Aaron in Real Life

Today, Pastor Shawn preached the 2nd sermon on UnChristian. It was quite biting and challenging. He dealt with the issue of hypocrisy.

This is one of the major "image" issues that the church has today. We as Christians have cast an image to the world around as not doing what we say everyone else should do. We tell the world that marriage is sacred and divorce is ungodly, yet the divorce reate of "christians" is higher than the world's. We lie, cheat, and steal yet tell everyone the Ten Commandments are not suggestions.


The only way to combat the image the church world has on "outsiders" is to change our image. One person, one church at a time. Check out Pastor Shawn's sermon here and tell me what you think.


http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/780741

As for the book. I have read some more and it's quite interesting. I'll blog more about it later.

This week, my pastor began a sermon series entitled and based upon the book Unchristian. I have yet to start reading the book, but plan to this week. Basically what I have understood so far is that we as Christians, evangelicals in particular, have an extreme image problem. The world hates us because we essentially have hated them. The world distrusts us because we have not given them anything to trust. The world see us an homophobic, hypocritical, judgemental, too political, and users of people and resources because that is the exact image we have given them to see. Instead of being united in faith, we divide ourselves and wage war against other local churches in the name of "numbers." We're seen as seekers of converts and money instead of loving and genuine people who want to share our lives with one another.



A Christian is a "Christ follower" or someone who is "Christ-like." Christians should be "Jesus with skin on." Instead, we are no different than those whom we condemn, look down upon, cast aside, or disregard. The truth is that we are guilty on all charges. Maybe not every single individual christian, but Christians as a whole are guilty of pushing away the very world that we are mandated to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have relegated the "good news" of Jesus to a simple conversion experience when God specifically commanded us to make disciples. We have relegated the "good news" of Jesus to a message that is either shunned, disheartening, guilt ridden, too lofty to attain, offensive, or all of the above.



The sad part is, most Christians are shocked to hear that this is what the world thinks of us. It's also sad because most Christans probably don't even recognize the very thing we have become. The Bible says to love the Lord and to love others and that the world will recognize us because of our love for each other. To quote the Black Eyed Peas, "where is the love?" Where is the love that Jesus tells us we should have when we go to work everyday and see the same people everyday and have the same meaningless conversations everyday and yet say nothing about the love that Christ has for them. Most of us don't care because our "ticket" is already punched. Is it really?



Our actions speak much louder than our words. Our actions as Christians is one of the most undermining aspects of our movement. The world sees us a hypocritical because our words say one thing, but we live another. Who have you and I given Christianity a bad name to because of how we acted? Who have I turned away from God in the name of being "right" instead of "righteous?"



This is simply food for thought. You can agree or disagree. I will post more after I read more, but it's definitely something to think about.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/780976

Something said in the sermon this morning at my church triggered something in my soul.

Acts chapter 1 tells of Jesus' last words to his disciples before ascending to heaven. He tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit and that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them that they will become His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Then we read in Acts chapter 2 of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and they begin to change the world for Jesus. They did it at any cost, even when it cost them their own lives.

But in today's world, being pentecostal is a bit exclusive. The day of Pentecost in the Bible was the springboard to the apostles reaching out to anyone and everyone with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, people associate being pentecostal with being crazy, snaking handling, tongue-talking, and everything else. When was the last time you were in or heard of a church small group consisting of non-denominational, baptist, pentecostal, lutheran, etc people. Why are we only reaching people that have our exclusive theology or at least are willing to accept it. Why not reach everyone? Why are we trying to snatch people from other churches when so many countless others are lost and don't even know it?

Our message doesn't need to be pentecostal, but anycostal. As the apostle Paul wrote, "I have become all things to all men so that by all means I may save some." We as Christians needs to become adaptive, accepting, and outgoing. Lets use the pentecostal filling of the Holy Spirit as it was meant to be used; to be anycostal. Reaching people even if it means my own ego is hurt. If it means spending some of my own money. If it means going outside of my comfort zone. If it means setting aside my theological predispositions and assumptions. Even if it means not getting any glory, adoration, acknowledgement, or reward for myself. Because reaching people is not about me, but about them. Let's reach people with the power of anycost.