Greg:
I recently sent you an email suggesting that I was going to “take your website down.” I realize now that I allowed my emotions to get the best of me. My mission isn’t to change your mind about the way I and others decide to do ministry. No one’s going to be converted to Christ by defeating you. So I apologize for my lack of focus and continue to pray for God’s grace to reign in your heart as you approach others.
I recently read this in a book I’m currently re-reading called, “Killing Cockroaches.” I think it summarizes things pretty well.
“…Frankly, it’s our hope that lots of people love what we do. But we also hope that a few people HATE what we do. If we don’t experience those extreme reactions, we’re probably not fulfilling God’s mission for the church. Don’t forget, God despises “lukewarm.” We are a church for those who are unchurched or have given up on church. If we are fully aligned with God’s mission for our ministry, we are going to offend people who love the institution or their version of “the truth” more than they love the people the Truth was intended to reach. So love us or hate us, we love you.”
“Killing Cockroaches”
Tony Morgan
Page 118
Merry Christmas, Greg.
Mark
"If we are to achieve results never before accomplished, we must expect to employ methods never before attempted." Sir Francis Bacon
Pastor Mark Walters
Phone: 613-824-2524
Fax: 613-824-2905
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And from St. Marcus
Dear Mr. Jackson,
I happened upon your 12/12/08 blog entry entitled "Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed" and I do not think that it would be an exaggeration on my part to say that it wounded my heart to read it. Prior to seeing it I was as one living in a dream where there was a oneness in the Body of Christ on this earth that exemplified the oneness that Jesus shares with His Father, this oneness being the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 (verses 11, 21, 22 & 23) that causes the unsaved world who observes it to come to the place of believing that the Father did in fact send His Son, Jesus … but this was before I rubbed elbows with you. As if being abruptly awakened from that dream I am once again reminded that there are still Pharisees out there, each sincerely believing that he or she is upholding the faith by defending his or her own particular brand of Christian turf, and I of all people should not be surprised by this because it wasn’t too long ago that I myself was a Pharisee, though at the time I would’ve strongly opposed anyone who had half their scriptural wits about them had they even tried to suggest that such was the case! And you can trust me when I say that it took an act of God’s divine mercy to knock me off of that high horse and to then direct my path to St. Marcus where I am now a member who is more than grateful to be there growing in His grace and prospering in His will for my life as I am being taught His Word … something which even if my life had depended upon it just a few short years ago I would’ve never believed could happen because of my unbending pharisaical mindset. What is it that bolsters Pharisees like I once was to pride themselves in defending their small lifeless congregations while at the same time feeling the need to lash out at and label larger congregations as being Ichabods for thriving? Could it be that these attacks issue forth from a place of unacknowledged (if even realized) fear because of not being as sure as they profess themselves to be that their numbers are small solely because they are God’s chosen "remnant", or because of whatever other supposed scriptural reason that they can come up with?
Please know that I will be praying for you and because I have walked in your shoes I am comforted to think that perhaps my prayers on your behalf will prevail where someone else's who hasn't might otherwise fail.
May the Lord’s Name be glorified in this instance, and always!
[Signed but I omitted the signature]
