Something I can't stomach in our day and age is that lies have become acceptable to Christians. Of course they would be outraged that I would suggest this, but its true. We have adopted the business practices of the modern which allow us to be Îpolitically correctÌ and say the things that make us look good instead of attempting to give an honest representation of the way things really are. This became very clear to me after my Interview for Ministerial Recognition last year. I was told that I was sabotaged by a pastor who considered me a threat to his conservative viewpoint. And so to justify the outcome three reasons were fabricated: 1)I haven't attended one church for a long enough period of time, 2)I have poor spiritual leadership qualities and 3)I am emotionally unstable. Now not to say that I am without problem or issues... in fact I often consider myself something of a messed up kid... but these reasons made no sense!

I was called into a meeting with the General Secretary who outlined the above shortcomings and I obviously questioned where these had come from and what he thought I was to do about them. The response I got was unexpected... he became instantly flustered and told me, very curtly, that he had given me all the information I needed and I was lucky to be told as much as I was. When my pastor asked the head of the College I studied at to give me a call and convince to re-apply his response was, "Why, don't you think he will?" My pastor's response was, "well, do you blame him after the last time?" To which he replied, "Well he has to learn and get used to the politics of this denomination!" Hear me well... I will never learn to play that game! I will not lie and spin half-truths for the sake of following a system, which is so far removed, from the Kingdom of God as to be alien! In fact I fully intend to make a complete 'mess' of my career in the pursuit of avoiding the 'politics of this denomination'! What happened to us that we allowed ourselves to be so blinded that we have created a system, which allows us to lie to one another without ever having to admit it or even see it!

Dear Sean
Well, I was approved by your same denominational body's ministerial committee. I served six years in the ministry and then resigned when my views regarding homosexuality clashed with that of the denomination. Unfortunately today denominationalism still rules the roost, but thankfully it's crumbling fast. For many post-evangelicals, it is our heart's cry that we kill denominationalism as fast as we can. In so many cases it has become the obstacle to the work of God in many lives. I hope that soon we will be building and perhaps leading churches that can see beyond the borders - all borders, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, rich, poor, white, indian, chinese, gay, straight, reckless and stoic. May God give us grace to excell in diversity!

Posted by: Ian Ollis 28 Apr, 2006 - 16:10:09