Feel Like a Square Peg Crammed into a Round Hole?

Many don’t go to any church nowadays. Less than half of the population of the USA is found in church on any given Sunday, even less than that claim membership to a particular church or denomination. For many they see religion as an attempt for them to be “fit” into a mold they simply are not interested in or believe in.

Who is interested in being the square peg that a religious group is trying to make fit into a round hole?

 

When you take the simple message of Jesus, “Love God with all of who you are—mind, soul, body & strength, and love your neighbor as yourself,” then add on conditions, or “explanations” of what that entails, you have the beginnings of religious rules that attempt to make us all a cookie cutter form of whatever image that particular religion views as “godly.” Try getting all of the various religious folks together and ask them to agree on their rules—wow, good luck with that! The old saying I know to ring true is, wherever there are two Christians gathered there are three opinions.

Here’s the deal for this simple preacher. At Shiloh’s Lighthouse we operate as a Community of Faith & Love. We are not a “church” or denominationally bound; if you want to get technical we are non-denominational. I see people more like Jell-O Jigglers (the non-alcoholic kind of course!)

We come in all shapes sizes, colors and genders. None are perfect; all of us are on a journey toward eternity, one that I believe Jesus died on a cross for, so that we all could experience that eternity with Him in heaven. Since we are all different in so many ways I like to see people as far more Jell-O-ish rather than attempt to make everyone fit into a religious one-size-fits-all mold. No. don’t try to read into this some goofy “many paths” religious nonsense—John 14:6 for me all day, folks. What I am saying is that since we are all different, yet wonderfully made by the same awesome God, it is not my job to make any person “fit.” into my idea of what a Christian is. My job as a Pastor is to share the truth of who Jesus is—with open arms to all people, welcome them into our Community of Faith & Love, and afford them every opportunity to find the joy and freedom found in a personal relationship with Jesus.

Yes, I will do my part to help you with your personal life issues, as will the others in our fellowship. What I will not do is try to make you conform to an image I have of you; rather I will challenge you to know Jesus in such a real way that He will transform you as your faith and relationship with Him grows.

My question and challenge to all who are part of Shiloh’s Lighthouse is this. What part do you play in helping make Saginaw a better place?  Together we can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors here in Saginaw. My offer to you who are reading this who think the ceiling of a church may fall in on you if you were to enter, or that you would be judged and rejected so why even bother going … come visit Shiloh’s Lighthouse and see what it means to be free to be who you were created to be while helping your neighbor and making a real difference at the same time. Here you will find a true oasis of faith and love where you can enjoy discovering who God created you to be while helping others do the same. Whatever your “shape” you are welcome. I promise, no religious hammers here, but I may put a rake or shovel in your hand as we go and help a neighbor.

Keep the Faith ...
PD

Click on Tweety Bird and Tweet this post if you liked it!

IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

Ups and Downs

The job of running a Community Center has many ups and downs. I have been ministering to at-risk youth and needy people in the Saginaw area since 1983. In that time I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many families and helping mentor more young people than I can even remember if pressed for actual numbers. Just this week has had the classic challenges—from confronting the financial stress of the ministry bills to the many personal needs people come to me with, I will confess ... my mind does wander off to that Smoothie Stand on a Hawaiian beach I'd love to be running ….

But my work, my calling, is here. And the needs here are enormous, and challenging. Here is a sample of some of the things I have heard this week either in person or via private messages:

From an adult attending our worship service for the first time - “Pastor, we have no food in the house and we are waiting for the food stamps to kick in, can I take an extra plate home from the meal today?”

Received via Facebook - “Is there a spot on your website for one time donations? All I could find was a monthly supporter option. I have run into and met people whose lives have been changed through Shiloh’s Lighthouse in the community.”

From a teen I am mentoring – “Pastor, I haven’t had anything to eat today (it was 9 @ night), can you get me some food?”

An email from a concerned mother about her son – “Please call (XXXX) ... he's having a tough day ... wants me to keep in touch with him.Would you please call him right away? Talked about coming to see you ... said this is a real hard day for him ...”

Another message, from someone I mentored years ago, via Facebook in response to my personal blog about being a dad, said in part – “I do want you to know that the care and mentoring you did with me has had a huge impact on me and my life. You were there for me whenever I needed a friend and more importantly a father figure.”

Ups & Downs—all part of this great Community of Faith & Love we call Shiloh’s Lighthouse. This week at Shiloh’s Lighthouse at-risk youth are being mentored. Music lessons are taking place. Young people are being trained in the sweet science known as boxing. Fun & fellowship was had during a softball game in the local Y Church League. The community garden is looking like a masterpiece of healthy nutrition soon to be harvested. Two different local bands have used the multi-purpose room for rehearsals. The weather forecast is looking great on Friday for a time of fellowship around the Fire Pit. My personal days begin around 6 AM and don’t end until around 10 PM each day of the week—so constant is the activity and need here.

As the economy has faltered, the need for ongoing financial support of this ministry has steadily increased. I know many people read these blogs and other messages that we send out about SLM. I need to let you know that currently we have a very significant need to raise additional support. We do not receive any kind of government funding or grants. We exist solely on financial support from people just like you who know even a small amount can make a big difference. Would you prayerfully consider a donation? If you would like to become a regular part of the support team, all I ask is a pledge of $20 per month, just $.66 per day, less than the cost of a small soda or cup of coffee. One-time donations are always welcomed, of course, and very much appreciated! A financial gift of any amount will really help us out right now. Pledges and donations can be made online safely and securely through our PayPal account by visiting our web site HERE. If you are mailing in a check, please address it to our main address – 1215 S River Rd., Saginaw, MI 48609.  

Thank you in advance for helping SLM continue to provide whole-person community services to people of all ages in the Saginaw area. Together we can get through all the 'downs' this depressed, crime-infested valley has suffered (and still struggles mightily with), and be proud to know we did our part to turn those downs upside down!

Keep the faith ….

Pastor Dana Wilson

Click on Tweety Bird and Tweet this post if you liked it!

IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

Time's Up - Get Outa Here, You Sinner!

Chris·tian   [kris-chuhn]

-          Noun

8. A person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ

Look up ‘Christian’ in Webster’s Dictionary and you will get several definitions, as either an adjective or a noun. But for this post I’d like to concentrate on definition #8, as a noun and as defined above. If we are to call ourselves ‘Christians’ and be worthy of that defining word, we are to exemplify in our lives, thoughts, feelings and actions, the teachings of Jesus Christ.

I’m no preacher. I leave that up to my very capable brother and pastor, Dana Wilson. Most of the people at SLM, and even many others in the community—be it local or the online ‘e-community’ of social networking—refer to him affectionately as “PD.” He and I often talk, as not only blood, but spiritual brothers, about different aspects of this ministry, and the development of Shiloh’s Lighthouse as an “Oasis of Faith and Love for All People.” Now, like I said, I’m not going to pretend to be a pastor and deliver a sermon here, but …

I am a writer. And I have some thoughts to pen and share with you today, with regard to unconditional love—the kind of love that we, as Christians, ought to exude: all-encompassing, nonjudgmental, ever-enduring love for everyone, “Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus.” And for this post I’d like you to entertain this question:

How long should a church accept ‘sinful’ behavior from among the people who come to worship?

And before we get into the answer to that question, I want to define the word ‘sin’. For most contemporary people, it connotes, even equates to, ‘bad’, or ‘evil’, actions, thoughts, behaviors, etc. But if you do a bit of research and look up the original Greek word, it translates into English as, “missing the mark.”

Missing the mark. The aim is off. You’re not on target, you need to adjust your aim. Nothing quintessentially ‘good’ or ‘bad’ about it, it’s just … ‘off’ and needing guidance, correction in focus and aim. So when we judge people for ‘sinning’ we are behaving like an impatient parent who is getting upset and punishing a child for, let’s say, pooping its pants—even though the kid is maybe only 1-1/2 years old, but we want it to be a well-potty-trained seven year old. NOW.  You see? There is nothing good or bad, ultimately, about an error, a mistake, an action that has ‘missed the mark’ and gone errant—according to what we perceive as “correct” and “perfect” aim in behavior, thought, action, etc. When we judge such things as “wrong” or "bad" and then point fingers and condemn, we are definitely acting as though we are God Almighty, who alone sits in the chair of judgment. That is not our place. My humble opinion.

Our place is, again, to exemplify the teachings of Jesus Christ, who came into this world not to condemn it, but to save it and lead us to freedom and life everlasting, through his unconditional, nonjudgmental LOVE. Alright, back to the question for the day:

How long should a church accept ‘sinful’ behavior from among the people who come to worship?

Let’s say a known drunkard starts coming to SLM—or any of you other church-going Christians reading this, starts coming to your church. And you accept him in, in spite of his alcohol breath, his dubious reputation, his garish and/or frumpy dress, his occasional cuss words slipping out … in spite of all this ‘reprehensible behavior’ and looking past the ‘sin’ of his ways, we accept him into the congregation and love on him as Jesus would, telling him we love him, like Jesus does, ‘just as he is.’

Great. We are being good Christians! But, there develops a problem. A year goes by, and Mr. Drunk is still a drunkard. Nothing has changed. He’s supposed to change if we are doing our job, right? Our sterling example of ‘sinless’ behavior and our loving on him, showing him the true love of Jesus should inspire him to change, and have him to quit his sinful ways, right? That shouldn’t take a whole year, should it?

And it gets worse. Two years go by. Three. Five. Still no change to speak of. He even went up for an altar call in year four, hands were laid on him, he repented and got saved. He was better for a while, but now here it is, five years of our loving on him and accepting him as one of us, and he’s still getting drunk!

Is his time up? Have we failed him as a church? Is it time to ask him to leave, because obviously the Way and Love of Christ just will not work for him, he’ll never get it, there are limits to our unconditional, nonjudgmental love, right? Has to be, and he’s gone past the limit! 

Has he? Has he over-stayed his welcome?

My answer? There is no "time limit" to the limitless, boundless, love of Jesus. If I love unconditionally a person who is “missing the mark” for fifty years and he or she still doesn’t get it, and goes to the grave without ever getting it, then I have still done my job as a Christian. God now steps in and does what God does. That’s none of my business. Mine is only to “See all people through the eyes of Jesus” and to love everyone, without judgment, prejudice, or distinction. 

Now, if someone comes to me, and asks me to help him or her, truly desirous of quitting a "bad" habit, or changing an errant behavior pattern, requesting that I pray with, counsel, help by being someone he or she can be accountable to in the sincere effort to change? You bet. Count me in. That's what brothers and sisters who walk in the Way of Christ's Love in spiritual community should do for one another. But if that person tries and tries and tries yet fails repeatedly to correct the missing aim, I'll not ever stop loving and accepting that person as an equal to me in God's eyes, no less worthy of the saving grace given freely to all with no exception through Jesus Christ.

But that’s me. I want to know how other people really feel about this. You be the judge today. In the comments, let me—and everyone—know just how long you feel such a man, woman, or ‘sinner’ of any kind should be allowed to attend our church and still keep ‘missing the mark.’ Is it a week? A month? Year? Five? Ten? Twenty?  

When is it “Time’s up, pal, you gotta go” time?

Keep the Faith …

The Old Silly

Click on Tweety Bird and Tweet this post if you liked it!

IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

Come One, Come All - to the Oasis of Faith and Love

o·a·sis/ōˈāsis/Noun

1. A fertile spot in a desert where water is found.

2. A pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic place or situation.

As a pastor, and one who strives to bring the light and peace of Jesus' unconditional Love and Forgiveness to all people, I do so tire of so often hearing this:

“You wouldn’t want me at your church I’m a _______.”

You fill in the blank. There are a lot of answers! What “are you?” What is it about you that you figure bans you from acceptance in the “church”?

A smoker?

A fatso?

Adulterer?

Bar hopper?

Drug user?

Gay or lesbian?

Heavy Metal or Punk Rocker?

Lady of the Night?

Filthy rich, too poor, tax cheater, Social Media False Representer, Oprah idolizer … what is it? What 'shameful' label has been assigned to you by religion? I’ve heard the many painful excuses over the years as to why a person feels they cannot or will not come to a church based on the anticipated rejection due to who they are.

Pop quiz: How many sinners did Jesus call out publically for their sin? Did He berate the woman—the mixed breed whore, as she was considered by the religious—at the well? Did He make His disciple Matthew repent of his thieving ways as a tax collector? Did He turn away Mary Magdalene for having the audacity to sit at His feet and worship Him—even though during those times women were not considered equal to men nor deserving of being in a rabbi’s personal presence? Did He call out James and John for bringing in their mommy to try to help vault them to the head of the favor line in His kingdom? Did He call out the Roman Centurion who was a slave owner and part of a murderous military regime when he asked Jesus to help his ailing servant back at his residence? 

Take your time, get out your adding machine and search the gospels for the correct answer ...

Got your answer? Ready for the truth of the matter?

Well, hang onto your dogmas, dig into your doctrinal trenches and clutch tightly all your precious religious 'rules', okay? Here we go ...

AaaaaannNNDD … the correct answer is …

0 – Zero – Nadda – Zippo – Zlitch – Squat – Didn’t happen!

And it doesn’t happen at our place of worship either. At Shiloh’s Lighthouse we offer to all people an oasis of Faith and Love. We are building a community of people who truly desire to see themselves first through the eyes of Jesus, and then see all others the same way. I know you’re out there … you have given up on ever finding a church that will accept you. I invite you to come join us any Sunday starting at 10:30 AM—this Sunday we have a nice fellowship meal following the morning service. Once you’re here you will experience the joy of our music team, The Average Praise Band, as they lead in lively music and we all enjoy the freedom to worship together. After the worship you’ll hear me get real with God’s Word as we together learn more how to be the people God created us to be.

No labels here—just faith and love. I’m sorry you have been hurt by other churches, I’m sorry people have beat you over the head with the Bible to try to drive home their religious doctrine. I promise you that here at Shiloh’s Lighthouse you will not be judged, you will not be rejected. If you have struggles, we will surround you with love and be your family—your oasis from the desert experience you are going through. You are not alone. Check out our Web site SLM, or our Facebook, send me an email if you have questions. Come to the Oasis that is Shiloh’s Lighthouse and join our community of Faith and Love.

Keep the faith …

PD

Click on Tweety Bird and Tweet this post if you liked it!

IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!