Leaving the Mennonites

ok ok your probably jumping to conclusions when you read that title.  "Wait he's leaving us, sombody stop him."  No that is not true.  But I did come across some a very interesting article(s) by an ex mennonite only a few years older than myself.  

He starts out with the beginnings of his questioning the mennonite belief system.  I found it very interesting that he points back to music as the beginning of his journey.  I can somewhat relate to that.  I found it challenging that he not only questioned the beliefs in his church but also thought through them himself.  I find myself disagreeing with people sometimes but not really studying it myself.  Check out the first article here.

I'm impressed with how he opens himself up in article 2.  You can see that his attitude is right.  By right, I mean that he is not lashing out at the Mennonite beliefs. As seen in later articles, he did not leave only because of his disagreements.  He also put a lot of thought into his decision. He tried to keep healthy relationships inside the church even when he was deciding to leave.  Check out the second article here.

Part three is less about what he believes and more on what he thinks the mennonite church could inprove in.  It is specifically directed toward older people who struggle to understand younger people.  He gives three major ideas that youth generally have that older people tend to forget.  He also notices the gap between the older and younger generation, which is not the way the church should be and it hurts both sides.  Check out article three here.  

The fourth and final article is somewhat of a continuation of the third although this one is directed toward dissatisfied youth.  He gives some very good insites on keeping relationships healthy within the church even if you are thinking of leaving.  Just because you may want out, doesn't mean the people in the church don't love you for who you are.  Check out article four here.  

I have been blessed to hear the thought processes of someone who has left the Mennonite church.  Sometimes we get caught up in all that is wrong in our Churches and Youth groups that we forget how much community and life we have.  I want to continue the good and work on improving everything.  Sure it won't always be always but it was I want to continue to do.  

DO HARD THINGS

Just finished reading Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris.  I’d recommend this book for any teenager looking for something else in life.  The authors also started the Rebelution website. 

 

The book gives an insight into the low expectations our culture has for teenagers.  Think about, if we do something to strive for excellence, the first thing most ppl say is, “At least there not doing drugs, having sex, etc.”  Well it doesn’t have to be that way.  Teenage years are not the time to party and have fun.  Not necessarily that you can’t have fun, but that should not be the main focus. 

 

We need to strive above and beyond what the cultural norm is.  We need to DO HARD THINGS.  Whether that be doing little normal things continually day after day or joining forces with other ppl to decrease world hunger.  All are part of the kingdom of God.  We Don’t need to wait until we are “grownup” to further the kingdom of God. 

 

Personally, I need to continue searching for God and finding what he wants me to strive for.  There are so many things I can do.  But am I willing.  Are we willing to do what God wants us to do?  Are we willing to lay aside our own ambitions for the kingdom of God?  

Hands Held High by Linkin Park

In my living room watching but I am not laughing
Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen

World is cold the bold men take action
Have to react to get blown into fractions

Ten years old is something to see
Another kid my age drug under the jeep

Taken and bound and found later under the tree
I wonder if he thought the next one could be me

Do you see the soldiers they're out today
They brush the guts with bullet proof vests away

It's ironic at times like this you pray
But a bomb blew up the mosque yesterday

There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads
Inside your market, your shops, your clothes

My dad he's got a lot of fear I know
But enough pride inside not to let that show

My brother had a book he would hold with pride
A little red cover with a broken spine

On the back, he handwrote a quote inside
When the rich wage war it's the poor who die

Meanwhile, the leader just talks away
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
In their living room laughing like "what did he say?"

[Chorus]
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen

I've heard this song several times the last few weeks but never really heard the lyrics until yesterday.  The second verse is amazing.  It's somewhat humorous how it pokes fun at the government in a round about way.