Radically Real

Rarely will I post the same thing to both blogs simultaneously yet it has now happened two days in a row. There are two blogs amokarts and radically real. They deal with subjects near and dear to my heart. Amokarts deals with arts ministry and radically real deals with a passion on my heart to challenge Christians from myself on up to live authentic Christian lives. Today's post encompasses both. It is a quote from an artist desiring to live an authentic Christian life. The artist is Mark Shultz. He is a recording artist (and youth worker) who has the uncanny ability to write songs that make this old preacher cry his eyes out. I read this on the liner of his latest CD Stories and Songs.

"This record seems to have a theme. A theme that asks 'What will I do with the time that's left?' I have spent so much of my time like most people living as the main character of my own small story. Through the struggles of growing and maturing over the last two years God has allowed me to see that He is inviting me to take part in his larger story. One where He is the main character and the focus and where I play a smaller yet crucial role that He wrote specifically for me. I hope that in these songs you will also hear a quiet voice calling you to the larger story."

Amen Mark, that voice and helping others to hear it should be the focus of our art and our lives.

Adventures in Missing the Point

Yes, I know this is someone else's title, but it really applies. After what seems like years of hearing about it, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ opens today. I have to admit the furor in the press has been wearing me down. I can't imagine what Mel is feeling like. The story of the Crucifixion of Jesus has turned into the crucifixion of Mel Gibson in the media. This story has shown me a couple of things:

1. Hating Jesus and Christians has become chic in some really big circles of society. Jesus said men would hate us for following Him so no Christian should be surprised.

2. The world is more lost and more in need of Jesus than I could ever have imagined.

3. The correct response from the Christian for all this anti Christian backlash is not backlash but prayer. Anybody remember, "pray for those who persecute you."

4. If you had any doubts that Romans 8:28 is true, the box office figures and the corresponding interest (dare I say revival?) in Jesus that will rise from all this malarkey should bear it out.

Will there be stupidity after the film is shown? Almost certainly, but there will also be people wanting to come to Jesus as a result of seeing so graphically what Jesus did on that cross? Absolutely and that is the point we Christians should make our focus. Let's not miss the point.

And one last thing while we're on missing the point, A charge of anti-semitism has been made against the film. It's been said before, but I want to be on record as having said this. Any Christian that walks out of this film with hatred for Jews has missed the point not just of the film but of his/her faith. If you want to pin the blame on someone for nailing Jesus to the cross, the hammer's in your hand. Love put Jesus on the cross, sin nailed Jesus to the cross, and God raised Jesus from the grave and because he rose so can you.

There was a line omitted from the film. The line says something to the effect of let His blood be on our heads and on the heads of our children. I used that verse in a service once and someone shouted hallelujah. I never thought of it like that before, neither did the critics who fought to remove it from the film. Guys, that blood is the blood that set me free. That's the point!

Time for a reality check?
God is supposed to be the number one priority in out lives. Look at the way you live your life. Does it reflect that God is your number one priority?
Do the people around you realize that God is a high priority in your life, not just by what you say but by what you do?
Does your use of time show that God is your number one priority?
Does the way you treat your possessions show God is your number one priority or are there little "idols in the making" strewn all over your house?
How you live shows what you value. What does your life say about you and your relationship with God?

It's been a few weeks since I posted to this blog. I guess that's the way it will be some times, though hopefully not often. I have yet to master the short blog but I'm trying. Last week I had an awesome opportunity to minister to 300 kids at a youth retreat. I did a craft with them called screaming rocks, challenging them to "not let the rocks cry out for them." It was awesome and went real well. Then in the general session We did a power point game called everypicture tells a story (no not the YS thing, I made it up myself.) It was a computer game show for 300. It led into an art demonstration I do called the least of these, which tells about how what we do for others in Jesus name, we do for Jesus. This led into a message challenging the kids to look out for others, especially for the ones that their classmates would look at as the "least of these." I had my doubts about speaking to teens at 3:00 am but it went really well.

A lot of people look at that least of these passage and miss two very important words. Jesus said "the least of these my brothers." Now some people will say that applies only to people in the church. I'm not a great scholar, but I don't think that's the case. Oh sure we are too look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ, don't take that lightly, but why did Jesus say he came? Didn't he say he came to seek and save that which was lost? Didn't he counsel us to care for the poor and down trodden? Isn't that a way we can represent Him? When you look at people, do you see them as people God loves or do you look at them and judge what their value is to the kingdom and minister accordingly? Let's be real.

Idols with Steeples part 2

I'm afraid that I may not have been totally clear yesterday and that more explanation may be required. As I spoke with my wife last night she related the experience of having been on a building committee and touring other churches in the area. One of these churches is well on it's way to being a megachurch. Their attitude toward their building was very telling. They designed it for full function, it is convertible to a wide variety of functions. It is a beautiful building but it is built with very functional materials that are easily maintained. The point is they built the building to be what it is, the box that holds the church.

My denomination used to have a handle on this (and in some quarters still does) When they started they had house churches, some folks even built their homes with hinged dividing walls that could be folded back to hold more people. When they outgrew those houses, they either planted more churches or moved to their barns. The point is this, they realized the building wasn't what's holy, what's holy is what happened inside, the crowning achievement of God's creation worshipping their heavenly Father.

Church buildings are awesome but keep them in perspective.

Some Idols Have Steeples

Wow I can smell the hate mail even as I write. If your church is more interested in saving the carpet than saving souls, see above. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with taking care of your building, but which takes more of your budget, reaching the building plan or reaching the lost? Are people afraid to breathe in your church for fear of damaging some relic (and what is a relic, really)?

A sanctuary by definition is a place of refuge would someone who has taken the worst the world has to offer find refuge in your sanctuary or would the "the weight of the judgmental glances let them know that their chances are better out on the road." (Casting Crowns, "If We Are the Body")

Here's the thing, the church is the people, and one day that building that you spend so much time worrying about is going to burn. Will your congregation have invested in that which is eternal—the souls of your community? Just something to think about and maybe to act on.