Tried With Fire

I finished reading two important books on child abuse – Not Forsaken by Jenn Greenberg and What is a Girl Worth?   by Rachael Denhollander. Two different women. Two sisters-in-Christ. Two different stories. Equally devastating and both offering insight if we would take the time to listen and learn. And that’s the thing. Taking the time to listen and learn. Why don’t we?  Why do Christians minimize abuse? Why do Christians get upset when you bring up this issue? Why do Christians justify covering it up? (This is just one example. ) This continues to baffle me. I tried to understand this from the point of view of psychology – Melvin Lerner’s “Just World Fallacy. “ I tried to understand the fear that would drive people to do this, but after reading these two recent books, I need to bring it closer to home. What would I do if this happened in my church? I pray it never does. In fact, I pray this almost daily, but what if it did? What would I do? There are two things that wou...

"May not our own fancies be the rule of our worship? No." A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism , Benjamin Beddome "When false images of God dictate our worship,  we are undoubtedly worshiping a false God. " Pastor Ryan Davidson When I read the above question and answer in the Baptist Catechism , my first reaction was to laugh. It's not that the 2nd commandment is a laughing matter, and I mean no disrespect. But the stark and very obvious answer puts worshipping God according to my personal preference in its place. No excuses. No ifs, ands, or buts. Who do I think I am? I don't get to decide how God should be worshipped. That is God's prerogative alone. Period. But then in Sunday's sermon  on the 2nd commandment, Pastor Ryan stated that worshipping God based on false images, whether physical or mental, is worshipping a false God. Thus the conviction boom was lowered even further. After the sermon, I couldn't help b...