Lots of Thoughts — Pat Dryburgh

I’ve had a lot of thoughts run through my head over the last few weeks. I’ve shared them with a few close friends, but for the most part have kept them to myself.

However, there are a few things that have changed in the way I think now, and I’d like to share them for the sake of sharing and possibly starting a discussion. So, here goes:

I have no plans on going to church. I’ve been burned too many times, and while I’m not saying I’ll never go back ever, I know that for right now, I won’t be. Also, I have no plans to work at or in a church. I don’t see that changing.
I’m pretty fed up with the North American Jesus. I’m tired of Corporate Jesus, and Institutional Jesus. I don’t know what I believe about him right now, but I have some ideas. I think Christianity, and by that I mean North American Christianity, is very far off the mark. I think there’s more of a reason that 9/10ths of people in Canada don’t go to an Evangelical church than “they don’t think it can do anything for them.” I think it’s more along the lines of “I don’t want it to do that to me.”
I’m tired of believing that 5/6ths of the world is wrong.
I’m tired of believing that I’m somehow loved by God more than the majority of the world. And, no matter how much we say “God loves everyone,” we don’t believe it.
I do know that I’m on a journey, and that the journey is going to mean some major life changes. I’ve decided to actually walk this path I’m on, rather than simply chart it out like I’ve done in the past. Christians are great cartographers, but lousy navigators.

I don’t want to offend anyone, but I am going to ask tough questions. I’m hoping to meet new people, have conversations, and try to discover how God is revealing himself to the world, and not just to the one’s who call themselves His (or, call him Theirs).

I know this may come as a surprise to many of you, but a some of these are thoughts I’ve been having for months now, even as far back as November of last year. I’m just trying to be honest, and hope that those who read this will know that I’m simply trying to navigate through life and truth and everything else.

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