The language of our faith

So today I was having a fun little chat with a friend on Facebook. We were bantering back and forth, using words we should not, and as I did I had a very profound thought. At least I think it is. I began to think of the way we talk about our faith... the words we use to communicate what we believe. So, here is my spin on what has happened over the last twenty years to ... (cue pigs in space music) ... "The Language of our Faith"... the word faith echos a few times and fades out.

The first time I heard the word "Christian-ese" was at some youth gathering in 1987 or 1988 ... Becky Pipperts book "out of the saltshaker and into the world" was huge as was "Frog in the Kettle" by Barnum ... Petra had released the song "Seen and not Heard" with the incredible hook line... "Sometimes Gods people should be seen and not heard"... We all rocked out to that one in our shredded jeans and mullets. The word Christian-ese is a term used to discribe the way we "Christians" talk about our faith. Terms like "washed in the blood", I was lost but, now I am found"... "Jesus is the propitiation for our sins" ... "I have Jesus in my heart" and many other terms used to describe our faith were deemed "Christian-ese"... Christian-ese soon became synonymous with uncool, out of touch, old, stupid, useless and useless. Over the last twenty years this kind of thinking has left a very large gap in the way believers talk about their faith simply because they were not told how to replace these "uncool" terms with new more relevant terms. What this has done, over time, is to cause believers to think that talking about their faith or explaining their faith is not important or at best only for those who are gifted and "out there".

So, Christians have been told by Christian leaders that the words they use to explain their faith were dated and out of touch and should not be used ... Because it sounded like Christian-ese ... But, they were not given a new language to use when talking about their faith... so, they stopped talking about their faith and started only relying on good deeds, and social justice to show people their faith. Unfortunately, the Bible says that if people do not hear they will not believe.

Many of us believed and embraced the whole Christian-ese thing and began to search for new and more relevant ways to communicate the gospel. We used more metaphor, told more stories, tried parables, ... replaced words like guilt, sin, and hell with feel bad, stuff and consequences... We used visuals to help us communicate, referred to movies, top 40 songs, humor, and current events... We did all these things to not be "Christian-ese" ... to be relevant, culturally congruent, cool ... and it worked ... our churches grew ... as we became more like the world and used media the way the world communicated other christians left their uncool churches and came to ours... The "not yet saved" just stayed where they were because they already had all the cool stuff that we just added. Some of us put on dances, or learned how to dance and started clubing to become more enmeshed into the lives of the "Ones God loves as much as believers" and just to make them feel more at ease we had a couple beers with them or some wine... (normally I had beer because I'm a better dancer after a couple beers)... so, now the Cool, Relevant, Non-christian-ese, Culturally Accurate churchs; do not talk about their faith, communicate through media like the world, dance, drink, and feel like a club. All of this just to keep from sounding like a Christian... wow, what alot of work... but, did it work?

No! It did not work. It made no change at all... if anything fewer people are being converted, or transformed to day than ever before... and of those who make some kind of an acknowledgment toward God... many, many, do not know if they are truly a believer or in who, or what, they believe. Our Non-Christian-ese language has turned our message into a diluted, all inclusive, un-offensive, mouth full of crap that has left people confused and speechless... a people without a language ... who learn how to manage sin and have no idea what transformation is.

Do you remember the men and women who told the stories of how the were addicted to alcohol, or drugs, or lived a life of crime but, when they believed in Jesus and let Him wash them clean they never drank again, used again, their life was transformed never to be the same again ... They let the blood of Jesus wash them clean ... do you think anyone thought it was real blood... do you really think people did not know it was a metaphor, a spiritual expression, or a story about a miraculous encounter with God... please ... no one is that stupid ... I grew up in the south... a redneck of rednecks ... my Grandpa Barney was illiterate and even he could figure out how salvation worked, what the blood of Jesus meant, how to redeem something or be redeemed ... he had a language of faith and he understood the language of faith.

In my attempts to shake believers awake, or those who think they believe because they watched "Braveheart" and had the chills when Mel Gibson yelled "Freedom". I have begun to use a mix of languages to confuse the mind and free the heart. I attack the things believers have been taught and have accepted without questioning, and dare them to think again ... I challenge them ... and I use what ever language it takes, I say things I should not, things that offend, things that surprise, things that take their breath away ... and then, while their minds are spinning ... I Preach ... I preach a message of repentance, and talk about the blood of Jesus and how it cleanses us from our sins and sets us free and gives us the ability to overcome all evil and negative things in our lives ... The blood of Jesus redeems us, He bought us back, and made it possible for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit so we can be transformed from what we were "a sinner" into "a shining light"... from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. When I do this 65 to 75% of the hearers "believers" ... believe... their hearts are open and they really believe, they repent, they weep and they rejoice ... and they know they are saved ... they feel it... they call their family and friends and tell them something great has happened... However, I was quickly told by those in charge that this was not appropriate language to use while preaching ... truth is, I forgot if I was talking in the church or in the world, it all looked the same to me. My "not yet saved friends" say these words or this language all day, every other breath and more than half of those who call themselves believers do the same... I just had the guts to bring the real me to church... So, much for the whole "christian-ese" topic ... thats about as "non-christian-ese" as you can get. Did it work? Yes, it worked.

Being a people without a language has made it very difficult for us to spread the message of our faith... Perhaps it is time to accept the language that we do have and use it until we discover a better one. The language God used to describe our faith may be a good place to start.

Something "I AM NOT"

My counselor and my therapist were talking and they thought it would be a good idea for me to continue writing my blog ... so, after they removed the restraints I said I would.  Negotiation is a very useful tool ....  I have been thinking lately about what I really, truly, am ... I have traveled back in time with my special machine... (My brain)... and am recording all the little things that have shaped the person that I know today as Jesse ... the good things and the bad things.  Some of the things that have shaped me are my own doing, my own choices, and some of the things that shape me are the actions and words of others and how I have chosen to let them shape me.

When I was a young boy others shaped me more easily than when I became a teen and it seems that as I grew older it became less of what others did and more of how I chose to let their actions and words shape me ...  If I agreed with what they said or did it shaped me ...  If I disagreed, it still shaped me ... but, I got to choose how it shaped me ... If I "reacted" in disagreement to their words and actions it shaped me negatively but, if I responded to their words and actions I shaped myself.  

For instance:  When I was young I was taught not to let people insult my Mom or my sister ... so it was illegal for people to say degrading things about my Mom, and my sister .. for the most part you could just look at the person who said something bad and say "hey, watch your mouth"... and everything was back to normal ... However, if they called your Mom or sister a "bitch" then you punched them in the mouth ... if they continued to insult your Mom or sister then you continued with the a fore mentioned method of communication until they stopped insulting your Mom or sister ... (remember this was before the invention or discovery of turrets syndrome ... interesting)  Therefore, throughout my jr. high and sr. high school life I had a few scuffles with others, who insulted my Mom or sister, that resulted in the ministry of the "laying on of hands" ... or fighting ... but, not just fighting ... "fighting to defend the honor of your Mom or your sister" ... now, remember that statement "not just fighting, ... fighting to defend the honor of your mother or sister" ... No one, absolutely no one, not one single person in my home town or that I grew up with would call me a "fighter" a few would say " well you better not call his mom or sister a bitch" ... but, even they would not call me a fighter.  However, as I have grown older and things have changed culturally so has the interpretation and application of this story.

I met the woman that has been my wife for almost 24 years 25 years ago ... I met the girl that is my daughter 19 years ago ... sometime between 1962 and 2009 "Bitch" became a word that you could use to describe anyone you want ... a few years ago before I realized that "Bitch" was actually a term of endearment and encouragement ... someone, who will always and forever remain nameless, called my daughter a bitch ... so I defended her honor by instructing the young man that he was out of bounds ... "Hey, watch your mouth" or as I put it "If, I did not know you, and I heard you speak to my daughter this way, I would rip your face off" ... and suddenly I was abusive and harsh and scary and mean and over the top and out of touch and threatening ... "Now for those of you who do not understand  "ripping ones face off" is a metaphor, it does not mean to go Jeffery Dalmer on someone ... I did not intend to really rip off some-ones face and throw it on the floor or carry it around ... what I was trying to communicate was "you are out of bounds", "this is not legal", "you are showing dishonor to my daughter" ... "my wife, my sister, my mom, your mom, your sister and all women" and "I am telling you to stop it right now".  Now, I tell this story to make a point or two or three... first: I reacted to this situation when I should have responded ... I reacted in a way that I was trained and instructed since I was a young boy and as a young boy was rewarded for protecting the honor of my Mom and sister and now my Wife and daughter ... That reaction is no longer acceptable... as an adult, a man, I needed to respond in a different way ... I would still have gotten my point across and would not have been tagged a scary, abusive, over the top, mean face ripper offer.  When I reacted I some how created the place for these untrue statements and energy to stick and shape a weaker me.  The weaker me tried to be okay with someone calling his daughter a bitch, the weaker me tried to choose peace over protection... I have noticed that when ever I react to the actions and words of others I create this space where their words, actions and energy stick.  When I respond, ... listen first, think second and slow to respond ... I get to shape me and their words, actons and energy has no place to stick or hang onto ... I think this is a spiritual thing  ...To respond is better than to react because a slow response lets you shape you and removes the space where negative words actions and energy stick.   Point 2: Now that I have been enlightened to the cultural changes of our time I understand that all men and women (equal rights) are okay with their wives and daughters being called bitches ... just the other day some friends and I were gathered around a new born baby girl saying "awe what a cute little bitch"... her little pink bitch p.j.'s ... look at her little bitch toes and bitch fingers ... is that little bitch bitchin for something to eat ... awww...  I dare anyone of you to look your little girl in the eyes right now and call her a "bitch" ... look her right in the eyes and let the word "bitch" role off your tongue and out of your mouth and into her clean mind and pure heart ... go ahead... if "bitch" means nothing why can't you do it... why can't you even think of doing it without cringing ...  (some of you want to punch me right in the pie hole for even suggesting such a horrible thing ... well good on ya!)  Point 3: I have the right to defend the honor of my wife and daughter and son, I am their dad.  I have been put on this earth to protect and provide for them and if you do not approve of this I have a spot reserved for your kissing.  I AM NOT a fighter... I am a defender. I AM NOT intimidating ... I am convicted that my family is worth standing up for.  I AM NOT abusive ... I am committed heart soul, mind and strength to my family and their right to be free from oppression and abuse and insult or anything and anyone that will keep them from becoming as great as I see them to be already.

That was one example of how someone elses words, actions and energy  and my reaction and or response shaped the person I was.  As a boy I was shaped ... then as a man I was shaped or reshaped and, today, I am choosing how I will let these words, actions and energy shape the man I want to be for my family today and in my future.  My future is my past modified... or kustomized.

That was one example "someone calling my mom and daughter a bitch" of how I have been shaped throughout my life in one area "my right to defend the honor of my family ... especially the women".  Which created all this emotion and contending and effort and opinion. ... Wow, who would have ever thought there was this much learning in life.

My Pharmacist says I should write about the other things in my life like my faith and my experience as a church leader, a business owner an artist and how words, actions, choice and energy can affect those areas as well.  If he gives me the medication I have requested then I will.  ... negotiation is a great tool.

  

Chapter 1 "In the beginning"

My therapist tells me that writing is good for me and will make my emotional/spiritual and physical me healthy so, I guess by the end of this book I should be in perfect health.  I love the idea of being healthy so I am going to do a really good and thorough job of writing out the events and adventures of my life in order to help me discover the way I want to live the rest of my life  So, lets get started.

I was born in 1962, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the Southeast Missouri Hospital.  My birth was complicated and both my mom and I nearly met Jesus first hand on April 21st.  You see I was backwards in the birthing process...(which helps explain a lot already) ... and if that's not enough I was all tangled up in my life support system ... (again, the story of my life and the reason I am a slow learner...poor oxygen to the brain).  Mom had been in labor for about a million years when the doctors finally decided they should perform an emergency C-section.  In 1962 a C-section was performed by a doctor who had experience with a chainsaw and a nurse who could run a backhoe... My poor mother ... growing up she would point to the scar on her belly and say "It wasn't easy, but, you were worth it".  On my birthday she would tell the story of how "We almost didn't make it but, look at us now"... and how She knew I was going to be fine when she saw me kicking and squirming in the incubator ... "You were a survivor" she would say.  (Cue music... "I will Survive")  You know what... my Mom is right.  "I am a survivor".  I wasn't even 7 days old and I had already cheated death once and that wouldn't be the last time.  I grew up believing I survived because I had a will to overcome... "Thanks Mom".

To be honest I still believe that.  I believe that as a newborn while surrounded by all the options of death ... I chose to live ... or maybe, just maybe, I was chosen to live.  Now, if I chose to live, then I was a very intelligent and powerful newborn with psychic powers who guided the doctors by my will and determination ... but, if I was that powerful and intelligent I would not have got lost in the birth canal ... it is a pretty straight shot ... and I would have arranged my life-line/feeding tube in a much more safe configuration ... You see the fact that I wanted to go butt first and wanted to use my umbilical cord as  a noose/bungee cord would suggest ... "I did not know what I was doing".  Therefore, I am left with the option that maybe I was chosen to live.  Obviously my Mom and Dad wanted me to live ... my big sister Karen wanted me to live and my big brother Jack wanted me to live (however, I think he would had changed his mind if he could have seen the future) ... but, they were afraid and mom was unconscious and close to death herself ... Imagine, one minute you are excited and happy to see your new baby boy and baby brother and the next minute you are given the certain possibility that they will die.    So, I am left to believe that a power much bigger than my family made this choice ... and I have always believed that.

So, from my birth experience I learned two things.  The first is " I believe I was chosen to be alive and on this planet by a power much bigger and stronger than my family, those who love me most and know me the best.  Second, "I believe that the difficulties of my birth and the fact that I lived through them planted, deep in my being, a fearless spirit that I can overcome any obstacle.  These two beliefs have encouraged me, provoked me, and comforted me.  These two beliefs have been reinforced, refined, relived and reaffirmed through out my life.  These two beliefs are mine ... they belong to me ... and I choose to take them with me.   

The Beginning of "The End"

Welcome to my new Blog.  I have been actively writing over the last few months on "Mr. Mercs" Blog and thought that it would be a good idea to leave "Mr. Mercs' for the cars and stuff.  That is why you are now reading the official "Jesse Padgett" blog.  

I am very excited about the lessons I have learned over the last part of my life and am more excited to explore what is next.  Therefore the first blog post on the official "Jesse Padgett" blog is titled ... The Beginning of "The End".  I have learned that in order to start something you have to end something.  My best friend said to me that I have been writing a book for 47 years ... the story of my life ... it has been one story with one theme for a very long time.  There have been ups and downs, success and failure, romance and heart break, unbelievable ups ... higher than high ... better than great ... and very dark lows ... darker than dark.  I have tried to keep my life connected and making sense ... you know, ... this event connects to this event, this cause had this effect, this investment caused this return ... when this dark time had its effect it lead to this time of tremendous enlightenment ... what I was writing was a book that had no ending and no end in sight and, before I can start writing something new, I must write the ending to the book I started.  

My commitment to being a great husband, a great dad, and what ever else I choose to accomplish in the next book I write about my life can only start when I finish the book I have been writing.  Wow, that is so simple.  I have been trying to figure out how I can merge the last book into the next book ... but, I can not do that anymore ... the story is just getting to long ... I have to write "The End".

Over the next while I will be telling stories from the book I have been writing for the past 47 years.  Stories of my adventures and accomplishments mainly ... good memories ... good stories ... this is the beginning and then I will write "The End" ... The story of how my 47 year long run at life ends ... so welcome to the official "Jesse Padgett" blog and ... The Beginning of "The End"

Changing Over

I will be "Changing Over" the content from my "Mr Mercs" Blog to the Jesse Padgett Blog in the next few days.