Nothing in that sermon makes me want to obey anything or anyone. And I still see no command that requires me to obey the OT Law.

But an expression of love is obedience to the command to love God, to love others, even to love one’s enemy. So even though one is obeying the command to love, their underlying sentiment, emotion and attitude is one of love. Yet, obedience is involved.

I know that obedience has sadly been used to guilt trip and coerce Christians to “do what they’re told.” Like you, I reject this as being unsound and can easily bind people not to the gospel but to something or someone else.

Feel free to critique this inseparable connection between faith and obedience: http://westloop-church.blogspot.com/2014/09/faith-and-obedience.html

“The idea of Outlaw Preachers originated with Jay Bakker, in the spring of 2009. In response to a specific question Jay said, “Well I guess I’m just an Outlaw Preacher.”

Shortly after that, Khad Young asked Brooklyn Jay’s permission to begin using the name on the internets. The response and participation was immediate. Now, almost a year an a half later, the Outlaw Preachers maintains an active Twitter account, Twitter hashtag, website, and Facebook. This December, we are holding the first annual Outlaw Preachers (re)Union in Memphis, Tennessee.”

source

“Another question I have is that you write, “outlaw pastor.” What does that mean?”

I don’t like the term “pastor” :) The term is “outlaw preacher”. I began explaining what this means on my Lambhearted Lion blog.

The short story is that an outlaw preacher is not anything organized or has any kind of membership. It simply means someone/anyone who subscribes to two ideas:

1) The only debt outstanding is love.

2) Jesus fulfilled all the OT Law and Prophets.

Notice I did not say I reject morality nor do I reject law itself. I am not an antinomian and I am not an anarchist. I merely believe that the basis of morality and law is and should be love.

I believe what the bible says in Galatians, specifically “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse…” We are no longer bound by the Law but by the Spirit, and bound to love not to obedience.

So in most of his book, he does seem to speak of the universal body of Christ, as you put it. But he often seems to speak in light of an actual, specific monastical community.

And yes, I consider my online virtual communities as real communities, with pro’s and con’s compared to in-face communities. Human beings are involved and interacting in both, but in different ways.

But those “online, virtual communities” are communities too. I don’t understand the Bonhoeffer quote, “Only in the community do we learn to be properly alone; and only in being alone do we learn to live properly in the community. It is not as if one preceded the other; rather both begin at the same time, namely, with the call of Jesus Christ.” How can living alone and living in community start at the same time? Aren’t they different? But I guess you cannot have one without the other because without the concept of community, one would not know what “alone” meant. And with you Brian even though you consider this time of your life now as a detox, you are still part of a community, albeit virtual, but still it’s a community. No man is an island I guess.

Another question I have is that you write, “outlaw pastor.” What does that mean? Are there legal and illegal pastors? I don’t understand how community works. Maybe I should read, “Life Together.” In man-made communities it is by invitation-only and there are a lot of hoops to jump through. But God is the exact opposite of that. So is the body of Christ somewhere in the middle? Isn’t entry to the universal body of Christ free?

I tried to find your post on Progressive Christian Alliance in order to read some of the responses but could not find it. Is there a link to your post?