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what kind of christianity?
2009/04/30
“Growing up, I was told that good people go to church. And then I looked around and watched the news and found a church full of sick people and a world that had some decent pagans. And I studied sociology. My studies taught me that the higher a person’s frequency of church attendance, the more likely they are to be sexist, racist, anti-gay, promilitary, and committed to their local church. And I figured if that’s what it meant to be a Christian, I wan’t sure I wanted to be one, or whether even Jesus would want to be one, for that matter. I wondered why Jesus didn’t take back his religion. As I’ve heard by old mentor Tony Campolo say, ‘If we were to set out to establish a religion in polar opposition to the Beatitudes Jesus taught, it would look strikingly similar to the pop Christianity that has take over the airwaves of North America.’”
day of silence…justice…morality
2009/04/27
current issues, hot topics, link, question, theological reflection 5 Comments
I have been doing some thinking the last day or so about homosexuality, justice, morality, and the day of silence. My thinking was spurred on by this blog post…We Should All Be Enraged About Bullying
In most Christian circles, including my own, homsexuality is viewed as sin, something that is outside of God’s plan for humanity. This issue merits a post (or more likely a series of posts) to discuss the relevant perspectives, arguments, and viewpoints in a thorough way. Maybe we’ll do that in the weeks to come!
But I am wrestling with another dilemma today. How do Christ-followers take a stand for their moral beliefs while at the same time standing for justice?
This is especially important in the homosexual debate. Christians take a defiant stand against homosexuality as a practice accepted by God. Perhaps they should. But they also take a stand against things like the day of silence because it is meant to promote the LGBT agenda. Perhaps they should do that as well.
What about justice? Is it okay for kids who are homosexual to be mistreated because of their sexual preference? Is it okay for kids to be mistreated for any reason? When I read the Bible I find it easy to see that God is a God of justice, and he calls his people to stand up for justice. And he gets on them when they fail to do so. Doesn’t the church have an obligation under God to stand up for those who are being abused, oppressed, and mistreated? Doesn’t that obligation remain even when the people being abused, oppressed, and mistreated are people the church disagrees with?
Christians have this great phrase that they throw around when confronting tough issues like homosexuality. They say, “Love the sinner and hate the sin.” I think very few Christians know how to truly do that. Could it be that one way we carry that out is to stand up for the bullied and oppressed homosexual kids at our schools, while at the same time maintaining our theological position about the morality of homosexuality?
Hard to do. Yep. But who said living out faith and making the world different and better would be easy?
the transformation cycle, part 7
2009/04/26
scripture, theological reflection Leave a comment
The Journey of a Lifetime
Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The same is true of the transformation journey. This lifelong pursuit will consist of many, many steps along the way. At times it will seem as though you are taking one step forward and two steps back. Other times you will appear to be at a standstill. On occasion you might even wonder if you will ever move forward again.
I offer to you the same advice I offer to my congregation: the most important step in your spiritual journey is the NEXT ONE.
Your attention needs to be on discovering and taking that next step. Perhaps you need to consecrate yourself in a fresh way to God as a way of re-engaging transformation. Maybe the answer is to start training again or find ways to train differently. Or it could be that you just need to bolster your trust that the Holy Spirit is and will work in your life to help you grow. For some, living it out is what needs your attention. The journey of transformation begins with a single step. Take that step. Enter the transformation cycle. Your life will never be the same!
the transformation cycle, part 6
2009/04/24
scripture, theological reflection Leave a comment
Your Transformation Team
As you engage on this lifelong journey of transformation, remember that you were never intended to go it alone. God has given you a team to help you in your transformation efforts.
The Holy Spirit. At the center of the transformation cycle is the Holy Spirit. He gives guidance and direction to the process. And he is ultimately the one who causes transformative change in our lives.
Friends. There are people who are on the journey with you that you count as your friends. This is a huge asset in the transformation cycle, but one that is sometimes overlooked or underutilized. Friends can help you process spiritual issues, provide needed accountability, offer encouragement, and engage in prayer with and for you. Leverage your friendships to reach a new level of spiritual growth.
Mentors. Some individuals are further along in the journey than you are. Among them may be several potential mentors that could give your growth an added boost. These people could coach you in developing a stronger prayer life or engaging the Scriptures for life change. They might help you develop specific aspects of your character. Or they might just be there to listen, offer advice, and challenge you to grow. Seek out the investment of a mentor; they will help you grow.
Pastors. Pastors are by no means the ones who have everything about God figured out. However, they have answered God’s call to give their lives to helping people connect with God and grow in their spiritual journeys. As a result, if you go to pastor to ask for his or her help in your pursuit of life transformation, I am sure you will find a willing growth partner. Have a spiritual growth conversation with your pastor and see what develops.
Church. The community of faith is intended to be a group of people who are at different places in the journey helping each other take the next step of growth. Corporate worship, discipleship classes, small groups, and serving opportunities are among some of the ways your church can help you grow and be transformed. Get connected and experience growth through involvement.
