Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously

I’m surprised my critique of Life Church still gets so many hits.
I’m not surprised when folks who love Life Church fuss at me for it. They take it personally. But when they fuss back at me, I don’t take it personally. It’s not as if I went looking for trouble. I was a happy camper at Life Church until I felt the Spirit leading me to get involved. Too much of what they were doing was shallow. But if you make even the slightest effort to add some depth, you get sidelined. Try to build a Life Group based on real spiritual needs, and you’ll have the official curriculum forced down your throat. Ignore that curriculum and official support will be withdrawn, there will be interference, etc. There a collection of “fixers” at each campus, volunteers whose job it is to make sure everything stays on script. I’m not the only prospective Life Group leader to experience that. When I was able to state my objections specifically, several other folks instantly recognized what I meant and said they were put through the same containment exercise, as their groups and their ministries at Life Church were dissolved before their eyes.
See? I said it again. Was I angry at this treatment? Nah. Just disappointed. All it meant to me was Life Church was not for me. I left. See how easy that is?
But I am also a prophet of God, and it’s my calling and mission to discuss such things with everyone here on my blog. Picking on other Christians? No, just pointing out where something contradicts my best understand of the Word of God. Did I try to discuss it with church staff? Oh, but yes. That’s when the screws got really tight, so to speak. So I left. After some time praying and considering what happened, the Spirit of the Lord said to make sure other folks who tend to serve Him as I do should be warned. Folks who don’t believe as I do shouldn’t care, shouldn’t pay me any mind. The organizational staff at Life Church don’t worry about me, apparently, so it’s no big deal. I’m not hanging around causing trouble; I’m not hanging around at all. Just making a little noise here on my blog. Who knows? Perhaps my blog post will bring some to repentance on this issue. That’s the point.
There was a time when I would read a theological debate online and get all worked up, feeling insulted. I felt like I was being abused. Over time, the Lord hammered on my soul until I outgrew that. These days, even when attacked directly, it just rolls off. Sure, I’ll try to answer your questions, and ignore your emotion-laden needling and insults. Do my emotions get excited? Yep, but they don’t vote on my actions and words. I’m still human, but my spirit has overcome much of the flesh. And it’s getting better. These days, I consider their problems with me more of a problem with the God who rules my life.
When you don’t take yourself too seriously, you don’t worry about people who are unlikely to ever understand in the first place.