Calvary Fellowship, Danny O'Neil, and the Future of Christianity... I Cushman's Chronicles 6/8/14 12:25 AM <br />No, I'm trying not to say all other churches are lame and only mine is <br />cool.I'm just saying most churches are lame, some are cool, and mine's <br />the coolest... <br />Just kidding. <br />But seriously, I do not think someone like me with questions like mine <br />would be welcomed into a modern-day evangelical community. Why? <br />Because in many church communities, truth is black and white. Using <br />your mind to think things through (much deeper than the surface) is <br />discouraged and borderline heretical. Challenging "central" doctrines <br />like the Trinity, inerrancy, or Sola Scriptura would demote any <br />leadership role you might have or aspire to have, unless you came to <br />the "light" and believed what they believe. Again, I'm probably over- <br />generalizing a little too much, but honestly, I've been advised to leave <br />Calvary because Danny was supposedly a "heretic." My <br />generalizations aren't actually that far off the mark. <br />Evangelical Christianity needs to change. Danny O'Neil took a stand <br />not against a group of people, but against an idea - an idea that <br />demanded your compliance rather than encourage your exploration. <br />This idea practically walks hand in hand with evangelical Christianity <br />and quite frankly, it's disgusting. It's disgusting because while we <br />preach this gospel of grace - what should be the most inclusive <br />message in the world - we push so many people away. Instead of <br />emphasizing loving God and our neighbor, we've gotten into the habit <br />of emphasizing the right belief and "sound doctrine," and that only <br />after those beliefs are established could you emphasize God's love. <br />But Jesus said its the other way around. <br />Danny invited people up to the front to say a few words about Calvary <br />or about his preaching before we closed in prayer. One man came up <br />and directed our attention to the two most important commandments <br />and said that "Jesus didn't hesitate in answering." Love God, love your <br />neighbor. It wasn't "Read the book of systematic theology before I say <br />these next two things." Love God, love your neighbor. And yet, we've <br />taken that to mean we've got to correct everyone's flawed thinking <br />about the Bible, Jesus, God, and Truth altogether and that in so doing <br />we'd be "loving" our neighbor. <br />When I was wrestling with the doctrine of inerrancy a couple years <br />ago, Danny asked me what I was really placing my faith in: God or a <br />book But thinking back on it now, I don't think it had anything to do <br />http://cushmanschronicles.com/2011/12/04/calvary-fellowship-danny-oneil-and-the-future-of-christianity/ Page 2 of 6 <br />