tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023844831477378130.post995466602858629219..comments2023-04-29T05:40:34.965-04:00Comments on Following Closely: Orphan SundayFollowing Closelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04534410087179148107noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023844831477378130.post-30798489887927979152011-11-06T22:43:47.341-05:002011-11-06T22:43:47.341-05:00I think I should clarify that the intent of this b...I think I should clarify that the intent of this blog was not to bash our physical building church, our pastor or organized religion. The purpose of the blog was to challenge Christians (who ARE the body of Christ according to Scripture) to think outside our own little, privileged worlds and to "defend the cause of the fatherless"(Isaiah 1:17).<br />November is National Orphan Awareness Month. Orphan Sunday is always the 1st Sunday of November. Orphansunday.org has more information on it. <br />Those that read my blog as a whole (meaning every post since the beginning) know that I would not bash our church, our pastor or our church's adoption committee, but just to clarify to those who only read this one post.Carindahttp://followingclosely.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023844831477378130.post-23330170760646480032011-11-06T21:46:33.893-05:002011-11-06T21:46:33.893-05:00Considering the fact that I am the pastor of the c...Considering the fact that I am the pastor of the church that failed to remember National Day of Adoption or National Adoption Sunday it seems quite appropriate that I comment.<br /><br />Let me say I didn’t know Nov 6th was the National Adoption Sunday. <br /><br />I would not want to do or say anything that encourages people to be sick of organized religion as the previous comment suggests. The church was organized by Christ, Himself, so it is obviously important. And it pains me to hear people say they are done with organized religion when they are referring to the body of Christ.<br /><br />We have a team of volunteers in the church who lead our adoption ministry and we had planned a special Sunday but then the team asked me to push the Sunday to another Sunday so I agreed in support of their objectives. It seems to me that it is quite hard to keep up with all these man-made days. Consider pastor appreciation week or month. In a church of 800+ I have received less than five cards of appreciation. Should I presume that I am not appreciated or that most people didn’t know such a day, week, or month had been established? I will choose to believe the later.<br /><br />Next, I am confused. According to this website http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/ the National Adoption Day is Nov 19. So do we have a national Sunday and a national day? I don’t know. <br /><br />What I know is when I became the pastor we were doing nothing for adoption and now we are. I am sure it is not enough. In fact, I don’t know what “enough” with everything is—enough for missions, enough for poverty relief, enough for adoption, enough for etc. etc. No matter what decision we make there is always someone who decides that it is too much or that it is not enough. <br /><br />The author of this blog is right. If everyone would do their part we could do so much more. But the truth is the depravity of man greatly impacts this giving.<br /><br />I know Berean can do more and I am sure we will do more in the months and years to come and I am sure for some it will be too much and for others it will still not be enough. But what would be enough?<br /><br />What I am realizing with everything in the church is finding the balance is nearly impossible.Pastor Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03160589719895014176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023844831477378130.post-17655413847773772722011-11-06T17:30:46.611-05:002011-11-06T17:30:46.611-05:00Preach. it. Sister. Nice read, totally agree. We...Preach. it. Sister. Nice read, totally agree. We went to church with my folks today, their church, nothing at all, no mention whatsoever, of orphans. None.<br /><br />I am burning out on organized religion myself because it smacks of hypocrisy. <br /><br />But I continue to burn for Christ. Blessings.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com