Reverend Johnny Dragon

There was a point in my recovery where I was doing my best to rediscover my Faith…let’s face it, I was just doing my best to find it for the first time.  A former Client of mine from the rehab facility where I was working at the time, loaned me a book called, “Son Of A Preacher Man” by Jay Bakker.  Some of you may remember his parents Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and the PTL Club.  I was intrigued by his story and a number of the similarities between us.

Jay was involved with a group that created Revolution, a church started for people who had given up on church or rather church had given up on them.  Jay and the rest of this awesome group set out to reach the forgotten and the broken. They broke with the traditional rules of the mainstream church and set up shop wherever they could.  Services were held in bars, movie theaters, etc.  The message is simple, we are all Children of God, saved by grace. God and His Son Jesus Christ are inclusive and not exclusive.  He came to save the sick and the beaten down.  If you are waiting to get good enough to serve God then you will be waiting forever.

What a novel concept.  God loves everyone and wants them to know that they are not alone.  I was so sick of the mainstream church, watching Ministers sit in the safety of their church buildings, losing sight of what is really happening a 100 yards from their front door. How can you say live a Godly life in in every aspect when you have no idea what my life looks like.  You preach setting a Godly example in the work place when your work place is a church and mine is not. I especially loved Churches where the Pledge of Allegiance is promoted more than the Word of God.  Where the pulpit has become the soap box against social issues.  A place where hate and judgment have become personified.  Wow, its funny how Jesus was none of those things.

I am currently reading a book called “Jesus Loves You This I Know” By Craig Gross and Jason Harper. It is a great book about the fact that Jesus loves everyone.  Get the book if you want an eye opening experience, however, I digress.  The point is that whenever anyone sees the title of the book they have a knee jerk reaction to the title.  Mostly it is sarcasm and ridicule.  This makes me so angry and not at the people who have the reaction.  My anger is at fellow Christians who have branded Jesus in such a negative light.  Their examples have created a picture of Christ that is bastardized at best.  If I was exposed to Christianity for the first time with some of the examples that are set today, I would turn and run and never look back.  Most people cannot even see it.

I agree with the Jay’s approach and other Ministers like him.  Individuals preaching from the Word of God, promoting the love of Christ and the fact that we are saved by grace.  This movement is known as The Outlaw Preachers and I am fortunate to be a part of this movement and hope my own Ministry sets the example that says “Jesus Loves You This I Know”.

The Outlaw video has arrived! Check this out if you dare!

Also please show your support to Jay Bakker’s Ministry at Revolution NYC. They do a lot of great work and have struggled at times to even meet payroll.  Needless to say it is a long way from the PTL Club.

Viva la Revolution and Viva la Outlaw Preachers!

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 30th, 2009 at 2:43 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.