Everyone is so perfect around here... but ME!

Second in the series Practical Christianity 101

You will sometime soon have this misconception: "Everyone here in this Church is perfect but ME!"

Wrong. Everyone in your Church is a human being, and everyone in your church has problems and troubles just like the rest of us. We all live with varying degrees of transparency and just because they all 'look' together doesn't mean they 'are' together.

Every single one of them including your Pastors is a sinner. Every one of them faces temptation, feels avarice, becomes greedy, or suffers from any number of sins every single day. They are human beings just like we are, and sometimes they fail. Every single one of them needs the love and forgiveness that only Jesus can provide.

If there is any difference between them and you it's just that those who have been walking with Christ for the longest know that they MUST depend on Jesus. Then fully understand that they can not do it themselves.

That's a hard concept to wrap your head around, but it's true. They have known this fact longer so they are better at leaning on the Lord. And they also are privileged to have lived longer with the knowledge that no matter what they do Jesus will forgive them.

So no, no one in your Church is perfect except the person of the Holy Spirit, and he's come to make us all clean.

NOTE: If there are people in your Church who purport that they /are/ perfect then you are in the wrong Church. Find one where the Holy Spirit lives and you'll find a Church full of humble servants of the Lord! That's where you want to be.

Is CRAP a Swear Word?

First in the series: PRACTICAL Christianity 101

It pains me to admit that I used to curse like a truck driver. In fact I'm sure that sometimes my language would have made many a truck driver blush. And I had nothing to do with cleaning up my act in that regard. The Holy Spirit did that for me.

However... Is Crap a swear word? How about Poop, or Snot, or Darnit! What about Holy Toledo?

I need some other words to fill in the blanks that my salvation left in my 'colorful' language, but I do not want to blaspheme, offend, or take the Lord's name in vain.

I have often seen within my new Church friends eyes that sometimes my usage of the verbiage above has makes them feel uncomfortable. I don't want to do that! They have been kind enough to accept me as I am, and to rejoice over the positive changes in me. I don't want to startle or upset them with any raw language.

So I've been doing some research into the subject, and found some helpful websites. I was very surprised to find that many people have the exact same question as I do! And sadly they all seem to have a different answer to that question.

• Here is one from AnswerBag: Is Crap a Swear Word?
• And here is another one from Yahoo Answers: Is Crap a Swear Word?

These were unsatisfactory. My research continued.

I found a wonderful answer on a Wiki of all things. Here is a short excerpt from that Wiki post:

"The degree to which profanity is offensive relies upon how the use of the word affects an individual. Some will consider the original meaning of a word to be offensive or a subject not fit for polite conversation (cf Ephesians 5:3-4 "..it is not right that any matters of sexual immorality or indecency or greed should even be mentioned among you. Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane or vulgar.") while others will have no objection to these subject matters. Some will feel that certain words, having an established social taboo are simply offensive, regardless of any context; others will find profanities offensive mainly when used in a way deliberately intended to offend."

That is a very well worded and thoughtful definition. But practically it doesn't help one little bit.

I certainly don't have the intention to offend if I drop a computer monitor on my toe and scream "CRAP" as I dance wildly about. But some folks might still get offended.

Three of the summer interns here at the church (And they are quite a wonder and a blessing) were happy to answer my question as to whether or not Crap was a swear word. I found their answers quite insightful and helpful, particularly since they had grown up in Christian homes, one whose parents are even Pastors.

Yes was their answer, across the board, if you are speaking in a Church, or to more traditional Christians. But if you're in the Youth Service, it's perfectly fine!

Wow . I love those guys! It was a very simple and clear cut matter to them. And their answer backed up a theory that I've had for some time: I'm terribly immature. But at least now I have a good set of rules to follow for the proper use of Church exclamatory language.

I translated it like this: Be respectful to those who have lived a much more devout life for a longer time than you have. They are more in touch with the purity of the Holy Spirit and 'roughness' of any type may be grating to them.

That rule works for me. Then just to be certain I said a little prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help guide me in this endeavor not to startle or embarrass any of my new loving family here at the Church. That's the last thing on earth that I want to do. But if I do I know that they will forgive me, cause that's just how God made them.

PRACTICAL Christianity 101

As some of you know I'm newly saved (Within the past 2 years)

I'm a baby when it comes to all things associated with the following of our Lord Christ Jesus. Sometimes I feel like a total noob. So I decided to create a series of postings entitled Practical Christianity 101.

There are plenty of sites out there for new Christians that delve into Theology for the newly saved. I never had a problem with that. I love to read and it's all right there in the Bible.

I found that my stumbling blocks were things like understanding "Christianese", and understanding the social mores within the Church. In my ignorance faux paus became my tademark. And unhappily I've unintentionally offended lots of people along the way.

I'm sorry for that. So these posts are my attempt at sweeping the path clean for new followers of Christ so that they don't trip along their journey as often as I did. And I promise that every time I learn something new I'll share it here too!!