Just A Naked Walk With Christ

Apology

2010-02-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

I has been forever since my last post. I am on a bit of a break. It seems that writing has cluttered my day job, and my writing job is creating a problem with my blog job.

So, for a little while, I will take a break. I am leaving this up as a way for people to see the history of the place.

Perhaps God will have me write more later.

Thanks. Allen

Parts of the Church

2009-10-13T16:48:00.003-04:00

So, does anyone realize it has been a month since my last post?

Well, I have not forgotten you but I just didn't have anything to say.

Now, that may come as a shock to most, but sometimes I just don't have a pulpit to stand in. I think the drought is over and I wish to talk about a subject that is utterly disgusting but allowed by most churches.

Stealing from their employees.

Every church I have been involved with, the congregation thought it prudent to pay their employees as little as possible. They thought that being a good steward of money meant they should keep as much money for the "missions" of the church as they could. With the money, they would build new buildings, start new outreach programs, and furnish their sanctuaries with state of the art equipment, all at the expense of their employees and their families.

As the son of a Baptist pastor, I can tell you some horror stories of money disputes and salary disagreements. Most of you have seen them and it would be a waste so time, so I'll spare you. But the point I make here is that those people took away from their employees what God intended them to spend on their people.

It is no wonder those churches always have money problems. God simply cuts off the flow of money to the church until the church decides to pay the employees back.

Churches should pay their employees the same as anyone else. If your pastor has a PhD, it is not unreasonable for his salary to be equal with a college professor. If your secretary has a business support degree, she or he should expect to be paid comparable to Administrative people in the business world. Accountants and bookkeepers should expect to be paid the same as their secular counterparts.

I dare you. I dog dare you. No, I double-dog, eye-ball swear dare you to suggest this in a church business meeting.

Paying workers in a church should a joy to every member of a church. It should be the goal of every member to make sure the workers in their church are free from worries and strife that goes with money problems, health insurance problems, and where the money will come from when they retire.

Bank on it.

Overview

2009-09-28T13:48:00.002-04:00

For those that haven't figured it out, yet, I have been trying to make sure that what I do to build a church is to support a community. One of the saddest moments I've experienced lately was the understanding that many pastors today want to build a church in hopes a community will emerge inside of it. This is wrong. It is upside down.

By wrong I mean this is the best way to destroy an existing church and to make sure a new church never exists. What needs to happen to start a church is that you need to build a community and the church will emerge from its foundation.

In most nudist communities, you will find that there are the basic materials for building a community. There are people with a common interest. There is a sense of belonging to the group. Most of the time, you will find that the community already exists. It may be broken, fixable, or working out wonderfully, but there usually is some type of community building in any group like ours.

The problem with trying to grow a church where there is no sense of community is that the church will be fragmented. It will suffer from all kinds of ills that can't be fixed without uniting the people into a community with similar goals, similar values, and similar beliefs. they won't function. They won't do the jobs they are supposed to do; heal the sick, feed the poor, and care for the poor in spirit.

A fragmented church will never be viewed as an asset to the people. They will be seen as a puzzle before it is assembled, useless and not pleasant looking.

A community so united and so empowered will have a church spring to life in their midst. No force on earth will be able to stop God's plan if we have done our job in building the community. In this way, the church will be a blessing to the community, and will be viewed as such.

so, what are your thoughts? How can we build our communities to make the nudist world spring a church in its midst?

till next time...

Fun times in email

2009-09-16T15:28:00.002-04:00

It has been a while since I received a few emails encouraging me to eternal damnation, long stays in limbo, or perdition. I have almost grown accustomed to the peace and quiet of a lonely mailbox filled with ways to increase my libido, enlarge my boobs, or some new fad in dating. But lately, thanks to some new advertising of my latest book out in e-book form, I have the joy of reading through a few questions and you have the honor of sitting through my rants as I find new and better ways to irritate the textile masses.

The latest asked the simple question "why?". Why would I want to start churches in nudist communities? The logic was mostly flawless. It sounded good. It even had a ring of truth to it. We could simply meet at an already established church and help increase their numbers as opposed to building a block and separation between the two groups of people.

I must admit he had me thinking. It did separate the two groups, that is, the textiles were certainly not coming to the new church. The nudists would likely choose the church where they would not have to dress and leave the park. It seems that I was encouraging separation in the church body.

But, then I realized that the separation was already there. The textile churches were not going into the resorts and parks to visit or to involve themselves in the communities. They had already separated themselves from the church members at the resorts.

There is a small but distinct line between cutting out the herd and rounding up strays. Anyone who has seen any cowboy movies have seen cowboys riding and working with cows on screen and sometimes it is difficult to tell if they are separating them or rounding them up.

The best way to tell the difference is which one brings the cattle home and which one sends them to be slaughtered. Herding them into the pasture is a sure sign of bringing them home. Culling out a few and loading them in the truck might mean a one way trip for the cow.

Argument two goes a long way to hit me in the... well lower than my belt. "Don't we already have enough division in our midst?"

I have to agree. Christians are divided three ways to Sunday. Adding a different splinter group is taking us further away from the "become one" we often hear when we speak of the Christian body, the bride of Christ. The difference is that we are not really dividing here at all. We are establishing a beach head so that the Christians can minister to the nudist community in their midst. I am certain if the textiles want to come to the church, they would be welcome. AND probably more so than if a nudist, dressed properly, showed up at a textile church.

Funny how things have a way of rolling around. What are your thoughts?

Till we meet again.

Dysfunctional Church

2009-09-14T14:30:00.003-04:00

For a week, I have received questions from some of the readers of this blog as to why I presume to offer advice about forming a church when there is so much advice available. Well, here is my answer.

First, there are way too many people giving poor advice.

Second, there is a need to form nudist churches in nudist communities.

Third, I felt led by God.

Now, you understand? I didn't think so, but I gave it a shot.

Let's slow down and try it again.

First, there is way too much poor advice about running a church. Most working churches have no real clue why they work. Most dysfunctional churches aren't aware they are dysfunctional until the church collapses into a grand mess. Having worked in several start up churches, some done properly and some not, it is easier to build a church when you start the basic functions correctly than it is to go back and fix them later. Offering some of my own mistakes and how to avoid them might just save some of you a whole heap of trouble later.

Second, there is a need to start nudist churches in nudist communities. The Great Commission sends us out into the missions field. It does not ask us to draw the people into some foreign place to learn about God. we need to be in the middle of the community where we can interact and become a part of their lives. We are responsible for the nudist communities' very souls.

Lastly, God told me to. I don't have proof. I don't have a note or some voice message on my cell phone to play for you. I offer no excuses nor do I require anyone to vet my intentions. You can take the last one on faith or pray for my healing. You decide.

There are just too many dysfunctional churches in the textile world. I don't want a repeat on the nudist side.

For those who want to follow along and help me help God build a Christian world in the nudist community, I thank you and keep on reading. I would also ask that you send a link to others located around the world who might be in a position to start working with new churches in the nudist communities. The more people we have reading, commenting and posting, the better our core knowledge of how to spread the word will be.

If this is not where God has you, I am fine if you follow His lead and spend the time you would be spending reading my blog in pursuit of what God has for you.

Thank you and God bless.

Allen

Labor of Love or Love of Labor

2009-09-08T08:56:00.002-04:00

Most of us know a person who is always out there helping people. They are the first ones to show up at the work party at church. On cleaning day, they are cleaning everything in sight. And if there is a need in the community that can be remedied by hard work, they show up first to make sure they get their fair share.

I am not, by any means, trying to down grade these people. It is a wonderful thing to have a heart for service, but what about the rest of us. Could we possibly be the unwashed masses who never want to labor over some poor guys toilet because he can't do it himself?

People who are gifted with a heart for service are special. They don't mind toting the barge line or lift the bales of hay into the loft. In fact, some get their greatest pleasure out of a life of service. They possess a love of labor. In their case, labor is its own reward.

The rest of us are people who labor to labor. It is a chore to force ourselves to spend hours scrubbing toilets at the local shelter. We despise the mornings at church cleaning up after a teen weekend lock-in. It is a labor of love.

For those in the labor of love category, we generally feel bad by the long hours the labor party spends. They show us up. They makes us look bad for our pittance of labor we expend on those projects.

Fear not, however. We can invoke the widow's mite rule. It is not something we were gifted with and therefore, we are only expected to expend what God gave us. This means we do what we can with a cheerful heart and get out of the way of the real laborers.

Sounds easy, doesn't it?

Well, no. How many of us would gladly accept a position of deacon in our church, knowing we are not going o do a good job at the labor involved with the task. These are the tasks of our deacons. As one might have noticed in our churches lately, the job of deacon has morphed into a cushy job where our deacons act more like ministerial staff than workers. But that was not the intention of the position of deacon.

Deacons need to be workers. They need to strive to keep the church on the path of physical health and wealth. (Note: not monetary wealth, but an abundance of riches, both in spirit and in life.) These are physical needs that must be resolved before a church can be healthy. When we, the unlabor people, fill those slots, we take away from the labor pool and leave the deacon board a mess.

Our churches today need to fill our deacon board with the people who love to do physical labor so that those of us who are the spiritual leaders can do the job we were built to do.

I have a special affection for those people who enjoy labor and are rewarded by their actions. I can sit and watch them work for hours on end, without even breaking a sweat. For those people, I have the utmost respect. Two salutes for the true deacons of our church.

Till next time.

No Title Today

2009-08-28T09:12:00.002-04:00

In a sense, there is a need for Christians to enter politics. It is important that men of good faith and strong conviction be the leaders of our country. Their policies and the basis for those should be a matter of public record and our leaders should not be ashamed of placing their faith at the forefront of their responsibilities to our country. We should be able to know for a fact that a Christian sponsored a bill and the why just by reading the text of the legislation.

In another sense, there is a need for nudists to enter politics. We need men and women of courage to stand up for the rights of humans and to force our fingerprints onto legislation that would free us to enjoy our lifestyle just as others have found their freedom in the land of opportunity.

If this prospect is a little scary, welcome to my world.

I find the recent crop of politicos running our country to profess freedom and hope and peace. I don't see it. I see division and a whole bunch of yesterday's politics sitting on the desks of every Senator and Congressman in Washington. I find the ads for the Governor's job to be filled with the last great evil in hopes of convincing me each one is the lesser of two evils. I have had it. I want out.

Give me a King, again. At least he will fear the 3 million guns roaming the countryside. At least we would have an accountability system, tried and true for many centuries, that the King would listen to.

Each time I go to my local county seat to discuss business, I feel like I should wear old clothes, look poverty stricken, and hide my wallet. Even is this depressed economy, the county is looking to take every last dime of money to the people who are trying to keep their employees working. It may sound funny, but the governments of the USA are diametrically opposed to a sound work environment.

With all this around us, perhaps a nudist King is our answer. He would spend most of his time sunning on the back lawn and the world would care less if we work or play.

So, I volunteer to be king. Someone peel me a grape.

New blog recommendation

2009-08-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

I have been meaning to talk to my co-pastor, John, about guest blogging here, but I failed to do so. Luckily for me, my shortcomings are usually stretched back in shape by John.

For those who would like to read a little about John, his insights, and some commentary ( I highly recommend this blog), zoom out to : http://altogetherjohn.blogspot.com/

The First Meeting

2009-08-19T09:56:00.004-04:00

Advertise:

Make up some flyers to HANG on posts, sit on tables, or any place the owner of the resort or club will allow. It is important to speak with him about how and where you advertise. He must be willing to support your efforts. Never, ever, go door to door or placing flyers under the wipers on cars. This leads to hurt feelings, and resentment. Remember, your goal is to support and
engage the community.

Ask about placing an announcement in the newsletter. The task of letting the members know about the meeting will be easier if there is a newsletter going out to all the members, even if it is an online letter. If there isn't one, volunteer to do one for the part. Make you curch announcements small and in keeping with the other announcements so as to be fair to every group that participates.

IN THE DOOR

In a world where there are so many thoughts, beliefs, and understandings of Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, you can not assume anything. Meeting for the first time, especially in the nudist setting, will bring all kinds of beliefs, thoughts, and well, crackpots, out of the woods.

Crackpots here is a term of endearment used to describe a person with a sorted and unbalanced view of Christianity, such as all roads lead to heaven, the path to enlightenment will give you the peace you need to find heaven, everyone is saved, and the ever popular god would never send anyone to hell if he is a kind and gentle god.

Learning to settle these points will make for a wonderful handful of sleepless nights and a goodly sized ulcer. what you have to do is focus on the task.

Once the owner allows you to set up a meeting, pick a traditional time to meet. Sundays, early enough to allow for other activities afterward, is a great time. Most people recognize Sunday as a day of remembering their god, whether it is God or some other entity. Going early, such as 9:30 or so, allows the people to enjoy the meeting and not necessarily feel like they are missing anything.

Setting the time is important. Going too late, as we have said, means some will wander off to other activities. Going too early will mean people will oversleep. Finding that specific balance between too early and too late can be tricky, but there is usually a point where the whole process fits. Coordinating with the owner of the park will cut down on activity conflicts, but has the added advantage of engaging the owner in the church process.

Brass Tacks

No one wants to sit through one of the old fashioned tent meetings of the 1600's where a robed guy stood up front and spoke in a language no one understood. We certainly don't want that today. The meetings need to be styled so that everyone is comfortable about what is going on and the atmosphere is light, fun, and enticing, while at the same time, offering the messages God has for this group.

Think this is easy? So did I and I was wrong, too.

The trick is to spend the first meetings learning about the people coming to the group. find out what background they have, where they got their beliefs and especially here they stand. In some cases, you can just ask. Most of the time, you will have to work a little to bring out these details. On the first meeting, try a game or two. This will give you an idea of where people are in their walk and will help break the ice among te members.

Remember, some, if not most, will already be familiar to you. This is just to find out where they are in their walk.

The internet is filled with ice breaker games. Pick one or two and tailor the games to finding out information about the members.

Now, have fun.

Till next time...

On the Grounds

2009-08-07T13:51:00.003-04:00

Let's review. We have found a place where we think God is ready for us to start a work, a church that would serve the needs of the community. Next, we became a member of the club and started interacting with the people of the park. We became known around and people have come to depend on us. So far, so good.

Next, we began to find out about people in need. We started gathering people and material means to help these people. Lastly, and most important, we found a partner to help us build this group of fledgling followers into a coherent strong entity willing to support the community and to help the people and the business live life more abundantly.

So, now what?

It is time to approach the park owner for permission to start a bible study or chapel service. You have the following going in your favor:

1. He trusts you. He has to. He let you help build a community in his club.
2. He sees a need for what you are doing. Helping others is really hard to argue with.
3. God is on your side. Who can stand against God?
4. If you have gotten this far with the plan, God has already prepared the owner for this and he is ready to say yes.

Now, all you need is to approach him with the idea of forming a chapel and laying out what your plans are for the community and the chapel. Remember, it is your plan, but it is the one God is setting before you.

Prayer at this point is pivotal. Learning what God knows this park or resort needs is going to tell you how to go about building a church presence, a GOD presence in this club.

Till next time...

Oh, and thanks to all of you who are following along with this program.

Allen

Book Release

2009-07-29T11:29:00.001-04:00

For those Kindle and Mobipocket people, my latest release, Nudist Among Us, will be released in ebook form on the 29th of July.

At $3.99 a copy, it is a pretty good savings over the 13 dollar book price. Amazon and Mobipocket both have advanced downloads available now. If you decided this to try it and enjoy it, I would appreciate a return to the store for a review.

Thanks and thanks for sitting through the commercial.

Getting to the Meet and Potatoes

2009-07-27T09:55:00.003-04:00

So, now you are the social person of the park. Everywhere you go, you find others calling you by name and the spring cookout grill is always under your control. Now what?

Well, you are getting to the meat of the situation. You are meeting the people where they eat. What you have to do is meet people where they live.

The basic needs for all of us are simple; food, a place to sleep, and the comfort of someone who cares for us. The greatest need we have is for God to cover us in His glory. Once we have that, our needs will be met.

If you are wondering how this relates to our discussion, the result of meeting a person's need gives you a voice to that person. Not some clattering sound of God's love and promise of some future peace, but a special voice that those people will hear and take to heart.

Every park, resort, or club has some special need that must be met by someone. Whether there are people having financial troubles, hurt feelings, or a need for someone to organize the local carnival, the key to getting a say in the community is to start meeting the needs of the people around you.So, now you are the social person of the park. Everywhere you go, you find others calling you by name and the spring cookout grill is always under your control. Now what?

Well, you are getting to the meat of the situation. You are meeting the people where they eat. What you have to do is meet people where they live.

The basic needs for all of us are simple; food, a place to sleep, and the comfort of someone who cares for us. The greatest need we have is for God to cover us in His glory. Once we have that, our needs will be met.

If you are wondering how this relates to our discussion, the result of meeting a person's need gives you a voice to that person. Not some clattering sound of God's love and promise of some future peace, but a special voice that those people will hear and take to heart.

Every park, resort, or club has some special need that must be met by someone. Whether there are people having financial troubles, hurt feelings, or a need for someone to organize the local carnival, the key to getting a say in the community is to start meeting the needs of the people around you.

Sound like last post? No, it is a more intense and direct approach. What I am talking about here is a formal way of meeting the needs of others through a group involvement. Yup! Other people working with you to meet the needs of the community.

Remember wayyyyy back when, when I started talking about building a church in a community, I said that you should find a partner, a co-worker to work with? Now is the time to cement this relationship. You probably have met many people who could do the job, but what you want to find is who God has in mind. Prayer and advice from a trusted friend or spouse would be a great place to start.

The fun thing about two people looking for volunteerss is that you have someone to talk to when you are not getting anywhere. Keep this in mind when you are hitting hard spots.

Now, we are to the point of feet and pavement meeting.

Once you have identified a person or group in need, start to meet the need. If you need to raise money, do it discreetly. If someone needs help fixing a house or other task, put together a team and do it.

What you have now done is found your prospective church members. the people who you can help will be open to what you have to say. The people who are part of the solution will also be willing to follow along with you on this adventure.

Well, till we blog again...

The Location: A Beginning

2009-07-22T14:32:00.002-04:00

Last post, we talked about finding the right place to start, a place where God wanted you and how to know where to begin. this post is about making the path to opening a church.

Nothing in the beginning will be easy. You will be under a microscope for much of the beginning. Everyone will watch to see if you are truly something different, or just some fly-by-night shyster who has come to grab a few dollars and run.

To be honest, the beginning starts long before anyone knows you are looking to plant a church at their location. Paul always found a way to be part of the community and we must do the same thing. We must be part of the community before we can start to make changes as drastic as adding a church.

The best advice ever given to me is to be so important to a community that they ask you to start the church. To do this you must first:

1. Join the club. Be a member and be active at all the functions.

2. Be productive. Make being part of the community a priority in your life, so much so that you become part of the infrastructure. Join committees. Show up for work days. Volunteer for open house days. Take small, under appreciated jobs and do them well.

3. Make a place for yourself at the club so that when members think of the club, your name is near the top.

4. Make a point to help people in need. This sounds like something that needn't be said, but we miss this too often. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick. Begin praying for the health and welfare of the club and community.

5. Become so known and respected that when you say you want to start a church meeting at the park, they can't find a reason not to let you.

One special note. If you look at what I am suggesting, you will see a definite pattern to the work. For those who wish to have a better understanding about this, re-read Acts. Spend some time reading about Barnabus and Paul. This is what they did. I think it worked well.

Till another time...

Male Stupidity Syndrome

2009-07-13T14:35:00.003-04:00

In what I consider to be part of the natural universe, I often come across men doing stupid things. This weekend was one of those not so rare times when I get to see the male population as if I am not part of it and explore some of the more unintelligent life here on earth.

At an open house for a nudist resort, I was able to see a group of visitors who came to visit the nudist resort without their wives. I am not sure how most of the rest of the male population is wired, but I would no more go to a nudist venue without my wife than I would go without my towel. As I see it, the mere fact the guys left their wives at home is a break in their marriage vowels.

Of the many married males coming to the open house, most did not want to give us contact information in case of emergencies. Being that most of them would have their wives as their In Case Of Emergency contact, I can only assume that most married men were there without their spouses knowing what they were doing. This is a shame.

Although these men are not necessarily under the rules and laws of God, it does bode poorly for our nudist world when a husband would be willing to head off to a nudist resort without his wife.

First off, he can never take her to that resort or park. He has already been there. When he arrives and they ask him if he has been there before, he has to say, Yes. Once he does, his wife is going to know that he broke his faith with her and she is going to associate the park with that breach.

Second, if the husband wanted to investigate the resort before taking his wife there, and I think this is a good policy, he would have no problem giving us his emergency contact information. he is starting out a relationship with the park under the basis of a lie. He has broken trust with the park and by association, caused his wife to break trust with the park.

The one male syndrome I see that irritates me the most is the partner swap specifically to enter the nudist parks. A male finds a willing female, not his wife, to enter the resort with. Not only does he deceive the park, his wife, and any people he meets, he causes another woman to come between him and his wife.

I am not the keeper of all men. I am not responsible for their decisions, but I certainly am responsible to my community. These men should be ashamed for depriving their spouses of the beauty and life in our communities.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get down from the soap box and place it back in my closet.

How do the rest of you feel?

Standing on the Truth

2009-07-02T16:26:00.003-04:00

Not everyone is supposed to start a nudist church. Some people are supposed to serve the textile world. Some are supposed to support the nudist pastors. And some are supposed to find their way in this world with a stiff upper lips and a frying pan sized dent in their forehead.

So, for the sake of argument, suppose all of us are ready to start a church. The first question you should be asking is where?

Where should I start this mission? The locations are numerous and the prospects of success are the same. If God wants you there, He will bless your ministry and the hard work you are about to begin will pay off. There are several points that make finding a good spot easier.

1. Is it close to home?
If you have to drive more than a few minutes to get to the mission field, you sill tire easily. There will be time when people are sick, dying, getting married, and needing to talk. Each time, you will have to travel in the area to meet these needs.

2. Is the management supportive?
If you can get the management to work with you, the battle is much easier. You will need a place to meet and most resorts have a club house. If you can use this space, you won't have to rent space. There will be not be any utilities, and the start up costs will be much lower.

3. Is there a need for your ministry?
Some places will not be open to the ministry. They won't want you to take part. This is the place God told us to shake the dust from our feet.

4. Can I make a difference in this location?
Finding a place in a community is important to your ministry. You have to be able to melt into the community and share their happiness, joy, and sorrow.

There are many other things that affect the decision as to where to locate, but these will help guide you into this process. For those wanting to take this task under their wings, let me suggest you spend a little time in Acts and Timothy and read about elders, bishops, and deacons. Know what you need to do and what your helpers need to do.

Ok, everyone have a location?

Claim them now.

I ask those of you who have people looking for a way to serve in one of these churches, but is not the person to lead, to pray and search out that leader.

From tracking this in google hits, I know we have about 75 people who read this blog. Of those, I suppose most have some resort or park they attend. If they do not, there may be one near them.

I figure every one of those 75 people have friends; let's say three, who are nudists at some other location. That means we have about 225 people who can suggest a location that coupld use a chapel and the fellowship that goes with it.

Let's see if we can come up with at least 5 valid locations where we can start to plan a church in their midst.

Now, for this to work, each person MUST respond with a comment to this blog. So, invite your friends. Research and find those locations. Make a joyful noise while you are doing it.

Or should I just sit down and shut up?

Till then.

2009-06-30T09:32:00.002-04:00

Hold it! Don't pay the ransom! I escaped!!!!

No, not really. I just took a small break that lasted a little longer than I expected. I have been working on some other writings and needed the time to stop and reflect on where this blog should go.

I started out to document the process of starting a new program at a nudist church. I wanted it to be a primer for what one could do to make a church available at every single nudist location in the USA. To that end, I have made some good suggestions, but the blog still lacks the specific instructions needed. So, in case someone out there in the fog wants to start a nudist church, here we go.

Over the next few posts, I am going to write a primer how to get one started. If there are people out there who want to know my credentials for such an undertaking, read through and decide for yourself.

First, however, some caveats.

1. Not all locations are the same. What works at this resort might not work at yours. Be prepared to adapt.

2. Not everyone is called to this ministry. Some are called in the support side. If you are called to support a person starting a new mission, you have the hardest job and the one with little recognition. I fancy there will be special dispensation in heaven, but I can't promise you that.

3. Not all locations will be open to a chapel or church. Deal with it. Move on if you are truly chosen to start a work.

4. Never, and again I say Never let Satan stop you from your appointed task, no matter how hard the going gets.

5. The only people who succeed are the ones who are willing to be bold and be seen. If this isn't you, God might have other plans for you.

6. Not every post will deal with this. I will still digress often.

Now... For the first installment.

The decision to start a community gathering of Christians should start with why we gather. First, God commands us not to forsake the assembly of believers. There is a strength in coming together and socializing. We are creatures that need each other to survive. The belief that we need to offer a place to converge and hold fast to one another in support and comfort is paramount to the Christian lifestyle.

"For where two or three are gathered, there am I also." When we assemble, we are closer to The Son than we could ever be alone. What other reason could we need? Well, how about this.

Most nudist parks are deserts of church support. A church is an assembly of believers who come together as a traditional village. The church supports its members from the cradle to the grave. In our parks and resorts today, there usually isn't anyone to be with the family members in a spiritual way when a baby is born. Or when one of the community gets married. Or when there is a death in the family.

Nudist communities are devoid of the basic support systems necessary for the human experience, that of love, pain, hurt, and sadness. The emotions of our existence can be handles outside of a church, but it is the church's job to do these things.

So, how do you proceed here? Prayer.

1. Pray that you are the person to do these things.
2. Pray for the knowledge to handle these problems as they arrive.
3. Make time for others to come in and pray with you.
4. Ask the churches around you to pray for this mission.

In all fairness, I didn't do this. I was wrong.

During this time, some of you will find you are not cut out for this. That's ok. Many aspire to this, but only few are called.

Second, education.

Some of you have the education already. Others will need to boost up your training. Here is your first assignment. Go to the dollar store or a place where you can buy a bible for a few dollars, one you will not mind writing in or if the cover gets torn, etc. Begin reading the bible from Genesis and continue until you reach Revelation. Mark every passage that deals with building a church. specially in the Old Testament, there is much about Prophets who built the temple back. These guys had the right stuff and the method. You can learn much from them.

Your training will continue for the rest of your life. Learn to enjoy it.

Third. Open a dialog with the someone who you think will be a good co-leader. This person is more important that anyone else in the process. Choose wisely. John is my co-pastor. He and I share a vision for this ministry. He is the advisor and the person who delves deeply into the matters where a descerning heart is necessary. One thing, though, this person can't be your spouse. This is nothing to do with gender, it simply has to do with the fact that if the marriage is working correctly, you and your mate are one. As such, you do not get the back and forth checks and balances.

Whatever the role the two of you develop, having a person to hold you accountable is important.
Remember, Iron sharpens Iron.

If, after all these things, you still think a church or chapel is a good thing, and your co-leader is also thinking the same thing, you are now ready to start.

Till next time.

Thought I'd Forgotten You?

2009-05-06T11:16:00.002-04:00

No, not quite. I have been busy trying to catch up on things I have neglected recently.

There is hope for tomorrow. Hope that we will see God on His throne. Hope that we will sit at the table with Jesus for our feast when we all get to heaven. There is hope that I don't think too many people believe in now.

Our days are numbered here on earth. We live, toil, and die to this worldly abode. The good news (gospel) is that we are eternal creatures, built by God for one function, to enter heaven and live a life prepared by God.

In heaven, we will begin to live a pristine life. We will know happiness unlike we have ever seen. There will be no crying, no sorrow, and no pain.

But, what of those that don't find their way home? What about the people who deny Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit? What happens to them?

For centuries, people have been saying that God saves all of us. They offer as a platitude, "I will never worship a God who would condemn a person to hell." We have all heard that. We have all heard people accuse God of horrible things. What we never seem to hear is about the just God who has to send people who choose to denounce God to hell.

There is justice. God is a God of justice. It is only fair that a man who suffers through this world while praising and serving God get the reward promised them. A worker is worthy of his wage.

In the same light, a person who denounces God as irrelevant, unloving, or non-existent is worthy of the wage he earned. Hell is that wage.

It would not be fair for Christians to live among Christ's love and enter heaven and to allow the others the same privilege without the same commitment. It is fair they be given what they earned.

The next time you hear God being maligned in this matter, you have an obligation to point out this misconception out to whoever is spreading the untruth.

The other problem comes from the group that believes everyone goes to heaven. Some people preach that heaven is the reward for everyone. The mansions prepared are there for the taking and no one must believe to get in.

Both the Old and New Covenants bear witness against this. "No one comes to the Father except through me." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life."

The world around us is trying to keep people from coming to God by so many different ways. Deception is one primary tool used by Satan to deny us of our gift from God. It is important that we sweep away the deception.

Till then...

Today Is The Day You Finally Get To Act

2009-04-15T10:34:00.003-04:00

Okay fellas and lovely ladies,

Today, I need action from you. I want the Relationship Weekend to be a success. For this to happen, I need people willing to sign up when the time is right, people willing to announce the date and place for the event, and people coming to the event.

This is where you can be of help.

In the next few weeks, I am going to launch a website with a sign up blank for the event. I will unveil the site on the blog. All I need for you to do is to let every nudist you know and everyone who might try nudism to come to the blog and check out what we have to offer.

Next, I need you to start making plans to come yourself. Mark the weekend on your calendar, tell your boss you need that Friday off. Grab a couple or a single friend you think would benefit from this and plan on carpooling together.

If you camp, clean up the camper or tent and get it ready. If you think roughing it means no room service, call for reservations at White Tail Resort and start practicing not making the bed.

To open this discussion with others, here is the tentative weekend events

On Friday evening, after dinner, we will have an ice breaker and meet the folks time. Part of this time will be to introduce the leaders of the group and what we will talk about. Some of the time will be spent in games. All of the time will be fun.

Saturday will start at 10:00 with a session tailored each group.

11:00 will bring us back together to start interactive programs.

12:00 will bring lunch.

We will return to our sessions at 1:30 and will end around 2:30 From 2:30 until after dinner, we will have time to mingle among ourselves, go to the indoor pool, hot tub, and and enjoy the other amenities of the resort.

After dinner, we will meet again at 7 to have a great session together, where we will all meet for a time and we will have a time in our small groups.

On Sunday, we will have a meal together at Trade Winds Restaurant for lunch and finish up our time with a sendoff 1:00.

The cost to all of this? Well, that varies by your accommodations and what you spend on food. The weekend retreat's cost will be minimum. We are trying to assess the actual cost at present, but we feel it will be around $25 dollars.

The website will have all of this and more. So pray that the site is ready shortly and that the sign ups begin soon.

Relationship Weekend

2009-04-08T15:02:00.005-04:00

As promised, I am returning to the topic of a Relationship Weekend. We will be talking about this off and on for the next few months because we now have a date and a place.

White Tail Resort in Ivor, Virginia has agreed to host our weekend. For those familiar with the resort, you know there will be lots of things to occupy your free time. They have a good restaurant and several nice rooms. An indoor pool, a game room with billards, ping pong, and a hot tub highlight the many special features. There are just too many to name.

Now, the date. Tada!!! February 5th, 6th, and 7th. Mark your calendars. Grab some vacation time. Make reservations early.

This relationship weekend is not just for married couples. This is for people who are in a relationship, looking for a relationship, or might want one later. This is about learning the biblical way to interact with your mate.

When we get a little closer, I will have a better idea of a schedule and material for the weekend.

There will probably be a small fee for the event, not counting the day fees and accommodations. For those who have been to a retreat weekend with us before will know that the fee will be small.

We probably will have a meal together in the restaurant. Please plan to be with us for that.

One topic I know we will discuss is the contract and covenant of marriage. John, the co-pastor at WTC will be heading that class.

We will have some sessions specific to each groups' needs. Married couples will have a class especially aimed at them. Relationship couples will have a class prepared for them. Singles will not want for good instruction, either. And so on.

This is going to be a great weekend. Husbands, you owe it to your wives to bring them here.

Making reservations now might not be too early.

I am leaving the comments section open as usual. If there are things you would like to see at this weekend, mention them in the comments and I will see what we can do.

till next time...

Love Our Enemies

2009-03-30T10:35:00.002-04:00

Ever thought about loving your enemies. No, not that "I love everyone" type of love, but the kind of love that means making a difference in your enemies' lives. Jesus taught us to love our enemies. The best example is near his death.

Jesus was in the garden, praying for a reprieve from his death sentence. He knew the guards were on their way and in a few hours, he would be tortured, and later killed in a most brutal way. The first tool of his death would be the guards leading him away.

Peter, in his zeal for a physical Messiah, cuts off the ear of one of those tools.

Jesus knows these are the men who will escort him to his trials. He could easily let that man suffer for his part in His death. Instead, Jesus rebukes Peter and repairs the man's ear. He heals his enemy. He has compassion for His enemy.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I believe I would be less likely to be so kind. Loving our enemies is all about seeing them as God's children. I often fail in my quest to be a loving member of God's family. I forget that each of my enemies are my brothers and sisters.

In this time of grace, where God sent His only Begotten Son to us, it seems like such a small sacrifice for us to start learning to love our enemies. We can start to make a world vision to take small steps toward making our world a little nicer by making our enemies' world filled with love.

The first step? Find the person you think you could never love, and begin praying for that person. Ask God to give them peace and love, to bless them, and bring a life of happiness between you and your enemy.

try it for a week and let me know how it goes.

Hope and peace to all of you... Allen

2009-03-18T09:53:00.002-04:00

Christians often spend enormous time getting ready for Christmas. We spend hours shopping and decorating. not to mention the time spent cooking and cleaning. When we compare the time we spend on Christmas tot he time we spend preparing for Easter, it pales in comparison.

Sure, we buy our kids toys and we read the Easter story. We bake a meal for the family and the festivities roll through like any other Sunday. Not that I want to diminish the importance of any family gathering, but I want to point out a few things.

First, Passover. Passover is a time celebrated as far back as Israel's captivity in Egypt. The Hebrew nation began to commemorate this special season as a time of learning and fellowship, as well as a time of bringing families closer together. Families took special notice of the grace extended to His people. And in case you haven't noticed, we have been grafted into the House of YHWH and are His people.

Shouldn't we give Passover a look?

I was an adult before I really realized that the Lord's Supper had special meaning because the Passover had special meaning. I was also an adult before I realized that celebrating the Lord's Supper should include the elements of the Passover. Why? you ask.

Well, I'll tell you. We are celebrating our own passover. Instead of passing over our first born males, we are celebrating the passing by of our own lives. The Angel of Death will not stop at our house when we are right with God. The Jews celebrate being freed from the Egyptions. We celebrate being free from sin and its grip on our lives.

Lastly, we need to stop thinking of Easter as a time of firsts, but as a time of many. The Jews celebrate Passover each year as a renewal of their faith and the reminder that their world changed in a night. It is a time when they renew their faith in a God who is capable of great works in our life.

We, too, should think of Easter as a time to renew our pledges and our beliefs. Seeing such a miracle happen in our lives can bring forward a new time of celebration and hope for the future.

I urge you to pick this year to learn as much as you can about the Easter season and to experience it as the first Century church did. The internet is full of good information about Passover and Easter. Make this Easter special. Then continue to work to make our Savior's sacrifice and important event.

until the next time...

Followers

2009-03-04T11:10:00.001-05:00

You might notice I have added a Follower's gadget to the left of this post. I have added this benefit to the blog for the convenience of the people who like to keep up with what is happening here.

It is simple to sign up and is really painless. The one millionth customer to sign up will get a free set of steak knives, hand delivered by me. If you win, please bring your own cigarette and blindfold.

I am hoping for three, count them, three bloggers in the next two or three years. Let's see if I am right.

Oh, and did I mention that you get to put a picture of yourself on the page under followers? Pretty cool, huh!

Till then....

There Is No Light At the End of the Tunnel

2009-03-04T10:28:00.002-05:00

We all look to see if the light at the end of the tunnel is a train. The brilliance of the sun shining into the dark hole is comforting to all who wish to remove themselves from dark, moldy holes in the ground. Sometimes, however, it is night out and the sun doesn't shine.

Case in point, this blog. I may never see an end to ministries in the nudist world. Not in my lifetime. But that doesn't mean we are not making progress. For some of the time, we can believe there are some good things happening. Other times, we see nothing good coming from our labor. Of course, labor is its own reward.

Noting there are dark times and times of light, we can anticipate both the good times and the bad.

With this in mind, I would like to look back at some of the good, the bad, and the-- well really bad.

First the bad. Nudism still has a taint about it. Neither the world nor the Christian community accepts us for the what we are. Most see nudism as a related activity to sexual gratification. We have not done our job to make sure people know what we do. It is unlikely this will change until we start to cast light into our world so that the community around us can see us for what we are.

The really bad. There is some truth to the fact that nudism attracts a bad element. Just a short google search away from this blog will take you to a place where you can see all kinds of sexual wrongs being done in the name of nudism. As little as 30 years ago, we had tons of exploitive nudist magazines proclaiming the free lifestyle of nudity, all the while presenting young teens in provocative positions and in compromising sitautions. Coming from a 100-year-old tradition of wholesome nudist beginnings, we can see how the freedom to worship and love God and to appreciate His creations has turn ugly.

The Good. We are starting to make a difference in the nudist community. Churches are starting in our resorts. Bible studies are popping up in people's homes. We are praying for one another. Many of the us are looking for ways to serve in our communities to make the whole of the community better.

So, what is this all about? Well, maybe it is time we shine a light in the tunnel instead of trying to see by what falls through the openings.

First, we need to open up to the world. If you are not telling your family about your Christian beliefs, there is a problem. If you are not telling them about your nudist tradition, there is a problem. Covering up either causese you to walk in darkness and allows others to only see a small and mostly errant side of both. We need to shine a light on our lives so that there is no question what nudism is about. For those who would do us harm out of ignorance, the truth will set us free. When all people can see our way of life and see what there is that makes us thrive on God and nudism, there will be no doubt as to our intentions.

Second, we need to share our Christian lives with the community in which we thrive, the nudist community. Shine the light on our lives so that all can see the benefits.

How can we do this? Easy. Let our everyday events tell our story. When you sit down to eat, be thankful and take a moment to pray and thank God for your food and ask him to bless it. It need not be gaudy or loud, just a simple silent prayer is sufficient. It honors God and it tells the world you are serious about this. Take a moment at the end of every day to say thanks to God and to pray for your friends, family and enemies. Take the opportunity to help others in Christ's name. Thank God even for the things you did not want. Accept God's decisions even if there is a "no" in the front of them. And lastly, go to church, become a functioning member and actively encourage your church to use you.

Lastly, we need to tell our churches we are nudists and why. If you don't know why you are a nudist, it is time to consider the question. If it is for sexual reasons, perhaps you should leave the nudist world. If it is because od gave you a gift of nudist lifestyle, shouldn't you let the church know about your gift?

Shining the light on our world will do two things. It will make us feel better and releive most of our fears. Second, it will let the world see what we are about. Both are great results. It is a win win situation. Third, it will allow us to self police our community. Remember the people here for the wrong reasons? They exist because we keep our world in the dark. Expose it to the light adn these creeps have no place to hide. They will leave. That's a win-win-win situation.

Till next time...

2009-02-25T14:06:00.002-05:00

Nothing new under the sun. We hear that all the time, but I am sure there must be some new things popping up all the time. If there isn't wouldn't the world be a terribly dull place to exist?

In our sphere, we might find new things occurring all the time, perhaps a new twist on an old theme. We might see many new faces wander passed us on the path to wherever they are going. I sometimes wonder if the sun doesn't actually make sure we see the new things that pass us. If so, the statement above is wrong.

To be fair, there re very few new things. There are things are are new to us. We see them for the first time and, to us, they are something new and refreshing. Remember the first time you saw color television? Yes, it was new to you, but it might have been a movie that was shown in theaters in color many times before. New to you, old to movie goers.

In a freaky way, I have a new concept. Not new to the world, only new to me. What if the United States suddenly began to make marriage arrangements similar to the New Testament times, where the family arranged for children's marriages. There would many problems already solved before they started.

Today, we are struck by the number of people out of work, a sea of new mortgages being foreclosed on, and a the economy suffering from poor planning by a generation too used to the good life to wait for their share when they could afford it.

In the first century, AD, parents arranged a marriage for their children. They knew the children better than anyone and could make better judgment decisions that the kids themselves. Parents knew enough not to let the kids start out life unprepared.

For a guy to claim his bride, he had to have learned a trade. His father was responsible to make sure he could earn a good living before the son could be married.

Next, he had to have built a house for his family to live in. He had to acquire land and build a structure to shelter and protect his new bride and the coming children.

Lastly, he had to prove to the bride's family that he was capable of heading up the household and providing for their daughter in the manner proscribed in the marriage contract.

This brings us to an interesting point. The marriage contract spelled out what was to happen to each party during the good times, the bad times, and what was to happen if the marriage failed. Knowing in advance the cost of getting out of a marriage is a handy thing to know before you begin breaking off a relationship.

For the bride's family, they were responsible to make sure the wife was pure and wholesome. She was to learn to be faithful even before the two young people married. Next, the bride would learn to cook, clean and run a household's daily functions. Gardening, shopping, and raising her children were responsibilities she had to master before she was allowed to marry.

In the end, when a couple got married, the family had eliminated much of the hardships of marriage before the couple wed, making it easier for them to begin their life together. I personally believe these lessons were the key to successful marriages.

In the past few decades, we have experienced the loss of these skills in marriage. This loss has made our divorce rate soar. If parents today begin to make sure they no longer shirk this responsibility, the divorce rate will return to normal and our children's lives will be much happier.

For those still waiting for information on the upcoming Relationship weekend, plan for the first weekend before Valentine's Day. I have not finalized all the details yet, but I am pretty sure this will be the date. We will begin the weekend on a Friday afternoon. If you are going to attend, please plan on taking the day off on Friday and joining us for some great fun. I will let everyone know when we have registration open for the weekend and all the details worked out.

Thanks again for listening. Till next time....

2009-02-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

Most of our lives, we trust God for heavenly things, and trust ourselves for everything else. The world of believing in God rest mainly in the areas of life we feel we don't have any control over. Faith healing, finding miracles, and saving the planet from utter destruction are the territories given over to God. We like to think we can handle the common cold, the poor, and all those pesky habits we hide from the light and allow the world to think we have fixed.

From a personal standpoint, I fit this category nicely. The things I believed I could handle without God's help was enormous. Even when I had come to the point where I decided it was only God's love that could handle this, I run back over and pick up the problem again.

It is a matter of trust. Do we trust God completely? Or do we trust ourselves more than we trust God?

The answers are more telling of our faith than our own abilities. If we don't have the faith enough to believe God can handle any problem we have, how can we say we believe that God is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving?

The truth is all of us lack the faith for some things.

I have seen a church where their members have the faith to pick up snakes and not be hurt. They certainly have more faith in God's control over snakes than I do.

The good news is that God is willing to help us even in our lack of faith. If we look back at the man who Jesus promised to do healings, we see that the man cried out, "Give me faith to have faith." This man had enough faith in God to ask for the faith he needed.

Our Christian world needs this kind of faith.

The Civil War and Decisions.

2009-02-04T10:49:00.003-05:00

In the great War of Northern Aggression (the Civil War for those above the Mason-Dixon line), people spent much of their lives trying to survive the tragedy and heartbreak of wartime existence. There was the constant fear of your wife\husband\child\parent dying from some disease or malnutrition, the daily routine of finding enough food to supply your family something to cure the hunger pains, and the overall lack of human kindness. This country was a third world country surviving on sheer belief that God would prevail.

You might ask yourself, "What does this have to do with a good old naked walk with Christ?" and you would be hard pressed to find an answer.

Simply, there are struggles we survive that tell us we are in God's path. We come through the other side and see the fruits of our labor. We hear the calling of our Lord and have traversed the terrain to find His special love waiting on the other side.

In Job, we read about such a struggle and find that Job finally lived in the luxury God can provide for those who persevere.

But often, we find we are heading in the wrong direction and we need to stop and take stock of what we are doing. Balaam and his donkey are prime examples of how God works to stop us from hurting ourselves and realize we are not persevering in God's path, but are heading directly in the path of death.

For those not familiar with Balaam, he was a prophet of God, but not of Israel. He was sent to curse the Israelites and to stop them from continuing their taking of the promise land.

His donkey stopped before and refused to move forward. Balaam tried to force his way forward, but an Angel, unseen by Balaam, kept the donkey from moving forward. When the angel was revealed to Balaam, he learned just how close he had come to death. (The account of Balaam is told mostly in Numbers. It's a good read.)

All of us have a donkey that keeps us from trouble from time to time. God places people of objects in our path to help us stop and look at the situation. Learning to see these signs is important. Balaam was slow to see it. He almost died.

Today, just like with the Civil War, God places these objects, sometimes a person, others a series of events, to keep us from harming ourselves or others. Our lives are influenced often by what we consider coincidences and happenstances, but are no less than the hand of God protecting us. Whether it be an angel protecting others at a cost of our life, such as with Balaam, or a small child who begs us to stay home and play a game with him, there might be a reason for this behavior.

One thing for us to watch is how these events occur. I am sure there are donkeys who refuse to go further, but with Balaam, he had been riding this donkey for some distance and the donkey stopping was something strange and out of character. When we encounter something out of the ordinary in our path, it is an indication we need to stop and look at what is ahead. Is it of God, or are we being warned away from harm?

Secondly, we need to see where the smart people are heading. If you are on a ship and everyone suddenly jumps overboard, you might want to follow and ask why later. The crowd probably has a better understanding of the situation and is acting upon what they know. With Balaam, the countries around him had already abandoned their towns once the Israelites began destroying everyone who remained behind.

Third, a good solid prayer in the heat of the moment is not a bad idea. Some people call the flare-prayers, flares sent to God to ask for directions. He is faithful to guide us. If He has sent an angel to stop your progress and you stop before the angel cuts your head off, certainly God will help you wander your way back to His will.

A little common sense goes a long way with this type of work. If it looks like a Devil trap, it just might be. If God seems to be holding you back, He just might be. If you have to manipulate a situation to make it work, perhaps you are manipulating God out of your plan. Think before your beat your donkey into submission. Balaam almost lost his head over that silly little animal.

Until the next stroke of... well, common sense hits...

Allen

Renewing Our Minds

2009-01-26T11:52:00.003-05:00

In the bible, we are often taught to renew our hearts and minds as a way of accepting the process by which we are saved. We stop doubting and begin to believe in the Good News of Christ.

The part we often forget is to clean out the junk before we start. Have you ever wondered why children learn so quickly and adults don't. My theory? Our minds are full.

Children's minds are like brand new sponges. They are empty of water and readily collect water on contact. the older we get, the more our minds have absorbed and the less they will hold. The process is merely a lesson in filling a bucket.

If this be true, when the sponge is full, we can not accept any more water. If our minds are like the full sponges, we can't accept any more knowledge until we make room in our sponge.

The real truth is that we all have ideas, thoughts, and knowledge that is taking up space where good solid knowledge of things of God are supposed to be. What we need to do is spend some time cleaning out our minds so that we can renew our thought process and begin to draw closer to God through the renewing of our minds.

Be brutal in your search to eliminate wasteful knowledge. Rip those horrible thoughts from your mind and begin to see the difference in how you look at life, love and truth.

How, you ask? Well, meditate on the word. Read things that tend to uplift your soul. Spend less time dwelling on problems and spend more time listening to what God has to say.

I find if I take time everyday to spend with God in prayer and meditation, He takes the time with me. Meditation has lately been the realm of other religions and has gotten a bad reputation as something of a mystic tool, but it belongs to God. As Christians, we need to begin to practice the art of meditation and communing with God. When we can sit down with God and get to know Him, he will allow us to really experience his love, as well as His plan for us.

First, find a place away from all the hustle and bustle of the world. Toss off all earthly trappings, such as clothes, books, radio, and television. Especially avoid other people. Closets are nice. Caves are better.

Next, find a comfortable position to sit and be quiet. relax your arms and legs. Feel the presence of the darkness around you. Listen for that still small voice. Find the peace in simply existing without worries.

In your mind, ask for forgiveness. Ask for peace. Ask for that special time to learn.

Soon the things of the world will become unimportant. When all you can feel, hear, or experience is that serene calm. Wait and be patient, for God is near.

So you want to be the boss

2009-01-19T12:15:00.002-05:00

I find it odd that anyone would like to be the boss. Instead of having one person telling you what to do, everyone is telling you what to do.

I have never ventured far from the bottom of the totem pole when I could. I like the basic premise that I can sit at the back of a church and heckle the guy upfront for doing a better job than I ever could. That does not mean I get to do this very often.

For those who want to be a leader, I must caution you, God judges the leaders more severely than the followers. It is by this creed we must be certain we are called to lead. I have a co-pastor, John, who is a good strong leader in bible study, discernment and other area. He does not feel comfortable in the areas of public leadership or in most places where mercy and hope are needed. It is his makeup, how God built him. But he does a great job where he serves.

If we all could be so good at finding our niche, our own personal area to lead, the churches would be growing by multiples hereto unknown.

And that is the point! All of us are leaders of something. The secret is to find where we are supposed to lead and get out front.

So, until I see you leading me somewhere else, I'll stand by and watch the crowds run by...

Anyone need a ride back from DC?

A Weekend Away

2009-01-13T11:43:00.004-05:00

For some time, I have been mulling over an idea I have for decreasing the divorce rate, insuring happiness in a marriage, and having fun at the same time. This is an old idea with a new twist.

We always want to build a marriage after it is already running. Sure, it can be done, but it is kind of like trying to rebuild a car engine while still driving down the highway. WE start way too late and finish way too early.

My idea is this: Plan a weekend where people who are married, thinking of getting married, wanting to figure out what went wrong with a previous marriage, or people who might want to get married could come and learn about the spiritual side of marriage and develop good skills in making a marriage work.

My goal for this year is to prepare a plan to announce in March for implementation in 2010.

I've thought of calling it 2010 A Space Oddity.

It is odd how we plan and connive to moved into a small space and live with someone the rest of our lives. We make a point at placing ourselves too close to an individual and then hope upon hope it works.

So, what you think. Would you be interested?

If it were located in Virginia or NC, would you still be interested? How about your home resorts or parks?

I am all open for suggestions. Anyone wanting to volunteer should first have their head examined and then see me immediately.

Till they close my account...

Well again

2009-01-07T08:57:00.003-05:00

well, after some rather unpleasant procedures and few explicit words with the tools usually referred to as torture devices, I seem to be better. Finally!

Thank you guys so much for all the prayers and concerns during the last couple of weeks.

I apologize for not writing more, but it was a struggle to work and attend to church needs. To those who I missed that were sick or down, please know that I have been with you in spirit.

Now, today is a new day. I feel good. I got a great report from the doctor. And I can continue with life as I know it.

To all those who missed my writings, you really need to get a life. I'm not that good.

Next post will be about a plan I have for a Marriage Enrichment weekend. I would love everyone's input.

Till then...

A New Year

2009-01-05T11:10:00.002-05:00

Today, I have a New Year in my life. My wife and I start our 25th year of marriage. This is our 24th anniversary.

After many wonderful years together, we find it necessary to mark our milestone with a visit to the doctor, a trip to the grocery store, and dinner at a restaurant. Well, this might not be your idea of heaven, but it works for us. If you see my wife, congratulate her on 24 years of surviving me.

Allen

Still Alive

2008-12-29T14:51:00.003-05:00

I apologize for being so long in posting. The holidays have been a little hectic and I am not one for missing a good Christmas party. I will try to do better.

I find the act of celebrating Christmas most exciting. I love the time with the family and friends. I usually enjoy the caroling and singing that comes with working in a Christian atmosphere. The world is a much nicer place with the season of Christ around us.

Now, for the skeptics among us, yes the season is probably more appropriate during the springtime, but none of us can really say when Christ was born. All we know is that He was, and we are better off for it.

I think Christmas is better celebrated during the winter. If we celebrated it during the spring, we would interfere with Easter. I don't wish an Christmas Cantata on any Music Minister at the same time they are preparing the the Easter program. Nor do I want a pastor to have to prepare a Sunrise service the weekend after the Christmas play.

Perhaps we Christians borrowed a date from another religion. We didn't borrow our Savior. He was certainly born. He certainly came to this world through natural means. He must have had a birthday.

The fact we celebrate His birthday should be special no matter what the date. The fact He came to earth and gave us such wonderful gifts is so fantastic I can't see a reason not to sing for joy.

till next time....

Ring the Bells

2008-12-12T09:42:00.001-05:00

I was approached by a couple over the weekend about a unique gift they were giving their friends. Instead of buying some trinket to be lost or forgotten, the couple was making donations to our church's benevolent fund in the name of all of their friends. This touched me deeply.

I can't say how many people have been helped by our fund, but I can tell you the world is a better place when people such as this couple strive to help others less fortunate.

The world outside of my warm, cozy house is frightening when you see people dying of hunger and poor medical treatment. I have to confess that it is easier to hide away in my house and pretend the world went away than to actually do something.

I thank God there are people in the world like these.

till then...

Smoking For Christ!

2008-12-08T11:09:00.001-05:00

I've often wondered if God made tobacco so that churches would have a greeting committee. When you look out at any church, you will find a member or a dozen standing out front smoking a cigarette. As the people drift in, the smokers will nod and say Hi!, and patiently await the next opportunity to greet someone, gently puffing away.

God certainly had a plan for tobacco. It seems logical to me that the cigarette industry has been blessed over the years. I am certain I can make the case for promoting cigarette smoking if for nothing else than to make sure the people attending the church are greeted each Sunday.

At one church I attended, they bought several umbrellas so that the "Greeters" could walk people from their cars to the church without getting wet. I am pretty sure is wasn't me who said, "They are out there anyway."

As a consequence of being a smoker, you get to know all the people who attend church. You know who came this Sunday and who stayed home to watch the college football wrap up on television. You get to know the visitors faster, as well. The best part is that you know who brought what for the pot luck after church. If you are lucky, they will ask you to taste some of the fare as it passes by.

If we make everyone smoke, causing them to stand out in front of the church on Sunday, the rest of us will be blessed with all those extras usually saved for the smoking crowd.

I suggest, as the season of giving approaches, you find a nice carton of cigarettes for those Christians on your Christmas list this year. It will enhance their church-going experience and add to the friendly atmosphere at their church.

(This message brought to you by our new sponsor, Joe the Camel)

Until next time...

Got Too Much, Already

2008-12-01T16:14:00.000-05:00

I can't be sure, but I believe I already have too much. I have a mother and father who live near me. I work in a family business. I get along well with my step-mother. My sister and i still call each other when we are not visiting. I have a wife and son who love me. I have friends that often come and visit.

Who, and I ask this respectfully, can be any richer than this?

We are given life on earth. We can run, jump, and play. God sees to our needs and offers us more than we could ask for. So why don't we consider ourselves rich?

Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." So is what I mentioned above the abundance? Well, yes and no.

Living an abundant life means filling your life with those things that matter and bring great joy to your life. Not every aspect of this is pleasant, but every aspect of an abundant life is rewarding. Just as childbirth is a straining and unpleasant part of becoming a family, it also ushers in a new enrichment that becomes part of the abundant life.

Finding what God has for your life fills the gaps of the abundant life. Learning to communicate with your spouse becomes part of a life filled to excess. Helping someone find hope in a desperate situation is a self rewarding essence of a rich life.

In all things, God prepares places for us to grow in spirit and love. These growths lay the foundation for expanding our lives and filling our hearts with those things that make life worth living.

Each of you who come here to hear me rant have made a special part of my life fulfilling and enjoyable. To each of you. I offer my sincere thanks for helping God make my life more abundant.

until something else pops in my brain...

What a Web We Weave

2008-11-20T10:43:00.003-05:00

I never thought you could build a large group of nudists into any groups, much less weave them into a Christian world. But as most of you can see, we have many people who have found their way into the internet and discovered there are other Christian nudists lurking in the corners of the world. I think this is an example of God taking something that can be both good and bad and using it for good.

I began my Christian travels as an adult some twenty years ago. For most of you, I am a newbie. but what I found out is that I had a lot to learn and I wanted to know it all as fast as I could learn. Now, as most have figured out, I achieved this. I am a know-it-all of the first class. Just ask me.

The first struggle I came across was Genesis, where Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the trees. We all know how that worked and Adam and Eve found themselves wandering around in a world with briers and weeds. The question I had was if God had not given them the knowledge of right and wrong, how did He expect the two of them to know better than to eat from the tree.

I think the flaw in my thinking was there was considering right and wrong to be the same as good and evil. Although they sound close, they are really light-years apart. One is a decision based on black and white, perfect scenario decisions and the other is about the whole situation surrounding the decision.

To better illustrate this, let's look at an example.

Suppose you tell your child to not touch the stove. Your child is seven-years-old and is obviously capable of understanding the order and obeying it. The child touches the stove and is burned. She was disobedient and caused herself pain.

Now, suppose your daughter is twenty-five years old and she is a chef at the local restaurant. You tell her not to touch the stove and go into the living room to find your glasses. While you are away, the kitchen towel you left on the stove catches afire. The your daughter leans over the stove, grabs the towel and throws the burning rag in the sink, extinguishing the flames.

Was the daughter disobedient?

The knowledge imparted to Adam and Eve was the knowledge of things that could be both good and evil. It was a knowledge that needed experience and training to work properly.

Many aspects of our lives also include those decisions based on situations that can be both good and evil. In the quiet moments of our lives, we all must admit that nudism can be both good and evil. The internet is both a good resource of information and communication, but it can be a nightmare if we let ourselves wander into places we should avoid.

Everyday, we forage through this world avoiding the traps and pitfalls that can befall any of us. Avoiding them can be a difficult decision. Not all the cases are as black and white as the example above.

Suppose, instead of a daughter, we substitute a husband. Instead of not touching the stove, we substitute a prohibition on talking to a female neighbor. If the neighbor's stove was broken, would it still be forbidden for the husband to help out a neighbor in distress? Or what if the female neighbor needed a ride? Or how about substituting wife for husband and Cuban pool boy for stove?

There are other sides to this coin. Some things can be both good and bad at the same time. Sex is one primary glue in holding a marriage together. Sex is good! But sex has led to more marriages being destroyed than any other cause.

The best we can do is to remember that once we were imparted with this knowledge, we became responsible for our actions. Our world got larger, just as Adam and Eve's world got larger, and our responsibilities got bigger.

till next time...

catching up

2008-11-11T15:56:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I updated you on the church. Things are going well for a small congregation. It is a pleasure to work in an area where the people attending are willing to jump out and be active in the work. Most churches have 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. At the Chapel, everyone has a function and all are doing well.

I am thrilled with the support and commitment of the people. I only wish I had attended a textile church that worked like this.

Among the other things that have been coming around, my original book, Nudist Among Us has been combined with my second book and been re-released as one book, with a new cover and some better editing and layout. If you have a heart for humor and a wish to spend some money in this economy, you might take a look to the column on the left and give the picture a click.

My family is doing well. My son was with us at the park this weekend to make a video get well card for a friend and church member going off to have an operation.

Till next time when I have worth while to say... God bless.

Second Reformation

2008-11-10T15:21:00.003-05:00

In the last group of comments, someone asked about the second reformation. So here goes.

The Reformation was a revamping of Christian ideals, and a changing of how our lives meld into the world around us. Before this change, ordinary people were not trusted to read the scriptures. They were not supposed to interpret the scriptures or to speculate on Christian daily activities. These things were left to the church fathers. The Reformation opened the scriptures to the ordinary person, birthing an explosion of the different denominations and beliefs in the Church. (big C, not little c). It was an awakening of ideas and beliefs that has transformed the way we worship God and has opened up the world to a closer one on one relationship with our Savior.

This was great. But with separation came descent. The separation in beliefs began the distancing of each other. We became fragmented.

In the same light of fixing a wrong, but not for the same wrongs, there is a new awakening falling down on us. Our knowledge of Christ is expanding. Our worship is growing. And some of the ideas we once held as absolute truth are now being exposed for what they are. Some to the good. Others, not so much.

The second reformation is preparing us for the coming of our Lord by trying to unite us all under one God. The reformation is reforming the Church by expanding our knowledge of what God wants from us and by bringing people together. It is trying to accomplish what Jesus longed or years ago, the Church being as one.

Jesus can't return until all the world has been exposed to Him. We are now working our way into those corners of the world we never thought we would find. In urban areas where children grow up and spend more time searching for food than for a god. In deep forests where civilization hasn't found them. In small bible study groups that gather in homes all across the country.

In these places, we are finding the Word being proclaimed at an alarming rate.

The word is even filtering into the places the mainstream church is not going, to nudist parks, to gambling joints, to pipe smokers conventions, to biker bars, and to jails. With this, we are experiencing a renewing of our mind. We are claiming, as our brothers, those people we once considered lepers and scoundrels.

Jesus said he would gather up his remnant scattered by the four winds, and He is doing it now. Bringing in the new people is bringing in a new wave of people to love and be loved by.

There is some great reading on this scattered across the internet. They say it much better than me. I urge you to begin to read and join this new celebration.

Second Reformation, again.

2008-11-07T09:52:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know, you are sick and tired of the binge I'm on with the reformation. Well, I just can't seem to find an end to this. Each time I pray about this blog, I get bits of information about the Reformation coming.

There is nothing in the bible to suggest there wouldn't be times of reform. In fact the bible often speaks of returning to Christ and churches finding the true spirit. The bible is full of times when Isreal reformed and was returned to their glory.

Let's look at 2. Chron 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Here, God makes a promise, one that endures to us today. If His people come back to Him, He will heal their land. Speaking from a country where we need healing, I find this most comforting. The best part is that He gives us the exact formula for our healing, sort of a prescription for good health. There are several parts to this promise.

First, God calls on His people, those called by His name. He doesn't ask the aliens in the land or those who are not associated with God to do anything. He simply wants those people who He counts as His own to come to Him.

Second, He gives us the manner is which we are to come back to Him. We are to:

1. Humble ourselves. Pride goes before the fall. Pride causes the fall. If we are to come to Him, we must acknowledge God is First and we are below Him before we can enter His courts.

2. We are to pray. There is nothing better than to get a phone call from a long lost friend. God loves those returning home prayers.

3. Seek His face. We need to come face to face with our God to become fully in His love.

4. Turn from our wicked ways.

Once we have done this, God's promise kicks in. He will hear us from Heaven, forgive us our sins, and will heal our land.

In our country today, the US, we are in dire need of healing. The election was about healing, picking someone who could help put America back on the right track. For many of us, me included, we put our trust in McCain to heal our nation. Other of you picked Obama. At this point, and through much prayer, I have come to this conclusion. It really doesn't matter who is president. Presidents can't heal our country.

Let me say that again. Presidents do not heal our land. God does. He made a promise to us that if we seek His face humbly, and confess our sins to Him, He will heal our land.

Now, He didn't say we had to get everyone in the nation to do this. He is only calling out the men and women who are called by his name. This is a call most specifically for Christians, those called by His name. The key to healing our land lies with the Christians in this country.

Our nation is a nation of sometimes love. We sometimes love our neighbor. The mere fact that we are celebrating a black man's election to the president's job is an indication that we have a long way to go to recognize our lingering prejudice against people of other colors and backgrounds. We should celebrate the man and not his color.

We sometimes love our neighbor, but not the neighbor who doesn't hold countenance with our beliefs. I do not say this as a way to excuse sin, but I say this because we need to fill our lives with love for everyone so that we are not held responsible for keeping a man from the face of God. We need to remember that seeking God's face is one step to healing the nation. We need to be the one that ushers people to His face, not hold out to see if our neighbor will come around to our thinking.

The beginning of this reformation will be the healing of our nations. Those churches where God's people stand tall and seek God's face will be renewed... Reformed. With each reform, those nations will be transformed by the renewing of their spirit.

True to all God's plans are a way to Salvation. God set before us the perfect method for reforming our Christian world and healing our nation. All we need is for men and women of faith to seek God's face and repent of our sins and the others will benefit, as well.

It is from this point that I ask men of faith to pick a moment in time to humbly seek God's face in prayer, to acknowledge our sins before His throne, and for God to lead us from from our wicked ways.

If you will follow me in this, please send this to those people who you know call themselves by His name. We can start the healing now, regardless of who is president.

See you soon.

Cows in the Corner

2008-11-03T11:27:00.005-05:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned the remnants. the groups of Christians scattered to the four wind and likened them to the leaves caught in the fence. I want to revisit this analogy once more, this time using cows.

I think it is important to visualize the scenario from another point.

In God's backyard, He has placed a fence around us, the Christian cows, to keep us safe. The links in the fence are close together and guard against the cos wandering off into the world. In the center of the yard are the bulk of the cows, just hanging out and eating grass, and waiting to carry them off to the great pasture in the sky. (better John?) Now, occasionally, cows will wander around the yard and congregate near the fence in a corner. These are the cows the "cool cows" have shoved away. Scattered to each corner, there are these uncool cows hanging out together and enjoying themselves.

Now, over the time, a few cool cows decide to wander aimlessly around, not finding a group to hang out with. These guys tend to get into trouble with nothing to do and no one to keep them straight. Hopelessly, they are stranded in the wide open spaces alone.

What happens when God comes back. Remember God is going to gather the cows from the far corners. (Gathering his own scattered to by the wind to the four corners.) But who is going to gather up the lost cows?

Well, folks, it is the uncool cows. Yes, we are the ones responsible for finding and returning the lost to the fold.

As nudists and Christians, we are responsible to help the lost find their way back to the fold. We are the ones that know the area outside of the herd.

Taking this out of the analogy, let's think about the people who have lost sight of the Master. They have wandered away from the true God to other means. Science has become God to some. (more on that later.) Clothes have become their God. The Bible has become their God. There are lots of places where we have lost the people we thought were firmly attached to the herd.

It is unreasonable to think a person who has not experienced a crisis of faith will understand a person who has, or the depth of hurt that goes with this. But to those who have experienced the life ravaging situation, relating to another's problems is a stronger witness.

To this end, we all need to educate ourselves to the needs and beliefs of those Christians wandering in the back yard searching for the truth. We need to know how evolution can go from a scientific theory to a God. We need to know just how a Christian can find comfort away from our beliefs. But first, we need to know what caused that person to wander away from the herd. Finding that answer will make the rest of the problem easier to deal with.

In the nudist community, it is often nudism that causes a Christian to wander away from the herd. The herd generally does not agree with a cow being naked. Other situations include divorce, smoking, drinking, or tattoos. The endless decisions by human minds to exclude people from the herd is a daunting task to overcome, but as Christians in the corners, we need to take up the task and start shoving lost cows back home.

Lastly, we must educate the herd to the love of God, one which does not exclude anyone. "For whosoever believes in Me" is not a suggestion, but a promise.

The last image I want you to see is the vision of all those nudist cows from the corners of the yard ushering those smoking, drinking, divorced cows back to the herd as we ourselves rejoin the ranks of the "cool cows." Visualize a herd welcoming the remnant cows home with a fine robe, a royal seal ring, and a fine feast of -- well whatever cows feast on for special occasions.
Now replace cows with people and you can see a bit of the future when Christs returns.

Till next time...

p.s. If you like this blog, pass it on. If you disagree with me, say so in the comments. This is meant to be a discussion.

Opening Up To The World

2008-10-31T15:34:00.002-04:00

This post is not for everyone. Some people, for various reasons, can not do this. So, if you fall in this category, just enjoy my ramblings and we will catch you on another post.

Nudists, in general, are secretive. We don't like talking about our families, friends, or what we do for a living. We keep to ourselves so much that it becomes hard to really know someone. In our zeal to keep our textile world separate from our nudist world, we have lost the contact we dearly love.

Most people are shy. I say most people because there are individuals who make no bones about their lifestyle and have fewer problems letting the world know what a great time they have being nude. Others are more reclusive. They spend their energy finding ways to keep anyone from knowing.

Actually, I think both worlds have their merit. It is only a problem when the shy nudists collide with the open nudists in the textile world. Fear of outing someone makes us less likely to approach them and say, "Hi." Fear of being outed causes some others to flee the scene the second another nudist enters the world.

We miss the closeness and companionship when we fear being outed. So I offer this suggestion. If you see me out in the textile world, I won't out you. If you see me in the textile world, you have to promise not to treat me like I have a disease.

Fair enough?

A Little Quiz

2008-10-29T11:27:00.002-04:00

I often wonder who would be a good president. What are the qualities we would want for the person who runs our country. Below I am going to list the characteristics I think a president should have before being allowed to run for office. But I am hoping that whoever should be reading this will contribute their ideas.

First, I think the president should have held a job other than politics for the previous 5 years. A person whose only qualification is holding some other office is not qualified to run the country. They are too tied up in politics to be able to make good decisions. They have a conflict of interest from the start.

Second, I want to see a person who has a vision for our country and backs up his vision with a clear, concise plan laid out for the next four years. If he can't tell us what his platform is in under 300 words, he really doesn't know his plan and he or she should return to run once they have solidified his ideas enough to explain them in short order.

Third, she should have be willing to listen to those people who have traveled the path before them. I understand now that Clinton and Bush are friends. It would have been nice for that to occur while Clinton was in office. Nixon and Johnson spoke on many occasions. Too bad they didn't communicate much before the scandal.

Next, a president should be of a character so that no one will ever wonder about his motives. It should be a normal day when the news says there are no scandals on the horizon which involve out president.

The president should be so honorable that no congressman, senator, or officer of our country would dare sully the integrity of the office by claiming wrong doings by a president. Part of what is wrong with this country is that the respect for the office of the president has eroded to the point that no one even thinks twice about bad mouthing the president. Imagine the scandal if a citizen of England began bad mouthing the Queen. (I know. It happens, but not like Bush has been hammered.)

Whether the president is a woman or a man, and I do think the country is ready for a woman, she should be forthright in the details of the country's problems and successes.

Well, this might not be all of the things, but just getting these requirements straight before the first commercial hits the airwaves would go a long way to politically ethical presidents. For those wondering, yes, I do believe morals matter. Ethics are the measure of a man or woman.

My new best decision making process for voting for a man is whether I would buy a used car from him or her. If I won't trust him to sell me a car, I don't want her running my country.

So, what are your thoughts?

Short Update.

2008-10-27T15:29:00.001-04:00

This weekend, several issues came up at church that need praying for. We are doing well at the church and the chance to be of help to others is a good sign, but I ask that you keep us in your prayers this week. We have several people around us needed medical healing and we have some opportunities to be of help financially to others.

I would also ask that as you can, please remember the people who have made this possible and give a prayer of thanks for supplying the necessary money, cards, letters, and other items to help support people around us.

Thanks. Allen

Second Reformation

2008-10-22T11:47:00.002-04:00

You heard me talk about the 2nd Reformation, how the remnants of the four winds will be gathered up in the sight of the Lord before the Second Coming. So how does this all work? I don't know, exactly, but here is my take on it.

In the end times, the remnants of the true Christian Church (big C not little c) will be gathered. Those people who the Church has scattered from their midst. These are people for whom the church has cast out as not holding to man's religious beliefs. Christian Nudists are one such group.

These people are the people the Church itself has wounded. Many of these people are lying around in the world just waiting for Christians to come and care for them spiritually. The are wounded. Many were wounded in the line of duty for Christ.

Our remnant Christians are the ones charged with going out into the world and looking for those wounded Christian Soldiers and when finding them, nursing them back to health. We are the hospitals the wounded need.

So, in a sense, we are the ones that need to be the true workers for Christ, the ones that help usher in the New Heaven and the New Earth. because if we do not begin the work of gathering the scattered to the fold, Jesus can not return.

In our churches, we need to begin to build trust with our remnant communities. For those in the nudist world, we need to find those back-slidden Christians and usher them back to our fellowship. For nudists, we need to find those that have been removed from the Church roles as sinners and bring to our fellowship. For bikers, they need to bring those bikers shunned by the Church and hold them fast in their ministry. For the pipe-smokers, the same thing.

I liken this to raking leaves. I never rake all the leaves into one pile. I take the center of the yard and gather the leaves to a central spot. The leaves the wind has scattered to the fence line, I gather into one pile. The ones caught the area between the garage and the house into one pile. When I have this done, I can now gather together all the leaves into bags and toss them into the dump.

The parable continues as you look at the leaves. The central pile, the largest, can't say that the garage pile they are not leaves, because certainly they are leaves. The fence pile can not say that the central pile is not leaves, for they certainly came from the same trees.

As Christians, we can not say our brothers and sisters are not Christians simply because we do not fit into a certain pile. We are all from the same tree. If we claim Jesus as our personal Savior and profess He is Lord, the Son of out Father, then we are all Christians, regardless of how we dress or what we do for a hobby.

Now, isn't this clear as mud?

Christianity on the Fringe

2008-10-16T10:27:00.005-04:00

What do these groups have in common with us?

Bikers For Christ

Messianic Christians

Christian Hunters

Christian Pipe Smokers

Well, first they are Christians. Second, you won't see them invited to the the Normal Christians' Executive Ball. Neither will we. All of us are quietly walking along in the ditch on the Christian Road to Heaven. We are not the well known groups polite society associates with Christian behavior. We simply have a different outlook on one subject that distinguishes us from the rest.

I sometimes feel I have more in common with these groups than with mainstream Christian churches. They accept me for who I am.

As we approach the second coming of our Lord, you will see more of these groups appearing where we never thought there were Christians. Before I found Cheef, I thought my wife and I were the only Christian nudists in the world. Luckily, we have found many Christian friends scattered all over the world and I find this to be significant.

First, when we look back at the parable of the feast.

Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

The King sent out his servant to find the people who were not invited. The servant found the people in the market, in the fields, and on the road, walking along the ditch. He found us.

As a nudist, I am often asked how I can be a Christian. I tell them God invited me. I was the one in the ditch. Most people don't understand. But you will.

As we continue this next time, I want to talk about the Second Reformation and the gathering of the remnants left in all the small places.

till then...

I Have a Plan!

2008-10-06T11:58:00.003-04:00

I have a plan. I want the world around me to smile in joy, even if just for a short time or season. Now, to do this, I need a little help from my friends. (Yes, I was listening to Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.)

Here's what we do. Yes, I included you in my plan. Anyone who has been around me long will find I am very good at dragging my friends into service. Some people say that makes me a leader. Others say I am a slave driver. I think the best name given to me was encourager. Whatever you want to call me, my plan relies on your assistance.

1) Smile. Just take a minute and place a smile on your face. Don't worry that it is a fake smile you had to conjure while waiting for the coffee to kick the lights on. Just plaster a big old silly grin across your mug and wait for the world to smile back.

2) Close your eyes and listen to your mind play the hymn, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus."

3) Now, while the music is playing, let your mind wander over all the people you have encountered lately that could use a good friend. Think about the people on the internet you send jokes to and the people you receive them from. Think about everyone singing the tune you hear in your mind together.

4) Now, send the cast of people dancing through your head an email and tell them you love them and want to share a smile with them.

What will happen next? I haven't a clue. But I sure would like to know. For those brave of heart people willing to try this, sneak back over here and give us a report.

Viable Discussions

2008-10-01T09:49:00.002-04:00

As is my normal daily routine, I visit the yahoo nudist groups. Lately, I have been discussing the inerrancy of the bible with another fellow. The discussion was specific and pointed. It was fervent, but not ugly or dismissive. In essence, it was two Christians debating doctrine.

A nice lady interjected a small piece about our argument, indicating we should stop. My compliment in the argument suggested we were not arguing and I have to agree with him.

The point of biblical discussions is to discern God's truth. The debate, at times, will be strong, lively, and full of passion. In fact, it should be. The bible tells us that iron sharpens iron and Christians should sharpen Christians. Dealing with the bible and its truths allows us to delve into the mysteries and nuances in a much deeper manner.

I often enjoy sitting in the hot tub while discussing Christian dogma, doctrine, and those ideas not necessarily placed in either categories. The discussions cause me to think and to reason, to consider a different idea and to begin to see a point of view I hadn't considered. This is a good thing.

All of us need to have other Christians to wrangle with, doctrinely. We need someone to hold us accountable for our opinions and our revelations. It is important that we open our minds and our hearts as God brings people into our lives, reveling truths we wouldn't have come to on our own.

more on this later...

Giving Up On Hope

2008-09-26T11:56:00.003-04:00

In several of the last years, I have encountered people who have given up on hope. They have allowed themselves to be controlled by the ugly things of their lives and have failed to see all that is good around them.

This may sound like an indictment, but I promise you it says more about the people around them than of themselves. Sometimes, it is hard to see the good things when you are completely covered in ugly. For the person who wakes up every morning to find themselves confined to the bed with only a television or computer to interact with, life is hard. For the person who is suffering with cancer and its wonderful brother Chemo treatments, the world can look downright unpleasant.

For those of us whose worst problem is find a match to the sack left in our drawer, our days are far different than our counterparts. We can see the bright side of life once we realize no one will probably notice one green sock and one blue. But no amount of color correction will cure cancer. Nor will a great sunset over the ocean cheer up a person in convalescent care.

Just because we can't cure them doesn't mean God can't. What we can do is keep them joyous while they await God's healing. Finding just a moment to send an email or visit them is such a little thing I wonder why we don't do this more often.

One last thing, God cures His own, everyone of them. Some He cures while they are on earth. Others He cures while in His midst. Ones that are cured in Heaven get their reformed bodies, ones that last an eternity. They get to once again run, jump and play as if they were brand new, which they are.

If He is willing to heal us in that manner, all we have to do on earth is offer comfort and support to those people who are obviously going to be healed in God's presence. We simply have to help them see the vision of God so that their wish to be healed will not be blocked by the loss of a vision of hope.

See ya soon.

Is There A Person Alive Who Would?

2008-09-24T16:33:00.002-04:00

I often think I am something of a freak. I don't like wearing clothes. I don't think God cares about our dress or how we look. I do think He worries about me, though. Just think about it. If you were God, wouldn't you be a little concerned about turning something as important as leading a group of Christians to me might give God a little heartburn every time I make a mistake?

I find myself waking up at night to hear God talking to me about something I did that just wasn't right. Maybe I was unkind to my wife. Maybe I slighted someone, Perhaps it was just a little oversight on my part. God knew I would only listen if He had me sitting still and focused on Him. What a great time to choose.

I also notice that God finds me in bed at night to comfort me a well. Not that I deserve it, but in the midst of turmoil, He can simply wake me and give me a feeling of peace, and the next day is a delight, no matter what troubles await me. This is coming so often that I can now anticipate a troubling day just from His evening visit. I can only conclude from this that God has His hand on the situation.

If there is nothing in this world I want more is for a loving God to have control of my world.

till then...

Just a Bit of Business

2008-09-18T10:27:00.002-04:00

As I am chronicling the more boring aspects of trying to build a Christian life, you may find it difficult to read much of what is written here. I apologize for the mundane stuff, but I really want to have a record of how this goes, either so that I will have a pattern for others to follow or a pattern that depicts exactly what not to do.

If, by the end of this run, we are not successful in building other churches in the nudist communities, we can say that this message is not of God and go on. If, by His hand, we do help others to assemble together and become part of the Second Reformation of the Church, and by doing so, further The Word, God has been kind in letting a lowly servant like me serve the Most High One.

The Second Reformation? Yup! You got it. We are reforming the church again. Martin Luther is not the only one who can bring our church to life. (well, actually, it was God, but we are not trying to label her.) If you look at what has been happening in this century, you will see that, just as the judges of the Old Testament revived the Hebrews, so has a handful of Christians begun the work of transforming the church into a vibrant and effective soul winning, Christian healing hospital where we strengthen the members rather than shooting the wounded.

Christian nudists, I believe, are one of the most wounded Christian groups around. Don't beleive me? Well, we have a test. The next time you are in a group of Christian nudists, ask them how many have been put out of churches for being a nudist. Ask how many have been taken out of service for Christ because they were nudists. The numbers are staggering.

Jesus would find this offensive. This is not a matter of judging and condemning a person for wrong doing, which is wrong in and of itself, but a matter of defying what God has set as a Christian mission and the churches and pastors involved in this are actually working against God and His plan for the nudist community.

One thing we can all do is to keep the Christian nudists in our prayers. The other is to keep the churches and pastors in our prayers. God can heal this process.

Lastly, we need to be fully aware of the Reformation that is taking place and fully unite with the reformers to begin to put our church back on the Christian walk.

We need to stop looking at abortion as a question of baby or women's rights. We need to look at the causes that lead a woman to want to destroy their own flesh and blood.

We need to stop crying over small bits of doctrine, like sprinkle or dunking in baptism, and fully embrace the baptism of the Holy Spirit in our lives as He transforms us into eternal creatures of the Light.

We need to stop worrying about what we wear or how we look and begin to see ourselves as God sees us and strive to wear the robe of righteousness. Without it, we are nothing more than nekkid ole boys sitting in the sun, missing out on the Son.

Now, I am suffering with all the same things everyone else is. I am not perfect, nor am I fully immersed in the truth, but I can strive to be all that I can be. I can shoot for the mark and perform out of love for Christ. That is all that He has asked us to do.

Learning to Tithe

2008-09-16T17:32:00.004-04:00

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to discuss our benevolent fund situation with several members of our church. We were all in agreement to keep funding the the benevolence, but I had this idea stuck in my head that I could not get release. I wanted us to start tithing our gifts ans physical strengths.

This may sound strange, but I wanted us to start thinking of our talents and strengths as assets and tithing ten percent or better of those gifts to us. It sounded strange to me, but it didn't sound strange to those people whom we talked. They thought it great.

I suppose I should be glad that this went smoothly. I thought that maybe it would bring on some problems, both in execution and in understanding. That is what I get for underestimating the people around me. This week, we will be bringing this suggestion to the full church and I anticipate the program will be in place shortly.

The Program:

I envision a group of guys and gals who will share of their talents and gifts to the community where we can be of help. If a person needs help with their taxes, we will find someone in the church or around who can help with this. If someone needs a hand fixing a porch rail, people will show up and fix the rail. If there is a need for whatever, we will search out the person capable of helping and help will shortly be on the way.

In theory, this will be easy. It is easy to say, anyway. I realize, however, the process of actually finding all these helpers will be more difficult. The person in charge of this will have to keep a good inventory of the talent we have in house and those talents lying on the fringe of our community.

If you think about us over the week, please pray that we find the perfect person to run this and that the church will follow along with this plan. As I think of it, I promise to give you updates on how it goes.

Clothes In Heaven

2008-09-12T12:57:00.002-04:00

Anyone else ever wonder if there are clothes in Heaven? I have pondered this on occasion and I think there must be. What are your thoughts?

God's GIfts

2008-09-11T10:49:00.004-04:00

Nudists often find solace in the warmth of the sun. I personally can sit in the sun, close my eyes, and feel the heat warming my skin and engulfing me in an intense happiness. It isn't a sexual or even a sensual feeling. It is one of pure spiritual release.

Others find the touch of the breeze blowing across their nude body to have a certain caressing quality that can only be described as divine.

Divine is a funny word. It indicates a presence of a Divine One. It offers the possibility of the whole world being here at the request of one all powerful master that either guided or molded this world into place. The word is so appropriate for the feelings we get when we are sitting in the open and are exposed to the elements our Creator has placed around us. It is no accident that we have these wonderful feelings and a desire to continue in their presence. They are no less than the handiwork of the Divine One.

John 1:1 states. "In the beginning was the Word..." There can be no mistaking the indication that Jesus was there at the creation in His glory. He knew the winds and the sun would be on earth to allow us those feelings of closeness to God. As He walked in the Garden with God, do you think that Jesus might have wondered if Adam and Eve ever understood why the wind caressed them so? Do you think He might have smiled a little when Eve would stretch in the sun and smiled at the pure delight by being warm and safe?

The reasons we enjoy nudism are not separate from what God knew from the start. He knew we would be naked. He planned for us to be in the sunshine, open to the world, and enjoying His creation. It was His intention that we be naked all along.

I used to wrestle with the questions of how God knew what to do to make us comfortable on earth. The answer is really simple. He knew us. He knew us before we were born. He knew us before the world was reformed and built for our personal use and pleasure. He knew what we would need and what we would find on our own. He knew us so well that when it came time to create a world, God knew how to place everything in motion for us to survive as long as we need this earth.

As nudists, we get to enjoy the earth as we were intended to use the earth. It is not a place for simple survival, but a place where we can take full advantage of the sun, the rain, a fragrance that drifts passed us. We can see the beauty in God best creation.

Yes, I know most people don't admit to enjoying the sight of a nude human, but we are His best creation. Take a moment to enjoy it from an art standpoint. There is nothing more simplistic in visual beauty than the human form, but the sheer drama of the lines and curves are astounding. Such a complex body is hidden in the simple lines and curves.

If we learn nothing else as nudists, we need to learn to give God the Glory for placing us in t his wonderful world. I am not sure if our textile counterparts realize what they have available to them, but as we are knowledgeable, we are responsible to acknowledge His creation.

Thank God for nudism. Well, thank God in all things, but thank God for our special gift.

See ya soon. Allen

Family

2008-09-09T11:49:00.003-04:00

I find I often hate going to family reunions, weddings, and funerals. We all say the same things. "You look great!" "You haven't changed a bit." Well, we all know these are lies we tell each other so that we will not hurt their feelings and in hopes that we will receive the same kindness. As an opportunity to escape the drudgery would not avail itself to me in time to keep from going to the next tribal occasion, I spent the weekend dining and talking with my wife's family. The occasion? A wedding.

Now you know why I haven't posted the last couple of days. I was too busy eating great food, having good conversation, and struggling to keep my clothes on in the sultry heat of South Carolina in September.

Now the good food was a given. But the trouble with good food is that when you eat all that great stuff, your pants are now too tight. In the textile world, you can't just throw them on the dresser and return to the table. No, you have to find a way to discreetly unbutton the trousers and then pull your shirt tail out to hide the fact that your pants are gapping at the top. Perhaps next time I will have my wife sew in an extra flap for expansion.

Listening to all the gossip of the family kept my ears buzzing with anticipation all weekend. Nothing says great gossip than the whispered tones of two women hiding in the corner. With all the corners of that house and more women stuffed in those corners than should be allowed at one place, I spent much of my time wandering around the room trying to grab the latest bit of juicy news.

Unfortunately for me, I am a writer. Writers are a special breed of people. We are often shunned from gossip circles because of our propensity to use said gossip in our stories. Fear of being exposed to the world keeps most families from allowing their authors near any of the good gossip. The only exception is the one lady who can't keep any secret. Thank God for building one friend to the writing community.

If you must know, I really did enjoy the time with family. I am hoping there will be more of these and that God prevents me from escaping them. I just wish He would convert the family to nudism. Eating would be much more satisfying.

And the wife wouldn't spend two days complaining about spaghetti sauce on my pants.

Joyous Heart

2008-09-02T15:00:00.003-04:00

There is nothing greater than to find a person to talk to who has a joy in his heart that permeates the entire room. Such a person will lift your spirits and give you such a good feeling that you hate to even think of being blue. Any idea of being in a bad mood simply fades as your new found friend, whether you have known him for years or not, brightens your entire day.

Anyone else noticed that before? Well, maybe it is just me.

I believe, however, that all of us find some type of pick-me-up out of those people who have a natural gift for being joyous. A person with sch a gift is most definitely deserving of my praise. It is rare, but I am not sure this is an innate gift, one that is born into an individual, as it is a learned gift, one that we all can obtain.

James tells us in his first chapter to consider it great joy to be persecuted. If we can consider it something, we must be able to obtain it. If we can consider joy, then all of us can obtain a joy in our hearts.

The word joy is an unique one. It implies a happiness regardless of the circumstances. For us to be joyous during trying times as James suggests, we must be talking about something more powerful than simple happiness. We must be living in a place where we are content to be regardless of our destiny.

I can only see one place where that scenario might exist. That is living in the light of Christ. Once we let our bodies and our souls be warmed and comforted by the light given off by Jesus, we find ourselves not caring about the other items in our life. Finding that comfort level and installing our hearts there will make us one of those people who always seems to be filled with joy.

The best testimony we can give is to let the joy of living in Christ's light be our beacon. Once we begin to show what Christ has done for us, others will desire our joy as well. Perhaps that was what God had in mind all along.

Allen

The Emphasis!

2008-08-28T09:25:00.003-04:00

I have heard often that Christian nudists put too much interest on being nude and not enough on being Christian. Although that is not my experience, there may be a tendency to talk more about nudism among nudists because we have more opportunities to talk about Christian matters elsewhere. It occurred to me that maybe we need to be more conscience of this tendency and make a concerted effort to keep talking about Christ as our ultimate goal.

I am not saying not to speak of our mission area, or about the issues that arise in a nudist setting, but I am openly advocating taking a position to make sure the outside world knows we are nudists for God's sake and not God's for nudism's sake.

In a blog a read recently, they criticized Boyd Allen's site for dwelling on nudism to the exclusion of Christ's message. Anyone who knows Boyd will tell you this isn't true. As the current leader of the CNC, I value his knowledge and his willingness to take a stand for Christ in the nudist world. I consider him a valuable co-worker in Christ's field. But when I stood back, I noticed nudism and Christianity were linked in both our sites. We made our job as workers for Christ only to the nudists and did not leave the door open for textiles to come.

Perhaps I led the way with this some years ago. Most of my missions in the last 15 years have been to the nudist world. I have worked without ceasing to win the nudists. I may have neglected the textiles. In some places, I may have alienated the textiles. Without a good reason, I may have cut my job description in half.

When Jesus said, "Go yea to all the world..." He did not add, "and preach to every naked person you see." He wants us to win all so that none should perish.

I still believe my main job is to work in the nudist community. God has planted me in a place where I am firmly installed in a position that will lead the nudist Christians for some years to come. I think it is from this point God has revealed to me that we will begin to have openings in the textile world where our textile brothers can't go.

The door we open that leads to becoming a nudist also gives us an innate ability to see others in a more open manner. We are more understanding of Christian seekers who would not be accepted in the normal Christian community. It is our job to find these souls and bring them to Christ for their own sake and for ours.

If you believe this with me, we can have an impact, not just in the nudist world, but in the textile fringe as well. All you need to do is say, "Amen!"

Of course, saying Amen in my book means you will begin the work with me! Gotcha.

Until Next Time, my brothers and sisters. Allen

A New Outlook Toward Modesty

2008-08-26T13:26:00.002-04:00

I never believed modesty ever had anything to do with clothes or what we were covering up. I believe a modest man is a noted by the way he lives his life and presents himself to the world as opposed to the belief that we must cover our less presentable parts. 1Corinthians 12:23 warns us about bringing more notice and "honor" to our less honorable parts and in doing so, causing our brothers to falter.

Paul was specifically talking about the body of Christ, the church. He wanted us to make sure we gave good attention to the people doing the dirty jobs around the church and to honor them for their service, but this still works well taken literally.

Modesty is doing what is right for the sake of righteousness. It precludes the necessity of wearing clothes, dressing in a manner proscribed by some church, or obeying any specific prohibition on makeup or jewelry. It is about doing what is right even when no one is around.

Modesty is the internal struggle to do what is right without an outside objective or motive. If I pray in church so that everyone knows I have a good speaking voice and can write lyrical prose, my prayer is immodest and I have profaned the god (little g) I prayed to. If I pray in a closet for the safety and health of my enemy because deep down I have a concern for his well being, I am modestly praying.

This leads to a problem with most churches. We are told to dress in our Sunday best to go to Church. The thought is that we should wear our best to be with the Lord. I understand the argument, but this argument fails on at least one level. God dwells with us always. He sees us in the shower. He is with us when we are at work. When we are digging in the garden, He is there. He is even there when we have sex with our spouse. If He is truly with us all the time, either we should always be dressed in our finest, or we must admit there is a failing in our argument.

The failing is the belief that God only dwells with us when we are in His house, the church building we all head over to on Sunday. Knowing this is false is the first step to experiencing modesty in a new and more vibrant manner. Once we come to grips with the principle that God dwells with us all the time, we will begin to understand that all the other stuff we do can't be for God. So, who is left?

I'll tell you. Everyone else. The other members of the church. The community. The Jones' from next door. When we dress to hide anything from God, you know, the one that knows everything and has seen everything, we only expose ourselves again to Him. we do not impress Him. The only ones we could impress are the people around us.

The real answer to all of this is to release ourselves from the rules not set forth by god and involve ourselves in learning chaste modest living based on biblical principles given to us by the Word.

Why Naked?

2008-08-22T14:26:00.001-04:00

I am often asked why I know God wants me to be a nudist. There are many reasons, but the most important one is He has a job for me in the nudist world.

First, let's correct the assumption that I believe God wants everyone to be a nudist. He doesn't, no more than He wants everyone to be a football player or sing. He made each of us different with different talents. His design for each of us is different. Therefore, His mission for each of us is different.

I got a better understanding of this several years ago when I met a man who played football professionally. I can't play football, so I thought perhaps we would have nothing in common. It wasn't until we were discussing God's missions for us that he mentioned his mission field was the football field. He could influence many people in a positive way if he used his football talents to give him a platform to talk about Jesus and about the Father's love for us.

I realized he was no different than me, although I certainly don't have the platform of the National Football league. My mission field is smaller and with less action, but it is as important as his is. The two of us share a common goal in two different arenas.

Why naked? Well it makes sense to me. I can be myself in the face of the Father. He sees me as He created me, faults and all. Even clothed He would see me this way anyway, but I feel closer to Him without the phony outer coverings between us.

I put it this way. God gave us clothing as a worker's protection. It was something that covered us and protected us from harm. Now, when we come home in the evenings and our pastor is coming over for dinner, I change my clothing from my work clothes to something the pastor would think appropriate for the occasion. when I meet with the God, I don't need to come to Him in my work clothes, dirty and stained. I need to approach Him in the clothing He gave me, my birthday suit.

In the world of Christian doctrine, our doctrine is somewhat controversial. I realize that, but what is so controversial about God seeing us naked? And if God can see us naked, what is so controversial about us seeing each other, brothers and sisters in Christ, naked?

Naked might be out of your comfort zone, but the process that got Christian nudists to Christ is the same process that textile Christians came to Christ, out of a need to be forgiven. Our own works, whether wearing clothes or saying 50 Hail Mary's, will never get us to heaven. Only the true form of love Jesus showed on the cross will bring our lives to the Father for forgiveness.

'till then...

Allen

Back Again

2008-08-18T11:47:00.000-04:00

I apologize for such a long break in posting. I have been somewhat busy and hadn't really had much to say. I thought funneling my time to other places would spare you from some inane post that meant nothing.

I wanted to post to you some apologetics of Christian nudist life in this blog and today seems a good place to begin this. But we need some ground rules. As we discuss this, please be respectful of all people. I have the comment section open, but there has been little comments so far. If there should be any, I trust we can keep them respectful of all so that we might share God's love to all we encounter.

The bible is full of places where nudity is mentioned. Even in the first part of the first boo, Genesis, nudity is a part of God's creation. When we first hear of man, we hear of him being naked, a state God created and He intended man to remain that way. We find in the old Testament Isaiah walked naked among the Jewish people naked. Many of the same traditions we hold today which are done clothed now were handled naked in previous times.

The Jewish communities before the fall of Jerusalem, nudity was commonplace among the people. Clothes were expensive and having more than one set of clothes was extravagant. Mostly, though, people couldn't afford more than the bare necessities, a cloak, inner clothing and outer clothing. When a person came to a situation where the clothing might get dirty or become unclean (not the same thing), they would take the clothes off.

Examples of this is where Peter, when fishing, grabbed his clothes and swam out to see Jesus. If he had been wearing his clothes, there would be no need to grab them to take t hem with him.
Another good example is the stoning of Stephen. The crowd gave their clothes, both inner and outer, to Saul to watch while they threw stones at Jesus. Remember, these were the leaders of the Jewish faith.

The New Testament is riddled with naked references. Jesus was naked on five of the more important times he appeared to us. On His birth, He was naked. At His death, He was naked. He was baptized naked. In the upper room, Jesus was naked washing His disciples' feet. On the Resurrection morning, He was naked.

The prohibition on nudity is a relatively new invention, coming about because of vanity and pride. It has little to do with modesty, but was a way of showing off our wealth and dividing the haves from the have-nots. A simple look at history will provide good examples. Take Queen Victoria. She devised great costumes to cover her thin, darker complexion. She wanted to look like the other wealthies, plump and pale. Perhaps in her haste to change fashion to fit her needs, she placed a heavy burden for the rest of the world to try to meet her standards, increasing the mostly useless idea that we needed to cover ourselves completely.

I am glad we didn't follow her lead so far as to start covering the piano legs.

Learning Curve

2008-08-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

I am convinced the good Lord has a plan for my wife and I. I know this because every time I begin to think he is finished with me another project emerges. Over the weekend, my wife and I enjoyed ourselves at White Tail Resort's Beach Fest. I thought that after all those parties the night before and the sun coming up in the same spot it normally does, the church would be empty and I would have a short service and be out from under the normal pressures of church life on Sunday. It didn't work out that way, however. With 20 people at service, I had to be on my toes and talking to the crowd with the utmost attentiveness. This is a feat best accomplished after plenty of rest and relaxation and not after a weekend of parties and dancing.

I am not upset that people showed up. It turned out to be a great Sunday to worship. I had a great time before going home to celebrate my OLDER sister's birthday. I only have one sister so adding the OLDER to sister's was for my benefit. It is comforting to know you have someone in my family that is older than me.

What I learned from all this is to be ready at any minute. The time I least expect to have a crowd i the time God finds an abundance to show up. The only thing I knew how to do was pray for divine guidance and to look for hope and strength in His light.

See ya next time.

The CNC

2008-08-04T13:34:00.000-04:00

For three years, I headed up the Christian Nudist Convocation. Along with some good support people and a handful of Christians who wanted more out of nudist life than a good tan and some wrinkles to be added at a later date. The weekend events took place at White Tail Resort with the help and full support of the owner, Bob.

God also offered workers to the field to help make the three weekends a success. Over the course on many email meetings and many hours of prayer, the weekends came together for the good of the community. We were talked about often. We were given the opportunity to be filmed for documentaries. But mostly, we were allowed to bring several groups of Christians together to worship God.

As small as this might seem, it really was huge. For the first time, many nudist Christians were able to be among their peers and worship Christ in the nude. For many, this was the first time they had the ability to meet other nudists who were Christian and to give the promise of Godly freedom a chance to work.

Even with all this excitement, I knew this was just another start I was making and that my mission now lay in another place. At the last CNC held at White Tail Resort, the torch was passed to another group to continue.

Did I mention that my gifts lie in apostleship? No, I am not an apostle like Paul or Peter. My gifts excel in starting new missions. I am good at getting new missions started, so long as God sends along a new person to continue the mission.

I hadn't ended my time with the CNC before a new and scary mission started forming. I had a vision of building a "denomination" of churches all housed inside the nudist resorts in the Us and abroad. I saw a time when we nudists would impact our community as much as our textile partners. I wanted to begin this project in earnest as soon as I could figure out how God wanted me to handle it.

Now here is where God shows His brilliance! He knew if I started this immediately, it would fail. He knew if I started this by myself, it would fail miserably. I needed experience and I needed help. Clearly, I had a vision, but I didn't have the abilities to carry this out.

Which brings us to the present. It has taken more time than I had hoped and I most passionately apologize for being so slow at getting to the meat of this blog, but I needed to show you the foundation before I could build this mission with your help.

God has a plan for us, that is the one writing this and the ones reading this. If you truly believe God can take a person such as me and build a community of Christians in the nudist world, please keep reading and PLEASE make comments. Our next post will begin to talk about the newest training ground for me and the people charged with helping.

Although I have given you an overview of the path so far, there are many things I had to leave out for lack of space. Please forgive me if I have to go back to retrieve some of those items and ideas in later posts.

Till then... Allen

Layering In the Two

2008-07-30T09:06:00.000-04:00

Well, God had both concepts placed in the same place. He had me back in the fold and he had me naked.

Leading me to water was simple, now God had to make me drink, as the proverb goes. He had to get me involved in a ministry to the nudist community. It had to be something my wife and I would be interested in. It had to be part of His plan for us. And, it had to be easy enough for this very inexperienced person to handle.

Some time earlier, I began to read the rec.nude Uesgroup on the internet. Among the members was a guy who most of us older nudists remember, Cheef. He was the owner and creator of www.cheef.com. He also sponsored a Christian Nudist Marriage Retreat. After some discussion, my wife and I agreed to attend. We ended up attending every year until the retreat had run its course.

In the next few years, I kept posting and reading many newsgroups and message boards dealing with Christian nudism.

Often, the idea of gathering together and meeting face-to-face came up in the discussions. some suggested meeting at Cypress Cove. Others suggested more western locations. The one constant note heard in each discussion was that no one took charge and arranged for the meeting. Usually, when I saw a thread like that, I would grumble under my breath about the lack of leadership and go on. Finally, on Rick and Julie's list and on a whim, I offered to arrange for the gathering. The only thing I asked was for someone to help. No one did. It came up again, and I felt safe in offering to arrange one, knowing no one would offer to help and I would not have to set this up.

God has an unusual fascination with three's. If you notice most of His work is in three's. This was no exception. When the thread rolled around again, I boldly made the statement that if someone, anyone, would volunteer to help, I would set up the meeting. Without fear or panic, I sent the posting along and sat back, waiting for a mountain of silence on the subject. In the blank white space of my emails, however, came a single solitary response from a guy named Trailscout. "I'll help."

Now was the time of my great trepidation, fear, and knee-knocking panic. Someone had actually agreed to help. Not just someone, but someone who answered on the list where everyone in the group knew he had volunteered. I was stuck! I had to arrange for this gathering.

Have I mentioned to you that I hadn't yet told my wife about all this? That night, my wife and I discussed the problems involved with such an undertaking and the help we needed. After making a decision to continue, we started making a list of items logistical problems to address and a list of other friends that might want to help.

I can't tell you how much Trailscout has been a part of building this program. Not only was he the first, he was one of the most supportive. Over the next post, we will delve into this gathering. Although it wasn't the first Christian nudist gathering, it has been the longest lasting. But that is for the next posting.

Nudist Training

2008-07-24T08:58:00.001-04:00

I've talked about my Christian training because I believe that there are many people out there today who are training for similar tasks and will find themselves with similar training techniques. It was a total surprise to me when I finally found out why God had been schooling me. But this was only half of the training I was to get. Becoming a nudist is not an easy task and God had to prepare me AND my wife for such a task.

For me, it was simple. He built me so that clothes just don't hang on me. My pants fall off, My shirts don't stay tucked. I don't even like clothes. If you were to build a typical nudist, you would want to start with an Allen model and then leave it alone.

For my wife, the process wasn't as simple. In my first book, I tell the story of Carey's rise to nudism. She started out as a textile. She wore clothes to bed. She wore clothes to the store. She liked clothes. Clothes fit her. I think she even wore clothes in the shower, but I can't prove it. Finding a husband who thought clothes were a silly waste of time proved to be a training ground for her.
Our first discussion about going to a nudist park resulted in a long and specific talk about signals, ones that couples use to say, "I'm not comfortable and if you are not in the car once I get it started, you will walk home." She did, however, agree to go. It was way out of her comfort zone and stretched the level of trust between us.

Trust was the deciding factor. She knew I would not lead her to a place where I would hurt her or our marriage. She knew I loved her and believed with all her heart that I would not cheat on her. Believed used here is a miscommunication. She often laughs at the prospect of me cheating on her. She knows me too well. I wouldn't. She knew I wouldn't and it was not a decision she had to worry about.

What she had to worry about was thirty years of upbringing that said good girls keep their clothes on. Good girls don't. They don't have sex before marriage. They don't take their clothes off in public. They don't drink, smoke, or run around with men. While most of these are admirable qualities, nudity has been placed in this group without justification.

When the day to go to the park finally arrived, I was excited. Carey was nervous, but ready to go. The drive down gave us time to work on our nerves and to contemplate what we expected to find. Once the gate opened and we saw the place, it seemed somewhat of a let-down. It was clean, organized, and quiet. Quiet, I say. Quiet. People sat around the pool reading or napping. Others wandered around the park talking quietly. Then there were the older people who were just peacefully watching the other people doing quiet things.

Not that this was bad, but I had expected there to be naked people frolicking all over the park, running and jumping, and of course, prancing. We have all heard the term, prancing naked. Surely this must be some place where people prance naked. I couldn't understand why everyone was just sitting there. As we undressed at the car, I looked over at my wife to see how she was doing. She was quietly undressing and absorbing the atmosphere.

You see, quiet was what she wanted. Quiet was what I needed. Had there been prancing and frolicking, Carey would have bolted out of the gate, car, my clothes, and all.

That day, God built a nudist couple, one for which he had plans.

post script: You may ask about our son. God had that covered, too. For children, all you need is a pool and a bunch of other screaming children.

Learning to Lead

2008-07-21T11:10:00.001-04:00

In the midst of deepening my knowledge of the Bible, the complications of theory and theology, our pastor left the church. Being a pastor's son, I knew what it was like from the other side. You pack up, stow your stuff in boxes, and make new friends that will last until it is time to move again. I did not know anything about what it was like from the church's standpoint.

As an observer to the process, I got to learn much about the process. I saw first hand the struggle to figure out what type of pastor the church wanted. It is often exactly opposite from what they actually need. Nothing in the process is foolproof. I saw the mistakes being made clearly. But it was not my place to worry about this.

Several months into the process, I was appointed the position of Moderator of the business meetings. What I did was keep control of the business meeting and bring order to the process of doing business. I took this job seriously. I wanted there to be no bickering, back biting, or other problems that sometimes arise in churches. I wanted a Christ-like atmosphere in conducting our affairs. This was actually very easy. The church was fairly congenial, mostly in step with one another, and full of hope for the future. Most of the votes didn't even have an opposition. The process was almost flawless.

Except for the pastor selection.

Churches don't always do well when they lose a leader. They begin to bleed members. The void begins a power struggle. The whole process might lead to a collapse of a young, unprepared church. Fortunately, most churches survive the whole process no worse for wear. They pull together to make the best of a situation.

Once the pastor entered the ministry field, things stopped moving as smoothly. No, there were no fights, stabbings or gun play. We still had little opposition in the business meetings, but the ill feelings built in the church. The pastor left after only a matter of months.

Running a Church

With the void in the leadership roll, a small committee was formed. Known as the Administration Committee, we were charged with handling the needs of the church normally handled by the pastor until one could be found, finding someone to lead the services until a pastor could be named, and be available for any emergencies that might arise. AS you might have guessed, the other people on the Administration Team were two of the missionaries that had been in the class with me those few years ago. The process had come full circle and I was now operating with them as an equal.

Well, not really. They had done this many times and looked at the job as a chore that needed doing. Not that they didn't do the chore willingly and with great joy, but it was simply old hat to them. For me, however, it was all new.

As I mentioned earlier, I am the son of a pastor. I knew the inside of a pastor's family and the headaches and problems that come from leading a church. So from a small corner of my mind, the place I try to hide all the stuff I really would rather not re-live, I dragged out what knowledge I had in order to be a productive member of this group. They may have had more experience, but I was going to make up for that with enthusiasm and perseverance.

continued tomorrow.

Preparation for Ministry

2008-07-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

Lay ministers are unique people in that they are not formally trained, as in seminary and other post secondary schooling. They take their training where they can get it. I am no exception. I learned about the work by reading and studying, and by listening to those people who had learned from normal channels.

One great learning experience came in the form of a particular Sunday School class. When my wife and I had been attending a church for a while, we decided God had planted us there. Well, actually my wife decided God had planted us there, and we joined. Shortly there after, my wife began to teach a Sunday School class of toddlers. Needing a place to sit for Sunday School time period, I chose a class and sat in.

I hadn't thought much about my choice, only to reason which one was closer to the smoking door and which one might be small enough that I would not have to worry about being called on for anything. Classes this small don't have class picnics or do any mission work.

The choice was fortunate in that in the class were three theological doctors and me. Out of the four people, three had PdD's in theology, seminary training from well known Baptist institutes, and were returned missionaries from foreign lands. These were people well versed in starting churches, being pastors, and scripture. I had my own bible college placed before me.

Each Sunday, the class held large discussions of topics ranging from the origin of the world to who wrote the books of the law. Philosophical questions were dissected like frogs, measured prodded and poked. Subjects that seemed to confrontational to discuss in public were regularly batted about without any animosity. I spent many hours during the week reading the bible just to keep up with the discussion. I studied, not because I thought it prudent, but because I hate to out of touch with any discussion. I wanted, no needed, to be part of this process.

After the first year, one of our members moved on. And then there were two doctors and me. His leaving concerned me. I thought the whole wonderful experience was over. We would sink into those old time Sunday School classes we all dread and avoid. I was trapped. We no longer had that three legged chair for me to sit in. It was just a two legged chair. We all know how that works. I went anyway. I had to do something to fill the time my wife was teaching the toddlers and while my son went to his class.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the class. God grabbed me by the leg and dragged me to His proverbial lathe. He spun me, tossed me, and cut some crude but functional grooves into me. I became a rough and ugly chair leg. I needed grooming. I needed smoothing. I needed polishing. But, for once in my life, I was steady enough to support a young Christian in our group.

I spent a year in that class while the two guys left began to fine tune my knowledge. They began to feed me more than meat, they fed me rich desserts. With the basics learned, they drilled me on some of the finer details of Christian life and how to pour out what I had learned. As the second year ended, I looked much like the other two legs, just less seasoned and inexperienced.

The third and last year, I found myself surrounded by other people. I no longer had the luxury of being the only student. The room was filled with people similar to me when I entered the group. we lost another leg to a class who needed a teacher, leaving us with just the one professional. To my great surprise and joy, he brought his wife into the teaching. for the first time in my life, I was being taught about Christ from a female perspective. I saw the side of Christ I always missed. It was like adding depth to my view of Christ. I could always see the male side. I had the vision of what a guy thinks of Christ, but seeing God from a woman's perspective allowed me to visualize God's whole experience.

Now, do I think these guys planned this? I don't know. I never asked. you know, the whole horse's teeth thing. Do I think God planned it? You betcha! Nothing could have prepared me more for my future jobs than the training I got from these four people, people who today don't fathom their involvement.

preparation continued next time.

Nudism

2008-07-17T14:22:00.001-04:00

One of the obstacles we encounter often on the internet is Christians who believe nudism is wrong. Often, they cite passages which have nothing to do with nudism or being naked or they offer the stumbling block scenario, where being naked might entice a fellow Christian to sin. Such argument have no basis in Christian theology and only add to the problems of church unity.

The bible is actually silent on social nudity, a fact that is not surprising. Common, everyday nudity during the Jewish era was, how do you say, common and ordinary. It would the same as a modern day writer noting that people wear a hair net while working at a food service location. With clothing so expensive and spare clothing not available to the normal person, many worked naked to preserve their investment in clothing.

The largest argument against nudism comes from Genesis. Critics argue that when Adam fell from grace, God clothed them and cast them out. They argue that since God hid their bodies from view, He must want all of us to do the same.

I offer Lot's wife to suggest the fallacy in this logic. If you remember, when Lot's wife disobeyed God and looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. Following our previous argument, we should also cover ourselves in salt. Every morning, we should stand up and apply salt to our entire bodies before leaving for work.

You can see the fallacy in that argument, but there is actually more to the story of Adam and Eve's fall than we mentioned. In Genesis 3: 7, we see that Adam and Eve dressed themselves in clothes of leaves.

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."

Later, in verse 8, God is heard walking in the garden and the two hid from Him in the garden among the leaves of the trees and bushes.

"8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden."

Adam and Eve dressed themselves, not God. In fact it was the clothes they wore that let God know they had done wrong.

"And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

God had no problem with their nudity. Nudity only became a problem when Adam and Eve gained the knowledge of those things that are both good and evil before they were ready to accept those truths.

As you know, later, as He was expelling the couple from the garden, He killed an animal and placed the skin upon them. It is interesting to note that the animal was probably an animal that Adam named, someone he knew. I am sure this forced home the idea that sin was wrong. In any event, it placed Adam and Eve with clothing more substantial than what they had made for themselves. Entering into a world with briers, rocks and thorns, they needed something more substantial than leaves and twine to protect their bodies. It is interesting to note that God did not clothe them completely. The word for clothing used means belt or apron. This would have covered the parts of their body most closely aligned with briers and thorns.

So what about the early knowledge we had of both Good and Evil? In Moses time, we received the Law, a written set of right and wrong. They knew what was right and wrong and with the knowledge of good and evil, we were capable of knowing what to do and what not to do. We matured. Today, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. Remember, the old law did not pass away, but today we have a fulfilled law in the form of a helper to guide us. We are now ready for that knowledge and are endowed by our Creator with the ability to know good and evil and how to negotiate both.

If we remove the places where nakedness means sex and the places where naked means poor or doing without, then the bible only talks about being nude in a good light.

With all of this, being naked socially can only be expressed as ordinary without the understanding that it is permissible for those that God chose without there being some indication that being nude is somehow more beneficial than being clothed. After all, if both are equally okay, why bother with the controversy?

Strangely enough, we have such information in the Bible, itself. Remember in the first post we talked about Isaiah walking naked among the Jews for three years naked? During the first century BC and the first century AD, Jews bathed as a custom and a required ritual. Being ceremonially clean was important to them. We rarely talk about the baths of Jerusalem or the baptisms done by John the Baptist in the light of people being naked socially, but that is precisely what occurred.

Baptisms during the century before Christ's birth were done in running water to cleanse the body and prepare a person for ministry. Following the rules for cleansing Aaron in Leviticus, the candidate would be led to the water's edge, he would remove his clothing and go down into the water where he would be ceremonially cleansed for his sins. It was a part of getting forgiveness from God. This is precisely what Jesus did before entering into His ministry for us.

After Christ's death and resurrection, Christian baptisms followed roughly the same
pattern. A candidate would be dressed in a dark robe and led to the water. He would remove his robe and go down into the water naked. The baptist, also naked along with the congregation gathered in the water, would pour water over the candidate three times. As he was led out of the water, the candidate would be dressed in a linen cloth of white to symbolize becoming cleansed and ready for ministry.

The early church knew something we have lost today. The knew that worshiping naked can lead you closer to God. I often find myself praying while naked and finding the presence of the Holy Spirit stronger being allowed to flow without the restrictions of man-made items.

Now, nudism is not for everyone. Those that find God has not called you to this ministry might just consider this similar to speaking in tongues. Not everyone will speak in tongues. That does not mean that they are not in-dwelled with the Holy Spirit. But those who are called to this ministry are not allowed to shirk their duties. Nor are Christians allowed to stop this ministry.

God Bless.

Where to Begin

2008-07-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

So, we begin our walk.

I never know where to begin a conversation about the church. Do I start at the moment I found Christ lurking behind me waiting for me to mature as a Christian? Do I start with the moment I realized I would be a leader in a movement of Christians in the nudist world? Or where the Holy Spirit began to work in my life to train me for my mission.

Maybe an overview will suffice. I was born into a Christian family with a minister for a father. I grew up with all the love and care a person could want. As you know, this is a perfect recipe for someone like me to go astray. I found myself at age 29 a father, a husband, and a productive member of society, but not a Christian.

Oh, I claimed to be a Christian. I knew there was a God. what I didn't know was there was ABBA, the Father, His Son, and a Spirit sent to care and love me. I was clueless to the ways of a Christian life. Thankfully, I found them just behind the little small voice that whispered in my ear from time to time. In my wonderful discovery, I also found a four foot, eleven inch tall woman who had been sleeping next to me for many years. I renewed my life with my wife. I finally had a complete life.

Carey and I began building our existence around a small church which met in a school. Having only a few families as members, it was a good place to become educated about the process for building a church. Through eight years of fun, struggle, things done right, and things done wrong, we came out of this experience with a great deal of knowledge about the inner workings of the church.

The good news is that we knew how a church functioned. The bad news is that we knew how a church functioned. Churches have rules and activities that help the church grow and function. They also have rules and functions that cause dissension and cause fractures in the body of the church. The more I learned about what the church did, the more I felt the need to change how our church was functioning. As with all heavy objects, they would not budge. In time, God made it clear our time was finished at the church and we needed to move on. So we did.

My wife and I are nudists. We wear clothes when appropriate, when it is cold out, or when clothing oneself is the prudent thing to do. We had visited the church service at our local nudist park on many occasions, and decided to make this church our temporary home until we could find a suitable locations to settle in and begin the new ministry. Frankly, I suspected we make them our home after a couple of weeks, but my wife was not sure.

After a couple of years sitting in the back of the service and finding a place to rest, God called us out of the "Sit, Soak, and Sour" pew in the back and move us to the front of church business. He asked that I begin getting ready for a time when I would lead the services and to start building the chapel into a functioning church.

You might ask what the difference is. A chapel service is a service designed to deliver a worship time for a group of people. It does not serve the purpose of a church. It simply offers a service time to worship and pray. A church is a community of Christians who gather together to forward the Word of God. They meld into a group with a purpose. With this goal in mind and through the direction of the Holy Spirit, my wife and I joined with another couple, John and Judy, and began to build a functioning church in the middle of a nudist resort.

Over the next few posts, I will elaborate more on our journey to this ministry. I will also add a few current events to the posts so that we won't get caught up in "let's remember."

One of my purposes for writing this blog is to enlighten Christian organizations to our struggles and our successes. I feel a great disconnection to the Christian world because of the lack of acceptance of my peers in other Christian groups. The fact that we need a church in a nudist park is a testament against the churches surrounding the nudist resorts and parks.

If you are a pastor or church leader and have found us, I ask that you continue to read about our work, offer suggestions where you see them, and to keep us in your prayers daily. The comment section is open to everyone and we hope this will be a place for lively discussions and those discussions would be discussions Christ would be proud of.

till next time...

Not For Me!

2008-07-11T11:17:00.000-04:00

Walking Naked For Christ! This only happens to Old Testament prophets. God only requires us to do things like pray, read the bible, and sit in the back row of church. Nothing in the rules I was living by mentioned anything about becoming a part of a ministry team at a nudist church.

But God has a way of taking a normal existence and turning their world upside-down. Here I was, content to sit in that small church and heckle the pastor, evoking a new and most specific frown from both the pastor and my wife. God's plan, a plan I object to vehemently, contained many good and precious ideas for reviving the church and it didn't include the present pastor.

Before we get too far in this discussion, I want to point out that this request from God has precedence. In Isaiah, God commands Isaiah to remove his clothes and preach to the people of Israel. He walked in his ministry for three years naked as a statement to God's people to repent and leave their evil ways.

I never considered myself to be a prophet. My gifts seem to lie in the apostle category. So finding a place in my world to be a nudist pastor didn't seem to be such a great idea.

God, however, had been grooming me for this position for some time. My family had been nudists for years. At our home, nudity was the normal situation. I was working with several groups learning the business of a church. Finally, God opened the door for my wife and I to become members of a nudist resort near our homes where we would finally begin our mission.

This blog is about the struggles, fun, and drama of being, "Naked For God."