It may shock some of you learn that I carry opinions.  Many of them, and as I have jested on more than one occasion, you are all entitled to my opinions.  But at the end of the day folks, that is all they are – my opinion.  I'm interested in yours.  As long as you have really thought about them............................

I want to discuss stuff.  Interesting stuff.  Shocking stuff.  Heavy stuff.  Wordly stuff. 

But if you want to join in, you must come to your own decisions over each issue we discuss.  You must present your own personal view points. 

Hopefully our opinions concerning Jesus and The Gospels should be fairly concurrent otherwise we are getting lost somewhere in our walks. 

However, what I would equally hope is that you have formulated your beliefs and outlook by thinking. 

I find it hard to use the word / phrase “challenging” as in “now you might find this challenging”, it really does rub me up the wrong way.  To be challenged I suppose is all about setting off a thinking process.  In being encouraged to think we are being set the task of actually formulating an opinion based on the stuff we have heard or witnessed, but more importantly being daring enough to take up the gauntlet of the confrontation from the pulpit or the house group. 

Thinking is a much better word.  If we think about stuff we listen to or see, we are better placed to question it.  We are able to weigh it, argue it and ask the question (as Kevin Higham encouraged us to) “Do I really believe that” or indeed “What on earth do I believe”.

Test everything is what I am saying folks.  Everything.  Don’t just take what I say or what a great teacher like Allan says at face value.  Think about it.  Mull it over.  Think again.  And if it has really made you Think then you have been challenged (urggh…I said it). Bbut the question is then, “What are you going to do about it”? Yes YOU!  Not me, not the leadership, not the ministry team.  You.  You cannot pass the buck of responsibility by coming up for prayer after the message of the day just because it made you think. 

You are responsible for your own thoughts and actions.  Certainly there is accountability but primarily you are accountable to God first, yourself second and then the church (usually represented by the leadership [including your homegroup leadership] though it can equally be by someone you trust who may not have a specific badge. 

The important thing is that any thing that does make you think is actually dealt with, be it through dialogue, prayer or action. 

I have a very practical mind and unfortunately perhaps I think too much in the natural before I consult God in the supernatural through prayer. 

But the fact is that many of the things that have been brought to me over the years have had practical solutions and so I’d encourage you to think practically. 

Certainly I concede that you should bring everything to God.  It’s scriptural, but equally, use some common sense in looking for solutions to some very worldly situations.

God is after all very busy!

Ultimately though, be it through spiritual or practical means you will need to repent.

Not just from what you or others may call “sin” but from everything.

Does that make you think?  Good.

Basically repentance can be translated as “Think Again” – The fact that you have brought a problem or an issue to the discussion / prayer table means that you will ultimately have to make a decision about the “prayer answer” or advice you receive.  In other words – turn and repent.  

The hope or desire is to see a change in your actions or situation or indeed to have a change of mind – You will have thunked!

And you can have this one on me.

So where am I going with this rant?

Well,  as Shirah attempted to get going some time back on this portal, I’d like to see a section where we can truly get some heavy thinking in.

When I have talked to people about my faith they don’t usually bring up the “difficult questions” regarding Christianity or the authenticity of the Bible or the historicity of Jesus (those who do are probably further up the Engel Scale and so you can change your approach!).  No,  the difficult questions are usually about morality, sexuality, relationships, finances.  In short, their lives!

So where do you stand on the issues of homosexuality.  How would you feel if we as the leadership target our outreach specifically to the gay community?  Or what if the prostitutes of the town decided our coffee shop or our Saturday Church for that matter was a place they’d like to spend a couple of hours  - in between customers?  Say you knew your best mate was having a fling with a married person?  Or they were taking illegal drugs for their chronic pain because the prescription stuff from the doctors had failed them?

What do you think?  What do you believe?  How do you demonstrate your faith – How do you Blow Your Cover?  Or don’t you?

 This Christmas -  Make Sure you Think and Drive (Get Thunked)

Email to a friend  | Print this article