"Secret Life" Feedback #4

Some more feedback from my email/blog entitled "My Secret Life of Discipleship". I was asked, once again, if I would post any negative feedback. And the answer is yes, I will. I am posting selections of people's feedback in the order that it has come to me. And up to and including my assembly of this series of comments, I had nothing "negative" returned to me.

 

That, mind you, is not because the writing was perfect, or because it resonates with all people. It is because this email list is read by those who have volunteered to do so. By nature, people who choose to read someone's blog or join their personal email list volunteer because they want to hear that someone's uncensored thoughts/journey.

 

That may be why it took a few days to get anything resembling "negative" or "critical" (which, up to this point, there have been 3...all full of love and an honest effort at 'trying to understand'). I have heard this email/blog is being forwarded around, and that may instigate some more instructive/challenging feedback for my consideration from less sympathetic audiences, which I welcome.

 

Already, the 3 notes have been good for me to consider, and have influenced my thoughts in constructive ways. In the meantime... 

  

"Thank you for putting into words the thoughts and feelings of so many in our fellowship. I believe you have expressed where and who we are... at least some of us...Thank you." - A preacher in Chattanooga, TN

"I think I agree with all of what you say but am not as confident in some of the areas you talked about yet simply due to fear of maybe being wrong or the fear of ostracism. I am encouraged that we will soon be on our way to freedom.  My wife and I have actually thought about attending Trinity on Friday’s to get more of what we are not getting at Southwest.  Not that you won’t give it but at this point can’t.  I don’t care about the doctrinal differences of Trinity, [because]if you know any of them, they are contagious Christians.  I can tell people I have talked to for less than five minutes that they attend Trinity due to something in their spirit.  It is a shame we do not have that but I think we are moving that way. Dude, don’t quit, you are not alone. I think you will find a lot of secret disciples who are fearful like me of being shunned and when given the opportunity to agree in safety they will. Also, you will find a lot of people wanting to believe the way you do and they only need be lead." - 40ish father and life long member of the Church of Christ

 

"I cried as I read much of it—my spirit was there in the words . . .Thank you." - 30ish Church of Christ minister's wife

 

"Wow, heavy stuff.  We have been going through Luke in the teen class on Wed. night.  It struck me how the Pharisees were so focused on being right that they did not see Jesus for who he was.  They would just get mad and plot ways to get him.  It seems our fellowship has done that in the past and continuing to do it.  We get so wrap up in how we are right about certain things we are myopic about loving others.  You once mentioned how all "commandments" are subservient to loving God and loving your neighbor.  No wonder Jesus put it out there like that.  He saw firsthand how legalistic humans can get in the Pharisees. Your last couple paragraphs were powerful.  How do I get there?  How do I take others with me?  How do we change years and years of doing things one way?  It seems overwhelming." - 36 year old college friend of mine, life long member of the Church of Christ

 

"Lately, I have felt discouraged by fellow Believers in the Church of Christ because of their lack of desire to really follow the living Word opposed to just having "good doctrine"...and this partially from an elder at my church. But as I read today, I sense discouragement/frustration from you as well.  But your discouragement has been my encouragement!...knowing you are struggling with the same concerns I have actually validates my concerns for the Church [that I want to be] of Christ." - 25ish young married friend, life long member of the Church of Christ

 

"THANK YOU.  I WAS OUT OF THE COC FOR 30 YEARS AFTER BEING TOLD I MIGHT BE HAPPIER ELSEWHERE.  THE LAST 7 IN AN AOG (Assembly of God).  THEN THE SPIRIT BEGAN NUDGING ME TOWARD THE VERY CHURCH I HAD BEEN IN.  I HAVE NEVER HEARD IT PUT AS WELL AS YOU HAVE HERE.  I HAVE WALKED THIS PATH FOR A LONG TIME AND SEE FRUIT MANY PLACES. I WAS IN TEXAS WITH A 50'S FH (Freed-Hardeman) GRAD AND SAW IN HIM THE SAME SPIRIT PRODUCING THE SAME FRUIT.  OUR GOD IS GOOD AND HE IS CALLING US WHILE IN THE COC TO BECOME THE COC AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHO AND WHERE ARE YOU?" - some cool dude I don't know who reads my blog who calls himself a "country lawyer" and types in ALL CAPS

 

"I just wanted to thank you for your words and let you know a little of why they meant a lot to my wife and I. I also forwarded it to my mom and I can already see her head nodding up and down with the arched teacher's eyebrow as she's reading it (another example of small town breeding: she taught 4th grade in the same ROOM that she took the 4th grade) and muttering "amen brother" under her breath. As I've pondered the difference between the "new guard" and "old guard" over the years, a couple of things have occurred to me. One, is that while I am pretty sure both camps are gonna get to the golden pavement, it seems that the new guard is going to have a lot more fun getting there. I kind of liken the old guard to an experience my dad's mom had once. She had to get a root canal, but brother she wasn't going to subject HER temple of the Lord to any of the devil's evil drugs. So, she declined painkillers and practically broke the arms of the dentist chair squeezing them as the poor dentist did his work (at the end, he said he'd never again perform the procedure without anesthetics). It seems that the old way is just trying to hang on and grit their teeth to get through life. I don't think God meant for it to be that way." - 27ish brother, life long member of the Church of Christ who married a student and friend from my other life as a youth minister (great days!)