Comments on: iMonk 101: November ’08: Alone and Not Alone

By: tc

tc — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:36:16 +0000

Thank you.

By: perfessir

perfessir — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:13:40 +0000

“The 4th century monastic mothers and fathers who left all of the â€œshoppingâ€ to go out into the desert, went into exile.”

Been Episcopal, Assembly of God, Baptist, Independent Fundamental, Lutheran (MS), United Methodist, Independent Praise ‘n Worship, Roman Catholic.

Lived in California, England, Ecuador, Oregon, Peru, Texas, Kentucky and Washington.

And now “exile” in Vietnam, with no church, and one Christian friend.

I miss something, but I don’t know what it is.

But I do like moving beyond social and “intellectual” posturing and get real. Thanks IM!

Thay Tom

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:18:26 +0000

Judgment: maybe, but not likely.
Reaping what we sow: probably.

By: Jonathan Hunnicutt

Jonathan Hunnicutt — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:12:08 +0000

In some ways, I really resonated with this post, because I certainly felt that for a long time. But looking back, I now realize that was because God called me to a ministry of racial reconciliation and I was too afraid to go to a black church. So for three years I drifted, miserable at every church I went to. Finally, some friends invited my wife and I to a black church that was becoming multi-ethnic and we immediately felt at home.

I cannot tell you how healing this church experience has been, in many ways, it has reaffirmed my faith in the church as an institution. It has shown me what the church can be. Now, our church is far from perfect, and frustrates me on at least a monthly basis, but we do pretty good. I would credit most of this to our pastor who is a man who genuinely seeks God. We’re gaining a reputation as a healing church, a church that heals people’s relationship with church, after being so burned.

Of course, I will be moving this summer, and I will probably go into exile again, but the question is worth asking: Is this feeling of dislocation because of disobedience? I know mine was.

I think part of the evangelical churches problem is that we keep trying to make cookie-cutter churches and Christians. So we’re all white, and we all believe the same thing, and do the same thing. As soon a church goes multi-ethnic, all that stuff gets thrown out the window, since you have to embrace a diversity of gifts and voices for it to work well, and it creates space for non-conformists.

To be even more blunt: Is this God’s judgment on the SBC and white evangelicals for their lack of racial reconciliation?

By: A Church Shopper

A Church Shopper — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:15:20 +0000

Thanks, all, for your responses to my post. I was misunderstanding what was meant by “church shopper.” Seems like “church hopper” is a more accurate term for a person who goes from church to church but never “buys.”

imonk, keep up the great work. Your blog, along with the comments of your readers, always give me food for thought.

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:58:23 +0000

Fred,
Our church went through something similar to yours, though not quite as severe. Attendance had dropped off significantly and our pastor at the time was becoming rather dictatorial. He singled out our family for some not-so-subtle pressure (from the pulpit, even) for reasons that were completely of his own imagination. We turned the whole thing over to the Lord and asked Him to do what needed to be done, whether it meant us leaving or the pastor. Bottom line: he’s now pastoring another church across the county. We’re still there and the church is now growing again under a new pastor. Stay faithful and ask God to do what must be done. If He wants you to go, He’ll make it plain. You’re in my prayers.

John from Down Under:
I’m getting to go overseas (Peru) for the first time in my life over Easter week, and one of the things I’m most looking forward to is worshipping with other believers whose language I don’t speak. What a foretaste of Heaven that will be! You’re right; we need to remember that America is not the capital of God’s kingdom!

By: Anna A

Anna A — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:43:04 +0000

Boaz,

I’m a bit clueless this morning. Could you please shed some light about the Rhubarb comment?

I happen to like it and am looking forward to it this season.

Thank you.

By: pinoy_crc

pinoy_crc — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:38:57 +0000

thank you very much for this iMonk. this is my first visit to the blog. and this reflection has been from God. what you wrote speaks so much of my church experience. thank you again…

By: Boaz

Boaz — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:47:24 +0000

I guess I was too excited to talk about rhubarb to finish my thought.

Christ died on the cross to restore our relationship with God. Because of this great gift, how can we not want to tell others so they can come receive the perfect assurance that comes with his Word and Sacrament. THAT is why the church exists. To serve its members the Word and Sacrament, ie the means of grace, so that they may retain the comfort of Christ’s promises and bear each others burdens.

By: Boaz

Boaz — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:38:24 +0000

IM, take comfort in the gospel. As Cwirla always says, Christ died … FOR YOU. Comforting believers with this message is why the church exists. If you aren’t finding the gospel where you are, you need a new church (preferably one that also provides the comfort that comes with Christs true promises about baptism and his body and blood).

Whoever said this —”THE CHURCH IS NOT ABOUT ME!â€— was all wrong. The church is for you because the Gospel is … FOR YOU. Christ did not die on the cross so you could go to church and feel good about yourself, to find a sense of community, to hear about how to improve your marriage or raise your kids better. Christ died on the cross to restore our relationship with God. Because of this great gift, how can we not want to tell others so they can come receive the perfect assurance that comes with his Word and Sacrament.

A comforting Lutheran blurb from a great blog (with a funny Lutherism in bold.)

Tribulation serves a purpose

“Wait upon the Lord! Be of good cheer! (Psalm 27:14) Were there no such thing as tribulation to try Christian faith, what would become of secure, indolent, self-indulgent Christians? Surely, the same as has befallen the papacy! Inasmuch as tribulation serves the same purpose as rhubarb, myrrh, aloes, or an antidote against all the worms, poison, decay, and dung of this body of death, it ought not to be despised. We must not willfully seek or select afflictions, but we must accept those which God sees fit to visit upon us, for he knows which are suitable and salutary for us and how many and how heavy they should be. Therefore, be steadfast!”

Luther
To Anthony Lauterbach, March 10, 1542
Letters of Spiritual Counsel, p. 165.

http://mercyjourney.blogspot.com/2009/03/tribulation-serves-purpose.html