Too Little Time!

Life is short and I have come to the conclusion that it is too short to belabor points and try to convince those who don't want to be convinced. There comes a time in everyone's life when, like the Apostle Paul, you have to shake the dust off your feet and go on to new fields of ministry.

For four years I ministered at a church as Associate Pastor and taught openly, plainly (some would disagree) and passionately the Gospel of Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When I stepped down due to a heavy work load, I remained as a member - teaching as I always did.

Some appreciated it, some endured it, some couldn't stand it. What did I teach?

• God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit living in a great fellowship of love, life and beauty.
• We were created from the overflow of their life and given a share in their life through the Son. We are the sons and daughters that God has always wanted!
  
• We exist in union with Jesus - always have and always will.
• Union doesn't mean fellowship - only those who love Jesus will appreciate that union.
• God actually reconciled the whole world to himself in Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension and we are all presented to the Father spotless and free from blemish in Jesus.
• We are all called to believe this fantastic news and no longer live for ourselves but Christ who died for us and was raised again.
• When we look at anyone, we can no longer see them apart from this amazing inclusion in Christ and this shapes how we relate to all people.
• The church is not a place where we have a corner on the God market, but a place where the news has been embraced. We are therefore ambassadors (newsboys) telling the most beautiful news in the world to as many as possible - eager that they, too, rest from their religious strivings and relate to God as he truly is - the loving Father, Son and Spirit - not judge.

This teaching has been labeled by some as unsafe and wrong. Their greatest desire is that I be silenced - sit down and shut up. Oh, I can stay (please do) but stop teaching that dangerous stuff. Others have said, we have no problem with what you teach - the problem is just how you teach it. This is a style issue and more styles need to be accommodated. Let's throw in a little judgment style, we're OK with a dash of legalism style, prophecies that are true only 66% of the time - who are we to be the style police?

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17