Why am I a rebel? Why do I put out the Rebel Flock News? Why do I take pleasure in dissing some traditional churches, dissing some public men of the church, making fun of a few goofy pastors and so on?

Why? Because God told us to test all things, and I'm just naturally curious.

All things? You mean even the reasons why we worship and serve God? Even question the moral fiber of today's church? Even question ethics and money and greed and, dare we, question the Pope's authority? You mean test Benny Hinn and Oral Roberts' claims of healing to see if they are true? (like they'd really let you). Or if a minister says 'this or that is in the Bible', should we maybe test his claim and see for ourselves? I think so.

I was raised in a conservative, non-rebel environment. Traditional, evangelical, and Presbyterian. Wearing a tie to Sunday school and church seemed to be a holy requirement, but it could have been just mom's requirement. I've never run across the word 'tie' in the Bible, but maybe I just haven't read far enough.

I hated ties; I still do. Know why? Because they're fake. Everything about them is fake. We put on a 'fake' persona to go along with the tie to fool people into thinking we're swell people; sweller than we really are. Maybe even Christians. We're supposed to be searching for truth. Ties aren't truth. Ties are from the pit of hell - let's lose them.

Some might think I'm rebelling against God?
Am I?
No.

Am I rebelling against going to church?
No.

Am I rebelling against people who take the simple gospel of Jesus Christ and goof it up and make it an 'experience' that only a few chosen folks get to do?
YES.

Personally, I think Jesus may be ashamed of many of the people in the public eye who call themselves Christians. If you look at people on Christian TV especially, and they're shaking and yelling and jumping and pointing and speaking in tongues and knocking people over; and this is all good? If I were a non-Christian I'd think these people were nuts.

I'm a Christian and I think they're nuts.

Where's the love? Where's the grace? Where's the realization that we're ALL sinners? Where's the simplicity of the gospel of Christ?

Look at it this way; one could be a Christian plumber and still be a sinner. One could be a Christian bus driver and still be a sinner. One could be a Christian lawyer - naaah. One could be a Christian secretary and still be a sinner. One could even be a respected, Christian pastor and still be - still be a sinner? Yes. Some of the most egregious sins purported on mankind have been by pastor sinners/sinner pastors. Even Billy Graham would tell you he's a sinner (however, saved by GRACE!!!).

So why am I a rebel? Because I'm on a search for truth. God's truth, not man's truth. Please don't get me wrong; there are lots of things that are incredible about the church and about Christians. We NEED the church, and we need to be part of the church. Just remember not to get above your raisin' and get too cocky. I'm not fond of cocky people - and cocky Christians are the worst; almost worse than 'neat Christian guys'.

Good men are hard to find. Often as hard to find as the truth.