Could it be............?
More on this article interview with Brian McClaren:
Earlier in 2004, Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ was touted by many Christians as “the greatest outreach opportunity in 2000 years.” I have not seen the film, but I imagine it is stunning and powerful, and I hope God will use it in unprecedented ways. But I find this assumption of many Christians disgusting.
What is needed is not the showing of a movie (no matter how great), but a revolution of Christians who are showing the love of Christ by moving into the world and loving their neighbors. In other words, unless disciples are following the Great Commandment, it is fruitless to engage in the Great Commission. If we replicate people who do not love God or their neighbors, we are not fulfilling the mission of Jesus.
I clearly remember hearing a pastor say something to the effect of "the greatest outreach opportunity" when Mel Gibson's movie came out - and I thought to myself, "Oh Please!" Why can't we (me included) rather work toward building a transformed life where people see Jesus in ME, as opposed to up on a screen while eating popcorn, or God forbid, on Christian TV! May it be so, may I love people uncommonly, make I care uniquely, may I love beyond my means.
And McClaren goes on to suggest that "the concept of church may be abused beyond recovery". The Church Lady would not be happy with THAT concept, for heaven's sake!
Hey people, want to "otherwise imagine" the church along with me? How about we begin to question our old, safe, warm and fuzzy models of following Jesus, and begin to take some risks? How about we religious introverts begin working on becoming extroverts? In the imortal words of Bluto in Animal House, "whooooos with me.....arrrrrhhhhhhhhh!
4 comments:
Steve:
Loud Amen Brother Amen to your statement that
"...unless disciples are following the Great Commandment, it is fruitless to engage in the Great Commission." I suppose since its your blog I can "afford" to be bolder than you and say that it is precisely because we in the visible church in America couldn't identify the Greatest Commandment on a True/False quiz, that we fail so miserably as disciples and therefore as evangelists. A great country-western song(if you will indulge me in a moment of oxymoronic behavior)has lyrics to the effect that the sinner/singer wants his fellow man to live him a sermon, not preach him one.
Amen, brother, Amen!
How many of us are willing to put seminaries and their work-product near the top of a list of reasons why American Christians act on their love of culture rather than on their love of Christ? How many are taught that we are saved unto good works; that our salvation is for the purpose of conforming ourselves in the image of Christ while here on earth to do His Work here on earth until He Comes Again or our government pulls our feeding tube, which ever comes first?
Keep the hammer pounding.
Yours in Him,
Derek
Calcitrantes nates ad Dei gloriam
Well, when Jesus was asked how others could work the works of God, didn't he say "Believe on Him who sent me"? Don't suppose that just belief was the answer the "seeker" was expecting.
So do you see evangelism more as loving my neighbors than inviting them to church? Or both?
A few months back, I was over at a friend's house. We were discussing what our favorite Bible verse was.
The first thing that came to my mind was, "Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways." (Prov. 3:31)
Later that evening, after I had time to think about it, I changed my mind to, "For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." (Luke 6:43-45)
The next day, I called my friend to revise my new choice. This is the passage I believe to state the purpose of God in the New Covenant.
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23,24)
PS: And that's my final answer.
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