Trying to Follow God's Will

Over the last several months, the issue of church attendance has been much discussed in our family. I have had friends ponder,"Can't I be a Christian and not go to church?" I also have had discussions concerning organized religion. At our house we have spent many hours contemplating church selection. Interestingly enough, our Sunday School class is in the middle of a study titled Finding God's Will.

At different points during the past 6-9 months, we have felt unfulfilled at church. The word that has been described to me was "stagnant." It fits. I felt that I had been doing something wrong. I must not be plugged in enough or simply not with it. Don't get me wrong, I feel as if I have grown spiritually, but not as a result of church leadership. God has placed incredible angels around me that challenge me and hold me accountable in words and actions. To them I am extremely grateful and proud to call them friends.

However, after months of prayer and seeking advice from wise counsel, what we realized is that God leads us many places. My wife and I have lived in 6 places in almost 10 years of marriage. Our lives and careers have winded in ways we could never have expected. What we also realized is that there are many reasons people attend and become involved in their churches. For us it simply was seeking spiritual growth through strong leadership and direction. I want to know where the ship I'm on is headed confidently and surely. I want harmony. I want the words, decisions and actions of my church to reflect the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission. I want to know that the money given will support those endeavors.

We go to church to grow spiritually. Often times we stay because of commitments, friends, and guilt. It is tough to look outside your comfort zone. When you feel that God may be leading you to a new place in life, it sometimes comes with trepidation and questions. No doubt. But if I have learned anything this year it is to seek God's guidance and to follow His plan. Just like many who have wondered where God is leading them, so do I. It may be somewhere else, or it may be to gain some experiences and to remain. We will continue praying, seeking His will, and following that path.

Screwing Up

Well, it has been a few weeks and I do apologize. Our Sunday School class just started a new book on God's will. After thinking about it the last few days, I have one question that I can't seem to answer. When the class was discussing their trust in God's will and direction, everyone agreed that they fully trusted Him. I do as well. But then, why don't we let Him? We say that we believe in His omnipotence and omnipresence and that He has a plan for each of us. If we do believe that about our Creator, why do we keep interjecting ourselves and screwing it up? Further, are we as Christians more responsible and held to higher standards of accountability by God for knowing that He has a plan and purpose and still straying off that path than nonbelievers? Do we get extra credit for walking a line that swerves in and out of His path or are we just as wrong as if we crossed His path perpendicularly?

Here's where I think the truth must lie. First, quit trying to squeeze bonus points out of God. He isn't an eleventh grade math teacher. When we delve into justification, we tread water that we shouldn't even be in. Christians are awesome rationalizers. We can take a sermon or a passage and apply it to our lives like a size 8 shoe on a size 12 foot. It may go on, but it doesn't fit! It hurts and is uncomfortable and it won't stop until we take it off.

I believe that when we either fail to acknowledge God's interest or purpose in details, situations, and decisions in our lives then we have failed to trust Him overall. Jesus says you are either for me or against me. I don't think that meant sometimes. He implies a complete, overwhelming commitment to trust our entire existence to following Him and His direction. There is no "oopsie" for forgetting to ask His guidance, nor is there bonus points for seeking most of the time.

The question for Christians then is,"If our eternal future is already secure, why keep pushing our will on God either sometimes, most of the time, or all the time?" The gift of free will plays a large part in that discussion. Don't we all feel better when we have sought His guidance, gotten a response, acted on it, then watched the fruits unfold? We all have situations where we look back, nod our heads grinning from ear to ear, and say,"Yeah, that's what it's all about." Why then don't we continue that pattern?

May God grant us courage to seek His divine guidance, wisdom to accept the response, and consistency in following His direction.

Our sweet new baby, Anniston, who never cries when put down, or wants to eat all the time, or poops her pants seconds after being changed.

Hail, Hail the Fuller Clan's All Here!

The family tradition of getting pictures taken in each child's personalized rocking chair on their monthly birthday was started with Gracyn and carried through with Cannon. This is Anniston's first month.

Is Religion a Distraction?

Did the title make you sit up straight for a second? Please bear with me for a bit.

Have you ever heard someone dismiss church by saying that they,"are not about organized religion"? I've heard it so many times since the day I started college, I have always wanted to puke! Lately though, I tend to think that the sentiment, not necessarily the literal warrants merit. To completely and fairly walk through this contention, we must first define religion. Without running to any theological reference guide or Webster's dictionary, I would simply define religion as "a structure of people organized to a set of beliefs pertaining to a higher power whose function is to spread those beliefs, enhance member's beliefs, and to grow its membership."

Right or wrong, this is the definition we will use. (Can't believe that we're too far off on that one.) I prescribe to a Protestant Christian religion further broken down into a denomination or sect of that core structure. Those denominations are separated by differing interpretations of the Bible and religious worship. Some slant more heavily towards traditional aspects of religion, while others lean more towards "modern" worship and practices. These are generally fine, since we all have different comfort levels when it comes to worship, just like some learn better by reading and others from listening.

The contention I have is that in our religion (Protestant Christian), we expend so much energy defining the differences in each of our denominations, that we lose sight of what we all have in common. That is the recognition of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and our pursuit of following His teachings. We separate ourselves based upon who baptizes when, where, and why. We separate ourselves on the frequency of Communion, what to call it, what happens to the elements upon consumption, and who can partake. We separate ourselves on who can preach, pastor a church, teach a class. If we were all to take a step back, I have to believe that God is either laughing at us, or hurling lightning bolts around in frustration.

The words of Christ are designed for us all to comprehend and to follow. The way to Christ doesn't require a tent and three rings inside or even a higher level educational degree. It is simple and believers have separated other believers from an incredible fellowship on earth through their own pride and self-interests.

Last week I wrote about the bumper sticker that said,"I am a Christian, not closed-minded." We all naturally probably went political with that. Easy to do, but can not that same statement apply to this discussion? Are we not only tolerant, but inviting and welcoming to members of other Christian denominations? We are to love all man, and non-judgmental of other religions. However there is a distinct difference in tolerating other religions and being loving and welcoming to those of your own. I grew up Souther Baptist and even through middle school thought anyone not Baptist was not joining me in Heaven. To a more subtle degree, don't we still act like that? Jokes are made in services about Methodists, or Catholics, or Baptists. Just like you don't make even half-joking barbs about others in front of your kids, you shouldn't make those at church. It only serves to further an unspoken chasm that already exists.

All I want to do is learn more about my faith, my Lord Jesus Christ. I want the spirit to dwell within me so that others will see Him and want to experience the same joy and peace I have been given.

One could make the discussion that often churches distract their members from their core purpose as well. We'll save that for another week.