http://withallyourmind.net/archives/2007/losing-faith/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:08:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://withallyourmind.net/archives/2007/losing-faith/#comment-44048 Rob Mitchell Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:50:35 +0000 http://withallyourmind.net/?p=561#comment-44048 I was also moved by reading Bill Lobdell's column, and resonated with him deeply as he recounted the horror stories of the cynical perversions of Christianity he has had occasion to cover. Having observed the same sorts of unchristian behavior by erstwhile Christians, I too underwent a crisis of faith and thought I had lost faith altogether. God was patient with me and brought me through that crisis with a renewed, deepened, and strengthened faith in Christ, but also with a renewed, deepened and strengthened conviction of the reality of total depravity. I wrote a note to Bill Lobdell in which I resonated with what he had written in his column, and I describe my thoughts and that note here: http://nakedchurch.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/la-times-religion-columnist-loses-his-faith/ I asked if I might remind him that he was still on a spiritual journey, and that where he is now just might be a waypoint rather than a destination. He wrote back and thanked me for kind words. Bottom line: I have only compassion for Bill Lobdell, and I think that people like him are the result of a church that has lost touch with the surrounding culture, and especially with the reality that is Christ, to be manifested in us, if imperfectly, at least with humility. I was also moved by reading Bill Lobdell’s column, and resonated with him deeply as he recounted the horror stories of the cynical perversions of Christianity he has had occasion to cover.
Having observed the same sorts of unchristian behavior by erstwhile Christians, I too underwent a crisis of faith and thought I had lost faith altogether. God was patient with me and brought me through that crisis with a renewed, deepened, and strengthened faith in Christ, but also with a renewed, deepened and strengthened conviction of the reality of total depravity.
I wrote a note to Bill Lobdell in which I resonated with what he had written in his column, and I describe my thoughts and that note here:
http://nakedchurch.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/la-times-religion-columnist-loses-his-faith/
I asked if I might remind him that he was still on a spiritual journey, and that where he is now just might be a waypoint rather than a destination.
He wrote back and thanked me for kind words.
Bottom line: I have only compassion for Bill Lobdell, and I think that people like him are the result of a church that has lost touch with the surrounding culture, and especially with the reality that is Christ, to be manifested in us, if imperfectly, at least with humility.

]]> http://withallyourmind.net/archives/2007/losing-faith/#comment-41899 J.Clark Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:44:16 +0000 http://withallyourmind.net/?p=561#comment-41899 I cannot put a number on how many people I have met personally who have been affected by a spiritually dead church that covers over sins with words instead of repentance and restitution. Whether we like it or not people look at the visible church(whatever tradition) and make value judgments about Jesus and the Bible. Most of my work in Portland, OR on a community college campus was to restore and renovate people's ideas and judgments about Jesus, the Bible, and the Church by living an authentic, unashamed faith. We must heed the words of John who says, unless a man is born of God, not by flesh nor by man, he cannot be a child of God. Woe to the unrepentant. I am convinced that more skeptics and militant unbelievers are made by a people who name themselves "church" than all the humanistic philosophers combined. The world is in desperate need of living faith. It wants to believe but finds little reason to believe. I cannot put a number on how many people I have met personally who have been affected by a spiritually dead church that covers over sins with words instead of repentance and restitution. Whether we like it or not people look at the visible church(whatever tradition) and make value judgments about Jesus and the Bible. Most of my work in Portland, OR on a community college campus was to restore and renovate people’s ideas and judgments about Jesus, the Bible, and the Church by living an authentic, unashamed faith. We must heed the words of John who says, unless a man is born of God, not by flesh nor by man, he cannot be a child of God. Woe to the unrepentant. I am convinced that more skeptics and militant unbelievers are made by a people who name themselves “church” than all the humanistic philosophers combined. The world is in desperate need of living faith. It wants to believe but finds little reason to believe.

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