Crazy for God Part 2

I finished reading Frank Schaeffer's book Crazy for God. Near the end of the book he writes, "When I left evangelicalism, it certainly was not because I was disillusioned with the faith of my early childhood. I have sweet (if somewhat nutty) memories of all those days of prayer, fasting, and 'wresting with principalities and powers.' We might have been deluded, but we weren't unhappy." Later he goes on to talk about converting to the Greek Orthodox Church. He writes, "Genie and I like the fact that in our community, half the congregation comes to church late, so we can wander in at any time and still feel like we participated. And I don't have to go to church more often than I can stand. When it starts to feel like religion again, I just drop out for a few months, then wander back."

Schaeffer's book really got me thinking about my own faith, the work I do as a minister, the love and care that I express, or don't express because I get so busy, to my family, the routine of ministry versus my relationship with God. My relationship, the one I am responsible for. In many ways Frank Schaeffer blames his parents, their ministry, their beliefs, his environment, etc., for what he became and now has rejected. I think the same thing has happened to a lot of Christians who were unable to process their growing up years and all the things that happened to them in the "name of Christ." I remember the things that I was not allowed to do, and the standard answer for the question, "why not?" - "it's against your religion." Today, some of those experiences still trouble me because of the way they bend and warp my view of God and my relationship with Him. I'm thankful that I've been able to work through much of this. I'm still working on it, however. I don't think the process ever stops.