Credible Christianity

“Can you hear me now?”

This of course was the catch phrase for a top cell phone provider. It was meant to show that its coverage was so wide that it can be received anywhere.

But as you know with communication – it’s one thing to be heard. But there is another question.

“Do you trust and believe me/us?”

This is the question believers and churches might want to be asking today because it seems in North America, the answer from many people is “not really.”

Remember how this all started? Jesus drawing lots and lots of people to himself (with the exception of those who were threatened by him). Likewise, the early Jesus followers as chronicled in Acts 2 were drawing lots of people, causing awe and wonder and winning the goodwill of many. Not exactly what is happening today…

As my good friend Greg and I were discussing recently, some believers and churches today seem to be repelling people more than drawing or attracting them.

Why?

Good question. Here are some thoughts…

Most of it has to do with ethos. Ethos is the Greek-based English word in rhetoric terms that evaluates the speaker’s character and believability.

And what has happened is that American Christianity has become increasingly un-believable on a broad scale, in some churches and in the lives of individual believers.

Author and teacher Patrick Morely says, “The American Gospel has evolved into a gospel of addition without subtraction…we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior. It is a spiritual experience without any cultural impact. It is a revival without reformation or repentance.” I would never say that following Christ is easy. But one thing that seems to have happened is that Christianity has unwittingly (or not) become entangled with American consumerism – bigger, better, more, and superficial in many ways. In other words – it looks great, but is hollow inside. Because while a superficial, country club version of Christianity may be safe and make people feel good – it does not transform inside nor impact the culture around it – it just self-serves. It does not draw people earnestly seeking God because they can sense that there is nothing “new” and “life-giving” in this kind of Christianity.

There is this key scene in the film Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. It’s the scene where Indy finds his way into this chamber where the Holy Grail (the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper) was kept. Indy is followed by two Nazi officials who are after the power associated with the Grail. Once in this chamber, filled with dozens of different cups and chalices, the Nazi bad guy starts to look for the “best” because of course as he says, it’s the cup of the “Kings of Kings.” So he takes a drink of water from a golden and ornate grail and he ages with terrifying speed and becomes a skeleton and basically explodes. Now it’s up to Indy to “choose wisely” according to the old crusader who is guarding the room. Indy shares his thoughts out loud, “The cup of a carpenter.” Indy chooses a very simple cup and alas, it was “the” one.”

The point being there is a huge difference between what we have made Christianity to be and what it actually is – in the purest sense. And therein is this credibility gap and the consequences – the confusion, the division, the repelling and more. We have many believers used to, expecting and defending a golden, ornate version (yes, like an idol) of church and that is why many churches are dying and have long since stopped drawing new believers.

But not all churches are dying. The ones that have the real Jesus at the center, that are missional, that are willing to lose themselves for the sake of the Gospel, that are passionate about reaching the dechurched (people who have walked away from faith and church) and unbelievers are alive and well. Some in North America, but largely in South America and in Africa. They have grasped the roots of early Christianity – when it was authentically dynamic and appealing.

Jesus himself was drawing people through his radical, transforming love and grace, forgiveness, compassion, faithful teaching and God’s power fully on display in his resurrection.

See, Paul knew that to draw people to Jesus, they had to resemble Christ. So he wrote, “Our work as God’s servants gets validated – or not – in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly…with pure heart, clear head…; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth…when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all (2 Corinthians 6:3-10 The Message).” Resembling both the wondrous life of, as well as the cross of, Christ. The glory and the cross cannot be separated.

This is what was drawing people to believe – authenticity – not a show, not a routine, not what “we want,” not a path of comfort, and not even really attractive on the surface – yet offering something real – new and eternal life and a strength and assurance beyond anything this world can offer. Paul pleaded with his friends, “Dear, dear, Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life…(2 Corinthians 6:11).” Amen!

When churches think of outreach today, often the thinking is “programs.” And they have their value. But the very best outreach is a church and members on fire for the Lord in their lives – sharing the struggles of carrying crosses as well as the joy that nothing in the world can take away – and the transformational power and love of God via the power of the Holy Spirit visibly working in their lives. Because as sixteenth century poet and theologian Richard Baxter wrote, “When the people see that you truly love them, they will hear anything from you.”

It’s a mirror moment. Churches and believers need to be looking in the mirror and asking tough questions. Questions like, “Do we resemble the real Jesus, or some kind of glossy, safe, comfortable version of Him?” “Why aren’t people visiting our church?” “When was the last time we baptized a new adult believer?” “Do people see God working in my life?” “Are people inspired to learn more about Jesus or trust more because of the way I live my life?”

For me, it’s about enabling people to believe in God more because of the way they see and hear how I live, learn, lose and love – how clearly they can see and believe in Jesus through me. I just want to be out there saying, “Here I am – no tricks, no gimmicks, when it is all stripped away – I love the Lord and it’s changed my life and I want to share that with you and I want you to know He loves you too.”

People can see and hear us – but do they believe us?

Amen.

Pastor Christopher B. Wolf is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance (2007) and the forthcoming With You: Every Step of the Way (2011)

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@sbcglobal.net

www.christopherbwolf.com

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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The Right Relationship

 

 

 

“The Word of God became flesh and dwelled among us.” John 1:14

 

In many ways, our lives are defined by our relationships. Certainly we are all individuals. But our times, the substance of our lives can be seen through our connections or lack thereof with others. Relationships at their best can literally be life-giving; relationships at their worst can be heartbreaking or worse.

 

For me, I have been shaped and influenced by so many relationships. Loving others, being loved, sharing the highs and lows of life, learning together. Obviously, my parents and brother Ryan to aunts, uncles and cousins; friends, teachers and coaches. All the people I have worked with at many different jobs. From my first girlfriend (second grade) Christina (who is a faithful Living Water reader today) to all the people I’ve had the privilege to serve as their pastor in a church or from a distance. And, of course, my wife and my children. And that is just in nearly 40 years. I have been very blessed with these key human relationships. Bu there is one relationship above them all…

 

See, so much of our time revolves around relationships – building them, protecting them, putting them back together, enjoying them, and figuring them out. We are frequently wondering how are relationships are doing or seeking the “right” one. Most of the joys of life flow through relationships – life enjoyed through and with others. We are relational by design – by God’s design.

 

Which is why, with the sending of Jesus into this world – God got personal.

 

The whole idea of the Word became flesh and dwelled among us was that God became fully relational with human beings by becoming a human being. No more pillar of fire, no more voice from the mountain, not speaking through prophets, but in the flesh…

 

From his birth, the child in the manger – to his personal encounters with people – healings, teachings and attending weddings – to the last supper, where he asked his friends (and us to this day) to remember him – to the crucifixion and his death and then his bodily resurrection. All lived out by a person who was God and human.

 

I keep thinking about how he was sitting at the Passover meal with his disciples and transforms that sacred meal from a remembrance of the saving power of God during the Exodus into this simple but powerful and personal, “Remember me.” God getting personal.

 

Or I think of this liturgy I use at funerals that includes, “Through his death, Jesus sanctified the graves of the saints (those who believe).” Despite the sadness, it is a beautiful thought and only possible by God becoming flesh and living and dying among us. God getting personal and enduring all things human.

 

Not a theology, not an idea, not a theory, not a hypothetical, not a building, not a tradition or denomination, not a doctrine; but a person. All the things we have made God and religion often make us miss the point that God became flesh and dwelled among us to invite us into a saving and sustaining relationship with him.

 

He came in the flesh for two main purposes – he assumed flesh to assume the sin of the world so by going to the cross and dying – the power of death and sin – that which separated us from God – would be destroyed and the door to a relationship with God could be restored. “It is accomplished,” as he said.

 

And when we think of relationships, it is the most important one. I mean, if you we don’t have this relationship right, then what do we have? Whether you liked or agreed with the book The Shack, one clear message that came from readers was a reminder that God desires a living relationship with us.

 

Relationship involves unconditional love, trust, communication, sharing, serving, encouragement, authenticity, presence. Jesus was and is God to us in all of these ways.  

 

But there was another purpose to his coming “in the flesh.” And it was demonstrate how to be Christ to one another and to the world.   

 

Think about that for a moment. To be Christ to someone. What does that mean?

 

Because he lived in the flesh among us…we can live…because he was divine as well as human, we can see what it was to be human in the best terms as well as to be Christ to one another.

 

To love others sacrificially, to serve them, to open ourselves fearlessly, to see the best in others, to want the best for others, to be instruments of God’s healing and grace – this is to be Christ to one another.

 

But it all starts with a relationship. A few years ago Chase Bank’s slogan went something like this, “The right relationship is everything.”

 

And so it is for us. God got personal with us through Jesus – he initiated the relationship. And it’s about having the “right” relationship with God by believing in his son Jesus, and from that saving and sustaining, primary relationship, all of our other relationships can be “right” by being Christ to others – to embody him to others, from his flesh through ours.

 

Amen.

 

Discussions Questions

1. How is your relationship with God? Is it healthy or dysfunctional? Is it through Jesus? Would you like to know more about this?
2. How are you relationships with others? How do you evaluate relationships? What is that based on?
3. What do you think of being Christ to others? How can we do this?
4. How has God been personal with you in your life? If you feel like he hasn’t, how would that look if he did?

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