Getting the clergy all riled up

Nothing gets the clergy ticked off more than telling them that their religious organization is not the holder of the legitimate title of "church". It is like telling them that their religion is worthless.

A few weeks ago the Pope issued a letter that riled up Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesiastical communities and therefore did not have the "means of salvation." The pronouncement repeated Roman Catholic teaching that says the RC Church "has the fullness of the means of salvation."

The document stated that "Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," and that the other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession -- the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles -- and therefore their priestly ordinations are not valid.".


First off... that is a very silly statement because Jesus did not establish an institution called the church. He only used th word in scripture twice and never referred to a new religious institution when he did it. The church is not any given religious institution. (and I could go into the problems with the RC concept of 'apostolic succession' and the claim that Peter is the first pope, but many others have done that and I don't need to bore you with it.)

The church is the people who have been saved by Jesus, who have a relationship with Him, not merely a religious affiliation with an organization that calls itself a "church". The "church" that Jesus described is a free-flowing invisible force on earth that He compared to the wind (John 3:8) when talking to Nicodemus. It is the church that Jesus built -- those led by His Spirit -- not those led by an institution and titles.

I'm sorry to say that not only are the protestant instituions not really the "one true church" but neither is the Roman Catholic church, or any other religious 'club'. The one true church is the one that JESUS built... that he built in the hearts of mankind through His Spirit... and only Jesus holds the "fullness of the means of salvation"... no man run religious organization.

It is sad that those who claim to have their life centered in Jesus love to battle over titles and whose religious institution is ordained of God and all those kinds of foolish hurtful things. I find the Pope's statement to be foolish and unfounded, but I also find the protestant reaction just as foolish to try and shoot it down. No one has an "ordained by God organization called the church". His people are supposed to BE the church.

The Shack - Perceptions

Well, I finished reading The Shack a while ago... finally got around to writing up something else about it.

I think the biggest thing I got out of the book was about my (mis) percetions and other people's (mis) perceptions about God as we consider him in our understandings of Father Son and Spirit. I didn't really consider how I separate those and forget the unity of them when I paste my assumptions to those "titles".

One of the things I really enjoyed in the book was how the Three in One God was portrayed, and how the main character (Mack) reacted differently to the different persons of the One God -- based on his own (mis)perceptions... where Mack was considering Jesus more reachable and loving because of his Humanness, and Father more strict and judgmental/harsh because of His need for justice (what Mack thought... as apposed to the reality that Father Loves him as much as Jesus does, Jesus did not have to "talk Father into" accepting Mack. Father loves him as Jesus loves him.). And his perception of Holy Spirit as "weird" and "hard to understand". I liked how he eventually came to see that God loved him (all three) and though they are different, they share the same love for him in spite of the flaws, actions and pain in Macks life.

BEWARE!!!
ONE COMMENT THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A *** PLOT SPOILER *** FOLLOWS:

I loved how the "messy garden" that the Spirit tended turned out to be Mack's own Heart! and how without knowing it the Spirit had Mack participate as God removed the bitter roots and replanted forgiveness and release in his heart about the killer and his daughter. that was a cool mental picture!

I have to go re-read the chapter where his eyes are "uncovered" and he sees his father and the angels. Some people have said that chapter was their favorite... but it just came off as strange and confusing to me personally. maybe I read it after eating too much pizza, or too late at night. I don't know.

*** END OF SPOILER TEXT ****

The book is excellent and I still believe it is on par with many of the stories and the way that C.S. Lewis wrote. I really think it brings fresh insight into what the Bible has been saying all along about God's charactor and our perceptions of Him. So much of our "understanding" of God is clouded by cultural and traditional things that may or may not be real. I think this book helps us break our steriotypes and reexamine God, rather than try to institute some new perception of the author. and the story is compelling too!

Go check it out at http://www.theshackbook.com

The Shack

I have been reading this new book recently... The Shack. I am not finished with it yet (I am up to chapter 14), but I am zooming through it!

This is a great book. It tells the (fictional) story of a man whose young daughter is kidnapped and assumed murdered, and how he deals with his anger and pain... and how he is invited, years later, to the "scene of the crime" by God (as crazy as that sounds to himself) and the resulting conversations he has, show him how God loves him in the midst of his pain and rough life. It brings a lot of insight into the questions like "if God is good why doesn't he stop bad things from happening.. and where is God in the hardest times of my life?

It is a GREAT book... a must read and worth the mere $14 they charge for it. A great pondering book and a great conversation starter too.

When I finish the book I will try to write a more in-depth review of it without giving away the plot!

but for now... go check out the website about the book. I would love to hear from others that have read it too. If you love C.S. Lewis' style of conversations between characters as they learn about God... you will love this book!

http://theshackbook.com

Being a Troublemaker?

I think one of the things that we need to be reminded of is that inside the religious institutions there are people just as starving for grace as those who are not anywhere near God. Some of them are there because religion and it's practice are their God. Some are there because they know no other place to try and find Him, and get sold a bill of goods they were not shopping for.

When I stopped attending a "Sunday club" I wondered if it was my place or was right to go in and "stir up problems" and try to show people and change things in regard to separating a relationship with Jesus from the rigors of religious practice. ... and I separated myself from the idea of going in and being a "trouble maker"... but you know... I don't think God would ever call me to go be a "trouble maker" for the sake of being a "trouble maker".

I think that God might call me to go share his love and grace with PEOPLE who are seeking Him, or who have substituted religious actions and practice for Him. If in doing so I become a "troublemaker" to the guardians of the religious institution, then ok... and I would not try to displace or form a revolt against their earthly kingdom. I would gracefully leave their kingdom alone at their request, but I will not leave alone those who desire God and are tired of eating from the table of religious obligation and guilt.

However, I would not say we should take this on as a new mission and calling unless in fact God has asked you to do so. I think it takes time to vent out the anger some of us felt when we left the institution before we can go into an environment and not bring it all back up. We should return not with a vengeance to "tear down the walls", but rather to introduce a friend to people. If that is the intent and the method, and God has called us to do so... I think God could do amazing things through us as His Church is being salt and light inside as well as out of the institutions of religion.