tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206974101759413323.post2403425502913379254..comments2023-12-25T19:55:38.774-06:00Comments on A Disciple's Thoughts: Can Someone Who Has Messed Up Her Life Be Used by God?Terry Laudetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17725093818552655944noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206974101759413323.post-82069698062367539742010-11-01T15:51:23.096-06:002010-11-01T15:51:23.096-06:00Great thoughts, Guy. Thanks for sharing them!Great thoughts, Guy. Thanks for sharing them!Terry Laudetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17725093818552655944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206974101759413323.post-91328426673853243062010-11-01T11:03:53.698-06:002010-11-01T11:03:53.698-06:00Terry,
What a desperately important lesson for ev...Terry,<br /><br />What a desperately important lesson for everyone in every church! Over my years in different churches, i still encounter such a strong sentiment that people with "dirty" or "scandalous" pasts or struggles or issues just aren't fit to serve God. They can sit in a pew and think about what they've done for the rest of their life. But they shouldn't be allowed to go any farther than that.<br /><br />i tell you, if Jesus had thought that way, i daresay there would've been no leaders at all in the first century church!!! Our religion is based on the crucial tenet that God really can change people's hearts and lives. But so many of our expectations and perspectives and *especially our hiring criteria* suggest that we don't believe that tenet whatsoever. i've taught a teen class and actually heard one of the teens say clearly and distinctly that he'd grown up with the impression that "church" is not a place for people who have bad problems in their life. That's the most chilling and disturbing thing i've ever heard.<br /><br />i'd say reversing that mentality is one of the most pressing needs of the church today! (And i shudder at the thought--if it were true, God would've kicked me out of the church years ago.)<br /><br />--guyguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05548883062420560488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206974101759413323.post-79121374681319912212010-10-29T18:19:04.967-06:002010-10-29T18:19:04.967-06:00Thanks, Warren. I'll try to find that book in...Thanks, Warren. I'll try to find that book in a bookstore. And I'll try to let you know how they are doing in a few weeks. I'm praying that they will be able to recover fully. They have made a lot of progress already, but they have some more progress to make. Hopefully, they will keep going.Terry Laudetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17725093818552655944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206974101759413323.post-13526215509903121092010-10-29T17:00:26.490-06:002010-10-29T17:00:26.490-06:00Terry,
YOu have given some excellent advice and co...Terry,<br />YOu have given some excellent advice and counsel here. I hope she will listen. But, unfortunately, sometimes the shame is so deep that the logic and common sense of good counsel, even biblical counsel, has a hard time being heard and accepted. I'm dealing with that right now, too.<br /><br />I just got a book called Confessions of a Good Christian Girl by Tammy Maltby that deals with issues of shame in women who have sinned. I haven't read it yet; just looked through it. But, it looks like she deals with some of these issues.<br /><br />It would be interesting to read how this couple is doing if you can post about it in a few weeks (and please let me know if you do).<br /><br />Good job of ministry.<br /><br />wbWarren Baldwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956713921509659993noreply@blogger.com