Round Up of the Year

Here we are, drawing another year to a close... As I look back over the past year in our church, I must say that there have been some very wonderful times in our congregation, and likewise, we also experienced some tremendous heartbreak.

This seemed to be a year with too many funerals in it, many in our church, including myself, lost loved ones. And while some knew the Lord and are now in His presence, far too many died in their sins.

We had several marriages that took place this year as well, (we are fairly small), and this has been a blessing for me as a pastor. Also, there were the baptisms; some of the people who were baptized this year had previously told me that I would see them in church (to quote), "when hell freezes over." Ahh, I love the Lord! It was an incredible blessing to see these same people, brought into fellowship with us as they were drawn by the Lord as He was lifted up!

I think of the financial struggles we faced, and are facing, and yet I do not look at these in trepidation; the Lord has consistently provided for all of our needs for the past four years, and I am not about to start doubting Him now. I really have learned a lot about myself this year when it comes to worry (I do WAAAYYY too much of it), but these words ring in my ears and my heart: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:33, 34).

I think of the many mistakes I made, and the sermons that I would dearly love to redo, and I think of the growth that I have experienced this year in the position of pastor. I think of how the Lord has blessed me with the best elders and deacons that a man could ask for, and how much my wife has been such a support and a blessing as well.

And I am concerned about what I see in the Body of Christ.

As we have gone through the year we have seen technology enable us to 'dialogue' in an entirely new way (for many of us), as a Body of believers. I have found some wonderful places that I visit every morning for inspirational, and/or challenging thought. I think of blogs such as Pyromaniac, The Highland Host, Tom Ascol and many others. And, of course, there is always the morning 'funnies' that I read, such as marc's place. While he is always funny, he also makes us think.

I think of people whose acquaintance I have made, such as Alan (The Gadfly), and Daniel, and of course my friends from across the ocean, Libbie, and Matthew.

I may not agree with all of these folks all of the time, but each of them, and many more who I simply cannot list due to length restrictions, have impacted my ministry. They have made me reexamine some of my beliefs, and in some areas they have caused me to strengthen my resolve, while in others, they have caused me to go do some homework, but each and every one challenged me!

I stated at the beginning of this thought that I am concerned about the body, and here is why: While I have had great experiences via the blogsphere, I have seen a definitive note of battlements being drawn up and people finding themselves either impaled on the fence between camps, or publicly ridiculed for being foolish enough to disagree. Some have simply found the 'yes men' who are allowed to post on their blog, thereby keeping the conversation insular and useless.

This is disconcerting to me. I am all for a good, spirited debate, however many of the 'debates' recently have turned into character assassination, or exile to the Siberian outposts of the blogsphere. I think we MUST stand for correct doctrine, and I am not espousing an inclusive, all are equally right, type of atmosphere, but I think we have gone beyond that in recent months.

It seems that we are more interested in finding out where the others are incorrect than in fostering true discussion about subjects which have been debated for many years.

Unless you are a Reformed, Cessationist, who is Baptistic, and adheres to the 1689 Baptist Confession, and ONLY reads the Puritans, you simply are out in left field.

Or, if you are not a Paedo-Baptist, who has properly catechized your children in the Westminster Confession, and is properly sacerdotal, then you simply fall outside the pale of Orthodoxy!

Sad...

I pray that 2006 will be a year when we can have proper discussions without calling another person's faith into question over the smallest 'deviation' from 'proper faith'. Now, if anyone actually will read this lengthy post, I want to reiterate: I AM NOT ADVOCATING AN INCLUSIVISM THAT STATES ALL BELIEFS ARE EQUALLY VALID. What I am stating is that disagreements should be dealt with in a proper Christian manner.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ ARE NOT the enemy; they may well try your patience, and they may even attack your ego, or knowledge, but please, remember the Lord's words in John 13:34, 35: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

I pray that 2006 will be the year when we, as Christians, are known for our love, and not our fractious manners.