Some UBF leaders continue to live in denial. These are, in fact, the top leaders–those who make the policies and are accountable for the organization. I find it laughable that such people try to cleanse the internet year after year, repeatedly demonstrating their denial of the realities facing their organization.
November Site Updates
Hey everyone, just want to pass on some site news today. Please share any feedback in the comments!
Terrible Darkness
Picture: Elias Izoli, Untitled
“There is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead… I do not know how deeper will this trial go — how much pain and suffering it will bring to me. This does not worry me any more. I leave this to Him as I leave everything else. Let Him do with me whatever He wants as He wants for as long as He wants if my darkness is light to some soul.”- Mother Theresa
Darkness. Depression. Mental Illness. Brokenness. Frailty. Error. Uncertainty. These are words and ideas we repress and shove deep inside the trunks for our heart. These are parts of us that we are too afraid acknowledge. This quote from Mother Theresa is brutally honest because she does not claim that there is no darkness. She acknowledges it but does not allow it to consume her. To pretend it doesn’t exist would be a lie, but to say that hope doesn’t exist is also a lie.
Don’t Trust Your Church Leader
“Don’t trust your church leader” is a command that one might never hear taught in Bible study or preached in church! As with my previous post–Christians Leaders Can Be Told They Are Wrong–this title is intended to be provocative. Yet it is a sound biblical command and teaching. Even Jesus would not trust people who seem to be very good, people who enthusiastically and excitedly came to him (Jn 2:23-25).
Why should you not trust your church leader? Read More
Christ the End of the Law
As my passion for theology continues to ebb and flow, at times I am inspired by Charles H. Spurgeon. This week I read his sermon number 1325, entitled “Christ the End of the Law”. I want to share this with you as today’s Sunday musing. This sermon is a major reason why I still consider myself a Christian, and why the desire for seminary stays with me, haunting me at times. If what Spurgeon says is true, then count me in.
How Can We Work for Peace?
In his 2003 book Finding Peace, Jean Vanier poses some rhetorical questions that seem especially poignant for readers of this website:
“How can we work for peace when we are faced with authority that does not listen, that cannot accept that it is not always right, and that refuses any form of criticism or dialogue? Do we leave, slamming the door? Do we seek to create a revolution? Do we let the desire for vengeance grow? Or do we fall into a form of depression and submission because there is nothing else to do? How can we be true when faced with insolent oppression and might? How can we work for justice in impossible situations?”
Powerful questions indeed.
How Do You Feel?
From time to time I have had the opportunity to take an Emotional Intelligence test or “EQ” test. This is like an “IQ” test, but instead of gauging a person’s intellect, the EQ test gauges a person’s emotional aptitude. I was stunned a couple years ago to find that my EQ was low–so low I was in the “needs much help” category. This opened my eyes to a lot of issues. After decades of supposed world class training, I was severely lacking in the realm of understanding and expressing emotions. I was further stunned to discover that almost all actual world class leaders talk about being emotionally healthy!