Setting the Record Straight
Well, this is it! I have finally joined the messed up online bloggers. Thanks to my baby brother Craig. Now in doing so I want to set the record straight;
1. My nick name is Offensive Pastor
2. I do fit that nickname, not because I want to purposely offend people, but because I speak the truth and say things that people are thinking and experiencing.
3. I am a Christ follower. I have a friendship with Jesus, but I don't like being called a Christian. Because the label "Christian" has so many negative things associated with it because of the things that the so called christians are doing. Being a christian means you are a reflection of Christ. And most of what I see in christianity is more an example of the pharisees, not Jesus. I am not ashamed of Jesus, but I am ashamed of Christians including myself.
I believe that God calls us to a higher place than where we are.
I believe that when we impose on others the things that God is doing in us, we are wrong.
I believe that God is not concerned with what we eat, drink, wear, say, or do, what He wants is our hearts.
I believe that it isn't my job or anyones else's to change someone's life, let the Holy Spirit do that.
I believe that God is radically in love with all people regardless of whether they are following Him or not. He wants them to come to know Him and experience His love.
I believe that hell is a real place that people who live their lives ignoring God will go to.
I believe that heaven is a place reserved for those trusting in what Jesus did for them on the cross.
I believe that the church is the ONLY hope of the world.
I believe that the church in North America is messed up and off track
I believe that God is still doing things in the North American church
I believe that God has different thoughts on what the church should be doing (Acts 2)
I believe that God's grace rules
I believe you matter to God
So inspite of all this junk, the sin in our lives. In spite of our failure to do what God wants us to do, God still loves us. He is moving us and trying to get each of us to see that life is valuable, that HE is flat out in love with us, no matter what.
So grab onto all that God has for you. Don't settle for second best. Know that you matter to God and HE is STILL and ALWAYS in control.
1. My nick name is Offensive Pastor
2. I do fit that nickname, not because I want to purposely offend people, but because I speak the truth and say things that people are thinking and experiencing.
3. I am a Christ follower. I have a friendship with Jesus, but I don't like being called a Christian. Because the label "Christian" has so many negative things associated with it because of the things that the so called christians are doing. Being a christian means you are a reflection of Christ. And most of what I see in christianity is more an example of the pharisees, not Jesus. I am not ashamed of Jesus, but I am ashamed of Christians including myself.
I believe that God calls us to a higher place than where we are.
I believe that when we impose on others the things that God is doing in us, we are wrong.
I believe that God is not concerned with what we eat, drink, wear, say, or do, what He wants is our hearts.
I believe that it isn't my job or anyones else's to change someone's life, let the Holy Spirit do that.
I believe that God is radically in love with all people regardless of whether they are following Him or not. He wants them to come to know Him and experience His love.
I believe that hell is a real place that people who live their lives ignoring God will go to.
I believe that heaven is a place reserved for those trusting in what Jesus did for them on the cross.
I believe that the church is the ONLY hope of the world.
I believe that the church in North America is messed up and off track
I believe that God is still doing things in the North American church
I believe that God has different thoughts on what the church should be doing (Acts 2)
I believe that God's grace rules
I believe you matter to God
So inspite of all this junk, the sin in our lives. In spite of our failure to do what God wants us to do, God still loves us. He is moving us and trying to get each of us to see that life is valuable, that HE is flat out in love with us, no matter what.
So grab onto all that God has for you. Don't settle for second best. Know that you matter to God and HE is STILL and ALWAYS in control.
posted by Offensive Pastors Thoughts at 12:15 PM
4 Comments:
welcome fellow traveler to the crazy world wide web. you are now published in hundreds of countries and read by at least one .....person!
question/comment:
you said: "I believe that God is not concerned with what we eat, drink, wear, say, or do, what He wants is our hearts."
I agree and i think the Bible plays out that He also works in us to will and to do the things of Christ. Where so many are confused is in how we define "Christlikeness." We too often, me included, fall into a pride driven, i'm better than you (even if i don't actually say it) mentality. We look at people's actions and assume we have the right to determine their spiritual condition and then compare it to mine. you've heard the "you know a tree by it's fruit" quote.
I don't remember Jesus hammering those who were sure they weren't good enough for his father only those who thought that because of their goodness, heritage or right-living that God loved them.
so where's the balance in your opinion for us as people who are trying to humbly follow Jesus?
I am reading again, for a teaching series at The Quest, The Celebration Of Discipline by Foster and in the discipline of simplicity he points out that we will often bow to the tryanny of people by giving the impression that i am either more good or more profane than i truly am to have more status in the group?.
glad your one of us now jeff =]
Peter, thanks for the support and yes the church is a nightmare. Especially the church we are seeing in our generation. Yes there are many good ones out there, but there has to be one or two hundred bad ones for every good one. It is very troublesome and I believe grevious to God.
Craig the balance of someone who is trying to follow Jesus has to be at the cross. Meaning I will never have the balance I need to follow Jesus on my own. The beauty of this whole thing is grace. My goal isn't to be good enough, cause I can't. My goal is to follow Jesus. And when I fail, I come back to that place of peace and joy for me....the Cross. And I come back to that place often....very often!
Dave, I too have that same problem, being able to stay out forever talking about stuff. I guess I should be a philosopher.
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