We get emails, lots and lots of emails:

I just came across your blog, and find it fascinating.  As a former member of the City Church and Capital Christian Center, and a frequent visitor to CBC I had to send you these clips.
 
Meet "Pastor" Krist Wilde, the youth pastor at Capital Christian Center in Boise (Son of Senior Pastor Ken Wilde). He is the self-proclaimed best friend/cousin of Judah. He has spent his adult life trying to duplicate the life and ministry of JS.  In fact, in the first few minutes of the clip from April 2008, he mentions his jealousy of the fact that he is stuck preaching while Judah is attending this year's Master's Tournament watching Tiger Woods. (2:50 in the clip)
 
http://www.capitalchristian.com/Resources/MediaViewer.aspx?id=74&st=1
 
Krist's messages are marked by:
 
Large words he looks up in the thesaurus and uses in incorrect contexts

Lots of the same marriage/sex references Judah uses

The same wardrobe stylings and flat-ironed hair from the Judah playbook

Same long winded sermons filled with lots of fluff and no substance

You combine the lack of sincerity with the desperate attempt to appear cool, and frankly, I felt a little embarrassed for the guy.  

Great question from a reader:

Alright. So, I'm a transplant from California to Seattle. Let me tell you, I've had considerable trouble finding a church to join up here, largely due to many of the doctrinal issues I just read in your blog.  (Funny story: someone recommended City Bible as a church for me, and I googled them and found this site.) Fortunately, I grew up in a church that taught me about grace properly. My problem now is finding a church that will keep me honest and provide some nourishment without helping me become more self-righteous than I probably already am. Do you have any suggestions?

Do any of you Seattle readers have any ideas?

Responding to a great question from David about making friends at Portland Bible College, a reader writes:

I had a few but distant friends. Most of my peers are VERY sheltered in the church bubble and have no idea how to relate to newer Christians and especially those with a background like mine. The same people brag about their calling to the inner city and reaching out to the lost etc… Like good ol’ charismatics, its all about talk. I stuck to a small group. There was another person i opened up the most to. I didnt trust others. I couldnt relate to the Christian culture bubble. For crying out loud, i speak English not Christianese. And people make judgments and decide who to be friends with and who is worthy to talk to based on outward spiritual lingo, cuteness & clothes you wear.

I want to highlight this comment, because it's true.  The thing about spending all your time in Church and with Church friends and going to Christian concerts and wearing Christian t-shirts and worshipping your pastor, is that you totally lose your ability to relate to anyone that isn't Christian.  *cough* CULT *cough* So many Christians spend all their time in Church asking God for the ability to reach the "lost", and yet never make any actual attempt to reach anyone outside the church. Maybe the answer is a little less Church-time and a little more world-time. 

But we know why that doesn't happen. It's hard. It requires a level of vulnerability. And Christians, in my opinion, are by and large, some of the most insecure people I know.  Most are not strong enough to step outside the Church environment. So they go to Portland Bible College, and stay comfortable for four more years.

We recently received this email from a reader:

Do either of you know anything about Frank withdrawing his membership from MFI? Would that mean he'd be withdrawing his church as well? (If so, no doubt it has something to do with Bob MacGregor being Mr. Iverson's choice for the next MFI top dog.)

If Frank is withdrawing completely, I wonder if he's starting something of his own to replace it?

Can any of you verify this statement? Or is it just a rumor? If true, I think it's probably one of the few decisions by Frank that I actually commend. MFI is a pretty useless organization.

Below are two letters I received over the weekend from readers of the blog.

The first is from a reader who opposes the blog and wishes we would stop:

i just recieved this right now. i mean, i don't mean to sound like i'm hating or anything-because i'm not, but my youth was entirely saved because of his preachings at Youth For the Nations, and i truly believe that us as humans don't have the right to judge or criticize God's servants-only he alone can do that. some ppl from my church already thought that it was okay to criticize my pastor like that, and in result, they ended up leaving the church, causing half of the church to disappear. and i already prophecied over that over millions of times, and no one believed me-until then. now, it's like "what do we do? has God left us?" and it was all because one person in the church decided that they were better than he was, in almost every way. of course, God didn't leave us, but when you talk about people like that-especially God's servants-in public media or just in public period-it could really ruin people lives-the ones that were saved by his sermons. i just think that all of you should think twice before criticizing a man of God publicly

As you can tell from this email, the Lord has apparently forgotten how to use proper grammer and punctuation when sending out His message.

Here is a letter from a fan of the blog:

Justin,
Can't tell you enough how I appreciate your comments and general content on the City Business Church Website.  I recently discovered this treasure a couple of weeks ago and have been entertained, delighted, and enlightened. 
 
My family attended Bible Temple back in the early seventies.  Things happened, and my Mother returned (freshly divorced, and of course that brought on so many judgements and stupidities) with all of us teens in tow back to the Church in the latter half of the seventies.  I saw the Church slowly embrace what is now the "prosperity" doctrine. 
 
I just wanted to say that what you are doing is absolutely wonderful; your writing is succinct, clear, witty without rancor.  It's refreshing to read material from a truly honest and THINKING Christian, honest with himself, and courageous enough to write truth.
 
Thank you,

I tell you right now, when I run for President of the Beer Club, my slogan is going to be "Justin Morton: Witty without Rancor".

And you tell me, which email did you find most persuasive? The one from the Lord or the one written from the heart.

(I suppose I should add, I do believe that God speaks to people. But I also think that most people who think they are hearing from God are really just hearing their own selfish thoughts.)

The following is a great comment from blog reader Jeff Dahl: 

 Dear Friends,

I am writing from a heart that has been transformed from twenty years of bitterness that I have finally shed towards Frank Damazio and at some great cost indeed.

My name is Jeff Dahl and I used to attend PBC back in 1981-82. Recently my wife of 20 years has divorced me and my life has been turned on it's head. After now being separated 9.5 months and divorced 4.5, I came to the realization that my bitterness towards Pastor Frank, (who married us) was a key element in the destruction of my marriage.

I invite anyone to write to me @ jeff@tahtinen.org and feel free to forward this to anyone. I want to spread the message of MY FORGIVENESS experience. I have been stuck for so long. Many of us that god makes sensitive and creative fall into this pit, this clay, this manure. Lord Jesus cleanse each and every one of us that have ever been hurt and grace us with the ability to do as you do and lay your life down for us while we are yet in sin (and loving every minute of it). May you further your kingdom and let your power and glory be evident in your temple…..US!

Jeff Dahl

Thank you Jeff for your honesty and openness. Bitterness is a real killer and we must always be on guard to watch that our hearts do not become consumed by it.

Detox Church Group has this to say: 

Davie Said,

"I have found that dialogues on BLOGS are generally unproductive and unlikely to effect any change on either side of those ‘dialogues’. In fact, discussing in ‘abstract’ topics that are rooted in actual personal events and experiences tend to not be helpful."

What exactly is your expertise on blogging?

Contrary to your comment, this Blog has been one of the most helpful forums for those of us in our town who dared to disembark from an authoritarian Pastor Cult church. It helped us see that we weren’t the crazy ones, going against the status quo of what has become the Church today, that indeed there is a community of Christians who actively engage their minds as well as their spirits, and seek to know the meaning of the Scriptures.

If not for this blog, I personally may have given up on Christianity completely because 95% of what I had seen represented in the Christian community around me or if I ever glimpsed Christians on TV, proved to be (and still is) an embarrassment to me and I cringe to think I was a part of that. Not so much because of pride, although that could be lurking in me, but because it doesn’t echo the Spirit of Christ we see in the Bible. I could have easily walked away if what I was seeing was all there was going to be (i.e. Is this IT?? You’ve GOT to be kidding!). But the Blog, along with the healthy, non-dysfunctional, non-authoritarian, non-pastor cult church I am attending today with a few close friends and family, has helped me see that Jesus really IS who He represents Himself to be in the Bible.

I never wanted to give up on Christ. He’s the sane one, the beautiful one, the all-loving one who listens and really cares about the condition of my heart and life. Who I want to give up on are Posers who use His name to do strange and controlling things to the people they have been entrusted with. In fact, I’ve pretty much written those types off. I have no room in my life for them anymore. My friend said it best the other day that they aren’t on the same team as we are. They aren’t allies, comrades, brethren who are slightly tweaked in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, because of their evil and controlling behaviour, who they resemble most are the enemies of Christ.

We’ve individually come to the conclusion that the boundary line has to be drawn and these types are not our types and we don’t want to be associated with them ever again. There can be a forgiveness but forgiveness is no cause stupidity and letting the Takers take all again — some of these people are sociopaths cloaked in their Religiousness and most of the church is too gullible to even see it. And the world is sitting by watching God’s people being duped over and over again. Why would they want to come to Christ if that’s what is going to happen to them??

Thank GOD for these voices on the Blog and in the Normal Church who are helping undo the damage done. By pointing back to the simplicity of the scriptures and the grace of God and what Jesus accomplished on the cross, it reminds us not to return to slavery again (Gal 5:1). David Mackin’s comments have been extremely helpful as well as others who have gone through similar strangeness — in our case beginning with borderline abuse that grew into blatent abuse, but in some of their cases extreme abuse. Also, the HUMOR of some of the other Bloggers has been most helpful, even if it is sometimes irreverant, because it lightens us up and helps us not take ourselves quite so seriously.

 Thank you Detox…we greatly appreciate your comments.

A public service announcement from Craig (www.doctrinetalk.com): 

When John the Baptist was baptizing people, they asked him what they need to do to be saved. He told them to repent (very important part) and if you have 2 cloaks, to give one to someone who doesn’t have one. Basically, you don’t need two, so give it to someone who has none.

Now what is preached by the prosperity camp is, go get a bunch of cloaks, and give one out of ten away. If you are really spiritual, you will give away 3 or 4…but keep the best for yourself, because that’s why Jesus died on the cross…so we can partake in the blessings of Abraham’s covenant.

Does that make sense? Can you see how what is preached at these churches just 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Jesus said to not give any thought to what we will eat or what we’ll wear because that’s what the heathen do, and Paul said with food and clothing let that be enough? They didn’t encourage us to go after blessings so we can bless others, they encouraged us to bless with what we already have, even if we only have 2 cloaks.

Craig, thank you for this. It's perfect.

We get questions, lots and lots of questions:

I moved to San Diego in 2004 from the East Coast and started attending the City Church plant in San Diego. I left with my husband in July of 2006, leaving my 2 teenage girls there because they were so involved with Generation Church. I went back in April of 2007 to be supportive of my girls, but left about one month ago because I felt they were in grave error.

You don’t know how many times I read the posts on this blog to confirm what I always thought about the City Church. I would not post while I was attending there because I felt that would be unfair to church or my kids. I really wanted to go back with the right attitude and give it another try which I felt I really did.

I have a question regarding the pastor’s salaries.

Those pastors in a church plant, are their salaries paid by the mother church in Seattle?

Do any of these MFI churches ever reveal the church’s finances to the body of believers? My general opinion of all MFI churchs are that they are are a dusted-off, revived version of the 1970s discipleship movement of the Charismatic movement.

Also, is there anyone else out there who has left the church only to leave teenagers behind in Generation Church?

Any readers know the answer to these questions?

I've thought a lot about the subject of God ordaining evil over the past week…and what I decided was that I don't have the answers…it's all a little confusing for me. I would, however, still like to continue this discussion.

For starters, this whole concept of God Ordaining Evil is obviously offensive to some, but the problem is that no-one has been able to tell me where "evil" came from. Now, maybe we should just refer to it as "the mystery of iniquity" and say we don't know where evil came from…which I could accept, but that doesn't really help this discussion…so I'd still like someone to take a stab at explaining how God can be all powerful and the Creator of the world and yet take no responsibility for "evil" showing up.

One of the most interesting parts of this discussion for me is the issue of trusting a loving God. When I sit back and say "God is the author of all the good, bad, and ugly on this earth and I have no way of knowing His plan and purpose due to the fact that I am an ignorant fool in comparison to His great glory" it makes me feel comforted…comforted to know that there is a reason and a purpose that I may not understand…but by faith I can believe that God will work all this out for his own Glory.

Others seem to be saying, "How can you have peace and trust in a God who would ordain such evil".

Here's where I am at: This world is NOT about me, and it's NOT about you…or anyone else for that matter. We are simply here to bring Glory to God, and when I hear people say, "It's not in God's nature to ordain evil", I say "Who are you to say what is and what is not in God's nature?" There have been many scriptures listed that show "God's nature" being one of wrath and anger in which He clearly ORDAINS a lot of horrible sounding things (at least horrible in our human reality)…but do any of us want to stand before God and tell Him what He should and should not do?

It sounds to me like we want to apply our ideals to God when maybe, just maybe, God is bigger than we can even imagine. For instance, we define "love" as "a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person"; we than see that the Bible claims that "God is Love" therefore God must exibit "a profoundly tender and passionate affection for mankind"…but who are we to tell God what Love is?

Should we apply our limited knowledge to a limitless God?

I'm not sure if I am being very clear at all or if I've just lost my mind…last night, Negro-D said to me "This is really a conversation that should be had over beers…it's to complex to discuss in this forum"…and I think he's right. Still, it's fun to try.

Let me leave you with a few comments from a man who amazes me every time I read his stuff:

John Piper, over at http://www.desiringgod.org/ has this to say in an article discussing "Open Theism":  

But in reality our pain and losses are always a test of how much we treasure the all-wise, all-governing God in comparison to what we have lost. We see this merciful testing of God throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Deuteronomy 8:3 Moses said, "And [God] humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." In other words, God ordains the hard times ("he . . . let you hunger") to see if good times are our god. Do we love bread, or do we love God? Do we treasure God and trust his good purposes in pain, or do we love his gifts more, and get angry when he takes them away?

We see this testing in Psalm 66:10-12, "For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water." And we see it in the life of Paul. When he prayed for his thorn in the flesh to be taken away Christ told him what the purpose of the pain was. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). The test for Paul was: Will you value the magnifying of Christ's power more than a pain-free life?

We see this testing in 1 Peter 1:6-7, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." God ordains trials to refine our faith and prove that we really trust his wisdom and grace and power, when hard times come. Similarly in James 1:2-3, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. . . . Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." Do we love God? That is the point of the test. Do we cherish him and the merciful wisdom of his painful purposes, more than we cherish pain-free lives? That is the point of God's testing.

Our trials reveal the measure of our affection for this earth - both its good things and bad things. Our troubles expose our latent idolatry.

For those who believe that God rules purposefully and wisely over all things, our response to loss is a signal of how much idolatry is in our souls. Do we really treasure what we have lost more than God and his wisdom? If we find ourselves excessively angry or resentful or bitter, it may well show that we love God less that what we lost. This is a very precious discovery, because it enables us to repent and seek to cherish Christ as we ought, rather than being deceived into thinking all is well.

Oh, and David Mackin, I'm sure you've got good reasons to keep silent on this subject, but I'm just dying to know…what are your thoughts?