Lost in the Sea of Hands

When you hear the call at the end of that lovely sermon about "YOU" being transformed and becoming a new creation in Christ...

When you are led to a back room and prayed with and given a copy of the book of the Gospel of John with an invitation to become part of "that" particular church family... Something happens!

The Transformation part maybe very real because Jesus does Save your soul! AMEN! Becareful with the human element though, because at that junction the ideals are instilled and the promises are made and you are walking in your new relationship with Jesus, while also finding yourself in a man-made minefield of Gospel ammendments. Well intentioned travelers that are dedicated to the same Jesus that want to instruct you towards godliness. Sometimes you find great help along the way; sometimes you find yourself being molded into something less beautiful and more institutional.

Pilgrams Progress and Hinds Feet High Places put a lot of characters in their stories of the Christian life that would represent the people that we would meet along the journey of the Christian life. It occured to me thinking of these two books about how "alone" the characters are, guess what! The Christian journey is traveled alone! Many cross your path, and many are temporary traveling companions. Almost none will stay for the "long haul".

Once you raise your hand and walk forward in the church you are put on an "obsticle course" of discipleship classes and membership classes and baptism preparation classes and this you do without even thinking really, because your "Going places"! You are becoming a part of a family! The family of God! Sounds exciting! In Brazil at Igreja Batista da Lagoinha the 2nd largest church in the Country at every service they would lead the congregation in the sinners prayer and while everyone is praying banners would be held up with phrases like: "Welcome to Heaven", "Welcome to the Family of God" and those who are standing at the front with their backs to the congregation repeating the words of the Pastor are afterwards instructed to turn around and meet their new family! When they turn around to an audience of 6000 people cheering and singing "We are a family, with no falseness, living the truth, expressing the glory of the Lord..." You are so overwhelmed the you cry and then are hugged 40 times before you are led to a room for your first instructions into the Christian life.

Wow! What a bursting forth exciting birth into the Kingdom right!? Well in my many years of working in different churches including the one mentioned above, I have found myself repeatedly standing in different sea's of "here today and gone tomorrow" faces. Obviously, of course, these people were those who weren't serious about their Altar call moment...Right? Those who weren't ready or "loved the world". Right?

Hey! critical writer guy, dont be a part of the problem complaining about what is wrong with the system! Be a part of the solution! Right!

I'm one of the Hands that was raised! I came aboard whole heartedly and gave my entire life to God and to the only thing I understood to be "The Church" and its purposes. Oh, I remember the Sunday morning that I became a "member"! In the Methodist church you read from hymmnal as to your promises to the church and then they respond back with a resounding "We Will" with promises back to you. Now, do we not individually have voices? Can we not speak? Will no one hear? What about the promises the church made back? The church can quickly become a cold brick wall in which "the powers that be" that speak on love and forgiveness and Christ-likeness are allowed to with hold those attitudes when they see fit, and thousands, like grains of sand fall through the cracks.

Where is the loving arms of Jesus? Where is the support structure of love, fellowship and unity? If Jesus taught by example, why cant we just immitate Him?

HELP! Sorry, no help for you. No love for you. You are a disappointment to us. We are cutting our losses, you'll just have to find your own way. The collective "we" would do better without the individual "you"... Let none of us forget that the CHURCH is US, and not a building! No matter what crises we may face, groups of "men" may loose their faith in you but Jesus died for loosers! Promise breakers! Liers! Thieves! The worst of the worst! So if you are not shaping up to mans standards, know one thing... No man shapes up to the only Standard that matters and for that reason we are all on the same level playing field!

No judgement against you is Jesus' final Word! That must be your comfort! AMEN!