As I look back on the year I ask what happened? A year where the USA became more divided over politics and agendas than I have seen in my life. But maybe I am off and things have long been this way. Political ads for candidates now run all year long, every year. Democrats go to certain churches and republicans to another with little mixing of the two in the same crowds. So which group does Jesus favor? FOX news versus everyone. More people are unemployed than I have ever seen. Things are turning around, we think. But the people do this, not the government. I saw a church I loved split and call it a plant so that the gospel was not damaged. I saw two smaller churches merge and join in the kingdom work because they knew they were better together. Now, more than ever, we need to wrestle with what the church is supposed to look and be like. How are we to be the body of Christ to a world that greatly needs the true King?
I looked up a pastor on YouTube and then followed a crazy trail. Stay with me on this, here we go: "Tony Campolo sermon" which led me to John MacArthur explaining how liberal TC was, then I saw JM explain how Roman Catholics and Billy Graham were wrong about the Bible and that BG said to Robert Schuler that there are many ways to Christ even if people don't know it, then Joyce Meyer says that we are little gods, then James David Manning says that a Joyce Meyer conference brings $60,000,000 a week into the economy, then Joel Osteen was exposed, then the NKJV was exposed and then found out Bible college was unscriptural and wrong, and then the trail went down from there. So I went on another beautiful trail starting with Mark Driscoll where he slams "The Shack" and then describes the 4 Lanes of the Emerging Church, then Rob Bell is slammed by The Way of the Master radio program with Todd Friel, followed by a bunch of other people slamming Rob Bell along with RB defending himself and his church, then Cameron Buettel slams RB some more then R.C. Sproul, Al Mohler, and Ravi Zacharias discuss post-modernism, modernism, liberalism, and the emergent church then Todd Friel exposes Rick Warren, then Rick Warren Tells Us How to Get to Heaven then Oprah is exposed then Brain McLaren "Attacks Hell and Jesus Atonement" and so on, and so on...
Who says the church is full of hypocrites? We are so full of love and get along well with each other. Right?
With all the heresy watchers out there apparently somebody or a lot of someones forgot the kindergarten lesson to play nice with each other? They will know us by our love for one another. There is so much time beating each other up that little time is left for being like Jesus to those who don't know Him. Doctrinal purity is important. But are we doing it how Jesus would? How can we make a huge difference in the world without working together?
What will it take to unify the church of Jesus and be the answer to His prayer in John 17? Can we make things different this year? It is time for those who follow Jesus to be the "00" agents that will take a stand for truth and love. Cooperation amongst the King's kids must become a priority. In 2010 we have to... You fill in the gap. What is God asking you to do as part of the Kingdom?
What makes our churches different than any group that does not have Jesus as its leader? What do we do on Sunday, or any other day, that someone who dislikes Jesus could not do? How is our love, service or power different? What is required of us? Let's do what He commands?
Love God. Love people. Make disciples...in His power and strength. Show us the way Holy Spirit.
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