I got an "amen" from a good friend of mine today about the redundancy of all this feedback on by email entitled, "My Secret Life of Discipleship". As promised, I'll assemble one more concerning the use of the word "Secret" in this...as it has caused some good questions and deserves explanation and clarification...
"I keep finding these brothers and sisters all over the place who are struggling with the same things that I am... and the only explanation I have is that God’s Spirit is at work!" - 45ish brother, minister in the Church of Christ up North
"We all need to recognize we are on the same side - just have different perspectives. But we have to be careful about drawing lines, alienating one another over our differences and seek at least an understanding - though I don't think we have to agree on everything. HOWEVER, I will protect my family from legalism and fight it tooth and nail every step in the way." - 35ish sister, life-long member of the Church of Christ
"Perhaps I am ignorant because I am not a member of the Church of Christ, but it would seem to me that you all have the same goals in mind. Why all the politics in loving Christ? I find it interesting that the Church (for any religion) would risk alienating such devoted members, whose sole purpose in life has been to be like Christ in their actions, thoughts, and deeds. I would ask the question: Do the governing members of your church interpret His teachings in this fashion? If so, why would anyone want to be a member? Just an outsider looking in..." - 35ish buddy of mine that I was lucky enough to meet in Skydiving school 8 years ago
"Walking like Christ means that the "rules" are, in a way, irrelevant because if we are walking with him, we will be walking in the spirit. Will the spirit of Christ lead us astray? I don't think so. Thus, the "rules" take care of themselves." - 40ish brother, life-long member of Church of Christ
"It is difficult to get the language just right so that we are all seeing [obedience to rules] as a natural consequence of our surrender to Him." - 60ish sister, life-long member of Church of Christ
"Loving God; loving each other---on these two commands, which act as a curtain rod, hang the law and the prophets. Obedience every time it is called for happens as we do these two commands. Talk about idealistic---That is our God--idealistic. And, as I focus on these two commands, so goes my obedience." - 60ish sister, life-long member of the Church of Christ
"I wish this had been my post. It's everything that's been firing around in my brain and heart for the last few years--finally put into a written, coherent format." - 30ish sister, life-long member of the Church of Christ
"I don't belong to the Church of Christ denomination, but I do belong to the Church of Christ. And I think believers in several denominations will agree with much of what you write." - Unknown
"I can honestly say that this is the longest it has taken me to respond to an email. I have gone through many, many emotions from the first time I read it, until the 14th time I re-read it. My first impression was one of division, impatience and fear. I did not sleep much that first night. I had a long, long conversation with our Lord in prayer and in his Word. Each time I re-read the email, the qualities that I thought was originally conveyed, diminished. Now, I see it as a plea of encouragement and challenge." - 55ish sister, life long member of the Church of Christ
"As I remember my own passion for the lawkeeping, I heard less, whether taught or not, of loving God and loving others. Focusing on lawkeeping kept me in fear of losing the love of God. So, as I walked in fear, I had little ability to love with the God kind of love. In fact, with the understanding I have today, I am amazed about my sons. As all of them know God in deeper ways than I did when I was "raising" them. I know God in deeper ways than my parents and grandparents. So, I am fully aware how much God keeps that which I have committed (myself and my children) unto Him." - 60ish sister, life-long member of the Church of Christ
"Somehow, you climbed inside my head and heart and wrote down my innermost thoughts and feelings in a most eloquent way." - 40ish brother, and member of the Church of Christ academic community
You put into words my thoughts. I love the church and I appreciate everyone in my background that taught me so much. I am especially grateful for those who taught me grace . I have a sign on my office doorway that says,"I AM STILL LEARNING". - 50ish minister of Church of Christ in the South
"Since I have emailed you I read all of your responses. That is incredible. I am so glad that you posted your article and the responses. I shared your blog with several friends and family and my brother in law wrote back and said that he is in tears over it. It really touched him in an area where he has been wrestling with God..My story… it is a fun one. Believe it or not, I have been baptized 28 times for religious reasons. The friend of mine that sent me your blog says that when I arrive in Heaven that Naaman will be presenting me a plaque." -
-- A brother, age unknown, member of the Church of Christ
-- A brother, age unknown, member of the Church of Christ
"Wow! I thought I was the only one that felt that way. I am truly glad to see there are others that are having this same struggle. It has been hard being alone with these heavy concerns. I am in a very conservative congregation and sometimes feel like I am suffocating. However, I also feel great compassion for and responsibility to the members. I only wonder how long I can continue like this." - Anonymous
"Unlike most of your bloggers, my wife and I made a clean break from the church of Christ some 30 years ago when we discovered that arrogance was not one of the fruits of the Spirit. Having been brought up in a church of Christ home and having attended two "Christian" colleges, I began to see through some of the prejudicial positions. That made me question whether any of it was true. With reference ONLY to the Scriptures, I reexamined one matter after another, and some of our conclusions were distressing. We are living proof that there is life after death." --a 71-year-old Jesus freak
2 comments:
I just wander what God thinks of all of this as he looks down on us and sees what all is going on down here. Sometimes I think we aren't so different from the exodus generation than we would like to think - God in our midst but still fighting and quarreling with each other.
I worship with folks in a church of Christ because I choose to. I guess I just don't understand the almost slavish loyaly to a movement that has and is hurting some people. Why stay? I think I know.
The message of the grace of God is more often than not met with opposition. Was that not the case with Paul and Peter, and even Christ himself. The very idea of forgiving the sins of ugly sinners who don't deserve it!
The most religious people objected then and they do now. Our mission is to keep preaching the truth and to keep loving them.
This is a sobering truth. Every person who has ever been saved, was saved by grace. Not one of them was saved because of what they did to deserve God's forgiveness and salvation. Are those who are depending on themselves, their church attendence and activity, their baptism, etc. really saved?
Perhaps God is even more gracious than I think he is.
Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle
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