A leading religious conservative warned Newt Gingrich Wednesday that he risks losing the support of evangelical women voters if the Republican presidential hopeful refuses to publicly address his "turbulent martial history.""Mr. Speaker, if you want to get large numbers of evangelicals, particularly women, to vote for you, you must address the issue of your marital past in a way that allays the fears of evangelical women," Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, said in an open letter to the former House speaker. "You must address this issue of your marital past directly and transparently and ask folks to forgive you and give you their trust and their vote."
This article strikes me as odd, the 'leading religious conservative' seems more concerned about PR than actual biblical repentance.
If folks would put more energy into creating disciples and BEING a witness I have a feeling that we would be a lot further along than we are now. Get the plank out of your eye (look at divorce rates in the institutionalized church), maybe when the statistics are a little better we will have a pulpit to speak from. It would do us well to get out of the political area and back into the prayer closet, we might just see a church emerge with the power of the early church.
The bible does not say 'if my people, who are called by my name will form political action committees and support the right candidates then I will hear from heaven' it says 'if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.' -2 Chronicles 7:14
I hear pragmatism being spoken against in a lot of messages lately but isn't it about time to sit down and ask ourselves a simple question 'IS WHAT WE ARE DOING WORKING?' I would submit it that it isn't. Pragmatism is what was used when the Lord evaluated what the servants did with His talents. How ridiculous would it be to keep handing your money to an investor who continually lost your money? "Well we're doing a lot of good things, we'll get there eventually..." Folks in ensconced positions don't like pragmatism because it puts them under the microscope and calls them to account for their actions.
One of the worst experiences that I've had in the last 2 years was going to a 'pro life' fundraising banquet, the saving grace was the speakers, they were excellent. While talking to some of the people there I was struck by how militant they were, the Lord certainly wasn't in their attitudes. They had a more 'ram it down your throat' air about them than compassion. Jesus never got into all of this hubub, in fact He left folks tried to get Him to join their righteous causes. Think about how many women have had abortions, would they feel welcome in many churches? Would we tell them that there is forgiveness and healing in Jesus? Could they tell by just speaking with us or would they have to suffer in silence? The point is: is what they are doing WORKING?
Most times when I take an honest assessment of my life with the direction of the Holy Spirit I don't like what I see, that is the essence of pragmatism. This pragmatism often times produces good results.
Theres a saying that goes "desperate times call for desperate measures..." we are at a place where desperate measures must be taken we need a radical shift in the church.
Many people like the following definition of the word 'REVOLUTION':
"an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed."
I like this one better:
REVOLUTION: a procedure or course, as if in a circuit, back to a starting point.
Back to the place when the church was powerful and radically committed to being Christlike, and producing Christlike, powerful, disciples like Steven or Polycarp.
Join me in praying for this would you?
Thanks for listening! :-) Much love!
