Christians and Materialism

Sometimes I post a link, just so people believe me. There's so much to say about this news article, but all I will say is this:

11 million children die each year of hunger and preventable/treatable causes while Christians buy Jesus action figures of our Savior wearing a crown of thorns and doing things like surfing or bull riding.

Makes you think, doesn't it? Are we, as the worldwide body of Christ, heading in the right direction?

The Best Christmas Lyrics

As a worship leader, the Christmas season is incredibly difficult to choose music for. It's tough for me to connect with God when I lead traditional carols, where we sing lines such as "Sleep in Heavenly Peace" or "the cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes."

I realize it's part of the telling of the story-I really do. It's just hard to worship to it. And that's probably just my view, but I find it tough. Do I sing about how clear it was at midnight, do I sing a song about the wise men, do I focus on how quiet the night was?

It's hard to connect the dots sometimes from a newborn baby to His perfect life and ultimate destiny. It's hard to find a song that reminds us of the importance of the incarnation of God.

But I'd love to hear from you about your favorite Christmas lyics (about Jesus please!). Bob, this probably isn't the time to post "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"' lyrics, no matter how awesomely deep that guy's voice is (Thurle Ravenscroft is his name-FYI).

Here's my favorite lyric. This is the only verse from a Christmas song that I've heard sung and actually been moved in my heart of the greatness of the incarnation of Christ. It's the third verse of "O Holy Night."

"Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love, and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim."

Just a good reminder during this crazy season. He came for this and so much more.

Please Discuss!

I sometimes run across really really good quotes. Not all of them do I agree with, but I love the ones that make me think. Unfortunately, when I post them it doesn't lead to any discussion.

Let's try this.

In the comments, post your thoughts on this quote. Do you think its true/false? I might play devil's advocate on this one, but I love having these kinds of discussions with my friends. Check this quote out:

"An individual gospel without a social gospel is a soul without a body, and a social gospel without an individual gospel is a body without a soul. One is a ghost and the other a corpse…"

This quote was attributed online to E. Stanley Jones, a great missionary to India. Let's assume that the individual gospel has to do with you loving God, and a social gospel is you loving your neighbor (the two greatest commandments).

Can these two commandments be divorced from one another? I think that's what the author is saying. If we divorce the two, then neither one leads to salvation/eternal life. What do you think?

Discuss!

Even Professional Models Get Airbrushed

We love perfection, don't we? We are always looking for it wherever we go. And one of the facts about church we have difficulty with is that there isn't a perfect church. Every church is made up of imperfect people, which leads (obviously) to a church that is imperfect.

If we understand that scripture sees the church as a body of people who are trying to learn more about Jesus and become like Him in their love and actions, words and character, then we logically realize that they aren't there yet. On the inside they are dirty, ugly and imperfect. Which means the church is dirty, ugly and imperfect.

Do you think you are frustrated? Well have you gotten to the point where you call your church a whore?

Some of you just said yes. Some probably have said worse.

According to Augustine (354-430 AD), he was so frustrated with the church that he called her a whore. "The church is a whore, but she is my mother." The body that birthed his faith and taught him the ways of God was so imperfect that he compared her to a prostitute-an unfaithful woman who follows every whim and fancy.

But the unfortunate fact is that you are the church. I am the church. It's not some organization or institution. It's a bunch of imperfect people trying to learn to be more like Jesus. And that means that you and I "might" be part of the problem.

Do you remember when Jesus talked about sin, and compared it to a speck of sawdust in someone else's eye while in our own eye is a 2 x 4? The story still applies to us. Ask yourself, before you complain about the flaws of the church-do you have ways that you personally could grow? Is this a situation where Jesus would say to you, "He who is without sin can cast the first stone?"

Let's be honest. Some churches need to be better and more thorough in preaching holiness of character and integrity in order to be like Christ. Some churches need to be better at teaching justice, others need to preach more mercy. And the list goes on and on…..

But some of us get caught up in chasing the wind, looking for the perfect church. We'll throw stones and declare the many shortcomings of this or that church, and how this other church is better, but that's only a temporary illusion.

It's like chasing the perfect mate. They don't exist.

Even professional models get airbrushed.

But we continue to search for the perfection that doesn't exist. Instead of "church," let's substitute our romantic relationships. When push comes to shove, you will usually find yourself frustrated with a shortcoming or weakness in someone, so if you are dating, you might begin to look elsewhere for someone who is strong in that area. But what we forget to tell ourselves is that the new person/church who has strength in that area also has weaknesses in other areas.

Perfection is a temporary illusion.

This is why scripture continually tells us to get our eyes off our circumstances and other people to keep them fixed on Christ. His perfection isn't an illusion, it's a reality. And in light of His holiness and purity, we should be more convicted of our own shortcomings. And with our eyes fixed on Christ, it is difficult to get caught up in the way others aren't like Him, when we see our own sin.

Of course, we are forgiven and made righteous. But we still need to grow, would you agree? Is that true for that brother or sister in the faith that you are annoyed and frustrated with? Is that true for that pastor you don't like? Aren't they also forgiven and made righteous?

So let us strive to become more like Christ, and lead by example. If you wish your church would minister to the poor more, then you go out and do it. And then invite others. Don't wait on your church. Be the church. Be the body of Christ. You are the minister of the gospel, the priest of God according to the scriptures (I Peter 2:9). If you know the right thing to do, even if no one else joins you, will you still obey?

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is John 21. At the end of that chapter, Peter is given his marching orders from Jesus, and he knows what he is supposed to do. At that point, Peter suddenly gets really interested in what John is going to do. He asks Jesus, "What about him?"

Jesus has a classic reply. He says to Peter, "What is that to you? You follow me." In other words, stop being so concerned about what someone else is doing and be obedient to what you know you are called by God to do.

It may be that when we get our eyes fixed on imperfections and shortcomings in others, whether it's an individual or a ministry, in our pride we forget about our own imperfections. And when we concern ourselves with what other people are or aren't doing, Jesus still asks us the same question.

What is that to you? You follow me.