Reflection From Africa

Finally I am going to write a little about my time in Africa. I was excited about going and learning about the church in Africa, and worried that I might teach some of the bad habits of the American church unknowingly. Once I got to Africa I found a people who were for the most part still primal in their faith. The people of the church in Africa are some of the most committed people I have come across. Their devotion to the work God has called them, and their commitment to serve God with all their heart soul and mind was humbling. I could see signs of the American church creeping into the church in Africa, and it saddened me. I pray that is there is any transfer of learning it is that we in America re-learn what the African church seems to have not lost. My we have vitality, passion and reliance on God through the Holy Spirit like those I encountered in Africa.

Time For Action

Recently here in the city of Cortland where I live there have been some lively editorials concerning Christianity in the newspaper. Now at least one of the articles uses a questionable process of selecting biblical texts, and not using the fullness of a text. I expected better scholarship from some one who is a college professor, but that is not the point. The point is that both of the articles pointed to the same thing, Christianity is under attack, and I think it should be. However, letters to the editor, sermons, even blogs are not going to engage the battle on the best level possible. The only way to begin to answer the critics is to let religion and Christianity die, and to embrace what Erwin McManus dubbed the Barbarian way. We should be living a dangerous life, filled with risk and uncertainty. Institutions, religion, and tradition have never and will never bring the fullness of the kingdom of God. Only when individuals choose to live a more primal life, and those individuals band together to follow with all they are and all they have after God, as taught by Jesus Christ, then the Kingdom of heaven will be advanced. So what say you, are you just going to read this blog, possibly comment, and live your life the same? I hope not!

Time to End Religion

It might seem odd for a pastor to call for an end to religion, but that is exactly what I am doing. The religion of Christianity is doing great harm to the movement of following Jesus Christ. So I ask all those who are more concerned with do's and don'ts, and are more concerned with doctrine and policy than people, to please put down the religion. Our world does not need another religion claiming to have the truth. What the world needs is people who radically live out the call of Jesus Christ in their lives. The world needs people who are going to ask questions, have doubts, be unsure of the course before us. Religion has held the beautiful Body of Christ hostage long enough, and it is time to set the body free. I realize that those who have an interest in religion are not going to willingly give up that which they hold dear. Therefore, I think the transformation happens when people begin to live lives differently. When people begin to live lives that reflect Jesus Christ, not the religion that claims the name of Christ. Basically it starts with people deciding to live differently, and inviting others on the journey of a lifetime. In the end religion is empty and will lead to death, radically following Jesus will lead to life, and ultimately to transformed living. Let's put the religion down and start walking with Christ.

Who is Disqualified?

I am just back from Africa, and logic might tell you that this entry would be about my time there, but I am often on the other side of logic. Today I am thinking more about the people that we as Christians disqualify from having worth. Churches are built both buildings and people, to reach people and this is good. he tragedy is these churches often are only looking to have people like us there. The "Boomer" thought of churches endorses such thinking. I argue that the Jesus way of thinking challenges this line of thought in some significant ways. As Christians we are called to build relationships with all people, especially those who are not just like us. The church is not to be a place where people look the same, talk the same and think the same. I guess it comes down to the words that many attribute to John Wesley, actually it is Augustine, in the essentials unity, in the doubtful things liberty, but in all things love. The only essential is Jesus, and what his life, death and resurrection opens for each person on the face of the planet. Everything else is a opportunity for growth and discussion along the journey of faith. There are far less absolutes than I once thought there to be, but there is still Jesus, and a call for people to radically live like Jesus calls us to live.

Adventures in Missiong the Point

To steal a title from Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren, I think often our lives become adventures in missing the point. The issues that we make significant and of greatest importance are often issues that confuse the call of God. The more I travel this journey of faith, the more I become convinced that buildings, budgets, and statistics are a waste of time if we are not staying focused on the work of God. So what is the work of God? I think the principle work of God is building relationship. Relationship with God first, and then as a product of our relationship with God, others. Not just the people who are like us, but with all people. People of different race, economic group, sexual preference, political outlook, or any other difference. The point of this whole thing called life is not to create division, but to build relationship with all people and God.

More Than Salvation

I think that it is easy to miss the point in this thing called life. It is really easy to miss the point in this glorious and mysterious thing called the church. What if relationship is more important than salvation. Now before you think I have completely lost my mind hear me out. What if the key to our life and the church was found in relationship, not only human to human, but our relationship with God. I contest a full relationship with God can only be accomplished through the grace offered by Jesus Christ. Yet, I think God is looking for more than to simply have us all be saved. I think God longs to be in relationship with us, a deep, meaningful, and intimate relationship. In fact it is fractured relationship that brought about the need for salvation, but salvation does not repair the breech of relationship. The repair is only done by developing the relationship with God, that God longs to have with us.

Lord If I Know