Elders or No Elders

 

 

Each congregation is autonomous. Each congregation recognizes that autonomy as long as the congregation does the same things in the same way they do. It is a hypocritical concept to say the least. Our congregation is in the process of attempting to find men within the congregation who are qualified as well as willing to serve as elder. We have gone through this process before and come up empty.

 

Our congregation has a monthly "men's meeting" that governs the business of the congregation with somewhere around 15 or 20 men attending the meeting that lasts less than 2 hours. If a man is selected as elder is not from that number it means we will have an elder who is either not interested in working with the men or is too busy. Either way he will be a problem.  We also have a monthly "book of the month" meeting that lasts 2 hours with 4 or 5 men attending plus a number of women. Each month we read one or more books of the bible and then meet for two hours to discuss the books. If a man is selected as elder is not from that number it means we will have an elder who is either not interested in taking advantage of an opportunity to discuss the bible with others of the same faith or is too busy. Either way he will be a problem.  

Should be interesting.

Christians Delude Themselves

During the ten years of our Iraq and Afghanistan wars over 6,300 flag draped coffins were sent home. During those same ten years there were over 20,000 coffins draped with baby blankets, victims of the parents or third parties. If God is not going to protect the innocent and defenseless just who is he going to protect?

What Do Christians Expect of God?

 

 

What do Christians expect of God? Did Jesus die just so we could have a nicer place to live?  When God created humankind he built in certain requirements for humankind to exist such as air, food etc. According to Christian teachings humankind originally was naked and apparently oblivious to that fact. At a point in time humankind became aware and began covering up.  That is the current state of humankind; we require air to breath, food to eat, and clothing as a matter of life and death. Humankind is the only member of his creation requiring clothes. We are not by nature able to survive without additional coverings. Is it unreasonable to expect God to provide what is necessary for his creation to survive? So why doesn't he provide that which is required for his creation to survive? Has God created humankind just so we can thank him for providing what he created us to require? What do Christians expect of God?

Spirituality and Religion are they Mutually Exclusive?

Spirituality and religion are often discussed. In the current issue of USAToday there is an article "When Spirituality and Religion Collide."  In the article the author refers to the increasing gap between spirituality and religion in Western societies, and the failure of traditional religious institutions to learn from the divide. The Church of Christ is one of those religious institutions.

 

I take spiritual to refer to interest in a higher power of some sort and religion to refer to the weekly assemblies of the thousands of churches and folks believe they can be interested in one but not the other. I continue to believe that people claiming to be Christian are saying they can follow Jesus without attending the local congregation.  

 

According to what I have read, 80% of Americans under the age of sixty describe themselves as "spiritual."  Two thirds say they pray every day, three fourths say they want a personal relationship with God but only a third say they attended church weekly.

 

Years ago the Kingsport Times had a column concerning how teenagers are spiritual but not the spiritual of their fathers so this has been going on a long time. In the book "Not a Fan" the author writes about the difference between being a fan of Jesus and being a follower of Jesus. Jesus has more fans than he does followers even in the Church of Christ.

 

If what I read is correct the Church of Christ is shrinking relative to the population as well as in actual numbers. It appears our traditions are not working. A reasonable question would be how to change that but I will predict the Church of Christ will as will most religious groups continue to arrange the deckchairs on the Titanic. Spirituality vs. religion is, I believe, a conundrum.      

Saying Grace? Why?

Do you suppose Christians who insist on "saying grace" before they eat also say grace when they feed their pets? God had as much to do with their pet's food as He did for theirs.

Leaders think folks care what they think.

Have you noticed how people we call celebrities think the public cares what they think? Have you noticed how preachers think the congregation cares what they think on any subject other than the bible? There are no gospel preachers any more there are keynote speakers for the assembly of that congregation. He is expected to entertain not teach not admonish not rebuke. 

Big Government and Christians

Christians apparently want big government since they want government to enforce their moral beliefs. Christians are quite similar to Muslims when it comes to wanting to force others to believe the way they believe. Generally speaking Christians are delusional. 

Do Christians have to GO?

On the subject of willfully going into dangerous situations have you noticed how Christians rationalize? Jesus said "he that is immersed will be saved" but some say he meant sprinkling or pouring or even that it is unnecessary; Jesus said to the rich man "sell all you have and give to the poor and follow me" but some say he did not mean all and he certainly did not mean me; Jesus said "Go into all the world etc" but some say he meant send or stay behind and support; Jesus said he that loses his life will gain it but he that saves his life will lose it but some say he did not mean die for him. Christians will say they believe in prayer but do not believe Jesus will help them in dangerous situations. This goes with my Law of Verifiability which says if it is easy to verify confidence is low while if it is difficult to verify confidence is high. It is easy to pray for safe travel but not so easy to pray for protection from men with guns.

 

In most of the cases recorded in the New Testament I believe Jesus was speaking to those to whom he was speaking at that time, not me, not you. I have no responsibility to go anywhere I do have the responsibility to teach where I am to live for him where I am to die for him where I am, if I want to go fine, but I do not have the responsibility to go.

 

Stephen could have spoken a little more gently and lived but he did not and he died. I know people who consider themselves Christians but own weapons and say they are prepared to kill to protect their family. Didn't Jesus say something about loving him more than family?

 

Recently I read a book by David Platt in which he mentioned meeting a Christian from the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra in Indonesia. The fellow told Platt the story of how his tribe had come to know Christ. Years earlier a missionary couple had come to his village to share the gospel. The tribe was 100 percent Muslim. The tribal leaders captured this missionary couple, then murdered and cannibalized them.

 

Years later another missionary came to their tribe and again began sharing the gospel. The tribal leaders recognized that the story he told was exactly what the former couple had shared. This time they decided to listen. After they listened, they believed.  Within a short time, the entire tribe was converted to Christ. The believer told the author that today there are more than three million Christians among the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra.

 

When Platt first heard this story he said he immediately had questions: Would he be willing for him and his wife to be that first missionary couple? Would he be willing to be killed and cannibalized so that those who come after him would see people come to Christ? Another question I think if is: would he allow himself and his family to be sacrificed by not defending himself against people who are not prepared to meet God in judgment? Would those Christians who say they are prepared to kill to protect their family go into a dangerous situation to preach the gospel? I doubt it. 

 

Christians rationalize too much and we find it difficult to apply what we intellectually understand.

 

Do Christians Understand What They Believe?

Christians teach God, created humankind, gave them a relatively short life span and if during that short life time they do not say nice things about him he will torture them for eternity. Is that something a loving Creator would do?

Focus?

Why does it matter if GSMCOC exists? We do the typical sort of things that churches of Christ do if we cease to exist we will be replaced by another church of Christ that does similar things.

What value to society do we provide that other churches of Christ do not provide?

Our Culture is Our Problem

Has it ever occurred to you our culture sets girls up for sexual encounters while it teaches the boys that girls enjoy being seen almost naked and even naked. Look at the beach. Boys wear swim trunks down to their knees while girls wear swim suits that expose the maximum amount of skin especially close to their genitals and as much of their breasts as acceptable to their parents. Look at sporting events. Athletes wear uniforms such as in football that covers almost their entire body, with the exception of tight pants that expose the shape of the buttocks while girls wear short skirts which expose their pantie covered genital area and tops that expose the maximum acceptable breast area. In basketball male and female athletes are well covered while the cheerleaders are still in those skimpy uniforms. Obviously girls enjoy being seen almost naked in public. They obviously enjoy displaying their pantie covered buttocks and genital area. Whatelse are boys supposed to think?

Back to the beach. Girls wear swim suits that expose the maximum amount of skin legs for tanning which will be seen only by their sexual partners.

It may not be politically correct; it may not be deserved; it may not be something for which they are asking; but we know advertising sells and our culture sells girls as sex objects and religious folks are no different.