Things I Think…
1. Trying to make chicken salad out of chicken stuff, I used time down because of physical issues to finish off a couple of books.
“Woke: by John Stackhouse is one of those books that should be required reading before posting on social media.
Stackhouse defines the terms used in the culture wars so that in doing so, reasoned and reasonable conversations can be had that further understanding instead of just furthering rage.
This is a really valuable book…it’s short and not too technical and it is desperately needed if we’re ever to move beyond the level of idiotic discourse that too many are engaging in now.
I think one of the most damaging sins plaguing us now is that in our collective ignorance we become collectively dishonest when we rail against things when we know not of what we speak…education is the first step towards repentance…this is a great place to start…
2. I also finished Tim Alberta’s “
“Evangelical Christians are perhaps the most polarizing—and least understood—people living in America today. In his seminal new book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, journalist Tim Alberta, himself a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor, paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement. Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal.”
This is a fascinating book…Alberta pulls the covers back on many well known grifters from Paula White to Jerry Falwell Jr.
The chapters on the Southern Baptist Convention make you long for God to act in judgment before the time has come for such…
He (accurately,in my opinion) assesses both the pulpits and the pews in regard to Christian nationalism and other issues.
This is a great book, but the people that need to read it, won’t.
3. As I said, the book made me sick…before Alberta… before Julie Roys…20 years before both…I was chronicling the dark side of evangelicalism…and all the blog writing and book writing has not changed a thing. If anything, things are worse…
4. Alberta dares to ask the question out loud about the grifters and power mongers and those that love them…”are these people really Christians?” One cannot and dare not make a general judgment on the pews…but the leaders are going to split hell wide open…
5. One of the things Alberta notes that made me go to a very bad place mentally…was how many of the leaders knew the sordid truths about their peers…and refused to speak. Over the years I have had so many sources that could give you all the information about abusive and corrupt leaders…but refused to stand with me when I reported it. To this day there are frauds and abusers of all sorts making a good living abusing and deceiving the people of God…while those who should stand… watch those who do stand… get crushed by the liars ands the lies…
6. Why does any of this matter? Because all that matters is Jesus and it’s His name and His people that we’re really talking about…
7. The only hope any of us has is in Jesus and His Gospel…we simply cannot allow people who care nothing about Him or His people to act as representative of either…
8. I try to be “conservative” where the Scriptures are and “liberal” where they are also…which so far keeps me out of either political party…and open to worship with both…
9. After reading those two books, I don’t think I’m going to read anything but cat calendars for a month…
10. Alberta closes his book on a hopeful note…so I will close this on one as well…there is and always has been a remnant…and there always will be. My hope is that I have a place among them…
I’ve been wanting to buy Alberta’s book for weeks. I am so bothered by the thinking of the religious right, I’m concerned that reading his book will contribute to my sleepless nights.
Bob,
I think it’s helpful in understanding why people think the way they do…it’s a very engaging book, even as the subject matter is tough…
Thanks for making me curious enough about the Roys Report to actually go to the website. I just spent the last 20 minutes discovering all the current and ongoing wickedness I knew about was just the tip of the iceberg. John had a message for the Pharisees and Sadducees of his day that leaps to mind:
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance… The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Terry,
Exactly…
Alberta’s book is painful to read… and true. If you live with the corruption long enough, you begin to consider the corruption to be the norm. Yes, he ends on a hopeful note, but the price of being part of the remnant may be too high for most believers. As a result of Alberta’s book, I am currently reading Liz Cheney’s memoir. I have a hard time not putting my fist through the wall…
I’m about halfway through Alberta’s book. It’s an easy read but hard to stomach. So much confounded disingenuousness and duplicity from these supposed “Christian” leaders, some of which they even admit to Alberta, but seemingly blow off as unimportant or necessary for the supposed greater good.
And you’re right, those who need to read this book won’t. Or even if they possibly do, they will just write it all off as part of the liberal, woke agenda to tear down Christianity, especially evangelicals.
The eternal God is our dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.
And
God is not mocked
The horrible thing is that there really is a shield of some kind that prevents these bad actors being exposed.
To be in the work and have a conscience is to run into that wall again and again.
Very disabling.
The shield is the cowardice of those who could expose…they count the cost and it’s too damn expensive. .
I have the Alberta book, and I will order Stackhouse. Right now I’m working my way through one of the new Elisabeth Elliot biographies. Being a teacher and correcting papers (150 online projects coming my way next week) really cuts into my reading time!
#5-35 years ago I stood in the office of the pastor of one of my supporting churches and asked if there was anything to be done about the adulterous pastor in the church where I was a member (same denomination, same seminary-these guys all knew each other). He told me I was gossiping and that it was not to be mentioned again. The pastor left my church and went on to wreak havoc in another until he was essentially “defrocked”, as that church took his behavior seriously. I was very disappointed by the pastor’s reaction, and I have had no contact with him since. I’m not mad, I just never saw a reason to approach him for anything after such a egregious breach of responsibility. I realized later that this is probably how most denominations deal with sexual scandal in their churches when it comes to leadership (unless it’s the average member-then you’re in big trouble!).
Is there a single person reading this that does not understand the cost of all of this to the church?
If our only real weapon is prayer and our prayers are hindered by sin…is it any wonder that the whole damn place is falling apart?
# 10. AMEN & AMEN.
Thank you, Michael for this insightful post and the book recommendations. I’ll add both to my reading list – and probably move them up near the top.
These issues are so crucial for the Church in the U.S. – stay in the fight, brother. God keep