AUTHOR: Robin Dugall DATE: 10:39:00 AM ----- BODY:

I ran across the following quote...I'm going to lay it out for you...make some comments and then tell you who actually said it. Maybe it will surprise you as it did me. "our starting point is not the individual, and we do not subscribe to the view that one should feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, or clothe the naked. Our objectives are entirely different: we must have healthy people in order to prevail in the world". That comment has ruminated throughout my soul for several days...I've tried to use it prophetically to challenge the praxis of my followership with Jesus. Although it seems like a no-brainer that all of us would be dialed in and responsive to the poor and victims of injustice in our world and culture, in actuality our objective action and operational theology is much more like the second half of this quote. For much of contemporary sub-culture Christianity, the misbelief exists that it takes 'healthy' people, healthy pastors, healthy churches to take on the prevailing winds of culture with the power of the Kingdom. Seminars, conferences, books, strategies and the like all assume that you and I are just a few "personally applied principles" away from a health status that will take our dreams where we want them to be. It is NOT that we necessarily forget the poor and the hungry it is just that our health, success and status is more important or at least what needs to garnish our immediate attention if we are to prevail in this world. Here's something to think about - praise God Jesus didn't think that way! The cross would not have been on his agenda if he did ascribe to that view. He would not have said things about you and me being humble servants, being the last not the first, the humble not the proud, identifying with the sick and not the healthy if he did. I'm still waiting for the conference flyer that advertises three days exploring brokenness as a means of transforming culture. I'm still looking for that website that has suggestions on how to have an unhealthy church because that is the place that is real enough to need a Savior and the coming of the Kingdom. I'm of the opinion that what we need is not more healthy people but more authentic people...followers not willing to brag about their health but to wear their passion for Jesus and the aspects of their lives that are currently "under reconstruction" on their sleeves. Just something to chew on for your day. By the way, Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi Party said those words in 1939. So for now, as some of my pals would say, "peace - out!"

-------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: wellis68 COMMENT-DATE:6:31 AM COMMENT-BODY:These are some Ideas that have been swimming through my mind alot lately and there's no sign that my hearts gonna change any time soon. To me all things are second to responding to the cries of the victims of oppression in the world.

If we offer Christ without food to a hungry man what kind of Christ are we offering? -------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: Mark Schreiber COMMENT-DATE:7:20 AM COMMENT-BODY:"Nazis, I hate these guys." ~Indiana Jones

Twisted use of the quote Rob, but I like what you're sayin'! Maybe I'll set up a website, Brian can help too, well get the domain. I can see it now... www.unhealthychurch.org. I bet it's avaliable!.... yup, just checked. Amazingly no one else has bought up any of them, your free to get the .com, .org, and .net if you like... just $10 a year. I might just go buy those all for you. I think you have something here.

Man! I want to be apart of unhealthychurch.org! I want real community. Real authentic broken people that want to run through life together so that we can learn more about and be more like Jesus.

Did I say that I think you really have something here?!

as you said... peace, out. -------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: David COMMENT-DATE:12:02 PM COMMENT-BODY:oh those wacky Nazis....

http://theway.blog.com --------