Christians feel ashamed

If you have seen the images of the Christians fighting in the Holy Sepulchre then like me you may well be feeling ashamed. This is not the kind of image that any Christian wants to present to the world and just adds fuel to the critics.

If you haven’t seen it yet then you can on youtube.

However this is an excellent example of the kind of behaviour that causes many Christians to leave the church. You won’t witness many fights within the Christian church but you will witness many conflicts and, it has to be said, over some very trivial matters.

I understand the fight in the Sepulchre broke out over who gets to stand where during a worship service. Satan must love this stuff.

When will the churches wake up to the wickedness of what they do and make an effort to change. It is the experience of many Christians that people outside the church are less aggressive and more tolerant than people within – surely this is the wrong way around.

What ever happened to turning the other cheek? and being salt and light to the world. I guess the world would probably want us to hide ourselves away at the moment so they can get on with stuff.

It’s time to stop pretending that everything is ok. It’s time to stop playing at being Christians. It’s time to stop this kind of thing ever being seen again.

May God have mercy on us and forgive us.

On behalf of Christians everywhere I apologise for what you had to witness.

What is the meaning of the cross?

Scholars bebate the meaning of the cross of Jesus in great detail. They argue about the nature of it and what was happening. However, as Martin Luther once pointed out, you can’t understand the cross only with your brain. The cross is doing something far more important than providing something to debate.

I think the truth is that many different things were happening during the crucifixion. Some of them obvious and others more hidden but ultimately its not what it does to your head that matters its how it touches your soul and your heart. Scholars who insist on reducing the cross to one meaning are just plain wrong.

But then we should be used to things having multiple meanings. If I can take a trivial personal example first here. I go running every morning. I have lots of reasons for doing it. I want to get fit, I need to lose weight, I want to try and avoid some illnesses, I want to be fit to enjoy my walking hobby and I want to be an example for my children. Now if anyone were to reduce the meaning to just one of these they would be right in saying that this is what was happening but would also be very wrong because it means so much more.

If we reduce the cross to just one meaning then we might be right in what we say about that one meaning but we are so very wrong if we think that is the end of the story.

Was Jesus dying for us? Yes. Was Jesus taking away the sin of the world? Yes. Was it a moral example to inspire us to better things? Yes. Was Jesus the lamb of God? Yes. And so I could continue.

But ultimately you can’t understand the cross without feeling it. It’s only when you can stand at the foot of the cross yourself, and see your Saviour suffering and bleeding, and dying with your name on his lips, and understand that it should be you up there, that you get what it means.

It means so much and yet the message is simple – God loves you.

How willing are you for God to use you?

I’m sure at some point every Christian has told God that they are willing to be used by Him. But do we really mean it when we say it?

It takes a lot to submit to God’s will completely. For instance how happy would you be if to follow His will you had to be poor for the rest of your life? Or how willing if you knew it would cause you conflict with the people you love the most?

Jesus once asked a rich young ruler to give up the thing he loved the most (his money) before he could follow Jesus. All we know is the young man went away feeling sad. He wanted to follow Jesus but the cost was too great.

I don’t believe it is God’s will for everyone to be poor or that the point of this story is that you have to give away all your stuff to the poor before you can follow Jesus. I think the point is that if we are really going to follow Christ we should be willing to go this far.

I want God to use me but I hope he includes a comfortable life for me as well. So far the comfortable life part (that’s the bit I want) has never materialised. Should this mean I stop following Christ? Well ultimately that’s my choice but so far I think not.

What are you willing to give up to follow Christ?

Are you really praying?

If you only pray by sending off little messages to God when you are in the middle of something else then you are missing out. If you really want to pray then you need to be spending some quality time with God. You need to find some time when you can be quiet and spend time just being with God.

I know that for some of us this is very difficult. Those of you with a young family will know that it is incredibly hard to find any time to do anything. Young children are very demanding and you are on the go all the time, babies in particular make finding time along almost impossible.

You know just because something is almost impossible doesn’t mean that it is not worth doing. Most of us, if we are pressed, could find some time if we really wanted to.

If you knew that if you made a 15 minute phone call you would get a million pounds (read dollars or whatever) then you would find the time to even if it was nearly impossible.

So how much is that time with God worth to you? This is where the problems arise.

I often hear people complaining that God doesn’t listen to them or they never hear God speak. This is often down to not listening. You can’t expect, in any relationship, to get a clear message from someone you only ever listen to about once a month. For one thing you have to learn to hear the voice of God which comes in many different forms. You can’t listen just occasionally and expect to understand what God is saying. It’s not that God is trying to hide away its simply that the rest of life gets in the way.

So let me encourage you to find a time (first thing in the morning or last thing at night maybe?). If you go to bed at 11pm then either go at 10:45pm and spend 15 minutes before you go to sleep with God or turn off the TV at 11 and go to bed at 11:15pm. You can work out what to do in the morning for yourself.

If you want to hear God you have to give Him time to speak.

Preoccupied with self

I was reading a blog entry the other day about someone who was getting very angry at the way people in the “New Age” movement are too self centered. They were trying to get people to care more for others. It all sounded very Christian to me, although it came from someone in the New Age movement.

Now preoccupation is not an exclusive club for New Agers only. It is too easy as a Christian to become preoccupied with your own faith and to forget about the needs of others. Jesus never called anyone to a life of preoccupation with their relationship with God. God calls us to be concerned with the world as well as with Him (Him first of course).

Jesus said that the first commandment is to love God and others as yourself. So we can love ourselves (in fact we should) and we should love others just as much, and of course we should love God. So no room for self preoccupation there.

I’ve often heard Christians argue that this is one of the reasons to belong to a church. It stops you becomming too self centered. I agree – a bit. You see belonging to a church doesn’t save you from preoccupation. Even insitutions can be preoccupied with themselves. I’ve come across plenty of churches that have a preoccupation with themselves.

I had a motto at College that everyone still remembers me for: “don’t take yourselves too seriously”. This ought to be every Christians motto as well. Don’t get preoccupied with self.

Nice faith shame about the trousers

What is it with trendy Vicars/Ministers/Pastors?

I came across a site the other day (no url to save any embarassement) which was all about modernising the church – good subject. However on the front of the site was a picture of their modern and inspirational leader in his 1980’s waistcoat.

Now I’ve know a lot of clergy in my time and many (not all) have been kind and nice people who have had the best interests of others in their heart. However if there is anything to do with ‘alternative worship’ or ‘youth ministry’ you had better get your sunglasses ready.

So many of them make the effort to look more contemporary but end up looking like a fool. I’ve seen ties that were never in fashion but might have found their way into the Charity Shop just after Christmas. I’ve seen tank tops that mums probably knitted for them when they were in their teens. I’ve seen waistcoats that look like they were used to protect the TV when the decoraters were in. I’ve seen trousers that seem to levitate six inches off the floor and were either bought in a sale in a fit of daftness or were purchased by mum for their thirteenth birthday party.

Sorry if this sounds like a man thing because women clergy are just as bad. Why do so many women clergy think they have to dress like a man anyway?

I would like to say that this is unusual but sadly it isn’t. Perhaps what is even sadder is half the congregation also looks like this on their dress down family service day (only someone forgot to tell THE family to come – more of that on another day perhaps).

So often Christians are told to wear something bright when the ‘outsiders’ are coming to visit. Wear something bright? Why? Is church so boring that we think wearing a bright pink boa will someone make it exciting?

“Hey, won’t the outsiders and young people be impressed when we turn up with something bright on!”

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When will we learn that to be contemporary is actually about being yourself?

By all means leave off the cassock but if you feeling comfortable wearing a shirt and tie then go for it. There is nothing more offputting than falsity and this is just what it feels like when the clergy turn out in their ‘trendy’ gear.

Of course there are exceptions to this rule and some clergy wear more contemporary clothes naturally. Good for them!

What we need to start doing is breaking down the old images of the church and putting in new better ones. This is not done by looking like a scarecrow.

Relax – be yourself – dress like you want to.

What came out when I prayed today

It’s not like me to rant. I don’t often get carried away with things but as I prayed today I felt compelled to write this. I doubt anyone will read it but I felt it needed to be published.

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I want a revolution!

It’s time for change in the UK Christian Church.

How often have I heard that said but does it ever happen? NO!

We have people who are Bible believing who call for revolution in the teaching.

We have people who are Bible doubting who call for revolution in the teaching.

We have people who like more modern music calling for revolution in worship.

We have people who don’t fit the ‘normal’ church calling for radical church.

We have people calling for house church because that’s what they like and it’s Biblical isn’t it?

Every group calls for something different in the church but what happens?

We get church made in our own image.

We get Christians breaking away to form ‘new’ churches.

But where is the revolution? WHERE O GOD IS THE REVOLUTION!!!!

Where are the generations lost to the church? Why don’t they come?

We’ve tried trendy services and new age thinking. We’ve tried everything but who comes?

People already connected to the church – that’s who comes. Very few ever come in from the outside.

Do they then hate Jesus? Do they think Jesus’ teachings are dead and gone?

No they don’t.

Why is every normal Christian ashamed to admit they go to church? Why are Christian ministers called names in the streets?

Why do people who don’t go to church hate the church?

Why do they believe that the church has highjacked the teachings of Christ and used them for their own ends?

Is it the Devil? Perhaps. Is it us? Yes.

Christian Revolution comes only when people are ready to repent.

Is the church ready?

Would we be prepared to go on national TV and say – sorry we got it wrong.

Are we prepared to admit to the world that we have not always followed Jesus?

Are we prepared to say that there is a problem with power hungry people in God’s own house?

Will we admit that instead of washing feet we have often been driven by greed?

Then when we have repented can we be converted?

Can we convert to foot washing and service?

Can we change our worship so the focus is on Jesus?

Can we listen to those who have a different view and then sensitively give ours – as equals.

We seek the broken and miss the lost.

We seek out the worst but have no time for the best.

It is right to help the drunk and the homeless – God expects nothing less than this.

But we pat ourselves on the back while every week we drive past houses full of lost souls who don’t suit us because they are not bad enough yet.

One street full of people in a Town would fill a church with hundreds. People of all ages squeezing through the doors.

Are not most church buildings in a street? Yet they are fit only for carpet warehouses and New Age Healers.

O God when will we change? When will you bring the revolution?

O God how long must we wait? How long must I wait to see this?

My heart is broken waiting for your deliverance.

My heart loves your idea of the church but it is broken as the man made systems fall.

O God bring your new church soon.

Please Lord release me from feeling this way. Let me rest and not feel the pain. I love your church so much yet my heart is broken over it.

Your will be done. Your will be done! YouR WILL BE DONE!!!!

I doubt to believe

Doubt tends to have a lot of bad press in the Christian faith.

Doubt is often seen as the opposite of faith. So if you doubt then it must be because you are a fallen unbeliever. In fact so bad is this seen in some churches that it’s illegal to mention to anyone that you might have doubts.

There is a difference between the doubt of a believer and the doubt of an unbeliever. Doubt for the believer is not about unbelief – although it can lead that way if left unchecked.

Now don’t misunderstand me because I know that Jesus encourages us not to doubt. Living in a constant attitude of doubt will have a negative effect on your relationship with God. However it is nonsense to assume that nobody ever has any doubts.

I know from talking with many Christians that nearly every Christian (great and humble) goes through periods of doubt, even though few ever mention it.

Jesus must have understood that we would doubt otherwise he would not have bothered to tell us not to do it.

The thing is that if you have doubt don’t suppress them and don’t assume it makes you a bad Christian.

Doubting is often an avenue to greater faith.

There are many different reasons for doubting and I don’t have time in a blog to cover them all.

If you have the time and inclination then read this book (for free):

http://www.garyhabermas.com/books/thomas_factor/thomas_factor.htm

It’s an excellent book all about how and why Christians doubt and how to deal with it in your life.

Times of doubt can be hard and worrying. It can feel like all the things you have based your life on are falling apart. Try to understand though that if you keep working through your doubts then you can build an even stronger faith. I don’t mean this to belittle those whose doubts don’t lead to greater faith but just to encourage those who doubt to explore and not give in too easily.

 

Never neglect your prayers

For some strange reason prayer for me is always a struggle. Not the doing it but the getting motivated to do it. It’s strange because I actually like praying and I’ve experienced God more in times of prayer than at any other time. Yet every morning I have to make myself sit down and pray. Perhaps there is some negative force at work or perhaps I’m just plain lazy.

Anyway I urge every Christian to make prayer a number one priority in life. Whatever else you get done today make sure you pray.

I sometimes get challenged by people who say things like:

I have five children how do you expect me to find time to pray? or

I’m really busy – I have to get up early in the morning to set off for work and I don’t get back till late. I don’t even have time for lunch how can I ever find time for prayer?

My response is usually in two parts:

1. Prayer times don’t have to take very long.
It seems there are a great number of people who seem to be under the impression that unless you can get half an hour for a quiet time there is just no point in bothering. Jesus pointed out that it is not the fancy prayers that get answered but the ones that are honest and come from the heart. He also told us not to keep saying the same thing over and over. I think it’s also significant that when the disciples asked to be taught how to pray Jesus gave them a prayer that can be said in well under a minute, even if you take your time over it. Of course there is benefit to having a longer quiet time but never use a lack of time as an excuse for not praying – time is not an issue with God.

2. We find time for things we really want to do and are committed to.
When people complain about a lack of time for prayer they invariably talk on other occasions about the TV programme they watched or the golf they played etc. I don’t want to be mean but it is true that we will usually find the time for those things that are important to us. For instance as a business person I used to get up very early one day a week to go to a business breakfast meeting. It was important to me to be able to promote my business so I would get up early to do it. Many other business people do the same. Yet often they say they find it hard to find the time to pray.

I’m sorry if this feels like a telling off – that wasn’t my intention when I began – but I want to encourage you not to neglect your prayers. If you are struggling to find time then think about your whole life and be honest about if you find time for things you want to do (e.g. watch your favourite soap). If this is true then think about how you can find time for prayer. Even those of us who make it a priority often find it tough to get started. If you are really struggling then remember that even short prayers can make a big difference. Who honestly can’t find two minutes in a day to say some short prayers?

Stuff Christians should be doing

In 1 Timothy 6:11 Paul tells Timothy some of the stuff he should be doing as a Christian leader. Much of what he says applies to any Christian who wants to live as godly a life as they can.

In my last post I talked about the stuff to flee. I pointed out that to flee means to actively avoid them not just passively avoid them.

Now we are looking at stuff Christians should ‘persue’ e.g. actively seek not passively seek.

What I mean by actively seek is that we should put effort in to get these things and not just hope that somehow if we sit near God long enough they will just rub off.

Righteousness – that is going things God’s way even if it is not our way. Simply put doing the right things.

Godliness – that is filling ourselves with God. Not so we distance ourselves from the world. Remember the most Godly man? Jesus. Yet Jesus hung around with sinners and social outcasts (do you know any?). Being Godly means being like Jesus.

Faith – Yes faith requires work. Faith is not some mystical force that falls on you if you pray the right words is a choice and requires a degree of willpower. Now I’m personally in favour of an intelligent faith rather than a blind one but both need to be worked at.

Love – Not a gooey feeling you get when you look at a pretty woman/handsome man but real deep tough but soft all powerful love. It needs to be worked on. It requires effort.

Endurance – I think this is one that someone who is without a church needs to really work on. You will find support in a church if your faith is struggling (or at least in some churches) but if you are on your own you will need to work hard at enduring. I would recommend at least finding some good Christian web sites you can look too when you need a little boost. Find them before the struggle comes along because there is an awful lot of rubbish out there. Try Christian music as well it can really help.

Gentleness – This doesn’t mean putting on a sick smile and patting children on the head. It’s about caring and helping and leading. It’s about showing a better way. It’s like firmly helping your children to be better rather than just shouting at them when they are wrong. It’s powerful and it’s tough. The world doesn’t understand the power of this quality.

So let’s be active in our faith and not passive.