Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

The new ministry we will be serving is a “Grace-filled” church.  I was asked to read GRACE WALK and we went to Grace Life International training last week.  There are many ministries that teach the “EXCHANGED LIFE” message that Hudson Taylor taught years ago.  Steve McVey has a video blog where he shares  101 Lies Taught in Church Every Sunday.  I encourage you to check them out.

Once you have been freed from legalism you are truly free. I can’t tell you how many times I left churches feeling like I didn’t measure up.  Guilt, shame, etc… that isn’t the abundant life!  I don’t believe God intended us to live with so much bondage.   Jesus came to free us!

What do you think?

[From Colorado Gazette]

Colorado Right to Life, which ran a full-page ad in The Gazette last month criticizing Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, was ousted Wednesday from the National Right to Life Committee.

Colorado Right to Life President Brian Rohrbough and the leaders of three other groups accused Dobson of mischaracterizing a recent Supreme Court ruling as a victory for abortion opponents.

Read about it here.

[From me]

What happened to  freedom?  Do believers have to agree on everything?  What’s with all of the bullying by various groups to hold the party line.  My dad and I disagree on Calvinism.  He is a 5 pointer and I’m less than…  But does that make me less his son?

Why can’t believers have differing views on the “Grey” areas?  Not everything is spelled out in the Bible.  Some interpret portions differently.  If we can agree that having a personal relationship with Jesus is essential, why can’t we agree to disagree in other areas and still worship together?

What do you think?

This morning I was reading a book by John Shore called I’m OK-You’re Not. I was enjoying it and just breezing through until I read chapter 4–”What’s Love Got to do with it?”

I was hit by a ton of bricks by his story. His parents divorced him when he was 8 years old and didn’t see his dad for 2 years until one night his mom bolted and his dad showed back into his life with a new wife. His step-mom said she didn’t love John or his sister and only wanted to have his dad and their home. Ouch!

Then he said these quotes:

“Love is always suspect and absolutely conditional”

“And in` real, practical terms, what that always boils down to is that most of us don’t feel very lovable at all.”

This week has been an emotional week. I was in Starbucks studying this morning for our Maundy Thursday Service we are having tonight. When I think about the pain Jesus endured it is unthinkable. While I was studying four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers walked in with a black stripe across their badges.

Two of our finest were murdered this week and today is the funeral for one of them. I walked up to the four officers and thanked them for what they do. I said I know you don’t hear that enough and I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t know why but I got very emotional.

This past week two regular posters on this site who are not believers decided to stop posting. I’ve emailed them both but they don’t feel welcome anymore. I’m truly sick about this. I valued their opinions even-though we didn’t see eye to eye. I’m sorry for any pain they may have felt. One emailed a picture to me I believe to shock me. I wasn’t offended at all. I realize that he was hurt and was trying to hurt back. I’m sorry. I truly do love them. Maybe I need to learn a better way of expressing that love.

I have been very fortunate. I still have both of my Godly and loving parents living. They only live an hour and a half away. Sometimes I don’t understand the pain of other people. I’m sure I take that for granted sometimes. My wife, Cassandra lived in a dysfunctional home and she made comments to me similar to John’s above. I can’t imagine living life without feeling loved.

I’m sorry for the pain that many people experience. I’m trying to be more understanding. I hope it makes me a better Christ-follower, husband, father, son, brother, friend, neighbor and minister.

I know this is a ramble but I’m really trying to figure out how to love those who feel unlovable. Please believe me that I care –but I’m still learning.

What do you think?

I’ve had a few people ask what is up with the hockey stick?

When I first started my blog Joe Kennedy made a nice picture for me when it was just K-dawgs thoughts. When I changed the name to Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee I used some clip art.

But I wanted to make it more personal but I didn’t have a big piece of lumber or a log at my house. I’m not a hockey fan at all. I don’t know many hockey players. But Jacob had a hockey stick that Stuart Delony gave him when we lived in Atlanta. I just propped it up on the hot water heater in our garage and took a self portrait. The verses I use as a basis are Matthew 7:2-4:

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

I try to remember those verses because I have a tendency to be judgmental. I hope that answers the question about the hockey stick.

BTW I will be headed to Augusta today to watch the Masters! I usually have my Treo on me but you can’t take phones into the tournament. One of our deacons is taking me and our music minister to see the Par 3 tourney. I hear this is the best time next to the final round to go because the players are loose and having fun. I can’t wait. Last year Paul gave me tickets to the Wachovia Championship.

However some people I know and love enjoy the LPGA.

[From Christian Post]

Chris Sligh who was booted from American Idol this week admitted he was kicked out of the Christian fundamentalist college, Bob Jones University, for attending a contemporary Christian concert featuring the group 4Him.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Wow! You know how wild those 4 Him Concerts are. Good thing he didn’t get caught attending an Evie concert. I went to see Molly Hatchet and 38 Special when I was in high school I guess that is why I didn’t get a scholarship to BJU.

What other concerts might have gotten him kicked out?