volumes about what others say versus what God says.

I don't trust human observation as far as I can throw it, really. Maybe this is because I see God all too often doing things which go against the grain of human definition and wisdom.

As for the Spiritual Gift Inventory/Assessment stuff, have you ever looked at one of these? The questions are loaded, more loaded than any other test or assessment form I've ever seen of any kind.

People take these knowing that the church/pastor is going to take these inventories and place people into certain functions. So, knowing that Pastor Bob is going to be looking at their answers, what's the onus on Joe or Suzy Christian to answer the following questions (taken from an actual inventory):

"I have a deep passion to reach the lost for Christ"

"I place great importance on repentance"

I mean, come on, how is Joe or Suzy Christian going to answer questions like this: "never"? "very seldom"?

Ha. Yeah, right....

And so they take these tests and end up getting told "you're an evangelist", when they are no more an evangelist than the man in the moon.

Here's what seems to be the most lamentable about all this:

There are a lot of people who have a legitimate desire to be part of what God is doing. This grounded earnestness is met with "high place" and "divine overflow" lingo which leads down a path to self-inebriation and becoming puffed up.

Add to this that the designation of spiritual gifts (by the "divine overflow" folks, not the Holy Spirit) is amiss with human wisdom and human convention left and right.

Observing this, it is no wonder Jesus says "You go over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are" (Matthew 23:15).

We really as a whole need to back off this hostile takeover of things that are F/S/HS's gig. They are fully capable of connecting the dots in people who have a sober desire to be part of God's life.

We need to back off this hype and faddish speak. Back off the things that tickle the ears and cause people to get puffed up. And the Holy Spirit is who does the gifting, not us with our human systems.

BIB

Laptop mended...looking to finish up some thoughts begun and pen some new ones.

death

Death forges some bridges life cannot forge.

Death can abolish certain procrastinations which would otherwise go on.

Death brings about certain reunions which otherwise would not occur.

Death is sobering.

It shows how fake and hollow things all around us are.

Death is good.

cheapening God

Been thinking about something the last couple of days.

There's a lot of stuff around that waters down the Way. One which really brings on the wincing is hearing people say "God is good" or "God is in control" when something circumstantially favorable happens.

I mean, come on. The major premise there is a grossly offbase if/then.

If things in an earthly sense are going smoothly, then "God is good".

If life is going without major problems, then "God is in control".

If there are no jarring potholes and speed bumps inhibiting pursuit of the American Dream, then "I'm blessed".

This is such a cop out.

I make a habit of observing these folks who say this with regularity, and they never are saying these types of things when situations of human discomfort or gravity occur.

Never.

Seriously, they are no different than radio DJ's. When the sun is shining "it's a great day here in the city". When the sun is not shining (or if it's particularly cold or particularly hot) they don't say this. Ever.

I have some friends who are missionaries. They left the U.S. a few months ago for another continent. Upon arriving, they sent an email out to their list of supporters, saying "God is in control--we made all our connecting flights and none of our luggage got lost."

I'm trying to understand how God's goodness is tied to human circumstances.

Some of my brewing questions for adherers to this line of thought are:

"Where does God go when things don't go circumstantially well?"

"Where is God when He's not 'in' a circumstance? Does He go hide? Does He go read the paper while sitting on the john?"

"Where is the list of what He cares and doesn't care about?"

"What determines when He is/isn't 'in control'?"

I just don't get this. At all.

Last month ago I came across a video on YouTube of a song played during a worship service. The tagline to the video said "God showed up at the worship service on x date. Worship was really awesome."

Really?

Did God "show up" because it was two guitars and a set of drums instead of an 80 year-old lady playing the organ? How are you sure He showed up? How do you know it wasn't just your own sense of enjoyment because the music sounded like music from today's pop culture? How sure are you it wasn't this?

What types of things prod God to NOT "show up"? Is your church one of those where God "shows up" EVERY Sunday? How objective are you being about that? I mean, if God is "in" your church every Sunday, then anyone who ever visits must become a member, and no one who's a member ever leaves.

Seriously, who would visit a church where God is and ever be able to settle for anything else?

Are you saying God "showed up" for the simple people fact raised their hands while singing? Or is it because they had looks of pain on their faces while doing so (which are expressions of "intensity" when in "God's presence", right)?

I'm not slamming this altogether. There's a wide variety of emotion experienced with God. I'm just wondering about some of this stuff, cause I've experienced real charisma and I see the pseudo.

I'm trying to understand the idea God is "in" some things and not others. How He's sometimes good and "in control", and quite apparently at other times not.

Here's my if/then to all this.

If God is present, "good" and "in control" only when circumstances are favorable, then I don't have the faintest clue who He is. And He sure as hell has no desire to hang around me much.

running out of drywall

A situation took place a few days ago that frustrated beyond words.

As the bitterness reached full bloom, the only thing I wanted to do in that moment was put my fist through a wall at Mach 8 speed.

That prompted me to think back over the last two years. I subsequently thought about the fact I've (figuratively) put my fist through the wall many, many times. To the point there aren't hardly any untouched places on the walls remaining.

So I commented to The Man, "You know, this is right at the point where all drywall has been punched. It seems as though there is maybe one or two punches left, and that's it. Then what?"

time to say

Your sound was never as pure
As it was tonight…
The perfect time
for a sudden flight

I hope it’s me
But maybe it’s you
Who turns the corner
To something new

Two and three
Are here
What’s not here
may it come
I don't know
Hope is gone
Or is it

These gales are nothing
compared to what they would be
Haven’t been able to stop…
no secret
it's beyond me

Doesn’t matter if it all
goes to the wind,
it will simply go to
the other one.

But few will see...
they will only see
what eyes cannot

Daddy, when you’re going
to say something to me
I like the way
you say it

Me too. More than you’ll ever know
It will take another death to live
it feels as though.

So be it
Con te partiro
Io con te

the latest

The last month or so has been rotten.

To the point there has been no synthesis of thought.

Started a couple of things, but either due to pain or absolute lack of impetus and motivation never completed them. And didn't effing care.

The current season is death.

The forecast? More death.

This picture is not fabricated or Photoshopped. It's real.

I chose it because it seems to encapsulate very well the overall state of things.

Gruesome, horrid, unbecoming, lifeless.

Real life is a living nightmare and/or living death for some people.

Sucks to be them, huh?

There have been a few slivers of sweet among the bitter. Maybe I'll be able to pen one or more of those.

This picture, though, reflects the lion's share of existence.