Strangeness of the Month Club
Our motto: Christians Say the Strangest Things!
by Kent B. True

If you are a member of our club, you know that there is a somewhat (somewhat?!?) lampooning style used here. I fear that someone might think we hold ill-will toward the authors of the strangeness that we examine each month.

Not so. Once, long, long ago in The Christian Baptist our buddy A. Campbell was about to fire a withering blast at the idea that God issues "special calls" to the ministry. As he said then, "I cheerfully admit that there are now, and there were formerly, many good men who have advocated" the idea in question. But as Mr. Campbell went on to say, "Shall we be deterred from examining any principle because good and great men have espoused it? Nay, verily!"

Once you have figured out that "Nay, verily!" means, "No way, dude!" then you can see brother Campbell’s point - and it’s a good point.  So away we go with another meeting of our Strangeness of the Month Club.

Greg Nettle, "Building Bridges Instead of Barriers"
Christian Standard, May 11, 2003

Greg tells us that long ago, in a land far, far away, he would say at baptisms, "I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirt - for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit." Nowadays, in these postmodern times, he keeps that last part - about forgiveness and the Holy Spirit - he keeps that part under raps.

Acts 2:38 is "very biblical" he admits, probably in one of those shocking moments of realization that smack us in the face now and then. But Greg is afraid that, should Acts 2:38 fall on the wrong ears, someone might be offended. Those words about the remission of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit can "sound like an indictment" says brother Nettle, so he just doesn’t mention them anymore.

You see, if you don’t mention that Acts stuff, then "‘unchurched Catholics’" can much more easily become part of the River Tree Christian Church. It seems that if you take down the "barrier" of certain scriptures, then people really take to Christianity. So get out your hermeneutical bulldozer and let’s get rid of some more of those pesky scriptural "barriers" that the house of God may be filled!

In fact, says Senior Pastor Nettle, subtracting that nasty Acts 2:38 statement can allow someone "to joyfully admit that he now more fully understands Scripture." Well, scripture other than Acts 2:38, that is!

Now what would Jesus do in a situation like this? I seem to remember one occasion where He told a Samaritan woman (and I’m paraphrasing here) "You’re life is all screwed up and you worship God in the wrong way." That sounds like an indictment to me, but you know how Jesus is.

I have an idea. If Mr. Nettle is willing to drop Acts 2:38 in order not to offend "unchurched Catholics," then he should consider dropping Matthew 28:19. All that talk of "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" is really offensive to Unitarians!