The Need For Balance

In the Skagit Valley Herald today there was a big article on the front page of the Religion section about a preacher named Micah Armstrong. Basically, Micah travels around to different college campuses preaching (his version of) the Bible. In a nutshell, Micah is loud, obnoxious, and seems to take great pleasure in provoking the crowd to anger.

I believe in the great commission: to go into all the world preaching the gospel of Christ to everyone. We all need to do this whenever the opportunity arises. Everyone needs to know that Christ died for them...that He was the perfect sacrifice for us all. We need a savior, and if Christ hadn't died then we would have no hope. We are all sinners and in need of a savior.

I agree that we need to warn people who are not Christians of the reality of an eternity separation from God...of a hell that is very real...of their need to accept Christ and then to repent and live their lives the way He tells us to in the Bible. But...how does a person reason that going out and yelling at people will accomplish anything? Shouldn't we be trying to reach people with things like gentleness...and respect...and love?

To go out in public and say things like women with short hair, who wear pants, or who have jobs are going to hell; or "women have two places: in front of the sink and behind the vacuum." What kind of insane person is this anyway?

In my opinion, a person like Micah Armstrong, though he may have good intentions, is doing a great deal more harm to the kingdom of God than good. He makes those of us who are truly trying to obey the Bible and live our lives as Christians look like idiots as well. Because the world tends to lump all "religious" people into one big pot. I, for one, definitely do not want to be identified with such a person as Mr. Armstrong.

Having said that...this religious extreme can swing too far the other way as well. There are groups within the church that I would not (in any way) wish to be identified with either. Those who are so adamant that they are right and...if you disagree even one degree from the way they do...then you are branded to be disfellowshipped. And anyone who dares to even talk to you should be disfellowshipped as well. The people who fall within this group are doing just as much harm to the kingdom of God as the other extreme (such as Micah Armstrong). Are these people showing gentleness...or respect...or love? I don't think do.

So...I continue to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), and continue to strive to be the way God wants me to be. As I study the Bible, I learn how I need to change and how I need to live my life. Look to Jesus as your example...not the men who make up these two extremes of the swinging pendulum!

I just had to add this from the article about Micah Armstrong: On one of the campuses where he was preaching a student from the crowd asked:"Brother Micah, can God microwave a burrito so hot he can't eat it?"
"Chuck Norris can!" someone screeched, prompting a roar.