Category Archives: Jesus

Why Christians Should Care About Our Image Problem

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“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of evil things against you because of me. For great is your reward in heaven…”

-Jesus

I keep asking myself the same question: is the good news (as Christians use it) good? It should be, and I think it is. At its very core good news is news that is good, that is welcomed, that is hopeful and of positive value for the recipient. News that is good is not rote, it is the proclamation of a newsworthy event that happened (and is happening). News isn’t an idea, it is the announcement of something that has been experienced. If it is not experienced it is not news. And if its not hope producing, of positive value for the one experiencing it, or joy-inducing then can it be considered good news? Good news must be news that is good.

I think that Christians have allowed some of the words of the Bible to get us off the hook for our image problem. As I re-posted (from Relevant Magazine) on facebook/twitter recently ?”When ‘non believers’ were asked to rank their level of respect for various groups, only prostitutes scored lower than evangelicals.” this should cause us to question the goodness of our news. While I realize that Scripture talks about the Christian good news message being foolishness to those who do not believe (though if I remember correctly the context is more connected to philosophical rather than practical realities) I would argue that there are many things that we as a culture find to be utterly foolish and yet completely good! Mother Teresa acted foolishly in what she did, but we all recognize what she did as inherently good news. Good news is generally pretty easy to spot. In the same way not-good news is equally easy to spot.

Dogma is not good news. Correct doctrine is not good news. Proving someone is wrong is not good news. Showing someone that you’re right is not good news. Past events without present or future implications are not good news (I believe it would be considered ‘old news’ which is neither good nor interesting). None of these are newsworthy events full of goodness! They are not good news.

It’s good news for a single mom to have help with her children, with transportation, work around the house, etc. Its good news to be a part of a community of people who care for you, who celebrate with you, and who hurt with you. It’s good news to learn to let go of self and care for others. It’s good news to have hope in a future that is free of pain, suffering, and brokenness. It’s good news to know that you’re loved, that you’re valuable, and that you have something unique to offer the world. It’s good news to know that your failing body will one day be restored to something more whole and complete. All of those are tangible news worth events that I would consider good. Foolish? Maybe. But definitely good.

In my minimal experience I’ve come to really believe that very very very few people hate Christians (or would place them as the second least respectable people around) when they encounter Christians who are experiencing and pursuing news that is good. The persecution, ridicule, and hate that scripture refers to is more often than not connected to the very Christ-like activity that is in opposition to the powers of this world.  Some will most definitely hate you when you stand courageously in opposition to the death whether it be the death penalty, abortion, or war. People will definitely hate you when you stand up for the marginalized in society whether it is undocumented immigrants, the poor, or the homeless. People will definitely hate you when you pledge allegiance to someone (Jesus) or something (his eternal kingdom) over and above your nation or political system. People will most definitely hate you when you stand in opposition to the destruction of materialism, consumerism, and security. There’s room for people to hate you because of bold (and peaceful) opposition to the powers of our broken world. But when it comes to relationship, when it comes to you, me, our neighbors, and our coworkers the true reality is that good news is…well…good.

Why Coexistence isn't Enough

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I’ve kept quiet about this because I know that I’d be shunned by my fellow Christians, but I’ve long liked the “coexist” bumper stickers. Not only are they creative and simple, but they also represent something that I think is truly central to the Christian story: relationship with those who are different from us.

Many Christians, I think, reject this bumper sticker because they fear that it gives consent to alternative understandings of God, creation, and hope. “If I have that bumper sticker than I am saying that there’s truth in Hindu belief system.” or “Coexist is clearly extreme relativism, it says that everything’s true.” or something along those lines. I don’t disagree that this is probably what many who own the sticker actually believe. But I do not think that this absolves Christians from coming to terms with the validity of its message. We have far too often drawn lines of distinction around us, creating our identity based on who or what we are not. I think this is not only destructive but also not in tune with the God who crossed many barriers in order to dwell amongst us.

When I see the sticker I am reminded that Jesus followers are invited to love all peoples, to find places of connection across cultural and religious barriers, they’re invited to be peoples of peace, to be boundary crossers, good listeners, to be gracious, creative, and humbly confident in discussing truth, reality, and hope*. I like the Coexist bumper sticker because it invites those types of actions. It reminds us that we’re a part of a larger world, that there is a massive diversity of thought, action, and perspective. I may not agree with the potentially oppressive** belief system of Hinduism but I can see the beauty of God in those that practice it and be willing to engage in dialog with them without feeling a need to place judgment on them.

With all that said I would like to conclude by saying that while I love the coexist sticker and what it stands for, I think that it completely 100% falls short. I do not reject it because it’s wrong but because it is not hard core enough. In absolutely no way are we called to simply coexist! There’s no hope in coexisting! To agree to coexisting is to give up on reconciliation. There’s hope in reconciliation, in relationship, in unity, in communion together. The metaphor that Christianity holds to is an image of the lion and the lamb lying together: former enemies finding peace and mutual comfort together. That image is not coexistence, it is communion.

Dear Jesus followers, don’t dislike the coexist sticker because you think its relativistic crap. Reject it because it falls short of what we truly desire! We’re invited to be much more hardcore than coexistence, we’re invited to the challenge of reconciliation. We have a choice of living in opposition, in coexistence, or in communion with our neighbors. My hope is that we choose the latter.

*yes, that was an incredibly long sentence!

**I call Hinduism oppressive, potentially unjustly, because it seems to me that its belief system has little to say to the imbalance of power that exists in cultural systems that allow extreme poverty and oppression. To me it seems that Hinduism at its core tolerates the status quo and thus supports oppressors. Sadly at times in history this can be said of Christianity as well. The difference, in my humble opinion, is that status quo supporting-oppressive Christian regimes are clearly incongruent with the center of Christianity—Jesus.

Sitting with Heroes

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I’m here in Durham, North Carolina anticipating a major winter storm tomorrow and attending my final grad school week long getaway. Prior to our four days of dusk ’till dawn class time that starts tomorrow we have been able to spend the weekend with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and the Rutba House community.

Saturday night we crashed an area wide meal and prayer gathering celebrating the season of epiphany.  As I sat back and listened to the conversations that were happening and observed the way each person treated the other I was amazed. I was sitting amongst a group of rock stars, heroes of nearly mythical proportion. I was sitting with people who fought for the dignity of all peoples, immigrants, convicts on death row, peacemakers who have been imprisoned, and the homeless (to name a few). The people I sat with on Saturday night go to jail for their beliefs, they fight (non-violently) for peace, they give of themselves for others. One woman was even responsible for sta

rting an amazing non-profit that many of you are familiar with called Witness for Peace. It was beautiful to hear them celebrate the season of Epiphany which is a time when we are reminded of the surprising and radical activity of God as is seen in the invitation of the Magi to visit baby Jesus. Outsiders, foreigners, and yet invited into the birth narrative of God himself. The group shared some of the striking appearances of hope they witnessed in the world during the last year, they then dreamed of what they might experience in 2011. It was beautiful. It was inspiring. And it challenged my imagination concerning what God might do in downtown Vancouver, WA over the next year.

Why Atheism Makes Sense

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“Its your fault.”

Nobody likes to hear those words. When they’re true words they sting terribly. When they’re inaccurate words they can infuriate or confuse. I don’t know what is more difficult, saying “It’s my fault” or hearing someone else say “it’s your fault”.

For those who are following Jesus we have chosen to freely say “it’s my fault” haven’t we? Should we take great freedom in owning our mistakes, our screw ups, and our baggage? Doesn’t integrity, purity, and humility require it?

It’s way past time for Christians to take full ownership of the baggage that we’ve created, of the crap that trails behind us because of our choices. We cannot hold onto the beautiful Christlike figures such as Mother Teresa from our past while at the same time completely disowning the negative stories of our past. Our past is our past. It’s ours whether we like it or not. We might (and should) vehemently disagree with stuff done in our past, but that doesn’t change the fact that its a part of my story. When I look at my family history I can identify some pretty hefty baggage that I would love to disown. But to disown it is to allow it to continue to control my present and future reality. By taking a permanent marker to whole sentences, paragraphs, or scenes of my families history I am allowing those moments to hide under the cloak of darkness–I am allowing them to fester, infect, and secretly inform my reality. The same is true of our churches.

I am tired of Christians not owning up to the crap that has happened in our past (sadly it’s often a much more present reality than it is a past event). When Christians were in power during medieval times we were not the salt of the earth, we were not bearers of light, hope, peace, and love. We did not do well when we had power. If I were less politically ignorant I am certain there could be similar statements made to the power that the church has possessed in America as well. The way that Christians have treated single mothers, gay and lesbians, and our enemies (think: liberals or Arabs) is something to be ashamed of. Even if you completely abhor the way Christians have been abusive toward our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, you must also be humble enough to in some way say “it’s my fault” or at the very least “i’m sorry” for what my people have done. We’ve got to take ownership of our baggage! Anything less is to stay in darkness, anything less is to push humility, graciousness, kindness, and purity to the margins of our beliefs and practices in preference of holding onto what seems to me as some form of pride.

Regardless of your philosophy, theology, etc. I believe we can recognize that atheism has some solid footing doesn’t it? If Christianity worked it would be much harder to question it–let me clarify that statement. When a snapshot of Christian movement reveals a bevy of “one man, one woman” stickers, giant churches with giant budgets that are spent on giant screens and giant espresso machines, pastors whose major pursuit is to become some form of preaching rockstar, Christians who primarily talk about “whether they’re getting something out of it (church)”…I’m digging myself a ditch aren’t I? Oh well, when a snapshot of how Christianity “works” produces that…I can understand atheism (or any other form of rejection of a loving God) completely. Why would I want to believe in that? If, however, a snapshot of Christianity produced something that was more in tune with the life and ministry of Jesus…I wonder how things would be different.

So lets take ownership of the screwy things we’ve done in the past, the present, and the things we’ll do in the future. If we’re willing to own it then we’re able to truly pursue genuine forgiveness, reconciliation, and partnership. Lets better cultivate a culture of humility, brokenness, honesty, peace, and love!

I know that often times we can use grace language to avoid this type of discussion. We talk about how we’re all screwed up, how even Christians make terrible mistakes and all that jazz and that we can celebrate that we’re saved by God’s grace alone. But it’s exactly for those reasons that we should immediately be ready to live out of a place of humility–willing to ask for forgiveness and take ownership of our (epic) failures.

Christians are responsible for many wonderful and beautiful things throughout history. I hope that you don’t think that this blog represents my whole opinion of the church or of Christian history. Rather I see a problem with our willingness to respond to our baggage and it is out of this observation that I write this post. As I always attempt to do, I speak first to myself. I admit that I am being judgmental toward certain parties but am willing to err on judging one side of people a little too much than to err on the side of defending those who victimize the oppressed. And I see the act of celebrating and protecting the status quo as an act of supporting the victimization of the oppressed.

So to all of you single mothers who have not found church to be a safe place to find support both for you as a woman and for your child who might be missing out on a healthy father figure…I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’ve found it easier to ignore you than to come beside you. I’m sorry that you’ve had to be alone in that deeply difficult journey of paying bills, working a job, and raising kids all by yourself.

To all of you of the GLBT community I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you have not been welcome to the conversation of faith. I’m sorry that for much of my life I spoke about you rather than with you. I’m sorry that I have been more concerned with being right than being nice. I’m sorry I chose not to listen to you and therefore not value you as a beautiful creation of God.

To all of you who have been affected by war I am sorry. I’m sorry that I am so addicted to my lifestyle that I am a part of the system that demands oil. I’m sorry that we’ve sent you who are soldiers across the world and ask you to do things that damage your heart and your future. I’m sorry to those of you who have lived in a place ravaged by war, who have seen your homes and neighborhoods destroyed by it. I’m sorry that at one point in my life easily justified war as if the victims did not have families, the soldiers did not experience hell, and it was a good thing.

To all of you who think differently than me about faith, Christianity, the Bible, how to do church…I’m sorry. I’m sorry that this blog might come across as offensive to you. I’m sorry if I wrote this poorly or did not communicate my thoughts and my heart graciously. I love people and I wouldn’t intentionally be offensive if you were sitting here in my living room.

I’ve said enough already. peace.

The FQ Buzz

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I grew up going to a Labor Day camp called Faith Quest. It’s a camp for high school kids that is pretty intense, intended to grow and challenge you, and is generally done very well. Until last week I had only been to FQ once since ’99 and I came away fascinated by some of the cultural changes that had happened since I was a camper. While some of the things I’ve listed may not be particularly new to FQ…because, honestly I have no idea what’s new and what’s not (some might suggest that nothing’s new under the sun). But here are some of the spectacular things about the teenagers, the culture, and the event called Faith Quest.

  • There was a sense of anticipation from day one. The teens came ready for something to happen, ready to engage in something deep. They came ready. This is a big deal because at many camps you spend the first half trying to get everyone on board with the idea that God might just do something. You then spend the last half of the camp paying attention to what God has/is doing.
  • Creative expression has always been core to what Faith Quest is. But these days creative expression is not just valued as it is, but it is valued as an expression of worship. This year in particular artists explored more abstract artwork that attempted to capture music and worship all in one. It was beautiful.
  • Generosity was an overwhelming part of the event. At the annual auction (which is a new thing since I was a kid) they kids gave upwards of $3000. Umm…I didn’t even have enough money when I was a teenager to buy a bag of chips. At this “auction” where they sell old shoes, decoration off the walls, and pieces of the aforementioned art there is a sense of excitement and giving actually becomes a fun experience. Even on the last day when someone(s) raided one of the cabins and stole a grip of stuff, the overwhelming feeling was that if those individuals needed something (money, clothes, or peach gummy rings) they would have been given to them!
  • Social justice was an ever present reality. During the week, in addition to the $3000 that was raised, nearly 20 children were ‘adopted’ through World Vision by kids and adults alike. Residue of social justice work was everywhere. It was evident in the conversations, the clothing, the scheduling, and the giving. I know this was not a part of FQ life when I was a kid.
  • Worship (through music)  has always been core to the FQ experience. But in the last five years or so the teens have gone nuts (in a good way). It has become a raucous party full to the top of energy, bad dancing, creative expression, and smiles. I think if Jesus were physically present he would have been crowd surfing…no, seriously.
  • Dude, when I was a kid we didn’t down nearly as much coffee as todays teens do! Holy crap they downed the coffee. Next year I say they pursue some Stumptown coffee and get some quality brew up in the house.
  • Hospitality is a very present reality at FQ these days. From the openness everyone has toward strangers to the special senior breakfast that has become a tradition, from the openness toward “dissenting” voices and those who believe differently to the warmth that was shown by the leadership.

I’m sure I could say more. I’m sure many of you could say more. The single greatest part that is consistent in nearly all of the bullet points listed above is that they emerged from the teens themselves. The culture that is emerging at FQ is a culture that is emerging from our next generation of voices. May this never stop.