Tithe?

Churches would be able to fund their mission projects, outreach and benevolence if all the members would tithe. (10%)

Christian tradition and scriptures seem to make it clear that we should be.

Jesus said where we spend our money shows our heart.

Why don't we tithe?

I don't know who all reads this but please give some response.

Thanks.

Also look for ebenemerson.com soon.

Ok ok ok!

Well the last several months have left me wondering what I am supposed to do with my life.

-Am I supposed to build my current business?

-Am I supposed to get back into some kind of teaching ministry?

It is a very hard call because I am not sure how ministry, that I am familiar with, would manifest itself as a Catholic....Then tonight happened.

We live in town and so we have dumpsters. Jennifer asked me to take out the trash and the compost. I dumped the compost in our natural fertilizer bin and then proceeded to the dumpster. I opened the gate, the dogs running to mark their spots.

When I opened the dumpster there was a black three ring binder on top that said "Sermon on the Mount, Eben Emerson." What is that all about? I haven't thrown anything like that away, certainly not since the last time the trash ran. It usually runs every three days. I pulled it out and asked Jennifer is she was doing some cleaning and threw it away. She did not.

I opened the folder and some of the study series from that folder was gone but there were several other studies that I had done years ago. I was really freaked out. We checked all the areas where things like that are stored and didn't find any sign of things being moved.

What is going on?

I was a little freaked out. Jennifer sent me to the store to get oil for fried okra and I just kept thinking about it. Did I throw it away? Why was it in the dumpster? It had my name on it!!! And I didn't throw it away!!! What is going on?!?!?!

When I began to look through the folder I found notes from a class from Richard Rogers and several sermon notes and outlines I had preached. There were also many many pages of research I had done on those respective sermons.

As I looked through them I remembered how much I loved preaching. It is the only thing I ever felt I was supposed to do.

I am very skeptical of signs and modern miracles. Not because I don't believe they still happen but because of the way I think, more later.

I don't know what is going on but I will say that now, more than ever, I want to be back in ministry. I don't know how or what but I loved it and tonight's events reminded me of that.

I thought I would have things figured out!

If you would have asked me at 18 if I would have things figured out by 33 I would have eagerly responded "yes." I had thought for so long that I knew what I was supposed to do. I had spent all of my energies working to that end only to realize that that very journey led me to a place where I have more questions than answers. I do believe that I have certain gifts suited for some kind of ministry but what kind? I struggle with this daily. What am I supposed to do with my life? What career am I supposed to pursue etc? Those who are most certain of their own contribution to the world, i.e. how much they have figured out etc. repulse me, it's just misguided arrogance or maybe insecurity. (I would explain but I am not in the mood for apologetics right now.) Then there are those who seem to have figured somethings out and yet humbly would say the journey may very well be their destination. Who knows? I certainly don't.

The only thing that I have learned this far in my bewildered journey is:

I know that God made Jennifer McGuire to be my wife.

I know that I was given a gift I am too confused to know how to use.

I know that there is a God and He has sent Jesus so that I may know Him.

I know I have much to learn.

I just want to know what I am supposed to do. I am considering going and getting another masters but I am past the point in my life of wanting to go for going sake. Anyway, I wish I knew as much as I pretend to know at times.

I sit on a mower for the greater part of the summer. My ipod is in my ears around 4-6 hours a day. It is much better to listen to music than the constant loud hum of landscape equipment. Last weekend the worst thing happened. I was bouncing around, the ipod fell out of my pocket and was run over by the mower deck. It didn't survive.

When I turn it on the screen still comes on, a sign that life still exists in my fallen friend. There is little hope though that any music or audiobooks will ever be shared with me from my little pearl white buddy ever again.

Whether it's an ipod or not nothing can sustain a horrible beating and then be expected to play for us. Paul tells us that the body of Christ is like the human body with Christ as our head. If one part of that body is cut off, damaged or destroyed it the mutual responsibility of the body to get that person singing with the choir again. After all that is what we collectively make up, a sacrificial choir. Offering ourselves and our gifts as an instrument to God's glory. My question would be have we thrown some of the most valued members under the deck to the detriment of the body or are we seeking to build up what we have destroyed.

I feel very fortunate that I have had the opportunity to have been around some wonderful encouraging people in my walk with God but I know that others have not. The light is on but because of the beatings there is no music.

Because I busted my ipod I have been on ebay hunting for a deal. Did you know that you can find ipods that are refurbished? I was stoked about that because they are cheaper and they work like they were new.

"Encourage one another as long as it is called today."

Do what?

"There are only 2 people in the world who hate what the Catholic church is, there are millions who hate what they think it is." Padre Pio.

The Catholic Church is the most misunderstood church in the world. Especially in the Bible belt where protestant churches have taught classes on what the Catholic church is. I used sit in some of the these classes. In my journey of studying the history of Christianity I took out some notes from a class I took in AIM called "Catholicism." By this time I had been studying the Catholic church, from their literature, for a couple of months and was hoping to rebuke the whore of Babylon. I read four pages of notes and realized that none of it was true. Everything I had been taught about the Catholic church was wrong. It was also equally absurd that I had been taught that a protestant church was the church of the first century only that it was founded in the 1800s. The reformation of the 1500s forever hurt Christianity. I am not saying that the church was/is perfect, it is not. I am convinced that if anyone will take an honest look at the Catholic church and their own protestant church they will either become Catholic or at least appreciate Catholicism. However, because of the misinformation there remains a wall that will forever stand and be built up by misinformed "experts" on the Catholic church.

I write this because we were eating out last night and the folks behind us were talking about what the Catholic church teaches. It was absurd but I used to think those things too.

I am eternally grateful to be a Catholic. Especially now! Look around at the continual splintering of Christianity caused by the reformation. Now it has got so bad that if you don't like what the church you are a part of teaches you just leave, start your own church and define your own doctrine. Be honest you know it happens. Some of those who worry most about my being Catholic are members of churches that were started in response to what another church wasn't doing right.

I am just rambling now but if you really want to know what the Catholic church teaches ask a faithful Catholic. There are many unfaithful ones, who claim to be Catholic, that perpetuate the misinformation. Just because their grandparents were Catholic and they went four times in the last ten years does not mean they know what the church teaches. You can also read the Catechism. If you want to ask questions ask.

Kwan and Jwan

Saint Philomena (sp?) was venerated on the basis of her intercession alone. I know that most of the people who read this are protestant and don't appreciate, nor accept, the intercession of the faithful who have already died. I have a favor to ask just listen.

The last several weeks Jennifer and I have been asking for the intercession of a great prayer, person not act. Her name was Mary. Several times we have asked Mary to pray for a friend of ours. We will call her Kwanva. The first two initials may have something to do with the name. I use the funny name because you never know who might read this. Anyway...Kwanva had confided in Jennifer and I several weeks ago that she had a hard time conceiving. That is getting pregnant, when you want to. She is married to a good man who I know would be a good father.

This may seem out of line but please follow me here. A couple of nights ago Jennifer and I learned about St. Philomena. She is the only saint to have been inducted on the basis of her intercession alone. In other words lots of people prayed to her and the prayers were answered. Thus the induction into sainthood. I thought I would ask her to pray for Kwanva. We, Jennifer and I, still regularly ask Mary to pray to our Lord for Kwanva's most intimate desire; to have a child.

We had supper with Kwanva and Jwanva, her husband...duh, tonight. We found out she is pregnant.

I write this for two reasons. One, because blogging about my prayer life helps me remember that it actually is a worthy cause. Second, to let everyone know that Kwan and Jwan will prayerfully be parents.

Praise God. Thank God. Thank you Mary and Philomena for your prayers.

The idea of a teaching authority in the Catholic Church used to make me indignant. I really do mean indignant. My view about the Catholic church was formed by people who knew little, if anything, about the real teachings of the church. This is usually the basis for all bigotry and close-minded prejudice. As I began, 4 years ago now, objectively studying the history of Christianity I realized that all of Christianity had a teaching and final authority up to the time of the reformation in the late 1500s. Where does this come from?

I think Sacred Scripture speaks much more powerfully to this than I can. Jesus tells Peter that upon "this rock" He would build the church. Matthew 16, whole chapter. Jesus doesn't say "upon this confession." Then in John 20-21 he was given the great responsibility of feeding the followers and binding and loosing forgiveness to those followers who would come from the Great Event in chapter 20.

I have been reading "Coming Home" lately. It is a book about former protestant ministers who became Catholic. (There are tons of ministers who have done this.) I was reading the other day about a fundamentalist preacher. I think he was Baptist. It was a great story. The analogy he made really stuck out; paraphrased "in observance of the law in the constitution it is clear that we need a legal authority like the supreme court to uphold the law contained therein....likewise there is a need for a qualified ecclesial body to guide us into all truth."

What if you don't agree with the words of Christ? What if you disagree with the analogy or many others? Well, I feel ya because I used to hear those very things and still thought "nay nay sir."

In all honesty what has the absence of a teaching authority done for protestant Christianity, with thousands of people interpreting scriptures for themselves? Some believe that homosexuality, abortion and adultery are OK. This may repulse those with more traditional senses. You know what the big scandals were after Luther? Two big ones. First, some were teaching Christ wasn't present in the Eucharist (Lord's Supper). Second, that Mary wasn't actually the Mother of the Church. Wow!

Jump forward 500 years....Now most protestant church reject both of the above and many accept those things I mentioned first. What in the world happened? It wasn't a lack of faith. It wasn't a lack of sincerity. That is for sure. It was the inevitable misdirection that takes place when you don't have a final authority to guide you. It is the church which is the pillar and foundation of all truth. When the church ceases to be this for the members you have 33000 different divisions.

There are now 33000 different denominations. What happened? What makes your view any more valid than someone else who proof-texts their way to their conclusion?

I am so thankful for my brothers in protestant churches. Acknowledging the fact that some of them don't accept my faith as valid Christianity I irrespectively am grateful for what God has done in their respective tradition(s). However, I will admit I want everyone to come to fullness of the faith which was and always has been in the one true Apostolic Church.

Please support the culture of life.

Please support the culture of life.

End abortion.

Spiritual Anarchy

When I was little kid my cousin was "punk." Not like you may think. He was actually was part of a subculture that was born out of late 70s and early 80s music by people like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. It was America's response to the heavy metal-in your face- music revolution across the pond. I love many different types of music but must admit I never cared for punk, even now and I like everything. I remember he had a jacket with an anarchy symbol on it. It looked neat and at the time I thought he was telling someone they were a real "A." Well my bleached blonde leather-bound punk cousin tried to explain to an 8yo Eben Wyatt what anarchy was. I don't remember much about the conversation. It sounded like "blah blah blah Billy Idol has great hair blah blah blah." "Do you understand Eben Wyatt?" I responded "yes, you too have great hair....white wedding." When I got a little older, and semantics actually started to mean something, I wanted to learn what it meant. Anarchy, in a very simple sense, means no ruler or enforced authority. This seems to be any church without a living authority.

The protestant authority idea was born with Luther in the 16th century "Sola Scriptura" the Bible alone. If this is actually a viable platform for the church why, since the reformation, have 33,000+ denominations sprung up? The initial desire of Luther was noble and much needed. However, years later it has evolved into spiritual anarchy. If people don't agree with the preacher or get anything out of the service they leave. If the church they are attending offends them they leave and find one that wont. If they can't find one, no problem, just start your own. Paul said something about gathering teachers who said what you wanted to hear. I used to think this applied to Catholics. I now realize this applies to the whole of protestant Christianity. Paul said the Pillar and Foundation of the Truth was the House of God. 1Tim 3. There has to be a living authority. In fact if you accept your New Testament as inspired you have already conceded the authority of the Catholic Church. It was the Catholic Church that decided what would be in it.

Where am I really meaning to go? Simply this...without a living authority, like the one accepted by all of Christianity until the mid 1500s, it is spiritual anarchy. Churches that used to have a Biblical platforms have devolved into accepting homosexual ministers, abortion and any number of things. Why wouldn't they though, there is no ultimate authority.

I know many will disagree. However, it is clear that sola scriptura, while noble, has devolved into spiritual anarchy.

What would you do if your church taught something you disagreed with? What if they used the same Bible you did to defend their position? Who would be right? How many people have left your church because they disagreed and were ostracized for it? Do you accept the authority of the Catholic church?

He says it well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWYwBDqFsuE

This is a great video by Fr. Barron about the sense of authority in protestant Christianity. (Which is any church other than Catholic because they came out of a reformation and subsequent reformations or restorations.)

Take a watch, whole thing, and let me know what you think.

Chief. All that is wrong with the world.

My sister Erin, for whom I have the deepest respect, co-owns a worthless canine named Chief. Co-owns because Chief has become the responsibility of an entire community of helpful citizens in the town of Elkins Arkansas. Chief is all that is wrong with the world! I can explain.

Chief doesn't really have a single place to live. He floats from house to house and is fed by many members of the community. I once saw an poor lady at the local grocery store buying dog food with her last few dollars. She couldn't buy food for herself. This was/is not an isolated incident, this is how he lives. He literally walks all over town and goes from house to house eating the food people put out for him. Yes, there is an animal control in Elkins. However, Chief is immune to being taken in by them. Why? Because it is an unspoken rule in the town that no one arrests Chief. I really believe that when he dies the community will pool their money and give him a regular funeral. A snow day may be taken in mid August so that the many school children can properly mourn their fallen buddy. I know the picture doesn't show it well but Chief has a real problem with the pounds. Why wouldn't he, all he does is eat and lay down. He waddles, literally, from house to house. Now there are exceptions. For example this thanksgiving we cooked outside, I fried a delicious turkey and Trent made succulent ribs. Guess who showed up? That's right Chief did. Why? We were cooking outside, he could smell it. Why do I think that Chief is all that is wrong with the world? He embodies what all of us are burdened by. He is lazy. He has no problem laying around all day. Now that is OK if one owner takes care of him. Such as the mother who is in the unenviable position of taking care of child well into their adulthood. It stinks but it would be their problem. Well Chief isn't one person's problem he is everyone's problem. Remember the lady in the grocery store? I live close to some people that are too lazy to work. If their families were taking care of them I wouldn't care but they don't I do. I work so that they don't have to. Sound familiar? Also because of Chief's laziness he is morbidly obese. Who do you think will pay for the medical treatment due to his physical neglect. Chief thinks working out or being active is having the water and food bowl placed more than 5ft. apart. Also we have the immunity thing. How many times have law officers been burdened by those people who will cry foul if held accountable for their actions. Chief we don't want to take you in because you are a dog but because you are breaking the law. I could go on but I think you get the point. Chief all the wrong with the world.

Postscript,

I would like to apologize for disparaging comments I made about my own dog "Puppy" I now realize Puppy is a great dog.