I did my best to keep my thoughts to myself on this....I promise I don't mean to be mean spirited or vengeful. After writing this my fear it sounds a bit cynical...I apologize if that is the case....
This morning I ventured to Church for the first time in 6 months or so. As I've mentioned before, my relationship with God is as good as it has ever been.....my relationship with organized religion is somewhat on the rocks.
I'm finally to the point where I feel like venturing to Church again. It's going to take a special place though...on Sunday mornings I many times watch televised Church services and have watched the telecast from The Cornerstone Church here in Nashville. I was somewhat hesitant to go there because of its palatial size. I have a basic problem with congregations building large facilities...but that's another post.....
The people were friendly enough, the music was fantastic....they obviously have an orchestra full of professional musicians. The songs were custom written (as far as I could tell) and were very moving. During one song that I particularly connected with, I was in tears.
After the music, their minister, Maury Davis hit the stage. There were the usual announcements about upcoming events and stuff. While working toward the lesson he began promoting a project that someone within the Church had started called HisSpace.com. This was going to be a social networking site similar to MySpace or facebook for Christians. He was excited because a member was starting it because he would tithe based on the profits. Typical preacher stuff...
He mentioned that MySpace and facebook had been taken over by adult content so Christians should avoid them and use HisSpace.com. The comment was made that someone did some poking around and found that within three contacts of a friend they were 'somewhere they shouldn't be'. During this section of this service he made an off-hand comment about not understanding bloggers....putting their opinions on the internet for people who don't care about their opinions. After this promotion, he launched into promotion of a evangelistic effort to India talking about the millions of people that could be reached there. After this they launched into some music and I left....
This experience has been on my mind ever since and I'm hoping that by getting it off my chest here, I can forget about it and move on...
Here are my thoughts...
1. I'll probably set up an account on hisspace.com, but I do not feel that Christians should segregate themselves from places like MySpace or facebook (I particularly like facebook) the fact that there is adult content out there doesn't bother me (to be honest, I've never seen ANY adult content on facebook, maybe because I don't go looking for it) I have, however, debated atheists on the existence of God and become good friends with them. Personal evangelism is by far the most effective tool. If I remember, Jesus was most often criticized for associating with sinners. Aren't they the folks we are supposed to be reaching? How do you reach them if you avoid them. The boat has to be in the water to do its job, its when the water gets in the boat that you have a problem.
2. Blogging is something that a lot of people don't understand. I've had many people ask me why I do it. For many years I've had thoughts that I wish that could share. Thoughts about God, life, anything. I've tried public speaking...I'm not good at it, I am better at writing. I doubt anyone would buy a book with my name on it, but many stop by and read. I have had many experiences and they are not different from many others. Everybody loses jobs, has divorces, raises kids. I just try to give my views on all of these issues. And just for the record, over 1200 unique people stopped by at one time or another last year. The average time spent on my blog was close to two minutes, so, blogging is an effective tool. The fact that Mr. Davis doesn't understand it is his deal. I thought it was a bit arrogant for him to discount others opinions while freely posting his own.
3. According to a theory, everyone is just Six steps away from anyone else on the planet. The fact that someone is three steps away from a pedophile, sex addict, drug addict or some other convicted felon shouldn't surprise anyone. I found this attitude a bit condescending coming from a convicted felon. Given Mr. Davis' past, I had high hopes for him as a minister of the Gospel. I must say that I was a bit dissappointed. It is this sort of attitude that gets me with 'Church people'....they minimize their own sins and magnify the sins of others. We are all in the same boat....lost without Jesus. I'm looking for a Church that really really understands that.
Ok, I got that off my chest...
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3 comments:
I know Mr. Davis from years past. I have many feelings towards him and all of them are not good. Personally someone that spends minimal time paying a debt to society where he killed a man is not enough and that is just my opinion. However, Mr. Davis has shown me that many people who "find God" in prison never really stray from their ways of being bad people. Some things that I found out about him directly & indirectly could make paint peel. I keep far away from him and his minions and always suggest to others that they should as well but obviously should make up their own minds. It sounds like you have begun to make up yours and it may be along the same line as mine.
Well, i don't want this to be a broiling of Mr. Davis or his organization,I guess I was dissappointed that he seemed to have the same holier than thou attitude that I find common in 'church people'. I don't believe that this is the mind of Christ
I really wish you would have stayed to hear what happened after you left. Your blog title is great, "A Constant State of Transformation". I hope that you apply that title to those in leadership as well.
Pastor Davis talked with his pastor, another missionary and a man who was seeking to know God who tried to find him on Facebook. Pastor Davis used those encounters in a sermon a week after you came - on being sensitive to know when God is trying to tell you something. He is now on Twitter & Facebook and is using it as a tool to reach people for Christ.
I am the music minister at the church and was so glad that you were blessed by the music. I wish you would have stayed to hear the Word.
One of the things that made me decide to make Cornerstone my home church (5 yrs before I was on staff) was the willingness of Pastor Davis to be transparent. You may not always agree on everything he says, but you always know what he's thinking. He doesn't live in shadows or try to minimize the past that God has brought him from. Even Apostle Paul had his past that he had to come to terms with.
I hope that you visit us again, and if you do, please come say Hi to me. I'm always available after the Saturday @5p service and the Sunday @10a service.
God bless you as you are transforming to the image of Christ!
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