Forrest Gump & True Prosperity

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 2

There are few in this world who do not want prosperity or success. The goals of each are as varied as their nationalities, religious or economic backgrounds. Some ideas border on the absurd where success in crime is a goal, success in relationship(s) – the plural here already indicates failure – is exalted, or owning half of New York is sought after. My favorite is someone who considered that becoming disabled at work – on purpose - and collecting disability for the rest of their life was success. Never mind the inability to walk.

John tells us that there are three areas where he desired prosperity for his friends. He wanted them to prosper in all spheres, not just one. He also wanted them to have good health. However, he indicates that these areas of prosperity are somehow in proportion to our souls prospering. This is a far cry from those who work this as a formula in reverse order. They think that health and wealth produce inner peace, and the adherents of this are not confined to the secular realm. Sadly, some prosperity teachers in the church expound this error every day on airways all over the world. While claiming that Jesus is still the center the proportion of time given to talking about money betrays the true value system.

Having the resources that I need for life is a good thing, but I must first comprehend what “Life” actually is so that I can live it to the fullest. One of the best examples of a fully lived life in recent history was Forrest Gump. In fact, the film has become iconic in its portrayal of a broad period of American history, and Forrest’s simplistic value system often ran against the grain of society to the point that he looked stupid. His answer was quoting his favorite philosopher, his mama, who said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” If we look at the daily news we would have to agree with his mama. Very prosperous people do very stupid things. However, Forrest, who was a little slow, was not so stupid after all because he did some very wise things.

• Forrest was not opposed to wealth. “One less thing,” was his response. He took his wealth and donated much to a hospital, built a church and he then “cut the city’s grass for free” because he was not trying to get rich. Forrest was generous.
• Forrest was loyal to a fault. He gave half of his wealth to Bubba’s mother even though Lt. Dan said he was an idiot for doing so. Bubba had died in Vietnam, but the promise was 50/50 when they planned to go into business together. Forrest was an honest man.
• Forrest did not grow cynical when he experienced loss. His life had many ups and downs, and he grew reflective instead of bitter when pain came his way. The reason might be because his goal wasn’t to be up or avoid being down.
• Forrest was too stupid to understand prejudice. Oh that the world was his kind of stupid, but the world is a different kind of stupid, the kind mamma talked about.
• When the shrimpin bidness was not going well Forrest turned to God. It did not matter to him that he was the only white guy in the church. Forrest witnessed to Lt. Dan and even got him to go. God eventually showed up in the shrimpin bidness.
• Forrest never stopped loving his friends even when they rejected him. His loyalty and optimism wore down the cynicism of Lt. Dan, and even though Jenny had ruined her life she was won over in the end by his simple yet steadfast love. Even though he was not a smart man he knew what love was, and this was the bedrock of his prosperity.

Ultimately, Forrest’s simple faith brought more inner contentment than many Christians have. “Why”, you might ask? I will try to make it simple. Many Christians have adopted the goals of the world as their source of identity and security. They want too many things, and even too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Forrest even thought that Elvis may have died because, “He probably sang too many songs.”

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Phil 4:11-13

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Healthy Church: No Pets Allowed!

Just the other morning I looked out the kitchen window to see an amazing sight. A very large gray fox had just emerged from the forest and proceeded to casually walk down the snowy path in front of our house, most likely looking for some breakfast. This scene took me back to childhood when I often accompanied my uncle fox hunting all over eastern North Carolina. This was an adventure for me. No guns were used because the art of the hunt was the training of the dogs who took part in the hunt.

The most peculiar thing about the dogs – and my grandfather never failed to remind us – was that they were not pets, and he did not want us to make them into pets. They were bred and trained for the hunt and nothing else. Like wild animals there were alpha males and females among them yet they were tame enough for the likes of me. These dogs were in-fact so well trained that if they came upon a deer or rabbit during the hunt just one specific voice command would signal them to abandon that chase and return to tracking the fox.

To the dismay of many Christian hunters there are no dogs allowed in the average church, but unfortunately there are some very territorial pets to be found. The pets that I allude to are not animals but pet doctrines. Don’t misunderstand me here. Doctrines are important and form essential foundations for our lives. They have an intended purpose, but that purpose is not to become pets.

A doctrine becomes a pet when it becomes a favorite doctrine taking prominence over all other truths. Even domesticated pets become alpha males, and pet doctrines become the alpha doctrine of the senior leader, church or denomination. They become preeminent, and adhering to them to the very letter becomes the basis of acceptance over all else.

A doctrine also becomes a pet when it is seen as the catch-all solution to all problems. This usually happens when a leader receives a tangible spiritual benefit from a certain teaching or the influence of another leader’s ministry. This could be a healing, deliverance in some area or even a restored marriage. While being well intended it is also short-sighted to think that what we personally benefited from is what everyone else needs at a given moment. I am reminded here of the man who became a dietician because a change in diet radically improved his life, or my favorite, some chiropractors who believe that all diseases can be remedied by proper alignment of the spine.

The worst example is when an immature church member or even church leader devotes enormous time to studying a particular biblical truth. This is fine, but as soon as they come to a clear understanding of this truth – if indeed they are correct – they turn around and require that all others come into quick compliance to their position without inquiry. They fail to afford to others the same patience and time that they afforded to themselves in seeking out these truths. This is particularly divisive, and brings great harm to the church.

Entire movements can rise and fall over these pets, and millions of lost people enter into a godless eternity because churches are too busy grooming their pets and entering them into competitions with the pets of other churches to even notice.

God’s truths, as used by us, have to line up with God’s purposes.

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Eph 4:13-16

Starbucks vs. the Prosperity Teachers

There are few greater controversies in the church today than that of prosperity. On one side there are those who believe that money does not mix with the kingdom of God. The results of this are churches that can’t afford to project what they believe beyond the exit doors and missionaries who have to…basically not be missionaries. No one gets to go. The End!

On the other hand there are those who believe that God simply exists to serve us when we ring the bell asking for whatever we think we need. Some churches based on this philosophy simply grow obese with ostentatious extravagance while the world around it dies in godless ignorance. This extreme is also erroneous. However, resources are needed to advance the gospel.

I was once preaching and asked the church how many wanted more money from God than they personally needed. No one raised their hands. I then asked how many would like to reach their community, help the poor and reach the nations with the gospel. They all said, “Yes.” “Well,” I asked, “how can you do this unless you actually believe God for more than you can use for yourselves?” The lights went on, and most understood. God is generous, and He not only wants to meet our needs but reach others through the overflow in our lives.

Most would agree with this, but we still have a problem with method. Some teachers of prosperity would suggest that if you want more resources, more things and greater blessings that you should give abundantly and in faith… to their ministry. To this I would like to suggest a slight modification that would test the teaching and in fact it will actually bring out the true nature of what God wants to do.

This is the change. They should preach, “If you want to be blessed (actually, if you want to be a blessing) give abundantly and in faith to…someone else’s ministry. Give to your neighbor in need, give to the poor, and give to missions even in other ministries.” This would bring a quick balance to excesses, and it would bring much-needed resources to those who need it most.

This even works in the world as seen in the recent Starbucks Cheer Chain phenomenon. A guy drives up to the Starbucks drive-thru, pays his bill, and says, “I want to pay the bill for the guy behind me as well.” The guy behind him then drives up to the surprise that his bill has been paid, so he in-turn pays the bill for the guy behind him. This goes on for hours as each surprised customer pays for the next customer’s bill. Actually, it is reported that this is a promotional idea by Starbucks, and they sometimes ask people to do this.

Well, that is the point that I am trying to make. God is asking us to bless others who can bless others who can bless others. No one preacher is the recipient and God’s kingdom is advanced in many seen and unseen ways. In all fairness I must add that I have friends in the Faith Movement who embrace this balance and are very generous to missions, the poor and others in need. The key is the attitude of the heart. God wants to bless because He loves us, and He wants us to be able to bless others.

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed. Prov 19:17

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-21

But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, Matt 6:3

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A New Leaf or a New Day

The New Year is a time when many people make resolutions, goals or radical commitments for change. There is very little spiritual significance in the change of the number 2007 to the number 2008, but there is a lot of momentum when whole societies try some kind of change all at the same time.

A number of years ago I started to go to the gym – oh, I need to resolve to go back – but I started my routine a few months before the holidays. After January 1st my trainer, Anatoliy, said, “Watch, the gym will fill up the next few weeks, people will exercise themselves sick and then give up.” True to his prediction, we watched in awe and humor as new faces came and went. The main problem was that people had unreasonable goals and they were trying to undo in 5 visits the damage and excess of living that they accumulated over their entire lives.

Christians often greet the New Year by thinking that God wipes away the past year and that all they have sown in the past will somehow cease to exist at midnight on December 31st like Cinderella’s ball costume, only in reverse fashion. The sad news is that this simply is not so.

However, the good news is that with God we do not need a New Year to make things right. God’s mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness never fails. Goals for the New Year are good, but the best way to realize them is not a sudden unrealistic surge of activity. Setting the daily goal to meet with our God insures a stable life where mercy is ever-present and foundations are laid at a rate where they can solidify to make us strong throughout the year.

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I have hope in Him."

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him.

It is good that he waits silently

For the salvation of the Lord. Lam 3:22-26

Mitt Romney, Democrats and The One Thing

This is not a political post, but it will make some uncomfortable, I hope. Some time during the last two years I read an article - I can’t remember the author – written by a Democrat who was a conservative Christian. He was frustrated by moderate and left-leaning attempts in his own party to court the Evangelical vote in the US. What frustrated him most was that these people would talk on and on about what they thought the Evangelicals wanted to hear: faith, family, freedom, church, tradition, patriotism, etc. However, they would never talk about the one thing, and this One Thing was the core of the Evangelical belief system, the person and mission of Jesus Christ.

Not that a man has to be an Evangelical Christian to run the country, and I am sure that some well-meaning Christians are not even qualified to lead. Some are. I was preparing this post when I heard that Mitt Romney, a Republican candidate for President and practicing Mormon, was going to give a speech on faith. I was reasonably sure what he would say, and I was correct. It was a very eloquent speech about freedom, tolerance in American history, church and liberty with a subtle Universalist haze. Jesus was mentioned – a classic Mormon slight of hand - but it was a different Jesus, and most of all the One Thing was not to be found.

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Cor 2:1,2

I must confess a little trickery here because this post is really about the church. For some reason there are leaders and church planters who use the exact same approach doing the same as the left-wing and liberals, but they are doing it in reverse. It basically says this: “Let’s talk about everything that we think they – non Christians - are interested in, but let’s leave out the One Thing. It might be too offensive. The less difference they see between us and them the greater chance they will come to our meetings.” Beneath this is hidden the fact that they know very few lost people; thus, the awkward approach.

I am honestly annoyed when people try to patronize me using my faith. They lose credibility in my eyes. They should simply say, “No, I am not a Christian, but I do think I can lead so please vote for me,” or “Sorry, I am an atheist, but this is still a good business deal.” I would respect that much more. (Actually, Mr. Romney was rather honest and true to his colors – vague colors I must add - unlike others who are election year chameleons.)

I also venture to say that non Christians must be annoyed when they see us courting them while trying to act like them and pretending to enjoy the same things that we think they enjoy. They might think, “Why are these guys hiding or even DENYING the traditional tenants of their faith just to get me to attend their meetings? I heard from my grandmother that they used to believe in something. What is it that they want so badly with me to make them do all of this?” (Beneath this is also hidden the fact that they don’t even know us, their neighbors and co-workers.)

Well, that is the question isn’t it? What is it we want with these people? Not votes. Are we driven by a success motivation to fill Sunday venues, catapult ourselves to Evangelical fame or are we driven to see people come to the Crossroad of the One Thing that will forever change their lives? By keeping the One Thing as an anchor of our creative evangelistic endeavors we can’t really go wrong. Removing it is disaster. Truth with love will prevail. It also helps to simply get to know people who are an arm’s length away. No artificiality, just …be as natural as Christ was.

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 1 Pet 3:15

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Is Al Gore the Lorax?

I thought that I would take a break from my regular train of thought to start a few arguments. Ever since Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for environmental work I have been thinking about weather or not the Lorax was a liberal or conservative, right or wrong. What? Who is the Lorax? Why, he speaks for the trees! He is the famous Dr. Seuss character who tries to save the earth from consuming itself, especially to save the delicate but much sought after Truffula Trees.

I had put this topic on the shelf, but could no longer leave it there in light of the present debate concerning global warming. There are few areas where I really know what I am talking about, but I have a bit of an edge here. I have a firm foundation of math, Physics, Geology, Star Trek, Mr. Wizard and sometimes successful attempts to launch various household objects into neighborhood sub-orbit using homemade pyrotechnics.

Anyway, here are a few simple facts:

• The earth is heating up. Is it because of pollution or a natural cycle? I don’t know.
• The trees are the “lungs of the earth”. They breath in what we and our industrial complex exhale, and they in-turn are generous enough to give us a little air to breath.
• We are resecting the lungs of the earth by deforestation while increasing the amount of CO2 that we add to the ecosystem. Simple math comes into play here: More CO2 than can be absorbed > atmosphere heats up due to increased greenhouse gasses > the climate shifts, etc. etc.
• The polar icecaps are melting, and coastlines are receding.
  

Here are a few more personal facts. My wife and oldest daughter have asthma so pollution-based ozone really aggravates their health. We can no longer swim in rivers where we could as kids back in North Carolina.

Our friends on Topsail Island, NC showed us the beach where numerous hurricanes had hit. I remarked that there were some signs of erosion, but the houses seemed to have faired rather well. My friends then remarked that the beach used to be 100 yards further out and there were several roads and the footprints of former neighborhoods just under the breaking surf. While the erosion was not linked to global warming any rise in sea level will swamp these beautiful barrier islands.

What is the point of all my liberal ranting then? I have no political agenda. I am not a democrat. I am not a tree hugger. I did not vote for Al Gore, and I especially do not believe that he invented the Internet. I just want clean air to breath for my family. Is the earth heating up? Don’t know for sure. What I do know is that it stinks more than it used to.

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Gen 2:15

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The Modern Church: Autobot or Decepticon?

This post is a continuation of the previous post concerning how a Biblical church has to better communicate unchanging eternal truths to an ever-changing culture. In discussing this I can think of no better example than the recent movie “Transformers”. You know the plot: alien robots morph into Detroit’s latest auto innovations while trying to either save or destroy mankind. Actually, I loved the movie.

At the heart of the Autobots was an unchanging identity, an unchanging form and an unchanging mission. However, outwardly they had the ability to morph into any situation without changing who they really were inside. The Apostle Paul was sort of an Autobot Apostle of the ancient world while becoming “all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” 1 Cor 9:22 What a heart! He was still Paul. I do not think his goal was to be all things to all men. He just wanted to reach and save some.

Concerning Transformers and machines many of us have taken something apart only to reassemble it with a few parts surprisingly left over. In cartoon fashion we wish the thing would still work without these parts, but we soon find out that it was not meant to be. Those parts had a purpose, and it is best to let them stay.

Many Christians are excited about new progressive ways to reach the lost, and in doing so they aggressively disassemble archaic religious practices only to reassemble them into something understandable. This can be useful, and I do it myself. Some go a little further and attempt to disassemble the church itself thinking that it too is an archaic hindrance to reaching people. This is already dangerous ground and the risk of amateurish mistakes runs high.

Then there is the radical who thinks that the message itself needs to be disassembled and reassembled. The result of this – and it is happening right now in Evangelical Christianity – is that the reassembled form has a lot of parts left out that for some reason did not seem to fit the new and popular paradigms. Well, these parts that have worked for many millennia also have a purpose, and the organism will not work without them. The authority of Scripture, the Virgin Birth, the very tenants of our faith are under attack from within.

This is not the Autobot Apostle Paul church that wants to see men saved by progressive outreach, but it is the Decepticon church. It is at its core humanistic and heretical. It is deadly. It is poison. I hate to even post about such things, but something must be said. There are certain truths that need to be dusted off from time to time, and here are a few.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! Gal 1:6-8

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Rev 22:18,19

Does the Church Need a Tan?

I have been bombarded in the last week by many ideas concerning why churches do not grow and what we should do so that the church can attract more people. My wife is reading a bestselling book by a famous atheist who is also attacking the church, so it seems that the modern church is disliked by Christians and non-Christians alike. What is the solution then?

This reminds me of an anecdotal story I heard many years ago about an ailing man living in a remote, frigid mountain village. He was pale and anemic from an unhealthy life, so his friends and doctor told him to go to Florida for some rest and sun.

Well, the idea seemed fine to our protagonist, and he soon found himself lying on sunny beaches eating lots of healthy food. However, he died in a few weeks. Sorry to end the story so soon.

The deceased was quickly embalmed and sent on a train back to the mountain town, and at his funeral his friends remarked in astonishment how much better he looked after his trip. “Oh, he has finally put on some weight, and he is not as pale and anemic looking since he got some sun.” “You know”, one woman exclaimed, “that trip to Florida really did him a lot of good!”

Does this sound as stupid to you as it does to me? It is equally ignorant to think that cosmetic change on a Sunday morning service will bring life when the real problem is that some churches are rather dead in either their walk with God or their desire to reach their communities. Outer changes simply enhance, but they cannot give rise to life.

Now back to my main point. Both the atheist writhing in his best-seller and some progressive church planters make the same mistake. It is not really archaic styles of worship and out-of-style clothing that make churches irrelevant. These are definitely barriers that need to be addressed if we are to reach a godless culture. However, the problem often lies with irrelevant Christians and those who call themselves Christians while saying and doing stupid things. Many of the criticisms from this atheist were not even related to Christian truths but to basic Christian behavior (or misbehavior).

A person who knows Jesus will love others enough to be motivated to make Him known. He can dress like Mr. Rogers or a punk rocker. In the end, it won’t make a very big difference. The lost will be attracted to the genuine life of Christ within us. By the way, Mr. Rogers was an ordained minister. I would not be surprised if punkers still watch his show when no one is looking.

The world needs a Resurgence of life through vibrant Christians following Christ in community.

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The View from Above

In the C.S. Lewis classic, The Screwtape Letters, we are flies on the wall as one demon instructs another as to how he can stop a young man from becoming a Christian. Once the novice demon fails, his next task is to trip up the new Christian in any way possible, no matter how ridiculous. One approach is to get him to focus on everyone else in the church meeting except himself. The adversary wants the Christian to focus on the sincerity of others simply based on their facial expressions, posture and manner of dress. Anyone not living up to some religious external standard is deemed a hypocrite. Thus, the new Christian is sidetracked and defiled by the silliest of attacks.

I learned a similar lesson a few years ago while attending a church in New York where the pastor preaching was projected on a screen so people in the back could see better. It just so happened that the camera captured the first row where I was sitting.

The lights were quite bright, and I became distracted by looking at how they reflected off the growing bald spot of the guy sitting beside me. Normally, the top of this guys head was not visible, but the camera, bright light and large screen changed that.

I also began to notice how this guy moved in his seat or nodded his head every time I did. He also seemed to be looking at the screen when I did. It was then that the awful revelation hit me; I had somehow miscounted who sat where and had been looking at my own head the whole time! Selah.

Scripture tells us to look into the mirror of God’s word on a daily basis so we can judge our spiritual progress by comparing ourselves to ourselves and not to others. Ultimately, we are really comparing ourselves to Jesus, and this should be enough to keep us humble.

My bald spot is not particularly large. It is just a spot, but when I am in a bright light the view from above reveals every detail. Since God discipled me with the video projector, I have tried to be less observant of the outward shapes of others and to even be merciful when their inner man was not shining in the best of ways.

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Shaken, Not Stirred

I remember my first earthquake like it was yesterday. We were in our Manila apartment, the 11th floor of a 19 floor building. I was at my computer when my head rocked back and forth. Was I dizzy? I then looked up to see the blinds swinging back and forth, then the ceiling light, and then I noticed that the whole building moved back and forth about 3 feet (1 meter) in a gentle sway.

Several things instantly went through my mind like the worlds fastest modem. All the engineering, Physics and math that I could never remember suddenly and uninvitingly came to mind and reminded me that concrete is not supposed to bend. In other words, this building was going to fall like many pancakes, and we were going to die. The next revelation was that we were on the 11th floor; again, we were going to die. Then I recalled volumes of Bible study that said that I was right with God. My last thought as we sprinted down the stairs was that I hoped that the architects who built this building made good grades. Actually, since that time I have used this example to prove to my daughters why good grades are important. “Would you want to live in a high rise or fly in a plane built by someone with average grades?”

When our quake experience was said and done, it was on a minor shake of 5.9 on the Richter Scale, nothing too scary. There was another quake – a real quake – that was in the news in 1999. It was in İzmit, Turkey, and many thousands were killed from collapsing buildings. In the aftermath of that quake, engineers and investigators noticed something quite peculiar. Some buildings that stood side-by-side had different fates. One building was unfazed while another was reduced to rubble. What was even stranger was that these building were identical in design and suffered identical tremors during the main quake. A mystery was at hand.

When investigators dug deeper they could find no obvious difference in the way the buildings had been built, so they decided to test the materials by cutting two identical pieces of concrete from each building to compare. Again, they looked the same, so they decided to conduct a stress test by applying hundreds of tons of pressure to each piece in a hydraulic press to see if they could both withstand their design specifications. This is where the mystery ended.

The piece from the building that survived withstood the required pressure, but the piece from the collapsed building quickly disintegrated into dust. The dust was examined with the result that it was now clear that the builder had added much more sand than concrete mix in order to save time and money. He took a fatal shortcut that only became evident when stress was applied, and he did so knowing that he was in an earthquake zone.

As believers and leaders who raise up other leaders, it is a certainty that times of testing will come because this world is a spiritual earthquake zone. If we take shortcuts by focusing on exterior facades rather than internal character, we are dooming our building plan to a future cataclysmic failure. However, if we focus on the simplicity of laying firm foundations in our own lives and the lives of those whom we mentor we assure that when shaking comes we will not only stand firm but produce a testimony of God’s grace and truth.

Here are a few areas that will help secure us in our daily walk and assure long-term stability:

• The Lordship of Jesus: abide in Him daily by studying His word and seeking His face in prayer. You can do nothing without this. Jn 15


• Your family: In airplanes they tell us to put on our oxygen masks first so we can then put them on our children if the need arises. The simple reason for this is that you can save your kids but they cannot save you. Strong marriages make strong children.


• Reaching & serving others: Pattern your life and lifestyle around the purposes of God. This brings prosperity to you, salvation and help to others and drives you back to the first priority.
  

These are only a few. Don’t be afraid that you might mistakes while growing in these areas. The serious error is to not do them at all, to take shortcuts.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." Matt 7:24-27