Chaning of Service

I am just getting started on this adventure called blogging. I know I am a few years behind the curve, but that is the story of my life. I have always been a little behind the curve. I wrote a few blogs recently for myspace page (myspace.com/revroberts) For those who wish to live only in myspace, I will make every attempt to keep both blogs recent and equal. This blog will be dedicated to issues of Christianity and the work of God through Jesus in the congregation I serve in Carthage, Missouri. When I want to go into some of my other interests, they will only be on the myspace blog. Of course, I will mention them in this place also. I will especially have to speak about the work of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the football season gets ready to open soon.

Now, the recent posts and issues from colleagues and writers of all things Presbyterian has been the recent General Assembly (GA) in June. Now, this is very troubling and has caused me and many people to think about what directions the future holds for the Presbyterian Church (USA). I think of two larger contexts of the drama that has unfolded.

My first response to the last GA and to any and all people who disagree with my conservative stance is a justice and compassion issue. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he declares to the people that they should have concern for those around them. He speaks of eating meat sacrificed to idols. The one's with knowledge know that the idols are not real and there is no reason not to eat meat from idols. Yet, some it the faith may not understand this knowledge yet. By eating this idol meet, they are weakening the faith of the less knowledgeable. I would encourage you to see 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 especially verse 13.

What does this mean for the church. I will admit to being less knowledgeable and willing to say I disagree with the ordination of homosexuals. This has not nor will it be knowledge I withhold. But in this acknowledgment, myself and many others are losing faith in the denomination by the continued pressure to accept what we see as sinful. So, I am asking my colleagues and fellow leaders to consider Paul's admonish.

My second concern is money. I have been a minister for eight years. I am 33 years old. This denomination has been fighting over this issue for my entire life. There has been countless amounts of money spent by the denomination and special interest groups to continue this fight. These are dollars that could have been used to send missionaries to other parts of the world, feed starving children, offer a roof to the homeless, or many other ways to touch the lives of people with Jesus Christ. This is the greater sin. I admit and confess that I have contributed to this disaster. I do pray for forgiveness and God's grace. I also want to make a promise, in this blog, this is the one and only post in reaction to the General Assembly of 2008. I will focus from this point forward to what God is doing in my life as a pastor and in the church I serve.