What happened to the church? I mean that, what happened to the church I used to know? When did we scrap the Hymnals, convicting sermons, and closeness that used to define churches? It's like overnight the church has become a commercialized event, that is more entertainment than house of God. Remember the last time this happened? Jesus was furious and destroyed everything in the Temple. Now, I'm not saying that anyone is selling animals in churches or anything, but we are doing the modern day equivalent. Book stores, coffee shops, and million dollar youth rec. centers now run rampant in churches all across America. Most churches wouldn't be caught dead without coffee and doughnuts for their parishioners, but they would never think to give that money to the people that need it most. I'm pretty sure than when the Bible talks about giving back to God, it's not so those giving the money will benefit more; but, we do it anyway. Why you might ask? It makes us feel good that's why! That's right, people get a warm fuzzy feeling when they drop their weekly check in the offering plate as it goes by. We feel as though we have done good by "giving back to God". We trick ourselves into believing that the money we give is going to God's work...cause I remember God telling us to give in order that believers may benefit...don't you? People have somehow missed the commandments to help the poor and who cant help themselves. I have been hearing sermons almost every Sunday since I was born, and I have yet to hear a sermon on giving to the poor. I have heard multiple sermons about giving our "10%" and giving to the church, but nothing about giving to those outside the church. Did we somehow miss that God's whole life was spent healing the poor, feeding the hungry, and befriending prostitutes and tax collectors? I feel as though we have, because those are the same people the church loves to ignore.
Well, I have a test to study for so I need to go. This is not the end of my thoughts on this subject, so I will be writing more later. Until that time, please think about this and what you can do to end this epidemic in our churches. Thanks, much love.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Where have all the mature believers gone?
What happened to having mature conversations between believers? Seriously! I'm fed up with the people over at the christianity.com forums. They have warned me and Chase because we made violations to the website rules. What are our violations you might ask? Well, I started a feed on "Is swearing wrong?" and said s*** and crap in one of my posts. I said them as an example to explain my point, not to be vulgar. I compared the two words to prove mt point. My comments were read out of context and I was warned for breaking the rules. Needless to say that this didn't sit well with me and Chase. So Chase tried to put a link to his blog so we could talk about it there. They people in charge liked this even less, so they kicked Chase off the forums completely. At this point I was so frustrated I didn't much care what that people at christianity.com said. So I started posting for Chase. This led to a warning again and they told me to not discuss the matter on public forums. So I proceeded to post a reply that said, "I love the censorship of this website. Yah for no freedom of speech!" A few minutes after this happened I was kicked off the site for good. I was not allowed to explain or give a reason for my actions, I was just removed. Narrow-minded enough for you? When did Christians become so narrow-minded that we can't even have adult conversations anymore? I find it childish and completely ridiculous. It's like people don't want us to ask questions about our faith but just accept it. I find that very dangerous and harmful. If we don't ask questions, then it's not our own faith; and, if we don't have our own faith, then who's is it?
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
What is a missionary?
What is a missionary to you? When I say missionary, what comes to your mind? Many people I know, when asked this question, would say that a missionary is someone who spreads the gospel to people all over the world. This is true, but this should only be part of the definition. The sad reality is that for many people, missionaries and non-missionaries alike, this is all they do. Now don't get me wrong, I am all for preaching the gospel. We are commanded to do it and it is necessary to do as Christians. We are called to do much more than this though. We are called to minister to the whole needs of a person. In the Hebrew language the word for this is "Shalom". "Shalom" basically means being whole in every area of life. This includes wholeness of spirit, body and emotion. This idea of "Shalom" was God's original plan when he created the earth. Everything was to be whole and complete. When Adam and Eve sinned, that wholeness was broken. I believe that we as Christians are called to try to restore that wholeness in people's lives.
The problem is that many missionaries don't see people's needs as being multi-layered. My biggest problem with some missionaries today is that they think church planting is all that needs to be done. I understand that they have good intentions, but this makes no sense. Let me give you a real life example, I talked to someone about a year back that had just returned from a trip to Africa. She said that she had to be very careful about calling herself a while she was there, because the term "missionary" had a very negative connotation. This was because there had been many missionaries to the areas she had visited in the past that came only to build churches. She said that there were people all around that had no clean water, were starving, and had no houses to live in. Despite all of this need, the only thing the missionaries did was build churches! Are you kidding me?!?! The missionaries were so driven by their own agenda, that they failed to see the needs of the people all around them. This begs the questions: "If the people are dying, how will they come to know Christ?" and, "Is someone having a building to worship in more important than daily food and water?"
The needs in the community I spoke of were not being met. Therefore people were not coming to Christ, because there was no love shown for them. These missionaries came in, built churches, and left. There was no concern for the physical and emotional needs for the people. The people saw this as the missionaries not caring for them, so they developed this negative feeling towards missionaries in general. I find this to be very upsetting. How could such great needs go so unmet? How could they ignore the suffering and poverty around them? I can not answer these questions, so my goal is to change people's view of missionaries.
I want a missionary to be known as a person that shows God's love through teaching, assisting, counselling, and preaching to the people that need it the most. It is proven that people who are helped at the same time they are ministered to, are much more likely to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. So that is my mission, to change what people view as missions and missionaries. I want to be a missionary, but I don't want to build churches. I want to help people become self-sufficient and through this, show them the love of God. After all, it was the poor, sick, and outcasts that Jesus ministered to the most.
I'm a crazy hippie that wants to spread God's love "to the least of these"...so don't try to get in my way.
The problem is that many missionaries don't see people's needs as being multi-layered. My biggest problem with some missionaries today is that they think church planting is all that needs to be done. I understand that they have good intentions, but this makes no sense. Let me give you a real life example, I talked to someone about a year back that had just returned from a trip to Africa. She said that she had to be very careful about calling herself a while she was there, because the term "missionary" had a very negative connotation. This was because there had been many missionaries to the areas she had visited in the past that came only to build churches. She said that there were people all around that had no clean water, were starving, and had no houses to live in. Despite all of this need, the only thing the missionaries did was build churches! Are you kidding me?!?! The missionaries were so driven by their own agenda, that they failed to see the needs of the people all around them. This begs the questions: "If the people are dying, how will they come to know Christ?" and, "Is someone having a building to worship in more important than daily food and water?"
The needs in the community I spoke of were not being met. Therefore people were not coming to Christ, because there was no love shown for them. These missionaries came in, built churches, and left. There was no concern for the physical and emotional needs for the people. The people saw this as the missionaries not caring for them, so they developed this negative feeling towards missionaries in general. I find this to be very upsetting. How could such great needs go so unmet? How could they ignore the suffering and poverty around them? I can not answer these questions, so my goal is to change people's view of missionaries.
I want a missionary to be known as a person that shows God's love through teaching, assisting, counselling, and preaching to the people that need it the most. It is proven that people who are helped at the same time they are ministered to, are much more likely to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. So that is my mission, to change what people view as missions and missionaries. I want to be a missionary, but I don't want to build churches. I want to help people become self-sufficient and through this, show them the love of God. After all, it was the poor, sick, and outcasts that Jesus ministered to the most.
I'm a crazy hippie that wants to spread God's love "to the least of these"...so don't try to get in my way.
Why do people use the term "Christian"?
Something I have been struggling with lately is the term "Christian". Most people with the same basic beliefs as me would call themselves a Christan. Why do we call ourselves Christians? It's funny when you begin to think about it because most people have no idea where the term "Christian" comes from. From talking with professors and doing reading of my own, I have gathered what seems to be an accurate explanation of the word "Christian". In the Greek, it means "little Christ". My theology professor, Dr. Eckley, said that in the time not too long after Christ's death people were many times deemed "little ______" (depending who or what they followed). For example, some people were called Herodians because they supported Herodian rulers. Therefore, they were "little Herods". I really liked this thought of Christians being little Christs. At the same time, however, it disturbed me. How many people claim to be Christians, yet show no signs of Christ-likeness? I can imagine that God would be ashamed at these people claiming to be "little Christs".
This issue is the reason why I have started to dislike the term Christian for myself. I feel ashamed that I would even attempt to compare myself to Christ. I am not worthy of being called a "little Christ"; in fact, no one is. That is why I have started to detour from the term "Christian". Now I want to make it clear that I find nothing wrong with people who call themselves Christian. I just feel for myself, that I would rather be called a follower of Christ, or follower of the Way, as many were deemed in the New testament (Acts 9:2; Acts 24:14, 22). Another reason for detouring from the term "Christian" is that many people throughout the world, especially Middle Eastern countries, call America a Christian country. I understand why they say this, but I feel that America is far from being Christian. I don't want to be seen as the same religion as many people in America. Lastly, like Muslims, Christians are often thought of as all thinking the same. This couldn't be further from the truth. There is such a vast difference between some people that call themselves Christians. I want to be known for my faith, not someone else's.
I would like to know how other people feel about the name "Christian". What is your reaction to the origin of the word? If you are a follower or Christ, how do you feel about being called a Christian? I am especially interested in the opinions of people who are not followers of Christ: If you are not a follower of Christ, what does the term "Christian" bring to mind? Does the word "Christian" have a positive meaning? Anything that you thought while reading this post would be greatly appreciated. Please comment!
This issue is the reason why I have started to dislike the term Christian for myself. I feel ashamed that I would even attempt to compare myself to Christ. I am not worthy of being called a "little Christ"; in fact, no one is. That is why I have started to detour from the term "Christian". Now I want to make it clear that I find nothing wrong with people who call themselves Christian. I just feel for myself, that I would rather be called a follower of Christ, or follower of the Way, as many were deemed in the New testament (Acts 9:2; Acts 24:14, 22). Another reason for detouring from the term "Christian" is that many people throughout the world, especially Middle Eastern countries, call America a Christian country. I understand why they say this, but I feel that America is far from being Christian. I don't want to be seen as the same religion as many people in America. Lastly, like Muslims, Christians are often thought of as all thinking the same. This couldn't be further from the truth. There is such a vast difference between some people that call themselves Christians. I want to be known for my faith, not someone else's.
I would like to know how other people feel about the name "Christian". What is your reaction to the origin of the word? If you are a follower or Christ, how do you feel about being called a Christian? I am especially interested in the opinions of people who are not followers of Christ: If you are not a follower of Christ, what does the term "Christian" bring to mind? Does the word "Christian" have a positive meaning? Anything that you thought while reading this post would be greatly appreciated. Please comment!
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