We walked out of church this morning. This is not something that we wanted to do: there has been an election, and the next government needs to be now cobbled together by the various parties left. The moderator came to speak, and started by talking about the various leaders, and how they were not salvation.

And then that we need to forgive ourselves.

And that the gospel should make us jump with joy. When he asked that we stood up and jumped, We stood up. And left.

It was mechanical: the spirit was not there. We felt, not that blossoms were growing, but that the ground was parched and the gospel is being strangled. That the committees are being infested by the enemies, and that they have an agenda.

David Burge of the iowahawkblog tweeted this:

1. Identify a respected institution
2. Kill it
3. Gut it
4. Wear its carcass as a skin suit, demanding respect.

I would add that with such infiltration into an institution, if it ceases to attract people to it–such as with a Catholic order–the leftist infiltrators actually celebrate and take pride in its demise.

Our Kirk has grown and thrived. Lives have been changed. The Spirit has worked for good. To see, as the original leadership steps aside, the dessicated fossils appear in a manner akin to a zombie swarm is nauseating. I pray that my fears are unfounded, and that such are stopped, but the fossil who preached without the Spirit or sensitivity is leading the minister search committee.

And I am concerned he is no friend of the gospel he claimed to preach.

Luke 3:7-18

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Philippians 1:21-30

²¹For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. ²³I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; ²⁴but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. ²⁵Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, ²⁶so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

²⁷Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. ²⁹For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well — ³⁰since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

The gospel is simple. Christ died for my sin. He rose, conquering death. He ascended to heaven. He will return and call those who are of him to himself.

We have one mission. One. It is to proclaim Christ crucified. There are many good things that we can do which are not that: the idea that we should not let plastic bags get into the food chair (the kids talk today), or that we should engage with and pray for our political leaders, or feed the poor need not be part of our sermons.

We need to do good. A fair amount of people confuse this with virtue signalling.

And we need to worry about those who demand and require that we let them lead. For, too often, the spirit of the world is with them, and that is opposed to Christ.