Really?

Just been talking to a 'Christian' who thought they might put me straight - not that they asked me whether I needed to be put straight or even had the grace to find out if I agreed with their views before they launched into their view of what Church should be.

And it goes like this (don't think she even stopped for breath):

'Church needs to stop being so sexist and stop being homophobic and stop supporting Israel and stop being so stuck in the past and should realise that marriage isn't the norm' anymore and should lock up all the paedophile priests and get rid of the Pope and stop lending money to people that can't afford to pay it back and should stop trying to make everyone feel guilty just because they are having fun and should leave Christmas alone and stop going on about God and Jesus and making everyone feel like they're doing it all wrong.

If Church just told everyone that they're doing alright and got on with helping the poor and doing what it was supposed to do then it would be more popular!'

So I asked if they were Christian and the response was in the affirmative.

So I asked what church they attended (thinking of praying for their pastor/minister/priest) and the response was, 'Oh, I don't go to church, I don't believe in God!'

'But you started by telling me that you were a Christian,' said I (just a little confused by now).

Her response placed the cherry on the whole pile of patisserie she had just baked for me:
'I am, I was christened!'

So I thanked her for her advice and said I'd pass it on (Justin, Ruth, Gavin - are you watching?) and left her to her campaign of world domination and the sunshine (and looked for a suitable wall to bang my head against)

And it's only ten to nine in the morning!!!!!!

ps. assume the lending bit referred to Wonga - glad Justin has stopped doing that :-)

Sticks and Stones hurt: Words condemn and deny!

It's sad that the source of much of the cruelest 'anti Christian' utterances I encounter comes from the lips of those who consider themselves to be Christian!

You probably know those of whom I speak - they live alongside you, probably wearing a fish badge, cross or some other Christian symbol (and a fish on the car too).

The problem lies in that what they say isn't Christian (even though it might sound it) and the fruit of their finger-pointing condemnation is the wounding of people and the very denial of what Christianity is about.
They mean well (so did Hitler, as my Dad used to say!) and are often repeating what they hear from the pulpits in their 'heaven assured' gatherings.

Sadly (or is that thankfully?) wrong opinions are not restricted to 'Christians' as some experiences over the past week shows for:

I heard someone talking about how Eastern Europeans are the new 'people of colour' (not quite how they said it!) and they seemed offended that I was offended by that view!

I found those who mastered in the fine art of the ad hominem - the ability to tear down and discount others because they live in the wrong place (physically and spiritually) were unemployed, addicted, marginalised and the like.

I heard those who claim to be Christian proclaiming that '_____________' [insert issue] was THE defining sin!

Having defined the 'one true defining sin' they droned on about how God would whip the sinners behindsides and how they (the sinners) were going to burn in hell (have to define who 'they' is because I'm not so sure who the burnees are going to be).

Here's my thesis statement*:

'Jesus came into the world to save sinners+.'

These words, from 1 Timothy 1.15, sit well with so many of those who like to proclaim God's mercy towards a fallen and sinful world. What makes it better is that the words come from Paul (so they must be right)!

Betterer still is that the words are, as Paul tells us, 'trustworthy' and ought to be made our own. Add to this thinking the words of John 3.16 (which explicitly states that Jesus came not to condemn but redeem sinners) and we have guidance in the way that we (as Christians) deal with, and relate to, those who are caught in sin (and aren't we all?)!

For those us you who like to point at 'sinners'. What we should be saying is:

 'These are the very people Jesus came into the world to save and reconcile to God - not condemn!'

(please note - this does not make us 'permissive' - inclusive and loving Church is not permissive)

I'm assuming we don't want to deny salvation to them and go against the Boss, do we?  So here's what we do when we see 'sinners' - It's a great piece of Pauline teaching (don't get excited - nothing to do with women's ministry):

When we see someone sinning, we:

i. Check our own life (Matt 7 helps a bit here too in limiting hypocrisy with regard to judging).

ii. Make sure we know what the sin is and understand why the person is doing it and try to understand them (and form a relationship if we can).

iii. Find out what the Bible says about 'the sin' and when we understand that we're equipped to dialogue with them biblically.

iv. GENTLY! Don't rush in waving our Bible and condemning people - remember that righteous anger is merely anger packaged up to make us appear holy when often we are not!

v. Look to restore them - not condemn (or make yourself look right) - and reconcile them to God.

vi. Continuously examine ourselves - our motives, actions and the sinful person we are to ensure that opportunities for a wrong mindset are minimised and the potential for a Christlike heart and maximised.

vii. Lead the 'sinners' to a place where engagement and dialogue can be enacted and change and learning (them and us) can take place.

So give it a go: Get it right and we'll bring others into a relationship with God. Do it wrongly and we invite the condemnation of the Church (and of Christ) because of our cruel and self-righteous hypocrisy.

Happy Friday Folks


* Yes, you were right all those years ago William, it is the opening statement!
+ 'Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners . . .'

Thought for the Day: Loathe one another!

For such a small bunch - the folk of Westboro Baptist church come in for a great deal of attention if the conversations I have are anything to go by. It seems this small and rather sad bunch of people are engaged in taking the message of god to the world and the sad thing is that the message, and the god they have, is of their own making and the fruit of their hatred and vitriolic proclamations is the very fate that they pour upon others.

The Bible tells us (Matt 7) that as we judge we too will be judged - using the same measure and means! Not only that but the Bible adds, for very good measure, this commandment (John 13):

'Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. 

This is how everyone will recognise that you are my disciples -

when they see the love you have for each other.'

Obviously this isn't what we see when we look at Westboro and it soon becomes very clear that whoever they are following - it sure ain't Jesus, for (returning to Matthew 7) because (as it so clearly states: 'by their fruits will you know them!'

You don't get apples from a thorn bush - you don't get hate and vile proclamations from Christians!

So whether you have a faith or not

love one another, be kind and take care that you don't sow the wrong seeds in your life.

Happy Friday

Ten hour a week Christians?

The idea that Christians spend a maximum of ten hours a week in church or church-related acts was greeted with some asking how come so little and others wondering how they could get those they knew to do more than a couple of hours on a Sunday!

When I talk to people about church I get a response like that of the person whose comment I posted on Tuesday (let me remind you):

"There can be but one response to your questions: It's not as easy as you make it out to be!!!

I have work, family and other interests that all take place along with church life. I don't have the privileged position of being paid to do church work all day so that I can engage with other things outside of church like you. You place so much guilt upon people like me because of the choices I make and this is extremely unfair. I think you need to be more realistic and loving towards others."

There are, generally, four elements in the responses I receive when I start to ask people about their attendance at church on a Sunday and other times. Oddly, I get the same response when I ask about prayer life (usually bordering on the low to non-existent) and the Bible study. I would like to break each element down and dialogue with them individually and then as a whole:

1. You place so much guilt upon people like me

Now although I don't tell people they are wrong, they assume that this is the case and experience guilt! My experience is that whenever I feel guilt it is usually because I know I'm guilty and this fact has been brought to light. But of course here it is an accusation. I am in the wrong because I have elicited this response and so have caused this bad emotion to exist.

I would rather feel that I had convicted people (that is led them to identify and resolve to do something about a sin of omission or commission) than condemned them (for isn't this what guilt does?). After all I have always understood that God convicts us of our sins and satan condemns us for them.

2. Because of the choices I make

This is the interesting part of the response because it announces to the world that whatever it is that the person has (or more often not) done is actually the result of a choice they have made! The haven't been made to do something bu force or circumstance but have, and I must make the point M'lud, Chosen to act as they have. It is the pitfall of having free choice (out comes Epicurus and free-will) that we can choose to do that which we know is the wrong (at not the best) choice - our choice.

3. And this is extremely unfair.

I recall a film in which St Sean of Connery uttered those marvellous words:

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime!"

Life is, it appears, most unfair in that the choices we make can lose prizes as well as win them. Life, like stocks and shares, is full of ups and downs and sometimes we can make the wrong decision and come out of it smelling like roses whilst the rest of the time (most of the time) we come out smelling like the stuff that has been put on the roses!
When we decide to become Christians we make the decision to do the things that make us look (and smell) like Jesus. We promise to read our Bibles, to pray and to do and be what someone who looks like Jesus (The Christ). I have to say that I think that it would be more unfair to actively choose to put off the things we know that we should do and not feel guilty (or better still 'convicted') about not having done them.

4. I think you need to be more realistic and loving towards others
I have to admit some pain here because although the writer is exhibiting a fair degree of mind-reading in assuming that I am not being loving (and therefore also assuming that my intention was not borne out of love and seeking the best for them in the same way I seek it for myself) the thought that I might not be 'loving' is an assignment that causes concern and some discomfort (to the point of pain). Fortunately the comment about me 'getting real' more than adequately swings the needle back towards indignation and all the pain is suddenly gone!
If by 'realistic' I am supposed to accept that people won't be at church every Sunday morning and won't turn up to Sunday evening services and won't come to something on a Monday, a Tuesday, a Thursday, A friday and (never on) a Saturday because (and here I quote) "I have work, family and other interests that all take place along with church life." then I'm sorry but I don't think I'll ever 'get real'.

If 'getting real' means that I will put things on when people can do them, well that's a valid message for the church (mind you, you're always welcome at the 09:30 Thursday communion or any other time when it's more convenient for people to gather an pray, communicate, study or just 'be church') and one that I too take on board (already have - but reminders always welcome).

Here's the bottom line: We ALL have family, friends, interests and thing that we would like to be doing. Additionally, many of us have jobs and thinks that call upon our time as a right, not as a gift (like church?), and these have to come before attending services, after all they pay for the time you give them so to avoid giving it is actually theft!

If by making someone aware of their situation I cause them to feel guilt then this is never my intention, but if guilt is what they feel then I am always happy and willing to help them deal with it; but don't ask me to excuse choices that are contrary to the good of the person or go against that which Christian values and standards would call me to encourage.

The 'it's not fair' defence is usually most commonly deployed when the outcome is not only fair but often is also the result of the 'unfairly treated' person's own actions and decisions. If I had a pound for every person who has used this gambit in education, employment, hobbies and family life than I'd be retired and living as a beach missionary in Maui (my true calling bishop ;-) ) - it's all part of the human condition called self and the sinful nature.

Church does need to be looking at being where the people are when they need it rather than standing with pointed toes and folded arms demanding people to come when it wants them to come. Discipleship takes Church into the world and fosters and facilitates at times (and in places) when (and where) Church can be done. Bible studies around pub tables on a Tuesday and communion at times when shift workers can come (we know they should get out of bed at eleven and make the effort really, don't we?).

But here's the real issue - those who call themselves Church need to man up and get committed and make their choices. If you're not committed, not a problem - come when you feel like it but don't expect to see your name on the first team list. Enjoy Sunday mornings at Lakeside (or wherever is near to you) and worship at the retail cathedrals with joy and be fulfilled. BUT - don't moan about how unfair life is or how guilty you feel or how others are favoured at the church, because you get what you deserve more often than the world would like us to believe.

We takes our pick and we makes our choices and we don't always get what we deserve (Thank You God!), but then again sometimes we do!

Priorities - ours to make and ours (as leaders) to help others make properly and well.

Pax