Transitional Ministry

Maybe We Have It All Wrong Part 2

I took a chance last week and suggested that we may have got it wrong when it comes to our approach to telling others about Christ. So far no death threats, no mass unfollowing of my blog and more importantly no one came up with a Biblically strong argument that suggested that I got it all wrong. This week I thought I would take an even bigger chance and address something I think we have got wrong. What I am about to suggest goes against what has been considered conventional wisdom for quite some time. Even more dangerous, what I am about to say can be easily twisted to make it look like I support sinful acts rather than have problems with the way we have tried to address them. As I look at the state of North American Christianity I have to wonder if we have gotten it all wrong.

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Maybe We Have It All Wrong

It has been bugging me for a while. I have to admit bringing it up has caused me some concern. What I am about to suggest goes against what has been considered conventional wisdom for quite some time. What I think we need to consider makes much of the current bestselling Christian “How To” books on church and Christian living no longer best sellers. As I look at the state of North American Christianity I have to wonder if we have gotten it all wrong.

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Which Translation Of The Bible Is The Right One?

If there ever was a title that will make Christians read a post, this is it! Heart rates are going up, blood pressure is increasing as readers get ready to, for the first time ever, find out if their translation is the only translation that Jesus would read, that God would promote and that the Holy Spirit has truly inspired. I know some of you are tempted to skim the post so that you can save time and find the answer. Don’t do it! I put a lot of work into writing this post and I would appreciate you reading all the words. I really have no other reason to ask you to avoid skimming the post other than I hate the fact that I can work hard to create the right combinations of words only to find out no one actually reads them all!

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I Am Balaam’s Donkey

I know it’s childish but I love reading about donkeys in the Bible. It can’t be just any Bible, it has to be the King James Bible. Unless you considered soap a food group, the only time you could say the word “ass” when I was growing up was when you read it in the Bible. To this day, it doesn’t matter which version I read, every time the word donkey comes up I laugh under my breath because I know that the real Bible translation says ass. When my kids got older I would often tell them to, “Stop acting like a King James donkey” if they were getting on my nerves. I am Balaam’s Donkey – did you just smirk, maybe even laugh? You can’t help thinking, “Dave is admitting that he is a King James Donkey.”

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Right Side of History Wrong Side of Eternity

There is no question in my mind that Satan is an underestimated foe whose schemes disguise his plan to make God irrelevant. As any good illusionist knows the key to a successful magic trick is to get people focused on what you want them to see while you attend to what you don’t want them to see. Recently we have been addressing issues of inequality in our culture but Satan is sowing the seeds of division through the introduction of ideas, labels and phrases that illicit emotional and defensive responses. Words are launched like missiles in a retaliatory strike against those who are considered the enemy while the real enemy goes about his evil plan undetected.

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