Our nation just recently celebrated it's independence. While I am as patriotic as the next person and as apt to spend money on fireworks and food to celebrate, I've taken notice of something in the last couple of years.
I've always been the "good baptist," up until the past couple of years, I'd get a tear in my eye when "God Bless America" was sung or the American flag was unfurled on stage. It's what I've been accustomed to these past 30 years of attending a Baptist Church. It's what I see from most churches in my area. It must be a Southern thing, an established tradition, cuz that's what we do.
I want to keep it real. This is not an attack on any church, any pastor, any believer; this is an introspection that I believe the Lord would have all of us reflect on.
What are we (American Christians) more concerned about? What are we worshipping?
I'll make this note, I see more Christians get fired up for church when a patriotic song is played than I see them get fired up when a mission team is sent out, or a need is lifted to the church. I hear more "Amens" and hand raises when a pastor speaks of the need to bring America back to God, than I do for when a pastor calls for needs to be met within the body or when volunteers are needed for the inner-city backyard Bible club.
*In America, there are very few Christians who are willing to get their hands dirty.*
What do I mean?
I'm saying that when the rubber meets the road, many American Christians throw money at the problem or run from it all together. I lump myself into that category too.
God calls us to something and we try to weasel our way out of it, or we substitute our offering or a gift for it.
We may not all be called to Zimbabwe or the Philippines, but we are dang sure called to the guy next to us in the bullpen at work, the teacher down the hall, our neighbors across the street, or the thousands of other people we come into contact with daily.
We "amen" when the pastor says America needs God, but we aren't doing anything to show them.
I think part of it shows in our commitment to our local body of believers. We treat church like a gas station and only visit when we need to fuel up. We don't invest in the lives of our fellow members, we don't invest in our community.
We pay our pastors to do that kind of stuff, right?
Wrong.
Your pastor can't single-handedly reach your community. In all honesty, your pastor can't single-handedly reach your whole church, no matter the size. It's our job as the hands and feet of the Father to do those kinds of things. The Bible tells us to care for the orphans and the widows. I can tell you, we aren't doing that. There's too many kids in group homes and foster care to account for that failure, but that's another topic for another day.
We've pimped out the Bible to make it read how we think it should. The way we've manipulated it, you'd think that God brought America out of Egypt and had them wander the desert. Sorry folks, sorry Kalon, that was Israel.
We've got to get American Christianity back to a Biblical perspective. The theology of our belief is rooted and bound in the Bible, so we must abandon anything that is not. Over the years, I think we've adopted the thinking that if it's Christian, or sounds Christian, it must be in line with what God wants. The only way you're going to know that is if it checks up against the Bible.
Maybe we need to drop the whole American concept. If you go overseas, you don't meet Christians who label themselves in such a way. You meet Christians who are sold out for Jesus, who walk the streets not knowing if they'll be killed for walking with Jesus.
May be that's it, may be we are too comfortable.
Maybe it's time for us to quit it with the casual Christianity, besides I think that is something that Jesus himself speaks to...
*“"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"”*
Revelation 3:15-22 ESV
No comments:
Post a Comment