It seems I have already created a little bit of a stir with some people. Those steeped in tradition probably don’t like having their habitual feathers ruffled, but God is calling us to something greater! I cannot tell you how many times I felt God speak to me while searching out these all these ideas. God constantly wants to change us, He does not want us to get “stuck” in our relationship with Him, He constantly wants to work on us, and change us through and through - no matter how old we are…it’s never to late for change.

In today’s post I want to discuss the idea and concept of reaching the lost. Growing up, how many times did we hear go and get 5 people saved this year! While yes, we should reach the lost, have we done a good job at it? I think we have it all wrong honestly. And I’ll tell you why. How many people have I brought to the Lord? Let’s count. I am 28 years old and I have brought…..ummm…. ZERO. That’s right. I have tried, but it was fruitless. Has anyone considered the method of how we have tried? Has anyone ever been door-knocking? I sure have, in fact, we went door-knocking SEVERAL times in Bible College. Needless to say, nothing came of it. Why is this?

First, let me make a disclaimer. Anyone who reaches out to others by door-knocking or talking to people every chance they get, should not be criticized. Jesus clearly tells us to fulfill the Great Commission by going out into the world….so I am not knocking that, BUT, have we thought about our method?

Donald Miller makes a great point in his book starting on page 29. He said one night he was watching an infomercial about a knife that could cut through a boot and remain sharp enough to slice a tomato. They called it the Miracle Blade. Another night he saw a cleanser made with orange juice that could get blood out of carpet. They said it worked like magic. “The whole idea of everybody wanting to be somebody new was an important insight in terms of liking God. God was selling something I wanted! Still, God was in the same boat as the guy selling the knives and Juliet promising to make Romeo new. Everybody exaggerates when they are selling something. Everybody says their product works like magic. I pictured my pastor as a salesman or a magician, trying to trick the congregation into believing Jesus could make us new. And, honestly, I felt as though he was trying to convince himself, as though he only half-believed what he was saying. It’s not that Christian spirituality seemed like a complete con, it’s just that it had some of those elements.”

Donald then went on to say that he felt like Christianity, as a religious system, was a product that kept falling apart, and whoever was selling it would hold the broken parts behind his back trying to divert everybody’s attention. What he meant by that was for example children’s stories. “How many times has the story of Noah’s ark been told to children? How can that story be appropriate for children? Can you imagine a children’s book about Noah’s ark complete with paintings of people gasping in gallons of water, mothers grasping their children while their bodies go flying down white-rapid rivers, the children’s tiny heads being bashed against rocks or hung up in fallen trees?”

I know that last part was hard to think about, but it was probably the truth of that day. I know Donald may have gone a little far in that analogy, but he is right in what he says about us “selling” Jesus. How many times have we heard the preacher say, “Come to Jesus - He will solve all your problems! Jesus will fill the hole in your heart and you’ll never be sad again!” Come on people, that is rubbish.

As Donald said, Jesus is not a round peg to fit the round hole in your heart, and some people say. We will probably have MORE pain and MORE problems being a Christian, and I’ll tell you why. Jesus desires to change our heart, our old man…and in doing that He pulls those things out of us that need changing. God never waves a magic wand and makes the problems disappear. In doing that, we would never LEARN character, we would never LEARN to trust Him….we would never LEARN anything.

The problem with teaching people to come to God and that their life will be SO much better, I think it deceiving. You teach people to have an expectation of the perfect Christian life, and then when their first trial comes up, they are thinking, “um yeah, what did I sign up for?”

Why do you think so many people backslide and get angry at God? The whole reason they get angry, is because they are hurt. Why? Because they are disappointed. Disappointment only comes from failed expectations. We put expectations on God b/c we are taught that God can deliver us! Just pray and believe! And when God chooses not to come through, then we get angry and hurt. Did you ever think that God maybe wanted to teach us some character to handle the situation should it arise again? Or how about, taking us through something so hard, that when we do come out of it we know it was ONLY God that brought us through it to begin with.

These things are not easy to talk about, but aren’t you tired as a Christian just playing “patty-cake” with God? I am so tired of it. I want church to change, I want my mentality to change, I want to change! God wants to change my mentality, and that it not be man-made, but God-made. I have started on this incredible journey, and I feel like I have to share with someone what I am learning. Yes, some people will read and say, that’s crazy! She should not be getting people all riled up, or it’s people like her that cause problems in church by causing people to doubt. Why are we so afraid of our churches changing? Why are we so afraid to have people ask questions? For so long, we have been told, do as I say…and don’t ask questions. Questions make us nervous….questions challenge our believes. It’s much easier to silence those types of people than to invite them to ask…..b/c our own cover might get blown. We might not have it as “together” as people think, and then we might lose respect. Come on people! Shake yourselves!!!! Are we so afraid of saying we don’t have the answers?? Heaven forbid we have to go to God and ask Him to reveal Himself to us, and we have to tell someone “um, I am not sure. Can I get back to you on that?”

I know this is harsh and may sting a little, but I am sharing what God has convicted ME OF, and I feel like it’s time to share.

Comments, please!

In my first post, I would like to discuss a section from the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. In a foreword, I recently had the chance to see Donald Miller at Catalyst Conference 2006. This conference changed my life. I am still thanking my pastor for allowing our team of leaders to attend this conference, and would inspire ANYONE to make the effort to go. We are already making plans to go next year.

Just a personal thought on this conference. I spoke to several people of our “organization”, and by organization I mean our church affiliation, and was extremely disappointed to hear how closed minded many of them were to this conference. It was almost like they seriously thought they could receive nothing from this group of people, simply because they were not “like-minded.” I say like-minded in a total sarcastic sense of the word, when I should say these people who opposed are close-minded. Every nugget I took away from this conference truly sparked a controversy in my own mind - a war of my old mentality and the mentality that Christ seems to want me to adopt into my life. I don’t want to use the word “brain-washed”, but I think misguided might be a little more accurate. I am sure my statement may spark controversy, but I don’t care. After reading this book (Blue Like Jazz) I am suddenly unafraid to ask the “forbidden” questions that I have been silenced from for so long. More on that later, as I dissect this book - and I hope some of you are along for the ride. It seems that everything that was spoken at this conference was a direct confirmation from God, and a total OPPOSITE from the old mentality with which I was raised. I will divulge further…

I would like to discuss chapter 2 of the book. On page 13, Donald Miller makes the statement “I believe that the greatest trick of the devil is not to get us into some sort of evil, but rather have us wasting time. This is why the devil tries so hard to get Christians to be religious. If he can sink a man’s mind into habit, he will prevent his heart from engaging God.” Does he know how much truth and weight is in that statement? When I read it, I couldn’t grab my little pink highlighter quick enough! HOW TRUE! The devil probably would LOVE us to be religious, to get that religious “air” about us, and have it altogether. How many YEARS do we waste time just “being” religious? I see it everyday - I have done it myself! What would your definition of religious be? Maybe I should say “being saved…” or the “art of being saved.” Yes, the art has been perfected. Maybe it’s a style of clothing, maybe it’s being on time, maybe it’s your position….maybe it’s the same pew you sit in week after week, maybe it’s the same way you clap your hands, or put amen in just the right spot….or stand up before anyone else while the preacher is preaching. Maybe it’s even throwing that little “preach it!” or “that’s good!”… Oh sure, you look around and make sure your church act looks good for everyone else to see. Maybe if you do the right combination of Sunday tricks, it will look like you are spiritual!

How can I be so sarcastic? Because I’ve DONE IT. I’ve been there, until I had a rude awakening one day and realized how programmed I was…and how much on a track to hell I WAS. When I read this statement in this book, I was convicted all over again. Then I had to ask myself, was my heart engaging God? What did the word engage mean exactly?

Engage (verb):
1. to attract and hold fast
2. to attract or please

Hmm, is my little show of religion ATTRACTING GOD and holding Him fast? It seems my little antics are just for me and those around me, or maybe for the preacher. What am I doing to ENGAGE GOD? This statement says that if my mind is sunk into habit, it will PREVENT me from engaging God. So, then do I have it all wrong? QUITE POSSIBLY, quite possibly I do.

My prayer is for a WHOLE NEW mentality.

Thoughts please….

More from this book later.

Friends, I didn’t want to use my personal blog to write the long posts I am planning to write, so I opened a new one. I am hoping to create something where I can maybe post some topics most people are afraid to talk about, because I think it’s necessary we talk about them. Mostly though, I’d like to post great thoughts I have found out of studying and reading, and I’d like to open discussion about it. I hope anyone who comes across this blog will openly discuss with me!

Welcome!