Thanks for the comment and for the encouragement from your own blog. I read every post! I am graduating in two weeks and hope to be planting a church very similar to what you are doing there in Florida. We’ll be in touch!

You hit the nail on the head when you said you see some idealism in my writing. If I am anything, it’s an idealist. I always have been! I like to think of it as optimism, but maybe I’m also a bit naive.

I do know that I am learning a lot from you. I can’t believe how far I’ve come away from “church” as it is often thought of, and I wonder how much further God will take me.

Anyway, thanks for the comment!

Thank you for being honest. I am not offended at all. More of us Christians can learn from such honesty, and loving authenticity.

Everything you are saying is exactly what we are against too. We are right there with you in everything you said.

What if the “church” we wanted to be part of did not want or desire people to be part of church committees? What if there were no committees? What if “the hands of God” meant going out and serving the sick, feeding the hungry, buidling homes, giving water to those in Africa, helping AIDS victims.

What if the church we were part of did not want tithes, ask for tithes, or expect tithes? What if there was no bureaucracy to support? No pastors to pay? No buildings to fund?

I think us Christians need to be less pious, and more open, honest, authentic, and real…we are so “pious” is makes me sick.

What if we were just as much against colonization, imperialism, and war, as you are, and that when we told people about Jesus and His love for them, we let them maintain their culture, their identity, and who they were as people?

I definitely have lots to learn, but the brief description here is some of what I imagine as the “church” I want to be a part of. And to do that, we would need people like you to call us back from arrogance, tell us when we’re being idiots, show us where we are wasting money and time.

I hope you stick around and can continue to help me in these ways!

But there are a great many, as well, that have not been reached by a single person with a motivation of love behind it. Juvenile or not, that fellowship is needed by those of us who have only known brokenness and fear. I think what you’ve written makes it very clear that you do not think you are one of those that believes you do not “belong on that list.” In fact, I would venture to guess you believe you can easily be on that list and still love others as “the hands of God.”

I, too, can see some idealism in your writing that the skeptic in me shirks – but mostly I am very happy to read that your motivation is outwardly focused and not about the thrill of the ride. Good job.