Do Not Judge

Luke 6:37-38

One does not need to be a Christian to know this phrase and have it memorized. It appears that this statement, when taken out of context, states that there should be no judgment whatsoever; because the thought is, who are we to judge? God is love, and the loving thing to do is accept and affirm all people and their actions, right? Wrong! Christian’s have a bad reputation as a bunch of judgmental hypocrites. People have been hurt by those in the church because they felt unfairly judged and condemned. Unfortunately, that’s true. There are way too many people in our communities who will never set foot in a church because we have shown ourselves to be no different than they are. Actually, we have shown the unchurched that we believe that we are better than they are. We will let them know our pecking order in no uncertain terms through our looks, jabs, condescension, and air of moral superiority. For these and other attitudes, we must repent.

When the look on someone’s face, the arms crossed over the chest, or the tattoo says Don’t Judge Me, does that mean hands off, no opinions or judging allowed? I don’t think so and I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant either.

In context, Jesus is talking about loving one’s enemies (vv.27-36), and that the attitude of a Christian should be one of mercy, because our Father in Heaven is merciful. In verses 43-45, we are to discern the people we are dealing with based on their fruits; whether good or bad. And in between these verses (vv.37-42) we are told not to judge. That means we are not to feel superior or have a judgmental or condemning attitude.

Some people love to judge for the sake of judging. I’ve heard this saying many times, though in different forms, “you spot it, you got it.” One will judge in others what is deficient in them. Judgers love to point the finger at someone else. They love to get the spotlight off of them and lessen their own guilt by tearing others down. My wife reminds me that the other drivers on the road are exhibiting idiotic behavior, and are not idiots. If they all drove like me, I imagine, the road would be a safer place; shame on me. There is no mercy in that type of attitude. Why? Because the judger places motive on the judgee, seeing him or her in the worst light possible. Ultimately, it’s not what they do it’s who they are. And it’s that judgmental spirit that God will hold against a person and judge (v.38).

God’s Word tells us that we must judge, only we’re not to be THE judge (Matt 7:1-5, Luke 6:37, John 7:24, 8:7; James 4:11-12, Rom 2:1-3, et al.).

A thought to ponder: Before you decide that a person is worthy of your derision, look first at yourself and examine your own life to see if you are seeing clearly. The disciple or follower of Jesus should be constantly submitting himself to the Word of God. A right understanding of our own depravity, sin, arrogance, and helplessness to live godly lives should humble us when dealing with others. Can you imagine walking up to someone to dab a speck of dirt out of their eye only to hit them with the 2X4 sticking out of yours? It’s a funny picture, but as we think about it, and discipleship, the picture can be profound.

What if, as a disciple of Jesus, I always perceive myself as having a huge log coming out of my eye, and all others as having only a speck? I would treat others differently and that would/should keep my judging in check. And, if all other disciples of Jesus had that same perception of themselves, they with the plank and me with the speck, how much better would we all get along? Pretty well I would imagine.

But, and hear me well, we must not let that vision of humility remove the responsibility of calling sin, sin and error, error. Remove the plank, repent of your sin, attack the error and not the person, go to your brother and seek restoration instead of condemnation. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (v.36).

Show mercy, be kind, and love those you deem unlovable. There will be times to stand boldly against the brood of vipers that seek to subvert God’s people, however, that won’t be every time and with everyone.

Grace and Peace,
Rich

If You Lie Down With Dogs, You Get Up With Fleas

Luke 5:27-39

I have heard this proverb while growing up, and maybe you have too. Typically, it concerned our choice of friends or those whom we have chosen to hang around. The meaning was simple enough; you should be careful of the company you keep. Hang around with the ne’er-do-wells and eventually, you too will reap the effects of that association. Even if you do not hang with the crowd, or fall under its influence, we all know too well that one is guilty by association. Paul quotes the Greek poet Menander when he writes to the Corinthians, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor 15:33). Even those strong in their faith or convictions can become weak if they allow a steady flow of lies and corruption to permeate their lives.

Luke paints us a picture of the incorruptible One gettin’ down with the dogs of society and liking it. He didn’t have to steel himself to be on mission for the sake of these people, because it was for these people he came (Luke 5:30-32). The party was thrown because Levi (Matthew) became a follower of Jesus and he wanted all of his friends to meet his new master. All of his friends happened to be, you guessed it, other tax collectors and flea-ridden members of the dog pound. This is what gets under the skin of the religious and self-righteous, they keep the law outwardly, but inwardly they chafe at those who don’t appear to take God as seriously as they do. Scoundrels, and those who associate with them, are not welcome in religions holy huddle. I think Jesus looked for sincerity and character in others instead of performance.

And here is where I start to chafe. As a former fleabag myself, I have almost forgotten what it was like to wake up with the dogs. I hear and read the anti-Christian rhetoric that is so pervasive in our culture and relegate that kind of talk to those people. I find that if I cannot change the climate of tolerance (or intolerance) in the culture, then I will inwardly rejoice that those who hate God will be hated right back; in Hell. For this attitude I must repent. I must repent of my un-Christ like attitude for those who are created in God’s image, albeit far from Him. Are they not worthy of God’s grace too? Who am I to dole out condemnation so easily?

Levi (Matthew) was a recipient of God’s grace just like I was. A scoundrel, a traitor to his own people, and a man not looking for God was found by God. That’s grace. God gives; God initiates; God calls, and if you are a lover and follower of Jesus, it’s because He first loved you. I love and follow him because he called out to me, and I came a runnin’. Rich, Levi (Matthew), John, Frank, Sue, Jean, Gerald, mom, dad, and any other person who has ever said yes to Jesus Christ’s call to come and follow him, was offered that gift despite any good in them; that’s grace.

So why not party hardy? It’s time to celebrate (vv.33-35). The Bridegroom and his guests are together and there is joy.

Life is like that. Jesus used the wedding feast metaphor to show the uptight Pharisees that there are times to rejoice and there are times to be sad, and weddings are not sad occasions. People were hearing the call of the Lord and following him. Lives were being changed. God’s forgiveness had come to an unsuspecting people and some were hearing and believing the good news; it was definitely time to celebrate.

Like the older brother in the parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15: 11-31), the Pharisees were blind to the grace and mercy of God. Notice the similarities of the Pharisees in Luke 5 and 15:

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:28-31).

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
(Luke 5:27-35).

Whether one is received as if back from the dead or standing in the presence of the Bridegroom, there must a celebration.

It is hard for me to extend grace to those with whom I disagree, but it is not impossible for me to change; and change I must. I am not talking about giving up my beliefs and convictions for the sake of relationship, but I am talking about showing love and compassion to those who are in need of a disciple of Christ to act like his master. Does love equal acceptance of sin? No, but I struggle with knowing how to do it [love] gracefully.

As a former member of the dog pound, I realize that my freedom does not wholly rest in distancing myself from my old fleabag friends, or society, but from willingly getting up with fleas because of my closeness to them.

Jesus didn’t care what people thought about his acquaintances, he came to save them. By God’s grace, may I lose my prejudices and use my voice to tell people that Jesus wants to save them too.

Grace and Peace,
Rich

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Phil 3:12-16

The past can teach us, nurture us, but it cannot sustain us. The essence of life is change, and we must move ever forward or the soul will wither and die. Susanna Kearsley, Mariana.

There are a lot of withering souls out there. People stuck in ruts that they are unable, or unwilling, from which to remove themselves. Ruts created by themselves, or created by others, in which they reside because it seems to be easier to be complacent than it does to fight the fierce fight of faith. The race for them, it would seem, is over. They signed-up for a walk or a stroll, but not a marathon.

Paul was not that type of Christian. His analogy of a race and running toward the finish line with all the gumption he had is the antithesis of a lazy or complacent Christian. He not only wants to run the race of faith all by himself, but he also wants the Philippians to join him in running so as to win the race and receive the prize (v.14).

However, you cannot go forward, reaching and grasping after the prize if you are consumed with looking behind you. Whether failure or victory; despair or triumph; getting the shaft or giving it; the past is the past and you won’t get far driving with your eyes glued to the rearview mirror.

Harry S. Truman is credited with saying “Men who live in the past remind me of a toy I’m sure all of you have seen. The toy is a small wooden bird called the Floogie Bird. Around the Floogie Bird’s neck is a label reading, ‘I fly backwards, I don’t care where I’m going. I just want to see where I’ve been.’”

Floogie Christians unite! Gather in your fleet, flock, flight, bevy, brood, or charm and pine for the good-ole-days. Remember back when all churches did things one way? Be oblivious to the idea that God may be doing a new thing in a new way for a new generation. Forget the future and focus on the past and you too will be as effective as an ejection seat on a helicopter.

Paul says that he is forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (v.13b). Paul does not mean that he didn’t remember his past; how could he forget that? He did not let his past discourage, defeat, or sidetrack him. He persevered and kept running the race with abandon. We need that. We need to be like that. Our churches are filled with broken people who are backbiters, gossips, grudge-holders, and purveyors of a number of other sins. Others appear to have it made and are successful by our standards; living as if success is the be-all and end-all of life. Good or bad, our pasts can be anchors that prevent us from moving forward. Breaking with the past and having a single-minded focus on eternity, and eternal things, is worth all of our efforts here on earth.

Paul’s vision and mission were clear. He was pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [him] heavenward in Christ Jesus (v.14).

Paul was focused and we should be just as focused (15a).

Paul’s eyes were focused on eternity. His gaze looked forward and not behind so as to be distracted from his course. Paul did not obtain his goal in this life, and neither will we. However, are you as resolute in your pursuit of those things that bring glory to God? Is life so hard that you cannot break free from ____________? What will it take to put to rest the good, the bad, and the ugly so you may be free to move forward? Perhaps Scripture says it best through the pen of the apostle:

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. (Phil 3:12-16 The Message).

Grace and Peace,
Rich

Adultery: Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

Sermon Series: 50 Shades of Compromise
2 Sam 11:1-27

O be careful little eyes what you see; O be careful little eyes what you see; There’s a Father up above, and He’s looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see.

When I was a baby Christian, children’s songs were a good way for me to be exposed to simple biblical truths. That may seem like no big deal to those of you who were Christian children, but I was 30 years old when I came to know Jesus and I liked a lot of classic with my rock. However, new to the family of faith, I learned simple truths in simple ways, and music was one of those ways.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See is one of those children’s songs that spoke a truth that was both simple, and scary, at the same time; there is a Father (God) who is looking down on His children with love. So as us kids are looking at all manner of things, we need to be careful at those things that catch our gaze.

David needed some help in this area.

Looking back from our perspective, the set-up of the scene has disaster written all over it. It’s almost like watching a cheap horror flick where the viewer knows what’s going to happen next but still can’t help yelling at the screen, DON’T GO IN THERE!

So we watch David, as it were, walk open eyed into a trap that he help set through a series of poor choices. We notice that David should have been leading his men in battle and not staying home while they were out fighting and dying (v.1). Scene #1 is set; David is not where he should have been. He was in bed and relaxing when he should have been in battle (v.2). Scene #2 is set; David is idle while body and mind begin to wander. A stroll onto the roof leads to the trap slamming shut as David chooses to lust after Bathsheba instead of turning away (v.3). Scene #3 is set; David is consumed with the object of his desire.

The same thing happened to Eve in the beginning. In a perfect Garden in communion with a perfect God, free to trust God or believe a lie, Eve decided that she knew what was best for her and she ate: When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it (Gen 3:6).

Eve saw, she desired, and she took! David saw, he desired, and he took! James says that that is the way that sin works (Jas 1:14-15). Sin has always worked this way and it will continue to do so.

What/who is it that entices you? What/who holds your gaze longer than it/they should? What/who is it that, if given the chance with no consequences, would you give yourself unreservedly? The answer to those questions may be very telling.

Be careful little eyes what you see, it may be your undoing.

Believers are called by God to live a life of holiness. In faith, we are always to look to Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of our faith and to believe that the Gospel has the power for us to say no to sin and yes to righteousness. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 24-25).

Grace and Peace,
Rich

Compromise: The Slow Fade to Despair

Sermon Series: 50 Shades of Compromise

The song Slow Fade by Casting Crowns, to me, is a great reminder that the big moral compromises we succumb to are not spur of the moment, spontaneous decisions, but the end result of a whittling away of our moral fiber. The act may seem to have presented itself out of nowhere, but the decision to feast on its fruit happened long before in the heart.

One definition of compromise according to Dictionary.com is, to expose or make vulnerable to danger, suspicion, scandal, etc.; jeopardize. This sounds like the mission of our enemy Satan, doesn’t it? He is on mission to jeopardize the witness of the believer by destroying him through scandal and suspicion, to name a few. The slow fade of compromise has to be one of his greatest threats.

Screwtape, in his advice to the evil young novice Wormwood, in regard to turning a believer away from God (from Screwtape’s perspective God is the Enemy) said,

You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/48605-you-will-say-that-these-are-very-small-sins-and

Great advice from Hell. Heed it, but do not succumb to the allure of the little white lie.

Compromise starts with the tiniest of missteps in one’s thinking and behavior. The next time it gets a little easier to compromise, and then a little easier, and then the slope gets steeper and steeper until one finds him or herself in a place they never intended; can I get a witness?

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

Compromise will lead to defeat. Compromising your standards will make your character small, puny, and weak; your words, works, and testimony may be hindered or tarnished beyond repair.

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully (Ps 119:1-4 NLT).

It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Joshua said, “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:14-15).

Repent of your compromising; stop vacillating between the God of the Bible and the god of this age and choose righteousness. Stand for the Truth (and the Way and the Life) and live.

Grace and Peace,
Rich

Comayagua, Honduras: Fall Mission Trip 2012

FCA MotoCross: Faster for the Master
by Mary Conver

The only sound was the whispered anticipation from the crowd. The roar of the dirt bikes had faded off momentarily as Ryan’s bike, which was barely functional at this point, had disappeared around the corner and behind the last jump. The other two riders had gone several seconds beforehand, but had never popped back up, over the table top, to win the race.

The flagger, holding the checkered flag that would end of the race, and show who had won, stood at the crest of the Table Top. He looked down over the blind side of the hill, and we waited. What could he see? What was happening? Why hadn’t Shawn or Jimmy soared over the last jump and ended the race?

Just then, he straightened and tensed. The sound of 3 loud engines buzzed to life. A cloud of dust proceeded the racers. Then, in perfect unison, all three bikes came over the rise together! Side by side!

Shawn and Jimmy, realizing Ryan’s bike had broken and that it was all he could do just to finish the race, much less actually compete, had stopped at the very end of the run to that last jump, and waited for him. Who knows what may have transpired between the three when Ryan came around the corner and found them sitting there! They finished together. No winners! All winners!

The crowd of MotoCross fans, American, Honduran, riders, kids, and adults went crazy! That was so amazing!!! A perfect end to an incredible week of camp and racing!

But it can’t all be Stellar Jumps, Autographs and Movie-Made-Moments. This trip started months ago, with patience, fundraising, and phone calls. Emails back and forth between missionaries, translators, and dirk bike riders. FCA, FPCC, and OEM. But I won’t go back that far. Let’s just glance back over one week. The first ever FCA MotoCross Camp held Internationally. An effort motivated by a shared love and respect for Dylan First, whose dream we were chasing. One week, in Honduras.

We arrived in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on Sept. 22, 2012. The first two days we spent adjusting to the climate (hot but beautiful) and attending a Sunday evening church service. This was one of the most exciting parts of the trip. In a church service, 1666.8 miles from here, Ryan, a professional MotoCross Rider and FCA-Camp-Instructor-To-Be, accepted Jesus Christ into his heart for the first time! God had answered our prayers on day one. Many of us felt successful and whatever else happened was just extra!!

The next several days we visited lots of Malls, TV Stations, Universities, and schools. The Pros signed autographs and we gave out FCA stickers and posters. We talked about Dylan First, and his passion for MotoCross and his love of Jesus Christ. We talked about the race and that it was free. (No one could understand this!) And we got used to speaking through an interpreter. We went shopping for family at home, and God used this as an opportunity for Shawn and Courtney to witness to a little boy outside of a shop. He prayed and accepted Christ, there in the street.

Several of us visited a Foster Care home called House of Hope on Tuesday. We got the chance to deliver LOTS of suitcases full of clothes, costumes, and toys to the girls there. They are ages 4 months-11 yrs old. They melted our hearts. Then we left there and went to a “school” which is a concrete building with no doors or glass, in the windows. They had wooden desks, but not one other thing in the room. Not even paper or pencils. We gave the kids backpacks that Forestpark kids made during VBS this year. They were FULL of paper, pencils, toothbrushes, candy, toys, etc, etc. Courtney told them the gospel using an EvangeCube, and asked them to pray. 12 kids told us it was the first time they had prayed to ask Jesus into their hearts!

Finally, Wednesday came. At 11am we began signing riders up and sending them to find their bunk house. We all met for lunch and headed to camp. The next 2 days were spent on that track. In fact Thursday we didn’t even leave the track for lunch! They brought it in!

The campers were separated into Huddles (“Juntos”) with one of our team serving as “Huddle Leaders” in each group. They stayed in their Huddle for the entire camp. Each Huddle stayed in a certain zone (area of the track,) learning an aspect of dirt bike riding, such as starting, cornering, hills/jumps, etc. Then after about an hour they rotated to another zone.

The first night of camp, we played a game, then held a simple chapel time together. We had nearly every person in the camp come forward to pray and give their lives to the Lord. The second night, I think all the rest of them came forward and did the same. Plus, all the people from the first night, came back up to say, “what’s the second step?” There may have been one or two who didn’t step up, but when almost ALL 27 people at camp want to know more, it’s a raging success by anyone’s standards!

Friday morning they got another hour on the track, and then we had awards and certificates to hand out. They all asked us to please come back next year! We had the rest of the day off, so some of us (Sunday School Teachers…) went off to give out more backpacks to another school! We had at least 5 or 6 raise their hands this time that they had made a commitment for the first time, but it was hard to tell, because the teacher began saying “Put your hand up! Put your hand up!” Which of course they all did. Oh well.

Saturday was a quiet day with the track being set up for the races and practice runs going on! Then came race day! Sunday, the track was packed!! We held the first race, for 12-14-year-olds. After that, they stopped everything to let Matthew First ride around the track alone on a Hot Lap, in honor of his brother, Dylan. Shawn Clark and a translator explained to the crowd who Dylan was, and what his dream had been. He told them that this whole trip was because of Dylan. He explained who Jesus is, and that Dylan’s life was devoted to Jesus. He told them the gospel, and led them in a short prayer. Lots of people raised their hands that they had prayed, and we passed out ALL our New Testaments!!

The rest of the races went on, separated by age or experience, and ending with the Americans. Ronnie and Mike raced with a couple of Hondurans, and then, as we mentioned before, Ryan, Shawn, and Jimmy. It wasn’t until the race was on lap 2 that Ryan discovered his bike was having a major problem. But, just like everything else God has planned, even this was a chance for the guys to show the Hondurans, Christians live life differently. We couldn’t have scripted it to all go more perfectly, and more glorifying to God.

We pray that this time next year, the biggest group we’ve ever sent to Honduras will have just gotten back, from a race three times the size of the one we held last Sunday. Thank you for all your support, contributions, and especially prayers. All I can say is, “Topela Papa!!”

Disorder in the Court

1 Cor 14:26-40

We’ve all seen it in some way, shape, or form; a courtroom scene where there is chaos throughout the room and the judge banging his gavel screaming, Order! Order in the court. Cartoons, movies, and sit-coms parody this familiar theme, although live scenes of disorder in the court are anything but funny. Whether real or contrived, when chaos replaces order, nothing gets accomplished.

The same thing can happen in the church. In the Corinthian church, there were those who sought an audience in which to elevate themselves. A person may have a word from the Lord, but the driving force behind their utterances was the praises of the congregation for them. Can you imagine the scene; someone believed that their prophecy was more important than another’s interpretation, and they believed that their words were more important than another’s lesson. The lesson was more important than the tongues spoken, which one may have believed was more important than singing any of the hymns. The cymbal clanging and gong banging of the congregation was enough to drown out the only thing that mattered; the worship of God.

Could you worship God in an atmosphere like that? Neither could I. I wonder how many of our church services are like that today. I don’t necessarily mean the tongue-speaking, but more along the lines of the self-promoting attitude of some of the people. Paul has already stated that the Holy Spirit has given certain gifts to people as He has deemed appropriate, and therefore none are able to boast (1 Cor 12:4-11). Those members endowed with the gift of tongues were given parameters in which to exercise their gift by limiting the number of people speaking, the necessity of an interpreter, and the orderly fashion in which they acted. This seeming stuffiness by the apostle was for the sake of the congregation, not to feed an authoritarian ego bent on quenching the Spirit.

That same orderliness required in the church service extends to the controversial topic of women being silent in the service. Total silence is not in question here. The necessity of silence mentioned is the kind of speech or interpretation of prophecy that would dishonor the husbands or the male leadership. Since women were not to dress in such a way as to dishonor their husbands (1 Cor 11:5), the interpretation of prophecy, or its correction, would be seen as usurping the role of man as the head of the woman and Paul does not allow that (1 Cor 11:1-16). There is room for discussion in the home, but the public venue of the church is another story.

So what’s the point? Are all tongue-speakers, egalitarians, or tongue-speaking egalitarians singled out and given a warning to tone it down? Well, that’s not he point. The point is order in the worship service. Things should be done in such a way as to edify the church, teach the church, and glorify God without all of the chaos. Desire prophecy that is understandable in the whole body, but do not forbid the speaking of tongues that aren’t as publicly understood, just do whatever it is you do in a decent and orderly fashion (1 Cor 14:40). Share your gifts, wait your turn, respect authority, and notice that the rules you think are there to quench bring order and freedom instead.

I laugh at the 3 Stooges’ Disorder in the Court knowing that any courtroom that acted in the same way would be considered a travesty of justice. Why would we want to treat the gathering of believers and their worship of the One true God with any less respect? We wouldn’t and we shouldn’t.

May your worship experience be genuine and not a veiled attempt to steal any of God’s glory.

Grace and Peace,
Rich