May 29, 2007
I just started reading a book called The Irrestistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne. It’s about the author and his views on Jesus, about what following Jesus is supposed to look like (he’s a bit of a liberal in many of his views, but he’d just call himself an ordinary radical). As I read the thoughts of this guy, who’s probably just a few years older than Scott, I recognize that Shane is a pretty ordinary radical. I find myself in the middle of the road with most of his subject matter. I understand that the American church is on the cusp of death, and that Christians need to be disciples of Christ… do what the Word says. But some of Claiborne’s writing is a bit extreme to me, living in a community house (after this year, I’ll be ready for a little space of our own), living on the streets, putting his hand into anything and everything charitable. All things are great and worthy of praise, but are all called to this?
“The greatest sign of hope is the emergence of a new generation of Christians eager and ready to take their faith into the world. the Christianity of private peity, affluent conformity, and only “God Bless America” has compromised the witness of the church while putting a new generation of Christians to sleep. Defining faith by the things you won’t do or question does not create a compelling style of of life. And a new generation of young people is hungry for an agenda worthy of its commitment, its energy, and its gifts.”
It comes down to what do I believe? and how does what I believe affect my lifestyle? There are so many churches out in America who claim to be missions churches because they give money to World Vision, but how does that really change one’s lifestyle. We need to sart getting into the battlefields ourselves. Whether we start doing cross-cultural missions, or we go next door to our neighbor’s house. We need to stop surrounding ourselves with what’s comfortable. We need to start looking at missions as something we can do while riding the train, while sitting at a ball game, while walking down the street, even in our own communities. If this sounds radical, just check out what Jesus did while he was on earth.
We need to feed the hungry youthful generation. We need to stop compartmentalizing our faith. there may be a five step process to the church, but following Christ doesn’t need to happen in five easy steps that will take your whole life to actually start living. After all you have is today to live, tomorrow you may be gone. All we’re ever afforded is right now. If we live in the light that physically we’ll die, but eternally we live forever, wouldn’t we want that for everyone?
And going back to the quote… church, let’s invest in our youth. Let’s not give them programs, let’s teach them what it looks like to follow a living breathing Jesus! They need examples of an ordinary radical. Part of why Scott and I needed to leave to do this adventure is to show our liitle tiny “youth group” that living for Jesus is an option, that they may have never thought possible prior to us leaving. Although we’re no longer there physically with them, they know that there’s a way, and an unconventional way (not in whitebread suburbia) to live for Him. They can get their hands dirty and their hearts broken for people other than themselves.
I know when I was a teenager I thought about myself more than anyone else. These young people today are longing for a Jesus who’s not boring, who’s asking them to live an extraordinary life. Let’s stop providing them programs, let’s offer them a chance to live out grace and love and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Or is it easier and more secure to make sure they follow in our footsteps that have been trodden on by our parents and their parents, etc…
If we out our next generation out there, in the real world where people are poor, and starving, and fatherless, and homeless… they might actually appreciate what they’ve been handed in life, and they might actually affect the world for change! And they might actaully be changed more into the image of Christ! Isn’t that what we’re supposed to want as Christians, or are we content with sitting in a pew and singing a few songs about “Living for Jesus.”
Let’s start investing in the future. Parents, invest in your children… show them there’s more to life than fancy cars, and picket fences. They’ll see it, if they have an example to follow. Organizations can always use your money (heck, Scott and I are extremely thankful for everyone who’s contributed to the World Race on our behalf), but the Bible talks a lot about following Him. Doing as He does. And it doesn’t seem as though Jesus had much money, nevermind a place to lay His head. I’m not asking you to sell your home and live in a cardboard box (although Shane Claiborne might tell you that that’s exactly what you need to do), but I’m only offering a suggestion to seek out all that God might have in store for you. He might send you on an amazing adventure in your own community. See how you can affect the world for change!
