In the past there were people in my life with whom I would have shared the following.But they are no longer in my life so I am sharing it with the blogosphere:
I think I knew the individual honoured. I am sure I personally know the struggle within that community. So I am sharing it with you.
Maybe the song that has stuck with me the longest is Pink Floyd’s Wish you were here!? It is my first album on cassette. It reminds me of many people who have been part of my life, Good mood? Maybe a sense of connection!?
Running over the same old ground, what have we found?
The same old fears, wish you were here
When all have communicated, the Minister shall return to the Lord’s Table, and reverently place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated Elements, covering the same with a fair linen cloth.
I am not sure I have ever overcome a fear. I have learned to hide the fear from the outside world. I have learned to pretend I do not fear something or someone. But it is only on the outside. On the inside there is always fear and anxiety,
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and counseled and assisted by the knight just mentioned, he moved to another village of his called Haselbury, some thirty miles east of Exeter. There in a cell abutting on the church, which had been empty for some time, and without the usual induction by the bishop and no solemn blessing, but only the inward authority of the Holy Spirit, he buried himself with Christ, shortly to be transformed with him in a sort of resurrection glory: in newness of life, in cheerfulness of spirit, in the power of signs, in the grace of prophecy.
The Life of Wulfric of Haselbury, Anchorite.
Wikipedia: Wulfric of Haselbury
Article: Saint Wulfric of Haselbury
Others, though, experienced genuine pain that led them to lose hope in the institution of the church or the Christian faith altogether. The list of these points of trauma and frustration is long, but it includes spiritual and physical abuse in the church, hypocrisy among church members and leaders, sexual ethics, political syncretism, political disagreement, suffering, racism, bigotry, and a perceived lack of relevance or real answers to the world’s problems. Some in this group are victims of pastoral malpractice, and some are victims of the draw of the world and the flesh. We call this group the dechurched casualties.
The Great DeChurching, 57
The Great DeChurching is filled with interesting statistics and insights. And, yes, the above does describe me to some degree. But I think the above misses a group of people who are dechurched: those who separate themselves from the institution as a theological conviction.
Jesus alone means Jesus alone. Not Jesus PLUS institutional attendance and commitment. There are institutions full of people who are completely committed to a good cause but that does not mean the institution, or the leadership, is good. And, for me, the jump from people gathering in Jesus’ name and claiming to be the “Body of Christ” is too much.
For me, the confusion of sanctification with justification is part of the very foundation of the institution – the institution needs something to justify itself. So “Christendom is confused with Jesus”.
I might write more on this later. Who knows!?
I have absolutely no idea. If you find out, let me know!!!!
What are the most important things needed to live a good life?
I am going to sidestep the question of what a “good” life is and how do I know it is “good”.
Control what I can control! And do not worry about what is outside on my control. And what is that? Me! I can only answer for me and I can only make choices for me. I stand alone and only when I stand alone may I have a good life.
The unchurched refers to individuals who have not attended a religious service within the past six months or more, while the de-churched refers to individuals who were previously active in religious services but have discontinued attending regularly. Some may argue that the unchurched population is merely uninformed and that they need to come to know about God. In contrast, they claim that those who have disconnected from the church are simply going through wounds caused by past church experiences, better known as “church hurt.” Although some of this may hold true, the important issue is how we can connect the difference between perception and reality in order to grasp the needs and questions of those who are unchurched and “de-churched.”
Reaching the Unchurched and the De-churched
He’s keeping busy, yeah, he’s bleeding stones
With his machinations and his palindromes
It was anything but hear the voice
Anything but hear the voice
It was anything but hear the voice that says that we’re all basically alone
Poor Professor Pynchon had only good intentions when he
Put his Bunsen burners all away
And turning to a playground in a Petri dish
Where single cells would swing their fists at anything that looks like easy prey
In this nature show that rages every day
It was then he heard his intuition say
We were all basically alone
And despite what all his studies had shown
That what’s mistaken for closeness is just a case of mitosis
And why do some show no mercy while others are painfully shy?
Tell me doctor, can you quantify?
He just wants to know the reason why
The reason why
Why do they congregate in groups of four,
Scatter like a billion spores and let the wind just carry them away?
How can kids be so mean?
Our famous doctor tried to glean as he went home at the end of the day
In this nature show that rages every day
It was then he heard his intuition say
We were all basically alone
Despite what all his studies had shown
That what’s mistaken for closeness is just a case of mitosis
Sure fatal doses of malcontent through osmosis
And why do some show no mercy while others are painfully shy?
Tell me doctor, can you quantify
The reason why?
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Andrew Wegman Bird
Imitosis lyrics © Wegawam Music, Wegawam Music Co
