I have had a lot of conversations about gossip with people lately.  It has been really good.  Last year this was something our ministry really struggled with, but by and large we have really repented of this. 

Speaking of gossip however, a friend of mine put it well recently when he said, "If we cut out all forms of gossip there would be a lot less said."  I agree.  I think we have learned not to speak something that is not for the purpose of edification generally.  As I consider this though I think about the ten commandments and how they implicitly deal with a lot of things far beyond what they explicitly say not to do.  For example, the 6th commandment (do not murder) deals with keeping the speed limit as much as it does shooting someone.  The speed limit is the contemporary application of the 6th commandment the same way in the Old Testament there is a law that commands everyone to have a fence around their roof (as to not murder someone).  This may be vague.  Ask me about it...its really pretty cool. 

Back to gossip, we get the general rule.  I do think that we miss the implications however.  A couple of things to ponder.  Is it gossip to talk to a friend about "the idiot who cut you off on the way to campus."?  Is it gossip to talk about whether or not Angelina Jolie was the cause of Brad Pitts divorce?  Is it murder to call George Bush a fool? 

I dont want to be legalistic, but these things are definatly worth considering.  Some may or may not be wrong, but as a culture we talk a lot.  As a church we talk "anonymously" a lot.  This we need to be very very careful of.  Do not speak flippantly of others b/c you dont use their names.  If I were to say, "Pray for my small group ministry, a certain leader is really not submitting to Hal and Cassis authority and is off doing their own thing."  A sentance like this can be easily dissected to determine who I am talking about, which can cause tremendous problems. 

If Jesus were to give one more passage to us in the sermon on the Mount it may begin like this: "You have heard it said, 'do not gossip', but I tell you the truth; anyone who "anonymously" shares things they ought not be sharing is potentially guilty of an equal sin"

Thanks to Nate, Gene, and a few others for helping me work through this issue

Much Love

You learn if you are really someones pastor the day you have to tell them something they dont want to hear

I can not kick this cough.  I have been sick for nearly a month now.  Finally the other night I broke down and took some Robutussim.  Yea, I am pretty sure that I violated Ephesians 5:18 with that one.  I was so loopy.  Then I looked on the bottle and it said, "Stop taking immidiatly if you experiance dizziness, nausua, or nervousness."  I had already been dizzy and sick, and then after reading the bottle I started getting nervous.  So I have stopped the medicine and my cough is worse.  So, back to the doctor I go. 

Moving on.  Several times this semester I have spoken about the difference between CounterCulture and other campus ministries.  The primary reason is my role I think.  I dont want to be a speaker I want to be a pastor.  It would be easy for me to stand up every Wed night and speak "moving" messages, but I have found that "moving" messages typically dont move very far.  For the most part they only displace for a couple of days until the emotion of the message wears off. 

Emotion isnt bad.  It isnt to be the idol of Christian discipleship either.  We are changed by the Word of God, not our feelings.  Somewhere along the lines emotion has become an acceptable Christian drug.  While we scoff at being drunk we allow ourselves to be "controlled by emotion".  Neither of which are the control of the Spirit, and both are sin.  .