Plumbline Faith

Simple Faith, Simple Truth, Simple Virtue

“PROGRESSIVE” RACISM — October 2, 2020

“PROGRESSIVE” RACISM

These days, if you oppose the Leftist political views held by many (but certainly not all) black organizations, it is called racism – even if you oppose those views because you want the best for the black community.

Thus, according to how oppressive “progressives” have redefined the word, you are “racist” based on legitimate political differences even if you care deeply about what’s happening in the black community.

This twisting of language by the Left is insidious, and is used by the Left to stifle honest debate over their political policies that are actually doing great harm to the black community.

Don’t let the rhetoric of hate from the Left silence you:

Renounce their oppressive policies that are destroying Black lives, Black families and Black communities;

Proclaim with confidence those Godly principles – like worth, dignity and responsibility, in the context of faith, family and community – which offer true hope for all as we seek to heal our broken nation; and

Stand for virtue.

Only then will the true racists be unmasked.

FAR HORIZONS — September 20, 2018
FINDING FAITH — September 19, 2018
STANDING STRONG — September 18, 2018
GODLY CITIZENS  — September 17, 2018

GODLY CITIZENS 

Some “Christians” have embraced identity politics, leading them to support candidates who promote:

Abortion, gender confusion, marriage malaise, and religious intolerance.

They’ve become reprobate, having traded the God of Scripture …

For the lies of Satan.

ACCOUNTABILITY — September 16, 2018
LORD — September 15, 2018
TOUGH CHOICES — September 14, 2018

TOUGH CHOICES

Real church with real community and real discipleship …

Must embrace tough love.

Because ultimately, you can’t have real community or real discipleship …

With people who only want what they want from God and others.

Eventually, you must let them go.

Otherwise, you’re not helping …

But enabling.

FOUNDATIONS — September 13, 2018

FOUNDATIONS

What’s the ultimate standard for truth, reality and morality?

Our perceptions and sensibilities …

Or God’s written revelation and sovereign will?

Herein lies the difference between popular existential ideologies that have deceived many “Christians” …

And authentic Biblical Christianity as God Himself defines it.

CONSEQUENCES — September 12, 2018
GOOD AND EVIL — September 11, 2018
REDEMPTION OR DESTRUCTION? — September 10, 2018

REDEMPTION OR DESTRUCTION?

Your worse failings are redemptive if you let God use them to get your attention and bring you to repentance.

Alternatively, you can let them destroy you.

That’s why I seldom freak out when someone in our churches stumbles – many times I’ve seen it become a turning point for amazing redemptive transformation.

But whether for destruction or redemption, it’s always your choice.

That’s because spiritual health and maturity are not about perfection …

But how we deal with our imperfections.

Maybe that’s why true church as commanded in the New Testament is about participating one with another to mutually build up each other …

Rather than putting on performances.

BE THE CHURCH — September 9, 2018

BE THE CHURCH

Few are willing to do the hard work of actually being the church.

You know, an active community of believers who encourage and minister to one another …

When they gather together and throughout their daily lives.

Many, instead, are content to let others do “church” for them …

From an elevated stage each Sunday morning.

Be exceptional!

Dare to be the church as the New Testament actually commands it …

And leave that other stuff behind.


Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” ~ Jesus

ENDING BADLY — September 8, 2018
TRUE WORSHIP — September 7, 2018
THE GREAT COMMISSION — September 6, 2018

THE GREAT COMMISSION

Because I love Christ, I’ve opened my home and my life to those abused by people who use Christ to exploit others.

Because I love Christ, I’ve ministered to people in jail and the woods with whom polite society won’t dirty their lives.

Because I love Christ, I’ve loved His “ekklesia” rather than the man-centered institution often called the “church” these days.

Because I love Christ, I’m still willing to exceed my comfort zones.

Care to join me?

TRUE LOVE — September 5, 2018
PROPHETIC BUFFOONERY — September 4, 2018
BUILDING UP ONE ANOTHER — September 3, 2018

BUILDING UP ONE ANOTHER

Church in the New Testament is never about gathering to enter into God’s presence …

But about expressing His presence – hopefully already in you – one to another through the many different gifts He distributes among us so we can edify and strengthen each other.

Nor is it about having a “worship service” …

But about including congregational singing of God’s praises to encourage each other so we can live daily lives of sacrificial service and reverent obedience to Him, which is true worship.

It also is not about monopolizing monologue sermons by the one …

But about ministry by one another to motivate each other to love and good works.

So why do Christians accept anything less …

Each Sunday morning?

TOUGH LOVE — September 2, 2018

TOUGH LOVE

Being an adult means fully bearing the costs, and the consequences, of our own choices.

Unfortunately, many parents today don’t let that happen …

Then wonder why their “grown” kids are such failures at life.

Tragically, I frequently saw this when I went into our local jail …

Mostly among twenty-something “boys”  from middle class families.

Even more tragically, the parents and their churches often continued – out of guilt – to enable their immaturity even when they got out.

It never turned out well.

Do them a favor:

Stop subsidizing their immaturity and let ’em fail!

Don’t enable them, but let them begin to experience the full, unmitigated consequences of their choices …

Even if it means they go homeless and risk destitution until they begin making mature decisions and start to grow up.

Being allowed to become homeless and nearly destitute will be a great shock to them – and they may initially stumble badly – but I’ve always seen it eventually turn out to be the best thing for them.

For the first time, they are forced to begin owning their own future and growing up.

As even Paul instructed the Thessalonian church, if someone doesn’t work, then don’t feed them. 2 Th. 3:10

These are not theoretical musings, but how our own churches over the years learned to help guys from the jail who needed to grow up …

Because in the long run, tough love is often the best love you can give.

TRUE LOVE — September 1, 2018
THE GRAND DECEPTION — August 31, 2018

THE GRAND DECEPTION

Spectator “church” was born …

When narcissists discovered they could find position, prestige and power by putting on a good show each Sunday and calling it “worship.”

Haven’t we finally had enough?

And isn’t it time to return to what the New Testament actually commands for assembling together …

With ministry one to another for the mutual building up of each other?

DISCIPLESHIP — August 30, 2018

DISCIPLESHIP

It takes a community …

To make a disciple.

Perhaps that’s why pastor-centric, institutional spectator churches are so ineffective at actual discipleship …

And produce so many carnal “Christians” these days.

Perhaps that’s also why church, as actually commanded in the New Testament, instead is a simple and participatory community …

Where discipleship “naturally” happens as they gather together to mutually build up each other through ministry one to another out of the abundant, diverse gifts and abilities God distributes among us.

THE GREAT I AM — August 29, 2018
HYPOCRISY — August 28, 2018