{"id":5122,"date":"2011-05-22T08:04:55","date_gmt":"2011-05-22T12:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/?p=5122"},"modified":"2011-05-20T18:51:47","modified_gmt":"2011-05-20T22:51:47","slug":"throwing-hammers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/throwing-hammers\/","title":{"rendered":"Throwing Hammers at Glass Churches"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Bonar Crump<\/a> is an aggressive blogger, and his book, Throwing Hammers – The Separation of Church and Self<\/a> <\/em>follows the same approach. It is edgy, squirm-in-your-seat, good writing.<\/p>\n

He certainly has something to say, even if you don\u2019t like how he says it. Frankly, however, I think he writes what a lot of people think and feel, but do not have the courage to say. Well, Crump says it. And with gusto.<\/p>\n

Like what? Well, cover the eyes and ears of your children, here are some examples:<\/p>\n

The deceptions of the Christian community never cease to amaze me. Incantations, rituals, robes, hymns, sacred readings, holy relics, holy writings, holy gestures, holy shit\u2026\u201d (p. 17).<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve created a system of healing which is completely off-limits to anyone that might be bleeding, infectious, or near death. We\u2019ve segregated ourselves from those we can help the most. We\u2019ve erected so many barriers between our hospitals and the outside world that we have become irrelevant! WTF indeed\u2026 (p. 35).<\/p>\n

Why do we tolerate pricks within our churches? I\u2019m not talking about among the folks being ministered to\u2014I\u2019m talking about within the ministerial branches of our churches (i.e. pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, nursery workers, etc.). \u2026If you area prick and you are making life difficult for the rest of us then you have to pack your shit and go! We\u2019ve got enough problems around here meeting people\u2019s needs and teaching them how to love their neighbors without you setting such a piss poor example! (p. 59).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I imagine that reading such statements, many Church-Going Christians would say \u201cThis is not proper language for a Christian,\u201d to which I imagine Bonar Crump would respond, \u201cDamn right! That\u2019s the entire point!\u201d<\/p>\n

And I\u2019ll be honest. He does have a point, especially when he provides solutions for how we can stop being pricks. Check these quotes out:<\/p>\n

The path starts with being lovable. (I\u2019m not talking about being cute and cuddly, always smiling, and ready to hug anyone that walks in the door.) \u2026It means to be gracious, compassionate, respectful, tolerant, humble, attentive, patient, kind, gentle, joyous, peaceful, and reverent\u2014it means to be a servant. If you don\u2019t start at this point then everything else is worthless! It\u2019s really not that difficult to gauge\u2014if people around you don\u2019t enjoy your company, are forced to tolerate your speech and\/or behavior, and really don\u2019t want to invite you to the party then you being very lovable (p. 58).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus, of course, is the perfect example:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s outside sitting on the curb consoling one of the bus drivers who just found out that his wife of 35 years has cancer. He\u2019s across the street on the corner giving a homeless guy a dollar. He\u2019s up the street trying to break up a fight between two guys arguing over a parking space.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s engaging in people\u2019s lives\u2014holding the hand of a woman who lost her baby during delivery\u2014buying a beer for the guy at the end of the bar who just got laid off\u2014counseling the couple who are standing on the brink of divorce\u2014consoling the \u201clife partner\u201d of a man who just died of AIDS\u2014trying to talk a kid out of taking his own life (p. 69).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the end, I believe Crump presents a great vision for \u201cthe church\u201d which appears to be much closer to the image of Jesus in Scripture than most of what I see elsewhere today.<\/p>\n

Here is how he describes the ideal church:<\/p>\n

There\u00a0wouldn’t\u00a0be any robes or hymnals or pews. The focus would be on providing the local community with a \u201crally point\u201d for health and human services. \u2026Our church would be run by social workers, nurses, teachers, program coordinators, and public health professionals. \u2026Every day of the week our building would be used for some sort of event which would assist our community (p. 79).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He goes on to describe this is more detail, but to get it, you will have to read the book for yourself<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Throwing Hammers by Bonar Crump is edgy, squirm-in-your-seat, good writing about how we can leave the church to follow Jesus into the world. 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