Showing posts with label relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relationships. Show all posts

Friday, February 13, 2009

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.  

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

I Don't Want to Fight by Derek Webb

I don’t want to be right anymore
I don’t want to be good
I don’t want to change your mind
to feel it like I do

I don’t wanna sell graves
peddle them door to door
a little something to ease your mind
and prepare you for what’s in store

[Chorus]
I don’t want to fight
brother I’m not joking about peace
we can have it here tonight
it all comes down to you and me

you never asked me to save anyone
not in whole or in part
like I was some kind of Holy Ghost
come to change their hearts

[Chorus]

you know the tree by the fruit
but just between me and you
I never do what I want
I do what I’m taught
and I’ve been learning a lot
about the violence I’m capable of

so I’m walking away from this
before I hurt someone
’cause I’m facing enemies
on both sides of the gun

Friday, January 2, 2009

“We Really Do Need Each Other”

by Reuben Welch 


You know something—

we’re all just people who need each other. 

 

We’re all learning

            and we’ve all got a long journey ahead of us.

                        We’ve got to go together

                                    and if it takes us until Jesus comes

                        we better stay together

                        we better help each other.

            And I dare say

                        that by the time we get there

                                    all the sandwiches will be gone

                        and all the chocolate will be gone

                        and all the water will be gone

                        and all the backpacks will be empty.

            But no mater how long it takes us

                        we’ve got to go together.

                        Because that’s how it is

                        in the body of Christ.

            It’s all of us

                        in love

                                    in care

                                                in support

                                                            in mutuality—

                                                                        we really do need each other.

 

Between the lines

 

This

            is

                        not

                                    automatic.

                                                I am personally responsible.

                                                            So are you.