Why Can't We Just Get Along?

I have actually ruminated about this in earlier posts. Actually given who we are as people, the very thought is pretty naive. I know that it is just not other people, I also have a hard time when I feel that others are wrong. Why am I writing this today? One of my brothers is really hurting. He is a neighboring pastor. He has given around 20 years to the church which he serves. Now the church is turning on him. At least that is how he feels ( I confess that I agree with him -- but there are other points of view). Why does this happen? The church is Christ's body. We all serve a function. And, as Rick Warren states in "The Purpose Driven Life", it isn't about us. It is about Jesus.



My friend is admittedly coming to the end of his career, but there are several years left. Certainly the church has not always been mean. They have paid him well and supported he and his family during some difficult times. The problem is that some of the leaders feel it is time for a change. Maybe they are right. What then is the problem? Too many people can't deal with problems without getting personal and somewhat vicious. I know that this happens in the church, not because people don't care, but because they care a lot.



What is the answer? Those of us who are church leaders must help our people to learn how to deal with conflict in loving and positive ways. We also must learn to deal with the people in the same way. There are going to be differences. Pastors do need to leave. Churches do need to change directions. But we must never leave battered and bruised people in our wake.



I just learned about some people that are still hurting, their faith is stunted, their church life is lacking because of something that happened in my previous church in 1965. How sad. At this stage it doesn't make much difference what the issues were. We just need to admit that things weren't handled right.



When the Holy Spirit is operative in the church, the signs are love, mutual respect, peace and the presence of God. When we operate in our own strength, we find anger, disrespect and discord. I pray for my brother. I hate to see him hurting. I also pray for "his" church. It is a good church filled with good people -- but they aren't operating in the Spirit. May God send his Spirit and renew His church.

Chaos in the Bar

The following story was received in an email from Annie Dieselberg, an American Baptist Missionary in Bangkok, Thailand. Her ministry, Nightlight, rescues young women sold into prostitution. She actually visits the bars and works with the women in that venue to bring about their rescue. I have had the pleasure of meeting Annie and her family. This is one of the places where the Holy Spirit is working. I invite you to pray for Annie in the days ahead. The world can be a frightening and violent place, but God is our protector and redeemer.

"What the *** do you think this country is here for!"

The large buff man was leaning over the seat in the bar yelling at my team mate. I had seen him come into the bar with his buddies. They had immediately begun to fondle the women and treat them like sex dolls. I tried to ignore them even when they threw some comments my way. One of them sat next to my team mate and made a rude remark. She told him his behavior was disgusting and got up to move back away from him. He immediately went into a rage and began to cuss and yell. "How else do you think the buffalos get paid for. . ." We were trying to avoid confrontation but he was demanding it. He then bought a basket of ping pong balls used to throw at the women on the bar and thew them back at us. Chaos had erupted and it felt like everything was out of control. All I could do was point and say, "In the name of Jesus. . ." repeatedly but I didn't know what more to say after that. It was a desperate plea for intervention.

Two large ladyboys in suits headed toward us - management! Oh no, I thought, we are going to be kicked out of the bar. I was ready to leave but not like that. The larger of the two in a bright yellow jacket approached me and stunned me by introducing himself as the head manager of the bar and apologizing. I was speechless for a second and then I told him how the man had insulted Thailand. I asked him to protect the women of his bar and not allow them to go with these men as they were demeaning and possibly dangerous. He thanked me and said, "These men who treat women like these . . . all of them at least have a mother and that should cause them to treat women better."

The man at this point, having made a huge scene in the bar and seeing that we were receiving the
sympathy, began to feel some guilt. He tried to throw a large sum of money at the team mate. She kept throwing it back and he would yell, "Its not dirty money!!" The manager said, "Don't take his money! Everything is not about money. There are more important things in life than money." Again, I was stunned. . .this was the head manager of this go-go bar.

I decided to take another risk and I reached into my bag and pulled out a Christian booklet and
handed it to him. He immediately began to read it while standing at my table. I asked him, "Do you like to read?" He answered me, "I really like these. Christians have handed these out to me and whenever I feel depressed or weary I read these and I feel better." He then asked me where I went to church and if he could come. "When I was a kid," he told me, "I went to a Christian school. I
don't like this job. I know its not good and I want to change." I asked him if I could pray with him.

Right there in a dark bar, with girls dancing on the stage, a foreign man trying to make penance for his bad behavior, and loud music blaring, I held the hands of this ladyboy, the top manager. I looked him in the eyes and I prayed for him and for the destiny that God has prepared for him. He was touched and he thanked me. I paid my bill and walked out hugging the women who were with the rude customers on my way out. When we got out the door I began to jump up and down. "Yeah God!!" Wow! What had started out as chaotic and evil, God had turned around to reveal himself to the manager and for his glory. Awesome! This is going to be an amazing year, I thought.

I believe that we need to support Annie, certainly with our prayers. She is on the “front lines” of our battle against the powers of this age. Some have criticized her because she goes into “those places”. I am reminded of Jesus when he was criticized in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 5, verses 29-32:

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.”

All of us need to get out of our comfortable little nests and move into the “front lines”