So I’ve been thinking a fair bit about possibly the central thing we do as pastors – at least in terms of time spent on any single thing (research, preparation and delivery). We would take a half-day as a preaching team to work through a message, then I would take a day to write it and then about another half day spent marinating on it before delivery. So all up we’re looking at about fifteen hours of preparation and delivery for one message. Which I think is probably about average.

Recently I read Pagan Christianity by Viola and Barna, which was a really good read and instrumental in helping the church move beyond its institutionalization. They claim that preaching was never central to the church until a couple hundred years after Christ and really came into primacy with Luther who claimed it was the central part of the sunday service. He changed the term “priest” to “preacher”. Understandably preaching the word for Luther, who was putting reformed theology into the hands of hungry hordes of protesting catholics departing the catholic church in utter ignorance, was of utmost importance.

Viola claims that preaching in the NT was only done by apostles – church planters/workers in the process of establishing churches and on special occasions (Solomon’s temple etc.). They also claim that the office of Pastor is not an office, but a function and pastors didn’t preach.

I kinda disagree. I think pastors did preach because I believe Timothy was a pastor (Viola suggests he was “apostolic” because he obviously wasn’t an apostle, but his theory about pastors would fall over) and Timothy was urged by Paul to preach. Furthermore in Acts where it says the early disciples met from house to house and in the temple, would suggest it was a weekly occurrence.

Here’s where I get really creative now. Try and keep up.

Public teaching was done in the synagogue for centuries, so was embedded in Jewish culture. Furthermore, rhetoric was one of the most popular of entertainment of the day among the Greeks. Rhetoricians were public speakers who became famous and well paid for speaking eloquently (subject matter was inconsequential). So culturally in Judea, public speaking was the best form of communication and entertainment – infotainment would be a good word to describe it in today’s parlance. So it seems Jesus and his followers were using the best and most modern forms of communication that was most effective for their culture and the people of the day – preaching and teaching.

Translate that into today’s culture which is neither Greek nor Jewish. Preaching like we live in 100 A.D. in Judea simply isn’t cutting it. I even had trouble remembering what I preached the week before let alone thinking anyone else remembered (and I’m a good preacher). Which is why I resorted to The Big Idea which is simply one singular idea that I wanted people to leave the building with (there were other reasons to adopt it, primarily to use a preaching team and being able to keep a multi-site church moving in the same direction). I mean, how many sermons have you heard and actually implemented? It’s a completely modernist idea to think that simply giving people information will change their lives. We all know it doesn’t work like that, yet we continue doing it because it’s part of the consumer contract we have with our congregants (search this blog for consumerism).

Researchers on adult eduction have found that while teaching children “by rote” – in other words, I tell-you listen-you learn works, it doesn’t work with adults. And because preachers have all been to school and know nothing about educating adults, we use the only model we’ve known. Adult education doesn’t work like that. In fact when it comes down to it, experts concede that adult educators can only “facilitate” another adults learning. I won’t go into all the reasons for that. But bottom line, you can’t teach someone anything until they are ready to learn it. Kinda sounds like that old chinese saying “when the student is ready, the master will appear” – except we’re not masters… but you get the point.

The other thing that complicates the issue is that we live in the information age. No-one knows how vast the internet is. It’s not measurable. That’s how much information is out there. I can download the best preachers in the world hours after they deliver the sermon. And they’re way better communicators that you or I. I can download theology, christian books, magazines and blogs. I can even check the lexicons and commentaries while you’re preaching to see if your exegesis and hermeneutics are up to scratch. So that’s what we’re up against. So if we’re going to trade in information, I guarantee you, your congregation can get better information any day of the week.

So where does that leave us? It leaves us reaching for the best communication forms available to us for today’s culture and not simply dishing out information because adults don’t learn like that (and neither do you by the way so don’t be surprised that no-one else does either), but rather facilitating an experience. How’s that for radical? I’ll let you think about that for a bit, and I’ll unpack my conclusions later.

I want to apologize in advance for any lapse in cohesive/fluid thought in the following ‘piece’ of my mind…i am just speaking (writing) as the thoughts come…

I am a church musician, have played for various choirs and groups over the course of the last almost 20 years…and a common ‘thread’ in the church/gospel music community is the homosexual musician/artist/choir director/worship leader.  Now I am warning you…WARNING: I AM GOING TO SPEAK MY MIND ON THIS…AND IT WILL BE CONTROVERSIAL…but I can do that because it is my blog!!

If I take a survey of the gospel artists/music that I/you listen to…the music that encourages us, makes us shed a tear, ‘ushers’ in the ‘presence’ of God, yea even represents christianity…If I take a survey, i don’t think that I would be exaggerating if I said that 85% or more of the artists are gay, or have gay tendencies (which is a stupid term imo).  The gay man has become God’s spokesperson, the person who has been ‘called’  to ‘minister’.   That is the biggest example of hipocrazy (i meant to spell it that way) in the church today.  Preachers stand up in pulpits all over the country and ‘denounce’ homosexuality, they talk about it being an abomination, demon possession and the like, but then for the altar call of that same sermon the choir or praise team leader gets up and sings a song written by the very ‘demon possesed’ character that the preacher was talking about…furthermore the person singing the song and the person accompaning might be gay themselves.

Now unless you were wondering where my stand is on homosexuality…I believe that it is wrong!  I know that I will step on alot of toes with that statement (even of some family members) but I believe what i believe…(I still love you though!!!) I am not gonna get into a biblical debate on the subject…even the homosexual themselves know deep down in their heart that there is something  ’un-natural’ about what they are doing (ironically the same term used to describe it in the Bible)…but in this day and age we want to justify all of the garbage that we do by saying ‘Who I am to judge what someone else does…”

I spoke recently with a pastor who stood up in his church (after a gospel concert) and said that the spirit of God was not there and that were 5 other spirits present…one of which he stated was homosexuality.  That statement brought heavy backlash from his own congregation! Are you telling me that it is to the point where we have accepted this behavior as normal and it can no longer be ‘rebuked’…ARE YOU SERIOUS……!!!!!!!

Ok…let me fall back for a minute…we all have our hangups…I have just as many as the next guy, so let me make it very clear….I AM NOT CONDEMNING THE HOMOSEXUAL…only God can judge…however, I am saying that we have accepted the homosexual as God’s spokesperson…the person through whom God ‘moves’ us…all the while never addressing the fact that their behaviour is in direct contradiction to the very Person they claim to have speaking through them…one blogger (http://gcmwatch.wordpress.com) called them ‘talented, but ungodly’…and I would have to agree.

We have mistakenly made the term talented synonymous with annointed and therby have allowed ourselves to be swept away into a spirit (not sure which one sometimes) by some gay dude claiming to be speaking what God told him.  Tonex even had the audacity to say that you were’nt thinking about him being gay when he was ushering people into the presence of God…that’s a slap in the face to Christianity…It’s so accepted that Leo W. McDermott II can do an album and entitle it ‘God and You’ (G.A.Y.)…ARE YOU KIDDING ME…!!!  Check out this review of an artist featured on http://christiangays.com/links/christian_music.shtml  With her sexy shaved head and velvety vocals, gender-bending diva Androgyny will surely become a dyke favorite in no time. The Nigerian-born singer-songwriter blends gospel, jazz and soulful pop into a sound so smooth we’d fall for her even if she were a straight chick – which, thankfully, she’s not.   WWWWWWTTTTTTTTFFFFFFFF! (sorry…but serious…this is blasphemy!)

Now once again…let me fall back…i listen to as much, or maybe even more gospel music than the average person…I listen to the same artists that  everyone else does…In the back of my mind however, the message is always tainted by the messenger… I am reminded of something that Bill Cosby said when talking about Denise’s marriage  on an episode of the Cosby show…he described this scrumptuos dinner in detail and then asked would you like it to be presented on a garbage can lid…That is how I feel about the music…sure, the words are uplifting, and the serve a purpose in the encouragement, and sustainance of our daily walk…but the fact that it is presented by mostly gay individuals is absolutely disheartening…and the fact that we seem to have accepted this as ok is down-right ridiculous! It also shuts off opportunities for true, God-called, annointed artist to be heard on a large scale because we only support and ‘bigup’ the gay folk…

Well now you know what I think…tell me what you think…(take some time to research what artists have to say about the GWMA and the workshops that Bobby Jones puts on…also check out the statements from Cleveland’s ’son’ http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/culture/black/articles/gospel.html)

-From the Mind of Me…

Or, Put the turkey down…this is way more important.

I know you’re saved, I know you go to church, I know you give…but are you a living walking testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ? What have you done for the Kingdom today?

No one holds out a hand to another unless it’s some kind of holiday. Serving the hungry and homeless for Thanksgiving is a nice thing to do but all you’re doing is filling their gut, not their quiver.

When will people just take a minute and take a hard look at others around them? Am I the only one that sees dead people walking?

Mark 16:15 says, ‘And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’

How will they hear without a preacher? There are people in the outer reaches of this planet Earth that need the Gospel. Jesus said we are to go into ALL THE WORLD; every corner, every mountain, every valley, every prison, every shelter, everywhere.

It is our responsibility to take this Message of the Cross across the globe and across town. How will they hear without a preacher?

 Mark 16:16 says, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’

And what Jesus said to the Disciples was confirmed by the Apostle Paul through the Holy Spirit:

Romans 10:14, ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

To preach is to proclaim or to make known to those the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your pulpit is closer than you think.

Romans 10:15 says, ‘…How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!’

Life is precious, but be mindful of Eternity. It is forever….for everyone.

At least once a week, a man stands below a red clock between the Woodburn and Ballantine Hall buildings with a crowd circled around. The man usually dresses in plain clothing, holding posters saying “AIDS cures FAGS” and has a walking stick bearing a crucifix on the top.

Preacher at Woodburn Hall

Yes, preachers invade a liberal college campus proclaiming every act we take part in as sinful and blasphemous in the eyes of God. Yet as students mock and harass him, the preacher is a necessary reminder of how much further this country has to go in getting rid of the ignorance that invades this nation.

There is no excuse because these people really bring shame on Americans. Yet, this further propels the idea of how much organized religion has tainted the ideals of a free and an independently-run government. For if it weren’t for the citizens believing the country was founded from Christian morals, then social inequalities would never have been put into question and the whole aspect of a free nation would be in exemplified in our current world.

In fact, when reflecting on my childhood, churches have directly controlled the people’s perception of the true foundations of The United States when in reality, the majority of Founding Fathers were not Christians but Deists. That’s right. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, etc. have all been strongly linked to the Deism religion which has the mission of believing in a supreme being without the need of an organized religion. This was were the term “separation of church and state” formulated and has remained etched in the U.S. Constitution. There were no Christian morals decorated on the document and it never exhibited the intentions of hindering any type of person different from the hegemonic masculine white male. The Constitution was intended to provide each person with the desired freedoms they strived for upon declaring war on Britain.

But since the document was written, the church has interpreted its writing as a Christianly moral document intending to be dictated by what religious leaders believed to be as what “God would want the country to emulate.” This began with only granting the dominant white male full and equal rights in the country. Women, mexicans, African Americans, etc were prohibited from having a say in the “independent” country and were unable to vote or have federal protection. It wasn’t until the ending of the Civil War that persons of color were included as citizens of the nation and were given “equal rights.” Women soon followed and were seen as citizens as they were given the right to vote in presidential elections.

But as people were given equal rights as citizens, the Church created a damaging stereotype as what really constituted as a equal citizen. Soon, African-Americans were designated certain places to eat, use the restroom, etc. Homosexuals were arrested in gay bars or killed for their sexual orientation. The definitions of an equal citizen were blurred because of what a book told the majority of what was tolerable and accepted in a “free” country.

This continues today. Granted, African-Americans were finally given their equal rights through the 60s but as we enter 2010, the gay community still struggles with the full equality that the 14th Amendment guarantees for ever citizen in this country.

The lack of progress has nothing to do with the social world but it has everything to do with the religious community. In a land where religion should be separated from the government process, we still see bills struck down and bans put in place because electorates place their religious beliefs in front of what is governmentally right for the American people.

On any given Sunday, there are probably hundreds of preachers throughout this country that stand on a stage delivering messages of hate, damning the lives of people who are different from their own community. In a religion that teaches to unconditionally love one another, there sure is an abundant amount of hate resonating from within. If organized religion ceased to exist, then we would not have to rely on having only a selected amount of persons, who are “qualified,” denounce the rights of millions of citizens.

Furthermore, it is because of this organized hate that many lives have been lost. Certainly if it weren’t for organized religions degrading homosexuality as an “unforgivable sin” then people like Matthew Shepard would still be alive and Obama would not have had to sign the bill in Shepard’s honor. Persons identifying as a homosexual or lesbian would not have to be worried about being another victim of a hate crime and marriage between two person of the same gender would never be placed into question.

Now steering away from Christianity, organized religion have been one of the main causes for wars or terrorist acts throughout the world. The September 11th attacks would never have occurred, the 2005 bombings in the London subway would have been prevented and probably most importantly, the continuing dispute between Israel and Palestine would cease to exist. And even the recent tragedy in Fort Hood is now being linked to religion. Millions upon millions of lives could have been saved if organized religion could be separated from government practices.

Preventing the intrusion of religion is near impossible now for the damage has been done. There is nothing that can be done to prevent leaders from acting on their spiritual beliefs for it is how they’ve been raised.

This is a shame because now in America, the success of a politician is determined by a person’s religion and now political platform. Their spiritual background is looked at before their political record is examined. Hell, President Obama’s campaign was almost lost because of his middle name (Hussein) and speculations that he was Muslim instead of Christian. In fact, when you look at the religious affiliations with each president, only four have denied affiliation to a religion.

A politician should not be elected based on religious merit but he or she should be chosen for their belief in a better government. The United States should start conducting business based on a social equality that would benefit ALL Americans instead of the dominant majority. Since this country is being seen once again as being a country of leadership in the world, the first step that should be taken is to public acknowledge no religious affiliation and promote social acceptance.

Therefore if this is accomplished, we would not have to worry about equal rights but we would be able to focus on more important issues such as the economy and the health care reform….issues that should really matter instead of issues that should have logically been determined years ago.

But until then, I will continue to see a man with a Bible spitting hate at us in between Woodburn and Ballantine Halls. I will also continue to hope that his words won’t trigger someone to produce the next American tragedy that will claim the lives of innocent people.

First up today,  a trip over to YouTube….

A friend showed me this amazing dance troupe called LA LA LA HUMAN STEPS. They are based in Canada, and the DVD is called Amelia. The music is hauntingly beautiful remakes of Velvet Underground songs, and the dance is contemporary ballet.  And luckily, the entire performance is available to view on YouTube in 7 parts, and awesome quality.  I love dance; I still sit sometimes and daydream what it would have been like to take to the stage, and this is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Watching it I was inspired to write, to sing, to laugh, to cry.

It’s also available for purchase here: La La La Human Steps: Amelia

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The crystal of the month is Rainbow Obsidian.

This crystal is amazing for grounding your energy without slamming you into the earth.  The rainbow effect can be viewed when the dark stone reacts with light, and gives gentleness to its power. Rainbow obsidian is excellent for use in meditations, absorbing negativity, and can be a powerful scrying mirror for advanced practitioners.

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The totem animal of the month is the Crow:

Wait, not that Crow. This crow:

Crows are thought to be the keepers of sacred law, and the messengers of the spiritual world. When Crow makes an appearance, change and transformation are entering your life quickly and with great energy. As guardian of ceremonial healing and magick, Crow guides you through altered consciousness, instills wisdom, and helps you to see what is unseen.

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In my spiritual news, I’ve been working on a Goddess meditation book and creating mp3 files for download. My friend AJ, owner of Forbidden Panel has been teaching me how to use a voice recorder and make myself sound all ethereal and wise. I am excited about the project, as I have yet to see anyone producing the type of work we are. Hopefully it will be complete by next summer.

Also, as some of you already know, I quietly offer online classes in Goddess lore and Magickal studies to those who ask. Over the past few months, so many women have been asking for the online option, I’ve decided to make it a standing feature of my resume.  I am currently finishing up the lesson plans for the new round of ONLINE CLASSES I will be offering through my website. Workshops will be in a variety of subjects including Elemental Magick, Ritual Planning, Meditations, and Goddess Study. I am working hard on formatting the chat rooms, and recording meditations – but I hope to have at least four classes up by the end of December.  More details coming soon!

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In other people’s spiritual news, astrologer and teacher Yolanda Valenzuela is now in California!   Yolanda is lifetime lover of astrology and the practical use of it’s language and art.  She is nationally known astrologer, writer, artist and Priestess. She will be teaching a workshop on creating RITUAL BOOKS here in Los Angeles. The workshop details are TBD as details are still developing. Fees:  $60 (+$6 material fee).  If you are interested, call 503.287.4248 and/or visit Yolanda’s website at http://cyclesandsymbols.com

Karen Tate, author of  Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations has a show on BlogRadio called Voices of the Sacred Feminine. Karen interviews famed women and men who discuss Goddess as deity, archetype and ideal, the rising interest in the Feminine Consciousness and Right Brain Thinking. Shows are live every Wednesday night, and previous interviews archived and are available for OnDemand listening.  This month alone Karen has interviewed Starhawk, Barbara Walker, and Layne Redmond. My favorite so far is the archived discussion of the Goddess Isis with Isidora Forrest.  Fun and educational listening!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/voicesofthesacredfeminine

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Since reading Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart by Alice Walker (which changed my life in a way no other book has) I have been led to study shamanic medicine, and am looking to participate in a Ayahuasca ceremony. Through National Geographic I found Blue Morpho, a wonderful center for shamanic studies and workshops in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon.

Here is a blurb from the website: Blue Morpho specializes in shamanic workshops and spiritual retreats. We work with traditional shamans (curanderos, medicine men and women) who practice the ancient and mystical shamanic arts of the jungle. The shamans conduct ceremonies and rituals, many of which utilize the use of sacred visionary medicinal plants, designed to open consciousness and bridge the physical and spiritual world. These ceremonies are personally transformational, positively changing the life of the participant. Experience Spiritual, Natural, and Energetic evolution.

I am now currently saving  to take the trip to Peru next summer. However, I am also interested in finding shamanic teachers and Ayahuasca ceremonies/treatments in the US.  If you know of a practicing shaman you can confidently refer, please contact me!

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And now for my deep, dark secret: I have recently become a comic book nerd.

I’ve been reading Preacher Vol. 1: Gone to Texas written by Garth Ennis, with art by Steve Dillon and Glenn Fabry. Yes, I know that puts me about thirteen years behind the times, but what can I say – I was busy getting laid in high school, not reading comics. (hehehe just kidding Mom!) Anyhoo, it’s a tale that’s guaranteed to offend everyone in one way or another – and I mean toss-the-book-across-the-room offended – but it’s still awesome story-telling, hilarious banter, thoughtful premises, and very cool artwork. Folks in Hollywood have been arguing for years about the best way to bring it to the story to the big screen, Christians are still REALLY upset and offended by the book’s existence, and the tale has influenced an entire generation of underground culture. I am on issue #24 and loving it, so I advise you to check it out if you are in need of a horror/drama g33k fix, and don’t mind tons of violence and foul language in your reading material.

Here’s a synopsis for you:  Merging with a bizarre spiritual force called Genesis, Texan Preacher Jesse Custer becomes completely disillusioned with the beliefs that he had dedicated his entire life to. Now possessing the power of “the word,” an ability to make people do whatever he utters, Custer begins a violent and riotous journey across the country. Joined by his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip and the hard drinking Irish vampire Cassidy, the Preacher loses faith in both man and God as he witnesses dark atrocities and improbable calamities during his exploration of America.

You can pick up a copy here:   Preacher Vol. 1: Gone to Texas

Later ‘gators!

A year or two ago a young couple lost their two-month-old son. They had him in bed with them and one of them must have rolled over on him in the night because when they woke up in the morning their beautiful baby boy was dead. A pastor friend of mine and I went over to their house that night. You talk about heartache! The boy’s daddy, a young fella, kept wallowing in the floor saying “God is judging me – God is judging me!” The pastor was trying to show them some scriptures when the mother blurted out: “I just don’t see how there can be a God.”And before you criticize her, you just wait till you wake up beside your dead baby.

I  said “Ma’am my heart goes out to you – I won’t try to say I know what you’re going through because I don’t. But I was reading a story this afternoon about a lady who had lost her baby boy too. She went to her pastor and said “Where was God when my boy died?”

He was stunned by the question like we all would be but he thought for a moment and said “Ma’am, God was in the same place He was when His Son died 2000 years ago.” And I’m telling you there’s a God in heaven that knows what it’s like to lose a baby boy. He knows what it’s like to lose a loved one and He can sympathize with your pain.

On top of that, I believe the grace of God takes care of little children and that baby’s in Heaven right now. And if mama and daddy are Christians – they might have to spend 40, 50, or even 60 years apart from their child and I know that sounds like such a long time. But looking back, 10,000 years from now, it won’t seem like that long at all.

Christians do not sell heroin or sex; how dare they sell Satan’s lies?

We often take a public stance against abortion, sexual immorality, or Darwinism. However, none of these things, in themselves, take the name of our Master and drag it through mud.

Compare these two possible behaviors for a child of God:

• Snuff cocaine at a strip club while reading Aleister Crowley’s Book of Thoth; or
• Purchase a Bible at a so-called Christian bookstore that also sells every kind of lie under the banner of Christ, from Joel Osteen be-happy-then-go-to-hell books to Roman Catholic rub-here-to-pay-God trinkets.

The money we give to the bookstores is funding all kinds of perverted false gospels that drag men into hellfire, and the spirits of the false prophets behind them. We aren’t even supposed to welcome such people into our home (2 John) or eat with them (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Culture teaches us that Joseph Stalin and Charles Manson are more evil than Benny Hinn, who I suppose hasn’t ever killed or raped anyone; yet scripture teaches that there is a really special place in hell for the false prophet. [I am not condemning Benny Hinn or Joel Osteen in the perfect tense-- God may yet give them new life, according to His sovereign will.]

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (from Romans 2^[1]; emphasis mine)

Our unbelieving friends mock Jesus Christ and post videos on our Facebook walls about foolish Christians behaving like drunkards. They laugh about those who claim to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and then sign treaties with Muslims because “we all serve the God of Abraham.” They use this to slander Christianity, and to formulate some dying justification to not consider their need, nor the Savior.

It might be different if a store simply confessed to be a Religious Bookstore. In this, they would not overtly associate any particular item in their store with Christ; despite that a mature Christian employee could hardly swipe the credit card for a customer who is buying such unhealthy material. Christians do not sell heroin or sex; how dare they sell Satan’s lies?  This is not love. We ought not even handle these things, except when throwing them into the fire.

I’m not a theologian; it’s just something I’ve been thinking about. Yet something else is lurking in my mind– abortions are funded by our governments in Canada. I’ve been sending my province $54 per month to pay for medical coverage. Is it worth that to me? I am not my own; and God is well able to provide. Perhaps that will be my next post, but right now I’m in some tense place between praying to understand God’s will and debating with Arminian Christians who think we should use our own understanding to care for our health and family and heap up retirement funds in glaring conflict with the teachings of our Master (Matthew 6).

 

Merchandising our Lord; His holy name and title presented in the shape of the Coca-Cola logo, ad nauseum. [scaled-down version of "Christendom goes POP" ©2009 ~archambers at deviantArt.com

^[1]Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

(Above: a light tower at the end of a peer in Manistee, Michigan – photographer unknown)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 74

By Scott A. Klaft

In Time Of War… continued:   In The South

On the opposite side of many of Garfield’s skirmishes was a young scout who would eventually become one of the more effective preachers of Restoration principles. T. B. Larimore reported for duty to the Confederate Army in the first year of the war under the command of Colonel McClellan at Knoxville, Kentucky. Much of his involvement is well documented. He was part of the retreat to Corinth, Mississippi, and he was on scout duty in the Sequatchie valley when captured by the Union forces.

At Franklin College, W.D. Carnes frantically struggled to keep the discussion of war out of the classroom. Unfortunately, it was when President Lincoln first issued the call for volunteers to invade the south that almost the whole student body left to join the Confederate forces. Carnes was forced to close the school.

The brethren, in what was considered “the west” (Arkansas and Missouri), were severely conflicted over the war. Missouri first held the southern point of view, but the Governor was dismissed and the state legislature voted pro-Union. Arkansas was not thus persuaded. Nevertheless, the general population of these states thought they were so far to the west and out of reach from the North that warfare would never reach them. In this, they were sadly and badly mistaken. When the war came, it came with its full fury as it did in every other place it touched.

William Baxter was the president of the school in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He tried, to the best of his ability, to keep the war discussions to a minimum. The school, at its opening, had high hopes of prosperity. Nearly all of the students were of the brotherhood practicing Restoration principles, but the student body was now divided in political sentiment. Fort Sumter fell, Lincoln called for volunteers, and many of the young men announced their intentions to enlist – some to the Union armies, some to the Confederacy. Most of them would never hear the echoing sound of the last gun firing at the end of the war. Most of them were left silent on the grounds of battle all the way from Prairie Grove to Gettysburg.

The college at Fayetteville was taken over frequently by both armies, but after the long battle at Prairie Grove, the entire city became a makeshift hospital for Union and Confederate forces alike. Baxter remained, witnessing the cries of agony from the young men, riddled with led from opposing muskets. Doctors were forced to amputate limbs without the use of anesthesia or antiseptic, and the terrifying screams of pain shook Baxter to his foundations. The dead bodies of soldiers lined the streets, waiting for workers to have time to bury them all. The bodies of young men known to be members of the church were brought to the church building. It was heart wrenching to see grieving mothers cry and kiss the cold, lifeless faces of their sons.

Many members of the church fought and died in both Northern and Southern Armies. Each tragic loss for either side was an even greater loss for the cause of Christianity. The Lord only knows what good might have come from their lives spent, not in futile bloodshed against their own countrymen, but rather preaching the soul-saving Gospel, insisting on the principles of restoring the ancient order.

Nothing would be gained by listing all the dead whose names once graced the membership rosters of the churches of Christ and who gave their influence for the advance of His kingdom. Most of their names would remain unrecognized by us. There were some, however, whose names we may indeed recognize. For instance, at the battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas, none other than the son of one of the earliest of restoration initiators, Barton Stone, named after his father, Barton W. Stone, lead a regiment of Texas Rangers.

This regiment had a Chaplain among them, B. F. Hall. Once a highly respected preacher, after moving to Texas, Hall would never again hold the influence he once wielded, and for good reason. As Baxter had opportunity to observe for himself, Hall had changed greatly, and in a way wholly unexpected.

(Continued Next Week)

Então, agora estou de volta ao quarto. O zumbi já foi embora.

– É a última vez Luciano. Você entende? Última vez que a gente transa.

Líria me fala isso olhando fixamente para meus olhos. Os seus tem uma linda coloração que oscila entre o verde e o amarelo. Desnecessariamente aponta o dedo para meu rosto. Toda a coisa tem um tom de ameaça. Eu só penso em como seus seios são duros, e como os desejo senti-los junto a mim.

– Ok. Última vez Líria. Sem problema. Dá pra continuar a viver assim. Só acho meio anticlimático você falar isso agora…

– É só pra você saber. Acho importante que você saiba. É a ultima vez.

Sinto-me automaticamente impotente. Queria acender um cigarro antes de começarmos. Mas acho difícil que Líria aceite essa pausa. Penso que se é a última vez, devo fazer a melhor apresentação da minha vida. Memorável. Mas não sei lidar bem a pressão.

– Ai, para Lu. Você tá muito afoito. Parece um adolescente. Que que tá pegando?

Líria não sabe, mas minha cabeça está longe dali. Mui longe. Penso que não estou sendo afoito. Estou sendo voluptuoso. Isso costumava agradar as moças.

(escrevendo sobre isso, com o distanciamento que o tempo impõe… Tudo muito estranho).

Nelson R. senta na cama. Sendo um escritor morto em 1980 (e meu irmão d´alma) ele é em preto-e-branco. Se bem que toda a atmosfera do quarto está escura.

- Luciano, acho que você devia ir pra casa (acendo um de seus indefectíveis mata-ratos). Na realidade, eu não existo. Disso você sabe, sou só uma representação literária da sua esquizofrenia dormente. Aquele que você queria dialogar, nos muitos momentos em que duvida. Nas muitas horas em que acha que nenhum ser vivo vai te entender. Mas como estamos numa página de ficção, eu posso te aconselhar. Vai embora daqui.

– Nelson, agora não. Dá-me um trago e vai embora (falo isso durante a cópula. Vez em quando percebo um tom de enfado nos lindos olhos de Líria).

- Luciano. Escuta. É importante que você me escute. Você sabe que eu assisti a morte do meu irmão Roberto. Assassinado. Lembra aquela vez em que você sonhou que eu estava ao seu lado, materialmente físico? Então. Naquele sonho eu te contei isso. A morte de Roberto me marcou eternamente. Ver ele baleado, como um cão sarnento… Essas coisas ficam pra sempre.

– Porra Nelson, eu to transando velho! Saí fora. Para de falar em morte, cacete! Tu é mórbido pacas!

- Claro que eu sou mórbido. Você já leu tudo que eu escrevi. Sempre acaba em desgraça. Mas escuta, acho melhor você ir pra casa, e…

-Puta merda! SAI FORA!

Sinto o jorro dormente dentro de meu órgão do sexo, prestes a eclodir. Com um pré medo da vergonha, do medo de decepcionar Líria, o seguro inutilmente.

– Não, pelo amor de Deus, agora não.

– Hahahaha.

Líria solta aquela sua risada sonora, de encher o ambiente. Dá-me um beijo carinhoso.

– É Luciano. Essa sua última vez foi rápida hein?  Pelo menos foi bom pra você?

Paralisado de prazer, simplesmente fico de bruços, e enfio minha cara no travesseiro de Líria. Lembro-me com ternura nostálgica que algumas das meninas da minha vida, sempre elogiavam meu cheiro, que ficava presente em suas roupas de cama. Mesmo depois que eu já era lembrança, há muito tempo.

Peço desculpas a Líria. Ela não entende que seu nome remete a muita coisa. Que ela é ela (e a amei por um momento), e que ela é todas. Vejo-a andar pelo quarto, nua. É muito bela. É bonita pra caralho. Iria vê-la cerca de três dias depois. Quando as coisas estariam muito diferentes. Foi um encontro fortuito, daqueles com a câmera pegando a gente do outro lado da rua, que nem naquele filme do Woody Allen. Indicando que a intimidade (tão rápida!) já havia morrido. Porém, enquanto eu descia as escadas eu tinha certeza que não há veria mais.

Chego ao carro. Cato os bolsos em busca do meu maço. Lembro que o esqueci em cima do criado-mudo do quarto de Líria. Nunca que eu subiria novamente. Peço um dos mata-ratos de Nelson R.

– Porra Nelson, você foi me aparecer no momento mais foda né? Precisava? Hein? Logo que? Logo que?

(aspira profundamente o cigarro. Nenhum homem vivo ou morto já sentiu regojizo igual ao fumar um cigarro).

- Então Lu. Eu to aqui pra ajudar a conduzir essas suas lembranças. Esse negócio de usar um poeta morto pra acompanhar o protagonista é artifício velho. O Dante já usou com o Virgilio, lá no Inferno dele, há mais de quatrocentos anos.

– O que você quer dizer?

- Que a gente deve acender essa beata que você tem no porta luvas, e irmos pra casa. Num próximo capitulo dessa história, nós vamos ter uma nova conversa no Rio, onde deixamos o Fábio e o Carlos Drummond. Mas por enquanto temos que ir pra casa. É lá que está acontecendo a crise que vai motivar a escrita desse texto, daqui um mês.

Nelson acende o baseado. Dá um trago, e me passa a bola. Vou dirigindo, atravesso um pequeno trecho de Avenida Amazonas e volto pela Praça da Assembléia. Voltamos mudos, eu e Nelson, já sabendo o que vou encontrar quando chegar em casa.

Paro o Uno no estacionamento. Caminho como para o abate. Nelson já não está do meu lado. Com a cabeça em Líria, não dou atenção para duas mulheres que começam a mexer comigo. Não tenho paciência para falar com elas. Me acham antipático e vão gritando comigo, durante todo o trajeto até minha casa.

O saguão do prédio está escuro. São cerca de duas da manhã. Decido subir de escada. A subirei e descerei várias vezes ainda essa noite.

Chego em casa, minha mãe está no tanque, lavando um pedaço de pano. Reconheço ser uma camisa regata de meu pai.

-Pô mãe, lavando roupa essa hora da madrugada? Vai dormir mãe.

- Dormir como filho? Seu pai ta passando mal. Seu pai ta passando mal.

(continua…)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (teaching), for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17 

I have had the disappointing privilege of meeting numerous people claiming to be Christians/ believers of God/ followers of Christ, who do not take the Bible as complete literal truth.  They say that some parts are not to be taken literally, but then I read Scriptures like the opening passage and grow sad for them.  My first thought is to ask them, well, what do you think about yourself in relation to God?  This is important and detrimental to understanding if one is of Christ or not.  Either you BELIEVE IT ALL OR NOT AT ALL.  This is to preachers as much as the congregations of your churches.

So here’s the question.  Do you believe the Bible literally or not?  Better yet, do you even have a true understanding of God’s Word to be able to make a valid case for why you do not read the Bible in its full context to be taking literally?  Jesus validated the Old Testament Scriptures quoting them numerous times as He taught those who were listening.  Before you decide to take issue with me on this, understand that this is not my original thought or question.  You would have to take your resistant heart up with Christ.  Read below and decide for yourself. 

“If god were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here.  For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me.  Why don’t you understand what I say?  Because you cannot listen to My word.  You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry our your father’s desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in Him.  When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars.  Yet because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me.  Who among you can convict Me sin?  If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe Me?  The one who is from God listens to God’s words.  This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”  ~ Jesus (John 8:42-47)

Anyone know how to do it?

Seriously. I have watched many different ministries come and go over the years. The one thing that I’ve never understood? How they got started.  This is something that has plagued me about ministry ever since I decided that I wanted to go into it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been wishy-washy over the years with my walk with God, and only within the last three have I decided that I would maybe like to go into full-time ministry. Here within the last two it’s gotten a bit out of hand. When I was at Bible college the biggest fear (and the biggest one now) is saying, “Ok, I want to plant/start/build a church” and going out with that being a goal and never being able to figure it out. I’m afraid of rejection and failure. Seriously. I am sort of a “sure thing” type. Unfortunately, things with God aren’t always sure things, in fact they rarely are.

Since the decision was made for the last time (this time) I have been given some awesome opportunities in ministry. One of which is the one I am in now with our singles ministry. By no means let this post say that I don’t appreciate that, because I value it more than I can write in this blog. This is simply to say that eventually I would like to grow into the calling that I feel that God has for me. I LOVE studying about God. If I had all day every day, I would study his Word…looking for those things that He wants us to really see. To really get. Unfortunately the things of life get in the way more often than not, and as desperate as I am for God, I feel a bit like the seed cast among thorns. Slowly being choked. Maybe at least being conscious of it will help…

One point I want to make clear is that even when I was not living for God…I still knew. It would keep me up at night. The overwhelming feeling that I was missing out on my calling and using every minimal skill that I had in the wrong areas. I think that this “calling” is why every job I’ve had, all of them, have never satisfied me. I also feel like that’s why I always tend to be the counselor at any job I’m at…the one who takes the extra time for people to confide in and talk to. I DO care about people, and I feel like God made me a good communicator for a reason.

So I have a question for God. Heck, I’ll even throw it to anyone who reads my blog (though you are few and far between). If you are in ministry, or know anyone who is and has started their own. Any idea how they did it?

Part of me thinks that if I can’t get past this fear that is holding me back that I won’t reach the things God has for me…in fact, often I wonder what could have been if I had gotten it right the first time. Maybe by now I’d have something that He could be proud of me for…

God, help me. Help me be who YOU want me to be. Terry is dead. I choose to be your slave. Put me where you want. when you want, how you want. I don’t know how else to say it.

there’s a video making the rounds on the ol’ internets of a pastor named Steven Anderson who rails against men — excuse me, males, certainly not men — who pee sitting down.  every single German, according to his authoritative three-and-a-half-month visit and handful of experiences, pees sitting down.  and that, my friends, is where this country is headed.  people are afraid to tell it like it is (like the KJV is, that is) and pee standing up!  those compromising scholars who have produced alternative, “soft” translations of the Bible, and certainly President Obama (probably) pees sitting down!

he takes this from a few old testament passages that use the fairly crude though entertaining idiom “who piss against the wall,” meaning men, and then expounds on what an essential quality of manliness is: peeing standing up.  he is a treasure.

anyway, I actually looked into it (if you can call a few minutes of internet searching “looking into” something) and found that, indeed, in Germany, as well as in Japan, it is fairly common for men to pee sitting down.  this may be a bit too much of a disclosure, but I decided sometime last spring or summer that I would start doing this in our home.  I mean, I’ve always considered myself a conscientious urinator and all, but when we went to wash our bathroom rungs once, just a few minutes in a closed, small laundry room and it became apparent that there was still a, shall we say, “unwelcome” smell to them.  why shouldn’t I save us the trouble of having to do more washing and cleaning up?  (not that we stopped washing our rugs now and then, but still.)  anyway, I’ll stop there, apart from adding that I wouldn’t do this anywhere — only for friends and family and/or in places where I can trust the overall cleanliness of the toilet.

and there’s this:

anyway, I guess I should be thankful to Pastor Anderson for making explicit what I had been suspecting all along.

Strong Currents

Last night I felt strong currents coming in from youth camp at Clarendon College, our smiling black dog and my free flowing hair. They were so powerful that I had to open my eyes and rise. I walked over to the rear balcony and acknowledged my God who was shining through the skies with an unbearable light. I breathed while I counted the mountain ranges and their shadows watching over the city and my life.

“Honey, do you know what I am going through at this time? Do you really understand?”

My husband realized that I was asking a very serious question.

“Do you know what I am experiencing with this writing?”

“I know you enjoy it immensely.”

“Oh, My God! Can you imagine what Ellen, Marcus and Martin went through?”

“Yes, she was inspired…telling us about health and where to build our colleges and our universities…it was divine intervention…You, where you are coming from and how you want to help these boys…it must be divine.”

“Oh, for you to say that to me…I know that you understand what I am going through.”

“The mornings are perfect here. Listen to the birds my dear. Listen to them sing because they will be quiet later on today. Why is that so? Why are they so chirpy now?”

“The early birds are out to catch the worms that came out last night; the worms are their food.”

As I listened to my husband I felt his father’s strong energy. His presence was in the room along with all the other men and I was energized.

I pause now to acknowledge all of my mute readers. You know yourselves.

My Mute Readers (inspired by a quiet rural mother).

I am a church sister who reads your blog everyday

I do not comment but I always pray

I am your loving sister far away in Asia

I admire your hair; please keep the flavour.

I am a teacher who reads your blog, everyone

And wonder how the IT parts are done    

I would love to use this talent of mine

But I do not know where to turn or how to climb

I am a new mother who reads you blog but not everyday  

Sometimes I fall behind with work and stray

Things are very busy at home now for sure

With four seeds in my home to nurture

I am a writer who just love to read your blog alone

I had to tell you last week how I felt after reading ”Teeth and Bones”

Your strong themes have inspired me to write again

I will try to find a focus here in my home and the rain

I am your buddy reading your blog in a strange land

I just had to let you know that I moved as planned

And how intrigued I am with Jamaica’s glow  

Your journey so far and now this boy, Antonio  

I am reading your blog while in the kitchen I stand

I told her and she told you about my undivided attention

I have been listening and reading ever since Stony Hill

Indeed, I am also upset about Armadale; the silent pill

I am the quiet rural one who reads your blog

The story of the yellow yam and the dog

Was told to my teenage daughter word for word

My extended family and friends have also heard

I am the Chief who reads your blog despite all the noise

I am here thinking about my priorities and my choice

I liked the story about Tracks getting out of the rut

And how you forgot about your son’s haircut   

I am a preacher who reads your blog and watch your cues

I want to tell you that I respect your controversial views

While I do not always agree with your commentary

I wish you the best in your ongoing ministry

I am your best friend who reads your blog while I work

Convinced that you have found your calling on earth

I am praying hard that God will answer this week

So that you can continue on this journey meek

I am a counselor who reads your blog while I prepare

But I will never comment with this left hand for them to hear   

My wife reads them too and we both admire you

That’s why I bow like a gentleman the way I do

I am a son who reads your blog like that

I never comment on your posts but I will “chat”

I see all that is happening out here from above

So I want to let you know that I feel your love.

Copyright November 17, 2009

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that there are certain behaviors that one should exude in church.  You should be reverent and respectful and keep your txt messaging to a minimum. 

If you aren’t Twittering or sending txt messages to God, then you need to be paying attention to the minister, unless he’s totally boring and has no idea what the difference is between the Old Testament and the New.  Otherwise, the following behavior is permissible in church.  But you didn’t hear it from Hottywood.  Far be it from me to give you a one-way pass straight to hell (unless you piss me off, then I’m giving tickets away for free). 

*** 

The Top 10 Things NOT to do in Church

***

(1) Don’t stand up and shout “Bingo!” during service.  The clergy staff will not like it and you’ll be expected to give more money to the collection plate.  Sister Mary Louise may also be upset you didn’t invite her. 

___________________________________________________________

(2) Don’t drink 10 shots of communion wine.  This screams rehab!  The attention you’ll get from doing this is quite the opposite of a room full of drunks screaming “Chug-a-lug,” unless your church service is held in the back of the corner liquor store. 

 That is the only exception to the rule. 

___________________________________________________________

(3) Don’t bring your own bottle for communion.  Bringing your own bottle says two things about you.  (1) You’re a lush and (2) you’re selfish.  Next time, bring enough for everyone. 

___________________________________________________________

(4) Don’t hit on the preacher’s wife.  Trust me, this never ends well.  Either she’ll slap you or the preacher will do it for her…one way or another you’re getting slapped.  Carry plenty of Vaseline.  It’ll soften the blow.  

___________________________________________________________

(5) Don’t drop it like it’s hot when catching the Holy Ghost.  This is a one-way ticket straight to hell (where the party never stops…nor does the consistent sweating).  

Besides, your pores are probably still open and you wreak of alcohol and cigarette smoke.  Do yourself a favor and sit your ass down. 

___________________________________________________________

                                                                                                                                                       (6) Don’t throw tomatoes at the childrens’ choir.  We know kids are cute and all, but their singing is another story.  Even though you may want to cut your ears off with the edges of your church bulletin, they are still kids. 

Save the tomatoes for the parents who keep telling you how talented their untalented children are. 

 ___________________________________________________________

(7) Don’t change your cell phone ringtone to “Pop that Pussy” during prayer unless you just really really like that song.  I know I do.  Actually, you’d be surprised at the number of old people who have provocative ring tones on their cellies.  However, just to be safe…

___________________________________________________________

(8) Don’t snore in church, especially if you’re the preacher.  If you’re leading by example, the whole damn church will be asleep (which might work out okay for the heathens that just got in from the club).   

…see below.

___________________________________________________________

(9) Don’t go straight to church from the club.  Truth be told, most churches say, “Come as you are,” so why not?  I’m sure the deacons won’t mind. 

…their wives are a different story.

___________________________________________________________

(10) Don’t forget where you are when it’s time for your solo.   Church is a place for worship, not trying to score a record deal.  Don’t be a skank.  Some people may not get into it, but you can blame the heavy breathing and stripping on catching the Holy Ghost.  Just watch out for lightning bolts and paramedics as they come to administer CPR to those old folks who drop dead during your performance.  *Although what better place to have a funeral than at church, right?

___________________________________________________________

There you have it folks.  The top 10 things you should NOT do in church.  I won’t tell you how I know these things.  I told you I’m a plethera of information.  If you have a problem with it, take it up with Jesus!  

P.S.,

Is there room in your church for me?  Because once my pastor sees this, I’m getting booted out of mine! 

Until next time my little onion flavored wood chips.  Feel free to stop by and check me out anytime, as long as it’s no time before 11am.  If you knock on my door or ring my phone anytime before then, I’ll cut your ass.  If you don’t believe me, try me!   Remember - 90% of any effort is getting started. 

Quote of the week:     “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger.”

Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mrhollywood2009

Counter terrorism offices carried out raids on properties throughout the Greater Manchester area including Longsight, Levenshulme, Bolton and Stalybridge.

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism, one of the men is an un-named Muslim preacher who teaches the Koran at a number of mosques in the Manchester area.

One of the five men arrested was picked up in a raid at a Heathrow airport.

Police have said the raids were a low key affair, armed police weren’t involved and they have stressed that there was no immediate threat to the public.

The men were arrested as part of an investigation into terror camps in Afghanistan, it is believed that the men were looking to hatch a terrorist plot overseas rather than in the UK.

North-West Counter Terrorism officers raided the three addresses at around 4am, with around 40 plain clothes officers involved in the raids and searching of the property.

The raids took place in a mobile phone shop and flat on Stockport Road, Levenshulme. There were no arrests made at this address.

A 52 year old man was arrested at a house on Victoria Terrace, Longsight and a 21 year old at Bowdon Avenue in Fallowfield.

One man, 27, was arrested in Stalybridge, Rydal Walk. The Muslim preacher, 62,  was arrested at his home on Willows Lane, Deane, Bolton.

Lastly a 26 year old man was caught in raids at a Heathrow Airport hotel.

For more information see;

Five Men From Manchester Are Suspected Terror Recruiters

We will bring you further details as they become available.

On Sunday 27th December we welcome the Rev Mia Andersen, pastor of our congregation in Copenhagen.

Mia and her partner, Laurence, will be staying in Manchester for Christmas and it’s a delight to welcome Mia as she preaches for us.

On Sunday 22nd November we welcome Nigel Biggs from the Boaz Trust who will be preaching for us.

The Boaz Trust is a Christian charity which supports destitute asylum seekers in the Greater Manchester area by housing and feeding them.  They were founded by evangelical Christians but wryly note that most of their support comes from liberals and Buddhists!

Nigel is looking forward to meeting us all and telling us about the work of the Boaz Trust.

A few days ago I went to a presentation by “The Embassy” a student ministry at a nearby university. The topic of discussion was Hell. Here was what I found out about the event on their website beforehand:

Skeptics Welcome:

Nov. 09/09 – Go To Hell
The concept of Hell is hard to swallow – that a large number of people will spend their afterlife in a place of eternal torment and unquenchable fire. At The Embassy, we want to take a good, hard look at where this idea came from, expose the myths associated with it, and make some suggestions that might just surprise you – whether you’ve been attending church your whole life or have spent an equally long time avoiding it.

And judging by this material I had the impression that this group would be more progressive and rational than other church groups. On the flyer it said that “the concept of Hell is hard to swallow” and I jokingly commented that they would try to make me swallow it. Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened.

When I walked into the small auditorium I was surprised  to see band equipment on the stage. I believed that this was going to be a thoughtful discussion. However, I was surprised once more when I had to endure three terrible Christian rock songs before they got to the substance of the discussion. This involved me sitting down while the faithful stood up, some with their arms in the air (maybe even waving them like they just didn’t care).

The first speaker talked about what Hell might be like. He quoted some theologians and apologists and came to the conclusion that we don’t exactly what kind of place Hell is, but it is not a place you want to be. What I thought was going to be a thoughtful discussion was actually a sermon. I was being preached to. This part wasn’t all that bad. The speaker did assume that the Bible was the true word of God and that Hell existed, but I couldn’t have expected much more from a church group.

It was the next part that really surprised me. The main pastor came up on stage and talked about why Hell exists in the first place. He said that God created Hell for Satan and the other fallen angels who rebelled, but made no connection to human afterlife.

He also said that heaven would not be heaven if all the bad people could get in. And he said that these bad people would be getting what they wanted anyways, to be away from God. However, he still maintained that God was still omnipresent because only the compassionate part of his nature would be missing in Hell (also known as a cop-out).

Furthermore, the pastor said that qualifying for heaven has nothing to do with the amount good things or bad things you did. He said that all that was required was belief in Jesus Christ. But, it is never answered what happens to people who have never heard the Gospel. It is also never explained how a belief in a deity has to do with being a good person.

In addition, he ends up contradicting some of the statements he made earlier about it being easy to imagine Hitler, Osama Bin Laden and other evil people being in Hell because he labelled them as evil solely by their actions. It is very arguable that Hitler who was Christian is in heaven. It is even arguable that Bin Laden is in heaven because for all we know he may have been a believer in Christ.

During the sermon we could text questions to the pastor to be answered at the end. Two of my questions came up at the end. The first one was: What if you don’t believe in the concept of Hell? They basically answered me as a Christian and said that the Bible makes it clear that Hell exists. But, I guess that’s the basis of Christian apologetics: assumptions and more assumptions.

My second question (more of a comment) was: An omnipotent God is capable of infinite rehabilitation especially a loving one. And for this they answered me as if I was a Catholic and which consisted of  the concept of Purgatory being attacked.

The pastor also said that when you force your will on a person it is the same as rape. So, sending people to Hell in the first place doesn’t count as imposing on someone? And he also made the point that some people might not want to reform. This logically implies that given the option of heaven or hell that some people would actually choose Hell (which is both a very disgusting and fallacious suggestion).

At the end of the sermon, the conclusion they came up to was “God is not loving in spite of Hell, but because of Hell.” By that time I was already thoroughly annoyed, but I still had to endure some Christian rock music as I exited the auditorium. Overall, I felt I was deceived into believing I would hear some rational discussion. Instead, it just ended up being like any other sermon; it was meant for indoctrination, not education.

(Petosky, Michigan – Photographer unknown)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 73

By Scott A. Klaft

The Church In Time Of War …continued

While Tolbert Fanning was touring the South, on the same day after South Carolina taking the lead in secession, Alexander Campbell was journeying through the North, promoting Bethany College. In Indianapolis, Campbell met with his new associate-editor of the Millennial Harbinger, Isaac Errett. Errett had turned down a teaching position, but had agreed to help raise funds for the school, and this is what he and Campbell were doing in the northern states. Starting with the churches and cities in Indiana, Campbell’s and Errett’s tour had them preaching at many stops.

On New Years Day, Campbell preached at Crawfordsville, visiting the home of S. M. Huston, who was still faithfully serving the Lord’s cause. They traveled from there to many cities, major and minor, finally returning back to Indianapolis. A powerful preacher by the name of D. S. Burnet joined them at Vincennes and carried on through the rest of their journey. Errett went back to Detroit, Michigan, where he had been preaching, holding a rather successful meeting in Ionia, despite the rising political upheaval. Traveling to Virginia to reunite with Campbell and the school’s fundraising efforts in mid-February 1861, he found little success amidst the war fervor.

Dispatches were passing from Washington D.C. to Fort Sumter by the hour, and the worst was being expected. The news of Anderson’s surrender of the Fort was followed by what could only be described as madness. Errett hastily returned to Detroit, and through every city, large or small, people were milling about in an outrage. Flags and banners streamed everywhere. Shouting and cheering was heard all over the nation.

On April 5, 1861, W. H. Hopson was feeling rather hopeful about the gospel meeting he was holding in Cincinnati, but the news of the fall of Fort Sumter arrived during the meeting. The streets began to fill with the frenzied populace. One of the elders of the congregation, R. M. Bishop, happened to be the Mayor of Cincinnati, and only a month earlier, he had entertained President-elect Lincoln on his way to Washington D.C. for the inauguration. Talking it over with great sadness and disappointment, they decided to cancel the rest of the gospel meeting.

In both North and South, members of the church joined their respective causes. Young men in brotherhood-run Colleges left to join the armies of either side. Reputable teachers were often granted officer status. Preachers of the gospel left their “good fight of faith” and their pulpits behind to fight the bloodiest war in American history.

In The North

Once the president of such a brotherhood-school (the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio), James A. Garfield petitioned the governor for an appointment. He was awarded the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and given permission to raise a regiment. He did just that with his own student body, forming the 42^nd Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was soon given command of the entire regiment as a full Colonel.

Garfield’s regiment fought their first battle in Paintsville, Kentucky, proving victorious. From there, they joined the Union army of the not-yet-famous but well respected General Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. Pushing the Confederates to Corinth, Mississippi, and heading east into northern Alabama, they set up temporary headquarters in Huntsville.

Garfield’s fame spread through the Union. He was recalled to Washington, assigned to be an aid to General Rosencrans at Murfreesboro, who was later defeated at Chickamauga. Garfield was then promoted to Brigadier General, but he soon resigned to become an Ohio Representative in Congress. Under Garfield, there were two hundred fifty boys from the school fighting in Company A of the 42^nd Ohio Regiment, many of whom died on the field of battle one by one. Some lasted longer and rose in rank, but all were changed by the horrors they saw.

(Next week: “In the South”)