Dale Cresap's blog

For atheists nothing is sacred. For some Christians, only those things that occur in churches are sacred. Churches buildings range in size from houses to warehouses, but they comprise a small fraction of the whole world. Does this Christian world view leave most of the world in the realm of the atheists? Christianity is not animism, but you do hold the doctrine of omnipresence, even as I said that I am with you always. Can you see the transcendent in everyday life? If you do you will never be bored. How would your life be different if you walked with this continuous awareness?

If I walked into your church and was thirsty, would you give me a drink? I think that if it was obvious that it was me that you would. What about the least of these or your enemies? In this case would you be so eager to serve them? In this case it may not be so obvious it is me but it really is, and it was my own declaration that established the equivalence. So do you see that the problem here is your lack of awareness and the ability to see things as they really are?

Are you a healer? In every culture those who practice medicine must have extensive training and meet strict and demanding criteria. This is particularly true for cardiac specialists who work on hearts. But in another sense, anyone who is willing can heal a broken heart. If you are willing to establish relationship and trust you can bring healing to those who have been hurt so much that they are in despair. An injured body requires medical attention, but who can bear a wounded spirit? Who can live without hope? I have enabled you to heal these things as much as a doctor can heal a body.

Do you use profanity? Most believers try to avoid this even if they did it before they were saved, according to my commandment that you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. How do you deal with people who do not follow this commandment? For you do not have to go very far to encounter people whose language is coarse, vulgar, and profane. You can object and correct them, but you run the risk of coming across as self-righteous and judgmental toward those who have never known another way of speaking.

How do you describe your faith? Have you found that every Christian tradition describes it as a relationship with me? This is true, but can you find the word ‘relationship’ in the Bible? The same concept is there as friendship, and this is a better term because it means a positive relationship that is mutual and intentional. I established this when I told my followers that I called them no longer servants but friends. They called me Lord and they were right so this friendship is not the typical one of complete symmetry but it is still the only concept that works.

Do you think all your spiritual experiences will occur in church? Your fellowship with your fellow believers is a rich and essential part of your faith. Yet there are other experiences that contribute as well. Do you recall my wilderness experience? Do you recall that I was led there by the Spirit? This was not a rejection of human fellowship but it was important for me to spend some time alone. There may be some times when this is necessary  for you too. In some faith traditions this is a common practice.

You live in a world of scented products, even those which are sold as unscented. Smell is a primal sense that affects you whether you are aware of it or not, and people react strongly to certain smells. Good hygiene minimizes the scent of a person, and it can also be artificially imparted by perfume. There is a spiritual parallel here and you know people that have a pleasant spiritual aroma and those who do not. If you need a shower you can obtain one easily, but your spiritual aroma is more difficult to change.

Are you familiar with the Great Commission? I commanded my followers to preach the good news of the gospel message to every creature. You refer to this work as evangelism. What aspect of it do you think is most important? Do you place the most emphasis on apologetics? On having your doctrine correct? How important do you think this is to those you encounter? Is that their primary concern? The people you meet are lost in darkness and starved for love. This is something you can give them right now, and will draw them to me.

Have you heard of elections referred to as one man, one vote, one time? The implication is that a people who had obtained enough liberty to hold a free election voted to elect someone who would take that liberty away. Does it amaze you that people would discard something so hard to obtain? My word teaches you to stand fast in the liberty in which I have made you free, be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage. People choose their bondages freely which is similar to voting for a tyrant, and neither one makes any sense.

How strong is your identity? Have you noticed people who must prove themselves right in all their choices, starting with their church and political opinions, and even down to their tastes and preferences? This may seem like a strong identity, but if you craft it for yourself it will inevitably be weak, and therefore need a strong defense. Have you encountered other people who don’t feel the need to prove themselves right? Don’t they seem to be more secure and stable in their identity? If you know that you are held in the palm of my hand you can relax.