I apologize for not posting in a while...life just kinda got in the way
I have been reading a book called "Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and it has TOTALLY rocked my world.
I will caution those who would rush out and get it to read...that this book is NOT for everyone. I would even go so far as to say that if you're not 'on fire' or want to be 'on fire' for the Lord then this book is not what you should be reading.
If you're not confidant in your faith, or are wavering in you personal beliefs...well...I suggest reading 'The Bible'...it comes highly recommended :)
I intend to do a series of posts about my insights into this wonderful little book.
So here's the first one on the introduction (yes, there's good stuff in the introduction)
The very first sentence of the book says "Christianity often has offered little to the world, other than the hope that things will be better in heaven"
I had to take a minute right there...and I realize how true it is. Today's 'church' has decided to ignore the suffering of today and simply inform the sufferers that 'heaven will be better'. Sad isn't it?
"Perhaps it should not surprise us that Jesus says that if the Christians remain silent, then the rocks will cry out...or the rock stars"
This quote comes after the scathing comparison of activism against poverty and other so-called 'worldly' issues that affect millions of people daily. The comparison is simple: 'worldly' figures (celebrities, politicians, rock stars, pop icons, etc) are working against these 'moral issues' while Christian 'stars' (recording artists, pastors, evangelists, etc) do nearly nothing to change the world's 'status quo'...We as Christians have become so wrapped up in 'saving souls' (which in and of itself is NEVER a bad thing, we are called to save souls after all) but do not love these same people who are not only in need of a Savior, but also are in need of basic necessities in order to live their lives.
"there ARE moral issues other than abortion and homosexuality"
Wait...what?
No, really?
There are?
Yup, there are. War, politics, economy, poverty, global warming, (ok, that one's a stretch)and anything else you can think of. 'Moral issue' simply means "Issues which involve a difference of belief and not a matter of preference."
"activists call me conservative, religious people call me liberal. Often though I am simply labeled a 'radical."
Oh how sweet this is. And you know what, I'm gonna take this another step. If we are truly Christians (read, Christ followers) then how can we allow ourselves to be put into one of the world's labels? I honestly couldn't care less if you're a republican, democrat, conservative, or liberal. All I care about is whether or not your lifestyle and morals reflect those of Christ Jesus and those presented in the Bible. An you know what else? I really don't think that when you die God's gonna ask you which political party you belonged to.
"the word 'radical' really just means 'root'. And radical is not limited to 'saints' and 'martyrs'."
Can I get an amen?
Aren't we glad that you don't have to be 'declared holy' (that's what being 'sainted' is defined as) in order to be radical?
"As a radical I want to get to the 'root' of what it means to love and the root of what has messed up our world"
oh this just keeps getting better...Read that again....
Not only should we be getting to the root of showing love and understanding love, but the problems of this world can not be fixed quickly, we must understand the root of the problem in order for the problem to be fully eradicated.
"What do we do when we are the ones who have gone sane in a crazy world?"
I have nothing to say to that, simply because I do not know if I can truly claim that yet. To have gone 'sane' in the craziness means, to me, that we have come to the point in our relationship with, not only God our Father, but with those we are called and commissioned to love (neighbors AND enemies)
"The whisper cries out for God to save the church from us Christians and breathe new life into an aging body"
What I want to point our here is the word 'whisper'. There is the story in the Bible in which Elijah hears the voice of God. But that voice is not the powerful wind, ground shattering earthquake, or raging fire. The voice was a whisper, small and only audible and recognized by those who are listening for it.
Is it true? Does the church need saving from Christians? I say yes, simply because we have forgotten what it means to be a Christian.
You don't have to agree with me. But if you don't, well, I challenge you to listen to 'the' Paul Washer sermon...
"Many of us are refusing to allow distorted views of faith to define us"
Oh how I long to be counted among those many. To get to the point where this world doesn't recognize me as a 'Christian' but as a 'Christ-follower'. The world view of what a Christian is and how a Christian is supposed to act is largely inconsistent with the Biblical pattern that is presented, but largely consistent with the life the majority of 'Christians' currently live.
"We live in a world that wants things bigger and bigger. We want to 'supersize' our fries, sodas, and church buildings"
Ouch....that hits hard right there
We are more interested in how large our church is (whether that be building size or the number of people) and the things that truly matter are overlooked simply because they aren't 'big' things.
"Even though people around the country thirst for something new, the elephant and the donkey are still the largest and most stubborn of animals"
How true is that? As I've already said, this world put labels on things. And if you don't fit in the labels, you better have a REALLY good reason for people to listen. I question whether the church's view of 'witnessing' is enough for people to actually listen.
"Our problem is that we no longer have martyrs, we have celebrities"
Ow, ow, ow....yet, it's true. Christian martyrs have gone out of style. We now have pastors that are larger than life and evangelists who are blown to gigantic proportions. It's just no longer 'cool' to be a Christian and for the world to attack you for it.
That is only a small part of what I gleaned from the introduction....I will continue to give you my thoughts as I travel through this book.
