Clueless

As of today, it has been two weeks since surgery was performed to remove my adrenal gland along with the cancerous tumor on top of it.
Two weeks isn't really that long - it was only last night that for the first time I was actually able to sleep in a bed and not a recliner.
But even though I have physically improved in the last two weeks, I have found that some things never change regardless of how sick a person truly is - even when it is known to others.

In Judges 10, the Israelites call out to God for help; but He refuses because they have been worshipping every other god except for Him. That's not a good way to gain favor with the Lord of the Ages.
When they call to Him, He tells them to go to the other gods for help.
Now, God in His compassion and mercy does relent and does rescue them once again - but the fact that they had made such a habit of turning away from Him and then turning back to Him once they were in trouble makes a person reading the passage think - 'You've got to be kidding me.'
That's pretty much how I felt about today.

Today I received two letters and attended a  school Christmas program; all three events left me believing the people responsible for the content were absolutely clueless.

The first letter was dated the day I was having surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.
In theory, it was an apology letter from a person who had previously broken into our church and stolen from the church body.
Yet, the letter struck a rebellious tone and lacked any repentance.

- The problem displayed in the letter is the same problem displayed by many members of society - an expectation of forgiveness when there is no true remorse on the part of the guilty.
- A person can be regretful, remorseful; they can even reform their lives - but without true repentance on the part of the one who is guilty, there can be no true forgiveness.
- This problem is seen in our churches today; people walk down an aisle, say, 'I'm sorry God' and they believe they are saved. Well, they're not.
Repentance is more than saying you are sorry; repentance is a total change of life and heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. Unless that takes place in a person's life, forgiveness is not achieved - not from the throne of God and not in the heart of man.

The second thing that struck me as absolutely off the wall was that I received a letter from the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists - our denomination's state office. I found this very odd since not one of our state missionaries have contacted me concerning my condition except for a voice mail left at the church well after working hours when nobody would be there - that was over 5 weeks ago.
- Since that time, I've had major surgery and the truth is that people in the Air National Guard have ministered to me more than our own missionaries; but I digress.

- The purpose of the letter was to inform me that the state convention has no working relationship whatsoever with a church planting group that many local churches find objectionable. It seems the Executive Director was seeking to correct me in my error.
The problem is that every issue he addressed had already been addressed and solved by our church more than six months earlier; therefore, whatever the intent of the letter was, it became irrelevant because the issues had already been solved.

- And herein lies one of the many problems with our state office.
The State Office and its leaders were six months behind in their 'help' to the local church.
That means they are out of touch with the actual needs of the local church.
It also means that solving a perceived 'issue' seems to be more important than caring for one of their pastors in the local church.
This is infinitely magnified by the fact that the pastor that was being 'corrected' has been diagnosed with stage four cancer; and the letter was sent while I was in recovery from surgery.

A phone call to check on my condition wasn't made but a letter was sent over a doctrinal issue - that's just not appropriate. There hasn't even been a phone call to my wife nor a card of encouragement for support. And I know that it isn't just me, it has happened this way to other pastors in our state as well - that's why we have the result of dwindling financial support for the state.
Nobody is going to follow leadership that ignores real, physical needs of other brothers in Christ.

- It is no wonder why many Baptists are turning away from traditional Baptist denominations. When leaders of those denominations are seen as agents of conflict rather than agents of pastoral care, who can blame the people in the church pew?
I wouldn't attend a church where I felt like the pastor's main concern was the number of people, the amount in an offering plate or if he favored one group/person over another. We should not expect churches to honor state leaders when the perception and favoritism is like what I have just described.
- And sadly, this turns more people off from the Gospel of Jesus Christ than anything the Devil has ever done. Collectively and individually, there needs to be church wide, heart felt repentance and an appeal to God for His leadership.

The third 'are you kidding me' moment came from a school program at my daughter's elementary school.
- The program was suppose to be the Christmas show for all the children, but they mostly sang and talked about the weather.  It was especially humorous considering it was 60 degrees outside and the children were singing about a 'cold snap.'
- The program highlights the problem with society when it comes to Christmas - we want the benefits of Christmas materially, but we don't want the hassle of Christmas spiritually. We don't want songs about 'Suzy Snowflake' but that's what we here; we want 'Three Kings of Orient We Are,' but we don't receive it.
Why?
Because somebody will get mad, show up at a Board of Education meeting or a Principal's office or even file a lawsuit and say they were offended. I don't guess it matters that I'm offended everyday by some of the filth that comes out of the public schools.

Since I was diagnosed with cancer and knowing my life-expectancy has been dramatically reduced, things have become more clear to me than ever before.
You see, the three 'are you kidding me' moments all have the same issue at the core - arrogance.

The person who wrote the theoretical letter of apology wanted forgiveness on their terms.
The person who wrote the letter 'instructing' the church, wanted the church to function on his terms though he is not part of the local church.
The people who put the Christmas program together at the school, wanted Christmas on their own terms.

And friend, it just doesn't work that way - not when Christ is involved because all things must be by His terms and His alone.
- If a person wants forgiveness, they may have it - but only after confession and repentance in the name of Christ.
- If a person wants to help the church, care for its members and its leaders because that is what Christ did with every person He came in contact with. It is called Godly compassion and pastors along with their families need it perhaps more now than at any other time in history.
- And if people want a Christmas program - then it should glorify Jesus Christ; after all, it is His birth we are celebrating.

- It is unspiritual and arrogant to believe we know better than God in any one of these matters. But sadly, too many will remain clueless and keep creating 'are you kidding me' moments just like the Israelites did so long ago.
And it still amazes me.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.