I ¢â‚¬â„¢ve left the professional ministry. I was ordained 25 years ago. I was a student minister before that. It has been a long hard haul. But I ¢â‚¬â„¢ve gradually come to the realization that I can no longer work inside of the system. I no longer seem to fit within the institution. This is not to say that I don ¢â‚¬â„¢t believe in the church. I absolutely do. But my relationship to the organization has definitely changed. This blog has always been about my critique of the church ¢â‚¬ ¦ not the good part, but the other. I believe in the right and the importance of Christians to gather. The same would apply to people of other faiths, beliefs, philosophies, etc. But it ¢â‚¬â„¢s the bad stuff that creeps in and clings to the gathering that I ¢â‚¬â„¢ve always been critical of.

One of the most deadly influences on a community is agenda. In my opinion, it should be enough to gather together to study the bible, pray, worship and fellowship. It ¢â‚¬â„¢s when people desire more that things to go awry. To come without an agenda, without a goal, without a dream, without a vision for the church is most difficult. But this is the only way a church will live in a healthy manner. Visionary thinking, fantasizing, kills the church. Even the slightest bit of fantasizing for the church, like a little leaven, will affect the whole lump. It must be renounced entirely.

I plan on continuing this blog as a kind of virtual free-range pastor. I will continue my critique of all things spiritual and religious and institutional. Perhaps I will be even more liberated to express my thoughts. Thanks for all your kind and encouraging words.

http://www.nakedpastor.com/archives/5008

Note from a friend: Rowland This guy is a great cartoonist but in this recent post he writes of his John Mark experience.

April 2010