The first is a note from someone with whom I was once very close and whom I still love and consider to be a friend of mine. What this guy says is typical of what I hear from many. I believe I am successful in preserving his anonymity.
This was my response, something I have now said in nearly identical words to many people in recent years. This response is edited to preserve my friend's identity:I appreciate it.I'm not sure how to ask this, but I'd like to stop receiving your blog updates and since there is no unsubscribe and I do wish to call your emails spam and I'm not great at ignoring stuff, could you take me off this list?Bill,We haven't talked in some time. I long for the day long ago that (my wife and) I could have dinner with you and Evelyn. . .. (He then recalls one very sweet memory from our time together many years ago.)
As I say, I have received this sort of request from quite a number of people in recent years. In fact, it was after I denied a similar request from someone possessing an extreme amount of power in the CGGC that the ERC Administrative Council voted to recall my ordination. I am convinced that the two events are intimately connected.(My Friend),Thanks for the note. You are not the first person to have made this sort of request. When I receive these requests, I grieve.As you probably realize, I take APEST more seriously today than I did during the days (the Emerging Church blog) filled me with hope about the future of the CGGC.I review my understanding of my calling before the Lord nearly on a daily basis. And, I am convinced, more than ever, that I am gifted and called to function as a prophet and that I am empowered to call to repentance a body of people which has lost its way.Sadly, for our relationship, I believe that for me to stop sending you these notes would make me disobedient to my calling and, if I did that, I would be accountable to Him for that act of unfaithfulness on the Day. I can't do that. I hope you understand how I view this.If you don't wish to receive what I send, handle my notes as you see fit but, please, do it before the Lord. Before Him, I don't feel able to stop sending them to you.And, knowing that I am transparently presenting myself to you and the rest of the body as a prophet, if you have judged me to be a false prophet, I encourage you to behave as the Word instructs disciples to behave toward false prophets so that you can stand before Him with confidence on the Day.I, too, miss the days you mention.Blessings,bill
---------------------------------
The second note contains a very different take on what I enter on this blog. I receive notes like this with much more frequency than I would have ever imagined. Again, I believe it will be impossible for you to guess who wrote this to me.
Bill,
I have read your blog for some time now and realize that you have been encouraging the leadership to repent. It's my understanding that for me that truth is at the heart of church revitalization...I believe that all of us need to repent from the contribution we all have made in making the church impotent in our generation. We need to get back to Biblical Authority as Jesus allows us to take part with Him as He builds His Church of which the gates will not prevail against. That is the work of revitalization.
I would like to ask you to keep this letter confidential, but I would be interested to hear what you may think of my apostolic ramblings.
The request that I keep the identity of the writer confidential always comes with this sort of note. I have never asked why. But, the fact the people want their anonymity preserved, I believe, says something very significant about the CGGC.A fellow believer in the work of restoring His church back to biblical authority.
-----------------------------------
As the Beatles sang on the WHITE ALBUM, "O bla dee, O bla dah..."
No comments:
Post a Comment