This post is random....
I was talking to a friend today and we were discussing what it would be like if we took Jesus literally when He said things like, "Lose your life." or "Sell everything." or "Take care of the hurting (orphans and widows)."
Today I question if that is even possible in the American suburb.
(I mean today literally because on most days, I have more hope. Today has been difficult.)
When did the "American Dream" become a better dream than God's? I italicized "better" because we live lives that make that question legitimate. We have chosen to let ourselves become deceived into believing that a way outside of the Father's is better. This means that we don't dream about people coming to know and follow Jesus at any price anymore, but instead dream of bigger homes, nicer cars, and if plastic surgery were an option--where we had have some work done. Instead of envisioning ourselves courageously and communally walking in obedience to the rhythm of Jesus, we dream of great vacations, the best clothes and the latest home theater systems. Instead of desiring to be a part of a community of people who care about what is happening in our world and being part of God's solution, we dream of owning condos in the mountains and cabins next to freshwater lakes where we can create our "safe havens" away from it all.
I'll admit, these are the frustrated musings of a man who has spent the last two weeks reading Scripture, the newspaper, and a great book occassionally interrupted by brief news updates on what is happening in our world (here and abroad). These are the frustrated musings of a man who spent part of his morning praying for God to intercede in Lebenon and talking with a community of friends about how we as the Church can respond to the violence and senseless death of countless people in Iraq, Palestine and Israel.
After that invigorating, life-giving, solution-based conversation where talk wasn't of writing a check, but of taking Jesus' words literally and living compassionately, with costly love, at any price for the sake of hurting--I went to a meeting where we talked about how we thought worship time went at a particular church.
Something doesn't sit right with me if church is all about performance and production and how we thought "worship" went. We seem to spend a lot more time talking about cosmetic enhancement and the preservation of the "church people" than we do what is happening in the world around us and what God might have us do or be a part of to bring healing.
Doesn't it seem ironic to you that the Church cries out for the U.N. to respond to those who are hurting?
I have a dream for the Church were we take Jesus' words literally--where we respond first.
Huh--maybe this isn't my dream--maybe it's God's....
5 comments:
Maybe instead of making ourselves attractive so the unsaved affluent will want to be our friends and therefore learn about our faith, we're supposed to be distinctive while we live among them.
"in the world, not of the world"
"all things to all men"
"GO into all the world" -- not to mention all the other verbs Jesus and Paul use to motivate us to live the Christian life.
I agree, Jeremy.
No where does the Word encourage us to pamper ourselves. He reserves the right to lavish HIMSELF upon us.
Nowhere in the Word does it really say we'll get whatever we want. He promises to supply all of our needs -- why are so few content with that MAJOR miracle?
Nowhere does it tell us to accumulate goods but repeatedly tells us to GIVE and reiterates the foolishness of building more barnd to store the stuff we gather and hoard.
"Anyone who know the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, SINS."
It doesn't get any clearer than that.
reading your post makes me miss you, brother.
I have been working this summer at seven churches in Portland. All small (under 120 members), all dying,all in urban neighborhoods, all Presbyterian. The question is always asked; "How do we get more peoplel to come to Sunday worship?" If nothing else, I am so convinced that that is the absolute wrong question for the church to be asking. The question (one of them anyway) is how do we get the folks we have to leave the pews and engage the world? I hate to say this, but this summer has convinced me that the mainline church is the problem, not the solution. I don't know where that leaves me, except for very sad. We can't run churches like theatres, country clubs, or corporations and expect them to respond to the world's deepest hurts. Living like Jesus is living a courageous life and I think the mainline church is teaching timidity, complacency, and comfort. Those aren't the values of the kingdom.
It frustrates me even more going to a seminary where you can actually have a grade penalized for taking the Bible literally (true story)! The school isn't preparing courageous leaders. They are preparing CEO's that will keep the institution running.
My frustration is also running pretty high right now. I hope we can reconnect sometime after I get back into California. Peace to you, friend.
I don't find your post random at all. I definitely think there is a problem with one's priorities when they are asking "how did worship go for you?" It's bass-ackwards.
How about how can we apply God's teachings into our everyday life? OR maybe what is God is doing in your heart/life that we can all learn from?
It wears me out to think that the Church has entered into the On-Demand Catering Service for those who are already "saved" instead of leading into the dark passages of the community in which the Body "resides".
What are we gonna do with Jesus? I don't think the answer lies in asking with a casual nod, "That was good for me, how 'bout you?"
If you want an Amen from me or anyone else, preach on my brother...
It's all about Jesus, not our regularly scheduled "worship" nor, as you said, our American Dream.
Good thoughts.
Sometimes it saddens me that thoughts like these are so unusual; that this mindset is so alien to so much of the modern church.
I joined the blogging bandwagon...
http://thecornerdorm.blogspot.com
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