Comments on: My Dark Nights and the Church http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/ I use my blog and the podcast as a therapeutic release. If friends and nice people read or listen cool, I guess, but I'm not asking you to. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:55:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mike aka Fastunit64 http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-16002 Mike aka Fastunit64 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:38:04 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-16002 I had no idea there where so many great minded Christians that followed you guys. We left the church for a long time our selves after we moved away from our home town. After moving back our old church just wasn't the same any more so we didn't go there and the other church my family had attended when I was very young had a preacher that we just didn't fit in with. He left and a new preacher came in that was great so we returned and since we've gone through several preachers all have been great. One though left very abruptly and I'm still dealing with that since we worked very close on several projects/ministries and I felt he left the job undone. We live in a small rural town in NW Oklahoma and our church has a normal attendance of around 150 each Sunday but the preacher preaches the Bible and although I don't exactly agree with every member of the church they are a very loving family. We have had a great deal of turmoil in our lives and our church family have been such a blessing to us I don't know how we could of gotten through it without them. So many of the large churches in metropolitan areas seem to have lost their way but I'm certain that God has a church home for you as he did for us. I left a great, well paying, promising corporate job to return to my home town and work for myself. We didn't exactly know why but it's clear now that God had a plan for us and I've not regretted the move once. I wish you lived close enough to us that you could experience our church, maybe on your "Big Trip" you could stop by and let me share it with you or you could find one like it along your path. Please remember although a preacher has a great deal of influence on a church it's Gods church not the preacher's. If it's the preacher's church then it's not Gods and you shouldn't be going there. You and Cali will be in my prayers. Your Brother in Christ Mike J. I had no idea there where so many great minded Christians that followed you guys. We left the church for a long time our selves after we moved away from our home town. After moving back our old church just wasn’t the same any more so we didn’t go there and the other church my family had attended when I was very young had a preacher that we just didn’t fit in with. He left and a new preacher came in that was great so we returned and since we’ve gone through several preachers all have been great. One though left very abruptly and I’m still dealing with that since we worked very close on several projects/ministries and I felt he left the job undone. We live in a small rural town in NW Oklahoma and our church has a normal attendance of around 150 each Sunday but the preacher preaches the Bible and although I don’t exactly agree with every member of the church they are a very loving family. We have had a great deal of turmoil in our lives and our church family have been such a blessing to us I don’t know how we could of gotten through it without them.
So many of the large churches in metropolitan areas seem to have lost their way but I’m certain that God has a church home for you as he did for us. I left a great, well paying, promising corporate job to return to my home town and work for myself. We didn’t exactly know why but it’s clear now that God had a plan for us and I’ve not regretted the move once. I wish you lived close enough to us that you could experience our church, maybe on your “Big Trip” you could stop by and let me share it with you or you could find one like it along your path. Please remember although a preacher has a great deal of influence on a church it’s Gods church not the preacher’s. If it’s the preacher’s church then it’s not Gods and you shouldn’t be going there.
You and Cali will be in my prayers.

Your Brother in Christ
Mike J.

]]> By: Doug Smith http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-15865 Doug Smith Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:48:39 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-15865 Jesus himself <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=John+4%3A19-26" rel="nofollow">told us</a>: "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Spirit and truth encompasses both heart and head; both emotion and intellect. I've followed some of the late night tweets and quietly prayed for you to find the fulfillment you seek. But I've also wondered if you might be pursuing only one side of the equation, that of spirit and emotion. Yet without the balance of truth and intellect that fulfillment is elusive or fleeting. My encouragement would be to get into the Bible and soak up as much of God's truth as you can. Let that truth be the measuring stick for what a church should be, what a pastor should be, and what worship should be. Then allow that truth to inform and shape the response of your spirit. Jesus himself told us: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Spirit and truth encompasses both heart and head; both emotion and intellect.

I’ve followed some of the late night tweets and quietly prayed for you to find the fulfillment you seek. But I’ve also wondered if you might be pursuing only one side of the equation, that of spirit and emotion. Yet without the balance of truth and intellect that fulfillment is elusive or fleeting.

My encouragement would be to get into the Bible and soak up as much of God’s truth as you can. Let that truth be the measuring stick for what a church should be, what a pastor should be, and what worship should be. Then allow that truth to inform and shape the response of your spirit.

]]> By: Switching Granny http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-13740 Switching Granny Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:40:09 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-13740 Neal.. thanks for sharing the offense that has caused you so much anguish. It is the few times that you've posted links to your fav Christian artists & songs (even your history of singing beautifully for our Lord) that causes me to know beyond a doubt that you know Him; you know Truth. So again I quote: "He is faithful to complete the work He began in you" " He is the same yesterday, today and forever" And "His mercies are new every morning". I love web 2.0 and our ability to minister through the "tubes"! Thanks again for sharing so this Switching Granny can continue in prayer for you! Neal.. thanks for sharing the offense that has caused you so much anguish.

It is the few times that you’ve posted links to your fav Christian artists & songs (even your history of singing beautifully for our Lord) that causes me to know beyond a doubt that you know Him; you know Truth.

So again I quote: “He is faithful to complete the work He began in you”

” He is the same yesterday, today and forever”

And “His mercies are new every morning”.

I love web 2.0 and our ability to minister through the “tubes”!

Thanks again for sharing so this Switching Granny can continue in prayer for you!

]]> By: J http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12705 J Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:04:36 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12705 I think anytime people go behind your back to do anything, especially messing with those you love most, is going to make you feel betrayed. I find that often pastors tend to react and act on what they think is best without getting all the information. Sometimes it is because they think they know better, sometimes it is because they have little time to act and think they need to. No matter what, he shouldn't have gone behind your back. If you worked together, he should have gone directly to you to voice any concerns. But what I feel lead to tell you is you don't have to talk to him to forgive him. It's about your heart and letting it go. Give it to God and let him free you from that burden. I wouldn't even encourage you to seek the pastor out to talk to him until you are freed yourself. Honestly, I don't really care about that guy, I care about you so I say this for your benefit. You will never know the heights your balloon will reach when you hand that stone over to God and give up your 'right' to hold on to it. I'm praying for you both. Oh, and I think there are thousands upon thousands who are glad you and Luria are together... because then there would be no Cali, or GeekBrief, or us Briefers! God knew what he was doing. -J I think anytime people go behind your back to do anything, especially messing with those you love most, is going to make you feel betrayed.

I find that often pastors tend to react and act on what they think is best without getting all the information. Sometimes it is because they think they know better, sometimes it is because they have little time to act and think they need to.

No matter what, he shouldn’t have gone behind your back. If you worked together, he should have gone directly to you to voice any concerns.

But what I feel lead to tell you is you don’t have to talk to him to forgive him. It’s about your heart and letting it go. Give it to God and let him free you from that burden. I wouldn’t even encourage you to seek the pastor out to talk to him until you are freed yourself. Honestly, I don’t really care about that guy, I care about you so I say this for your benefit. You will never know the heights your balloon will reach when you hand that stone over to God and give up your ‘right’ to hold on to it.

I’m praying for you both.

Oh, and I think there are thousands upon thousands who are glad you and Luria are together… because then there would be no Cali, or GeekBrief, or us Briefers!

God knew what he was doing.

-J

]]> By: Kindaran http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12681 Kindaran Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:38:50 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12681 Neal, I am a self-declared 'homeless Christian' and also struggle with the church. It sounds like some reasons are similar but perhaps I have different reasons too. So I dont have any solutions for you. But I have hope that one day I will be back. I just wanted to pass on a bit of that hope to yourself. Hang in there. Neal,

I am a self-declared ‘homeless Christian’ and also struggle with the church. It sounds like some reasons are similar but perhaps I have different reasons too. So I dont have any solutions for you.

But I have hope that one day I will be back. I just wanted to pass on a bit of that hope to yourself.

Hang in there.

]]> By: Rick http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12638 Rick Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:59:39 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12638 Hi, Neal - thanks for sharing what you did about your youth pastor. As a former one (been delivered!) - 99.9% of the time a situation like that would be bad for the youth group. 99.9% of the time, it wouldn't work out, and the fallout socially and emotionally in a group could be really bad. Youth pastors tend to work towards a whole group dynamic, and when a relationship like that starts up, the first idea is to help it end before the damage. But that .1% that works like you and Cali - that doesn't get celebrated enough. If you haven't talked with him, maybe that's a way to just clear the air. I bet he watched the podcast :) to keep up with you guys. Hi, Neal - thanks for sharing what you did about your youth pastor. As a former one (been delivered!) - 99.9% of the time a situation like that would be bad for the youth group. 99.9% of the time, it wouldn’t work out, and the fallout socially and emotionally in a group could be really bad. Youth pastors tend to work towards a whole group dynamic, and when a relationship like that starts up, the first idea is to help it end before the damage. But that .1% that works like you and Cali - that doesn’t get celebrated enough. If you haven’t talked with him, maybe that’s a way to just clear the air. I bet he watched the podcast :) to keep up with you guys.

]]> By: Filmboy http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12621 Filmboy Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:09:48 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12621 Neal, I can't find the verse, Lord knows I've tried. Here goes anyway. I thought in the Bible the idea was the we can never truly know the heart of another. That is why we are not supposed to judge one another. Only the Lord could truly know how you felt in your heart about Luria. Your pastor did not have the Lord's vantage point in this. Likewise, I do not know what was motivating your pastor to behave the way he did. Now a days, a 19 year old dating a 17 year old and getting to second base is grounds for a statutory rape charge and a lifetime as a registered sex offender. I don't know what the laws were like in your state at that time, but your pastor may have been reacting to something like that or some other sense of what he learned as appropriate behavior. I hope he was not simply acting out of maliciousness. I know it is easy for me to say, but I really think you should talk to him about this. Tell him the truth about how you feel. After all, the truth will set you free. Neal, I can’t find the verse, Lord knows I’ve tried. Here goes anyway. I thought in the Bible the idea was the we can never truly know the heart of another. That is why we are not supposed to judge one another. Only the Lord could truly know how you felt in your heart about Luria. Your pastor did not have the Lord’s vantage point in this. Likewise, I do not know what was motivating your pastor to behave the way he did.

Now a days, a 19 year old dating a 17 year old and getting to second base is grounds for a statutory rape charge and a lifetime as a registered sex offender. I don’t know what the laws were like in your state at that time, but your pastor may have been reacting to something like that or some other sense of what he learned as appropriate behavior. I hope he was not simply acting out of maliciousness.

I know it is easy for me to say, but I really think you should talk to him about this. Tell him the truth about how you feel. After all, the truth will set you free.

]]> By: Stephen M. Kellat http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12619 Stephen M. Kellat Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:03:25 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12619 I'm sorry I haven't taken the time to read this until now. Good words. I won't go too far into this but to say that you have a difficult issue there to deal with. I know within the religious context I am found there are some pretty strict social restrictions on dating and relationships. That I am single and was not wedded by graduation from undergrad is something difficult to handle. Depending upon the regional expression of the church I am found in, dating is restricted to only those who are within a few months plus or minus of my age. I am presumably about the same age as Luria which makes me somewhat of an awkward fit at church with my continuing singlehood. If you are in town for New Media Expo, I'll buy ya a drink perhaps. I’m sorry I haven’t taken the time to read this until now. Good words. I won’t go too far into this but to say that you have a difficult issue there to deal with.

I know within the religious context I am found there are some pretty strict social restrictions on dating and relationships. That I am single and was not wedded by graduation from undergrad is something difficult to handle. Depending upon the regional expression of the church I am found in, dating is restricted to only those who are within a few months plus or minus of my age. I am presumably about the same age as Luria which makes me somewhat of an awkward fit at church with my continuing singlehood.

If you are in town for New Media Expo, I’ll buy ya a drink perhaps.

]]> By: Tony C. Hall http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12616 Tony C. Hall Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:23:42 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12616 @Neal That's messed up. I can completely understand your anger. Thank God he did not succeed. You and your dark nights are in my prayers. Tony @Neal

That’s messed up. I can completely understand your anger. Thank God he did not succeed.

You and your dark nights are in my prayers.

Tony

]]> By: Filmboy http://www.nealcampbell.com/2008/08/04/my-dark-nights-and-the-church/#comment-12615 Filmboy Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:14:44 +0000 http://www.nealcampbell.com/?p=147#comment-12615 Have you ever talked to him about this? Have you ever talked to him about this?

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