christian faith

June 2012 Top Post

/ Rev. Evan Dolive / Leave a comment

Thank to you guys, my faithful readers, June was a busy month here at evandolive.com.  In June alone, the site racked up 999 hits! (Sooooo close to 1000)

Once again I am overwhelmed by the number of people visiting.  Thank you for sharing, commenting and reading!

Below are the TOP FIVE posts from June 2012

  1. When Faith is Not Enough
    • This article speaks to the nature of faith in regard to a recent death of a snake handling minister.
  2. Robots, Arrogance and the Gospel
    • My thoughts on recent “robo-calls” from a national televangelist
  3. The Gospel According to Family Feud
    • How theology is being taught in the world, even on game shows
  4. Misconceptions about Christians: The Conclusion
    • My conclusion to my four-part series about common misconceptions about Christians (and its not what you think)
  5. Misconceptions about Christians: Part I
    • The one that started it all

In the month of June there were 15 different countries that visited the site.

Thank you again for supporting me!  Please continue to share, comment and read!

In Christ,

Rev. Evan

Another New Project In The Works

/ Rev. Evan Dolive / 4 Comments

Back in April I told you about a new project that was in the works.  As of today, we had not heard any concrete information about whether or not our propsal will be accepted.  You can re-read the post here.

Well, on June 21, my project load doubled.   A friend of mine (Ray, check out his blog here) and I were at High School camp last year when we began to have a discussion about Christianity and society.  Even though we are only removed from High School by only 10-11 years, the world is completely different- the understanding of what it means to be Christian has changed, worship styles have changed and the way we encounter the Divine has changed.  Sadly, the perception of Christianity has not changed.  This made us ask, “why would anyone want to be a Christian when it seems so lame?”  and thus the idea was born.

So we contacted Chalice Press (our denominational publishing house) with our idea and they asked us to write a proposal for a book on this topic.   We are both in transitions in our lives but I believe we will get this completed soon.

Stay tuned for more updated from both projects!  Below is a very nice tweet from Ray’s wife about our project.

In Christ,

Rev. Evan

The Gospel According To Family Feud

/ Rev. Evan Dolive / 1 Comment

The other day I was watching TV and the game show “Family Feud” came on.  I have enjoyed the show in years past but it has been a while since I had ever actually sat down and watched it.  The very first survey question caught my attention.  It was:

Name a profession whose members will have a hard time getting into Heaven

Interesting survey question to say the least. What is “Family Feud”‘s goal here? By simply asking this question the creators/writers of the survey question were making a theological statement. To them salvation is found in how good of person you are AND there are people in this world who because of their choice of profession will not inherit the riches awaiting them in Heaven. While there are some who believe that Heaven is reserved for Christians only, there are some who believe that all of humanity will not be barred from the glories of God.

Not so says Family Feud…

Here is what the survey said:

  1. Lawyer
  2. Politician/Govt.
  3. Stripper
  4. Prostitute/Pimp
  5. Drug dealer
  6. Athlete

Other answers not making the survey:

  • Tax collector
  • Hit man
  • Con artist
  • Thief

One first glance the majority of the people listed by the survey are those that fit certain stereotypes. Polticans lie and cheat, lawyers lie to get their way, drug dealers are preying on the youth of America, etc. etc. The only one that didn’t make sense to me was ‘athlete.’ Sure in recent year in the age of steroids and mega contracts there are those who believe that professional athlete are nothing more than big, money hungry babies. Of course, this isnt always the case and I do point out that the survey did not specify between pro and amateur athletes, so looks like my league baseball days has punched my ticket to netherworld known as hell. 😀

The theology that Family Feud is promoting is one what widely labels certain professions as negative.  Forget the fact that there are lawyers that take on cases for free, forget the politicians who actually do their due diligence and serve those they represent, forget the athlete that is using his/her God given talents to play a sport and use part of their salary to fund charity work.  Just forget all of that… let’s make generalization… because that has worked in the past, right?

Am I making too much out of a game show?  Maybe, but maybe not; the fact of the matter is that theology can be promoted outside of a stained glass building.  Sure it is light hearted game show but is there an element of truth?  Yes, but a gross over simplification with an element of theology can be a scary thing; that’s just enough knowledge to be dangerous.  Now I am not sure how many people draw their spiritual knowledge from a game show but is a conversation that is happening outside the church in the public arena.

I believe people are seeking this conversation about the Divine in the world today… Family Feud is just starting it off for us.

In Christ,

Rev. Evan

When Faith Is Not Enough

/ Rev. Evan Dolive / 4 Comments

My latest article for the Orange County Record

One of my professors in seminary once said that he did not believe in atheists.  He didn’t mean that he did not believe that there were people in the world who did not believe in God or a higher power.  During his lecture he said, “There is no such thing as an ‘atheist’ every person is ‘a theist.’  Every person has faith in something.”

If you think about it, it is a true statement.  We have faith that our doctor will know proper procedures and treatment options.  We have faith that people driving vehicles will follow the rules of the road ensuring our safety.  We have faith that when go to a restaurant that our food will be prepared well and that we will not get sick a food borne illness.

Every person whether they are a practicing Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, agnostic or atheist has had to wrestle with the notion of faith and to what extent their faith will impact their life.  Faith for some practitioners is deeply integrated it into their lives (eating Kosher, strict dress code, daily prayer).  Some have chosen to place that faith in a theology, a teaching, a book or themselves.  Faith is something that permeates all of humanity, in every place, in every culture and in every time period.

Being a Christian minister I am particular interested the ways that Christians from all walks of life are sharing and understanding their faith.  There was story in the Washington Post that peeked my interest.  (You can read it by going to http://wapo.st/LA4Vyl)

In West Virginia, a minister was killed due to a rattlesnake bite.  Pastor Mark Wolford died after handling a snake in a small church service.  In some states this particular worship expression is illegal but not in West Virginia.  For members of Wolford’s church, they believe they are being deeply committed to the Bible.  They take Mark 16:17-18 quite literally.  It reads:  “These signs will be associated with those who believe: they will throw out demons in my name. They will speak in new languages. They will pick up snakes with their hands. If they drink anything poisonous, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

Snake handling is nothing new to modern Christian faith expression.  In 1995, Dennis Convington wrote a book about his experience of snake handling in churches in Alabama.  In his text, “Salvation on Sand Mountain” he dives into the world of snake handling.  In one particular church the congregants would drink arsenic to show their faith in God.  Is this what God asks from God’s followers?  If we do not believe that having faith of a mustard seed can actually move Mount Fuji, then why apply this text so literally?  Do I not have as much faith has those followers of Christ in West Virginia because I do not worship with animals?

Did Pastor Wolford lack faith?  Was his faith not enough? Some would say ‘yes’ because he tried to follow the teachings of the Bible and still ended up dying.  Others would say ‘no’ because he was bit by a venomous snake and the appropriate medicines were not administered in time.  For me, I believe that Pastor Wolford truly believed that the God of all creation would protect him and that his faith was the cure all to poisons that he might encounter.  This makes Christianity the “magic bullet” for everything bad in one’s life.   When does faith turn into wishful thinking?  I have faith that God is a God that cares for me and my family.  But I am not expecting God to send angels to save me if I try to jump the roof of my house.  No amount of faith would be adequate in trying to save my life.  Becoming a Christian does not mean that everything thing bad in one’s life is magically going to go away.  This makes Christianity a religion of give and take; I give to God and take what God gives to me.  I give God my faith, God will give me a clean bill of health.  This makes Christianity superficial and self-centered.

Pastor Wolford and his followers have taken into their hands (literally) their faith.  For them their faith is a tool of salvific proportions.  Yes I believe in miracles and the power of the Holy Spirit, but I am not totally convinced that waving a snake around the sanctuary and hoping that God would intervene if the snake got mad is what God is advocating.  In our lives we will have varying expressions of faith: words of songs will mean more, scriptures will reveal to us the understanding of how God has acted in the past and how humanity has reacted, worship will revive our soul and on and on.

Faith is not static and at its core it is quite difficult.  This is why many people do not begin the journey.

Misconceptions About Christians: Part III

/ Rev. Evan Dolive / 2 Comments

Here is my latest article for the Orange County Record.

If you missed Part I and/or II check it out now!

For the past two week I have been writing about misconceptions about Christians. So far I have discussed the misconception that being a Christian one must read the Bible literally and that being a Christian means you have to go to “church.” Today we will look at another misconception.

Misconception #3- TV ministers/evangelists are representative of all of Christianity.

One of the most popular and widely known Christian based television channels is the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). TBN was launched in 1973 has been expanding to other countries, bringing the people the message of Jesus Christ. I am not against this by any means but some of the people broadcasting on TBN have nothing in common with me (and many other Christians) theologically. Yes, there are times when I agree with something TD Jakes or Joel Osteen says but more often than not I disagree with them. The problem that I see with most of the TV ministers and evangelists is that their messages are from the same theological mold and construct. TBN and other Christian stations make it a point to only promote their brand of theology, their view of God, their view of Christ and their view of God’s interaction in the world. The problem arises when people who are not of the Christian faith or disenfranchised with the church think this is the only way to view God.

There are millions of people who enjoy and get something out of watching the programming on TBN and there just as many people who would want it to go away. By TBN promoting their theology as the theology of all Christians in the entire world, it greatly restricts the church and Christianity. This limits the movement of God in a person’s life; this limits the spirit to move and to intercede. This makes Christianity one-sided and monochromatic. TBN promotes a Christianity that is ‘their way or the highway.’ They seemed to have figured out Christianity.

One time I was speaking with a woman and the topic of me being a minister came up. She began to tell me her entire faith journey and then she told me something that I would never forget. She told me that she was raised in the church, raised her children in the church; she was a devoted and committed Christian. She told me that she felt she had been ‘misinterpreting’ the Bible because it was not the way Jimmy Swaggart preached and proclaimed the gospel. This got me thinking, was she truly believing “bad theology” until Jimmy Swaggart came along? Just because Jimmy said it and promoted it, that made it the “gospel truth?” This my friends is the power of the TV minister. This is the power of Christian television.

When a news organization like Fox News or CNN want the “Christian response” to a major event who do they generally ask? Answer: the late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson or Joel Osteen. While they speak for some people, they don’t speak for me and many other Christians. No one person or persons speaks for all of Christianity. Why can’t there be a Christian station that was “fair and balanced,” a station that showed all view points of Christianity, a station that started conversations about faith instead of ending them? This might be a dream that might never come into fruition, but it is something to strive for.

Next week I will continue my series on the misconceptions about Christians; I welcome your feedback.

In Christ,

Rev. Evan