Today is Lance's 5th Anniversary as CGGC E.D.

I point out Lance's fifth anniversary simply as a matter of fact...a look back to a significant CGGC Standing Stone.

It's true. Lance took over the corner office in the headquarters building five years ago today.

---------------

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I often frame my thoughts about the CGGC around Lord's connection to us and around the fruit of that connection, and in terms of two questions.

1. Is the Lord of all authority and power and grace and mercy and blessing blessing us?

2. Are we continuing in the state of spiritual decay and numerical decline that began,  for us, nearly 90 years ago?

I can't see that there is any dispute. The answer to the first question is no. The answer to the second question is yes.

---------------

In a denominational culture dominated by shepherd values, everything we say and do is understood in terms of human relationship.

In our denominational culture, by asking my two questions, especially today, I'm understood to be attacking Lance personally.

Please believe me when I say I'm not attacking Lance personally. I'm not even criticizing him. I love Lance. My heart goes out to him.

But, the real world truth about us can not be denied.

Lance's performance is no better and no worse than that of the men who came before him as our CEO. All of those men were good and nice men who had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, who loved the Lord and wanted only good things for the church.

Is it possible for us to consider the possibility that the Lord's continued lack of blessing on us has nothing to do with the failure of the men the church elevates to the position of denominational CEO?

Can we accept the fact that the Lord refuses to bless us because, in creating the institution we have built, we have stepped outside of His will?

Can we consider that the most important sins from which we must repent are structural, organizational, institutional?

We must repent. And, we must look to the big picture as we seek to walk in the love and blessing of the Lord.