I was walking to my car and could hear the man’s tirade when I was still six or seven cars from where he and his wife, I assume, were at their own car loading their goods.  It was a Wal-Mart parking lot and I hate to say it but sometimes I feel like having a rant in that parking lot also, but I do not.  Or at least I don’t like this man did.

He was probably a little older than me, maybe mid fifties, and a pretty big man.  A couple of inches over six feet and his wife looked small beside him.  He was almost throwing their bags in the trunk and as I got closer I heard a couple of racial slurs and quite a few choice phrases and words that I hope none of you use.  Someone had definitely raised this man’s ire.

I passed them, heading to my car, and the lady smiled embarrassingly at me.  I never heard her say a word.  I was parked a couple of cars past them and was still loading my truck as he pushed his buggy in front of his car, leaving it touching the bumper of the car in front of his.  I shook my head as he got in his vehicle and slammed the door and backed out quickly, not even paying attention to anyone it seemed as he drove away.  Way too fast for a parking lot, I might add.

I noticed the little fish emblem on the back of the car as he drove away.

This whole episode made me think of the discussion I started on this site Tuesday.  It seems some people don’t think we are able to measure another person’s spiritual growth or that we should.  I beg to differ and really expected someone to show that the bible does give us some guidelines for this.  We should first apply them to ourselves but we can also use them to determine to some degree another person’s level of growth also.  I actually believe we are not really as loving as we say we are when we ignore these things.  Some think this would be judgmental though.

Joh 13:35  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

2Th 1:3  We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Gal 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;

These verses seem to give us plenty of guidance on how to measure to some degree a person’s spiritual growth.  Loving one another is a given.  Loving God and then strangers is also an indicator.  A growing faith and an ever increasing love is also part of it.  And we talk a lot about the fruit of the Spirit but isn’t one thing it is good for to show our level of growth.  If I know someone that is hateful, bitter, insecure, anxious, mean, hurtful, untrustworthy, harsh, and self indulgent, then I can pretty much say they have a lot of growing to do.  Whether I know them intimately or not.

The body of Christ needs more mature believers willing to become active in helping the less mature in their spiritual growth.  This whole concept of Jesus and me only is so foreign to the mission and the responsibility that has been placed on each one of us.  The Church, the people of God, are supposed to be relational, loving and guiding even the most immature believer to maturity.

I did not speak to the man in the parking lot and I don’t know whether I should have or not.  I don’t know that he was a Christian.  That little fish emblem proves nothing.  And even if he is then I do think it would seem a little judgmental for me, a stranger, to try to point out anything wrong in his attitude.  But if he is a Christian, then I have to believe that there is someone in his life that needs to measure his spirituality against the scripture and speak into his life.  For his sake and the Kingdom.  It would be the loving thing to do.

Our most sacred charge is to go and make disciples.  That is not just the leaders and teachers jobs either.  A disciple is someone that is becoming more and more like Jesus.  If we are to make them then we must measure and evaluate spiritual growth.  We have the tools and guidance right there in the Word of God to help us do this for ourselves and for others spiritual growth.

When are we going to take this sacred charge seriously and realize we have the tools we need and start using them?

Love you all

The greatest calling on the life of any Christian is to become more and more like Christ.  This necessitates something called growth.  Spiritual growth.  We toss around words and concepts such as discipleship, maturity, and Christ likeness so easily yet I find that when I discuss or read about most Christians I find very little of any of these.

Pastors on forums constantly berating and deriding other pastors, leaders showing a lack of discernment that astonishes me when it comes to the delivery and interpretation of the Word of God, and the sheep sitting in the pews just bleating out “feed me, feed me,” are just a few of the observations that have led me to this conclusion.

Let’s discuss spiritual growth.

Is there a way to measure spiritual growth?

If so, what specific things can we look for in a Christian to determine if they are growing?

Do you think this is being judgmental?

Love you all

“Today’s Christian college students are nauseated by any kind of religious hype: blow-dried evangelists, insincere appeals for offerings, faked healings, goofy buzzwords or schmaltzy Christian pop music. What they crave is reality-honest relationships, healthy mentoring, passionate worship and daring faith that is reflected through brave actions, not just words.”

“What they crave is reality.”

These words I have quoted are from an opinion piece written by J. Lee Grady, the editor of Charisma magazine.  He defines reality, in a Pentecostal sense, in the last part of the quote.  The questions for today’s discussion concern this reality.

Would you say that he is right or wrong from your own observations?

Do you believe that your own local assembly would be attractive to these Christian college students?

If not, do you see any ways that things could change to make it more attractive?

If you want to read the whole piece, you can find it here.

Love you all

When I first started this blog I wanted to say a few things and hopefully start some discussions about the Kingdom of God and the spiritual warfare that is going on all around us.  There are only two sides in this war.  Gods and Satan’s.  All of us are serving one or the other.  Some might deny this but it is true.  My hopes were that some of the ones serving Satan, whether intentionally or not, would find this site and join in the conversation.

I used to serve Satan even while denying he existed.  A lot of people do.  I was an atheist.  I know how some of them think and the questions and arguments some of them have.  I want them to join in here so a dialogue can be initiated.  So far there have not been any, except possibly one early on, actually post any comments.  But there is a lot of traffic so maybe, some day.

Some of you who  mainly read are wondering why a lot of what is written is so controversial and confrontational.  It is because of something I found out when I became a servant of Jesus.  I found out that we do not all agree and we have many different opinions about a number of theological issues.  Now some of you might think that I should tone this down so that the non-believer will see only unity.  But what are the ramifications of that?

Lets say we all put on some kind of front and someone actually comes to visit one of our churches.  It won’t take long for them to ascertain our subterfuge and feel deceived and betrayed.  We will be exposed as liars.  No, it is better for them to see that we do not agree on all things but we do agree on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is Lord and even though some see that a little differently than others, I believe that all the main contributors here, the ones some of you readers may think agree on nothing, do agree on this fact.  And it is the most important fact of all.

When someone like I used to be stumbles onto this site, they will possibly find that there just might be other answers to some of their problems with our doctrine and beliefs.  This will be beneficial for any who dare take the plunge and dive into the discussions.  I wish I could have found a site like this when I was on the other side.

To sum up; this blog exists for the sole purpose of hopefully reaching a lost soul who has problems, who has skepticism, and who has questions.  I hope they find it.

And it is fun also.

Love you all