Well, it’s been nearly 11 months now since the blog started. I was barely aware of what a blog is (still not quite sure), but friends kept pestering me to put my writings on the internet. I figured I’d post the stuff I’d already written and maybe post something new every quarter or so.
I was hoping to get a hit a day. It’s now consistently over 250 a day, often topping 300, which is very gratifying. I mean, I just wanted an easy place for people to find the books, and blogging software seemed an easy to way to post them, as I didn’t (and don’t) know anything about HTML coding.
But numbers were never really the goal. Rather, the foremost goal was to help people being made miserable by legalism in the Churches of Christ. Ever since I wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace (still in print!), I’ve gotten letters, emails, and phone calls from people who felt trapped in their home churches, unable to experience the freedom and joy which Jesus died to give us.
Now, it’s easy enough to critique the false teachings that lead to this misery, but that’s of little good if the lies aren’t replaced by truths. And so I try to share how to rebuild our Church of Christ theology from the ground up, trying to keep the insights and wisdom of our Restoration Movement forebears while discarding the mistakes and weaknesses that have marred our history.
To do this, I’ve tried to bring some of the great theologians into the conversation, to help see the Bible from perspectives far outside the Churches of Christ but from perspectives that are nonetheless very conservative and very respectful of God’s word.
But even excellent theology is useless if not combined with what the theologians call praxis, the actual practice of Christianity, especially within the church. And so I’ve tried to talk some leadership and church growth issues.
Finally, for some reason, I like writing the occasional communion meditation — I guess because it helps tie it all together in a short, thoughtful reflection on what this all means in the church as community. You see, I truly believe that the church — the local congregation and the elders who lead it — are the key to renewing the Churches of Christ and revitalizing our faith in a way that revolutionizes the world.
Thanks to all those who keep logging in and reading this stuff. Writing is so much more fun when you have readers!! And thanks for the encouraging words. They really mean a lot.
And every once in a while, I notice that some older post starts getting a bunch of hits. Thanks for emailing these around and sharing them with friends. It’s a huge compliment to have my writings shared across the internet.
And so, while I’m in a reflective mood, I’m going to take a once-a-year cue from my friend and hero-in-the-faith Al Maxey and publish some of the emails from the last year that never made it into the comment section. I presume these were sent by email rather than blog comment due to confidentiality concerns, and so I’ve deleted identifying information.
The point of publishing these is to assure the readers suffering the misery of legalism that they are not alone. Many others are struggling in their own way to find freedom and to help change the Churches of Christ to a home for God’s grace and glory.
God’s grace is bubbling up in all sorts of places — but it’s hard. Those who confront our legalism often suffer greatly for their struggles. I just want to support and encourage those fighting the good fight anyway I can.
Here they are —
Re: Do We Teach Another Gospel?
Jay – I have been reading your book(s) and the slide presentation on the above subject *** .
Thank you for all you do in providing these lessons. I am one of *** elders at a small congregation in *** . I have been labeled “liberal” in the derogatory sense of the word by one in the congregations because my teaching differs from “the traditional Churches of Christ”, but received by others.
Unfortunately, the congregation here is more like a Baptist organization than a church of Christ (a Pastor), so I am very limited in the teaching I am able to do. I have had many times I felt I should resign, but that would eliminate all the credibility that I may have to teach anything. At least this way some look to what I say.
Your essay on divorce and remarriage was very helpful. I don’t know how familiar you are with Cecil Hook’s writings but Chapter 16 of his book “Free as Sons” (http://www.freedomsring.org/fas) has some very good thoughts on this subject as well.
An elder in North Carolina
Thank you, Jay, for honoring me by sending the lesson. *** Always I thank you for bringing me to the awareness of the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit in my life ~ and rejoice that, because of your effort, so many others know Him also.
A woman Bible teacher in North Alabama
I very much enjoy your One in Jesus web site and thank you for your time and thought. I have been associated with the Independent Christian Church all my life (60+). In recent years I have become aware of the great preachers in the Churches of Christ. I find that the prominent preachers in the Churches of Christ (Atchley, Rush, Bell, Cope, Hodges, etc.) are markedly better Gospel preachers than the best in our fellowship. I really think that the progressive Churches of Christ are poised for dramatic growth.
With regard to large churches, I have observed that, as our Christian Churches get to be megas, they tend to become islands that lose interest in fellowship with other Christain Church folks. I sure hope that this doesn’t happen with the Churches of Christ.
I have recently been attending Churches of Christ in ***. I love the music. I don’t think that instrumental music is sinful, but is sure can be annoying. Those Church of Christ folks actually sing!! I had become accustomed to the spectator atmosphere. Loud, loud rock music with amplified praise teams discourages participation by the congregation.
In our city some of the Christian Churches have praise teams, some don’t. Some use piano and organ only, some have a full praise band. Some do worship in one way, some differently, etc. None of these things are a test of fellowship.
I have recently attended four Churches of Christ in town. I don’t think that any has fellowship with any of the others. One has a praise team, although it is seated in the front pews rather than on the platform. One has no praise team but does have meals at the church. Another would never allow a meal in the church building. Another is strictly non-institutional (I’m not really quite sure what this all means) and would not have meals, praise teams or other “digressive” things.
There has really not been the splintering in the Christian Churches. Our struggles to not be swallowed up by the Disciples of Christ denomination are still very fresh with some of us and is perhaps the reason we haven’t had the time to split over these types of issues.
Again, thanks for your thoughts.
A member of the independent Christian Churches in Kentucky
Dear Jay,
My name is ***, and I’m a campus minister in *** working at *** through the Church of Christ-affiliated campus ministry here.
I recently discovered your website, and I want you to know how encouraging it has been for me! It’s been a breath of fresh air to see there are church leaders like you who are going to great lengths to teach what you teach.
I have to say, there are days when I feel I’m at the end of my rope. Just this week, my elders received a letter from an area church questioning the “direction” I’m taking the campus ministry. The day before, I received an email from a couple of students here at *** who have never been involved with our ministry but are Church of Christ members and say they’re concerned about “some things we’ve heard” about the campus ministry. And in my Sunday morning Bible class for adults, when I engaged them in a discussion on legalism from our study of ***, I became all the more aware of what a problem legalism continues to be within my own church.
On my best days, I feel a duty to the heritage that has been my family for my entire life, and I know I’m making small differences here and there. On my worst days, I feel legalism is such a systemic problem within or fellowship that it will never be fully or even substantially defeated. It’s sort of like one of the Hurricane Katrina houses that’s been consumed with mold — the only thing that can be done is to knock it down, burn it, and rebuilt from scratch. But, regardless, I try to remain hopeful and work to move forward in the face of what sometimes seems like relentless confrontation (I’m sure I don’t have to tell you anything about that, though!).
Having said all that, I just want to thank you sincerely for your work. Although I’ve only recently discovered you, I will most certainly pass along your site to others with high recommendations.
Please continue to fight the good fight, knowing there are a lot of folks out there like me who need to be reminded there actually may be some hope for us.
May God richly bless you!
Yours in Christ,
A Church of Christ campus minister
To the elders at University Church of Christ:
I have never attended your congregation, but have no doubt the saints in Tuscaloosa are giving glory to God and winning many souls to Christ. Thank you for the blessings you are bringing to all those in your community.
My exposure to your ministry is through Jay Guin. A while back I stumbled across his book, “Do We Teach Another Gospel.” That treatise was like the ringing of the Liberty Bell in my head. I have spent that last quarter century in the church of Christ and have wrestled with exclusivism almost from the first day. After a long time trying to find answers in Gospel Advocate literature, I began to expand my reading list in the last couple of years. Though other writers helped me see the other side of several issues, Jay’s book was like none other because it served as a bridge between the two. I could keep my feet on the ground (so to speak) and still explore other perspectives. His reasoning gave me the footing. One need not worry that he was floating away from the gospel in his desire to escape the abuse of inference, once you are able to see and show that for what it is.
Recently I have been reading more about the Holy Spirit. Somehow I had missed Jay’s older publication on that subject until last week. Again, his writing has helped improve my understanding of a difficult Bible subject.
I imagine Jay’s writing may sometimes bring unfavorable comments from other sectors of the brotherhood, perhaps even from a few in your own pews. I just wanted to add a positive note, hopefully to many others you have received, for the wonderful work this brother is doing for the cause of Christ. I hope he is appreciated as much there at home in Tuscaloosa as he is by foreigners such as myself who thank God for his efforts.
Yours in Christ,
A saint in Tennessee
Mr. Guin,
I just want to thank you for your presentation at SummerCelebration. I married a girl that was brought up in the Baptist Church and you are the first person in the CoC that recognized publicly that her baptism was valid in your comments about your law partner’s Baptist background. That was her first comment after your lesson. You don’t know how much it means to me. We have been married for 23 years and her background has always been an issue wherever we have been. We currently go to the *** CoC which is instrumental because the non-instrumental congregation here would not let her work in the nursery. She is a public school teacher and they will let their children be in her class 30 hrs a week but not in the nursery for 1 hr on Sunday. Go figure.
Anyway, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
A saint in Ohio
Re: Patterns
Dear brother Jay,
Your writings are a breath of fresh air with a sweet aroma.
I’m blessed by your spirit.
May God continue to bless you.
Sincerely, your brother,A saint
Jay,
I understand you are a presenter at Elderlink in Atlanta next weekend. I wish I could be there to thank you personally for “Do We Teach Another Gospel.” It is a wonderful piece of work.
I am not an elder, nor am I likely to be “selected” anytime soon. I have been working toward that objective for several years. But the more I have studied beyond the Gospel Advocate bounds, the less I have continued to infer the same conclusions on a number of issues, including some of the litmus items. Once challenged to consider the possibility of a more “Radical Christianity” or even “Mere Discipleship.”
It is hard to remain enthusiastic about toting the rote week after week and going home with a fully-punched card. One also begins to draw attention to himself when he no longer offers to hold anyone’s coats when they launch into a stone-casting tirade at yet another brother or group who has “abandoned the faith” or (a favorite pasttime) at all those broad-way boobs who falsely claim to be Christians.
My biggest conflict through this tumultuous time in my life has been how to satisfy the legalist within myself. How am I supposed to categorize these weighty issues into essential or non-essential matters of salvation when virtually all those with whom I search the scriptures either insist “it’s all essential,” or remain guardedly silent. That conflict ultimately leads to a decision point. Am I no longer fit? Do I no longer fit? Go? Go where?
Galatians is not exactly foreign territory to me. But your guided tour opened vistas I had never noticed before. More than that, it was a hand on the shoulder urging me to stick around. It was also a challenging whisper in the ear, “God didn’t promise to make you comfortable!” Maybe one of my missions right now is to remain in the midst of my ardent brothers and sisters and foster a little discomfort of my own by asking periodically, “Are you sure you want to throw that?”
Thank you for a tremendous contribution to all those sincerely seeking. I guess it took a lawyer to help straighten this out. God does work in mysterious ways.
Sincerely,
A saint in Tennessee
Jay,
Forgive me for intruding, but I am kind of desperate. I really need your help. I love my home congregation. We’ve been there over 30 years and my husband is an elder there. We raised our children there and all our closest friend have been made there. It is fairly large (*** or so) and I would describe it as a “mediumly” conservative Church of Christ with a very conservative preacher. *** In my opinion, we have gone backwards toward a more legalistic and exclusionist mindset *** since he has been here. While our worship style is pretty conservative, in other areas (outside the auditorium, if you know what I mean) we have some things that are considered “liberal” in some people’s eyes: a gym, a ***, a community outreach. In my view, what we don’t have is tolerance for new ideas, tolerance for questions that challenge the status quo, and tolerance for Richland Hills, Mike Cope, Randy Harris, etc., etc. It grieves me and my husband and quite a few others. I don’t invite guests to worship with me there for fear of what will be said from the pulpit.
Most of our elders take the position that there are two EQUAL views: 1.) the legalistic view/Pharisaism/status quo view and 2.) the position that we are to yield our comforts and traditions to an open and fresh approach to Scripture.
Here’s why I am asking for help: Please help me learn to articulate things the right way. I feel love for those who don’t agree with me and I think I am gentle and loving in my comments. In fact, I can empathize with the more legalistic view because of my own upbringing in the Church of Christ and my past views. However, some have told me in a tactful way that I just think I am more “enlightened” than others. I do not think this at all — quite the contrary. I am in my *** and I am just now beginning to see some new things. Are you ever accused of thinking of yourself as “enlightened” and of thinking of others (particularly those many would describe as legalists) as not spiritually mature? What do you do? The last thing I want is to be self-promoting or self-congratulatory. I am grateful for those who have gone before me in the Church of Christ-but I am accused of hating “the church.”
Thank you for taking time to read this. If you will just point me to one of your blog posts or something, I promise I will read everything you suggest. I just don’t know what to do about this.
An elder’s wife
[I pointed her to the series on moderate churches and books on grace]
Thanks for reading. Comments like these are very humbling — and motivating. I’ll try to find another year of blogging in me.
Have a Merry Christmas!
