Comments on: Get Out Of The Way http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Publius http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Publius Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:30:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-609 Man, this is a hard post to respond to. I mean, it's kind of bitter, but if you're listening to a lot of Derek Webb right now I can understand why. ;)<br /><br />I think what you're seeing is modern American Christians that have no idea what to do with Postmodernity. Our denomination is big, traditional, and a has a lot of really old people in charge. It's not going to change overnight, or probably even in the next decade. I can sympathize, but I can't really offer anything constructive, except maybe this:<br /><br />Take courage. You are in the right place, doing the right thing. Remember the Reformation? Sure, we all know Martin Luther and John Huss, but there were a thousand other guys just like them catching flak from their archbishops for talking crazy things like, "We're saved by grace, not papal decree." They didn't make the history books, but they were in the right place, in their time, winning souls for Christ. Two hundred years later they were called Reformers. But at the time, they mostly just got in trouble, and vented bitterly to their friends while the boss wasn't looking. Kind of like us.<br /><br />So take heart, my bitter but hopeful friend! In another two hundred years, nobody will think you're a heretic anymore! Man, this is a hard post to respond to. I mean, it’s kind of bitter, but if you’re listening to a lot of Derek Webb right now I can understand why. ;)

I think what you’re seeing is modern American Christians that have no idea what to do with Postmodernity. Our denomination is big, traditional, and a has a lot of really old people in charge. It’s not going to change overnight, or probably even in the next decade. I can sympathize, but I can’t really offer anything constructive, except maybe this:

Take courage. You are in the right place, doing the right thing. Remember the Reformation? Sure, we all know Martin Luther and John Huss, but there were a thousand other guys just like them catching flak from their archbishops for talking crazy things like, “We’re saved by grace, not papal decree.” They didn’t make the history books, but they were in the right place, in their time, winning souls for Christ. Two hundred years later they were called Reformers. But at the time, they mostly just got in trouble, and vented bitterly to their friends while the boss wasn’t looking. Kind of like us.

So take heart, my bitter but hopeful friend! In another two hundred years, nobody will think you’re a heretic anymore!

]]> By: Watchman http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-608 Watchman Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:23:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-608 stepchild,<br /><br />i've been too busy writing blurbs to comment on your post. There's good money to be made out there...<br /><br />Seriously, I believe you are identifying the wind of the Spirit these days. A few years ago I actually started making a list of men with whom I have had personal conversation, feeling disconnected with the church as we know it. Their feelings about it were all the same. i believe it has to do with the fact that the culture has changed, and the methods and paradigms employed by the church made sense to those men at that time, however short. I stopped adding to the list at 25.<br /><br />Where I resonate deeply with this post is I acknowledge that for every generation there results a bias of the Gospel in order to try and interpret it to that generation. I bought into a framework of thinking 20yrs ago that I lived by and tried to promote. A highly disciplined, structured devotional life was good for whatever ails you. Struggle with depression? Have a Quiet Time. Struggle with porn? Memorize more verses? Struggle with laziness? Have a Quiet Time. I think to some degree it had its desired effect. <br /><br />So as the church continues to offer the same paradigm, I am left feeling like I am out of step. But as I gain courage to feel that Wind and follow it, I too say, get out of my way. stepchild,

i’ve been too busy writing blurbs to comment on your post. There’s good money to be made out there…

Seriously, I believe you are identifying the wind of the Spirit these days. A few years ago I actually started making a list of men with whom I have had personal conversation, feeling disconnected with the church as we know it. Their feelings about it were all the same. i believe it has to do with the fact that the culture has changed, and the methods and paradigms employed by the church made sense to those men at that time, however short. I stopped adding to the list at 25.

Where I resonate deeply with this post is I acknowledge that for every generation there results a bias of the Gospel in order to try and interpret it to that generation. I bought into a framework of thinking 20yrs ago that I lived by and tried to promote. A highly disciplined, structured devotional life was good for whatever ails you. Struggle with depression? Have a Quiet Time. Struggle with porn? Memorize more verses? Struggle with laziness? Have a Quiet Time. I think to some degree it had its desired effect.

So as the church continues to offer the same paradigm, I am left feeling like I am out of step. But as I gain courage to feel that Wind and follow it, I too say, get out of my way.

]]> By: ewinwe http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-607 ewinwe Wed, 08 Nov 2006 13:44:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-607 nah, your post was not intimidating...only challenging. i'm NOT comfortable with my current expression of my faith. it is very difficult to try to be what i am (the product of my upbringing) in the place i am (the land of my forefathers). i am always bothered by questions..like, what does it look like to be a 'christian' in the society i live in? if i try to live like the amerikaner christians down the street, then i am a) NOT being true to the culture and b) NOT being true to myself. if i try to live like the locals, then i am not 'living as a witness' or else i have 'gone native'.<br /><br />well gee whiz, there has GOT to be a balance. somewhere *between* drinking-the-local-beverage and offering-only-welches-grape-juice to my dinner guests is where i may find the real way to live and work over here. i just have to find that groove and get into it ...<br /><br />great, thought-provoking post.<br /><br />someday i'll run into you and say thanks for making my head hurt... nah, your post was not intimidating…only challenging. i’m NOT comfortable with my current expression of my faith. it is very difficult to try to be what i am (the product of my upbringing) in the place i am (the land of my forefathers). i am always bothered by questions..like, what does it look like to be a ‘christian’ in the society i live in? if i try to live like the amerikaner christians down the street, then i am a) NOT being true to the culture and b) NOT being true to myself. if i try to live like the locals, then i am not ‘living as a witness’ or else i have ‘gone native’.

well gee whiz, there has GOT to be a balance. somewhere *between* drinking-the-local-beverage and offering-only-welches-grape-juice to my dinner guests is where i may find the real way to live and work over here. i just have to find that groove and get into it …

great, thought-provoking post.

someday i’ll run into you and say thanks for making my head hurt…

]]> By: Bryan Riley http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-606 Bryan Riley Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:45:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-606 I'm in therapy and haven't been reading anything that will engage my brain, so i've been away. i've been searching God's word about my heart and communing with it and with God. So, thus my absence. Interesting post. I'm still somewhat on sabbath from intellectualizing, so i'll just say that. I’m in therapy and haven’t been reading anything that will engage my brain, so i’ve been away. i’ve been searching God’s word about my heart and communing with it and with God. So, thus my absence. Interesting post. I’m still somewhat on sabbath from intellectualizing, so i’ll just say that.

]]> By: Anonymous http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-604 Anonymous Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:42:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-604 WAKE UP everyone...no, in all seriousness, i doubt anyone is asleep after a post like that. maybe just shell shocked into a coma state is all. i appreciate this post including the last paragraph. thanks. it led me to question what it is that makes me feel targeted by "the others" (other believers) and if i ever do that myself. i felt like this post made me uncomfortable. maybe because i agreed with it so much i had to ask myself a few questions. and now one for you...when is that version of numbers coming out?<br /><br />-noname WAKE UP everyone…no, in all seriousness, i doubt anyone is asleep after a post like that. maybe just shell shocked into a coma state is all. i appreciate this post including the last paragraph. thanks. it led me to question what it is that makes me feel targeted by “the others” (other believers) and if i ever do that myself. i felt like this post made me uncomfortable. maybe because i agreed with it so much i had to ask myself a few questions. and now one for you…when is that version of numbers coming out?

-noname

]]> By: stepchild http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-603 stepchild Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:30:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-603 Strider,<br />Apparently, you are my only reader. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate the evangelism resources you offer, but I'm hard at work on my own series, "Making Jesus a Cool Dude." In it, I translate the book of Numbers into 1980's L.A. street slang. Look for it in your local Christian Bookstore.<br /><br />I find the thought of me being intimidating very funny. I guess I could at least use a better name: Max? Hoss? Rocco? <br /><br />No, I'm thinking maybe my blog has lulled everyone to sleep. Strider,
Apparently, you are my only reader. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate the evangelism resources you offer, but I’m hard at work on my own series, “Making Jesus a Cool Dude.” In it, I translate the book of Numbers into 1980′s L.A. street slang. Look for it in your local Christian Bookstore.

I find the thought of me being intimidating very funny. I guess I could at least use a better name: Max? Hoss? Rocco?

No, I’m thinking maybe my blog has lulled everyone to sleep.

]]> By: Strider http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-602 Strider Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:32:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-602 Wow, two days and no one else has commented on this. I think your last paragraph where you told everyone to get out of your way was intimidating. Of course, I have not seen too many bloggers intimidated into silence before now so maybe there is something else going on? <br />If you take away all our crutches can we not stand? Wow, two days and no one else has commented on this. I think your last paragraph where you told everyone to get out of your way was intimidating. Of course, I have not seen too many bloggers intimidated into silence before now so maybe there is something else going on?
If you take away all our crutches can we not stand?

]]> By: Strider http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-601 Strider Mon, 06 Nov 2006 12:06:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/11/05/get-out-of-the-way/#comment-601 Stepchild, I hear your pain and I understand your problem. That is why I am going to send you- for a mere $20 donation- a pamphlet that I think will solve your problems. It is called 'How to Be Me' and I think you will find it helpful. If I am reading you right then I think that 'Apendix A: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Evangelist' will be particularly useful to you. <br /><br />In the meantime, let us consider how to love one another and let Jesus worry about how He will build His Church. Good post Brother! Stepchild, I hear your pain and I understand your problem. That is why I am going to send you- for a mere $20 donation- a pamphlet that I think will solve your problems. It is called ‘How to Be Me’ and I think you will find it helpful. If I am reading you right then I think that ‘Apendix A: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Evangelist’ will be particularly useful to you.

In the meantime, let us consider how to love one another and let Jesus worry about how He will build His Church. Good post Brother!

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