Comments on: Stuff Christians Need to Stop Saying #2 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635 He'd rather be funny than good! Fri, 29 Jan 2016 20:05:26 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Melynn http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-260 Melynn Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:15:26 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-260 This is a slogan used in 12 step programs. It makes sense within the context of those programs, where footwork (doing your part) is just as important as letting go. A lot of things in 12 step programs are "quippy." But those programs work wonders. This is a slogan used in 12 step programs. It makes sense within the context of those programs, where footwork (doing your part) is just as important as letting go. A lot of things in 12 step programs are “quippy.” But those programs work wonders.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-250 Amanda Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:43:57 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-250 So great, Charlie...this one has always bugged me! I love that you pointed out that taking up our cross and following him is not passive. We all fall into passive Christian living...every day...and really living authentic Christianity is active, life-giving, and oftentimes, very difficult. What a great reminder today...and I needed it TODAY...that just knowing about Him and saying I believe all these things about Him is WAY different than really living it and being truly changed by it. Choosing to believe it, live in light of what I say I believe, making the choices that line up with it, etc... Thanks for the reminder that we cannot "just sit there and and your life will change." So great, Charlie…this one has always bugged me! I love that you pointed out that taking up our cross and following him is not passive. We all fall into passive Christian living…every day…and really living authentic Christianity is active, life-giving, and oftentimes, very difficult. What a great reminder today…and I needed it TODAY…that just knowing about Him and saying I believe all these things about Him is WAY different than really living it and being truly changed by it. Choosing to believe it, live in light of what I say I believe, making the choices that line up with it, etc…
Thanks for the reminder that we cannot “just sit there and and your life will change.”

]]> By: Megan http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-247 Megan Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:09:16 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-247 Sure, that'd be kick awesome--as you Central Arkansans like to say. Thoughts on a topic? Something in this series, perhaps? Sure, that’d be kick awesome–as you Central Arkansans like to say. Thoughts on a topic? Something in this series, perhaps?

]]> By: cloften http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-240 cloften Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:13:02 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-240 Megan, you are dominating with your comments. If you ever want to shoot me a guest blog post, I would drop it on here in a heartbeat. I feel what you're saying about a surrender to God's sovereignty. "Let go and let God" can be a good word to control freaks. Doesn't it need one more phrase at the end though? Something that reminds us that follow is an active not a passive verb. The problem is follow doesn't start with "L." But if you said this it would have a lot of "L" sounds: Let go, let God, follow well." Seriously, I don't like quippy. One more thing, it needs to be two different people that think it's funny. Chris Daniel and Shane Wanamaker thinking something is funny, doesn't count as two people. :) Megan, you are dominating with your comments. If you ever want to shoot me a guest blog post, I would drop it on here in a heartbeat.

I feel what you’re saying about a surrender to God’s sovereignty. “Let go and let God” can be a good word to control freaks. Doesn’t it need one more phrase at the end though? Something that reminds us that follow is an active not a passive verb. The problem is follow doesn’t start with “L.” But if you said this it would have a lot of “L” sounds: Let go, let God, follow well.”

Seriously, I don’t like quippy.

One more thing, it needs to be two different people that think it’s funny. Chris Daniel and Shane Wanamaker thinking something is funny, doesn’t count as two people. :)

]]> By: Megan http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-237 Megan Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:14:47 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-237 Do you remember that bumper sticker skit Hendrix did at Christmas Conference '98? You were giving the talk and asked us to come up with a skit about such phrases. "Let go, and let God" was one of the phrases we used. As was "God is my co-pilot" and "if God is your co-pilot, you need to move over." I also remember during the preparation of that skit, you told us a great piece of advice, "It's only funny if TWO people think so." I've carried that with me ever since. :) About Let go, and Let God, I certainly agree that quippy phrases lack depth and can be misleading, but I want to talk about another way to interpret it here. I think it's not always used as an answer to some sin problem that someone is having, but a general reminder that God is in control and we are not. People like me who want to be in control of our own lives at all times have trouble relinquishing that control to God. For me it's not a free pass to be passive and shirk any and all responsibility for my own short-comings, it just points me to God's sovereignty in my life. When I give any thought to such phrases anymore, that is. Usually the problem with quippy Christianity is that even if it has some value (and Biblical truth) initially, it is so overused that it helps exactly no one anymore. Do you remember that bumper sticker skit Hendrix did at Christmas Conference ‘98? You were giving the talk and asked us to come up with a skit about such phrases. “Let go, and let God” was one of the phrases we used. As was “God is my co-pilot” and “if God is your co-pilot, you need to move over.”

I also remember during the preparation of that skit, you told us a great piece of advice, “It’s only funny if TWO people think so.” I’ve carried that with me ever since. :)

About Let go, and Let God, I certainly agree that quippy phrases lack depth and can be misleading, but I want to talk about another way to interpret it here. I think it’s not always used as an answer to some sin problem that someone is having, but a general reminder that God is in control and we are not. People like me who want to be in control of our own lives at all times have trouble relinquishing that control to God. For me it’s not a free pass to be passive and shirk any and all responsibility for my own short-comings, it just points me to God’s sovereignty in my life.

When I give any thought to such phrases anymore, that is. Usually the problem with quippy Christianity is that even if it has some value (and Biblical truth) initially, it is so overused that it helps exactly no one anymore.

]]> By: Karen http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-231 Karen Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:57:41 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-231 How have I missed that you have a blog, Charlie? And I couldn't agree more...down with quippy! How have I missed that you have a blog, Charlie?

And I couldn’t agree more…down with quippy!

]]> By: Aaron Reddin http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-230 Aaron Reddin Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:45:35 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-230 Freakin' love that you're doing these. Hope they are widely read. This one is great. For some reason think that sin paralyzes us. That we are completely powerless on our own. From an eternal perspective, sure. From a practical, everyday life perspective, no. If I'm made in the image of God, know Jesus, and actually believe Galatians 5:16 then it's not always a matter of just "letting God". I do my part (follow the HS), and the result? I WON'T be doing the other crap. Simple as that. Anyway, some may call me a heretic. I'm perfectly ok with that. It's just a follow up comment. Not a full post in itself. ;) Oh, and did you ever call my grandma and tell her we aren't all going to hell? Freakin’ love that you’re doing these. Hope they are widely read.

This one is great. For some reason think that sin paralyzes us. That we are completely powerless on our own. From an eternal perspective, sure. From a practical, everyday life perspective, no.

If I’m made in the image of God, know Jesus, and actually believe Galatians 5:16 then it’s not always a matter of just “letting God”. I do my part (follow the HS), and the result? I WON’T be doing the other crap. Simple as that.

Anyway, some may call me a heretic. I’m perfectly ok with that. It’s just a follow up comment. Not a full post in itself. ;)

Oh, and did you ever call my grandma and tell her we aren’t all going to hell?

]]> By: El Davo Grande http://www.cloften.com/?p=635&cpage=1#comment-229 El Davo Grande Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:38:45 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=635#comment-229 Indeed. I think you could write a whole series on all the Benjamin Franklinisms that are still used in the church as Scripture, e.g. Cleanliness is next to godliness, God helps those who help themselves, Et tu Brute, Dang, that lightening sucks. Indeed. I think you could write a whole series on all the Benjamin Franklinisms that are still used in the church as Scripture, e.g. Cleanliness is next to godliness, God helps those who help themselves, Et tu Brute, Dang, that lightening sucks.

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