Versions of Christianity -- Yes, there is more than one!

Years ago, I wrote "What a Girl Wants" for two reasons. One, because I had a singles' group at my house and it wasn't fair how God says that "beauty is fleeting & charm is deceiving", yet every time some new hot girl came into the group, religion seemed to fly out the window.  The second reason was...I couldn't craft.  

That's right. Most Christian women were good at crafting and making casseroles--maybe while homeschooling on the side. I was not that type of Christian. I was never going to be this type of Christian. Trust me, my grandmother tried so hard to make me domestic when I wanted to be out in the wood shop with my cousins using the jigsaw.  I'm not "normal." I wanted to write a book for the Christians who don't fit in. Newsflash, I still raised four kids and no one is in jail.  Not that this is the standard, but they did all right for themselves. They survived their out-of-the-ordinary mom.

Fast forward 20-odd years. I'm at a Bible study last night, and we are introduced with the caveat, "This is a private, no judgment zone, no advice zone." Right before I was completely judged and told how I "should be" and given advice. I'm 57. I completely reject this type of Christianity, and if that's for you, you go do you. No judgment here. But I have been a Christian for a long time, I know my relationship with God has nothing to do with impressing others or living up to their standards. Why don't judgmental people get this? What is it in their life that makes them think they are here to fix us all?

Do those people have any idea how they make people turn from God and the church? I bought this book "Bamboozled by Jesus" recently, and I haven't read it yet, but I did read some of the reviews. Some of which say this book is "not for real Christians."  

What is a real Christian? Since only God gets to judge, maybe we don't know. Sure, we know that Christians shouldn't be out murdering and philandering, but what about judging? Why do we let this one go? Worse yet, some of the reviews said, "This author is clearly not a Christian." 

Say what? You don't know what this woman's culture is, or how she grew up. You don't know her heart, so maybe worry about your own walk. Listen, I understand saying if swearing upsets you, this isn't the book for you.  But to take it so far as to say she's not a Christian? Girl, sit down.

Do I think this book is going to be filled with quality doctrine? I'm going to say no.  But will I hear someone's journey in their faith? Yes, I will. I think Christians seem to forget that David had a whole heart for God. King David: adulterer, murderer, bigamist, manipulator...David.  He wanted to do right, but he was a very flawed human.  Luckily, it wasn't up to David to be perfect.  We have salvation for that.

I'm not perfect. Not by a long shot, but I also know that I'm saved, flaws and all. Do I want to get better? Always. Does that include being like everyone else? It does not. 

I don't know if this book has false doctrine in it, but again, I'm grown. I can decide for myself what to read. I want to know how Orji's journey has been shaped by her immigrant parents. I want to know how she survives in Hollywood as an African-American comedian. Not only survives, but thrives. 

Have your spiritual gifts changed over time?

This week my Bible study had us take a short spiritual gifts test. Unlike my Myers-Briggs, which has never changed since college (INFP) that was not true for my spiritual gifts. I used to have "Hospitality" in my second place slot and maybe that's because I had a big house, and I always had people in it. Just the birthday parties alone kept that house popping.  We were the "hang" house as the kids got older, so I was used to hosting. That's not true any longer, and I don't really miss it. So maybe that wasn't ever my spiritual gift, it's just what I did with four kids in the house. 

My top gift is always "Discernment" -- I call this the judgy "gift" because you can't really be discerning without people finding you judgmental and usually wrong. Until, of course, they figure things out for themselves. Here's a perfect example: At an old church, they were interviewing a lead pastor. He'd been in the nursery and I overheard his whole conversation. They welcomed him, talked to him about where he was from, spoke of the kids' program, etc.  Now, later, when he was in the pulpit, he said that no one greeted him in the nursery and we had a big problem with welcoming people. Now, the church was in a pretty wealthy, snooty place, but the church wasn't like that.  This man lied on the pulpit! I had more examples of it too, this wasn't the only "strike." 

So I went and told my two pastors. I even took my husband because you know...women. I said, "I don't think this guy is good for the church."  Because you know, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Luke 16:10

I had more ammunition for this guy, but we won't go into that here. In the end, they hired him and the church blew up because of seedy things happening with the staff who didn't respect his authority. Did I expect the hiring team to take my word as Gospel? No, but I gave them several events and pointed them to other witnesses. But it was EASIER to hire the guy. They needed a lead pastor. 

My point is, I don't see the reason to have discerners in the church.  Literally, no one listens to them. I had been in this church for a long time.  My husband and I were in leadership. I literally had no reason to lie.  But listening to discerners requires actions that a lot of believers don't want to take. It means doing what's best instead of what's easy. Who wants to deal with that?  Not many, it seems. Christians seem to want to error on the side of forgiveness, which is a noble calling, but not really Biblical when it comes to church matters.  We are called to keep the church pure and that really matters with leadership. No one is perfect, but when several congregants see the same thing, maybe it's time for leadership to pay attention. 

The Enemy loves a good church split.  Anywhere, here are my gifts in order. What are yours?  1. Discernment 2. Exhortation 3. Pastor/Shepherd 4. Mercy 5. Hospitality

 

 

When in Sedona...

Yesterday, as we were driving through Sedona, we saw a "Salt Energy Healing Room" and a "Soul Spa" just to name a few alternative therapies. As a multiple sclerosis lifer (had it since I was 19) I am big on alternative therapies. The traditional meds they gave me  in the 90's actually made me crazy. (Trust me, I don't need any help!) Anyway, it always bugs me that Christians have separated the mind/body/soul aspect of healing. Apparently, that comes Roman history because doctors weren't allowed to dissect a human body (the soul now belonged to God) so it was considered desecration. Don't quote me on the history aspect, but my point is, if your soul isn't healthy, your body will tell you in some way. Symptoms are trying to get your attention.

While I'm not a New Ager, I love the mind/body/spirit connection to faith and healing. The biggest advances I made in my health are from alternative practitioners.  And while I will never belittle the magic that IS prednisone when you need it, there is a lot I've done to stay healthy through strange theories. Example? I had all the metal removed from my teeth in the early 90's and I never allowed a dentist to put metal in my kids' mouths. Luckily, they got their dad's teeth and not mine.

I also did NAET early on and learned what I was allergic to, and how to fix that with a chiropractor/practitioner. There was also a "Swank Diet" that I adopted early in my journey and stayed away from hydrogenated oils. I bought my kids' natural potato chips and then, they couldn't eat the regular ones. Granted, I never got my kids off McDonald's. That happy meal had the goods, you know? This was well before they cut those fries short for an apple.  (The Audacity!)

I did therapies that didn't work for me as well. LDN (low-dose naltrexone) did not work for me, but it has worked amazingly well for others. The same is true for most supplements for me. They never seem to agree with me.  But did it hurt anything? It didn't, so I don't know why the medical establishment is so against alternative therapies. For example, LDN has helped a lot of people, but it's cheap. No money, no healing according to the powers that be. This is why I wrote the third book in my "Spa Girls" series "Calm, Cool & Adjusted" about a Christian chiropractor who loved the alternative therapies. Find what works for you to get healthy. Fear is not from God, so don't be afraid of things that big pharma tells you is dangerous. It might be a waste of money. It might. But it also might work. Listen to your instincts. 

I love to be in Sedona and around all the earthy folks. I think it would be such an amazing place to write a book.