On April 1st, I had the opportunity to listen to Shane Claiborne, and as I am sitting here, I am finally starting to digest some of the points that were made. First of all, I am glad that there are "radical" Christ followers like Shane because personally, I could never do/live what he does. My Faith wasn't made to fit me the way it was made to fit him. With that said, I'm glad there are people like that on the side of the Risen Christ.
One of the biggest misconceptions with the Christian Faith from those "non-Christians" or "God-seekers" is that our God is a demanding and sometimes harmful God. However, this belief wasn't and isn't from my God. This belief was created by the early church and the malfunctions that have happened within the church over the past 2000 years. Ask most people what they think of when you say the word church. They will probably have several answers, including: "boring, talked down upon, dressing up, having to shut up, money hungry, conspiracy, brain-washed, etc." But like I said, this wasn't what God or the "earthly" Christ intended.
My God is a loving God. He loves me more than anything or anyone can possibly love me. My voice is the sweetest thing to His ears. My God gave me the opportunity to examine Him, test Him, and decide on my own. I didn't choose Jesus, He chose me. What an awesome, awe inspiring concept. Do I have all the answers just because I consider myself a Christian? Hardly! Do I consider myself better than other people just because I am a Christian? Just the opposite actually. It takes a very selfish person to actually realize how unselfish our God really is. Being a Christian does not make me better than the person next to me, it just makes me a person who lives each day knowing that it is not my own.
The thing that the church has forgot is that our God wants us to be real with him. We expect him to be real to us, so why shouldn't He expect the same from us? I have meltdowns and ill prayers toward other people sometimes, but God wants to hear those cries. He wants us to be real, not only to Him, but the people that we have surrounded ourselves with. Ask yourself this, do I have friends or family that I could walk up to and say anything and everything to0 and still walk away being friends with them? A lot of people would probably say No more than Yes. But God never walks away from my conversations with Him. He always listens no matter what my petty prayers pray for. God is more than a Loving God, a Caring God, a Just God, a Mighty God,...our God is a REAL God. If you want God to be real with you, be real with Him first.
Also, so many people get the idea that we have to go outside our comfort zones to make any kind of a difference in this world. If you want to be a "good" Christian, you have to go to Harlem, or Africa, or Equador, or Iraq, or sell all your stuff for charity, and donate your life savings.
Not true.
God didn't plan for us to be world travelers. He planned for us to do good things right here, right where I am, all of my life. That is the direction of the church. Look at Jesus' own life. Did he travel from country to country saving lives and preforming miracles? No, in fact, he stayed right where he was. Showing people how to love one another. Teaching people life lessons and that no matter what happens, our salvation is delivered from a Loving and Forgiving God. Jesus could have done things all around the world...but He didn't. Instead He was born in a dirty stable, dinned and walked with sinners, challenged the doubters to find God on their own, rode a donkey instead of a stallion, and died on a cross surrounded by people who hated Him. Remember, Jesus said, "people will hate you because of me." I am ready for that challenge. So, what we need to do is start here. Right here in Stark County Ohio. Make changes here, change peoples lives, and let them know that our God is a real and loving God and that he is only wanting the same in return from us.
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