“it is also a warning to me that, should I fall into worshiping the cult of money and power and if I influence others to do the same, my fate will be that of Jezebel.”

And this is the most blatant, and yet the most ignored, cultural strnglehold upon the western church. In the most orthodox of evangelical churches lives a spirit of hedonism including huge cars, huge houses, huge term insurance policies, expensive vacations, large stock portfolios, closets stuffed with clothes, hundreds of monthly dollars spent in eating establishments, hundreds of monthly entertainment dollars, and houses full of all sorts of expensive furniture and electronic equipment. And the church building itself is a study in plush carpeting, wonderful architecture, state of the art audio/visual equipment, comfortable pews, massive air conditioning systems, and inflated budget requirements.

And this same orthodox church might very well dismiss someone like Shaine Clairborne as a nut case hippie that is detached from reality. There are none so blind as those who will not see. But most times these same blind churches say “We see”. The sin remains.

I finally had a chance to read this; sometimes you make my brain hurt (in a good way!)

as I counsel my son – who will be entering college next fall

I didn’t realize you had a son that age. The oldest of my3 is only 5, and I take seriously the job of counseling them (a job that is rapidly draining the energy out of me).

I look forward to them maturing, but the thought does bring me fear. Thanks, for being a good and wise example. (something not always easy to find)

I especially feel challenged by this statement:

For me, it is my challenge to live in a corporate world – a world where people need Christ as much as anyone – and to abstain from the value system that makes these ‘gods’ supreme – even if it costs me my livelihood. When faced with decisions that make good business sense but poor moral sense, I must decide against the business.

In reading this I was reminded of Asaph’s honest confusion in Psalm 73 – an amazing and highly relevant psalm with a great ending.

Especially in light of the current economy that will be further shaken to its core, it is important that we find our strength, peace and life in the Lord.