A recent change in the way I conduct myself as a blogger is that I, more regularly, mention off the blog conversation and, much more frequently, copy the words of others into my posts.
I do that for several reasons.
One is that I think I express myself best in those exchanges.
Another is that I want two groups of people to understand that I am not alone.
One of those groups is the very significant sub universe of people who see things in a way that is similar to the way I see life in today's Kingdom...at least to the degree that others are saying to me things that I might say myself.
The second group I want to be challenged by the reality that I am not alone is the holders of institutional authority, especially in the CGGC.
I lived in Findlay for about half a decade. I was on the staff of the seminary and was friends with several people on General Conference staff. And, I know how it can go in the General Conference office building.
On one level, they know that there are dissenting voices across the body, but the people who sit behind the desks in those spacious offices are tempted to think that the number of CGGC people who are committed to principles such as, in this case, the absolute authority of the Bible as our "only rule of faith and practice" are very few.
They are tempted to believe that almost no one shares my opinion that the holders of institutional authority in the CGGC are too moderate, too lukewarm.
They want to believe and, very often, convince themselves, that I am one of a very few...and they can easily behave as if I am, truly, a lone wacko, an extremist whom they don't need to take seriously.
And, of course, they don't take me seriously.
So, from time to time, I include conversations that take place off the blog...for the benefit of the insiders...but, even more so, for the outsiders.
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The prophet Elijah was faithful to the Lord and reached a point at which he concluded, "I am the only one left," (who is faithful to the Lord.) (1 Kings 19:10, 14)
In His tender mercy, the Lord said to Elijah, "...I have reserved 7,000 in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed to Baal." (v. 18)
If you are one of the people whose notes I've included on one of my blogs,...
...understand. You and I are not alone. You are not alone. And, among all of the rest of us, we are not alone.
The holders of institutional authority in the CGGC will continue to face the temptation to believe that you and I are lone wackos...
...but, there are many.
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