I never said a thing about following “celebrities” as shepherds. I am not advocating for that, of course. I used an extreme public figure to illustrate how we categorize and demonize – we want to make sure we tell everyone all the things we disagree with rather than simply being encouraged that truth is being spoken.

I am pointing out that we are more likely to say “I hate that guy and everything he stands for” than we are to say “x,y, and z that he just said was true.” Paul could just as easily have said “you Athenians and all your pagan worship and idols – you are wrong, wrong wrong!” instead of “I see in all things you are very religious” and going on to explain Jesus as their “unknown God” while quoting their poets. He is saying “you have stumbled upon some truth – let me explain it to you fully.” That is a compelling message. And he didn’t even have to worship any idols to get them to like him .

Most of all I am hoping we can find some humility and civility in our discourse – the courage to admit that we “see through a glass darkly”, that we don’t know everything and aren’t the sole arbiters of who God can and can’t use.

That may not have cleared anything up, but I enjoyed writing it . As always, thanks for posting.

True, many people out there may occasionally say something that is true, even noteworthy, however the Bible teaches us that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. And nobody else really matters do they? We may be able to use a nugget as a conversation starter or point of agreement as long as we always point towards Jesus as the truth in that nugget, relating it to the Word.

Much of the “religious” folk in America are trying so hard to be culturally relevant and would love so much to claim this celebrity or that one as one of their own, (as if this were some badge of honor), they forget the simplicity of the Gospel and our mandate: “Go and make disciples…”

If we followed the example of the sheep, and fed, clothed, visited those that needed it in Jesus’ name, the church would be relevant where it stood, no celebrities needed.

You know, I don’t have a problem with someone saying, “Turn back to JESUS. Repent,” even if that person is Balaam. My problem is with the American politicizing of Christianity. My problem is more along these lines, “Repent and vote for Palin or whoever.” I’m about as conservative as they come. I really like Beck, but I’m hugely frustrated by the muddying of conservative politics and the Gospel. Some people are practically trying to turn Glenn Beck into the new Messiah. I swear in some churches, you are more likely to hear Glenn Beck’s or Palin’s name mentioned before Jesus’. That bothers me. Preach the Gospel and vote your conscious, but don’t belittle the Gospel by turning it into your watered down moralized Americanized version. And just for the record, I’m just as frustrated by the marrying of the liberal social agenda and Christianity.

As far as the passage goes, I think it is important to note that it says, “IN MY NAME.” That is the important thing. If we are going to call America to repentance in JESUS’ name, then great. I’m all for it.

[...] something about viraljesus[...]…

When I heard that, it validated my discomfort with the typical Pentecostal methods of “pumping” or “priming” people to have a “religious experience” at their event. Trust me, when the Holy Spirit really shows up, nobody needs to be primed for it. And nobody looks at their watch, and very few even leave to eat. Problem in America is that we settled for an emotional high and leave before the spiritual high of actual contact with the Spirit. Read I Kings 19:9-14. If Elijah had experienced the wind, earthquake and fire and then left, thinking surely he had been in the presence of God, he would have missed God completely, because the Bible says that though each of these came, God was not in them. God was in the gentle whisper (NIV) that followed.

I pray that we would turn off the TV, stereo, and even the contemporary worship music (gasp – blasphemy) more often and seek the gentle whisper behind the earthquakes and fire. That is where the real work is done.

Preach on brother, glad you’ve turned the corner.

Congratulations!!!

The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes is a good expansion of that verse.