A quick break for station Identification

I am taking a break from the Christology today. I want to talk about something I about which I am a little more passionate. I watched a man die today; not metaphorically or spiritually. I was physically in the room as a man breathed out his last few breaths. I stood there and hugged the family. I prayed with them as they asked us to “pray for peace please.”

At that moment, I gained a whole lot of perspective on ministry and on life. I do not think they cared about my theology; they did not care if I was a good preacher, or if I understood the theandric union. All they really wanted I think was a warm body that loved them to hug.

Sometimes I get caught up in a lot of junk that really is not important. Most recently, I have been fighting online about tithing, and Civil Religion, and the environment, and I have been real caught up in it. Very passionately staking my claim and logically making my case. I was fighting about stuff that is useless when there are souls hanging in the balance!

I recognize that everything effects and plays a part in your theology and ministry, but man …I am on the front lines right now and I don’t have time for the ivory tower. I was talking to a friend of mine and he said “If it is impeding people from getting into the kingdom then it needs to be dealt with, and if you have a new way to help people see Christ in a better light then fine, but quit complaining, people here enough of that.”

Moreover, he was right.

A while back, my dad was talking to a man and the man was dying. He told my dad “I don’t want to leave my wife but if I can see my son in heaven right when I die I think I can manage.” Then was not the time to discuss soul sleep and bodily resurrection with this guy. I don’t’ know exactly what dad said but I think it was something like “Being absent of the body is being present with the father, I think Jesus will take your hand and lead you to heaven.”

I want to comfort people and show love. I want to love and love to its fullest. I want to preach a complete Gospel of a resurrected Jesus who ransomed me, brought me to the father, and gave me the Holy Spirit. I want to show people that “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW!!”

And for them to know that is enough to start it out!!