I make people angry. I can’t help myself. It’s a gift. I think I know what it is. I’m convinced that we cannot change by increments. I mean the change that matters. Personally and corporately. If anyone is in Christ, behold, there is a new creation! Resurrection doesn’t happen gradually. We need radical transformation. I’ve kept a journal for over 20 years. I read entries from years ago, and guess what… I’m the same me. And it’s not for a lack of trying! My journals are full of effort, willpower and passion. But I had it all wrong. These human qualities are useless to save us. We’re not asked to tweak, adjust, reorganize, renovate or reform, which we excel in. We’re to be transformed. We’re to be raised by resurrection power. When Jesus raised Lazarus, he didn’t warn everyone to give the guy some time to perpetually compose himself and freshen up. He said, “Unwrap him and set him free!” Bingo! I think that’s what we need.
What this means for the church is too scary for us to consider, and this is what makes people angry. I believe we need to be totally re-created. Which means I believe demolition is necessary first. If we need resurrection, then first we must die. But no, we all want to hold on to what we have, or at least the good parts, and carry them with us beyond our fake funeral to our lovely new life. No deal! And the church insists on continuing this burnt-out strategy of reformation. Our number one fixation is with survival because our number one obsession is death. The church included! We get angry because we are required to die before we live. We’ll have none of it.
Yup. This is what my blog is about, and this is what my ministry is about. And I get people angry online and off. But, like I said, it’s my gift. If only people would realize something crucial about what I say: I’m about life… new life, resurrection life, abundant life. But all most people hear is, “You gotta die first!” and it ticks them off.
The fine art photograph is the creation of my friend Mark Hemmings. She looks a little angry, but she’s pretty at it.
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David Hayward is an artist trapped in a pastor's body, stripping to the essential.
Yup. When I first got to the congregation I’m currently serving we had a person in leadership here that thought I “didn’t value people” because I knew that a good part of being made new in Christ meant quite a bit of being deconstructed by Christ. That leader is no longer here – but I am, and some new disciples are being made in this Church for the first time in a long time.
It was touch and go for a while, eventually a bunch of folks just stopped coming – now at present we’re “going.” It’s hectic, frustrating, and wonderful work – and I love/hate every minute of it.
Amen!! Couldn’t have put it better myself!
that is profound and simple and so so very true. if it makes you feel better, I piss people off all the time too.
I think that is a major revelation you have communicated and it really strikes a cord with me.
when you are born you are pretty unspoilt… it takes minutes for us to start to learn how to manipulate. then as we get older we become more and more corrupted until we become a shadow self of the person who was born. death to self is to find ourself… that should be a large proportion of what the good news is i think.
it’s the good news that pisses people off… how weird is that!?
once again… at the risk of sounding like i’m sucking up… amen!
while we’re on the subject pissing people off… here’s something that pisses me off.
the church in the west is, at it’s best, so consumed with the need to save souls it forgets that the good news is for all of creation… george bush, the most famous self professed christian of the western world is really just following his church upbringing when he doesn’t give a damn about the creation… after all, he believes it will be consumed! read the bible again you ignorant git… renewed heavens and renewed EARTH!
it’s no wonder people turn to other religions if they are caring, because the church doesn’t seem to have anything to say on the matter! when that’s the whole purpose of the god of the hebrews! to bring all of creation back to himself!
sorry for the rant… maybe i should start my own ranting blog then i won’t clutter your pages. it’s just that your rant made me want to rant too. it’s over now and i feel alot better.
Question? If the transformation happens so quickly and right away, why is it still so hard to shed some of the more despicable things about ourselves?
ah i love the sound of all that, and i really hope i can see it happen. but even though reading that ignited passion within me and a big “amen” i also know that when asked to do my part, i probably would try and take luggage with me to my death. hopefully someday i’ll get to the point where i don’t…
Wow, what a gift!
So they get a little pissed (off) – there’s a saying for that – dead men don’t squawk. So they’re not dead yet. (This from a huge squawker) That’s ok, cause fortunately, He is more committed to my death than I am. And then I suppose it’s not my death that He’s committed to – it’s resurrection…
David – you said “I’m about life… new life, resurrection life, abundant life” – You could change the name of your church to Abundant Life Church….. he he
ok so hi naked pastor. I put a link of your blog on my blog.
please link me up.
-ashley
Chris: Good question that is hard to answer.
Amen.
Love all you said (but sadly I don’t make people nearly angry enough.)
It seems to be my biggest personal struggle at the moment.(I suspect it is for others, too) If you do come up with answer, please, let me know. Because I just keep running into the wall.
Chris, you really kinda need to work out this with some people who are near (and hopefully “dear”) to you in Christ. Answering here is a bit like responding as “Dear Abby.” To get started, you’ve got Paul being seriously frustrated with himself in the Book of Romans, followed by Praise God. The disciples constantly getting things wrong, then right, then wrong again in the three years they spent every waking moment with Jesus, and then there’s this wonderful quote:
It takes huge amounts of time and grace to be remolded in Christ’s image – that’s about as much as I can give you on a forum like this – in person with other compassionate Christians is the best way to learn it and submit to it.
See… I was reading this post to see why you had a picture of a sexy, hott chick alongside what you were wrote. I read and I read… but I had hard time focusing on what I was reading because I was looking at the chick. I kept looking for a connection to the girl, but was also distracted by the girl. Finally, I got to the end and there it was… the picture of the girl was there to make a point. You were angry… she looks angry…. now I get it.
But I didn’t think she looked angry at all. She looks like she wants me. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective (and mine is sometimes skewed I guess). But hey, I am for using pictures of hott girls any chance you get… whatever the reason. Keep it coming.
You may be right, Steve C.: She does want you, but she’s angry that she does. Something analogous there.
I’m uncomfortable with the idea that renewal requires destruction, and going further back along the chain of thought, I’m not at all happy that you assume people need “saving” or renewing at all.
Most people I know are basically good people. They may have some erroneous ideas about things, or they may be emotionally immature or damaged, or they may be selfish as a result of poor parenting, and all of these things would benefit from a guiding hand to address, if that individual so desires, but renewal? Not possible, and not necessary. Quit assuming the worst of human nature and accept people for what they are.
Dear Beautiful Naked Pastor…I loved this blog. I know that for myself that I am the very one that has dragged my baggage or should I say my corpse into my new resurrected life, strapped to my back!! Whether it be childhood trauma, learned behavior, of just living in the “world” it is with me. It is that “deconstucting” process of crucifing my flesh, the old dead me, that is tough and a daily stuggle. Upon salvation and that moment of my “death” then I have been raised from that moment to a new creation. All things are new. This is such a simple elemental truth of salvation that most cannot grasp it. Is this because we think we need to “do” something to deserve this or “earn” it? Thru my walk as a follower of Christ I have come to realize AND He has helped me to do this….that I am nothing. My identity is in Him from the moment of rebirth. I love your heart….
Chris,
I had a bit of a revelation today regarding your question.
I think God strips away some things and leaves others for us to humble ourselves.
For me sex was one of my many areas of temptation, but it is one of the areas the Lord has given me his grace in. Other areas of my life have not been touched, like my tongue and the words it can use to curse or bless.
For me anyway, I realized that God seemed to have released my from defiling my body (his temple) which is related to my commitment to re-establish my relationship with Him.
Yet other stuff, I believe He is seeing how committed I am to humbling myself and praying things through. I can really believe for this as God is not going to force us into anything. I hope that all made sense to you.
My advice. note those items in your personality and life that you know are hindering you and fervently out them at the cross and trust the Lord. You may have to make the first step, God knows your heart, if it isn’t sincere don’t expect Him to move/cleanse/remove till your heart is sincere. Use relevant scripture to pray into the situation.
Blessings
Gordon