Transparent Christian Magazine

I read Dan Merchant’s  Lord, Save Us From Your Followers while in Buffalo and just wanted to express a few “take aways”.  It’s very interesting to be the “middle man” between two generations and observe the spiritual changes of 3 generations. I grew up in a very “mean” church and spent my “home years” thinking that being racially prejudiced was normal. We grew up in a church of two works of grace that offered sinless perfection that I could never achieve. It was a church of rules, regulations, and condemnation, which was basically “the church” in general.

I became a part time church staff member with pornography in my dresser drawers.  There were many times that my marriage hung by a thread. I was “chief among gay bashers” until I met Macon. My understanding of the pain of being gay deepened as I met weekly with  another man  who was in and out of jail for acting out.  He  became a “victim of church” and disappeared even though I tried to convince him that Jesus wasn’t like the folks in church.

I certainly understand why Baby Boomers left the church in mass.

I see your generation being so much more aware of the “social gospel” and becoming involved in social issues and so much more aware of the world than previous generations.

Dan Merchant writes about the church being late in responding to the AIDS epidemic, and he is right. He shares the details of setting up a confessional booth in a gay parade to apologize for the church being so mean and cites other examples of our mean spirit.

However, my major concern is the “fumble” of truth in three generations. Somehow Dad’s generation presented the truth in a condemning way and scarred millions but certainly tried to hold on to the “absolute value” of God’s Word. Baby Boomers decided that truth was relative to our own experience and feelings. We “fell out of love” and set a new trend of “no fault” divorce and became labeled as the “Me Generation” and made success our idol.

Your generation is now moving into social, political, and spiritual leadership with a totally different perspective. You’ve heard about the “meanness” of Pawpaw’s church, you’ve experienced my generation’s wrestle with futility.   You now become part of the relay race and the passing of the baton.

As Dan Merchant, Donald Miller, and other communicators from your generation rise in influence, how will you know the truth of their message?

Merchant constantly refers to “all of us being God’s children”. This is one of the most dangerous messages ever presented.  Paul absolutely banishes that theory in Romans 1:18-3:20 as he vividly describes us as objects of God’s wrath and spiritually dead at birth due to being descendants of Adam.    Merchant states that “rapture theology” became prevalent in the mid 1800’s. Paul vividly describes this event in 1 st  Thessalonians 4 and 2nd  Thessalonians 2.

I hope the 3 of you recognize the necessity of being “socially aware” but biblically sound.

I love you and pray that indeed your generation will be the one that “speaks the Truth in love!”

“With all these things in mind dear brothers, stand firm and keep a strong grip on truth.”  1 Thess 4:15