Entitlement Spirituality

America is a land of entitlement. At least, that's what it has become. We expect that we will have everything from money, nice things, and even our health with little or no work on our part. I'm generalizing of course, but the spirit of entitlement is strong and its taint affects all of us in ways we may not realize. It has given rise to one of the most destructive doctrines ever concocted in the pit of hell.

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A Name Emerges

It has been a while since I've had the opportunity to update this blog. Physical infirmity has impaired my writing. It's not easy to blog while laying flat on one's back. I assure you, I tried. The fail was spectacular.

Not long after I started to recover, the Lovely Bride fell and injured herself, breaking her left ankle and spraining her right. This is why broadcasts have been hit or miss for the last few weeks. Even as I write this, she's in surgery having the broken ankle repaired.

Despite the lack of communication from us, God has been far from idle. He has been shaping us and preparing us for the major work that is to come. Prayer and reflection have been a huge part of the last coupe of months. We've been lead to discuss all of our past experiences in the church, both the good and the bad. Our motives have been examined again to make sure that there is no spirit of bitterness involved in the planting and that past hurts have been properly dealt with and understood for the lessons learned and not emotional scars. It's a process we needed to go through in order to be ready to begin.

What the Lord revealed is a passion for the hurting and rejected. We have experienced so much pain and rejection in our own lives that we understand the impact they have on people's lives. It can leave a person in chains, bound by emotional and spiritual scars that hinder all relationships including and especially with the Lord. Often, people bound by these chains feel rejected not only by people but by God. Many of the have been cast off by the church and feel that God rejected them. They are in a prison.

We also have a passion for those trapped in sins that the church often has a hard time ministering to, such as sexual sins, women who've had abortions, criminals, and other similar situations. Many of them are dealing with deep and hidden shame that they only admit to themselves in the dark watches of the night. By day or in the company of others, they put on a happy or normal face, but it's only a facade.

All this and more you've already read here and heard on my program. We really are starting a church for people who don't know how to do church. The unchurched, the dechurched, and anyone else who doesn't feel like they belong anywhere can join us. It will be a safe place for anyone to come and cast off the chains of sin, guilt, and shame and find true freedom that can only be found in Christ Jesus.

From this truth comes the working name for the church: Freedom Church. Our passion is to set people free from their chains and help them find acceptance and liberty in Jesus. This freedom can only come from a right relationship with Jesus through prayer, worship, community, and faithful teaching of the Word of God. The truth of the Living Word will do the work as people come to know Jesus. Jesus accepted and loved the scorned, rejected, and outcasts and through His love and acceptance, their lives were transformed. Freedom comes from transformation of the person through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Very soon I will be making the framework, the skeleton if you will, that those whom the Lord raises up to help us build the church will help us flesh out. It will be a hidden link on the Jesus Outsider site and my personal page, mikekerby.com. I am nervous but also very excited about what the Lord is doing through us and those who are already eager to help. Several things have already fallen into place and more are coming together each week. Please, even if you're not in the Peoria area, commit to pray for us and those who will come that the work will progress an bring glory to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Real Power

Every day we are bombarded with the world's garbage. Sexual immorality, violence, and more darkness are becoming the norms for our society and the church appears powerless to stop the decline. Can things be changed? With real power that comes from a greater source than politics, opinion polls, and protests. Wanna change the world? Here's where you start.

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