Devil's Advocate

A little bit about me (Adam)…this is something that has been growing inside of me lately…not sure if it’s a good thing or not, but I felt like sharing it.  It feels powerful to be able to share whatever I want… liking that.  Anyways…

When I’m engaging my conservative, reformed peeps, I really like talking to them about the movement of the Spirit and manifestations of God’s hand.

When I’m engaging my free-spirited charismatic friends, I often want to talk about being grounded in a systematic theological perspective that best reflects who God is and how He works.

When I talk to intellectuals who seem to have so much of God figured out, I want to point to the mysteries of God… the unknown… that He is bigger and better than we could imagine.

When I talk to those who so quickly attribute all of God’s ways to mystery, I want to challenge them to pursue truth, study, research and guidance from the Spirit.

When I talk to friends who love big churches, I like to point out the benefits of small churches.

When I talk to friends who go to small churches (and sometimes dislike big churches), I like to point out the strengths of larger churches.

I’ve really been playing devil’s advocate far more than ever lately.  Been processing today why I do these things (sometimes just in my head)… I really am not a person who loves debate.  It might sound like I’m advocating for balance.  I actually hate the word, “balance.”  There was nothing balanced about some of the great men of the faith.  They simply gave all that they had to the gospel. 

Maybe I just enjoy challenging people to think?  Maybe I truly just want people to push, fight and claw for more?  As I continue to rethink why I do this… maybe I’m projecting on to other people the arrogance and pride that have crippled me much of my life.  God has lately been chipping away at those two ugly things. 

Whatever the cause…I am hungry for more.  Still receiving more via crumbs… grateful for crumbs though.

Maybe I’m just warning you that if I stir up debate with you in our next conversation, I might actually agree with everything you’re saying.