Am I Legalistic?

Posted in Bible, Foundation, Hearing from God, Jesus, Just Gil, Life Lessons on July 11, 2009 by Gil Allensworth

If someone were to ask me if I were legalistic my answer would be, “No way, not me.” But last night I caught myself asking myself that very question.

Websters.com defines legalism (the root of legalistic) as:

1. strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, esp. to the letter rather than the spirit.
2. Theology.

a. the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works.
b. the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.
3. (initial capital letter) (in Chinese philosophy) the principles and practices of a school of political theorists advocating strict legal control over all activities, a system of rewards and punishments uniform for all classes, and an absolute monarchy.

When I say legalism, I am speaking of a Christian view. I find people that people who subscribe to legalism seem to find find fault with many things, from drinking, smoking, dancing, cussing, Rated R movies, and anything else they believe the Bible clearly (to them) says not to do, i.e. sin. I do not have a problem with people that believe in legalism. If at a persons core they believe it is sin to do something and they choose to refrain, that is cool. It is their choice and it is their own personal relationship with God in which they are responsible for and I applaud them for their convictions, but I do have a problem with

Legalistic People. To me a legalistic person is different than a person who practices legalism. A legalistic person forces their belief structure on everyone and anything. If they see someone smoking, they look at that person with disdain. If they see someone drinking a beer, they will shake their head with a holier than thou look on their face. A legalistic person wouldn’t be caught dead going to see a Rated R movie (well, except for Passion of The Christ). A legalistic person is an overbearing jerk, even when they might be right… in my humble opinion.

So last night I wrestled with the question, “Am I legalistic?”

I hung out with a good friend who drinks, smokes and cusses, among other things that I don’t necessarily agree with. He took me to a place with some of his other friends that were drinking, smoking, cussing, and farting, all the while trying to fix one of the friends truck. These guys accepted me. They offered me a beer. They offered me a smoke. (btw I declined both) We stood around in a parking lot for about an hour talking, laughing and just having a good time.

These guys were good to each other. They were nice to each other. They shared their resources with each other. They cared about each other, all the while they were “sinning.”

I really don’t have an end to this post, but I wonder if the church could act more like these guys who were helping out a friend in need when he needed it. I wonder if the church could get past the language, the alcohol, the smoke, the color of skin and just help people out when they were in need?

As I read the Gospel, it sure seems to me that is what Jesus did.

Where You Go I Go

Posted in Jesus on June 29, 2009 by Gil Allensworth

I was introduced to this song at Stevens Creek yesterday. I am still blown away!

Honduras in Crisis & Stevens Creek Is There

Posted in Jesus, Prayer, The Creek on June 28, 2009 by Gil Allensworth

If you haven’t heard, below is the initial story about the coup d’etat of Honduras Preseident Manuel Zelaya as reported by FOXNews.com.

Stevens Creek Church Missions Team arrived safely in Honduras yesterday. I know that as I have seen their updates on Twitter and Facebook. I even believe that some of The Creek family have spoken directly with some of the Missions Team, but I don’t know that for sure.

Please pray for the entire team. I do not know everyone who is on the trip, but please pray for everyone, including, Susan, BeNeka, Dorna and Billy. I am praying for their safety, their confidence, their boldness, their prayer life and their safe return home.

I trust God and I know He always has a plan and is always in control. I believe the words of Romans 8:28.

Here’s the story as reported by FOXNews.com:

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras —  Soldiers seized the national palace and flew President Manuel Zelaya into exile Sunday, hours before a disputed constitutional referendum. Congress appointed a successor, but Zelaya, a leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said he was the victim of an illegal coup.

Hours later, Congress voted to accept what it said was Zelaya’s letter of resignation and by a show of hands, voted to appoint congressional President Roberto Micheletti as the new chief executive.

But Zelaya said the letter wasn’t his and vowed to remain in power.

The Supreme Court said it was supporting the military in what it called a defense of democracy.

Zelaya was arrested shortly before polls were to open in a referendum on whether to change the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled the referendum illegal and everyone from Congress to members of his own party opposed it. Critics said Zelaya wanted to remove limits to his re-election.

Tanks rolled through the streets and hundreds of soldiers with riot shields surrounded the presidential palace in the capital, Tegucigalpa. Zelaya, at the airport in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose, called the military action illegal.

“There is no way to justify an interruption of democracy, a coup d’etat,” he said in a telephone call to the Venezuela-based Telesur television network. “This kidnapping is an extortion of the Honduran democratic system.”

A majority of members of Congress voted with a show of hands to accept a letter of resignation that Congressional Secretary Jose Alfredo Saavedra said was signed by Zelaya and dated Thursday. The letter said Zelaya was resigning because of “the polarized political situation” and “insuperable health problems.”

A resolution read on the floor of Congress accuses Zelaya of “manifest irregular conduct” and “putting in present danger the state of law,” a reference to his refusal to obey a Supreme Court ruling against holding a constitutional referendum.

But Zelaya told Telesur he would not recognize any de facto government and pledged to serve out his term, which ends in January. He said he would attend a scheduled meeting of Central American presidents in Nicaragua on Monday. He said Chavez, who is also going, would provide transportation.

Chavez, who along with the Castros in Cuba is Zelaya’s top ally, said Venezuela “is at battle” and put his military on alert.

President Barack Obama said he was “deeply concerned” by Zelaya’s expulsion and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the arrest should be condemned.

“I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter,” Obama’s statement read.

Zelaya told Telesur that he was awoken by gunshots and the shouts of his security guards, whom he said resisted troops for at least 20 minutes. Still in his pajamas, he jumped out of bed and ducked behind an air conditioner to avoid flying bullets, he said.

He said eight or nine soldiers in masks escorted him onto an air force plane that took him to Costa Rica.

Chavez said troops in Honduras also temporarily detained the Venezuelan and Cuban ambassadors, beating them.

Zelaya called on Honduran soldiers to desist, urged citizens to take to the streets in peaceful protests, and asked Honduran police to protect demonstrators.

Zelaya ally Rafael Alegria, a labor leader, called for protests.

“We demand respect for the president’s life,” he told Honduran radio Cadena de Noticias. “And we will go out into the streets to defend what this has cost us: living in peace and tranquility.”

About 100 Zelaya supporters, many wearing “Yes” T-shirts for the referendum, blocked the main street outside the gates to the palace, throwing rocks and insults at soldiers and shouting “Traitors! Traitors!”

“They kidnapped him like cowards,” screamed Melissa Gaitan. Tears streamed down the face of the 21-year-old, who works at the government television station. “We have to rally the people to defend our president.”

Honduras has a history of military coups: Soldiers overthrew elected presidents in 1963 and 1972. The military did not turn the government over to civilians until 1981, under U.S. pressure.

Micheletti has been one of the president’s main opponents in the dispute over whether to hold the referendum. The head of the Supreme Court was also opposed to the nonbinding referendum, on whether to ask voters whether they want to convoke an assembly to rewrite the constitution.

It appeared that the vote would no longer take place.

c/o FOXNews.com @ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529326,00.html?test=latestnews

What Is Ministry?

Posted in Bible, Foundation, Friendship, Hearing from God, Jesus, Life Lessons, Prayer, Strategy on June 27, 2009 by Gil Allensworth

That question has been going through my head a lot lately.

I realize that entire thesis’s have been written with that question as the topic. There are philosophical arguments around every corner because of that question. There are college majors that deal with that question. My guess is that at least two dozen books per year get published  that deal directly with the question.

So what is you answer to, “What is ministry?”

My answer, and I try to keep my answers simple, is… drum roll please..

“Ministry is being there for someone.”

That’s it.

There are a lot of different directions you can go with my answer, but at its core, to me, ministry is just being there for someone.

Computer Issues

Posted in Just Gil on June 27, 2009 by Gil Allensworth

I have been lax in my updates here on my blog. My bad.

I have had some internet issues as of late. I turned off my cable modem and switched to DSL. I was promissed a seemless transition, but it was anything but seemless… anyway, I am back up and running and am going to be more dilligent in posting to my blog.