Growing up, I was in church every week. I remember Sunday school lessons with Rhonda Strawzell, children's church with Kyle Gatlin, and youth group with David Lewis! They were the best years of my life. In high school, I did what my parents expected – I didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, didn’t party on the weekends, I did what I was supposed to do. I always thought, because of that, I must be a Christian.
Book: (Content and Methodology)
Simply going to church and simply looking the part, doesn’t necessarily mean my status as a Christian is concrete.
Matthew 23: 1-12 (MSG)
(Sermon/Lecture)
Most of my life I’ve done what was right. I’ve done what I’m supposed to do, because I’ve always been “that Christian girl.” I’ve always been good. But as Jesus points out – even the Pharisees do “what is right.” They follow the law, they observe the Sabbath. They were religious in the strictest sense. But I want to be more than religious. I want to be better than the Pharisees.
But, most days I don’t read my Bible – at all. I pray, sure. But it’s not in a sense of giving God control over my life – it’s more about praying that I’ll hear from a prospective job, or work won’t totally suck that day. Most days it seems I use my status as a Christian as my ticket to bigger and better things – I’m working on my Master’s in Youth Ministry, I’m on my way. Being a Christian is more about what people think of me, not about what I practice in my daily life.
I’ve had moments in life where that wasn’t always the case – but it’s always been a come and go kind of thing. I remember going through confirmation classes and beginning a Bible reading program. But circumstances happened that I didn’t get to finish it. I’ve tried beginning Bible reading habits on my own –but I never stick with it very long. I begin a “Bible-in-a-year” reading plan and make it a few months – I think I made it through the entire New Testament once…and maybe through Genesis and Exodus. But, let’s face it – some of that Old Testament stuff is just boring!
My religion…my faith…seems to be a constant game of catch up! I’m constantly trying to do what I know I should be doing, but never feeling like I’m doing enough! Sometimes I feel like God’s right there – and sometimes I feel like we’re a million miles apart.
Look
Here’s the thing. I’m not sure reading my Bible every day actually makes me Christian – didn’t the Pharisees know Scripture forward and backward? No, what makes me a Christian is my faith in Jesus Christ – I know that. My faith that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for my sins and rose from the dead. That’s what makes me a Christian. But my faith? I want my faith the mirror that of Jesus’ faith.
Jefferson Bethke (2013) – from the video – writes in his book Jesus > Religion, “We’ve lost the real Jesus – or at least exchanged him for a newer, safer, sanitized, ineffectual one. We’ve created a Christian subculture that comes with its own set of customs, rules, rituals, paradigms, and products that are nowhere near the rugged, revolutionary faith of biblical Christianity. In our subculture Jesus would have never been crucified – he’s too nice” (p. 9). And I’m inclined to agree. The Jesus we know today says it’s okay to gay. It’s okay to get drunk - as long as we’re in church on Sunday morning. The Jesus we’ve come to know today says it’s okay if you believe and follow Buddhist religion. It’s okay if you follow Allah. They’re all the same.
The Jesus we’ve come to know today is a buddy, is a friend – telling us the ultimate faith is one of tolerance and timidity.
That Jesus is imaginary!
I want a faith that mirrors the faith of the Jesus of Scripture. I want a faith that’s dangerous – that’s risky. I want the faith of Jesus. I want a faith that reaches out to love the unlovable – as scary as that may be to me. I want a faith that strengthens me to speak out against injustice. I want a faith that sets me apart. I want a faith that sends me to the edges of the earth (or maybe into the depths of this town), unafraid to tell the message of Christ’s love.
Took
I want a faith that sets me free from the restrictions and rules of religious practice. I want a faith that makes me feel alive!
A while back I read a book – basically a collection of journal entries from this guy, a teenager – B.J. Higgins. B.J. was a soul on fire for Christ. Through his writings you could tell he wanted nothing more than to just tell people about Jesus. When he was 16 he was stricken with a fatal lung infection soon after he returned from a mission trip to Peru. As he grew sicker, he wrote in his journals, “And I also challenge and encourage you to continue to grow in Christ, daily reading His word, praying, worshipping, and fellowshipping. Do not be satisfied with staying the same person and doing the same mundane routine each day, but change, grow closer to God and move deeper than just ankle-deep in Him every day you live for it may very well be your last.”
I want a faith like B.J’s. I want to feel alive and excited by my relationship with Jesus. I want others to experience that excitement. I want to quit worrying about what I may or may not be doing right when it comes to practicing my faith. Am I reading my Bible enough? Did I pray long enough?
I want to quit worrying about religion – whether or not what I’m doing is enough, whether I’m doing it right. I want to find peace and rest – that only the Father can give – as I find acceptance that my belief in Jesus is enough.
Book: (Content and Methodology)
Simply going to church and simply looking the part, doesn’t necessarily mean my status as a Christian is concrete.
Matthew 23: 1-12 (MSG)
(Sermon/Lecture)
Most of my life I’ve done what was right. I’ve done what I’m supposed to do, because I’ve always been “that Christian girl.” I’ve always been good. But as Jesus points out – even the Pharisees do “what is right.” They follow the law, they observe the Sabbath. They were religious in the strictest sense. But I want to be more than religious. I want to be better than the Pharisees.
But, most days I don’t read my Bible – at all. I pray, sure. But it’s not in a sense of giving God control over my life – it’s more about praying that I’ll hear from a prospective job, or work won’t totally suck that day. Most days it seems I use my status as a Christian as my ticket to bigger and better things – I’m working on my Master’s in Youth Ministry, I’m on my way. Being a Christian is more about what people think of me, not about what I practice in my daily life.
I’ve had moments in life where that wasn’t always the case – but it’s always been a come and go kind of thing. I remember going through confirmation classes and beginning a Bible reading program. But circumstances happened that I didn’t get to finish it. I’ve tried beginning Bible reading habits on my own –but I never stick with it very long. I begin a “Bible-in-a-year” reading plan and make it a few months – I think I made it through the entire New Testament once…and maybe through Genesis and Exodus. But, let’s face it – some of that Old Testament stuff is just boring!
My religion…my faith…seems to be a constant game of catch up! I’m constantly trying to do what I know I should be doing, but never feeling like I’m doing enough! Sometimes I feel like God’s right there – and sometimes I feel like we’re a million miles apart.
Look
Here’s the thing. I’m not sure reading my Bible every day actually makes me Christian – didn’t the Pharisees know Scripture forward and backward? No, what makes me a Christian is my faith in Jesus Christ – I know that. My faith that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for my sins and rose from the dead. That’s what makes me a Christian. But my faith? I want my faith the mirror that of Jesus’ faith.
Jefferson Bethke (2013) – from the video – writes in his book Jesus > Religion, “We’ve lost the real Jesus – or at least exchanged him for a newer, safer, sanitized, ineffectual one. We’ve created a Christian subculture that comes with its own set of customs, rules, rituals, paradigms, and products that are nowhere near the rugged, revolutionary faith of biblical Christianity. In our subculture Jesus would have never been crucified – he’s too nice” (p. 9). And I’m inclined to agree. The Jesus we know today says it’s okay to gay. It’s okay to get drunk - as long as we’re in church on Sunday morning. The Jesus we’ve come to know today says it’s okay if you believe and follow Buddhist religion. It’s okay if you follow Allah. They’re all the same.
The Jesus we’ve come to know today is a buddy, is a friend – telling us the ultimate faith is one of tolerance and timidity.
That Jesus is imaginary!
I want a faith that mirrors the faith of the Jesus of Scripture. I want a faith that’s dangerous – that’s risky. I want the faith of Jesus. I want a faith that reaches out to love the unlovable – as scary as that may be to me. I want a faith that strengthens me to speak out against injustice. I want a faith that sets me apart. I want a faith that sends me to the edges of the earth (or maybe into the depths of this town), unafraid to tell the message of Christ’s love.
Took
I want a faith that sets me free from the restrictions and rules of religious practice. I want a faith that makes me feel alive!
A while back I read a book – basically a collection of journal entries from this guy, a teenager – B.J. Higgins. B.J. was a soul on fire for Christ. Through his writings you could tell he wanted nothing more than to just tell people about Jesus. When he was 16 he was stricken with a fatal lung infection soon after he returned from a mission trip to Peru. As he grew sicker, he wrote in his journals, “And I also challenge and encourage you to continue to grow in Christ, daily reading His word, praying, worshipping, and fellowshipping. Do not be satisfied with staying the same person and doing the same mundane routine each day, but change, grow closer to God and move deeper than just ankle-deep in Him every day you live for it may very well be your last.”
I want a faith like B.J’s. I want to feel alive and excited by my relationship with Jesus. I want others to experience that excitement. I want to quit worrying about what I may or may not be doing right when it comes to practicing my faith. Am I reading my Bible enough? Did I pray long enough?
I want to quit worrying about religion – whether or not what I’m doing is enough, whether I’m doing it right. I want to find peace and rest – that only the Father can give – as I find acceptance that my belief in Jesus is enough.