Block change

Rap artist Lecrae has a song called 'Send Me'. Amoungst the gritty real life lyrics there are these few pointed lines:

hey! After, 1,000 years in the west and the churches
get'n bigger daily without understand'n worship. (say what?)
Some regenerate but a lot ain't saved.
You walk outside and be surprised cuz the block ain't changed.

I met a guy named Eddy a few weeks ago. Eddy stands in front of the local grocery store from time to time and asks people for food or cash donations to help feed hungry families. Eddy is an employed individual who volunteers his time to change his 'block'.

I am reading a book called "Community: Taking your small group off life support" by Brad House. This morning I came across this:

"Jesus rebukes religious people who see the culture's needs and do nothing to meet them. Too often, the people of God justify ignoring the needs of others. We offer our sympathy and prayers, but don't actually pray nor do we try to help. We assume it is someone else's responsibility. Others just pretend the problems don't exist. We hide behind ignorance. We don't know what the needs are in our community because we don't want to know."

Next time you attend church take a second to stand in the parking lot and take a look at (1) your church building/grounds and then (2) the greater area around your church. Has the group of people known as the 'Church' done anything to change the 'block'? Does the group of people who claim to follow Christ (known as the Church) have any awareness of the needs of the community? Or do things like personal safety, boundaries, race, religion, political affiliation, pet theologies, education (too much or not enough), religious practice, time, etc. serve as feeble barriers to carrying out the Great Commission?

Survey the 'blocks' in your life: work, church, neighborhood. church. Now, through the work of the Holy Spirit, how can you help change those blocks?

rethinking traditional

There is a concept that goes along with being a missionary outside the US that I think is extremely interesting. A missionary does not bring their American lifestyle to a foreign group of people and expect those people to adapt to them. The missionary adapts to the culture they enter. If we, as Christians (or followers of Christ to be more specific), look at our blocks, streets, neighborhoods, and cities as a mission field to which we need to adapt.... how would things change?

Now, all the religious people need to breathe. That last question may have sent all the *King James Bible quoters into a frenzy! (I'm poking fun, here.... relax.) But I honestly believe there is a danger to a traditional mindset that has seemed to rule in much of Evangelicalism (churches, denominations, organizations that claim Jesus as Lord). This mindset seperates 'us' (Christians, saved by grace) and 'them' (those outside faith in Christ). One part of this 'mindset' is a vicious tornado of controversy that never ends... it may go away now and then, but it will always return. And this is the Romans 12:2 "...do not be conformed to this world..." issue.

{I call it an issue because of all the division and destruction that has been left in the wake of a bunch of well-intentioned people.... (along with some knuckle-headed, arrogant ones) that have preached a seperation gospel. With the idea that I said "the prayer", now there is a list of things I don't do.... don't cuss, don't drink beer, no tattoos, no rated "R" movies (unless their about the crusifixion of Christ), etc. No doubt the seperation gospel has led many to believe themselves better, or holier than others... I've been there myself.}

This is the area where Christians have earned the 'intolerant' label in a big way! **Is it any wonder the homosexual community hates or shuns the 'Christian' community? We concentrate on their actions and forget about their souls.... not to mention Westboro Baptist Church (this the 'god hates fags' church in Kansas). And this is just one example.

Those of us saved by God through the death and resurrection of Jesus are on mission to our immediate environements: where we work, eat, buy food, worship, live, etc. Jesus commanded his disciples in Matthew 28, better known as the Great Commission, to go and make disciples of all nations. He did not say to go and create cliques or personal bubbles to hide in... only to come out and throw a Bible verse at the 'world' like an olympian would throw a javelin.

So what sort of missionary are you and I?

 

*I have no issue with the King James version of the Bible. I own one and believe it to be the inspired Word of God.

**I do not condone or defend the homosexual lifestyle. I believe Scripture is clear about that lifestyle, but I am concerned that other sins, such as gluttony, are ignored for the most part.