Repentance! We don’t need no stinkin’ repentance!
I’ve come to the conclusion that this post crosses some sort of frontier of illogical thought, even when it comes to the ODMs. I’ve read the article that it links to, and I have a hard time seeing how someone can find fault with it. Apparently, repentance is only for those outside the Church, not in it.
From my reading of the article, it seems the pastor of First Baptist Church of Sugar Hill, hit the proverbial ball out of the park. It is refreshing to see a pastor approach his community and congregation in humility. Here’s a few of the things he said:
“Today we in Sugar Hill, and America at large, live in a post-Christian society. But if we acted more like Jesus in our words and the way we live, the world would be far different. It’s time we begin to think, act, and live like He did.”
“I am 37 years old and I believe the Bible is 100 percent truth without error. But the Bible tells us we are to judge our own lives and not the lives of those outside the faith.
“In John 4:18 we read that ‘perfect love drives out fear.’ I apologize for driving you out of the church and making the church a place that you fear. While the Bible teaches that we should all have a reverential fear of God, we should not fear those who sit in the pews. I make this apology and genuinely ask you to forgive me.”
I think some Christians confuse justification and salvation with being correct. Apparantly the ODMs believe it when Ali McGraw** says in Love Story, “love means never having to say you’re sorry”. I think being a Christian means continually being able to say “I’m sorry”, and even humbling ourselves to those we consider our enemies.
Apparently though, this is a bad sign for the SBC. I guess it depends on whether we see the church in a primarily defensive posture or in a posture that is advancing the Kingdom into the darkness. I think this pastor has seen the fruit of our defensive walls, and it seems he was brave enough to make some some changes. I pray that more pastors and Christians as a whole follow in this pastor’s steps.
**Oops, I knew I wrote that too early in the morning. Thanks for the correction, Keith.
55 Comments(+Add)
Maybe this is why he only likes to read Dead Theologians?
This is my favorite line
Once again proving we don’t need the Holy Spirit when we have the ODM’s.
Too often, I think the defensive walls of the church (and those within them), and definently the self-appointed “watchmen” remind me of the The Castle Aaaaarrrgh in Monty Python & the Holy Grail.
The pastor did make it clear he was referring to the judgmental posture of the church in general and with that I would say “Amen”. I happen to think that judging and rehearsing the sins of the lost is not only counter productive, it is the zenith of self righteousness.
A TEST: Who would seem to be more indictable:
#1 – A lost sinner who lives in darkness and cannot see a righteous perspective of his sin and therefore commits sin.
#2 – A saved person who has the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and should be eternally grateful to the Lord Jesus and yet still commits sin.
EXTRA CREDIT – Which of the above persons are in need of God’s grace?
I don’t know, Rick…
I just thank God I’m not like you.
Phil – I just asked God about us and our sins and He officially declared it a tie!!
i’ve never been charged for “fond feelings” at the Waffle House. they seem satisfied with the money.
wait, i don’t go to Waffle House.
this quote is retarded.
Evan – Even though fond feelings don’t provide forgiveness, I still like ‘em! And I do not think I would have listened to Billy Graham unless I has discerned he had some fond feelings for me, a sinner.
Right?
Is there any actual sharing the Word of God here? This site seems to be all about tearing down others. If I’m wrong I apologize, but I just don’t see it.
Really just another way of saying that unless you are ready to jump through our religous hoops, don’t bother walking through our doors. You’re probably not one of the elect anyway.
“Apparantly the ODMs believe it when Barbara Streisand says in Love Story, “love means never having to say you’re sorry”.
Apparently, someone needs to tell Barbara Streisand that she looks an awful lot like Ali McGraw.
D’oh!! Fixed it…
Phil: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” I love ya, man!
Keith – “You don’t know the time of day!”
(Love Story)
Mark, I would suggest the opposite.
You might read Our Mission and the other links to the upper left…
In the case of this particular article, we were defending a pastor in Sugar Hill, Ga from attacks against him from within the walls of the church.
Wasn’t Love Story about Al and Tipper Gore?
And didn’t Al Gore invent the internet?
And aren’t we destroying the ozone that Al Gore warned us about by using the internet that he invented?
I am very confused.
Mark: You might also note that this site is a repository for one-liners from Rick and myself!
Rick: It was hard enough on my heterosexualness to admit that I even knew the leading characters of Love Story, but I WILL NOT lower myself to quoting dialog from an obvious “chick flick.” Sissy!
1. the Love Story thing was misquoted by a reporter, not Al Gore…
2. he actually never said he invented the internet. seriously, try to find the actual quote. what he said was completely different and factually accurate.
yet another example of the political playbook that says “if you repeat a lie enough times, eventually people will think it’s true.”
Evan: It’s NOT a lie…as long as YOU believe it’s true.
Example: “We landed in Bosnia under sniper fire…”
yep, it goes both ways.
btw i found something funny at McSweeney’s about that…
i’m typing out the link so it doesn’t get held up in moderation…
it’s a www then a mcsweeneys and then a “.net/2008/4/7ripatrazone.html”
See Evan, I agree with the overall premise of your present rant on your blog. I mean we cannot agree that violence against gays is never acceptable? But I would humbly suggest that if you really want your views to garner a wider audience, especially those who need to hear it, than some language discipline might help. (I know, my knuckles still drag on the floor).
Why, I believe what Rick is suggesting is that Evan contextualize his communication in order to have a wider swath of the population actually listen to him.
Its a shame we can’t do that with the gospel. /sarcasm.
Tim: You kinda like that word–contextualize–don’t ya?
/sarcasm right back atcha
NOT using profanity (i.e. “language discipline”) is considered contextualization?
Tim – your comment seems to unintentually suggest that I do not believe in contextualization. I realize it is inadvertant because I believe as SOON AS we open our mouths to do anything other than recite the ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS we are contextualizing.
As long as the truth is not compromised – contextualize away!
Rick: NOT using profanity is contextualization. USING profanity is relevant–which is required when addressing a post-modern audience. They can’t understand you with it.
Pay attention.
%@*&##!
That is as far as I can go. You know, weaker brother and all that!
In this case: absolutely.
Sorry Rick, I didn’t mean to infer that was your position. However, those that go into seizures at the mere mention of context often distort what that actually is, and your suggestion was a perfect example of context.
Speaking of which….
No problem, Tim. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again you %@*&##!
Sorry, it slipped out.
And just to be clear, I believe the Holy Spirit can move and communicate through a contextualized corrupted message. So while we should avoid changing the truth let’s not believe that sinners cannot be saved unless the gospel comes from a 1611 version preached by C. H. Spurgeon himself.
I got saved listening to Billy Graham after being stirred by seeing Godspell on Braodway. Talk about your contextualization!
“…Rick is suggesting is that Evan contextualize his communication in order to have a wider swath of the population actually listen to him.” Or MAYBE…Evan IS reaching the exact audience he intended.
Could be. We assumed Evan would like to reach as many people as possible. Perhaps that assumption was wrong.
this is really deep conversation for the subject at hand, which is “Evan is a pottymouth.”
Evan is a new blogger and with his obvious intellect and even amiable personality he will gain some nuance. I will attempt to visit his blog once in a while, and although I like him and kid a lot, I am not comfortable with some of the language.
There are some like me who wish to hear him and others like him, and if that is even a part of his desire, he will configure his literary offerings with a tempered verbiage.
(Or I will wash his mouth out with soap)
And just so you know, many years ago I have used that same language extensively and in mixed company of women who used it as well. As a would be bank robber I am not a choir boy, but I am just being honest. I mean, isn’t honesty a desirable ingredient?
the thing is…my writing style is almost exactly identical to my conversational style — it’s casual, cynical, hopefully witty…
and if i’m using profanity, it’s just me being natural, and if i’m not, then it’s just be being natural.
i derno.
i could do a shadow mad-lib blog where people could fill in the dirty words with other adjectives of their choosing, but it has to be like a real mad lib, so you can’t know what the post is about while you’re choosing the words…
the next charity event i work on is going to involve mad lib karaoke…now THAT’s fun.
Evan:Don’t be so hard on yourself. (Looks like Rick plans on taking care of that for you!) 8^)>
Rick, you are too much.
My message this morning is entitled:
Preaching in a Sinful World.
Contextualized verion:
Preaching in a %@*&##! World.
The ODM version of that sermon would be “Preaching in a meanie-head world”.
the English version of that sermon would be “Preaching in a world that’s just bollocks, darling.”
speaking of the Church of England…i love Eddie Izzard…
Astronomer’s version – “Preaching in a Copernican World”
Plumber’s version – Preaching in a Stopped-up World
Realtor’s version – Preaching in a Foreclosed World
Fashion version – Preaching in an Outdated World
Undertaker’s version – Preaching in a Buried World
George Bush Version – Preaching in a Second Grade World
(Sorry – I couldn’t help it!)
Dick Cheney version – “How to eat babies grrrawrhrhrawrrhwrrrhwrarchomp…”
Dick Chaney version – Preaching in My Own World
I thought the Cheney version would be something like, “Dodging Life’s Bullets”…
alternate Dick Cheney version – “preaching in a world where i might accidentally shoot you in the face.”
Hey
Is that a picture of Jesus Remez? I thought he wore a yamulke not a sombrero.
BTW did thid pstor mentioned in the article ask you to defend him from the odmeanies?
I mean it is obvious he can speak for himself and generate plenty of publicity doing so.Men like Bell and warren are adapt at this also. So why would they need the likes of you to stand on their behalf? They are making plenty of mney and receiving plenty of attention.
Oh thats right, its aout the google hits, like the post below that mentions Oprah for no apparent reason.
Seems to me the only reason this blog gets any traffic is that it mentions CRN and Slice more than most.
Ten pounds of sewage in a five pound bag.
“Ten pounds of sewage in a five pound bag.”
I love it! I’m stealing it for later reference.
shammah ben agee posted! Hooray I hadn’t gotten my fill of crazy yet today.
Aside for the article in question being a bit bizarre… I mean the complaint about “dance” is absurd as the great dead Theologian King David seemed to have no issue with dance in worship…. hmnmmmm
But the funniest thing is when Keith and Rick talk about emerging/postmodern believers (emphasis on believers here!) and I have no clue as to what they are so knowledgeably speaking about! LOL!
iggy
Ben,
Thank you for summing up you comment for us! ; )
j/k
iggy
Iggy: Mine and Rick’s motto: Dazzle ‘em with “biodegradable bovine excrement!”
BTW, David did seem to have a problem with keeping his clothes on, though.
Oxymoron = post-modern believers
8^)>
Tag, Rick. You’re it!
Keith,
This is the post modern age… so by default you are a postmodern…
Food for thought.
iggy
Look guys, as you should have already figured out I can put 20 pounds of industrial grade sewage in a 2 pound bag without even breaking a serotonin sweat. Simply put, I often sit upon an erudite throne and pick out which serf I can verbally embarrass just because it amuses me.
So while all you doctrinal ragamuffins go back and forth about modern, post modern, mid modern, and modernity in all its forms, I rise above it all with the linguistic gymnastic abilities of a Romanian Edgar Allen Poe. So go ahead, continue to have your fun, and I will acommodate by descending just low enough to be comprehendible, which is sometimes utterly back breaking.
HaHa!! Got cha!! (Or am I serious??!??)
Iggy:“…food for thought” I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.
“…linguistic gymnastic…” Rick is THE Olga Korbut of the internet!!!
Keith,
You really should not be eating out of that “2 pound bag”…
iggy
Iggy:Are you saying I SHOULDN’T be reading this site…since the original “bag”statement was directed at CRN.Info? (Where else am I going to get good material for blog, if not here?)