TeBeTOEians

Lon's Letter to the Church at TBTOE (The Best Town On Earth)

General Assembly 219, The Final Hours

For all the frustrations of an orthodox Presbyterian preacher here in Minneapolis (yes, there are a few of us), I truly don’t have to pause long to consider the benefits I’ve received this week.  We are a strong church – weird in many ways – but willing to truly look at our world and attempt to transform it for Christ (again, sometimes in what seems to be weird ways).  I still believe, unlike many in Minneapolis, that God’s agenda for us has so much more to do with our holiness than our happiness.  I still believe the primary goal of our discipleship is not to further a politically correct social agenda for ourselves or others.  It is rather to learn from God’s Holy Word for our daily living, from the grateful perspective of the gift of salvation that only comes through Christ Jesus, who is Lord.  I am reminded there is more to being a Christian than any of us are willing to admit, because being a Christian has to do with every part of our lives and every part of what our lives should be. 

I read an interesting news item on the internet this morning.  Social prognosticators chose the top ten companies expected to be out of business by the end of 2011.  Among the big names we all would know who don’t seem to be able to stand strong in changing times and a wobbly society: Reader’s Digest, Blockbuster, Dollar Thrifty Car Rental, T-Mobile, Radio Shack, and Merrill Lynch.  The thing I find interesting is that people will continue to read, watch movies at home, rent cars, use cells phones, buy electronics, and make investments – they just won’t be using these outlets.  So what if we had a list of denominations no longer relevant in our society today?  What would the criteria be – a church whose mission statement is diluted by the society it came to change…or one whose ministry continues to be that of promoting a dynamic life for Christ that is in the world, but not of the world?  Just a thought… 

So then, I’ll be on the afternoon flight back home today.  Bottom line:  I come home willing to give my PC extended family some credit, but…I come home really ready to he home with all my family at FPC.  I love you even more than a week ago.