beer, dancing, fireworks

Last year at some point I was talking with a friend of mine who works with college age students at a church. We actually work at the same church, but that isn't very important.

we began discussing what might make an interesting series to talk on.. and allo of a sudden a phrase shot out of my mouth.

"We like beer and dancing"

The whole concept was to talk about some different cultural traits and stereotypes that are often times embodied by the church.

the title has two components that symbolize larger components...

beer:

The topic of alcohol consumption can be a very touchy one inside a church. It is a crossing of faith with a dash of puritanical splendor, and culture. So this concept represents those topics that can cause extreme division... other such topics would be; tobacco use, politics, homosexuality, worship style,

... those things that cause division

dancing:

The topic of dancing can also be touchy, but is a less dividing area. Once again it crosses faith with culture, but it represents those topics that have been largely accepted by the church or that people choose not to be overly concerned with. Others would be; secular music, R rated movies, drinking wine, boys with long hair, girls wearing pants

... those things that cause division, but we can deal with

We have created two lists - those things we can deal with and those things that cause division

Here is the deal...

I don't really care about the specifics or behaviors and preferences that people have with these different topics. It is interesting to learn about what their preferences are, but if they cannot be discussed or if they become a higher priority than other more crucial aspects of faith... we gots us a problem.

When our primary focus in faith becomes behavior modification, we will find ourselves in a tough place. Our behaviors should be reactionary. This means they are to be caused by something. As christians, we tie our faith in God to His love and sacrifice for us. We make that claim all the time... but if that was true, I think things would look different...

about 3 and a half years ago I had an eye-opening realization.

I had been trying to follow Christ's teachings for several years, and had been raised up learning all the bible stories and listening to countless sermons.... I thought I knew a lot about Jesus and his teachings and life, and was rather comfortable with that... I had been working with youth at church, mentoring high school and college students in their faith, been doing intensive international mission work in Latin America, and was looking to work with a local ministry....

...and....

I realized I had no idea who Jesus was (this was very humbling)... and I began looking for answers...

my world was rocked... I started learning about who Jesus really was, the significance of his teachings in their proper context, the severity of dedication required to be his disciple, the lenths to which he was willing to go to bring people into new life in him. He was open and honest, loving, passionate... he would humiliate false religous leaders and directly oppose the corrupt religous orgnizations of the time.. turning tables, calling them sons of hell.... flannel graph that one.

(one book that helped a lot with this (both with questions and answers) was The Jesus of Suburbia by Mike Erre )

read it.

So.... how does all this tie together. I think that it does, so let me give it a shot...

If we are not reacting to a legitimate faith in Christ and desire to serve him, we will begin creating issues to be proactively interested in. This is legalism. We have done this. We have picked minor social issues and made it clear that if you follow Christ you will do this, this, and this... and you will not do that, that, or that.

The lines are made very clear and simple.

This is not the way of the cross.

When we are legitimately reacting to a faith in Christ (the real Christ) and we desire to serve him... these minor social issues are not the primary concern... issues of love, justice, mercy, and compassion become a primary focus. It is a reaction.

If you light off fireworks the flame will cause a reaction which will produce a brilliant response.

If there is no flame, there is no reaction.

the same is true for our faith... and we are farting around with sparklers while the big ooh ahh is jsut waiting to be set off.

if we aren't reacting to "the flame"... beer and dancing should be the least of our concerns.

mostaza

Wow...

disclaimer: This might offend some.

In reviewing my life over the past couple years and comparing it to the other 23... I feel pretty confident saying that this has been the most difficult season of my life. A very long season also. An ecclesiastical ass kicking. Some of you will remember that I was sent out of Costa Rica to be a missionary in the TwinCities... I knew I was going to somehow act as a bridge between the church and the city but I did not have any idea that I was going to be planted in the (sarcastically) plush and vibrant soil of a suburban mega church. ouch. I have been in this environment for almost 2 complete years now.. this is the longest I have been in one spot since 2005.. and what a spot to be in... the north american evangelical suburban mega church has become my mission field and I need your prayers.

While many of the words in "north american evangelical suburban mega church" are scary.. the section that has caused the most pain and deception is "north american"

This is not because we are being attacked by the paganistic culture of the north american seculars, it is because we ( the north american "church" at large) have become a product of the culture. We are just the religious flavor a of a consumeristic society.

One of my current favorite authors, Mike Erre, pastor of Rock Harbor church in Costa Mesa, CA. puts it this way in Death by Church.. and I agree.
"We are now realizing that the monster of consumerism in the church is the monster we helped create. We ( "christians" ) built the church on a consumerist model, which focused on comfort and convenience and attracted a middle-class audience that demanded safety and security. In effect, the people came to the services to be fed. the church became a feeding trough, and the members grew comfortable, fat, and lazy. this made embracing the need to focus outward and be missional a tough sell. Ironically, Jesus took just the opposite tack - following Him was dangerous and costly. he didn't always make His messages easy for everyone to grasp. He didn't make people comfortable, and He was often carving away followers rather than attracting new ones. Sadly, in today's church, the vast majority of the church's growth comes form "church hoppers" - people who move from one church to another based on comfort and preference. in other words, we're stealing sheep instead of going out and making new disciples."


I think there is wisdom for us to reevaluate our lives and the culture of our congregations and ask ourselves "Is this what the bride of Christ is meant to be?"

Worst case scenario.... we realize we have fallen far from what Jesus called us to as His followers and we can begin to repent and move toward His calling. We can lay out the cost of what it means to be a disciple and either commit to that life or turn away from it. There is no middle ground.

Best case scenario.... you realize that you are in fact walking out the mandate, and loving God with all your heart, soul, and might in a state of re-dedication to the Lord, and doing so in a corporate movement along with other Christ followers who are ushering the kingdom of God into this world and demonstrating His love in grace in unimaginable ways. Good job, I'd love to hear more.

What if the Jesus we have come to worship in the "north american evangelical suburban mega church" is an idol? what if we have softened our perception of Christ so drastically for the sake of "reaching others" and being "seeker sensitive" that we have muffled His true calling and the actual cost of being His disciple? What if we have forfeited the Jesus of Nazareth for the Jesus of Suburbia? (another good book)

well.. maybe I am just blowing off steam, but I hope that is not the case.. I hope that someone will read this, feel uncomfortable, ask questions, and start the dangerous task of following Christ.

...or I hope a revolutionary seeking Christ will read this and find comfort knowing that they are not alone or crazy in thinking that there is something more out there than the candy coated gospel of the caucasian christ.

peace and love.

-Jreux