Many of you may read the title of this blog and think that I am going to write about the Supreme Court decision. Well, you would be right in a sense. I want to write about it, but from a different angle.
I have read a few things about the decision through social media today. Most are in favor of the decision and I'm honestly not surprised. We live in a day and age when decisions like this will happen. Does it affect my beliefs as a Christian and what I will teach as a pastor? No. I will still believe, teach, and preach what I know to be true. Does that make me a bad person? I guess it depends on who you talk to.
One of things that has saddened me throughout this whole debate is the attitudes from both sides towards the other side of the issue. I have written posts and a book (Millennial Gospel http://www.amazon.com/Millennial-Gospel-Ryan-Reveley-ebook/dp/B00UDAAS22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435337643&sr=8-1&keywords=millennial+gospel) about the attitude of the church over this and other issues like it. What also saddens me is the attitude from supporters of gay marriage towards Christians.
Now, will I support gay marriage or the homosexual lifestyle? No. Will I marry a homosexual couple? No. I can't because the Bible I read and believe in does not support either. Now, before you want to lynch me, here me out. While I don't support those lifestyles, I also don't support any lifestyles opposed to God's word and that includes my own. I have a somewhat addictive personality. There are certain things that I will talk myself into trying and not be able to break away from. This is why I struggled with pornography for a large part of my life. It was a destructive lifestyle that hurt me and others around me. I do not support that now or then, even when I was in the middle of it. As a believer in Christ, I cannot support things that do not honor God. So, I am saddened when people call Christians like me bigots, intolerant, relics to be forgotten, etc. just because we do not believe the same.
One thing I will not do is push my beliefs on anyone. That is not the way Jesus did it and that is not the way his followers should do it. Therefore, why should Christians be forced to believe the same as supporters of gay marriage? There is a call for Christians to abandon their beliefs and come to the other side of the argument. If we don't, then we will be forgotten by history and forced to be corrected. Is that real equality? Equality can be achieved even if we don't agree.
I have a close friend who is a Green Bay Packers fan. I hate the Packers because I am a Chicago Bears fan. Now, I could be really extreme and tell him, "If you don't stop rooting for the Packers, then we can't be friends anymore." But, that is silly, right? I know that is a silly analogy, but the idea behind it can be applied. I can tell someone who supports homosexuality that we can't be friends anymore and they need to believe in what I tell them to believe. But, would that be right? No. Will I tell them the truth that I believe in and tell them that I don't agree with their lifestyle and other life decisions they make? Of course, if I value them as a friend.
My goal as a Christian is to bring people close to Christ; my goal is not to push them away by trying to correct behavior. I couldn't correct my own behavior when I was dealing with pornography. The only One who changed me was Christ. I want to be friends with people and treat them as people. That also means that I will share the truth that I believe in with them. If they get upset, I can't help that. But, I won't beat them over the head with it.
So, I ask as we move forward as a country, don't expect me or other Christians like me to come over to your side of the argument. We will do our best not to impose our beliefs, but we will share them any chance we get. That is what we were saved for and called to do. We will do our best not to label you and so I ask that you not label us either.
I want all people to know the hope and grace that is found in Christ. I want all people to know how he loves us so much that he does not want to leave us the same. Does that make me intolerant? Depends on who you ask. Will I stop believing that and change my mind? Never because I answer to a King who lived a perfect life for me and died in my place. I answer to a King who took the punishment my sins deserved so that if I believe in him, I will have life and life eternal. My King did not abandon me so I will not abandon him no matter what.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Quest for Unity
I grew up in Arkansas. Arkansas is typically seen as redneck and a supporter of the Confederate flag. That is somewhat true; it is somewhat true because it depends on what part of Arkansas you are in and what Arkansans you are talking to. I grew up in Cabot, AR and when I was in high school, the rebel flag caused controversy in my little town. Cabot High School asked one of its students to remove the rebel flag from the back window of his pickup truck. To give you a little context, Cabot was mainly an all white town. So, you would think that the rebel flag would be supported in an all white town in Arkansas. But, Cabot also had a rumored reputation for being racist. Therefore, the difficult situation the school was put in when school officials saw the rebel flag on display in the back of a student's pickup truck. In protest to the school's decision, some students and their parents protested that night at a commuter parking lot in town. They protested by waving rebel flags, thus making the evening news and adding more unwanted attention. Imagine if this happened in the age of social media.
The rebel flag is back in the spotlight because of the recent shootings in Charleston, SC. It is a sad day on so many levels for our country. This incident further sparked racial tensions that have been on the rise lately. Now, there are calls for the rebel flag and other Confederate symbols to be taken down for the sake of calming the racial tensions and for unity.
You may assume that growing up in the south that I was a racist to some degree at some point in my life. I will admit that I was taught that it was wrong to be romantically involved with someone from another race because the Bible taught that. But, I guess I would be considered a rebel because I never understood why people treated other people of a different color differently. I never understood why the civil rights movement even happened because I saw people as people regardless of their skin color. I did not have many black friends because I never had the opportunity to have them. But, that changed as I got older, but I did not see them as my black friends; I saw them as my friends.
Today we are striving for unity. But, our first step towards that unity is to drop the labels. We label ourselves as well as other people. And, I think the group that has to lead the way is the Church. Christians cannot claim innocence in all of this. We label people outside the church as well as inside the church. It is our human nature to do so, but we have a new nature now. Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come." So, if we are a new creation, then we have to act like it.
The Church has to lead the way in this quest for unity. We have to seek unity within the Church so that we can carry that unity out into the world. It breaks my heart to see people act as though the Civil War is still going on. It breaks my heart to hear members of the Body of Christ put labels on people because a label ignores their humanity and makes them a category.
Our example is Christ and Christ did not label people. He saw and treated people as people. He told his disciples to love one another so that all men would know they were his disciples (see John 13:34-35). To love one another is to love one another as people not labels. Does this mean we accept one another's faults and sins? No because Jesus loved people too much to accept the things in their lives that would hurt or destroy them.
The Church was saved and called to be different. We are supposed to be the trendsetters. We are supposed to be the ones to lead the way in the quest for unity. The way we are going to do that is obey the commands of Christ and love one another regardless of skin color. Paul said in Galatians 3:28-29, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." For Paul to write these words shows the transformation that took place within him because of Jesus. Paul was a staunch Jew before he met Christ. He thought the Gentiles were scum and unworthy of God's mercy. He would never dare to say that they were Abraham's seed. But, after Christ changed him, Paul realized that labels cause division. Paul understood that Christ brought unity; therefore, the attitude Paul had towards the Gentiles changed. Instead of seeing them as scum, he saw them as people in desperate need of Jesus.
This is the message that the Church needs to lead the way with. True equality will not be achieved without Christ. We can try all we want to eliminate labels, but it won't happen because only Christ can eliminate the labels. Under Christ, we realize that we are nothing apart from him. He is the One who gives us purpose and meaning. He is the one brings us from death to life. He is the one who unifies us.
The rebel flag is back in the spotlight because of the recent shootings in Charleston, SC. It is a sad day on so many levels for our country. This incident further sparked racial tensions that have been on the rise lately. Now, there are calls for the rebel flag and other Confederate symbols to be taken down for the sake of calming the racial tensions and for unity.
You may assume that growing up in the south that I was a racist to some degree at some point in my life. I will admit that I was taught that it was wrong to be romantically involved with someone from another race because the Bible taught that. But, I guess I would be considered a rebel because I never understood why people treated other people of a different color differently. I never understood why the civil rights movement even happened because I saw people as people regardless of their skin color. I did not have many black friends because I never had the opportunity to have them. But, that changed as I got older, but I did not see them as my black friends; I saw them as my friends.
Today we are striving for unity. But, our first step towards that unity is to drop the labels. We label ourselves as well as other people. And, I think the group that has to lead the way is the Church. Christians cannot claim innocence in all of this. We label people outside the church as well as inside the church. It is our human nature to do so, but we have a new nature now. Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come." So, if we are a new creation, then we have to act like it.
The Church has to lead the way in this quest for unity. We have to seek unity within the Church so that we can carry that unity out into the world. It breaks my heart to see people act as though the Civil War is still going on. It breaks my heart to hear members of the Body of Christ put labels on people because a label ignores their humanity and makes them a category.
Our example is Christ and Christ did not label people. He saw and treated people as people. He told his disciples to love one another so that all men would know they were his disciples (see John 13:34-35). To love one another is to love one another as people not labels. Does this mean we accept one another's faults and sins? No because Jesus loved people too much to accept the things in their lives that would hurt or destroy them.
The Church was saved and called to be different. We are supposed to be the trendsetters. We are supposed to be the ones to lead the way in the quest for unity. The way we are going to do that is obey the commands of Christ and love one another regardless of skin color. Paul said in Galatians 3:28-29, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." For Paul to write these words shows the transformation that took place within him because of Jesus. Paul was a staunch Jew before he met Christ. He thought the Gentiles were scum and unworthy of God's mercy. He would never dare to say that they were Abraham's seed. But, after Christ changed him, Paul realized that labels cause division. Paul understood that Christ brought unity; therefore, the attitude Paul had towards the Gentiles changed. Instead of seeing them as scum, he saw them as people in desperate need of Jesus.
This is the message that the Church needs to lead the way with. True equality will not be achieved without Christ. We can try all we want to eliminate labels, but it won't happen because only Christ can eliminate the labels. Under Christ, we realize that we are nothing apart from him. He is the One who gives us purpose and meaning. He is the one brings us from death to life. He is the one who unifies us.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Heroic
Over the last couple of weeks in our country, there has been much debate over the definition of a hero. Because we all are different with different perspectives, the definition of hero is different as well.
But, today a woman passed away that embodies the very definition of heroic and her name was Elizabeth Elliot.
Now, you may be asking yourself, who is Elizabeth Elliot. You won't hear about her death on the news or read about it on social media, which is unfortunate. It is unfortunate because everyone should know this woman's story and be inspired by it.
In 1953, she married Jim Elliot in Ecuador. They were living there as missionaries to the Quechua Indians. These Indians were savage people who did not have much contact with the outside world. They were a primitive people who wanted to be left alone and fiercely protected themselves from intruders. In Jim Elliot and other missionaries attempted to reach out to these Indians with the love of Christ, in hopes to lead them to Christ. But, in 1956 tragedy struck. Jim Elliot and the other missionaries who were with him were killed by the Indians they were trying to reach. Now, imagine living in a strange land and your loved one had just been horribly killed by the very people you were showing love and kindness to. What would you do?
Here is what Elizabeth Elliot did: she learned the language of the Quechua and lived among them for two years! Most of us would pack up and leave. We would never think to live with the people who had killed our loved ones. But, Elizabeth Elliot was not most of us. She lived for a King who showed all of us what love was and how to love.
Not only did Elizabeth Elliot continue the work in Ecuador, but she also went on to right more than 20 books and was a highly demanded speaker. She also experienced the death of another husband, but still kept doing what her King called her to do.
Elizabeth knew and understood that she was radically loved by Jesus her King. She devoted her life to sharing that same radical love to anyone who would listen. Some may call her foolish for what she did, but I call her heroic. To be heroic is to face impossible odds. To be heroic is to take actions that may not be popular not make stands that are already acceptable. This was a woman who radically loved because she was radically loved. May we all be challenged by this woman to radically love even when it may not be popular. May we all be challenged by a life that did the seemingly foolish, but in reality was quite heroic. Thank you Elizabeth for showing us what being heroic was all about.
But, today a woman passed away that embodies the very definition of heroic and her name was Elizabeth Elliot.
Now, you may be asking yourself, who is Elizabeth Elliot. You won't hear about her death on the news or read about it on social media, which is unfortunate. It is unfortunate because everyone should know this woman's story and be inspired by it.
In 1953, she married Jim Elliot in Ecuador. They were living there as missionaries to the Quechua Indians. These Indians were savage people who did not have much contact with the outside world. They were a primitive people who wanted to be left alone and fiercely protected themselves from intruders. In Jim Elliot and other missionaries attempted to reach out to these Indians with the love of Christ, in hopes to lead them to Christ. But, in 1956 tragedy struck. Jim Elliot and the other missionaries who were with him were killed by the Indians they were trying to reach. Now, imagine living in a strange land and your loved one had just been horribly killed by the very people you were showing love and kindness to. What would you do?
Here is what Elizabeth Elliot did: she learned the language of the Quechua and lived among them for two years! Most of us would pack up and leave. We would never think to live with the people who had killed our loved ones. But, Elizabeth Elliot was not most of us. She lived for a King who showed all of us what love was and how to love.
Not only did Elizabeth Elliot continue the work in Ecuador, but she also went on to right more than 20 books and was a highly demanded speaker. She also experienced the death of another husband, but still kept doing what her King called her to do.
Elizabeth knew and understood that she was radically loved by Jesus her King. She devoted her life to sharing that same radical love to anyone who would listen. Some may call her foolish for what she did, but I call her heroic. To be heroic is to face impossible odds. To be heroic is to take actions that may not be popular not make stands that are already acceptable. This was a woman who radically loved because she was radically loved. May we all be challenged by this woman to radically love even when it may not be popular. May we all be challenged by a life that did the seemingly foolish, but in reality was quite heroic. Thank you Elizabeth for showing us what being heroic was all about.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
I'm done with church
I'm done with church. That sounds so weird coming from a pastor and it feels weird to write it. What I mean by it is I am done with the organized church that I see today.
Today, I saw a news story about a bull and horse-riding preacher in Ohio. In the story, the reporter asked him if this was some kind of gimmick to bring new people into the church. The preacher's answer was that Jesus said "compel them to come. He didn't say how to compel them." You can watch the entire story here: http://news.yahoo.com/video/ohio-pastor-rides-bulls-church-084852600.html
This is just one example of the many that are out there of churches attempting to attract new people to their congregations. I have even tried to use attractions to bring people into the church. But, I am tired of doing it and people are tired of our methods too. According to the latest Pew Survey, 23% of the United States are unaffiliated with any kind of religion. They are tired of our gimmicks.
Last week, I attended my denominational meetings in Maryland. Usually the week is spent sitting through business meetings with some spiritual challenges intermixed. But, this week was different. This week, other churches from around the world joined us and we joined together to come up with a new vision for our denomination which states: "The World Federation of Primitive Methodists exists to make disciples who make disciples. We also have a new Vision Statement: By 2020 we will be recognized as a global planting movement." This is an exciting time because no longer are we focused on attracting new people; rather, we are focused on a missional movement intended to further God's kingdom on this earth. We are focused on engaging those around us in hopes to bring them close to Christ by the way we live our lives.
Jesus said in Luke 10:2, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Jesus did not want us to sit in our institutions and do our religious activities in hopes that it would attract other people. Jesus did not tell us to use gimmicks; he told us to get to work. He told us to look at the harvest field and ask God for workers.
Jesus lived, died, and rose again so that we could work not be marketing gurus. Jesus was missional and he called his followers to be missional as well. He did not want his followers to sit back and attract people to the kingdom. The way he wanted his followers to compel people was by living out and preaching the Gospel, and these things take work.
I love the church and I want to see the Church be everything God called us to be. I don't want to see the Church rely on gimmicks and events; I want to see us be missional like our Master was and still is. Last week I was challenged to get my hands dirty not by my denomination, but by Jesus. Let's get our hands dirty together.
Today, I saw a news story about a bull and horse-riding preacher in Ohio. In the story, the reporter asked him if this was some kind of gimmick to bring new people into the church. The preacher's answer was that Jesus said "compel them to come. He didn't say how to compel them." You can watch the entire story here: http://news.yahoo.com/video/ohio-pastor-rides-bulls-church-084852600.html
This is just one example of the many that are out there of churches attempting to attract new people to their congregations. I have even tried to use attractions to bring people into the church. But, I am tired of doing it and people are tired of our methods too. According to the latest Pew Survey, 23% of the United States are unaffiliated with any kind of religion. They are tired of our gimmicks.
Last week, I attended my denominational meetings in Maryland. Usually the week is spent sitting through business meetings with some spiritual challenges intermixed. But, this week was different. This week, other churches from around the world joined us and we joined together to come up with a new vision for our denomination which states: "The World Federation of Primitive Methodists exists to make disciples who make disciples. We also have a new Vision Statement: By 2020 we will be recognized as a global planting movement." This is an exciting time because no longer are we focused on attracting new people; rather, we are focused on a missional movement intended to further God's kingdom on this earth. We are focused on engaging those around us in hopes to bring them close to Christ by the way we live our lives.
Jesus said in Luke 10:2, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Jesus did not want us to sit in our institutions and do our religious activities in hopes that it would attract other people. Jesus did not tell us to use gimmicks; he told us to get to work. He told us to look at the harvest field and ask God for workers.
Jesus lived, died, and rose again so that we could work not be marketing gurus. Jesus was missional and he called his followers to be missional as well. He did not want his followers to sit back and attract people to the kingdom. The way he wanted his followers to compel people was by living out and preaching the Gospel, and these things take work.
I love the church and I want to see the Church be everything God called us to be. I don't want to see the Church rely on gimmicks and events; I want to see us be missional like our Master was and still is. Last week I was challenged to get my hands dirty not by my denomination, but by Jesus. Let's get our hands dirty together.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Religious Freedom
Unless you live in a hole somewhere or not on social media at all, you have probably heard about Indiana and Arkansas' proposed bills to secure religious freedom for businesses. These bills have stirred up a lot of controversy across the country. There is public outcry that these bills should be vetoed, citing a return to the Jim Crow laws era of our country as a reason. Because I am from Arkansas, I thought I would write a post sharing my thoughts on these controversial bills and how Christians should respond.
First of all, let me say that I am not a proponent of the homosexual lifestyle nor am I a proponent of any lifestyle that is contrary to God's word. On the other hand, I am a proponent of people no matter what is going on in their lives. My goal in life is to serve Christ and to make much of him. What that means is I want everything in my life to be about Jesus and leading people close to Jesus. With that being said, I worry about the proposed bills coming out of Arkansas and Indiana.
In my book Millennial Gospel, I dedicate a whole chapter to moralism. Moralism started in the 1970s with the concept of the Moral Majority. The Moral Majority became a political force bent on restoring this country's moral compass. While the intent was noble, what happened over the years became less so. The Church began to preach morals before Jesus. Christians basically said, "Get cleaned up first and then you can meet Jesus." The problem with this line of thinking and teaching is that it's wrong. Jesus never preached this message. He did preach morals, but he preached embracing Him as Savior and Lord first. The reason he did it this way is because none of us are capable of cleaning ourselves up; only Jesus is capable of doing that. We come to Jesus dirty and stained with our sins, whatever those sins may be. If we come to Jesus in faith, He will be the one to clean us up. Look at the story of the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus started a conversation with her about living water and how much she needed it before he brought up her moral behavior. In John 8, a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. The religious leaders wanted to stone her, but Jesus did not condemn her. He treated both of these women as human beings. Now, we can't overlook the fact that he told them to leave their lives of sin, but the only way they were going to do that is by surrendering to him.
These proposed bills will not lead people closer to Jesus; they will do the exact opposite. Jesus never said that his followers were going to need religious freedom. Followers of Christ are set free from sin and death, but not this world. The early church was persecuted heavily because of their faith in Christ. Jesus himself was persecuted for his teachings. Jesus never experienced religious freedom nor did the apostles including Paul.
Speaking of Paul, he was a guy who lived among people whose morals he did not agree with. But, did that stop him from proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel? No! In fact, it motivated him to do it more and more. Also, he was a tent maker who made tents and sold them in the areas he was living in. He probably sold tents to people who worshiped idols, adulterers, drunks, homosexuals, etc. Why would he do this? Because he wanted to use anything he could to lead someone closer the life-changing person of Jesus Christ. Did that mean Paul accepted people's lifestyles? Of course not. He didn't accept his own shortcomings (Read Romans 7). Paul knew that he was not going to change anyone; it was Jesus' job to do the changing.
Moving forward, Christians should not be silent about what they believe in. Paul said in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew then for the Gentile." We should never back down from God's Word and we have to hold firm to that. On the other hand, we need to make sure that it is God's Word that we are spreading not our own agendas. God loves people. We are all His creation. Therefore, He desires that all will be saved (I Timothy 2:4). So, whatever we do we should do it all for the glory of God in hopes to lead others to him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
When Israel was exiled to Babylon, God told them to make homes there. He told them to settle down and start a new life there. The purpose? So that Israel could lead the Babylonians to the gracious and loving arms of God. We need to use every avenue we can to lead people to Christ. Now, there are certain things that we cannot compromise on nor should we be forced to by the government. But, we also need to remember that Christians belong to a different kingdom, a kingdom that is not of this world. Let us be like Paul, who was a tent maker for Christ. He used his business to lead others to Christ. Just because a product is sold to someone does not mean that we are endorsing their lifestyle or anything else they do. Christians can see it as being a light for Christ.
First of all, let me say that I am not a proponent of the homosexual lifestyle nor am I a proponent of any lifestyle that is contrary to God's word. On the other hand, I am a proponent of people no matter what is going on in their lives. My goal in life is to serve Christ and to make much of him. What that means is I want everything in my life to be about Jesus and leading people close to Jesus. With that being said, I worry about the proposed bills coming out of Arkansas and Indiana.
In my book Millennial Gospel, I dedicate a whole chapter to moralism. Moralism started in the 1970s with the concept of the Moral Majority. The Moral Majority became a political force bent on restoring this country's moral compass. While the intent was noble, what happened over the years became less so. The Church began to preach morals before Jesus. Christians basically said, "Get cleaned up first and then you can meet Jesus." The problem with this line of thinking and teaching is that it's wrong. Jesus never preached this message. He did preach morals, but he preached embracing Him as Savior and Lord first. The reason he did it this way is because none of us are capable of cleaning ourselves up; only Jesus is capable of doing that. We come to Jesus dirty and stained with our sins, whatever those sins may be. If we come to Jesus in faith, He will be the one to clean us up. Look at the story of the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus started a conversation with her about living water and how much she needed it before he brought up her moral behavior. In John 8, a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. The religious leaders wanted to stone her, but Jesus did not condemn her. He treated both of these women as human beings. Now, we can't overlook the fact that he told them to leave their lives of sin, but the only way they were going to do that is by surrendering to him.
These proposed bills will not lead people closer to Jesus; they will do the exact opposite. Jesus never said that his followers were going to need religious freedom. Followers of Christ are set free from sin and death, but not this world. The early church was persecuted heavily because of their faith in Christ. Jesus himself was persecuted for his teachings. Jesus never experienced religious freedom nor did the apostles including Paul.
Speaking of Paul, he was a guy who lived among people whose morals he did not agree with. But, did that stop him from proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel? No! In fact, it motivated him to do it more and more. Also, he was a tent maker who made tents and sold them in the areas he was living in. He probably sold tents to people who worshiped idols, adulterers, drunks, homosexuals, etc. Why would he do this? Because he wanted to use anything he could to lead someone closer the life-changing person of Jesus Christ. Did that mean Paul accepted people's lifestyles? Of course not. He didn't accept his own shortcomings (Read Romans 7). Paul knew that he was not going to change anyone; it was Jesus' job to do the changing.
Moving forward, Christians should not be silent about what they believe in. Paul said in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew then for the Gentile." We should never back down from God's Word and we have to hold firm to that. On the other hand, we need to make sure that it is God's Word that we are spreading not our own agendas. God loves people. We are all His creation. Therefore, He desires that all will be saved (I Timothy 2:4). So, whatever we do we should do it all for the glory of God in hopes to lead others to him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
When Israel was exiled to Babylon, God told them to make homes there. He told them to settle down and start a new life there. The purpose? So that Israel could lead the Babylonians to the gracious and loving arms of God. We need to use every avenue we can to lead people to Christ. Now, there are certain things that we cannot compromise on nor should we be forced to by the government. But, we also need to remember that Christians belong to a different kingdom, a kingdom that is not of this world. Let us be like Paul, who was a tent maker for Christ. He used his business to lead others to Christ. Just because a product is sold to someone does not mean that we are endorsing their lifestyle or anything else they do. Christians can see it as being a light for Christ.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Lessons in Laughing
Have you ever laughed at yourself? There are plenty of times in my life where I have laughed at the decisions I made or the things I said. It is through those times that lessons can be learned through laughter.
Recently, my wife and I were trying to decide on a movie to watch on a Friday night. Our kids were in bed and watching a movie in our quiet house is a little piece of heaven for us. We searched through several movie titles, but nothing caught our attention until we came across a movie called Believe Me. The synopsis sounded interesting to us and we thought we would give it a try. The basic plot is about a college student about to graduate who recruits his friends to help him pay off some unforeseen debt. The debt would keep him from graduating, delaying his plans to attend law school in the fall. He goes to church because he is invited by someone and hears a girl talk about the church's upcoming mission trip to Hawaii (real tough, I know). Sam, the college student, asks the girl after the service about the trip, specifically how much money they had raised so far. The group had to raise $20,000 and they had already raised $14,000 in a week. And, this is where the light bulb goes off in Sam's head.
The rest of the movie is about Sam and his friends creating a fake charity to raise the money Sam needs to pay off his tuition bill. Along the way, the group learns the ins and outs of Christianity even though they don't believe themselves. What's entertaining about this movie is that it takes an honest look at some of the things we do as Christians and encourages us to laugh at ourselves so that maybe we can learn some lessons along the way. Sam and his group take us on a journey into Christianity through the eyes of the unbeliever and what it does is helps us see the things we do in an honest way, challenging us to rethink some of the things we do.
This movie was an honest Christian movie. The one thing I loved about it was that the Jesus moment (if you've seen a Christian movie, you know what I'm talking about) felt real and not forced. Most Christian movies I have seen have a Gospel presentation that seems out of place and forced. In Believe Me, it was quite the opposite. Sam has a real encounter with Jesus and he was not given a Gospel presentation with an invitation to accept Jesus into his heart. He encountered Jesus in a real way, realizing that paying off his school bill was not the ultimate goal in life. He realized that law school was not what life was all about. He realized that Jesus was life.
People need a real encounter with Jesus and if we, his followers, continue to do things that don't make sense to people, the greater the distance between people and the church will be. We need to laugh at ourselves and admit that maybe some of the things we do are a little silly. Being humble enough to be honest with ourselves is the first step in the right direction. The Church in this country needs a new direction. People today want to change the world and the Church was designed to be an agent of change. We don't need more pastors who ask for a new jet or churches who are exclusive social clubs. We need to stop focusing on our numbers and start focusing on people. We need to laugh at ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and let the Holy Spirit teach us and use us to reach new generations for the kingdom of God.
Recently, my wife and I were trying to decide on a movie to watch on a Friday night. Our kids were in bed and watching a movie in our quiet house is a little piece of heaven for us. We searched through several movie titles, but nothing caught our attention until we came across a movie called Believe Me. The synopsis sounded interesting to us and we thought we would give it a try. The basic plot is about a college student about to graduate who recruits his friends to help him pay off some unforeseen debt. The debt would keep him from graduating, delaying his plans to attend law school in the fall. He goes to church because he is invited by someone and hears a girl talk about the church's upcoming mission trip to Hawaii (real tough, I know). Sam, the college student, asks the girl after the service about the trip, specifically how much money they had raised so far. The group had to raise $20,000 and they had already raised $14,000 in a week. And, this is where the light bulb goes off in Sam's head.
The rest of the movie is about Sam and his friends creating a fake charity to raise the money Sam needs to pay off his tuition bill. Along the way, the group learns the ins and outs of Christianity even though they don't believe themselves. What's entertaining about this movie is that it takes an honest look at some of the things we do as Christians and encourages us to laugh at ourselves so that maybe we can learn some lessons along the way. Sam and his group take us on a journey into Christianity through the eyes of the unbeliever and what it does is helps us see the things we do in an honest way, challenging us to rethink some of the things we do.
This movie was an honest Christian movie. The one thing I loved about it was that the Jesus moment (if you've seen a Christian movie, you know what I'm talking about) felt real and not forced. Most Christian movies I have seen have a Gospel presentation that seems out of place and forced. In Believe Me, it was quite the opposite. Sam has a real encounter with Jesus and he was not given a Gospel presentation with an invitation to accept Jesus into his heart. He encountered Jesus in a real way, realizing that paying off his school bill was not the ultimate goal in life. He realized that law school was not what life was all about. He realized that Jesus was life.
People need a real encounter with Jesus and if we, his followers, continue to do things that don't make sense to people, the greater the distance between people and the church will be. We need to laugh at ourselves and admit that maybe some of the things we do are a little silly. Being humble enough to be honest with ourselves is the first step in the right direction. The Church in this country needs a new direction. People today want to change the world and the Church was designed to be an agent of change. We don't need more pastors who ask for a new jet or churches who are exclusive social clubs. We need to stop focusing on our numbers and start focusing on people. We need to laugh at ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and let the Holy Spirit teach us and use us to reach new generations for the kingdom of God.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Larger than Life
If you know anything about comic book people, you know that we don't like change very much. Anytime there are changes to the heroes we love, we freak out. There is an uproar about the new Fantastic Four movie released this summer. Photos are starting to be released of the actors in their superhero suits (you can view the pictures here: http://geektyrant.com/news/four-more-photos-from-fantastic-four-to-fuel-fan-outrage). The problem is that the costumes are not the classic costumes of these heroes. In fact, no one has even seen a 4 anywhere on these costumes. So, as you can imagine, comic fans are not too impressed with these changes. And this is not the only time changes like this have occurred.
Superman has been the hero for me since I was little. But, today, was heartbreaking for me. DC Comics released an image of Superman's new suit and you can see that here:
I understand what they are trying to do: they are trying to make Superman so we can relate to him easier. Putting him jeans and a t-shirt makes him look like an average Joe who happens to have powers. But, I don't want that from my heroes. I want my heroes to be larger than life.
So, this got me thinking today. I got to thinking, "In my walk with Christ, is Jesus larger than life?" Is Jesus larger than life in your walk? Is Jesus larger than life in our churches?
The younger generations are leaving the church or not even thinking about church and one of the reasons is that we have watered down Jesus. Our God is no longer the transcendent God who created the universe nor the one that the Psalms speak of. God is our homeboy and our buddy. God is our sugar daddy that we can ask anything of to satisfy our spoiled cravings and He will give it to us because He wants us to be happy.
We wear the t-shirts that say Jesus is our Superhero then go to church on Sunday, sing funeral dirges, barely keep our eyes open, and anxiously look at our watches to see how much longer the service is. Is it any wonder people don't want to go to church?
I have worn the shirts, barely kept my eyes open, and anxiously wondered when we will sing the last verse of Just As I Am. I still struggle with this attitude at times as well. So, why is God so boring?
I think the reason God appears so boring is because we have portrayed him that way through our actions and attitudes. We dumb down God in order for him to be relevant. We water Him down so that people can relate to him more. But, I don't want to relate to God. I want to be saved by God.
We don't need to dumb down God and people don't want us to either. People want someone that is larger than life. A god who is less than larger than life is incapable of saving us. When we water down God, we make him into our image. And, when we make him into our image, he is powerless to save us because we are more powerful than he is. People are looking for a god who is real and tangible, but at the same time impossible to grasp or fully comprehend. That is kind of God that is mighty to save.
We need to stop putting God in our boxes and surrendering to His majesty. When we surrender to that God, then the thought that He would draw near to us through the person of Jesus Christ becomes almost overwhelming. We can say along with David, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him" (Psalm 8:3-4)?
I don't want my Superman wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I certainly don't want my God to be anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting, gracious and merciful God of the Scriptures; we don't need anything less than that.
Superman has been the hero for me since I was little. But, today, was heartbreaking for me. DC Comics released an image of Superman's new suit and you can see that here: I understand what they are trying to do: they are trying to make Superman so we can relate to him easier. Putting him jeans and a t-shirt makes him look like an average Joe who happens to have powers. But, I don't want that from my heroes. I want my heroes to be larger than life.
So, this got me thinking today. I got to thinking, "In my walk with Christ, is Jesus larger than life?" Is Jesus larger than life in your walk? Is Jesus larger than life in our churches?
The younger generations are leaving the church or not even thinking about church and one of the reasons is that we have watered down Jesus. Our God is no longer the transcendent God who created the universe nor the one that the Psalms speak of. God is our homeboy and our buddy. God is our sugar daddy that we can ask anything of to satisfy our spoiled cravings and He will give it to us because He wants us to be happy.
We wear the t-shirts that say Jesus is our Superhero then go to church on Sunday, sing funeral dirges, barely keep our eyes open, and anxiously look at our watches to see how much longer the service is. Is it any wonder people don't want to go to church?
I have worn the shirts, barely kept my eyes open, and anxiously wondered when we will sing the last verse of Just As I Am. I still struggle with this attitude at times as well. So, why is God so boring?
I think the reason God appears so boring is because we have portrayed him that way through our actions and attitudes. We dumb down God in order for him to be relevant. We water Him down so that people can relate to him more. But, I don't want to relate to God. I want to be saved by God.
We don't need to dumb down God and people don't want us to either. People want someone that is larger than life. A god who is less than larger than life is incapable of saving us. When we water down God, we make him into our image. And, when we make him into our image, he is powerless to save us because we are more powerful than he is. People are looking for a god who is real and tangible, but at the same time impossible to grasp or fully comprehend. That is kind of God that is mighty to save.
We need to stop putting God in our boxes and surrendering to His majesty. When we surrender to that God, then the thought that He would draw near to us through the person of Jesus Christ becomes almost overwhelming. We can say along with David, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him" (Psalm 8:3-4)?
I don't want my Superman wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I certainly don't want my God to be anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting, gracious and merciful God of the Scriptures; we don't need anything less than that.
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