Thank you Brad for the encouragement.  I believe that criticism just 
for the sake of criticism is simply meant to be mean and nasty, the 
way the local gossip just has a juicy bit of dirt to share, all for 
prayer, of course.  The damage is evil and it benefits no one.  The 
worst thing that can be done is to simply keep silent and continue to 
let it roll in.  So, I guess you could say that I'm practicing what I preach.

God bless,
Kathy



At 01:28 AM 11/21/2006, you wrote:
>Kathy,
>
>         That was an elegant and superb piece of writing. I have 
> always tried to operate my life, and encourage those around me to 
> operate just as you mentioned "If you are  complaining about 
> something? Come with a potential solution or if nothing else the 
> willingness to lend your talents and gifts toward a solution". That 
> doesn't exclude wisdom in presenting an issue that is of need 
> however. Anyway, back in lurk mode for a bit. Oh PS, I didn't read 
> the article, I rarely read forwarded mail,  I'm just commenting on 
> your commentary, which is a commendable piece of communications for 
> our little community. I'll commence to commandeer the send button now lol.
>
>Brad
>
>on 07:50 AM 11/20/2006, Kathy Du Bois said:
>
>I suppose that my response to John sounded a bit harsh and if so, I 
>apologize, John for sounding that way.  It would be foolish of me to 
>complain about you being critical if I am simply going to respond in 
>kind myself.  I would wish, rather, that my response would cause you 
>to be a bit more reflective of the things that you post.  I see some 
>of these critical articles doing the same harm via the internet that 
>gossip does in the actual church body.  In fact, to me, they are one 
>and the same.  In truth, I don't see how constant criticism and 
>fault finding aids in unifying and blessing the body of Christ. I'm 
>not saying that constructive criticism is not a good thing, but 
>these articles do not seem to be constructive, but rather, simply 
>Christian bashing and I do not believe that there should be a place 
>for such arrogance in the body of Christ.
>It is so easy to criticize.  Jesus' worst critics were the self 
>righteous rreligious leaders of His day.  If Jesus couldn't 
>escape  criticism, I suppose it is wishful thinking on the part of 
>we sinners that we will fare any better in this world.  It didn't 
>stop Christ from ministry, but it sure made His task here on earth 
>more difficult.
>In my opinion, we are all called to ministry, but no two ministries 
>will look the same.  In Isaiah 28:23-29, there is a great 
>illustration of this.  The farmer knows to treat all of his 
>different seeds differently to make them flourish and then useful 
>when harvested.  I believe that that is a great illustration of the 
>body of Christ.  We have no right to simply criticize another 
>person's ministry because it doesn't look like ours or because it 
>doesn't minister to us personally.  Perhaps it isn't meant to  meet 
>our need, but will bless the person to whom it is intended.
>Rick Warren has been bold and has  become a church leader.  To more 
>mature Christians, he may seem petty and shallow, but I don't 
>believe that his target audience is mature Christians.  He is called 
>to  wet the appetite.  If the church does it right, once the non 
>christian, or nominal Christian's interest has been peaked, the 
>church should move in with healthy growth ministries that will 
>further the process in christ.  I know of a lot of churches who have 
>done this.  They let the Purpose Driven book speak the initial 
>language and then they have come in to build up the people that have 
>been brought in.   It hasn't been perfect, and not all churches have 
>done things this way, but it is doable.
>The Alpha program is another program that mature Christians would 
>find boaring to tears, but for the seeker, it's perfect because it 
>takes the time to answer questions and help at the same time provide 
>a comfortable, nonthreatening setting so that they can explore the 
>faith and understand what they didn't understand about Christ and 
>the church before.
>I'm not defending the church completely.  I recognize that the 
>church is full of sinners, saved by grace, so there is no way that 
>it can be perfect.  However, in our church, we have a policy, ""You 
>criticize, you fix!"" It's amazing how many more people have gotten 
>involved since we've decided not to stew over the criticisms, but 
>make the people become part of the solution.
>Here is where I see a big difference between John's and Phil's 
>approach.  John, you seem to have lots of criticisms, but I never 
>see you offer a healthy solution or here you talk about how you have 
>contributed to making things better.  Phil has certainly posted a 
>lot of criticisms over the years.  He struggled with the last church 
>that he was involved with.  He struggled with issues from the church 
>that his daughter became involved with in order to try to overcome 
>her drug adiction.  I know that phil and I don't see eye to eye on 
>everything, but phil has responded by having a prayer meeting, in 
>his home on Friday nights, and now church in his home on Sunday 
>mornings and I'll bet that some of those who attend are those who 
>may not feel ministered to in other area churches.  Plus, Phil is 
>trying to make a difference, one person at a time, with his one on 
>one prayer ministry and also through the articles that he posts on 
>various issues.  I know that he has received criticism for his stand 
>on tithing and probably also on some of his articles on prayer 
>warfare, but Phil doesn't give up.  He's doing what he can to make a 
>difference and I appreciate him for it.
>Phil's ministry certainly doesn't look like mine.  IN fact, I would 
>probably be a bit uncomfortable around some of the people that Phil 
>ministers too, and I've often wondered if I might even feel a bit 
>uncomfortable in some prayer sessions, but I am so grateful that 
>Phil is there to minister to those people.  I wouldn't dare to 
>criticize it just because  I didn't understand it because he is 
>being obedient,  to Christ.  Christ is the one Phil, and all of us 
>will have to answer too, not you and not me.
>Our church might help you in your walk with the Lord and it might 
>not.  I don't know.  What I do know is that Greg and I, and other 
>membres of our church, are constantly before the Lord, seeking his 
>will on how to minister to the people in our area.  Do we get 
>criticized?  Sure!  To the fundamentalist, we are too liberal.  To 
>the charasmatic, we are too sober.  To the liberal, we are too 
>conservative and we take the bible too literally.  You just can't 
>please everybody and you can't minister to everybody either.  God 
>created too much variety for that.  That's why it is important that, 
>instead of simply criticizing, we all do what we can to be in 
>ministry to others, especially the lost and hurting.  What we have 
>to give is what someone else needs and they are more hurt because we 
>hold back out of fear of criticism.    How sad when that criticism 
>comes from the people of the church itself.
>Again, I say, I do not see how constant criticizm and Christian 
>bashing builds unity in the church.  Paul exhorts us in Philippians 
>4:8-9(, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 
>whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,  whatever 
>is admirableif anything is excellent or praise worthythink about 
>such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from 
>me, or seen in meput it into practice.  And the God of peace will be 
>with you."Paul certainly could find a lot of criticism, and true in 
>the letters to the Galatians and the Corinthians, he leveled some 
>pretty severe ones, but he mostly wrote to share positive thoughts 
>and build up the church.  After all, knowledge puffs up, but love 
>builds up.  (1 Corinthians 8:1)   Are the criticisms that have been 
>coming out, lovely, noble, honorable and of good 
>report?  Personally, they have been sounding like criticism for 
>criticism's sake.  There may be truth, but there doesn't seem to be 
>love attached.  "They come across as if the writer is just waiting 
>for another Christian leader to fall.  I don't believe that any of 
>us should ever think that way, of another family member of the body 
>of Christ.  We can spur on to good works, but we should never be 
>hoping for their demise.
>Finally, may I suggest, that if you are truly concerned about eh 
>ministry of a brother in the Lord, such as Rick Warren, that you 
>meet your concerns with prayer first, before you post..  Please 
>understand that I am not writing this to support Rick Warren as much 
>as I am trying to  stop the criticism and negativity that helps no one.
>God be gracious to me, a sinner.  Thank you for never giving up on 
>me no matter how badly I blow it, and I know that I blow it a 
>lot.  Thank you that when those around me criticize, You are there 
>to pick me up, dust me off and encourage me to try again.  I'm sorry 
>that I am not a better example for you, but when I am weak, You are 
>strong.  I rely on Your strength to complete me when I fail.  Amen.
>Kathy