Come In and Go Out.

Last updated on: October 7, 2009 at 4:16 pm by David Hayward

Come In and Go Out. 2009-10-07T16:16:43-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

So more people leave our church. I have a gift. It’s obvious. I can’t hold people in a community. Sometimes I feel it is my fault. Sometimes I actually wonder if I should throw in the towel and let the church get a real pastor. Then, sometimes, when I’m feeling less insecure, I realize that when people gather on their own volition there are no guarantees about stability. Just today I was talking with one of our community. She was wondering if there’s some kind of spirit in our church that’s been here ever since the split back in 1997… that somehow our body got a spirit of division, like HIV… always there waiting to manifest itself when the body is weak. These “spirits” we talk about, in my opinion, can be chalked up to character issues in our own hearts and minds.

I realize too that I don’t help matters. I mean if I were had a charismatic personality, was a motivational speaker, kept the ship running tightly, was orthodox, held to traditional morality and adhered to the middle road of evangelical conservativism… you know: like a regular pastor, then we’d probably hold our ground and even grow.

But… I was called an anomaly again just yesterday. Because I’m unwilling to pretend to be something I’m not. Thing is, I respect this same sentiment in others. Now THAT’S a huge problem. But doesn’t this have something to do with love… the love I live in and am given, and the love I give? I can’t see it any other way. We are free to come and go. We are free to go in and come out and find pasture. But I miss every one of them that go.

Anybody contributions to my blog today (through paypal or “buy me a beer” at the bottom of this post) are going toward me getting a FLIP video recorder. I would like to start posting the odd video on my blog in the near future. So far I’m about a third of the way there. Thanks!

thought

Previous Post

October 7, 2009

cartoon: the gift that keeps on giving

Next Post

October 7, 2009 almost completed pencil drawing

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book comes directly after Job?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalms Proverbs Isaiah Ecclesiastes