Spam (the canned meat) and Christianity...

Over at paintmagazine.com forums, there was a couple threads int eh off-topic forum that was pro and anti-Spam (the canned meat, not unsolicited emails etc).  I was on the pro side.  Mostly because I like Spam, but fr other reasons as well.

One of my main reasons why I defended it so veheminantly is that it is the coincidental analagy with much of life and Christianity, more specificaly.

So many people want to "ride the bandwagon", and not find out for themselves; and that it is one of my "pet-peves".  There are far too many "Christians" with that same mindset/paradigm.  someone (pastor, preacher, teacher etc.) tells them (preaching, sermon, teaching etc.) something, and they don't even bother to even read it in teh Bible (assuming they even use the Bible), let alone study it out for themselves, to agree or disagree.

I know that some do this; a friend of mine who goes by a nickname of Crime Dog is a good example. I know he tried Spam, and whether or not he liked it is a moot point.  the point is that he did what he needed to, so he could know for himself.  I know this also to be true in his Christian walk.

There are those that say that Spam looks or smells bad, so it must be, and never try it, even though many hundreds of thousands of people actually like it.  following my analagous logic, it also follows that there are people that will take some doctrines of Christianity and say that they look or smell bad, so they won't even "try" (research for themselves) them, and their mind is closed to the subject from then on.

I am not saying that we should "try" every religious doctrine whether "Christian" or not.  What I am saying is that within our "Christianity", we sometimes get so closed minded that we don't even consider what else might be.  Part of this is actually following along with that pastor or teacher when they are presenting something to us, and use your God-given brain.  :)

I may not be very clear in this semi-rant.  However I do think that we wold all be much better off if we "Christians" would not jsut follow the leader.  again, I am not saying that we should doubt our leadership at all, but when it comes to my personal relationship with God, that leader isn't involved at all.  It isn't mis-trust, or even a lack of trust if you actually bring your Bible to church and use it outside of church.  It is something that most every clergey that I know of will encourage you to read, research and find for yourself.

enough for now.

more thoughts from rp...

As many of you know my wife and I have been trying to adopt for nearly 5 years.  we have all but given up for various reasons.  I would like to request your prayers in that we just found out that a lady at church has informed us that she is pregnant.  This is a little difficult for us, because that family already has 3 girls.  I am nto saying that they don't want a 4th child, but from a selfish POV, it is a difficult situation.  This is, I think 4 ladys now at our small church that are with child.

I am not saying all this for sympathy, but rather for prayer request.  We want a shild, but more importantly, we both want what God wants for us.  So prayers for God's will and our obedience, not necessarily that we have open doors for adoption.

continuing with my ramblings, I woke up this morning thinking about God.  Not so unusual, really but this morning was especially inspiring.  I was brushing my teeth and for some reason was just in awe of the fact that I had teeth.  Probably doesn't mean much to you all, but I was just thinking about how much I enjoy a nice steak, or apple even and the fact that God gave me teeth to be able to enjoy these things.

As the morning progressed, I was on the way to work and listening to my classes on CD.  (I am learning Spanish using Pimsler courses on CD.)  And was inspired of the fact that I can learn stuff.  again, maybe not meaning anything to most people, but I am one that likes to learn and am a "knowledge-junkie" so to speak.  I like to learn and if I can get someone to fully sponsor me, I wold rather be a full-time student than have to work all day, and take classes in teh evenings and on my "spare" time.  I was just in awa that God designed and created us as beings of learning.  that we can continually grow in thought, process and maturity.  He is awesome.

when I arrived at work, I realized that I was arriving at work.  The thought came to me that many, many, adn dare I say - most people don't like the work they do, and as such are not satisfied in most of their day.  I like my job, I like the work I do in my job and my days are satisfying, adn productive.  Why?  I do like what I do, but more than that, it is a way to fund the things that I believe that God wants me to do as ministry.  Currently meaning CPPA and what I do in my local church, as financial director, mediaministries director and as a minister in the church.

As I was walking up the 5 flights of steps (3 floors) to get to the floor where I work, God spke to my heart again, and I was inspired that I was relatively healthy, but specifically that I had legs that work without inturruption and with ease.  I walked up the stairs and it was pleasing to me to be able to do this.  God is awesome and even though I didn't have to think about firing specific neurons in my my brain to activate specific muscles, I still made it up the stpes and with relative ease  This is amazing.

while sitting in my little cubicle, I was again amazed by God's great design.  I am in a corner cube, adn have alot of windos around me.  looking out, I see a firestation, some houses and some other businesses, as well as the little man-made pond with fountain in teh frint of the building I work.  what a wonder these things are.  specificaly water.  water, is amazing.  hydrogen and oxygen, yet in liquid.  without being a chemist, and maybe there is scientific reason (haven't studied it yet), but in my little brain, I wonder why "hydro" isn't some kind of rocket fuel or combustable. any way, it is pretty too!

thanks for readin'

Was gone for a week...

As some may know, I was gone for a week.
 
I was at the Church Of God Of Prophecy General Assembly, held in Kentucky.  I didn't want to post much about what went on in the CPPA forums, because the CPPA is interdenominational, and I didn't want to start a thread that might be considered a schism, especially since I am a member of the national board of the CPPA; and I try to keep the forum as open and in union as possible with all the various "Christian" denominations.
 
firstly - I am not currently a member of the COGOP; though not for a lack of want to be.  Before I get into the Assembly, i find that a bit of history is needed:
 
I had been part of a local church that untill a little over a year ago, was an independant, interdenominational church, associated with the Full Gospel Fellowship, Int. (IIRC).  We didn't really have any "requirements" for membership, only that you were saved and that you attended that fellowship.  so "membership" was not something that I was very acquainted with in teh local church.  To me, membership, only meant that you alligned yourself with and dug-in and became a part of a local church.
 
I was, of course, acquainted with other major denominations and their Membership requirements, in my comparative religion srudioes.  However, what I found in doing "field" research of these various denominations; I found that most of the time what was being taught and what was "lived" at the local church level, was something not exactly the same as the national and international level in those denominations and other sects (Christian and non-Christian).
 
God had lead our local independant church family to meet with and join with a local church that was COGOP, here in Des Moines.  After much prayer and fasting, God had lead us to actually begin sharing the building and share some services.  As time went on we felt God's moving us into more of a union and we eventually merged to one fellowship.  We took on the name of the old church, while maintaining the link to, and heading of teh COGOP denomination - City Life Worship Center, a Ministry of Church of God of Prophecy.
 
This was a "God-thing".  our leadership, complimented each other and the congregations/parishioners we open to recieving eachother as one body in one local church building.  Unity.  Much like my vision and what I work toward for the CPPA, there is an atmosphere and fellowship of unity, with no compromise of the Gospel of Christ.  There was only really one issue that was kind of left open, and that was of "membership".
 
We really didn't talk much about membership since the merger, because the COGOP stand, above the local level, had some things that were limiting.  Without getting too much into it, I will say that the issue has been resolved in several meetings at the assembly.  Some traditions have been replaced by more biblical recommendations and the limitations are no longer.  Essentially, if you are saved, you can join.  The following can be found at the COGOP website, but I will quote it here,a nd is the recommendation that passed in the assembly meeting:

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

 
(Editorial Note: This recommendation supercedes all other previous Assembly rulings
concerning membership criteria in the Church of God of Prophecy.)
Church Membership Recommendation
We recommend the following concerning membership: In the New Testament, people
received the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, were baptized in water and were
added to the Church (Acts 2:41-47; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:10). Furthermore, they were
expected to continue in a life of discipleship (Acts 2:42). Salvation is both instantaneous
(new birth, regeneration) and also the all-inclusive work of redemption, beginning with
regeneration and culminating with the glorified body (Hebrews 9:28). In the context of
the book of Acts and especially in the verses of them being "added to the church," the
instantaneous aspect of salvation is evident. Regarding the Church of God of Prophecy,
membership requirement should be an individual’s experience of salvation (which
includes repentance, denouncing and forsaking of sin) and their public commitment to the
church covenant. Membership in the Church denotes acceptance which is the basic need
of every new believer. Therefore as we minister to these people let us endeavor to give
them this sense of belonging.

In accordance with the New Testament pattern and principle, once a believer has been
received into the Church as a member, it is important that every pastor and church use
godly discernment in the discipleship process. Ongoing discipleship, nurturing and
discipline by the pastor and church are very important for those who become members
(Acts 16:4, 5; 1 Corinthians. 6:9-11). Henceforth, we further recommend that the general
church develop a program of extensive discipleship to help all our members mature in
Christ Jesus. This will require great wisdom and loving care by our leadership and
people as we continue in the Harvest.

-----

 

I won't get into everything here, since this is already turning into a "book", but I will say that these are exciting times and I believe that I am right where God wants me to be.

it's only been one day...

WOW. Only one day since my last post in here, adn yet, I feel the need to write even more!

Because I am so involved in the CPPA, that particular subject is comming up again (sorry). A bit of background about the CPPA forums first: The CPPA forums are "shared" on the Paintmagazine.com forums. They are marked as such and as I have posted previously, I moderate them and with a strickter/different personal guideline than the other Paintmagazine (and other) forums I mod.

Okay - here goes... Seems that there is a couple folks (non-Christian) that feel that it is their right and apparently their "calling" to post their opinions on the CPPA forums threads. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, the issue I have is that their posts are contoroversial and argument provoking.

I realize that "controversial and argument provoking" doesn't sound like a very definative or "bad" thing, but as founder of the CPPA and moderator of their forums, I am trying to establish more unity among the believers of the CPPA, and when these things come up, it only incites disharmony, and causes concentration on the little things that seperate.

I have emailed them in the past about their posts, but they insist on having a defined set of rules, or just ignore me. the problem is that they are not Christians and so saying that I am trying to promote unity doesn't mean anything to them. they feel that their logic and reason should prevail because they are right and we "religious" people are wasting our time with that religious stuff, because after all "we have evolved" past that need for the "religious crutch".

So, becase I delete posts and or threads, I am now called a "nazi", or that I am only there to spread propoganda, etc. Oh well, that really doesn't bother me so much as when they keep comming back and continue to cause disharmony. As I have said before, because of the goals and vision I have for the CPPA and my mod style, there has been a couple CPPA members that have quit the CPPA (though they still post in our forums for some reason).

It is interesting that we have other non-Christians that post and seem to "get it", while these don't. One particular person that is currently a professing (and practicing) "Pagan", and witch, seems to be one of the ones that does "get it" and his posts are respectful, understanding and though we don't agree with some things, they are posted in a way that is not argument provoking and disharmonious for teh rest of the CPPA/CHristians that are there.

Unfortunatley, this witch (said with respect and not disdain) seems to have more "Christian"-sense than some of the CHristians on the forums (not just the CPPA forums). I sometimes find myself praying that some of the Christian and non-CHristian posters would be more like him (at least in attitude, though not in theology).

More writing? (marriage and homosexuality)

Recently, it has come to my attention that people actually are reading this stuff, and someone actually said that I haven't updated this blog for over a month, so here is an update:

Marriage is a religious institution. Marriage = one man and one woman.

The honorable Senator Hutchison (TX) said it on her website (http://hutchison.senate.gov/marriageamdt.htm), and I don't think I could have said it better, so I will just quote:

"Marriage laws have historically been the responsibility of state governments, and I generally oppose federal government intrusion into matters of state authority. Periodically, however, one state's action can have serious and far-reaching implications for other states, particularly because our Constitution requires states to give full faith and credit to the laws of other states.
In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) defined marriage as only between a man and a woman. I voted for this federal law, and I continue to support it today because I believe the traditional family unit should remain the foundation of our society. The recent decision by a narrow majority of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court mandating same-sex marriage threatens to overturn DOMA nationwide and effectively make that single state's marriage policy the law of our entire country.
In response, Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) has introduced S.J. Res. 30, the Federal Marriage Amendment, of which I am a co-sponsor. This bill would amend the Constitution to define marriage in the United States as consisting only of the union of a man and a woman. Currently, S.J. Res. 30 is under review by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. When this legislation comes before the full Senate for a vote, I intend to support its passage."
 
----

I believe homosexuality is a sin. The Bible is very clear on this subject. The weirdness comes in when the Christian is supposed to have tolorance (normally rendered, as acceptance) for these kinds of things.

NOT. tolorance does NOT equate acceptance. I can tolorate that a given person has sin in their life (heck, that wold be, well, everyone!). But that does NOT mean I have to accept that sin as normal or something that is considered "diverse". Bah.

diversity in age, and race, yes, but not when it comes to things that are, in my opinion immoral. I have several friends and acquaintences that are "out of the closet". I love them, and accept them, but I do NOT accept their sin. I love the person and eschew the sin.

on a different slant, I think that it is absolutely unaceptable that a "leader" in the church is allowed to continue to be a leader when he is living in sin AND there is no repentance. I don't knwo if that makes sence, but sometimes certain sins take a while to be freed from (without miraculous intervention from God).

The problem I have, and I think you know what I am talking abotu is when church leader proclaims that he is homosexual, and is not only proud of it, but has not taken any steps to free himself from this sin.

so, there ya go, several mini rants all in one blog! :-)