quickly becoming one of my favorite songs. 

Is the church dead? Are people not worth bothering about? These are the questions I’ve been asking myself lately. Between disheartening stories of sinful acts done by the Bride of Christ and sinful acts done by those put in charge, I’ve felt myself begin to question things. I’ve heard stories of the church betraying it’s members for no aparent reason, other then due to their desire for power.  The most reasant one I have read about is the story of Jonathan Merritt and his desire to bring church leaders together to help preserve the amazing world we have been given and un-muffle the general revelation of God by decreasing destructive lifestyles.  His efforts were shot down by the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission (for those who don’t know the ERLC is the “public policy arm” of the Southern Baptist Convention). The only reason to have shut down an the effort put forth by Jonathan would be to strive for more power. Frankly it is disgusting. 

I’ve heard personal stories as well. Stories of a mother shamed for allowing her son to express himself through his hair. I’ve heard stories of women shamed for getting out of an abusive merriage because apparently divorcing in that situation is still not ok (I realize sarcasm may not be as apparent when written so I am pointing it out here). I’ve heard stories of churches refusal to support amazing people of God to go into the mission field by not helping monetarily, simply because the organization these people are working with are not the exact same denomination.  I’ve heard stories of women being shunned for one mistake, instead of suporting her. 

When did the Bride of Christ begin to seek power and influence over bringing forth the kingdom? When did people decide to separate themselves so far from the world that they look almost cult-like? When did today’s Christians become yesteryears’ Pharisees? But I digress.

I am here to say however, I am just as much to blame as you. I have failed as a Christian, I have failed as a member of the Church, the Bride of Christ.

But because of Christ there is grace.

We as Christians, the next generation of the Church, must not be lulled into a false sense of security. We must not become what we witness.  But, we must also not separate ourselves from this debauchery. A great man once asked “How can we love Christ but not his Bride?” He continued, “until you love the Bride of Christ you will never be rooted in Christ.” We must strive for a Church that solely seeks to glorify God, for that is what is most important. We are instructed to strive for this and instruct our brothers and sisters to do the same.

Therefore take heed to yourselves and the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples ager themselves.

Acts 20:28-30

We must beware of these wolves, but most importantly, we must not become the wolves.

-Your Humble Servant.

This entertained me for way too long…..

I make these references all the time but my family never gets them….. 

An Awesome read! I’m only two chapters in and I’m already loving it!

I look back on the past year with high regards. It is true that I made many mistakes, mostly in one particular area, but overall I believe it to have been, in the words of Frank Sinatra, but not in regards to the song, “a very good year.”  CNU has become my home.  I feel more at home here, at this gorgeous campus, then I do back home in chesapeake. However, I’m not too fond of being even further away from the beach. I have become apart of an amazing community here, that has welcomed me with open arms.  I am so thankful to have these amazing people in my life. I have grown more, spiritually and emotionally, over the past year then I have in the past two.  I am more outgoing then I had ever imagine I could be. 

With all the elation elicited by thinking of this past year, I am still reminded of one melancholy factor. Rockbridge, however amazing it was, definitely reminded me of this. I have only one more year to spend with these awesome people.  As I look even further back, I continue to assert that attending TCC for the first two years of my college career was the biggest mistake I have ever made.  In a brief moment of fear of growing up and changing things, I missed out on two years that could have possibly been amazing. However, what is done is done and I should not mope on it. This mistake, no matter how regrettable it was, has still shaped me and made me who I am.  

Regardless, I am here now, and that is were I should stay, in the words of the Buddha “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”  Or if you prefer C.S. Lewis “Attend chiefly to two things, to eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” In order to more appreciate the time I have left with these amazing people, I must focus on the here and now.  I can not dwell on the fact that I shall be graduating and moving on again to bigger things in one short year. 

Once again, regardless, I am excited for my senior year and what God has in store for me and my awesome friends. I’m excited about what he is going to teach me through this aforementioned discordant, short period of time. I am excited about the new friendships that will form and the strengthening of the old ones.

With all that being said; Here’s to the future, the past, and more importantly the present.

-Your Humble Servant 

Rockbridge…

Probably one of the best, most powerful songs about redemption I’ve heard.

yes!

yes!

yes!