It is probably clear that i am & have been distressed about the things G preaches. They often aren't horrible, horrible, but it does seem that even when he gives a really good sermon he has to throw something in that is manipulative in some way.
Even when we first began attending there & i felt some "glow" from the sermon he gave, when thinking back over it later what usually stuck in my head was the guilt from that manipulation. After this had been happening for some time it distressed me more & more. He is a very good speaker, & it bothered me that all i was taking away was some guilt, or shame, or fear.
It has also distressed me that he would use such tactics on the good people of that church. Except that G has re-written the English language so that there is no "good" apart from God. He would rail against the phrase, "No, thanks, I'm good," in his sermons (i'm told it is bad grammar, but my grammar skills are sadly lacking). Now, i know that people can be really, really wicked. I know none of us are as good as we want to be, let alone be good enough to come into God's presence on our own. That is why Jesus came.
We figure that G has never heard the terms, "Good, better, best," or "Fair, good, excellent." I know we can't be good enough to reach God on our own, but i've never understood why we have to be chastised or beaten up because of it. What good does it do to to rail against me because i'm a sinner? Jesus forgave me of that & i'm washed clean.
So, much of my concern over this church is that people are being taught what robs them of their joy & doesn't really feed them. I've been deeply burdened for the church as a whole because of this.
Yesterday on my way into town i realized a truth. We have done what we can in order to address this. I wish we could have shared our concerns with more people so that they'd think more critically (evaluate what is said, not just soak it in), but we shared it with folks who are responsible for the church. If they continue to allow such preaching & such abuse, if they continue to sit in the pews week after week & take it, that is their choice. I can't "fix it" & i never could.
Frankly, i too have seen them as children (as i've accused G of treating them like "stupid children") & wanted to "save them" from such abuse. But they are not children; they are mature adults. I think we've waved red flags about what is taught, but they are able to determine whether or not they choose to pay attention.
While i will always be concerned & sorry that such sad things are being done in that church, i can't do any more than i have. If they continue to allow it, that is their choice.
_________________________
I'm reading O Me of Little Faith & will probably write about that next. Maybe even chapter by chapter. I'm only part way into it & what he is saying resonates with me much.
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15 June 2010
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About Me
- Kathryn
- Wife, wanted to be a mama - not going to happen, massage therapist, child of God. I can be emailed at: 4Kat2009@gmail.com
3 comments:
>I know none of us are as good as we want to be, let alone be good enough to come into God's presence on our own. That is why Jesus came.<
Kathryn,
I can't tell you how thrilling it is to read the statements of your faith that come out of your wrestling with what G teaches! You really "nail" the gospel, the whole point of why Jesus came and what he accomplished for us in coming!
Makes me even more thankful for Him!
>I know we can't be good enough to reach God on our own, but i've never understood why we have to be chastised or beaten up because of it. What good does it do to rail against me because i'm a sinner? Jesus forgave me of that & i'm washed clean.<
Yes! Hurray! Preach it, sister! It's just that simple and marvelous.
It is true that we cannot boast in our own good works or righteousness, but to take a pessimestic veiew is wrong. We have been saqved by the grace of God and justified by Him, seale d by the Holy Spirit for eternity and our names are written in the Lamb 's book of life.We are not standing on a shakey foundation.
The righteousness we have has been bestowed upon us by Christ. Eph. says we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies....joint heirs with Him.
But this should lead us to examine ourselves all the more.
G sound s like a phrophet of doom.
I've always believed that way, Jes. God has just given me the ability (& much of that thru attending this church) to verbalize it better & more confidently.
G is a prophet of doom or something, Amrita. He does focus so much on the small & weak.
When driving it is well-known that if you focus your eyes on any one point, eventually your car will follow. That is why it is dangerous to focus on the something beside the road rather than have most of your attention on the road in front of you.
It seems to me that he has focused so much of his attention on our human weakness & foibles that that is where he is leading the church. I think it would be much better to focus on the glory of God.
But that is not something over which i have control.
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