Dealing with “The Shack” and its personal ramifications…

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Blog Post for today…

Dealing with “The Shack” and its personal ramifications…
The “Cagey Pastor” will not read this book! The “Powerful Bishop” would never admit it if he did. The manipulative leader would never recommend this one! This book has likely stirred up hornet’s nest in the religious world.

Brenda gave me a copy of this 250 page book entitled “The Shack” and questioned me what my opinion might be after I read it. She personally is re-reading it for the second time. Thanks again Brenda. Thanks for blowing my mind!

The nasty instruction at the back of the little book requests that the reader not give away the story line… or tell too much of the plot contained within. That is kind of like surprising me with a Birthday Cake, lighting the candles and then telling me that I can’t eat the cake… or blow out the candles. How mean can that be!

You cannot give a story teller a story and then not let the guy not talk about it.

I found the book masterful in the weaving of the complicated story parts together. It is however filled with enough theology that will sink the average pew sitter. I think they will fall asleep many times before they complete it – something like church. That part is funny for me.

The weaving of simple but fascinating dialogue between the key characters with the main dude – is nothing short of great. Who would have thought that a person could actually ask the questionsas he does and get the answers that he receives – from God?

Yep – the supporting actors in this book is/are God Himself – or Herself… which is why most Leaders in the Theological World would or may object – “You don’t talk to God or have God talk to you! You must listen to us tell you what GOD TOLD US and LET US INTERPRET IT FOR YOU!”

To actually have people think about God differently is amazing! But you have to read the book in order to know why I see it as amazing.

The great danger is that churches with really big debts now, and people not wanting to take on the church’s debt load, might suffer from people building personal relationships with God and not a building. And if these same people that SHOULD SUPPORT a CHURCH find out that there is more to life than the relationship of looking at some one else’s head accompanied with a grunt or a silly comment at the end of the church service… watch out because attendance could go down… along with offerings and all that terribly, needful stuff that makes the Church Factory keep going.

I strongly suspect that the changes happening in society as a whole have been matched by a book that tells the truth. And that is why it is so perfect now with thousands upon thousands reading and savoring it.

Recently I was sorting through my books with the thought of getting rid of them to unsuspecting pastors that are young and starting out brand new.

When I opened one box the brightly coloured book was glaring out its title for me to take a look inside. The Title was “How to Get Your Church to Give More!” No kidding! I remember reading that as our church started to dwindle in numbers and money from death and unhappy campers. Both were leaving and taking their tithes, offerings and $2.00 amounts with them(some considered all these to be the same…ha!)

I laughed to my self as I flipped through this book and its ideas again. I could not think of one minister that I could give it to. So I put it in the recycling bin… for the garbage. I sure bought some silly books with real money looking for a Fast Fix to growing problems.

I know of churches that have “mega million dollar debt” – “MMDD”. Having people question if they are able to worship God in the MMDD church or not… and maybe find that what takes place there each week is simply a distraction from God… could be dangerous.

Paul “Willie” Young asked me to think about things that are not easy to think about! He stated it in such away that I could not miss it. It took me longer to read this little book because of the things Willie made me think about.

The one big question is – “Is this story true?” I know what Paul states… but in my mind it is absolutely true – somewhere.

So if these words above get you thinking and maybe even wanting to read what is in the 250 pages… I feel good about that.

I would love to send a copy to the Pope… and to Bishop locally. I would love to know what the top dog in our own organization feels about what he reads there. And locally I would love to hear what the pastors of churches that should obey, are thinking about it. I wonder if there will be any book burning of this one in months to come?

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com

Source:
http://theshackbook.com/
http://windrumors.com/