December 11, 2011: “Surprises along the way”
Posted on : Dec 8th, 2011 | By office | Category: This Sunday's ServiceThere is something strange that happens almost every time someone tries to tell me about a “religious experience” they’ve had. They always begin with “You probably think I’m crazy, but…” or “I’m sure you won’t believe this, but…”
Such “beginnings” used to annoy me. Of all the people in the world you ought to be able to talk to about a religious experience, your pastor should be one of them! But then I discovered it isn’t just with pastors that people don’t feel comfortable talking about “God-experiences,” it’s with everyone! We’re all afraid everyone will think we’re crazy! That says more about how we view “religion” in America than it does about you personally. Kind of strange, isn’t it, that America is “branded” as the land of religious Christians, yet few people in our culture feel comfortable talking even with their best friends about their personal experiences with God.