Comments on: Not really new year resolutions:2 http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555 Sundry musings and gobbets from the web and from the head of an ordained minister and occasional human being ... Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:20:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: graham http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555&cpage=1#comment-953 graham Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:00:04 +0000 http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555#comment-953 I'm with you there Tony...sometimes though, the pull to 'stay with what you know/look after what we have' is the stronger...I'm pulled more towards what Eric quotes.. Jim- I think you are right to think about this- is is estimated that around 10 million in this country drink too much (on a recent survey)- that is a frightening proportion of our adult population. I am conniving in this...I'm not sure (is the Christian in the large SUV conniving with our consumerist culture?)... but it is where I find myself right now. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I’m with you there Tony…sometimes though, the pull to ’stay with what you know/look after what we have’ is the stronger…I’m pulled more towards what Eric quotes..

Jim- I think you are right to think about this- is is estimated that around 10 million in this country drink too much (on a recent survey)- that is a frightening proportion of our adult population. I am conniving in this…I’m not sure (is the Christian in the large SUV conniving with our consumerist culture?)… but it is where I find myself right now. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

]]> By: jim http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555&cpage=1#comment-952 jim Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:15:55 +0000 http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555#comment-952 I find myself in deep thought with this one. Personally, I don't drink much other than coffee, tea, or something like tomato/orange juice, don't encourage others to engage in stronger brew, but openly admit that I don't the Bible condemning anything but getting drunk. Your culture there is not familiar to me, but I do know that, here in the stated, alcoholism is a big factor in family abuse and a huge factor in deaths on the highway each and every year. Still, while I would not frequent any local "pub", nor would I barge into such arena with tracts and Biblical witness to "repent!", I certainly would not have any hesitation to sit with people there and simply allow God to show up in conversation as He sees fit. Having said that, I'll only add that I leave your own conscience to you, your witness here in what you write giving me reason enough to believe God could well use you there.... I find myself in deep thought with this one. Personally, I don’t drink much other than coffee, tea, or something like tomato/orange juice, don’t encourage others to engage in stronger brew, but openly admit that I don’t the Bible condemning anything but getting drunk. Your culture there is not familiar to me, but I do know that, here in the stated, alcoholism is a big factor in family abuse and a huge factor in deaths on the highway each and every year. Still, while I would not frequent any local “pub”, nor would I barge into such arena with tracts and Biblical witness to “repent!”, I certainly would not have any hesitation to sit with people there and simply allow God to show up in conversation as He sees fit. Having said that, I’ll only add that I leave your own conscience to you, your witness here in what you write giving me reason enough to believe God could well use you there….

]]> By: Eric Morris http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555&cpage=1#comment-951 Eric Morris Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:22:03 +0000 http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555#comment-951 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

]]> By: Tony Buglass http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555&cpage=1#comment-949 Tony Buglass Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:49:32 +0000 http://diggingalot.org/diggingalot/?p=2555#comment-949 There will always be those folks who want the minister to be a Private Methodist Chaplain, visit the members and drink tea with the old ladies. Sometimes, that is the right thing to do. The system assumes the minister will be the Manager, and make sure everything is done properly. Sometimes that is the right thing to do. Our ordination is to be a Representative Person, being a living symbol of the Church and the Faith, both inside the community of the Church and outside. There should be a shelf of hats, so that you can change and wear the appropriate one. The only problem comes when someone wants you ALWAYS wearing one particular hat... There will always be those folks who want the minister to be a Private Methodist Chaplain, visit the members and drink tea with the old ladies. Sometimes, that is the right thing to do. The system assumes the minister will be the Manager, and make sure everything is done properly. Sometimes that is the right thing to do. Our ordination is to be a Representative Person, being a living symbol of the Church and the Faith, both inside the community of the Church and outside. There should be a shelf of hats, so that you can change and wear the appropriate one. The only problem comes when someone wants you ALWAYS wearing one particular hat…

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