Thursday, January 15, 2009

"I Quit!"


For most pastors they quit almost every Monday. Maybe it’s the Elijah syndrome, I don’t know but nevertheless the other day I quit, not from the ministry but from trying to charge or in control of “the church.” Funny because the truth is I was never in charge or in control anyhow, but somehow I had come to think I was or at least was supposed to be. Maybe that’s the reason why a segment on the Glenn Beck show the other day resonated so much with me. I’m not a regular listener but I might be after hearing this.

He was doing an interview with a guy named Richard Eyre. He has written a book called “The Three Decievers” He states that these are the thing we all strive for and measure our success by. . .they are control, ownership and independence.

The problem as I see it is that while they are all valued in the world, they are actually all objectives contrary to The Word. For instance we are not in control of anything. God is the only one in control and to try to be in control is to try to be God.

Second ownership. We don’t own anything and the things we think we own will either burn up or be left behind.

Third is independence. Again though it is a particularly highly valued objective in American culture, it is actually “the” major attitude that hinders spiritual growth and community.

What Richard Eyre goes on to do then is propose an alternative objective for each of these. An alternative that I think is much more in line with the Bible even though I do not know whether he is a Christ follower or not. Nevertheless they are worth sharing and maybe talking about more in detail later. They are Serendipity, Stewardship and Synergicity. The last one sounds like a bit of a stretch just to make it alliterative so maybe he is a Christian or at least a pastor. I might blog more about the book later but if you want to read more on your own you can check it out at “The Three Deceivers”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hear you! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in these false gods that Richard has labeled "Deceivers" that we lose sight of our goal, which is to return to God - where He will be in control, we will not need to own anything, and we will all be interdependent on Him and each other. It's funny how these things have crept into our lives. Now obviously we have to make a living, so we have to work, and we have to own things to survive, but it's the focus on those things that drag us down.

I found Richard on the web and he is a follower of Christ and has been writing about family values for a number of years.

Unknown said...

Hey Dennis! I just found your blog (again) today and I will be reading...I lost my job over the holiday so in between job searching I have spent a lot of time reading and blogging so it is nice to find a familiar face on blogger! I'll be reading.

What you wrote today has been a big lesson Gina and I have been learning this year. When I relinquish the control I thought I had in my life I am most satisfied in him! (I hope that does not sound to Piper-ish)

Heather Conrad said...

Thanks Denny! Great post! Your transparency is contagious and your teaching superb!