God,
You are so Holy, I hope for the day when you make the Earth like Heaven. I desire so much to do your will and I ask that you feed us and protect me, my family, and The Family from the temptations of the devil. Help us all forgive, just as you forgave us, are forgiving us, and will forgive us.
As you know, I have a problem – I just don’t believe, period. I don’t believe that Sundays are any more important than Tuesdays or Fridays. I don’t believe that Worship Services are the same as Worship. I don’t believe that G.R.O.W. is worth a hoot or A.W.A.N.A. or any other program for that matter. Sure they’re not bad, they even have good things about them, but I just don’t care for them. I don’t believe that the church’s buildings are important. In fact, I’ve come to find them to be a waste of money, even laughable. Please, help me understand, why don’t I believe like the others?
Lord, you know that I believe in your people. You know that I love them, that I want to grow with them, in you. How can I do this, if I don’t believe in these other things? They don’t understand me… they don’t want to understand me. Why can’t you make me want to be in the Building? Why can’t you teach me to love Sunday more than Tuesday or Friday? What should I do? What can I do? I ask that you help me understand, please.
Lew,
I appreciate your heart and this prayer. However, I must disagree with your title. It is true that current church cultural would label you a heretic because you disagree with many traditions. However, according to Scripture, you are the opposite of a heretic, since heresy in Scripture is related to divisiveness. :)
-Alan
Lew,
I believe that part of being a disciple of Jesus is accepting others and loving them the best we know how, even if they disagree with us, and even if they don’t treat us in the way we try to treat them. I know this can be frustrating at times. But, if we are going to follow the path of dying to ourselves, and of true discipleship, I don’t believe we have any other option than to continue to “make EVERY EFFORT to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
By the way, I am looking forward to finally meeting you and having some fellowship together in the coming 6 weeks in which I plan to be on campus there at SEBTS.
Blessings,
David
Alan & David,
Thank you both for the comments.
Sorry David, I’m not in NC anymore… I’m a GA boy now. However, I still look forward to the day that our paths cross. I’m sure it will come.
God’s Glory,
Lew
“I don’t believe that the church’s buildings are important. In fact, I’ve come to find them to be a waste of money, even laughable. Please, help me understand, why don’t I believe like the others?”
Me, too. I also do not find a pulpit with one guy preaching to the Body in the NC. There is no special ‘clergy’ caste system. All true believers are gifted and anointed. We have added so much ‘stuff’ and it is all for the glory of man.
Yet, I still go to the ‘building’ a lot and worship with other believers. :o)
Lin,
I’ve found that the buildings aren’t necessarily bad. One thing that tends to be good about them is that it is a great place to meet with other believers. It’s just unfortunate that we think our buildings are the only place to meet :).
Lew