COME, LET US LAMENT TOGETHER
The recent Pew Research study about the decline of Christianity has brought about much discussion within the Christian camp. What has saddened me is some of the discussion feels rather self-assured and, even more, rather pleased.
Many Christians often presume to draw the boundaries of God’s goodness and grace to determine who is in and who is out. Without fail we place ourselves smack in the middle of the “in” group. As though we are the poster children of what it means to be Christian. We speak, or almost brag, about our assurance of salvation.
This attitude lies just beneath the surface of a few articles and posts by Evangelical leaders. Their assumption is “real” Christians are not leaving the Church, but all the fake Christians are finally taking off. In their mind then, this is a cleansing or refining of the Church. Their take? Thanks be to God! Here are a few examples.
Or this tweet by JR Vassar this morning which reads, “Jesus' words about a narrow gate and a hard way and the few who find it make the @pewresearch study feel a little late to the party.”
As Russel Moore put it, “... the number of Americans who identify as Christians has reached an all-time low, and is falling. I think this is perhaps bad news for America, but it is good news for the church.”
These comments suggest it’s okay - even good - that people are leaving the Church, because they were never Christians anyway. It subtly foists the reason for their leaving fully on those who have left and washes the hands of those left in the Church as though we are in no way responsible for this. Which raises my first question, “Is it possible many people are leaving the Church because of the attitudes of the Christians who are not leaving?”
I wonder, where is the outcry for those who have left? Where is the sadness that hundreds of thousands have left a faith that, at its roots, is committed to the person of Jesus? Why do these leaders seem to be pleased that the Church is being refined rather than sorrowful so many have walked away? What if our response was a lament?
We seem to be just fine with dismissing those who were not really Christians because they were never one of us anyway. But aren’t we to seek the good of all people? Are we really okay with saying it's "bad new for America" but "good news for the church"? Have we forgotten if it's not good news for everyone it's not good news for anyone? Are we not to be concerned with the hearts of all people and not just those who are in our camp?
Perhaps it’s because if we answer my first question honestly, we are forced to grapple with the reality many have left, are leaving and will leave the Church precisely because of how Christians treat one another and those who are not Christians. Owning our faults is hard to do. Which raises my second question, “Is it possible, in lieu of the Pew Research study, that the posture of those who identify as Christians should be one of repentance?”
Perhaps our response should be one of lament and seeking forgiveness. What if we stood together and prayed the words of Psalm 79:
"Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your name’s sake." (Psalm 79:8-9 ©NIV)
Too often we assume we have it right. We place far too much confidence in our viewpoint, in our tradition, in our theology, in our interpretation and in our righteousness. We assume we are the real, true Christians on the narrow path, bound for the narrow gate. Forgetting all the while there is a fine line between humble trust in God’s goodness and arrogant confidence in our faithfulness.
I know this is one of my biggest pitfalls. I assume I have the inside scoop, the direct line and often rely far too much on my own ability to ensure I've got things right. In those moments I need to be repent and be reminded to hold everything with open hands and a humble heart.
Perhaps we should pause from interpreting the research, from making claims of who is in and who is out to remind ourselves we should not be confident in our righteousness, and, as we pause, hear a story Jesus told.
Jesus said, "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14, ©NIV)
Maybe the best thing we can do is come together, like the tax-collector, to confess our failures, shortsightedness, pride over our tradition, haughty insights and confidence in ourselves. Let us repent for the way Christians have often behaved, and own how we have contributed to the mass exodus from the Church. Let us cry out for our brothers and sisters who have walked away.
Perhaps then we will have eyes to see what our next best step should be.
LESS CHRISTIANITY, LESS PRIVILEGE
Earlier this week the Pew Forum released an article titled, “America’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Central to their findings was the fact that the numbers of those who identify as Christians has dramatically declined.
The response to the research has been a mixed bag of concern and a “no need to worry” approach. Implicit in the response of many Christians is a low-level nervousness.
It’s not quite “a handwriting on the wall” moment – at least not right now – but for many the research felt a “doomsday-ish.” Ed Stetzer tried to explain why Evangelicals should not panic (see article here). Stetzer made some good points, but there was one line that caught my attention.
He wrote, “… the cultural cost of calling yourself “Christian” is starting to outweigh the cultural benefit.” It is this line that causes fear in the hearts of Christians. Reading Stezer’s article in light of this fear made it feel like his attempt to calm a panicked crowd.
For generations being a Christian meant power and influence. And now, we are losing that. It is no longer beneficial to identify as a Christian. In my context here in urban Denver, claiming to be an Evangelical, can set you back even further.
It is this loss of influence and power that makes many Christians nervous. Some respond defensively by claiming those leaving the Church don’t want to live under the authority of Scripture or have ceded to cultural moral standards or no longer want accountability in their life (and yes, I have heard every single one of these things said multiple times).
Notice each of these claims suggest a loss of influence or control in the lives of individuals. For example, when a Christian claims a someone leaves the Church because she no longer wants to be guided by Scripture – that very claim recognizes a declining influence. And when the Bible no longer has power over someone’s life, Christians lose the ability to control others and define reality.
We see this in Stetzer’s article too. He writes many in America today “identify as “nones” because it’s more culturally savvy.” Which is to say, the Christian label no longer holds power and sway as it once did. And when a growing number of people no longer want the label Christian we lose power.
This teaches Christians are losing our place of privilege, and for many, this loss causes the fear. Deep inside, most Christians know the culture war is over … and we lost. The majority of Americans are for same-sex marriage, and a Supreme Court decision is not going to change minds. Most Americans support a woman’s right to choose, and, let’s be honest, prayer is not returning to schools.
Rather than go down humbly in defeat, too many Christians seem intent on taking as many as possible down with them. This should not surprise us. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. observed, “Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” And American Christians are no exception to this rule.
It is this observation I find most fascinating.
Because Christians claim to follow Jesus who do not consider his place, power or privilege as something to cling to or something to be used for his advantage. Just the opposite. He gave up power that was equal to the power of God, humbled himself, became a human just like us and allowed himself to die – and not just a normal death – but the agonizing death of the cross.
This observation made by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2 ought to challenge the hearts and attitudes of Christians in America. For too long we have considered power to be used precisely for our own advantage. Rather than humble ourselves, we have grasped for top-down influence. All the while forgetting the higher we’ve climbed the farther it is to fall.
This has slowly turned Christianity from a life of following the teachings of a humble-but-divine, Eastern, Jewish peasant into a system of power, privilege and comfort. The study from Pew Research does not indicate Christianity is dying. However, it does offer us the opportunity to go against the flow of history and, in imitation of Jesus, give up our privilege voluntarily – just as he did.
I fully agree with Stetzer. We should not “run around with our hands in the air and say, ‘The sky is falling! The sky is falling!’” Why? Because it is also a historical fact that the people of God are at their best when we are stripped of power and privilege and pushed to the margins.
When this happens, perhaps for the first time, we will have eyes to see beyond the power-system we call Christianity, and discover the heart of Jesus. The one who knew power is found in weakness. If anything, I pray this research and data will drive more of us than any before to forfeit privilege, for the sake of redemption.
May it be so.
MY LATEST BOOK: CHANGING FAITH
I could not be more thrilled to share with you something new I have been cooking up. Well, actually it’s cooked and will be ready to serve up in May 2015.
It’s my new book titled, Changing Faith: Questions, Doubts and Choices About an Unchanging God. The book addresses the reality that many of us are grappling with important questions. Questions like:
How much can we actually know about God and our world?
Who is right and who is wrong?
Are right and wrong even the best categories for our world anymore?
Whose "truth" is really true?
Do I need God to live a life that matters?
We have these questions not because we reject faith in God, but because we live in a rapidly changing world of new realities, new technology and new insights that demand new answers. This changes how we live, communicate, think and believe. We know we are moving from somewhere, but we don't exactly know what we are moving toward.
And that's what this book is about.
FEAR OF WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW
There is a fear that possesses nearly all human beings. This fear has settled so deeply in our hearts we barely notice it anymore. It’s now just a part of who we are. No; not a fear of the dark or snakes or heights or sharks.
It’s fear of the unknown.
Alfred Hitchcock knew this and exploited this fear masterfully in his films. Many of us have seen the blood and gore graphically offered in “slasher-films.” It leaves little to the imagination. Hitchcock went further. Rather than leave little to our imagination he left everything to our imagination.
By offering limited information and keeping things hidden he invited the viewer’s imagination to run wild. He knew, left to our own devices, we would conjure something more terrifying than anything he could display on the screen. There is a lesson to learn from Hitchcock. The lesson? If we allow what is unknown to remain unknown fear will increase.
Of course, learning this lesson goes far beyond knowing a thing or two about films. It is a lesson we must learn in our world, our culture and everyday life, because we are a people who cling to fear as though our life depends on it.
Think about it. What did you experience the last time you read or listened to the news? Or how about the messages peddled from the pulpits of politicians and pastors in our world today? Much of it is soaked in fear. Mark Danner commented fear is “the most lucrative political emotion.” We have become so fearful we are now afraid of fear.
It makes perfect sense this fear-based message is so popular. Research has shown our brains pick up on negative energy faster than positive energy. This is why nearly every car will slow down to soak in the scene of a car accident that occurred on the other side of the highway. It’s also why forty people could pay you kind compliments, but what sticks is the one nasty comment from a disgruntled person. Humans respond to fear.
It was not always this way. There was a time when there was no fear. It was the time before the first man and woman ate the forbidden fruit. Fear only came into human consciousness after they ate the fruit. And we’ve been terrified ever since.
It's no wonder the commands, “Do not fear” and “Fear not” are the most common commands in the Bible. Some claim they are given 365 times – one for each day of the year. Given the current climate of fear in many Churches and the way many Christians choose to live in fear, we need to hear that command, not one time, but several times each day.
One only needs to scan Facebook or Twitter to understand why I would say this. There is a surplus of fear-saturated posts and comments about Muslims, racial tensions, the LGBT Community, immigration, politicians (the ones we would not vote for), the government, same-sex marriage and attacks on other Christians who believe differently. Of course, those who post do not say, “I’m really scared about this, so I am posting it.” They don’t need to.
When the parts of our brain that process fear kick in we are largely (and instinctively) left with two responses: fight or flight. Most of the time we run. However, armed with a distant and mostly anonymous online presence has fueled our keyboard courage and now we can fight. Simply put: we attack because we are afraid.
What is so fascinating about this is what we observed above, which was the thing Hitchcock knew. We are afraid of what we do not know. How many of our comments, attitudes and opinions today are rooted not in knowledge but ignorance? We may have heard or read a thing or two about a subject, but this does not mean we know anything about it.
For example, in my experience, many who are scared of Muslims and believe those of Muslim faith are a direct threat do not know a Muslim man or woman. The information that feeds their fear comes from what they have heard others say. It’s fear of what is unknown.
It’s the same with those who attack the LGBT Community and destroy those who affirm same-sex marriage. Their attitudes are shaped in isolation far away from a relationship with a man or woman who is gay. It’s fear of what they do not know.
This is little more than accepted, collective, group thinking. It asks little of us, it is rampant in the Church and it pours gasoline of the flames of fear. We avoid living in tension, we believe we have all the answers and information we need, and we steer away from challenging our previously held attitudes and opinions. We live in ignorance and call it wisdom.
All the while, the command, “Do not fear” which flows from the lips of the God who is love, disappears amid the noisy clamor of fear. There is good news however: fear does not have the last word; love does. I say this because the Jesus’ disciple John claimed “love drives fear away.” If we are the people of the God who is love, we are forced to ask, “What part does fear have in our life?”
Perhaps the best way to move beyond fear is to reach out in love to those who seem so terrifying. Maybe we should imitate Jesus and share a meal with someone who represents a group we are scared of. Another way we could say this is: Have a dinner party with "the other" that your group is scared of.
Invite a person to your home that many choose to demonize and shower him or her with love, grace and hospitality. Invite a man or woman who is gay into your home and treat them as long lost family. Go to lunch with a person of Muslim faith, ask questions and listen. Enjoy a beer with an staunchly conservative Republican or, (depending on your persuasion) with a super liberal Democrat. If we do this we will recognize we are not arguing about an issue, but speaking about dearly loved daughters and sons made in the image of the Almighty God.
Remember Jesus ate dinner with the tax collectors who exploited the poor, and he ate with the poor who were exploited by the tax collectors. He sat with the ultra-religious who judged the “sinners” and reclined in the home of the “sinners” who were judged by the religious. For Jesus there was no “other” – everyone was worth his time and love. And because he chose to love he could not spend any energy on being afraid.
If we are ever to see our world and others in it differently we need to see them face to face, and we must experience flesh and bone. For then we will know the other and the voice of fear will begin to fade. Because when we know others and are known by others we create the necessary space for love to grow, and when we do that fear, will have to head for the door. And we will find the freedom and joy of no longer acting in ignorance or fear, but operating out of the heart of God that is love.
Learn more about Michael's new book titled: Changing Faith: Questions, Doubts and Choices About the Unchanging God. Pre-Order today. Available everywhere May 10, 2015.
A NEW STARTING POINT FOR THE GOSPEL: A RESPONSE TO CHELSEN VICARI
Many are concerned about the situation the Church finds itself in today expressing concern over the fact that many are leaving the church in droves, especially millenials. One recent example of this concern is found in an article by Chelsen Vicari titled “Here’s How the Christian Left Is Twisting the Gospel.”
In the article Vicari laid the blame for the state of the Church primarily on our broader culture and - most importantly - Church leaders who have capitulated to culture. She contends that in an attempt to be “relevant” to our prevailing culture, the Church has lowered her standards to be accepted by the world in which we live. Vicari suggests Church leaders are increasingly going “soft” on sin. Her proposed solution?
The Church must reclaim and return to upholding high moral standards, acknowledging the authority of Scripture, call others to repent and name sin for what it is. If we can do this we just might recover from this situation in time to redeem another generation (read full article here).
I don’t often (I’m not sure I have ever) offer a rebuttal to an article. However, her argument suggests one of the central reasons pastors like me have chosen to proclaim a different message is largely based on popularity and acceptance. Please know, I like other people to like me and accept me, but that is not what I preach the way I do. My reasoning (and the reasoning of many others) is rooted in something far more substantive than merely wanting others to think we are cool or hip.
One thing we can learn from her article is a common error we humans make when something breaks down and stops working.
Here is why I say that.
When something stops working, breaks down and is no longer effective, we humans often make two misguided assumptions.
First, we assume the problem lies outside of what we do not because of what we do.
When was the last time something went wrong on your computer? What was your reaction? If you are anything like me you said to yourself, “What is wrong with this thing?” That statement assumes the problem is with the computer and not the user. While I may want it to be computer error, I must confess it is often my fault. And it is no different with the Church.
I grew up in a Church culture very close to what Vicari seems to long for in her article. I heard sermons about the evils of sin and the importance of morality. There were calls to confess, instruction on God’s exacting rules, overt condemnation of sin, and reminders to fear God’s wrath. And I am not alone in my experience. Nearly every week I meet someone who grew up in similar circumstances.
Simmering just below the surface in these worship services was a swelling pride that our congregation was not like our culture and stood apart from the sinful masses. My being immersed in this culture did nothing to create an intimate relationship with God. Rather, it fostered a cautious standoff with an angry deity.
When I messed up, the last thing I did was admit it. I hid it, buried it and never talked about it, because I was afraid of the condemnation, judgment and rejection that followed those who broke God’s moral decrees. Over time the shame, anxiety and burden of this culture wore thin.
I have learned it is precisely this kind of Church culture that drives many away from the Church. Which means the message the Church has preached, and many things the Church has done over the last several decades is no longer working.
Vicari does not seem to acknowledge this reality at all. In fact, she believes that this kind of Church culture is the kind of thing that does work. My question is, “Who, exactly, is this working for?” Often the ones who seem so intent on returning to this way of thinking are those who are deeply rooted in the Church and Christianity. Those who level accusation at those who think, act or speak differently.
What Vicari and others who think like her miss is the fact that every system is perfectly tailored to achieve the results it is getting. And the results are obvious: people are leaving.
This is the first common error we make. Vicari concludes the reason people are leaving exists outside the system she is within, and most certainly not within her own system.
The second common error we make when something breaks down is we continue to do what we have always done and expect different results.
As Vicari illustrates, we assume if we tweak our practices and do them better intention, greater accuracy and more intensity than before, they will continue to work. And this is exactly what Vicari suggests we do; even going so far as to lament the fading influence of the Religious Right. We cannot forget digging our heels in is always a bad way to move forward. Yet, this is what Vicari seems to do. She fails to see that doing and saying the same thing we have always said with a few tweaks does not work and will not work.
Why?
Because our world today is not what our world was twenty years ago or even ten years ago. Life conditions have changed and are changing at warp speed. People are asking new questions that demand new answers. It’s not necessarily that all of the old answers were wrong, but they no longer answer today’s pressing questions.
We must reconsider what we have done, recognize what does not work and create new ways of sharing the love of Jesus. We must humbly own what we have done wrong, and have the courage to look at our practices that have driven many away. But we cannot stop there.
Which means we need to rethink not just how we preach, but also what we preach. This is far more than just changing the medium; we need to overhaul the message. The shift we have seen in our culture demands we rethink where we start with relation to sharing the good news of Jesus with others.
It is not the “Christian Left Twisting” the Gospel as Vicari claims. Rather, it is many faithful men and women understanding the questions have changed therefore the starting point for entering the massive, cosmic, story of Jesus and his good news has moved.
Surely this will upset some, and that it to be expected. Not everyone is fond of change – especially when it comes to our Christian faith. This is nothing new.
The religious elite did not like Jesus or his message. But the hookers, “sinners”, tax collectors, the poor, the sick and those oppressed by a religious system ran to Jesus. We would be remiss not to learn from this.
Jesus did not, mind you, set out to anger the religious. But his radical message of God’s grace, love and availability rendered the religious leader’s insistent condemnatory message obsolete.
Make no mistake; Jesus was not soft on sin. But he saved his strong language for the religious who used strong language on the “sinners.” When Jesus spoke to “sinners” his message was one of invitation, hope, mercy, compassion, grace, non-condemnation and freedom. It’s no wonder when people on the religious fringes encountered him they discovered forgiveness, experienced transformation, were made whole and often repented.
Because when they saw the life, love, compassion and mercy of Jesus they finally discovered the grace to change.
Those who have chosen to turn toward Jesus – including me – were not changed because we were told how sinful we were or how important morality is. All the sermons we heard growing up did little more than scare the hell out of us, and make us scared of God. It was not until we silenced those voices that we were found by a God who embraced us right where we were and loved us without condition.
Upon discovering the acceptance of Jesus we finally found the courage to be honest about our failures, shame, fear, sin, wounds, brokenness and shortcomings. And each time we opened up we were met with more compassion and grace.
As for me – I discovered the glorious, painful, beautiful and messy process called transformation– that brings about wholeness, peace and healing.
If we are to preach this kind of message we must relinquish control to the Spirit of God to move in the lives of men and women, and trust the Spirit to lead others along in Her own good time. It challenges us to stop caring first about sin and morality and to care first for men and women made in the image of the Almighty who are crushed beneath the indignity of sin.
To be sure – Vicari seems to mistake this message as going soft on sin - that’s fine. Because a message that focuses on sin, morals and repentance has been tried and found wanting. More than that, in my experience the best way to lead others toward the wholeness of Jesus is not by pointing a finger, but by opening our arms to all people and embracing the whole person.
I can only hope that at the end of all things it is said of me not that I was so hip that I was accepted in Hollywood. Not at all. My hope is that a few might simply say, “He loved sinners.”
My hope is that any love I share will not cause people to leave the Church or return to it – rather that it would lead them toward the unimaginable grace and wild mercy of Jesus. The one who loves all of us – broken, fearful, bent, shameful, bruised, sinful – exactly as we are and far too much to ever let us stay that way.
Song of Songs Teachings
A couple of weeks ago we concluded our teaching on Song of Songs focused on sexuality at Denver Community Church. I wrote a blog early on in the teaching about our teaching too you can read that here. Over the course of our teaching several people told me they missed a week and wanted to hear the week they missed. Many who do not live in Denver emailed requesting direction to find the teachings online.After so many emails I decided to post all the teachings I did to make it easy for those who wish to listen to them.* They are listed below in the order they were given with a brief description for each week. If you click on the title it will automatically download an MP3 for you.All of these are free, so use them as you like. As Dallas Willard used to say, “If there is anything worth quoting, repeating or using that just means it’s from the Holy Spirit.” And I am confident the Holy Spirit does not care about copyright.01 A New Sexual EthicWe began by observing the fact that we live in a cuture that exploits our sexuality coupled with a church who is largely silent and shaming on the issue. This means we need a new way to think and talk about sexuality.02 What We Really WantSex is far more than physical pleasure because we are far more than physical beings. How then do we understand the physical and spiritual dimensions of our sexuality?03 Who Are All These People?Today, sexual ethics are centered on the individual. However, it has not always been this way. All ethics were once centered in community – even sexual ethics. This is why sex is personal but is not private.04 You’re Still the OneWhat does sex have to teach us about marriage? And what does marriage have to teach us about sexuality? We cover these questions about the exclusive bond that brings about oneness, something our world has a preference for, from the atomic level upward.05 Wake UpWhat do we do with our longing for love? “We do not awaken it until it so desires.” Perhaps this calls for us to first understand what love is.06 Healing and WholenessAs humans we are all broken one way or another, and to be human is to be sexual. Which means, all of us have sexual brokenness – straight or gay, married or single, celibate or sexually active. The good news is we can be made whole. * Should you want to listen to all the sermons from the DCC Team including, Landon Lynch, Jon Gettings, Dave Neuhausel, Scott and Claire Oppliger and Amanda Pennington, you can go here and you will find them all: Denver Community Church Teachings.
LENT 2015: ONLY WATER
Yesterday afternoon I went for a run. Even though it’s February, I wore shorts and a t-shirt because it is unseasonably warm here in Denver (it’s been around 70 degrees each of the last several days). After my run I was soaked in sweat, and my mouth was dry.
I walked into my house, went to the kitchen, grabbed a glass from my cabinet, filled the glass with water from my tap and guzzled it. And then I did it a second time.
At this point, the part of this post that has no doubt caught your attention is my comment about the weather. However, this post has nothing to do with the weather in Denver. It has to do with the water I drank after my run.
I say this because drinking tap water is a luxury many of us think little or nothing about. But this is not the case for millions of men, women and children in our world today.
While I only ran a little over two miles, many in our world have to walk more than five miles each day to get water. On their return trip home they carry more than forty pounds of water. Still, it may not be water safe enough for drinking.
The numbers speak for themselves.
750,000,000 million people lack access to safe, clean drinking water. More than twice the population of the United States.
This lack of access is responsible for an estimated 842,000 deaths each year. That’s 2,300 deaths each day. Or 1 death every 38 seconds. Beyond the deaths caused by lack of clean water there is illness, blindness and disease.
Moms and dads. Sons and daughters. Sisters and brothers.
They have little choice in the matter, so they drink what they can get - all because of where they live. It is not right so many die simply due to lack of water.
But there is good news. In the last ten years the number of people lacking access to clean water has dropped. Which means fewer people are dying and falling ill. Thanks to dozens of organizations like Charity : Water more people are drinking clean water than ever before.
But it’s not just organizations making the difference. It is people like you and me. Many donate each year toward sustainable clean water projects, and thousands travel the globe to dig wells and provide education so more people than ever before can drink clean water. Which means we can do something about this. You and I can be those who choose to give so more people can have access to clean water.
Next Wednesday, February 18, 2015 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. It is a day when faithful people around the world receive ashes on our foreheads to remind us we are dust, and to dust we will return. But it does not stop with ashes. It is an invitation for us to spend the season of Lent reflecting on the messiness and brokenness in our hearts and souls. Along with reflection, the Lenten Season is forty days of fasting as we prepare for the Resurrection.
This year I have chosen to fast from drinking anything but tap water. To be clear, that means: no coffee, no beer, no juice, no whiskey, no milk, no wine, no soda … (I think you get the idea). That translates into saving money.
Because anytime I would normally stop by a coffee shop for a $2.00 cup of coffee I will take that $2.00 and put it in an envelope. Every time I would normally buy juice at the grocery store, I will take that $3.50 and put it in an envelope. Rather than a glass of wine at dinner, or drinking a beer with friends I will take that money and put it in an envelope … (again, I think you get the idea).
I have figured out that over the course of forty days I will put away well over $200.00. What does that mean?
It means more people will have access to clean water and education about sanitation. Which means less illness and fewer deaths. According to Charity : Water every $1 donated will not only improve water supply and sanitation, but can yield from $4 to $12 for the local economy.
Which means clean water transforms lives, communities and generations. And we can be a part of this simply by drinking tap water for forty days.
100% of every dollar you give will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped. To join with us and learn more follow this link: Only Water Campaign. To add your name to those drinking only water, tweet here: @OnlyWater2015, #OnlyWater.
So, I invite you to join many others and me during this Lenten Season in changing lives and communities one drop of water at a time. I am not asking you to do more; I am simply asking you to do less.
WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR BELIEFS
I am less concerned than ever about what people who are a part of the Church believe. Allow me to explain why I would say such a thing.
Sure, there are certain core beliefs to which one holds if he or she is follower of Jesus. Beyond those, I am learning the people of God are better off when we are marked by divergent beliefs on the most important social, theological, political and philosophical questions and conversations of our day.
Just so I don’t keep you guessing, I am talking about everything from hell to divorce to same-sex marriage to marijuana (um, I live in Denver) to immigration to the Bible to sexuality. Many think we should take a stand on these and many other issues. However, it’s possible that may not be the best thing we can do.
Many godly and wise men and women have opposing viewpoints with regard to these conversations. These are men and women who could stand alongside one another and recite the Apostle’s Creed with full conviction, but the sad thing is many of them don’t. In fact, they stand far away from one another; separated by immovable boundaries of belief.
Now, allow me to ask you to keep reading - even if you disagree. Please know I am not saying what we believe about certain issues is not important. What I am saying is there is a good chance there is something more important than our beliefs - that being unity. Here are a few reasons I say this …
Forging Pathways Not Building Walls
I’ve seen many congregations who unite first and foremost around common belief. They agree to a doctrinal statement and “toe the line” theologically. What I have learned is churches that do this invariably create “us” and “them” categories. It’s easy to do because we can immediately define who is and who is not like us. As a result, many are kept at a distance and a few make the cut.
We must remember anytime we create boundaries that make joining the life of a faith community difficult we can be assured we are operating differently than Jesus did.
He enjoyed meals with the religious and the sinners. He ate in the homes of the tax collectors who exploited the poor and he ate with the poor who were exploited by the tax collectors. Meals in Jesus’ day spoke toward intimacy and friendship. This teaches us Jesus did not draw boundaries of belief; he forged pathways of relationships so others could flourish.
Belief Is Easy
Of all the things Jesus could have prayed for us, he prayed for “complete unity” (John 17:23). More important than believing the same thing is a willingness to enter deeply into relationships – in all the mess and all the glory they bring. This calls for us to bear with one another, forgive one another, give grace when we fail and cheer each other on when we succeed. It means taking on the attitude of Jesus and living as a humble servant.
Living like this would bring greater unity than ever before. Of course, this kind of life is difficult and requires a strong commitment from each us. Maybe this is why we prefer belief; because it’s easy to say we believe something and find others who agree with us. But putting ourselves below one another so we can serve each other is much harder.
Unity Over and Above Belief
If we pursue unity first we will discover we will move beyond “agreeing to disagree.” In fact, our disagreements will fade into the background of our relationships. In pursuing unity with one another we are forced to pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. And it’s impossible to love Jesus more and not love others more and grow closer to them - regardless of what they believe.
And what if we did this? What would those who are not a part of the Church think of us? What would they think if they saw a group of men and women who practice love, grace, mercy and compassion with one another in the midst of different beliefs? What would it say to our divided world if the people of God did not just tolerate each other, but gathered around the table to break bread and drink wine in communion with God and one another? What would it look like if we, with all of our divergent beliefs and opinions, came together as one? Though this may sound like John Lennon spouting platitudes this is exactly what Jesus prayed for. He prayed to his Father, “… may they be one as we are one” (John 17:22).
The idea of one does not mean everyone being the same or even believing the same things. The idea of being “one” as Jesus said it means that several things existing as one. Just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – three are in fact one. This is the prayer of Jesus for us.
It has always puzzled me that many Christians are willing to show kindness to non-Christians, but have a harder time showing that same kindness to another Christian who believes differently. It’s time for this to change, and this means we may have to change what we believe about “complete unity.”
And we ought not wait. For if we can do this we will show others what the life to come will look like when God has renewed, restored, reconciled and redeemed all things. For in that day we will all at last live deeply connected to the heart of God in complete unity. And the good news is we do not have to wait for that day – we can do that now.
So maybe I am concerned with what people who are a part of the Church believe. With that said, my greatest concern is that together we believe that “complete unity” will be the most important thing.