Tag: <span>Christianity</span>

My Pastor is better than Your Pastor.

July 23, 2023
by Sharon

I was reflecting on a conversation I had with a church friend of mine. I had accepted his invitation to visit his home church. An experience that even he agreed was boring.

He told me that he stayed there, despite how boring it was, because he felt safe there. Why? Because the pastor preached right out of the Bible.

This begs the question; Is the presence of the Bible and use of scripture enough evidence that you’re in a place where you can gain the wisdom and understanding that is essential for spiritual growth and discipleship?

Perhaps not.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1

Just the other day I was talking with a man who recently started attending a new church. He was really excited about it. “What do you like about it?” I asked. With great enthusiasm, he said, “I like the fact the pastor preaches right from the Bible. So many don’t, you know.”

Really?

I’ve been to a lot of Christian churches and I never found one that didn’t preach from and through the Bible. They all preach the Bible. They just don’t all preach the same way. Nor do they all arrive at the same conclusions about the meaning of each scripture or passage.

Even within the same denominations, you’ll have inconsistencies in interpretations.

This isn’t to say that any of them are wrong. The fact they have a Bible in their hands… just doesn’t automatically mean they are right.

A perfect example is the time our team visited three different churches of three different denominations in three different cities on the same weekend. One was Pentecostal, one United Methodist, and one Baptist. All three were teaching from the same passage of scripture. None of them communicated the same message. None of them handled the verses in the same way. None of them applied the verses in the same way. We each have our own preference for style and teaching and that’s perfectly fine.

My Way is Better than Your Way

There are three primary Biblical teaching formats: topical, textual, and expository. Most pastors tend to favor one over the other. Most Christians, by the way, tend to favor one over the other as well.

The problem is that many of us make a value judgment saying one is a more valid method of teaching what the Word of God has to say than the other.

With topical teaching, the pastor selects a topic and uses passages from the Bible to elucidate that topic and support the thesis. Love, service, marriage, parenting, sex… the Bible has something to say about all of them.

In practice, the pastor prays about what God wants them to teach the church and then they go to the Bible to construct their message using a variety of verses. Many people find this style of learning helps them connect to the Bible on a very personal level. This style can be useful for helping us gain practical knowledge about how the Word of God relates to our everyday lives.

The danger is that if you are not reading the Bible on your own, you may never fully experience scripture within its original context…and with the Bible, context is everything. There is a beautiful unfolding of the story of God when the books of the Bible are read one by one. A careful teacher will make sure the scriptures are used in ways that preserve the contextual message. Having said that, it’s a dangerous assumption to think that all pastors are that careful.

Textual teaching is where one specific passage from the Bible is used as a jumping-off point for the pastor’s lesson. For example, the pastor may use the story of the Good Samaritan to teach a message on serving others. Like topical teaching, this style is easily relatable to the average listener but, once again, it uses the Bible more as a reference book. Unless the attendees are reading the Bible on their own, the only understanding of the Word of God they’ll have is the one their pastor gave them.

“I believe the Church has to get back to expository teaching…allowing the text to speak for itself. Instead of topical verses that say what I want it to say…the scriptures must be the final authority…if you’re not careful, you’ll have an entertaining leader …but what happens when that leader falls apart?…the church is over because it was built on a personality… I have been that leader…” Jay DePoy, Ashville, NC

Expository teaching is when the pastor teaches through the Bible verse by verse. Each week’s message will be whatever lesson the text at hand is teaching. Most conservative churches feel expository teaching is superior to others. It illuminates the Bible one scripture at a time and allows the learner to better comprehend the “full counsel of God”.

On a practical level, many people find expository teaching hard to follow…or even boring. I say that depends on the teacher.

In reality, no matter the style, a teacher will convey the message the way they, themselves, understand the text. Therein lies the rub.

The most important thing about learning what the Bible has to teach is this; what we hear on Sunday morning is not enough to lead us to wisdom and maturity no matter how great our teacher is or what teaching style is employed. We grow in wisdom and knowledge when we pursue God’s Word, pray for wisdom, and live out what we learn.

Hearing it will never be enough.

“You don’t go to a restaurant once a week expecting to be fed…if you only feed on the Word of God once a week.” Pastor Dale Travis, Family Life Church, Amarillo, TX

“…Pastors are held accountable for what they preach, the listener is held accountable for what they hear…” Pastor Vic Redding, Faith Free Will Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC

Read that last quote again. Ultimately, the communication style isn’t what matters most. It’s up to each of us to make sure we are not just “hearing” the word of God – but what we do with what we’ve learned that changes us from “attenders” to true followers.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

My Church is better than Your Church!

July 21, 2023
by Sharon

“The Body of Christ is divided.” Pastor Ryan Stafford, Victory Christian Church, Tulsa, OK

“I believe that most people are just playing religion. They don’t have a relationship with Jesus. They believe their connection with a building, walking through those doors, is going to cleanse them. And then they’re out religiously trying to live by rules we know from the Old Testament that man can’t live by.”

Pastor Kevin Berg, Desert View Baptist, Winslow, AZ

“Jesus said we are to esteem each other as more important than ourselves. If we can represent Him in that way then we are wanting our brother or sister to have better than we have. Then we’re really trying to say, “You are not a threat to me; you are a compliment to me. I’m not comparing myself to you. I’m not competing with you. I am meant to blend with you and celebrate you and be excited about the gift in your life.”

Unfortunately, insecurities, comparativeness and competitiveness have made people build little personal empires instead of building the kingdom of God.

It’s been more about a ‘me’ than a ‘we’. What God’s looking for is a ‘we’. ”

Pastor Francis Anfuso, The Rock of Roseville, Roseville, CA

Sadly, the spirit of competition, personal bias, and negative judgments toward churches and denominations other than our own have conspired to make us all look like arrogant supremacists who create more confusion than clarity to the message God is trying to send to the world.

“Denominations just build walls between us. We have a tendency to declare that ‘this is what the Bible teaches’ and be really arrogant about it. We need to respect that another equally intelligent person might see it differently…we have to get over our pride and realize we are all on the same team…God loves us all in the same way and if we could work together the world could be saved.”

Pastor Jeremy Brown, Journey Church, Jackson, TN

“If we’re going to reach this world for Jesus… if we’re going to help people move from where they are…the biggest thing is the Church needs to stop throwing rocks at each other…if the Church can’t get along with itself and unite around Jesus and loving people…why should I put my faith in them?”

Pastor Chuck Van Hook____ , Journey Church, Jackson, TN

“The vast majority of Americans are not interested in a Sunday morning church…the fastest growing churches are growing with transfer growth. We have churches competing with each other for an ever-decreasing piece of the pie. We’re…we’re either going to reinvent the way we do things or we’re going to see an increasing decline in the church.”…”

Jeff Kirsch, We Are Church, Denver, NC

“I think we have to recognize there is no perfect structure. And structures in and of themselves don’t bring transformation. What we’re trying to do is facilitate and make it as easy as possible for God to come on earth as it is in Heaven…For His Kingdom to come. The Church is called to be the incarnate expression of Jesus on the earth. It’s why I love the Church. I love the Body of Christ in all its varied forms and expressions. I’m convinced that if we pay attention to what God is doing and what God is saying to us that every church in every city has a role, a place, and a future.

Paul said it is so unwise to compare ourselves with ourselves. We are not to do that. That’s where so many churches get into trouble. We go to conference after conference trying to figure out what are we doing that’s wrong or what we are doing that’s right or how we do this better.

I am all for excellence. I am all for effective ministry. But I’m so much more confident in the Holy Spirit’s ability to teach us, guide us, empower us, and equip us.”

Pastor Roger Nix, Believers Church, Tulsa, OK

“(Churches of other denominations need to) come together for the sake of the mission…it isn’t just for the lost to be found, but to make God known…that’s when we come together to fight human trafficking or stop hunger… ”

Pastor Les Croft, Greensboro Christian Church, Greensboro, NC

“We shoot ourselves in the foot…the spirit of competition is not of God.”

Reverend Reggie Fowler, 1st Christian Church, Amarillo, TX

I could list more, but you get the idea.

Virtually every pastor we met expressed some amount of frustration about the way churches compete with one another, or the way one denomination will promote the message, their view on scripture is the only, truly accurate one.

We form our opinions about what is true and then make the wild assumption that any differing opinion must be wrong. And by wrong, they usually mean that you won’t go to heaven until you get it right.

Well, their version of right anyway.

One lifelong Christian and seasoned sr. pastor I interviewed admitted, with a good deal of chagrin, that until recently he hadn’t realized the Methodists were saved.

“We are too denominationally driven…my church is more right than your church…”

Dr. Lee Simpson, Faith Clinic, Amarillo, TX

“I’m Longing for a church that isn’t about denomination…just a building that says “We love God”.”

Reverend Reggie Fowler, 1st Christian Church, Amarillo, TX

Here’s the thing: According to the 2010 Religious Congregations Census, there are about 314,000 Protestant and other Christian churches in America.

Most of them probably feel they (or their denomination) have the “most accurate” understanding of the Bible and what it has to say about God, faith, and practice.

Yet, there will be a multitude of disparities from one to another. If we all got together to argue about theology and doctrine we’d surely walk away feeling exhausted and frustrated at the end of the day (if not beaten and bloody).

Simply put, no one could win the arguments because we’re not all wrong and we’re not all right.

We ought to be humble enough to admit it, but far too many of us aren’t.

If thousands of scholars and theologians can’t agree; why are we so hell-bent on this relentless, community-destroying game of “Religious King of the Hill” with one another?

We reviewed hundreds of church websites looking for those we might visit as we traveled across the U.S.

There were more than a few who weren’t shy about claiming superiority over other churches, even at times, within their own denomination.

We would usually find it in their “What We Believe” page or in the “Letter from the Pastor” page.

I read numerous comments that boasted about how special or different their church was from all the rest.

One pastor even posted this,

“Other churches pick and choose which doctrines they want to follow. But (his church) is not ashamed to follow traditional doctrine.”

The upshot was, ‘if you want to go to the right church, with real Bible teaching, with the real people going to Heaven, this is the only one!’

It isn’t only denominations.

With the surge of the new myriad Post Modern expressions of the Church, we have no shortage of arguments about what is the “right way” to do church. We’ll talk about this in more detail later on.

“The Body of Christ is divided.” Pastor Ryan Stafford, Victory Christian Church, Tulsa, OK

Given the reality we’re confusing the non-Christians and undermining the work of the Gospel by criticizing one another, do you think that a cease-fire is in order?

What message do you think the present disunity among God’s people is conveying to the non-Christian world?

In Sacramento, CA, where I live, there is a movement started to create unity among pastors of all denominations.

They meet with regularity to build one another up.

They pool resources and meet the needs of all churches to the best of their ability.

This movement has created a groundswell of love and brotherhood that has erased the lines between denominations, individual church communities, race, and gender.

“As a result (of reaching out to other pastors) bridges have been built, breeches have been healed, relationships have been formed that have been absolutely transformational. So now, some of my closest friends are leaders around the region that I know would take a bullet for me just as I would take a bullet for them.”

Pastor Francis Anfuso, The Rock of Roseville, Roseville, CA

“I see denominations partnering more than ever before.” Pastor Steve Tiebout, The River, Cookeville, TN

Let’s be honest. We all want to feel like the church we attend is the right church. There is nothing wrong with that…to a point.

One Body but Many Parts (1Corinthians 12:12-27)

There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.

Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.

The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.

You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.”

Before you let that message go in one ear and out the other (ooh that’s punny!) It isn’t you who decides what body part you best represent. God alone knit us together. God alone knows how this all shakes out.

Be humble. Lift up all who proclaim the Name of Jesus Christ.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Christian Living

Who are you following? No really. Do you know?

December 24, 2022December 25, 2022
by Sharon

Since the birth of our nation, we’ve had guiding principles. Shared values. We didn’t all see the future the same way, but we were free to pursue it in whatever way we believed to be right. We were guided by our own conscience and fidelity to our shared moral and social contract. We each understood that our personal liberties and rights only extended to the point they interfered with the rights of others. Our founding fathers called that contract The Constitution of the United States of America and established a government comprised of fellow citizens to keep and protect it.

Lately, it feels like We the People of this nation are trapped in a bus with no steering wheel and no brakes. Our direction AND our destination are being changed and changed again by powerful people and politicians pushing us in a direction most of us don’t believe to be right or good.

None of these people have the right to nullify the Constitution that made the United States the greatest nation on the planet. Nor do they have any authority to supplant it with a new one created in their own woke image. But that isn’t stopping them. It’s not even slowing them down.

They have completely flipped the script on us. It’s like we woke up in 2020 to discover we no longer live in a nation ruled by the consent of the governed. Sadly, the MAJORITY of our leaders are corrupt and rule as though they don’t need or want our consent. Not anymore.

They see you and me as sheep. And themselves as rightful shepherds and benevolent saviors of the world.

I used to feel a bit offended that Jesus referred to His followers as sheep in the Bible. I get it now.

Sheep are kinda dumb, aren’t they? They mostly just go with the flow. Most aren’t even following the shepherd. They are only following the sheep in front of them. They don’t actually know the shepherd personally. So if someone else came along with a bucket of oats and SAID they were the shepherd … well, they’d be easy to fool.

This is what’s happened to America. Whether it’s Mainstream Media, Cable TV, Social Media, or celebrities; they’ve persuaded many sheep to follow them …and hate anyone who won’t.

These new shepherds want us to believe the Christian ethics, morals, and values that called the United States into being; were wrong all along. They say those who penned our Constitution were merely imposing the traditions and preferences of “old white men”. Never mind those “old white men” weren’t old OR that the genesis of our Constitution was rooted in the freedoms and liberties given us by God alone- not them. Not any man.

The ultimate power of our Constitution IS that We the People hold the power AND the right to shut down our government if it ever attempts to take our God-given rights away.

But our new shepherds don’t want us to believe that. They claim they are protecting Democracy by nullifying our Constitutional Rights. Just as every tyrannical government has done before.

By delegitimizing the people who wrote and signed our Constitution they attempt to usurp the rights and powers embedded in it.

Our self-appointed “shepherds” have this in common. They esteem their own words above the Word of God.

Everything established by God or created in His image is either being distorted or destroyed.

As hard as it is to believe, our own government calls those who refuse to accept the usurpation of God in America… a threat to our democracy. ANYONE who knows the Bible knows what an outrageous lie that is.

And right now, that’s our biggest problem, isn’t it? Far too many are easily led astray by a bucket of oats and a skillful liar.

Mark Twain said it best. “It’s easier to fool people than it is to convince them they’ve been fooled.”

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3

Do you KNOW who you are following?

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”John 10:27

He is still speaking. Just listen.

He WILL show us the way, the truth, and the life that supersedes the insanity that surrounds us today.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

The Question is: Who is the Blind?

October 3, 2019October 3, 2019
by Sharon

Do you swallow a camel and strain out a gnat?

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:24

Are we principled people? Do we apply the same standards equally to those we agree with and those we don’t? Are we outraged by the sins we see in others but forgiving of the sins we see in those a little closer to home? Do we show the same amount of grace to everyone regardless of their point of view?

The Pharisees were the religious leaders of their time. They were highly respected in their communities. They were the arbiters of truth, integrity, and holiness.

Each time they turned a blind eye to the moral wrongdoings of those they favored… or curried favor from, they moved further and further away from God’s will. They never “crossed the line” because it was within their power to draw the line wherever they saw fit.

They protected their consciences and reputations by keeping the focus on the sins they saw in others while discreetly minimizing or justifying their own.

It’s easy to cry “foul!” when we see the wrongs of others. It’s human nature to want to excuse those we agree with or perceive to be on “our side”. Our political landscape is littered with poorly placed blame and self-serving excuses and justifications. Yes, you and me too. We all play a part in this. Whether we’re screaming at the news anchors, commenting on YouTube or posting on social media.

Outrage is to be expected when we watch or read about the attitudes and behaviors we see in our politicians and pundits. How can we avoid it? Seriously!

But if we aren’t as upset by the wrongs when we or those we support are the ones committing it – we are hypocrites. Just like the Pharisees. Either call it out or don’t. But don’t be a hypocrite.

We cannot call ourselves principled people unless we are consistent in what we support or condemn …no matter who it is that’s done it.

Those who are quick to condemn their political “enemy” while sugar-coating the wrongs done on their side of the aisle only do further damage to our increasingly threadbare social fabric.

But it’s so much worse when this is done by a Christian. SO MUCH WORSE.

We are the people of God. Now more than any other time we must rise up and show ourselves to be worthy of being called so. We must not be like the Pharisees.

There has never been another time in America where Christianity is so scrutinized and criticized. Don’t give the enemy a foothold. Don’t hand our critics another reason to undermine our worldview and call us frauds.

It’s sad but true. We are divided nationally. Separated by politics, ideology, religion, and irreligion. There is no shortage of people scrutinizing and condemning the actions of others and not nearly enough who will judge their own by the same standards.

Do you swallow a camel when your political party does something wrong and strain out a gnat when the wrong is on the other side?

Not only should we Christians be different, but we MUST be different.

We are to be Peacemakers. We are to be fishers of men. Has there EVER been another time when it mattered more than it does today? What are we using for bait?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27

Practice the tenets of Love. Be patient. Be kind. Don’t be rude. Delight yourself when the truth wins out EVEN WHEN that truth doesn’t bode well for your personal gain or political party.

Let me close with this:

When God decided to destroy Sodom, Abraham beseeched him, ” Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will You then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said,“If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Be righteous. Please.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

I Believe, Lord. Help me with my Unbelief.

August 16, 2019August 16, 2019
by Sharon

We all struggle with our faith from time to time. That’s only human.

Perhaps you heard in the news that some fairly well-known Christians recently denounced their faith after years of being church leaders and influencers. One of them on Twitter no less. They each said, in one way or another, they had too many doubts and unanswered questions about their belief in God. They found their faith had frayed so much they couldn’t hold onto the thread any longer.

I’m sad for them. But, I am far more sad about the impact their public denouncement will have on the people who look up to them.

Too many of us in the Christian community live on weak or shallow faith. What we have, even after years of being Christians, is not strong enough to withstand a major trial or period of serious doubt. This is why we see so many people fall away.

For some, when their religious convictions are challenged by circumstances, they find they aren’t as convicted or as convinced as they thought they were. They begin to question … WHICH IS A GOOD THING! That’s why we find the phrase in the Bible, “I believe, Lord. Help me with my unbelief!”

We call this a “crisis of faith”. Most of us will have several in our lifetime. Whether or not we survive these times with our faith intact wholly depends on the foundation our faith stands on.

We have way too many Christians living without any foundation for their faith. They believe. Sincerely! But they don’t know the stories, the lessons or the history behind the truths that support their dearly held affections for the Gospel. Because of this, when they are challenged to defend their faith, they simply cannot.

The vast number of Christians only read the scriptures that are printed in their Sunday sermon notes. Thoughts, insights, and ideals carefully curated and prepared for them by someone else. They pay attention well enough to fill in the blanks; but the lesson, as well as the scriptures, are forgotten by the time they leave the building.

Your pastor can’t build your faith or your foundation for you.

A pastor’s job is to inspire you and help you more fully understand the Word of God. But, let’s face it. If that’s all the Bible you are taking in each week it just isn’t enough for spiritual formation and growth. That would be the equivalent of only eating once a week. Eventually, you’ll find yourself in a crisis. And you’ll be too weak to stand against any enemy wanting to take your life …or your faith.

And this is both my point and my warning for you. Your faith has to be in the Word of God, not your pastors’ presentation of it –even if it’s a great presentation.

Life will throw your faith against the rocky cliffs at the edge of your understanding like a violent, rageful ocean.

Every foundation will be tested. Yours and mine. And we must be prepared for that.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
1 Peter 3:15

Your only defense is to know and understand the full counsil of God. This means taking in the words and the wisdom of the whole Bible.

The foundation of the New Testament is the Old Testament. Reading and studying both will help you understand SO MUCH MORE.

You’ll learn why it doesn’t make sense to pluck one scripture and use it as a proof text for any complicated human or social issue. You’ll see how the 66 different books and the 2000+ years it took to write them collectively express God more than any single idea, concept or scripture ever could.

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. “
” James 2:19

Read your Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments.

You once believed in Santa Clause simply because someone told you he was real. You had no real evidence to defend your belief when someone told you he wasn’t. Don’t treat your belief in God with the same childish faith you put in Santa Clause.

We are not without evidence. God made certain of that!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:10-17

There is a battle going on. You’re going to need the full council and the Full Armor of God to survive it. I pray you will.

Read your Bible. Listen to it on the Bible app if you don’t have time to sit down and read. Get some Bible inside you! We need you in this fight.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

When God is All You Have Left

June 14, 2019June 15, 2019
by Sharon

Have you ever felt like life has conspired to do you in? Like when you’ve had just about enough of nothing going your way?

I recently had a bad run of luck that lasted for several weeks. It was like I kept drawing the short straw over and over again. It isn’t as though I expect everything to go my way. Not at all! But when every little thing turns out precisely the opposite of what you were hoping for it starts to get to you.

I was getting more and more aggravated by the day. After about three weeks I could physically feel the bitterness starting to bloom in the pit of my stomach. That’s not good at all.

I was silently mulling over how angry I was when, in my mind’s eye, I saw a red flag and heard someone call, “Time Out!”. I don’t know if it was me or Holy Spirit, but I heard it..and I heeded it. I stopped what I was doing and found a place to get down on my knees to pray. I repented for my entitled and prideful attitude and asked God to wash me clean of it (not for the first time!). I asked Him to change my heart and fill me with His Love and Peace.

God never said, “Don’t get angry.” He said, “in your anger do not sin.”

Getting upset over a string of disappointments wasn’t the problem. My attitude about it was. Arrogance, self-pity, bitterness…are all conditions of the heart and mind that can lead us away from God. This I know from experience.

Thankfully the Way back is always there when we are ready to choose it. Prayer, humility, and repentance.

I’ve learned to heed those warnings before things get too far out of hand (usually!). But believe me when I say I don’t deserve any pats on the back for that. I’ve blown past MANY a warning in my life. And paid the price for it. Sometimes a big one.

I suppose that’s what it is to be human though. We try hard to be like Christ every day, don’t we? But try as we might, we fail now and again. And again. And again.

When it’s petty, random stuff of little consequence we bounce back fairly easily. But what happens when it’s a series of events and mistakes that literally put an end to life as we knew it?

I don’t believe disaster and misfortune are capriciously brought upon us by Almighty God. Lots of things go wrong in this fallen world. People lose their jobs. Some get sick. Some die too soon. Many of the awful things we endure are the result of someone else’s sinfulness. We should not jump to the conclusion that every single thing that happens is a result of our sin or God’s will.

But sometimes it is.

The Bible says in Isaiah 30:21, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it”.

Holy Spirit works actively in our lives to keep us moving in the direction we are meant to go. If we are listening carefully, we will know which way He wants us to go. If we are listening carefully.

But we don’t always listen, do we?

Think about a time when something went horribly wrong because of a decision you made. Now, close your eyes and ask God to remind you of just one of the warnings that you ignored.

Show me a person who sits amid the ashes of an avoidable disaster and I’ll show you a person who blew past a few red flags and warnings from God along the way.

God doesn’t want us to come to ruin. But He’ll allow it …if there is no other way to reach us.

It happened to a friend of mine. If I told you her story you’d probably feel sorry for her. You might even defend her. True enough, most of it wasn’t her fault.

She tried everything she could think of to make things turn out well. In fact, she had nothing but good intentions.

Remember what the road to Hell is paved with?

As well intended as she was, she really wrong.

She was being sexually harassed by her boss -who also happened to be the senior pastor of her church. She avoided him as much as she could but she couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about his behavior.

When she thought of all the people who would be hurt if he were found out, she convinced herself it was better if she just handled the matter in secret.

There was a lot at stake. She could be blamed. She could lose her job. The church could fracture over the scandal…

She genuinely believed that if she could just keep him at bay long enough he would come to his senses and leave her alone. Then no one would be hurt. Except her.

Only in retrospect could she see how God tried to spare her of the pain she endured. There were warnings and red flags everywhere. No doubt each one was God’s way of saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”.

For nearly two years she endured a very ugly game of cat and mouse. Her boss would alternate between making passes at her and begging her to forgive him for wronging her. Over and over he would promise to leave her alone. Over and over she believed him. But things just continued to escalate.

She became anxious and depressed. She couldn’t eat or sleep and lost more than 30 pounds.

She withdrew from family and friends just to avoid their questions. She couldn’t risk the truth spilling out.

Finally, he gave up and left her alone.

Over the next year or so things slowly went back to normal. “I really thought I’d done the right thing in keeping it hidden. As awful as the ordeal was, I had protected my church by protecting his reputation.

Well, that’s what I told myself anyway.

But then one day my whole world came crashing down around me.”

Her boss had been caught having an affair with a woman in the church.

By the time all was said and done it was discovered he’d had “inappropriate relationships” with six women, including her. Because she’d kept silent she was thought to be complicit. It cost her her job, her reputation, her friends and the life she loved.

After all she’d endured protecting everyone from finding out about him, it came out anyway – because that was God’s will.

“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.”
Job 3:25

I have never known anyone more broken than she was in the aftermath of that scandal. She was humiliated. Bereft. Suicidal.

“I’d reached the end of my ability to cope with the situation. I was literally contemplating suicide. I don’t like admitting that, but it’s true. I just didn’t think I could go on in the face of so much pain and humiliation. People were talking about me and questioning what kind of woman I was. My husband was so hurt. My children were hurt. It was killing me!

For weeks I wept all day and night.

He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 91:4

Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

“I didn’t think I could take even one more day of the pain and anguish. I was curled up in a ball absolutely overflowing with self-pity. Between sobs I choked out the words, ‘I’ve lost everything, Father! I have nothing left.’.

And that’s when I heard this:

“Now that I’m all you have left… you’ll have to decide if I am enough.”

I have never had such an awesome, TRULY awesome, moment. Not before or since. I was in the presence of God in a way I’d never experienced before. There was no burning bush but He was there and He had spoken to me.

I whispered, “Yes, Father. You are.”

My tears just…stopped. I felt calm. The pain was still there but thoughts of ending my life had disappeared so completely it was as though they’d never been. I felt life and purpose flowing through me. It was faint, but it was enough. I had no idea what my future would look like but I knew my faith would – really would – sustain me. No matter what.

I understood where I’d gone wrong. I had tried to subvert God’s will by attempting to control the outcome of a situation that was never mine to control. I thought everything would turn out alright because my heart was in the right place. I didn’t want to see it, but it really was self-serving.

Good intentions don’t provide reliable direction. Truth is what sets us free.”

It is not God’s will for us to come to ruin. Unless coming to ruin is the only thing that will bring us back into God’s will.

Romans 8:28 teaches us that God will work all things together for the good of those who love him. Even the bad things.

What happened to her wasn’t fair. But that wasn’t the point. The point is things might have turned out a lot better for her had she trusted God with the outcome. There is a lot we don’t know – but we do know this: God’s way is always the better path to choose.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Christian Living

The Chaos of Destiny

January 15, 2019January 15, 2019
by Sharon

Remember your first time on the monkey bars? The goal was to get from one end of the bars to the other. You’d seen other kids do it lots of times. They climbed up the ladder, took hold of the first bar and then swung their free arm toward the next. Once they grabbed hold of the second bar, they let go of the first bar and swung that arm toward the next bar. Simple.

But there you stood. Feet firmly placed on the ladder. Mentally wrestling with fear and uncertainty.

In order to even start, you had to sacrifice the safety of the ladder you stood on. Holding tightly to the first bar with one hand, you risked life and limb to swing out with the other hoping you’d reach the second bar.

Whew! You did it! Remember how that felt? It was absolutely thrilling!

But then you had to let go of the first bar and swing your body to the third one. If you didn’t do it just right, you’d fall. No one wants to fall.

That space between the bars, where we hung by hope and the tenuous grip of one little hand…is chaos. Anything can happen. You might reach the next bar, but you might not. No one wants to fall. No one wants to fail.

Like every other little kid on the playground…you probably did a little of both.

But look at you now! You survived the monkey bars and lived to tell the tale. You even mastered a few other daring feats along the way to becoming who you are today. You have a lot to be proud of! Life is seldom easy and accomplishments are almost always hard won.

I know something else about you too. Despite all your success, you have a nagging sense that God has something more, different, or new for you in mind.

We can’t always articulate our destiny, but we can feel it in our bones.

That space between who we are and who we are becoming is filled with mental and emotional chaos. The uncertainty can be so fearsome it’s tempting to just stay where we are and call it good. Well, at least, good enough.

That only works for a while though. Sooner or later your love for God will prove greater than your love for comfort and the status quo. You know it will.

Maybe you feel it already.

It is time to reach for the next bar? Are you ready to let go of that thing that holds you back so you can reach for something greater on your way to becoming someone greater?

Is today the day you say yes to Jesus and the chaos that often comes with it?

What’s holding you back? Be honest with yourself.

Do you need more courage? Ask Him for courage.

Do you need more strength? Ask Him for strength.

Do you need more faith? Ask Him for more faith!

Whatever you need; Ask Him!

Trust that even if you fall, He will catch you. That’s His Grace. And His Grace is indeed sufficient.

He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

No one ever said it wouldn’t take a little effort on your part too.

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

So long, 2018!

January 4, 2019January 4, 2019
by Sharon

Happy New Year! I pray 2019 is off to a great start for you!

Life is a series of beginnings and endings. Some beginnings are awesome. Some are not. There is joy we feel at the beginning of a new journey but there can also be joy at a journey’s end. Beginnings and endings aren’t inherently good or bad. They are just the events that move us forward throughout our lives.

What really matters is how we integrate the experiences life brings us. What really matters is whether we allow them to make us better, stronger, wiser people – or allow them to break us down, hold us back …or defeat us all together.

By God’s Grace, we all enjoy beautiful stretches of relative peace, security and good fortune in our lives. And because we are humans in a fragile world fraught with natural disasters and sin, our peace and security is sometimes obliterated by misfortune, disaster, and loss. Putting an “end” to the world as we knew it.

We celebrate New Year’s Eve filled with hope of better things to come. Sometimes we are celebrating the end of a year we couldn’t wait to end because of the terrible things that occurred somewhere between January and December.

We’ve all had some pretty horrendous years. If you haven’t yet… I’m sorry to say, you will.

But consider this. None of it is wasted. All of it matters. The best times and the worst times are all things God uses to make us wiser, stronger, softer, and better able to fulfill His purposes.

In this life, we will endure suffering. There is no Free Pass for Christians unfortunately. The rain falls on all of us, good or bad. (Matt 5:45)

If 2018 was the worst year you’ve ever had (and for MANY people it was), know that God wants to lift you up again. Hold on to Him and let Him see you through whatever dark valley you find yourself in today. Let Him lift you out of the miry muck and set your feet on solid ground again. (Psalm 40:2)

Don’t make the mistake of believing your heartache happened because God doesn’t care about you. That’s a lie straight from the pit of hell. The enemy wants nothing more than to use your disappointment, failure or tragedy to lure you into a dark corner of hopelessness. Don’t let him.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(James 1:2-4)

The New Year is a pin in the map of our lives. By all means, mark the spot. But learn to see it as a mile marker on a journey we have yet to complete.

Father God we look to YOU. We humble ourselves before You and acknowledge that You, alone, are God. You know everything and see everything. Our comfort is in remembering You specialize in making all things new. You are the author of the greatest beginnings. Even our endings are in You. Help us to embrace them all. Show us how the hardest things can produce the best in us.

God lead us to pray for one another. Use us to help the hurting. Give us a common prayer and let us seek a common blessing.

We ask it in Your precious Name, Jesus. Amen!

Happy New Year my dear ones. May God make it so!

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Christian Living

“Well, obviously they aren’t a REAL Christian”

November 23, 2018November 23, 2018
by Sharon

Have you ever heard anyone say that? I sure have. I see it a lot in the comment sections of online articles, podcasts, and blogs too. One Christian sharply disagrees with another and in an effort to defend their point of view, if not the reputation of all Christendom declares, “Well, that’s not a real Christian.”

I’ve had my own Christian cred called into question because I didn’t share the same view on a social issue. Frankly, I find it obnoxious.

Why do we think the only “real” Christians are the ones who believe and behave exactly as we do?

“A real Christian would never act that way.”

“A real Christian would never say something like that.”

Really? According to whom… You?

Let’s take a step back. Away from our own biases. Away from our self-authored policies and procedures manuals.

The very name, Christian, was coined to describe the people who believe the following:

Jesus Christ, the guy from Nazareth, was the One who was prophesied about in the Old Testament to redeem God’s people. He was the promised Savior for whom the Jews had been waiting for generations.

He was born of a virgin, Mary, and was the physical incarnation of God on earth.

He led a sinless life and showed us how we may be reconciled to God, forgiven for our sins, and have eternal life with Him in heaven. He commanded us to love one another unselfishly and sacrificially and that “By this, all men will know that you are My disciples”

He performed miracles, forgave sins, healed the sick, raised the dead and shamed the religious for oppressing God’s people with endless rules and standards they themselves did not keep. All to demonstrate God’s redeeming love as well as His authority over His people and all creation.

The Jews were expecting a savior who rose up through earthy government, with a list of bona fides that proved He outranked the current leaders of the Jewish people as well as the Roman government. They could not and would not believe a penniless guy who hung out with thieves, prostitutes, and tax collectors was the mighty Savior promised in the stories told to every generation since Adam. So they rejected Him and condemned Him to death.

Though innocent, He allowed Himself to be arrested, mocked, beaten and hung on a cross next to actual guilty people. There, as He hung in bitter agony, He asked our Father in heaven to forgive those who sinned against Him. In doing so, He bore our guilt that we may never suffer the penalty of our sin.

He was buried in a tomb and raised up from the dead three days later… just as He promised.

He ascended into Heaven where He sits at the Right Hand of God until He comes again to gather His people for all eternity.

Savior. Healer. Redeemer. Coming King.

That’s it. If you believe all of this to be true and choose to submit to Christ as your Lord and Savior…you are a REAL Christian.

The rest is all academic. Literally.

There are differing views of scripture that determine Orthodoxy (right doctrine) and Orthopraxis (right practice). Certainly, these things are essential to understanding and living out our faith …but not in determining who is a Christian and who is not.

Christians not only come in all shapes, sizes and colors, they also follow Jesus at different paces and from varying distances.

Some run after Him and can’t wait to know everything about Him. They pray and praise every day, study His Word and devote themselves to serving Him and honoring Him with every breath they take. That doesn’t mean they don’t get some things wrong, but it does tend to make them more passionate about their lives as disciples.

Some take years to get there. Many Christians struggle with unhealed wounds and bitter roots that undermine all their relationships..including their relationship with Jesus. It’s simply not easy for them to trust and surrender… even when they want to. Sadly, until they do their progress toward intimacy and spiritual maturity will remain slow. However, as long as they continue to follow and grow, they are on the right path. We must encourage them with words that draw them closer to their own glorious moment of transformational Love. For it’s when we love Jesus we are able to keep His commands.

“If you love me, you will keep my commands.” John 14:15

Insulting them will never be helpful. It doesn’t make you look very good either.

Be patient. After all, how patient has God been with you?

Next time you’re in a situation like that, tell the truth, “I don’t believe that’s what the Bible teaches.” or even “I’m not sure that squares with Christian doctrine. You’ll have to show me how you arrived at that conclusion.”

Not only is that more loving, but it might also have some good effect. What if your disagreement sends you both back to the Bible for deeper study and greater understanding? What if it leads to one or both of you gaining greater wisdom and a deeper love for our Savior, Jesus Christ? More of a win, win don’t you think?

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 3By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” “

Please understand this. We are either drawing others to Jesus or repelling them by the way we conduct ourselves in every situation.

Most of all, let love guide your life, for then the whole church will stay together in perfect harmony.Colossians 3:14

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Uncategorized

Is It Time To Fight Fire With Fire?

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018
by Sharon

“Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness”

Amos 6:12

The social landscape of the West is riddled with land mines these days. I say that figuratively, but, tragically, no one would be surprised if there were literal land mines.

It was less than a year ago when I Googled “SJW” to find out what it stood for. It’s “Social Justice Warrior”, in case you didn’t know. This is the proud title coined by people on the far left who believe our society is so hideously marred by a male dominated Patriarchy of racists, sexists, xenophobes, homophobes and evil capitalists, that it must be torn down to its foundation and replaced by a socialist utopia of total equality of outcome; where it is against the law to promote or value anything else. Any and every other utterance, in their utopia, would be considered “Hate Speech” … and illegal.

Of course, they have more than a few evil twins on the right

These extremists want to decide, for all of us, what that Utopian society should look like, who should have to pay for it, AND what is considered hateful and offensive speech. They plan to accomplish this by silencing anyone, by any means necessary, who happens to disagree with their point of view. It’s a hostile take over and they are proud of it.

They’re proud of it because they genuinely believe their aims are morally right.

Of course, they have more than a few evil twins on the right – and far right – who are just as likely to employ dishonorable tactics in their attempts to point out how “stupid and irrational” the SJWs are. You don’t see as many marching in the streets with picket signs, but there is no shortage of them in the comments sections of any news article, podcast, or blog. They are also quite fond of promoting insulting memes on social media.

These extremists make their mark by condemning everything that comes from the left…even when there is a serious issue that truly needs to be discussed (if we could all calm down just a little). They may prefer not to be hostile but will rise to whatever level they must to squelch the ideals of the SJW.

They’re proud of what they do because they genuinely believe their aims are morally right.

But this is not The Way.

The truly sad thing is that both groups are wringing their hands with the gleeful anticipation of “owning” the other side when they “win”. They long to see the other humbled and pressed into submission to their ideology. With the power of their chosen government to see them prosecuted and persecuted for holding the wrong ideals for society.

Read Amos 6:12 again:

“Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.”

It’s times like these that make me wish we all still valued the principles of the Judeo/Christian philosophy the way we once did in America. Christians and non-Christians alike. Then we would have the same common dictates for how we treat one another when we disagree.

We would all have the same self-imposed restraints that promote peace and virtue.

It’s what we used to call “Common Decency”. There is nothing common about that anymore.

If we all abided by these same ideals, we could call, “foul!”, when someone breaks the rules by acting hateful or odious.

But for those who don’t believe, the Judeo/Christian principals are meaningless. They may agree those things are swell, but they feel no compulsion to embody them when temperatures rise.

But WE must.

Trying to maintain your Jesus-like calm in a heated debate with a non-Christian can be like being in a cage fight with your hands tied behind your back.

It isn’t fair.

But Christianity has never been about fair. If it were, we’d all stand before God with the full weight and penalty of our own hideous sins.

It doesn’t matter whether you are on the RIGHT or on the LEFT.

If you are a Christian, you have a duty to represent Christ well.

No matter how much you believe you are right and everyone else is wrong, you STILL have a duty to represent Christ well…if you are a Christian.

When you mock those who disagree with you or insult the intelligence of those who have a different perspective, you are turning justice into poison and righteousness into bitterness. Who is glorified by that?

You? Perhaps.

God? Not in a million years.

I’m not saying you don’t have a right or cause to be angry. Maybe even outraged at times. But YOU, Christian, were taught not to sin in your anger.

You are called to a better way.

Ephesians 4 says this:

“²⁰That, however, is not the way of life you learnedwhen you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. ^…

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

We are in difficult times. Make no mistake about that. Our reputation has never been worse, and our world has never been in greater need of God’s Grace.

WE are His footmen.

WE are His representatives.

His ONLY representatives on earth!

There is no better way forward for any of us but to exemplify the character of Christ.

We have to trust that God will lift us up as long as we continue to seek His righteousness in humbleness and truth.

Try this.

Spend so much time and energy praying for your enemies that you have none left to troll them on the internet or denigrate them them behind their back.

We were not called to “fight fire with fire”. We were called to overcome evil with good.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” Matthew 5:44

There is more than enough poison in the political and social discourse. No one needs a self-righteous Christian adding to it no matter how justified they feel in doing it.

Our job isn’t to win an argument. It’s to win souls to Christ!

If it is really important…if it is really just…if it is really righteous…it should be wrapped up in the Love of Christ and delivered with the same humility He displayed to those who persecuted Him and hung Him on a cross.

So, no. We don’t need any left leaning or right leaning Christians “schooling” or “owning” the people who disagree

with them on the internet.

However, we could use your help in building up the Church… by putting on Christ and displaying Him GLORIOUSLY before a nation of unbelievers.

A nation of unbelievers, by the way, who are gathering their strength to oppose Him categorically in America.

We were not called to “fight fire with fire”. We were called to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)

Keep your eyes on Christ and devote yourself to loving as HE loves.

By all means, be wise as serpents…but be gentle as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

In His love and service,

Sharon Bollum

Tag: <span>Christianity</span>

Hearing it will never be enough.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Lately, it feels like We the People of this nation are trapped in a bus with no steering wheel and no brakes. Our direction AND our destination are being changed and changed again by powerful people and politicians pushing us in a direction most of us don’t believe to be right or good.

I used to feel a bit offended that Jesus referred to His followers as sheep in the Bible. I get it now.

Share this:

Like this:

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:24

Do you swallow a camel when your political party does something wrong and strain out a gnat when the wrong is on the other side?

Share this:

Like this:

Your pastor can’t build your faith or your foundation for you.

Life will throw your faith against the rocky cliffs at the edge of your understanding like a violent, rageful ocean.

We are not without evidence. God made certain of that!

Share this:

Like this:

But sometimes it is.

Show me a person who sits amid the ashes of an avoidable disaster and I’ll show you a person who blew past a few red flags and warnings from God along the way.

Remember what the road to Hell is paved with?

I have never known anyone more broken than she was in the aftermath of that scandal. She was humiliated. Bereft. Suicidal.

“Now that I’m all you have left… you’ll have to decide if I am enough.”

Share this:

Like this:

Whew! You did it! Remember how that felt? It was absolutely thrilling!

We can’t always articulate our destiny, but we can feel it in our bones.

Is today the day you say yes to Jesus and the chaos that often comes with it?

Whatever you need; Ask Him!

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Why do we think the only “real” Christians are the ones who believe and behave exactly as we do?

The very name, Christian, was coined to describe the people who believe the following:

The rest is all academic. Literally.

Christians not only come in all shapes, sizes and colors, they also follow Jesus at different paces and from varying distances.

Be patient. After all, how patient has God been with you?

Please understand this. We are either drawing others to Jesus or repelling them by the way we conduct ourselves in every situation.

Share this:

Like this:

“Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness”

They’re proud of it because they genuinely believe their aims are morally right.

But this is not The Way.

“Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.”

But for those who don’t believe, the Judeo/Christian principals are meaningless. They may agree those things are swell, but they feel no compulsion to embody them when temperatures rise.

But WE must.

If you are a Christian, you have a duty to represent Christ well.

You are called to a better way.

We are in difficult times. Make no mistake about that. Our reputation has never been worse, and our world has never been in greater need of God’s Grace.

There is no better way forward for any of us but to exemplify the character of Christ.

Spend so much time and energy praying for your enemies that you have none left to troll them on the internet or denigrate them them behind their back.

Share this:

Like this: