Wednesday, March 08, 2006
What I missed growing up in the church of Christ...
There are things I have come to appreciate spiritually that I just didn't get growing up. I am not saying these things were not taught or modeled, just that I didn't get it. It may reflect my immaturity or perhaps these were really not emphasized in my church heritage.
I didn't really get what a big deal the Holy Spirit is in my life. It was not so much that I learned poor theology of the Holy Spirit, it was that I didn't learn much at all. There is lots in Scripture about the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. I just missed it.
I am just now really learning the value of congregational praying. We pray publicly for many things at Southern Hills, and I value that. I love the Garden of Prayer. I like that as elders we pray over the sick and annoint them with oil. But I am getting all this later in life.
I am not sure I learned how to deal with sin in the family of God. It was hushed up, covered up, or dealt with by a generic response and prayer. I must have missed the engaging in lives, confronting sin, and going to battle with those wounded by Satan. We could preach about it, I just never learned what to do about it. Maybe that explains my passion for "getting in the trenches" now.
I did not see much racial, economic, or cultural diversity where I grew up. We all looked and acted the same. I will always be grateful for the fact that my parents let me go lead singing for a "black" congregation my senior year in high school. I still don't understand why we couldn't merge. Or maybe I do understand and still don't like it. And we still all look alike.
Finally, I missed the value of confession and accountability. We are getting better at it and I think our fellowship as a whole is learning this. I just wonder how many brothers and sisters we lost because they did not know how to break the cycle of sin in their lives.
And I am sure my children will have these same kinds of reflections someday. There are things they really will appreciate and things they will have missed. I wonder if their lists will look like mine.
I didn't really get what a big deal the Holy Spirit is in my life. It was not so much that I learned poor theology of the Holy Spirit, it was that I didn't learn much at all. There is lots in Scripture about the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. I just missed it.
I am just now really learning the value of congregational praying. We pray publicly for many things at Southern Hills, and I value that. I love the Garden of Prayer. I like that as elders we pray over the sick and annoint them with oil. But I am getting all this later in life.
I am not sure I learned how to deal with sin in the family of God. It was hushed up, covered up, or dealt with by a generic response and prayer. I must have missed the engaging in lives, confronting sin, and going to battle with those wounded by Satan. We could preach about it, I just never learned what to do about it. Maybe that explains my passion for "getting in the trenches" now.
I did not see much racial, economic, or cultural diversity where I grew up. We all looked and acted the same. I will always be grateful for the fact that my parents let me go lead singing for a "black" congregation my senior year in high school. I still don't understand why we couldn't merge. Or maybe I do understand and still don't like it. And we still all look alike.
Finally, I missed the value of confession and accountability. We are getting better at it and I think our fellowship as a whole is learning this. I just wonder how many brothers and sisters we lost because they did not know how to break the cycle of sin in their lives.
And I am sure my children will have these same kinds of reflections someday. There are things they really will appreciate and things they will have missed. I wonder if their lists will look like mine.
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Two posts in two days!! You have really outdone yourself! I, also, treasure a lot of my Church of Christ heritage. And I think we have all missed out by not being real with each other -- real about our sins, struggles, and victories. I'm so thankful we seem to be evolving into a time to be genuine! Through that I have learned that there is no such thing as a spiritual giant -- only people who wake up every day, hit their knees, and say, "Lord, I can't do it without you."
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