An Intelligent Faith or "Don't check your brain at the door"

Part One- Biblical Faith vs Blind Faith
by Kerry Gilliard ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Editor, AGAPE Newsletter

"Welcome to First Mount Sinai Baptipentecostal Church!!" , the nicely dressed church usher says in a friendly voice early on Sunday morning. She gives you a hug. "May I take your coat?" "Sure," you reply, taking your coat off. "May I take your brain?" You stop in puzzlement. "Excuse me?" She looks at you with a smile and asks again: "Can I take your brain, sir?", she says again, with an ever innocent smile. Laughingly, you ask "Why would you need my brain?" A bright smile comes across the usher's face as she says confidently , "Oh, you won't need it in there. We don't do any thinking: Just believe. It has nothing to do with your mind whatsoever."

Okay, maybe it wouldn't happen that literally. But with the recent wave of anti- intellectualism among believers, it makes it increasingly harder to make Christ relevant to folks in the 90's. Some believers stuck on tradition, have become content to go to church every Sunday and have their faith hidden during the week. Others, too lazy to examine the word for themselves, are content to sit under the instruction of clergy who teach aberrant doctrines and accept anything that sounds good to them. Still others, in the face of skeptics and those who question the validity of the Christian faith, retreat into their shell like turtles, content to just "believe" because Christ "works for them" From these circumstances, an attitude has developed, which to this day I encounter when I visit local churches- "What evidence? It's not necessary. All we have to do is believe. That's what faith is." Isn't it? Sure it is.....if you're also willing to accept the Easter bunny and Santa Claus as personal Savior as well.