How (Not) to Judge a Christian
Religion, specifically Christianity, has taken a prominent place in our current political election season. Many are intensely interested in the faith and "Christian status" of the potential candidates and our President. This has led many to ask a dangerous question about these individuals, “Is he a Christian?”
The real danger in all of this lays not so much in the question, but the one who believes that he can answer it. Many see this as a straightforward question, but it is not that simple. This question is deeply complex, and should not receive the kind of speculation that it often does.
Wondering What to do For Lent?
Each year as Lent approaches I have people ask, “What are some things that I can do during Lent this year to help me reflect and be intentional?” I often scramble around and send emails recommending books, prayers, or websites that can help.
Authenticity is Always Relevant
When I was twelve-years-old I met Ed Dobson. For years he was just my friend’s dad. Growing up, I had no idea what a significant role he would play in my life.
Several years after I graduated from college Ed took a risk on me; a young pastor. He asked if I come to work alongside of him and learn from him. It was not too long after I began to work with him that he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
That was when I realized all the things I had ever heard him talk about, he really believed. His trust in God was strong enough to allow for doubt, struggle, and darkness. His life preached the message that God's strength is made perfect in his weakness.
Today, his message of hope from pain and beauty from ashes is continues to reach many. Most recently he has several short films, produced by Flannel. This week CNN premiered Ed’s latest film titled, “My Garden,” and featured a story about his life.
What I have found so powerful in Ed’s journey is that - in his weakness and strength - he has been real. It is his authenticity that seems to connect to so many, because being authentic is always relevant to people of all ages. Thanks Ed, for teaching so many, including me, about God's love and grace. I am humbled and grateful to call you mentor and friend.
+ To read the story and watch the film: click here.
The Simple Brilliance of Love
The brilliance of Jesus is often seen in his simplicity. Once he was asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Without hesitation Jesus replied saying that greatest command was to love God and the second was to love your fellow human. The one who asked the question agreed and said that love even surpasses all religious obligation and ritual (Mark 12.28-34).
You would think that the people of God would gladly embrace these two liberating and simple commands. But by and large, we don’t. Instead, we trade them in for religious obligation and ritual. We tell ourselves that nothing could be so simple. So we complicate things by adding layers of demands on top of love. These demands have grown so deep, that love has been nearly completely covered.
Not too long ago, I met with a man who was leaving our congregation. He was frustrated with me and said, “All you want to talk about is love, and how much you want to love and embrace everybody. Meanwhile, you let do anyone whatever they want.”
He was right. I have little concern with people doing whatever they want. My job as a pastor is not to police and enforce a set of moral laws. My greatest concern is whether or not people are loved for exactly who they are wherever they are.
Some contend that this kind of openness and freedom will lead to all sorts of problems. Some pastors preach strict moral codes, and seem to care more about one’s behavior and than their heart. If a person obeys their rules are free from condemnation, but if someone strays they encounter fear-based rhetoric threatening them with hell and judgment. Those who practice this way of living support their attitudes, by pointing to Jesus. They claim he often spoke of condemnation, hell, and called out moral sin.
This is true, but his condemnatory rhetoric was aimed at those who peddled an oppressive religious system that demanded strict adherence to religious rules and obligations. Jesus regularly condemned those in authority who cared only about one’s behavior and ignored their heart.
Any system that only loves people when they can achieve a certain level of behavioral, moral perfection is not rooted in love. Systems like these are only full emptiness. This is why Jesus was so deeply angered and heartbroken over them.
He showed a different way. He spent his time with “low-lifes,” whores, and sinners and put the love of God on display. He ate, drank, and identified with them; so that for once in their lives they might know that love does exist and it is available no matter where you are or how much you have done.
The good news seen in Jesus is that love is not found by obeying rules or by making sure everyone does it our way. Love is not found in one’s ability to articulate a particular set of beliefs or fulfill religious obligation and ritual. In fact, love is not something that can be found at all, because love finds us.
This is hard for us to believe. We have convinced ourselves that something as valuable as love has to be earned. Some believe they have done enough to earn love or find love. The sad news is this: if you think you have found love, what you have really found is someone who likes what you can do. It’s a pleasant transaction, but it is not love.
Love is always given freely - it’s not rooted in demands, ritual, obligation, or what you can do. It cannot be contained, it cannot be limited, and will always defy the tidy theological boundaries that we create in our collectively small imaginations.
We have fooled ourselves into believing that love is too simple to be the most important thing. We believe that we have to do something, but love reminds us that we don’t have to do anything to be loved – we just are.
And that's the brilliance of love ... it's utter simplicity.
Femsculine Christianity
There are many differences that exist between women and men. Just start with basic biology and it’s apparent. However, if we start at the beginning we discover something foundational that speaks to who we are at our deepest level of identity.
In the creation narrative the writer tell us that God created humankind “in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1.27). Men and women are first identified as image bearers. While we have differences we also have sameness, and both are rooted in God ... +Continue Reading