INTRODUCTION
In this book I am quite critical of the instituted church. I believe I can do this because I love the Church. Frankly, if I did not love it, if I were indifferent to its fate, then I would not have gone to the trouble to devote so much time and energy to write an entire book about the church, analyzing its current state, pointing out where it has gone wrong, and suggesting a possible new way to bring the gospel to the world so desperately in need of Good News.
I always try to follow the Scriptures, of which one text tells me that, when I speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) we will in all things (ta panta) grow up. One of my main points is that the church has failed to consider the “all things” angle. In my book ‘all things’ means exactly that: not only us, the human race, but everything the Lord has created.
I realize that some people will say that I am too blunt, that my treatment has been too harsh, my words too judging, my suggestions too utopian, and there is some truth to that. However, I believe that it is too late in history to beat around the bush, to pull my punches, to talk in veiled language, and hint at matters rather than call a spade a spade.
I take my cue from Jesus who was very outspoken when it came to his mission, calling the then church leaders all sorts of names. I have been much more gracious there, because I realize that they are simply repeating what they have been taught in their seminaries.
I very much emphasize that we live in the Last Days and that now Satan, God’s great adversary calls the tune, by and large.
I do hope that where I have gone wrong in my reasoning, people will correct me, also speaking the truth, as they see it, in love.
I am not a theologian. By the grace of God I started 24 years ago writing a daily meditation based on the lectionary, in a journal published by The Upper Room in Nashville, Tenn. In all these years I have never missed one day, writing about 400 words on weekdays and 800 on Sundays. There I learned about Scripture and about myself in a way not possible by any other means.
Dated May 2009, Tweed, Ontario.