Some things just don't impress me anymore

I used to really care about a lot of things that I really don't care one bit about anymore. There are several, but just for today, just , well, for **whatever reason** I might have, there are a few that have been on my mind for the last several days.

I am not the least bit impressed by "so-and-so's" church that has the biggest attendance rate in the city. First of all, I don't care how many people show up to put in their face time. I care about people whose lives are truly changed and transformed, who learn to live as the Body of Christ. And I certainly don't care one bit about Mr. So and So's church. It's not HIS church. The church belongs to Jesus Christ, not Mr. Big Shot Pastor. When I hear someone use the phrase, "Pastor [whomever's] church", I get chills on my spine, and when that statement is followed by, "is the biggest in the city -- and I used to know him very well! And last time we got together, he personally asked me to sit with him!" I get a yucky feeling all over me.

Secondly, I'm no longer a bit impressed by theological degrees. I'm not saying that education is not important, because it is. I'm also not saying that listening to those with Biblical education is of no value -- in fact, just this week I got some advice on a topic of Greek word usage from an old friend of mine who has advanced degrees in such areas. What I AM saying is that an advanced degree doesn't give you the right to shut down any discussion about Biblical matters, only because the discussion is among "the laity" and challenges certain aspects of beliefs you were taught, not by the Bible, but by the traditions of other Biblical scholars. The Lord can and does still speak to the foolish, the unlearned, and the person of humble status through his Word with the Holy Spirit giving us the understanding. The Lord can and does choose to reveal Himself to the foolish things of this world, to shame the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:27) There is a word that Jesus himself used to describe someone who held to the teachings and traditions of men, holding them up as equal to or surpassing the authority of Scripture itself -- he called such people Pharisees. The spirit of the Pharisee is alive and well in our culture today.