Perceptions

What is the church largely known for today?

What are Christians largely known for today?

Honestly.

When I see the church today, in the UK, the general public perception, what gets reported is all negative. Division, hypocrisy, judgmentalism.

When I talk to atheists I know they call Christians hypocrites.

The problem is, that these things are true. The church is fighting over contraception, over homosexuality and some sections of the church or pastors are calling others heretics. The people who go to those churches or listen to those pastors think exactly the same.

This is not good. This is not what Jesus had in mind. This is not the church. This is not Christianity. This is not something worth living for or dying for.

Why is it this way? Why do we just accept passively what is going on?

What was Jesus known for? Love. Forgiveness. Healing. Justice. Truth. Standing up for the oppressed. Believing in people who thought they were worth nothing. He gave people hope and a promise of the future.

Now the church is the body of Christ. The Bible says so. We are Jesus' representatives on this planet. When people look at us, when people look at the church, whatever they see will be their impression of Jesus. It will be their impression of the faith we profess. How we live, what we say, what we do, our lifestyle and attitudes will be what people perceive Jesus' to be.

At the moment people see a Jesus who is negative, judgemental, self-righteous and divided against itself. Paul said that no kingdom can stand when its divided amongst itself. He meant the kingdom of the devil, but the underlying warning is that the church should never be divided amongst itself. It cannot be. How can it grow?

Its like different parts of the 'body' are not functioning together, they are functioning separately, against each other. Now you and I know no body can function properly if that is happening. The church is the same.

Things need to change. We need to change. If everyone makes the same changes then we can make a difference.

Forget our pride. Forget dogma. Forget having to be right all the time. Accept that we have differences, but look to a common ground. Look at the Bible, and see what are the most important values are.

I can tell you before you look. Love your neighbour as yourself. Love the Lord with all your mind, soul, heart and strength. Jesus said these are the two greatest commandments. They are above all others, and all others come underneath them.

Jesus way is not a religion. Its not a tradition. Its not legalistic. Its an attitude, its a way of life. Its a different set of values, which must be displayed through action. Poverty, injustice, oppression, homelessness, drugs, alcohol, consumerism - all are things we must be acting against. We must be taking the lead in fighting the big problems in the world. United. Together.

This has been said before, but we need to show them a Jesus who is about love, sacrifice, serving, justice, truth and forgiveness. When people see who Jesus really is, then they see something good. Something compelling.

Its our responsibility. Its a big challenge.

But Jesus believes in us. He believes we are up to it. He warns to help us. He has given us talents. He's given us personality, He's given us freedom to choose rightly.

Being a Christian isn't easy. I often don't feel much like a Christian, to be honest. But its the right way, its the best way. We need to live in a way which shows that. Nothing to do with religion or legalism. But a way of life, that we submit to happily, not because its easy but because its right and because we truly love Jesus and want to become like Him.

We can truly change the world. If we believe it. If we're willing to try. Jesus thinks we can. He's given us the abilities to. He's there to help us.

Lets show the world the real Jesus, so that in time people's perception of the church, of Christians is the true one. Is one which shows the Jesus that we know and read about it the Bible. Not a Jesus that reflects our own sinful nature, but one which reflects the what Jesus had in mind. A person worth following and a community that people want to be a part of.

It can happen. It starts with me and you.

Lost In Translation?

The phrase, 'lost in translation' is used a lot. It was even the title of a film, one of my favourites.

It can sometimes be used in relation to the Bible.

Some passages in the Bible can be interpreted in many ways. When the Bible was originally translated into English it was done so in a certain culture, so the words were interpreted a certain way.

To understand how to live like Jesus, to understand the Bible fully, we have to interpret it. We have to go back to the original meaning in its original language, then translate it and bring it back into our culture, to see its meaning today.

For example, when Jesus is talking about 'Hell' in the Bible, He is actually talking about an area of Israel outside a city where people dumped all their garbage, where there were fires and where it was full of rubbish. People at the time called it a place that was cursed and basically it was somewhere nowhere liked to go. So when Jesus talks about 'hell' he's talking about that place. He could even be using as a metaphor for something else, as He does often.

So you see, the more we know about the culture it was written in then the better we understand what Jesus was trying to say and it opens it up even more to new understandings.

But even then, whether we like it or not, we always bring our own experiences, opinions and prejudices to the Bible and they effect our interpretation, even if its just by a small amount.

It is unbelievably arrogant to say 'this is what this passage definitely means and it means nothing else at all' with most of the Bible. To say you like a church 'because it preaches the Bible' is almost as arrogant. What you mean is it preaches your version of the Bible, a version you agree with.

I do believe there are wrong interpretations of the Bible. For example, when Jesus says "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me" then its impossible to interpret it that Jesus means there is more than one way to God or that non-Christians get into the Kingdom. That's just not what it says.

But it says more than just Jesus is the only way to God. It poses questions. What is truth? What does it mean to go to the Father 'through Jesus'? Those are questions which need answering. In another blog one day or talk I will try to do that, but the point is that we can't just leave the Bible as black and white. It needs to be questioned.

Jesus poses questions to His disciples and challenges them throughout the gospels. The reason is that He wanted them to ask themselves those questions and that He wants us to ask Him questions. He wants us to ask questions of His word and the teaching, to try and understand it properly.

Not to make it say what we want it to say. No.

But to see what He originally wanted to say through it.

We don't bring our own agenda or the worlds agenda. We look for God's agenda. God's perspective. God's opinion.

We have so much still to learn from the Bible. Lets not limit ourselves. Lets not get lost in translation.

I'm a guest blogger (again!)

I've been asked to be a guest blogger again. I wrote a piece on the second 'Deep Church' lecture, on tolerance, and it has been posted on the 'Deep Church' blog. Click on the title above to go to the article.

There will be one more to come, and then I'll be elaborating a bit more on what I've learned here.

Trust me, it will make interesting and challenging reading.

Put Jesus where He belongs

In the celebrity culture we live in, its easy to put people on pedestals, isn't it?

Think about it. If we're really honest, all of us catch ourselves unwittingly wishing we were someone else. That we looked like someone else, that we had someone else's abilities, someone else's skills, someone else's position.

Of course, that's not right.

Not that we can't have role models. Not that we can't admire and learn from those who are further on that us, who have something to teach. That's fine. But just don't put them on that pedestal. Don't make having their position or being like them your goal.

Make worshipping Jesus and living like Him your goal, your aim, you most passionate desire.

Imagine.

Truly worshipping Jesus. Giving all the glory and praise to Him and wanting to be like Him and live liked He lived. Looking to His example in every situation in life. Wanting to have the same attitudes, same perspectives and live the same way. Being desperate to follow His example.

Making it our goal to be like Him, wherever we go, because He is the perfect example of how to live like God wants us to. Constantly looking at how he lived and trying to follow that example in the place and time we live now. Where we work. Where we hang out. Whatever we do. Always looking for ways to become more like Him. Pursuing Him with passion, zeal and enthusiasm. Being open to hear Him speak into our lives.

If we all do that, if we worship with our lives, at the foot of Jesus, He humbly steps down from that pedestal and helps us along that path, He shows us more of Himself and we have intimacy and closeness with Him.

If we put Jesus on that pedestal, want to be like Him and devote ourselves to that, then our lives and the lives of others can be changed for good.

God's surprise

Today I experienced something incredible.

Something happened which upset me, which exposed all the pain of my past. Suddenly I was quite angry, and totally taking it out on God.

I lost count of the number of times I said 'it's not fair' like a little child. But boy I was so angry. God seemed distant, it was like He didn't care, wasn't involved and didn't listen. I felt like I didn't matter. I blamed Him for all the 'problems' in my life.

I wanted encouragement, I wanted Him to say something. Something positive and encouraging and constructive. Something to give me hope. I wanted an answer. Now.

I then read my e-mails, which strangely enough I hadn't read for a couple of days - very unlike me. I found one from a close friend of mine, who encouraged me about something I was losing faith in and losing confidence in. Just when I needed it. It was like God whispering something in my ear very quietly when I least expected it. I sensed God's foresight, grace, love and sense of humour.

The e-mail, you see, had been sent two days previously.

I was already on the way to calming down before I read it, but reading that saw a peace descend on me and I calmed down. I saw it from God's perspective. He knew this rant was coming, and somehow knew I wouldn't read my e-mails till that moment - when I needed it the most. It was almost like an answer to prayer before the prayer was prayed.

I sensed God had a wry smile on His face as He watched my reaction. He knew i wouldn't read this e-mail till that day. He knew the impact it would have if I read it at the right time, rather than when in a good mood that Friday.

He was in control. He is in control.

Its so reassuring to know there's a God who's involved in every part of our lives. A God who can see our childish rants for what they are and yet still answers and meets our need, sometimes long before we even see it.

I'm so fortunate. We are.

No other answer

I was thinking today about our relationship with God. Thinking about how we are all in relationship with God, its just that some aren't aware of it, or aware He's there waiting for them. Someone who's being unfaithful to Him.

If we're a follower of Jesus, then we are aware of it. We know God and want to know Him. We want to be like Jesus, live like Jesus.

One simple truth stuck with me.

That if everyone in the world were in tune with God, all of us were living each day as Jesus lived and following His example, all of us being obedient and consumed with Him rather than being consumers, then there would be no problems in the world.

Equality, justice, peace, joy, harmony. Everyone together, living, serving, and blessing each other and not concerned with themselves.

God wants us to live like Jesus. He wants us to follow His example.

If someone asks me now what I think could solve all the problems in the world, I have one simple answer.

If every single person submitted themselves 100% to Jesus - including Christians.

If we displayed the love, compassion, charity, humility, servant-heartedness and obedience that he did, if we act like He did, if we do the modern equivalent to what He did - everyone - then the world would be a much better place.

Such a simple answer, yet so few see it.

Jesus is the answer, but we need to choose Him first, we need to pose the question and not be afraid of what the consequences of the answer are.

Like when Jesus asked the sick beggar, "Do you want to be healed?" You think that's a simple question? If you're sick, can't work, have no skills and know nothing except a life begging, then to have health would mean a life of work, of effort, of commitment. Something that you're not used to. It wasn't a simple answer. Just like committing yourself to Jesus isn't simple either.

Jesus don't make life easier. He makes it better. Living like Him brings God into the world and makes it more like He originally envisioned it to be.

There's no other answer to the problems of the world.