Fair Warning

It's starting again.

I can tell.

I get this very Jeremiah-like edge regarding the state of my own walk with God as well as the walk with God I observe in the people I serve. I wish I didn't get it. It would make my life so much easier to be more easily amused and less passionate. I've learned, however,for me, it's inescapable.

I read a book yesterday (yes, I read books in one day) that only fueled the fire. The book wasn't THAT great, but some of author Erwin Raphael McManus' insights were throwing gasoline on my latent Jeremiah-like edge:

"This may be the most extraordinary mark of the Spirit of God within the heart of humanity: the freedom to live out dreams greater than ourselves. Yet if we were honest with ourselves, the church would be the last place most people would go to have their dreams nurtured, developed and unleashed."

"Domesticated Christians are far too willing to abdicate the battle for the soul of the world. Civility focuses our energy on all the wrong places. We spend our lives emphasizing our personal development and spiritual well-being. We build churches that become nothing more than hiding places for the faithful while pretending our actions are for the good of the world. Or we choose political and secular vehicles to try to advance our cultural values, strangely attempting to make unbelieving people act like civilized believers."

"From the parenting end, I've seen far to many kids raised in Christian homes who are indifferent to Christ and often carry a great disdain for the church. Sometimes, it's the result of blatant hypocrisy, but other times it's the result of nothing less than sheer monotony and boredom. We raise our children in the cocoon of a domesticated faith and wonder why they run as far as they can to find adventure."

It's rare that I think about my faithful blog readership when I write, but I'm in a "scorched-earth, shake-things-up, sick-of-the-status-quo" kind of mood today. So, to readers I know, I'm asking for what these quotes stir up in your brains:

Jan (of Sam and Jan fame): How are we going to deal with the 3rd quote as we design a parent's ministry?

Kristen and Joshua, Michael and Katie, Kendra and John, Laura and James, Steph and Geoff, and others listed under "blogs of former students": What do I need to be doing to be more effective given that I'm here (and knowing what I'm up against) and you're all "there?"

Katherine: What does this do in your brain? You're always good for gasoline on my fire and I'm encouraging you to do that PRONTO, sister.

Hollywood: Get the book and read it. It's "The Barbarian Way" by McManus. It'll influence your world and make you wonderfully uncomfortable.

Random CBC parents who check-in daily: Is it okay if I decide to shake all of us up a bit?

Students: Is it okay if I decide to shake all of you up a bit?

Nathan and Steve-O: Let's rock. Show me "how."

Enough is enough.