The destruction of a passive faith..
Current mood: ashamed
Category: Blogging

My last blog spoke about the message of Christ and how the status quo in church sometimes misses the entire point of that message. Whats wrong with them… whats wrong with me… and whats wrong with us?

I work with lots of church leaders to discuss their progress and what steps should be taken next. Usually we start (and sometimes never end) with topics like music styles, quality, lighting, staging, chair set up, ambience, projection, dress codes, and other ways to "hip up" the service. Every once and a while I'll have a client who addresses some deeper issues such as being relevant to the culture and making their ministries relate better to people "of the world" ! Hahah. I usually laugh inside and hold back and gently guide the conversation to even deeper places… the real message of the gospel.

I can close my eyes and imagine what most church services pinnacle moments were today: Healing (worship), being born again (message), and tithing (worship/offering). Keeping my eyes closed, I think about Jesus and his ministry and his main premise of whole restoration was the heart of the message- a good news, the gospel, that the kingdom of God is here and now. It's the now of the message that I feel like the church keeps getting smacked in the face like walking into a clear sliding glass door.

Hear me out.. I read a story about post colonized countries in Africa and how missionaries come and "spread the gospel" with these same three things that impact our churches in America: healing, born againess, and tithing. My heart felt like it broke… I felt like I tripped on a tree root that I could see the entire time. The healing message of Christ is real. But in several instances, I feel that the church uses this "healing" power as part of their enterprise to increase tithing…

Heres what happen… As missionaries came and set up tents and preached their messages, bored and lonely folks came from all over to hear what these men had to say. A message of hope was presented. In Africa- Aids/HIV is an epidemic that about 75% of the inhabitants deal with daily… so the first point came.. God came to heal. Looking for something else, the people grasp onto this message… they stop taking their medicines for HIV. As a result of this "healing" message, new resistant strains of HIV impacts this community and then they spread it. One health care working said that their "gospel" message is not the same as Christ's calling there's "nonsense."

Continuing in the story, these same missionaries would emphasize that the listeners be "born again." After Sunday's "born again" experience on Sunday, they are still unemployed on Monday. Thought these peoples are born again their "problems" still remain the same.. sick, unemployed, hopeless.

The unemployment factor places a unique burden on society such as: Drugs, sex, rape, murder, crime, gangs… all of that becomes a status quo- for any society.

Finishing with the story… after these poor people are told to become healed and born again- the missionary begs for a tithe and promises that God will return 100 fold. Sadly, these poor, starving people give their last bits of money for a hope that God would bless… and I think somewhere inside, we believe that God will supernaturally provide this… forgetting that the church was created to be Christ's literal hands and feet to these hurting people.

The return on the investment these people put in brings the speaker back to say the same thing… in America- it pays for a church building and pews to sit on and enjoy every Sunday for two hours… bathrooms are nice too.


My point- religion, even the kind where we have found purpose and belonging to Christ with meaning and truth, can become captive to something else… extreme distortions of the Message of Christ. Faith becomes benign and passive to a failing, starving, broken, and hurting culture. I think that the status quo of the church brings about a destructive ideology – forgetting the hands and feet that we should be going out to do and change the world. Faith in God is a force of liberation, freedom, restoration, and transformation… but instead turns into a source of resignation, distraction, pacifisms, complacency and apathy.

We do the same things in America. Its not just a missions crisis.

Think about it.. thoughts? More to come in a few days.

Currently listening : Roots By Shawn McDonald Release date: 2008-03-11

11:35 AM - 6 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

There is beauty in the breakdown...
Current mood: thoughtful
Category: Blogging

I can't get over these words of Christ. They repeat in my head over and over and over again. "I have come to bring good news: that the kingdom of God is here and now."

Good News.

Now.

The kingdom of God

Here on this earth.

Now.
… Now..

Right now.

I keep thinking about this statement because Jesus said it. And He's the man. The main man actually and when he says something its important. Besides, nearly 33% of earth's inhabitants are Christian… the largest religion in the world. The next largest is Muslim at 21% and they still think Jesus and what he says is pretty important.

Religion might not be your thing, and I certainly empathize with you… its slowly not becoming my thing either… ☺ Most of what I hear religious people say about Jesus is related to how some folks go to heaven or hell after they die or how God will make someone happier or wealthier. I think ive heard the same sermon my entire life . That sermon sounds something like this… that im a sinner and that we all are sinners and that Jesus could come at any time. Perhaps when that time comes and my heart is not right with God by accepting this Jesus as my Christ and Savior, then I will spend eternity in hell.

Different verses, funny stories, mediocre music, but all saying the same thing. Turn or burn. Man, that sounds enticing. But what about the message of Christ. Was that the message? I'm not sure that it is because I have to look around me, or read the newspaper, or even see the news. Sometimes I'll take a drive to the bad parts of town, with my door locked of course and not making eye contact with anyone.

I beg this question.. what is the kingdom of God here and now and how is the church furthering that cause. When I look at the news or drive down town- I see starvation, guns, violence, war, hate, anger, greed. It's all over the place. It is the world we live in. I hate it. Yet, I do nothing about it. I'm such a hypocritical religious person spewing off the sermon of the century. How could I have missed the message of Christ all this time, and how could my pastor, and his pastor, and his pastor, and his pastor educate, and preach, and send out millions of missionaries, and write some of the greatest theological treaties ever, miss the message also- that the Kingdom of God is here, now, right now.

Jesus has always held a special place for the marginalized, the broken, the hurting, the poor, the children, the whoevers who sticks out like a sore thumbs or are unpopular. Mathew 25 speaks about "whatever you do for the least of these you do for me also." I think that I and the church I love so much has put so much thought in arguments over biblical interpretations, theological speculation, rules over drinking, card playing, gambling. Oh, don't forget about the never ending dialog to drink alcohol or not, or which instrument is more spiritual … all of that in comparison to murder, minorities, racism, poor, exploitation of the environment, wars… weapons of mass destruction--- talk about some mass distraction. The message of Christ got smothered and caught up with other stuff.

Some are getting it right, but too few and too late.

Here's the bright line for those who still don't believe me: Did the church with one voice oppose dehumanizing life through slavery? No, and in fact the Southern Baptists fueled and funded slavery and KKK. Did the church speak outrage over women and blacks as 2nd class citizens.. what about exploitation of factory workers… did anyone stand up for the refugees or immigrants? Did someone say something in opposition of segregation, anti Semitism, white privilege, ethnic prejudice? What about celebrating the creation of God by protecting it. What about this war.. fighting justice and peace with more violence.

I've come to realize that something is wrong with the way that we understand Jesus and the "good news" he shared. Its absolute that something is missing in the version of Christianity that we live today, preach, and send out to the nations, the same sermon that I've heard my entire life misses the message of Christ. The message is always lacking this key ingredient- how the will of God can be accomplished here on this earth making it a Kingdom of God, changing the world not just escaping it for Heaven.

Man, there is so much more to write.. on the next blog. Chew on this thought for a day or so and then come back and let's chat about this message of Christ.. the one we keep missing. You know its funny, the "world" says that we Christians are hypocrites… they get and see the message of Christ; why is it that we, the church, get it so wrong and are so messed up.

Hi. My name is Cory. And I'm a hypocrite. In AA , this is the first step, admitting. But now its time that I change my mind and my ways…. A step to moving away from addiction of hypocrisy. Care to join or at least explore this some more? Read back next week.. or comment below! ☺

Blessings,
Cory the recovering hypocrite <><

8:47 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

The Jesus story isn’t what we think..
Current mood: blah
Category: Blogging

It's been a while since I've written anything. I had the opportunity to join a beautiful group of young adults into the mountains of Virginia for a weekend of campfires, smores, mud from a rainy monsoon, and hiking up a vivacious mountain. Minus a few glitches, the weekend was almost perfect! I met an interesting thinker and naturally, we found that we could talk about lots of things together. Awaken from my slumber it seemed, we began to explore several points about the bible, Jesus, his revolution, love, peace, and tolerance.

Something that we differ on in opinion is specifically how Christ's message of hope and love affects so many things. Faith seemingly and suspiciously has turned into a religious status quo that is broken because we no longer have a faith that impacts a way of life, at least not one that makes a difference in the world. There are so many versions of "Christianity" that we've inherited from our parents and grandparents generation—a tamed faith, a water down religion, mundane, full of fellowship meals and pointless bible studies; oh and don't forget the free ticket, a all expense paid train ride to Heaven.

But in our conversation, I think we struck a chord about what the church could do, what it could look like… defining what "Christianity" is actually for- to reach the lost, the marginalized, the poor, the broken, the children, and the widows. Oh, man the conversation was good, and stirred in me so much.

While chatting, I felt like this thinking mind of his and several others who were either amused or annoyed with the conversation would ask my opinion on hot button issues like the death penalty, homosexuality, and abortion. But through it all, I kept wondering about all those other sure pressed questions- like how to end starvation, how to love the unloved, how to stop war and love our enemies. Why is it that we need such a firm stance on the abortion topic and not the other topics? Homosexuality is just as important as protecting the environment, global warming, weapons of mass destruction. I keep thinking that those hot button issues are used as to deem how liberal another Christian is… maybe I'm just backwards, but I see how religious and unloving when I ask questions about extinction of people groups because of war, selling arms to rogue nations, and being the leading nation of giving the least amount of aid to countries that need it. It's these questions that go unanswered and untouched. But are the very ones that Christ came down to answer for us.

Here is the punch line- Jesus' "good news" isn't about a final destination to escape this hell-ridden world, but a revolutionary one to go against the grain, the system that seeks the antithesis of heaven. The gospel is about how to make this earth like heaven- a kingdom of God here and now not later and in the future.

So in my search of scriptures, I truly have to reframe the narrative that I grew up understanding from my pastor- changing from a free ticket at the end of time to creating heaven here on earth now. This new framing concept has been exciting and curious to find and learn and grow and then teach others. For example, whom was Jesus saving what or me from? An angry God.. sin- but how did sin get here, and what is it like in this present time.. Is sin just limited to my actions? What about that hope, that revolution of Christ… Christ did come to save the world and not only offer a ticket to heaven but the creation of heaven on earth.

Chew on that for a second with me. What are your thoughts? I hope to write some more and often.

Blessings,
Rev, cn <><

7:59 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The music is too loud.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

Music paints beautiful pictures reflecting those melodies that ring true in hearts. I love music, everything about it. The artist, paints each chord so perfectly to illustrate the point and it most always stings or massages something that is on ones mind.

There seems to be lots on my mind… and my heart is feeling so much lately I think it could be a lil bit bruised. I wonder so much about life, so much about love, heartache, being alone, being together, feeling loved, being loved, and loving. Sometimes it seems that I’m running away from everything that I know to search for something, I’m not sure what, but something none the less. Recently, my running has taken me into a direction I’m not sure that I understand or like. Its not God, or is it?

….. the hallway doesn’t end. I keep running away from my past, or my future, or perhaps both. The cross roads of life, I’m sure is something that every single guy in his twenties considers. To cross that way, or go that direction or why not go every way and just end up going in circles.

I’m exhausted. So im slowing down and starting to look back again. Backwards seems forward, perhaps at least for the moment. I know backwards and am comfortable at experiencing life backwards, so backwards stall it is. I’m halting the breaks but despite how right going back feels, that screeching noise of metal clashing together screams in my ear…. I’m uncomfortable with that thought too.

In my mind, thoughts just seem to keep thinking, never settling. My heart wants to feel everything but so afraid to become a victim of murder .

In my thoughts, I want to see things through a lens of love but get caught up in this western narrative of materialism and greed. I hate that I am becoming that guy.

My song right now is a emoish rock mixed with a lullaby because isn’t that like home anyway? There is a lot of noise in my head and not a lot of melodies and hardly any harmonies.

I wish things would settle down. Or do I? Ever have that feeling that you are meant to do something to change the world… something else? I feel like that short kid trying to take the basketball from a taller bully holding the pumpkin shape ball just out reach.

I keep asking for that safe place. I know where it is, I just don’t know it, but I do, but I don’t want it.. so I keep searching…. Only to come back to that crossroads and now we are back full circle again Confusing? Yeah, did I say that the music is too loud, because I meant to.

Man, its been a while since I’ve written. I need to do this more often, maybe I won’t be so confused sometimes.

The hurting, the lost, the confused, the desperate, the loved, the unloved, the know it all, the know it none… all have a safe place in Christ. Back home is in his arms. The music is life’s trials but also a description of lifes journey. The neat thing that I know from experience with Christ is that he loves all the way all the time. Sounds a bit cliché… running down that hallway for me.. I can always hear Christ, I can see him with arms open wide saying that I love You. He loves even when we have no desire to go back to him or passes by him so many times. Stuff happens. Man, its just getting over yourself to get over that stuff. We aren’t promised perfection in our daily living, just grace, which is good news to me.

Let the never ceasing streams of mercy flow and carry me back home.

This note was a lil bit personal. I hate that we are so private anyway. Let the church arise. The church being you and me. Let love prevail. Let the stupid things like greed, materialism, pride, selfishness, sexuality, cursing, bitterness, anger, and loneliness fall away and stomped on.

I want to be with Christ, where he is, next to me. The neat thing is that we are not alone and that he never leaves. Sometimes though we have to feel like we are to become those things to truly experience that truth. Sometimes we feel so lonely and so afraid. The confusion is full and makes helplessness set in. Nothing seems right... unless we are hurting. Know this though- he’s singing over you, right beside you. He’s next to me, and singing over me. We won’t be alone in this, but we do need to look towards him and his direction and take a step with his step.

I think i needed to write this. I hope you needed to read this.
blessings,
rev. cn <><

6:45 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

the revolutionary faith... huh!?!
Current mood: sleepy
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Several of my friends ask me my thoughts of Christianity… what is it, what does it look like, and what is so different about me as compared to others journeying through faith. With all seriousness, I stare into their eyes and say something like this- it's faith in something so much greater than anything we could ever know, something revolutionary, bringing about change in the world, and ourselves and based in love. It's in this very vague and general description that causes for some deep soul searching and conversations that never seem to find an ending point.

I love the key ingredient of Jesus' ministry while living deep in Jewish piety- revolution. I see him being frustrated with the same things that frustrate me and some of my friends with the church… heavy burdensome chains of rules and laws that make life so hard that its almost impossible to live at such a high standard. Jesus saw this law and brought a gospel that simply means good news that there is something better, something different, and something so simple that even the untrained child could understand. Jesus preached a gospel of change, revolution, and love. Instead of rules and laws, Jesus preached love and acceptance. He spoke about helping the poor and turning the other cheek. He said that there is no reason to feel guilty any longer; no more burnt offerings are needed.

I really like Jesus. I think him and I would be great friends… sitting around the dinner table eating, enjoying relationship, and seeking out the deep things in life.

I often beg the question with my friends who struggle with their walk and life in Christ. Just the other day, I sat in on a bible study where a group of people failed in their lives, God saw it, and were starving to start over but just didn't know how. Its like we forget everything that Jesus talks about in his revolutionary gospel… the parts about mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

I couldn't blame them though… I too go through moments where I question everything in my faith in God and my right to such forgiveness. Sometimes I beg, cry, and call out for God to be forgiving me for my stuff… bargaining sometimes. But then I remember God's mercy- his sweet forgetfulness where, like a blanket, God covers it all up. God has already forgiven me, before I even speak out his name in confession. I get confused sometimes, like us all I'm sure, where I feel like God would never consider forgiving me.
…
Because I did the worse things ever
…
Begging God. Just to glance at me and remember me when he passes out forgiveness like bread in a homeless shelter.

But then God comes flooding in… the love that we know, we feel, we experience it, and remember- Christ is already broken for my stuff. Christ has breathed fresh life into us and it's our job to breathe in that peace in our hearts, even in the midst of our sins.

Here's a fact: God loves us no matter what. There is nothing that we can do that will make him love we less, or more. Even if we have no plans to become better he still loves us… he still loves me. And that is good news and revolutionary.

It's good because it's in this thought that my heart becomes alive and I love God and others. His love fights fear, and rejection, and low self esteem, and pain. Accepting this love is the key to getting over life's hurts.

Heres a thought.. only God has come to save us.. To make us whole again, to find us. Only God comes to wrap his arms around us… no love equals the amount of love of God's love. He's there, no begging needed. No rules necessary. No amount of prayer to get through the fog of questions and forgiveness. He's there, his arms are already around you and he's whispering the truth in your ear… stop the wonder, the doubt, and inner monologue to listen…. ? He's there. When you draw near to him he will draw near to you- no bible study required.

I'll write more soon.. sleepiness is coming upon my eyelids now.

Remember- we walk in God's blessing. But you gotta look up and receive it!

Rev. cn <><

8:59 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Awaken the Dawn... awaken the college campuses throughout America!
Category: Blogging

Greetings Ministers, Sponsors, or Student Leaders:

I hope and pray all is well with you! I write to you as a fellow minister of college students and organizer of mobilization events throughout the country. Collectively as a church, we are pressing forward and praying for a stirring and shaking of our campuses throughout America and especially at your campus. Please continue reading for a special invitation coming up on February 22-24 in Fredericksburg, VA.

Several national and international leaders, campus ministers, student leaders, and several others will be gathering in Fredericksburg for the Awaken the Dawn Conference (www.awakenthedawn.net). One particular leader and prayer advocate, Pete Greig (Red Moon Rising) will be sharing Friday evening and Saturday morning about the clear vision regarding your campus, prayer, and a genesis of evangelism and spiritual growth in dynamic proportions!

Campus Ministers, student leaders, and prayer advocates will be equipped and mobilized to create prayer rooms in every college in VA and DC Metro area. Please consider joining us at this event. Pete has some very clear words for all of us and would like to spend extra time with you at a workshop and special breakfast just for you.

For more information about Pete Greig and this national campus movement for God through prayer please visit www.campusamerica.org . The cost of the conference is $25 for students and $40 for any over age $40. However if cost is an issue, a scholarship will be made available to you. Please respond with your name and school if you do plan to attend as well as if you need a scholarship.

Pete Greig is an author, church-planter and one of the founding leaders of 24-7prayer, a British charity which has grown in six years from a single night-and-day prayer room into an international, interdenominational Christian movement committed to prayer, mission, and justice. Thanks to an innovative approach to spirituality and culture, 24-7 has captured the attention of newspapers and magazines from Rolling Stone to Readers Digest and was the subject of a British television documentary. Proposed by Relevant Magazine as one of the top fifty 'Revolutionary Leaders' of his generation, Greig is a popular speaker and writer whose books have been translated into a number of languages.

I hope to hear from you and can't wait to read your email! Feel free to ask any question

Many Blessings
Cory Newell

Who is this guy!?
Cory Newell is a licensed minister and ministry consultant traveling the country helping churches, non-profits, and businesses further their cause. Focusing on marketing, corporate event organizing, strategic planning, postmodern creative services, prayer rooms, and other administrative support; Cory supports the ministry of the church. Cory has his Master of Arts Degree from Liberty Theological Seminary and resides in Newport News, Virginia when not traveling.

Currently listening : Beautiful People By Jason Upton Release date: 05 June, 2007

9:21 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

finding hope in a child’s eyes. changing the world...
Current mood: awake
Category: Religion and Philosophy

I sat in a dim auditorium this evening with hundreds of college students seeking only a few extra credit points in their business classes. The local college brought in Survivor Africa winner Ethan Zohn to discuss leadership. It's a neat lecture series that the university opens to the community, thus my reasoning for being in a dimly lit auditorium full of college students. My newfound love for everything survivor found me eagerly anticipating the words from the sacred survivor winner. His words though, were far from what I expected and woke me up out of my seeming slumber.

"You can be consumed with yourself or you can change the world, it's your choice," the Survivor Africa champ said. He's a champ because he won the top prize of 1,000,000 and a new car. He started an organization to help Africans learn more about a treatable disease, AIDS/HIV. He shared his own personal stories of how his heart changed. He described the moment where everything changed from pointing to himself to the hope in the eyes of a child, one who is looking to you for some sort of great change.

The Hope he says, is the means of treating a curable disease to a country that is forgotten. The curable disease is something we as Americans barely think about because it's treatable in our country. 220,000 people die every 22 days… that's two twin towers building, that is the total deaths from the Tsunami that struck Indonesia, that's more deaths than all of the 20th century wars combined. The sum of deaths to those who are suffering from treatable diseases is catastrophic… and the thought breaks my somber heart to tears. This is the change that I should be apart of.

The burden of hopelessness broke because the speaker offered an opportunity for these college students to change the world. The men who rape virgin girls looking for a cure from AIDS can have hoped. Those 9 year olds dying from the poison in their body can have hope. The children who are selling their bodies for a loaf of bread can have hope.

Sitting in that room with those college students was a wakeup call for me. What am I doing with my life? Oddly, I contemplate this thought often, probably more often than most men in their early twenties. There is something more that my life is to fulfill, there is something more that the lives of my friends are to fulfill, there is something more that my generation are to fulfill.

My God calls me to do something about it… O my God.. Break my heart, break my friends hearts, and break my reader's hearts. I think about the verse in the bible that says that the devil is walking about like a roaring lion just looking for someone to devour. I always thought about myself so selfishly when considering this verse and my faith… meaning I had to memorize the most bible verses so that I could repeat the golden words at the time of my temptation. Consider this verse for Africa- the devil is devouring this country. The devil is roaring loudly. … Why Africa, why not America… or Mexico.. I'm sure we can go round and round on this thought.. but perhaps consider this thought..

Perhaps its because we, the Christians, are not standing between the lion and its prey. We have the knowledge, the education, the will power, and the money to change Africa. I think that the devil mocks the church… Roaring over the 145 million orphans, roaring over the 35,000 children each day that will die from preventable things like malaria and malnutrition, roaring over the 60 million people he devours with aids.

A woman I look to greatly for wisdom, Mother Theresa said this: "When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed."

Satan knows that the if the church took poverty as seriously as we take abortion, gay rights, and animal kindness, we could wipe all of the "roaring" in one generation. The issue isn't whether or not we can do it, but rather if we have the will to act…. Ethan tonight was begging for this generation to act.

As a Christian church, we cannot look at these issues as neutral ground… What is happening in Africa is not Gods will. What God claims as good and loving, Satan counter claims death, suffering, apathy, and lying. Aids are a tool of destruction and are not a curse from God. God is out of the cursing business… remember the rainbow! The tool is great because as it's killing off an entire continent the church is still arguing whether or not Aids is a life style issue.

The Church is it. God gave no other instruction other than his "hands" and his "feet" (the church) to be his agents of change. While most of the American churches are seeking to fill the church pews or programs, the real life of the message of Christ is lived by the compassion and love we share with the world. God did not call us as judges. No, he called us to be healers, peacemakers, and reconcilers. The church must practice this… do this, now… a radical and redemptive love for the least of these… I'm so tired of church as usual.. blah.

Here's my final thought… if one is to take Christ seriously, then one must daily put themselves in front of the roaring lion. Jesus divides his people into sheep's and goats.. those who talk and those who do. To know Jesus is to love and advocate for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the outcast. Everything else is negotiable. So, to live for Christ is to put the words of Christ into action and then watching the miracle of what happens when we become Jesus to a dying world.

Tonight was good. I needed to be reminded of these thoughts… though, Ethan is Jewish and didn't mention a single religious word, these thoughts became alive in me again.

Point of Action: what are you doing to change the world… start with you heart.. then your friends and sharing your heart.. next.. go volunteer, feed the homeless, play with kids at the boys and girls club.. do something. Get off the couch… please… what are other ways to practice this… comment! ?

Currently listening : Back to Bedlam By James Blunt Release date: 04 October, 2005

8:47 PM - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

God hates sin, not "fags" -part 2
Current mood: adventurous
Category: Religion and Philosophy

* be sure to read part one- "homosexuals in the church, what!?" first before you read this one. *

The church must be the hope of the whole world, including those who aren't the boxed in cookie cutter christian type. I'm often surprised when I hear of the stories of church and Christians responding to alternative lifestyles... I'd like to set for the record that God doesn't hate "Fags", Homosexuals will not burn in hell, and that God isn't a white middle class republican. He's not your home-boy and I'm sure gets as annoyed at these cliches notes as I do. God is holy and that is something that should make us get up and dance, because his love is never ending. Let me preface my above statements that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. Faith in his redeeming blood is a good direction to move towards in understanding my statements above. Simply opening a bible and your heart and reading the book of John could be a good place to start.

God hates sin, not "fags." un-repented sinners burn in hell not homosexuals, and I'm sure that God considers all life giving social policy and not the republican or democratic political agenda. Or better said, God is good social policy. Abolish all political parties and go God! Let me vote on the God ticket please and save me from the melodrama, please!

Back to the Church, God's arms in this society. Homosexuality is a real issue that continues to scrape already broken and bleeding hearts on broken glass both inside and outside of the church. People inside the church are starving to tell someone their story because of the battle between good and evil. People outside of the church are usually sexually active to fill the desire for intimacy lost. Lost in lust and starving for something that is seemingly unattainable in the status quo, they see the church full of judgmental bullies offering no sense of hope.

This idea of love and acceptance is a natural response and something that the church should do a better job to provide, because after all- we learn in the previous post that homosexuality is not a unique sin, we all sin, we all suck, and we all need Jesus desperately, yet equally. Despite this, the church is not seen as a safe haven. There is no hope here, but fear.... fear of rejection, shame, ridicule, and so forth. I think about some of my home churches and can not blame a struggling homosexual person.... to me, even, the church is a hard place to live. I'm a minister and I constantly feel judged. This has to stop.

One of the reasons I feel that the Gay and Lesbian Community is so strong is because this group offers a sense of belonging, love, and grace (yes, even grace) that the church often refuses to give to this group, yet and still feel dignified. There comes a painful cost when one transitions from the church's form of grace to another godless form of grace. It's ironic though, like the modern day "good samaritan" story i mention in the previous post, the "godless" form of grace exemplifies more of the Godly form of Grace that we, the Church is called to be like. But something the church most do to go a step further than the Gay and Lesbian Community is to look past a person's sexual orientation and look past fear based comments and begging to treat people as people created by God. Because its true, a person has more value to them than their sexual identity. God calls us beautiful, counting the very hairs on our heads.

Do you see the tension? As a church, we must seek to accept gay people not as gay at all, but as people, created in the image of God and seeking him. We must struggle in the tension of loving and accepting all types of people seeking to follow Christi, recognizing their orientation may never change. God is at work.. its messy and not picture perfect exactly how we would have it so, but that is ok, because God is moving at the direction he wants to, and I'm ok with that.

The world is HIGH on tolerance, so the church does not need to neglect its greatest asset- GRACE! We must liv out tolerance, mercy, and transforming power of God who offered more than tolerance-- his own Son for the sins of the whole world! As we demonstrate not only the righteousness of god, but also the compassion he has for creatures in a broken lost world, people will see the hope and power of God in fresh ways. This breaks down the barrier of tolerance keeping many from considering Christ.

To the seeker- there is a alternative to your alternative lifestyle choice. God does love you no matter what a religious person may have shared with you. There is a church who will open their arms to you, hug you, love you, and share with you the love of Jesus Christ. It's not what you think... the judgement, the fear, the condemnation, all of that is put away, because love overcomes that. God is love, and you know this, deep down!

To the church person- there is an alternative to your alternative lifestyle. God does love you no matter what your church experience has been like. There is a church who will open their arms to you, hug you, love you, and share with you the love of Jesus Christ! Experience Grace like you never have. Experience Love, like you never have. Share the Love of God with the world and stop hoarding it for your church friends on sunday.

To everyone else- thanks for reading along with me. Please share your comments. I'd like to hear what you have to say. I've lost several friends as of late because of my writings- that happens. I only say this because my writings mean a lot to me and i hope to you also. What are your questions, your thoughts, complaints.. etc. perhaps, what subjects or questions should I tackle next?

blessings, cn <><

Currently listening : Remedy By David Crowder Band Release date: 25 September, 2007

7:12 AM - 26 Comments - 15 Kudos - Add Comment

Homosexuals in the church... what!??!
Current mood: sleepy
Category: Religion and Philosophy

* this is a repost from september. a few friends and I were discussing  this tonight.. and i thought i would bring it back up again! Read and comment!! :) 

Jesus said this phrase to a bunch of religious leaders who chose religousness over love and obedience, "I tell you the truth… the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." (Mat 21:31). Here Jesus wasn't condoning any sexual sin, but noting the condition of the heart. I mention this here because it's probably already gotten your attention.

A very dear friend of mine "came out of the closet" if you will and struck my group of friends and church by surprise. Immediately, offenses were drawn and judgment was cast. I believe that a genuine amount of concern was for our friend however, as much concern existed there was greeted with much more judgment regarding his new life choice. My friend, who still considers himself a Christian, chooses to be chaste from any homosexual sex, is active in church, leads bible studies, and continues to work for the Lord, just with a different "orientation." Writing these lines here is not meant to expose or to judge any of my lovely friends who may have had a harder time dealing our friend's change in lifestyle, I write to express how one Christian community reacted towards homosexuality. It got me thinking… about a lot of things. My writings has been themed on tolerance the last few weeks, and what better topic than this to touch on.

I wonder if the parable of the Good Samaritan could have been retold today, would it be retold differently… The original story was premised with the question, "what must I do to inherit eternal life." Jesus says that one must love the Lord God with everything and then their neighbor as themselves. The religious leader question further, asking who exactly is his neighbor. So Jesus started the story with a man that had fallen, been beaten, robbed, and left for dead on his way to Jericho. A priest past him by, saw him and continued on his journey. A Levite (like a lay minister or a some sort of modern day leader in the church) passed by the man also without helping. Then finally, a Samaritan, found the man, he immediately rendered assistance by giving him first aid and taking him to an inn to recover while promising to cover the expenses. He pays the innkeeper two denarii, silver coins equal to an entire day's wages for an average laborer. In Jewish culture, a Samaritan was a 2^nd class citizen, half Jew half gentile and not allowed to associate with the Jewish culture. They were seen as half breeds and despised by all. At the end of the parable, Jesus says to be like this Samaritan! To a Jewish Leader (as Jesus was explaining this in Luke 10:25-37), this was a strong and bold statement.

So let's modernize this story- A Roman Catholic Priest passes by the beaten man, then an evangelical Christian. But a gay man, as he traveled, came upon him and took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds. Put the wounded man in his own car, to a hospital and stayed to care for him. The next day, he paid the hospital saying, "look after him and I will repay you for any extra expense beyond what I have left."

Just like the self defined limits of the Samaritan shocked his Jewish listeners- this modernized story too would shock many church goers also. Jesus was constantly pushing the limits of the definitions that the religious leaders had created to put on the commandmandment of Love. Jesus by characteristic is Love. Jesus picked the most hated of all persons in that religious culture, the Samaritans in order to make his point.

Scripture forces me to live in the tension that this "tolerance" issue brings about- if I live in faith seriously. God says love my neighbors. There's a tension in Scripture that says every person matters to God, has the hope of God's grace and forgiveness, eternal adoption into God's family, and should be treated with love as my neighbor, which includes gay people. Pulling against this truth are the Scriptures that indicate homosexual sex is wrong (not an exegetical interpretation here but for study of this find these verses: Gen 1:27-28; 2:18-24; 19:4-9; Lev 18:22; 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:9-10. For some books on this topic check out straight and narrow? By Thomas Schmidt)- so what are the questions and answers that create this tension and how should the church respond…!!?

Should the Church Open the Doors to Homosexuals?

Actually, they are already among us church goers. The real question is should we let them talk about it so that they can find hope and support and grow spiritually, and allow God to do his will fully in them. You know.. The Church of Corinth talked about this issue. Paul wrote a letter found in the biblical book of Corinthians. He writes, "neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Notice on this list… not just homosexual offenders… but greedy people and sexually immoral heterosexuals, and alcoholics, and modern-day corporate creative accountants all make the list together. This means exactly what the later part of the verse says, we all need to be washed, sanctified, and justified to experience God's kingdom life and we can't do it for ourselves. Some quick theology… in the original Greek, the passive construction- "were washed…. Were sanctified… were justified"—indicates this is something done for use by the Spirit of our God.

Who are we Christians to deny anyone from the family table if God is able to make him clean just like he did the materialistic struggler, the heterosexual struggler, the homosexual, the raging alcoholic, the sinner, the you's and me's of the world! Be what if his sexualality doesn't change… can he be welcomed as a struggler?

Is being Gay a sin?

Christ died on the Cross to wash, sanctify, and justify people who struggle with everything from materialistic greed to lustful thoughts, to pornography, to gluttony, to lying. Christ took care of it all. Why does the church, or why do we make homosexuality unique in its own list? Is it alone unforgivable and irredeemable in God's eyes? That's not the gospel of Jesus Christ, the one who said that the prostitutes were getting into the kingdom of God ahead of the religious leaders of his day!! And yet, here is the tension. God shows no partiality, and Christ died to forgive the homosexuals just as much as he came to forgive me, or the Mormon, or the Buddhist, or the killer on death row. Yet the Scripture indicates that homosexual sex is not in Gods will. Beyond sex, what makes being gay, gay? This label has everything to do with a sexual orientation. So I wonder, if a gay person decides to be celibate, does that really make them gay? Does an attraction to the same sex consider them gay? I would say no. Makes you wonder though…

There is much more to write on this tolerance card and homosexuality… like where I am leading into.. an alternative alternative lifestyle and discussing the church's role in homosexual. As you can probably see, I am pro God working his will and his way in people's lives. I don't think that people can change people. I don't think that we should force a change. Teaching truth and pointing people towards God will guide them through the power of the Holy Spirit to make right choices. As Romans 1 says, we were all instilled with a moral code to do right and wrong. As Christians, its our job to love our neighbor as ourselves, not to judge, and not to purge out our brother's sin- the bible will say "pull the plank out of your own eye before you remove the speck in your brothers."

So readers, what must you do to inherit to Kingdom of God..? Love the Lord God with everything and Love your neighbor as yourself -- whoever that samaritan exists in your life, the homosexual, the muslim, the african american, the poor, the rich, the democrat, the republican, your boss, your coworker.

I'll write more on this topic midweek- Comments please! blessings, cn <><

Currently listening : Give Yourself Away By Robbie Seay Band Release date: 28 August, 2007

10:18 PM - 24 Comments - 14 Kudos - Add Comment

Christmas- misery or happiness? The real reason for Christmas
Current mood: quiet
Category: Blogging

Maybe we have it all wrong about this Christmas stuff, this season of misery yet somehow full of happiness.

I hit the mall parking lot the other day in a mad rush to get in and get out to finish some last minute shopping for my sister. I only wanted to be in there 20 or 30 minutes. I've been graced to know what I want tastefully, find it, and purchase the product moving out and beyond crowds in lightning speeds. This time, my experience wasn't as picturesque and perfect as the status quo would make it seem. It was more like a mess actually. The mess started in the parking lot where I drove around for nearly 20 minutes and finally parking a couple of miles from the doors. When I reached my venture, I was horrified at the scene: the check out line stretched to the other side of the store, the shelves bar, and just about every aspect of the store was ravaged through like wild beasts searching for a scrape of food.

Things everywhere were a mess. Everything was unruffled, on the floor, draping over racks, nothing in place. Faces were gray and gloomy searching in frantic obviously for their own last minute shopping. There was a noted tension throughout the entire place as people methodically become somewhat like shopping robots with ornamented faces. I stood there for a moment taking it all in- this scene of brutal unhappiness- while trying to figure out my best route for my own purpose. Finally, I rolled up my sleeves took a step and immediately turned into this weird psychotic shopper hoping, just maybe, i can find that perfect gift, possible the same gift these other zombies were interested for. I had to find it first but wanted to avoid the mass of angry humanity that plagued the aisles.

On my way to a very trendy section of the story (you know me..!) I overheard a menial yet boisterously anger from a lil old man holding a coupon. He was berating, cussing, face full of red. Seemed like the louder the customer became, the more indignant the clerk became. It was clear that the conversation was getting out of hand and that they both had enough of each other but neither inching anywhere towards a compromise. As I passed by, I gave both a good look and noticed that they were wearing crosses. I'm still somewhat gullible and believe most people wearing a Cross have some sort of religious convention. In this thought, through the heights of irony, God spoke to me. Like a dream, each step was a slowly implemented as this sort of dejavue moment seized my full attention hearing and feeling every detail at that very moment. Things like a baby crying and the Christmas carol Joy to the world presented by some good black gospel group.

I thought about how much my culture needed baby Jesus to be born and into scenes like this one. How it would have been so good to hear Christ say that the world will know that we are Christians by the way that we love and how we love each other (christians). Or how those who are first will be last. My devotions came alive to me at this slow motion moment and the Spirit began to reveal to me that as a whole my society, me included, have lost sight of the whole Christmas celebration. I wasn't just there to shop, i was there to spread love, joy, and peace (you know to share the gospel).

I think this moment has impacted the way that I see people and the way i see christmas. Christ brought this new power structure to our world- one that says that the person with the most toys doesn't win the prize, that our clothes don't define us and that we are not even the clothes that we wear, or the care that we drive or even the silly parking spot we tirelessly worked for as if a solder in rightful battle. This concept of peace and love overwhelmed me as a message for myself and something that needs to be shared with other people. Sharing the gospel (Gods love, joy, peace, even to the least of these) means to put aside my personal entitlement, to put others first, no matter how uncomfortable it is.

The season isn't over- smile to the cashier and let them know that you appreciate their service, let someone get in front of you in line, buy someone some coffee, let someone else have that parking spot and even have a kind word in return. In other words- live the gospel! Be the gospel. Speak the gospel. And do so with everything. Jesus is the reason for the season, like it or not. Lets remind people by not being religious about it, but by living a consistent life now and beyond Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone. I love you and miss you all. God bless you.
Rev. cn <><

Currently listening : Something More By Ginny Owens Release date: 19 March, 2002

7:50 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment