sustain:if:able kiwi

WWLD? What would Luther bang on Tamaki’s door? updated

Today is Reformation day. On October 31, in 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses on to the door of Castle Church.

1. When Jesus said “repent” he meant that believers should live a whole life repenting
2. Only God can give salvation – not a priest.
3. Inwards penitence must be accompanied with a suitable change in lifestyle.
4. Sin will always remain until we enter Heaven

… and so on: 95 soundbites of opinionated faith, nailed on the door of Castle Church. Why Castle Church? It was the site of Europe’s largest collection of church artifacts, and for some years, had been charging people to view the relics, making money out of religious desire.

So today, some 492 years later, I wonder what Luther would nail on the door of the church today?

Well, before I pick out the splinter from the eye of another, let me look at the log which is my own door. I wonder what he would nail on Opawa’s door?
Perhaps
1. Perfect love casts out fear?
2. Seek a new senior pastor based on the needs of the whole church, not your own concerns?
3. Keep the focus on people projects not building projects?
4. Remember you still have not found what you are looking for (Philipians 1:6)?

Updated: Ok, here is what I eventually “banged on the Opawa door”/ ie preached on Sunday morning.
For reforming Opawa as a church in transition today

So, with tears in my own eyes, I now wonder what Luther might nail on Brian Tamaki’s church door?
1. You can’t charge people to buy your relics, your T-shirts and DVD’s?
2. You need to encourage people to think about the Bible for themselves?
3. You need to be more co-operative toward media organisations like TV 3?
4. Yes you need first-fruits offering, but to be Biblical, uou need to give the first fruits offering, (see James Hardings comments here) to the priests who have no income producing land of their own. So that’s not you Brian, because you have your own income-producing land, your own gym and house.
5. ?