You will experience more theology when holding your granddaughter than all the books you have read in the past 20 years…..at least that has been my experience with the miracle of a granddaughter. And, as for those who think you have missed the boat, just keep on using the gift the Lord gave to you. You are an inspiration to many to follow Jesus. If our committment is to him, and to him crucified, grace will make up for everything else. God bless you brother. I love reading your blog.

You’re by no means the only one who feels that way.

I’m pretty convinced that what I’ve taught is on target (it came after thousands of hours of study and prayer — which doesn’t guarantee it’s right, I realize), but honestly, my hope is built on nothing less (or more) than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

When I stand before God, my plan is not to defend my exegesis of certain passages but to say “I’m with him” (Christ). And I don’t mean that in a shallow since. I mean it in the fullest sense. More than anything else in life, I want to know Christ, follow him, and join him in his repair of a rebellious world. More than you can imagine, I believe he is the Way and that he has shown us the way.

Mike

I know that may make “God Bless” uncomfortable, and I would tell him/her: I was uncomfortable when I first attended Highland. I was uncomfortable the longer I stayed there and became a member and became more involved. Discomfort can be a very good thing. It can make you re-evaluate what you believe and why. It can drive you back to the Word with an open mind and heart. It can bring you to your knees in the very presence of God.

“Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fight to win the prize, and sail through bloody seas?”

I pray God will put me in the fight.

And to blazes with comfort.

PS I’m really impressed with you being able to post pictures in commnets… You’ve gone techno on us!

I am very comfortable with the family at Highland. That was not always the case. As we have changed several things over the last 17 years, I have been pushed outside my comfortable envelope a few times. However, my reaction has changed over the years. At first, it was difficult because I didn’t really have an identity in the family. Through the years as relationships have deepened with the people around me and I have learned to trust the elders and God, it is easier for me to deal with new traditions and open study on our ’sacred cows’.

I do (and probably should) feel a discomfort when I’m part of the world outside my circle of Christian friends. It seems so foreign to me that people live their life without brothers and sisters and God. All these things hold me up and make sense in a world where so little does.

I feel alternating levels of comfort with different aspects of ministry with which I’m involved. In some cases, I am comfortable because it is a ministry or task that fits exactly with the gifts that God has given me. In others, I feel that it is a direction in which He wants me to grow. In others, I’ve had to conclude that I am lacking a gift and I have to be content even though I am not a hand or an eye or a head.

To the brother that feels uncomfortable: You family is a place where you should feel comfortable, though there should also be seasons of stretching and growth. My counsel would be to give it a season of time for prayer and talk to brothers and sisters whom you trust. If, after that season, you feel that you fit best in a different family, God bless you and help you find a place where your gifts further His glory. Test Him on this. He wants to show you His faithfulness.

What they both need is a man of God, on and off the field, whom they know loves them both and will tell them the truth. Mike, you are that guy for a great host of God’s children.

You are to be imitated by others in my view.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

It is clear that you have strong convictions about several key issues that are certainly controversial these days. I understand and appreciate that. And I have little doubt that you and Mike have come to different conclusions regarding what the Bible teaches on some of these issues — though I would not presume to speak for either of you.

But as an observer of Mike’s ministry and an ardent pursuer of truth, I do want to correct one fairly large mistake you have made. In no sense is Mike’s ministry or preaching a slave to any “feel-good movement.” As someone who has listened to his preaching and speaking quite a lot in recent years, I can testify that he rarely leaves you feeling good… At least, not in the sense you mean. Instead, his speaking and leadership priorities center on the cross of Jesus, the importance of self-sacrificial discipleship, and selfless loyalty to the Christian community that is Christ’s body. Barely tall enough to be seen, he incessantly points away from himself towards Jesus, calling people to imitate the Jesus lifestyle.

Whereas clinging to well-worn habits and traditional practices could be seen as a surrender to the gods of comfort and familiarity, Mike is one of many gospel preachers who challenge us to focus on Christ, whatever the cost to personal comfort, and wherever that may lead. His own remark about the path ahead, “I’m afraid it won’t be comfortable…” is a reminder that people-pleasing is not a priority in this agenda.

So, apart from the legitimate differences of opinion that the two of you may have, please do not continue to suppose that one side of it has anything to do with feel-good priorities or people-pleasing, because that is patently false.

Congrats on the granddaughter, Mike.

I know that people respond differently to news such as Mike’s, but I want to say that I’m not sure your response is entirely appropriate.

Just because Mike’s having a granddaughter doesn’t mean you should come out with some horrible screed attacking him, and I’d hardly say it means he’s “jumped the fence” on “women’s roles” just because he’s happy it’s going to be a girl. True, grandsons can be a lot of fun, but granddaughters are also undeniably wonderful, and embracing this exciting news is hardly something that calls for a “STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Please.” Perhaps you’ve misunderstood, but being excited about having a female grandchild is hardly false doctrine–though obviously it would be associated with a “feel good movement.” Still, I think very few in the church would condemn such feelings…

By the way (and I know this is going to sound ridiculous), for a moment, I thought you might be talking about church doctrine rather than the news about Mike’s impending grandchild. You might want to be careful in the future to write more clearly so that your message won’t be misunderstood for being something it’s not (like a “blessing). But obviously you can’t be talking about scriptural doctrine since the Bible makes it clear that women played a very active role in the early church–praying, prophesying, even leading churches in their homes. I have to admit that I felt a bit silly for having been confused for a moment and thinking that this wasn’t all about the baby’s gender. Anyway, Mike can hardly be said to be teaching false doctrine (unless you consider the Bible false), and if you’re going to condemn Mike, then I suppose you’d also have to have it out for Paul (who praises all those women for doing these things in his various letters). So obviously, you couldn’t be talking about the Bible and its doctrine. Again, I’m embarrassed to admit my initial misunderstanding of your post. And the final piece that made it clear you had to be talking about the grandchild was when you condemned Mike so strongly for being in “so many lies.” Had you been talking about Highland’s worship and doctrine regarding women, you would have had to address the fact that their position on women’s roles was decided by Highland’s elders after a couple of years of focused, serious biblical study and prayer and affirmed by the congregation after serious time in prayer and with the scriptures. So obviously, you couldn’t address Mike alone as the ‘culprit’ for that.

Still (and I know I digress here), I suppose some people would rather cut parts out of the Bible than examine their own hearts… Thus, even though you were obviously talking about something else (since you were clearly referring only to your preferences regarding the gender of Mike’s new grandbaby), it is true that false doctrine can land people in dangerous places. People who want to edit the Bible for their own biases should indeed be careful… And were you talking about biblical doctrine rather than your opinions about the baby, we’d have to address you seriously for your own biblical misunderstanding and doctrinal error, your contentiousness, your lack of consideration for a brother in Christ, and your lack of charity… For that matter, we might even be compelled to confront your inability to spell “feel” properly. Luckily, that’s not the case.

Finally, I was glad to see (and this was a profound signal that you had to be discussing the baby) that you called down blessings on Mike (even though your note appeared to be exclusively about cursing). I’m glad that, like the rest of us, you were able (finally) to rejoice at the news of Mike’s grandbaby. I’m glad that, even though you feel like embracing the idea of a girl rather than a boy is “false doctrine,” you were finally able to reconcile yourself to the news and offer Mike such heartfelt congratulations…