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BELIEVES IN HIMSELF
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The Real Justin Chandler believes in himself (or at least I'm trying to).
I have to admit that the past week has been a rather interesting journey for me. At some point, of which I can't remember, God asked me the following question (which when you think about what I just said could come off as a lunacy or schizophrenia or common place depending on your spiritual history):
"Is the Christianity that you present, one you would believe in yourself? Would you believe in a transforming life if you saw yourself?"
The heart of the question dates back ten years ago. Over ten years ago, I accepted Christ. While in a retreat in the mountains of Colorado, I can remember accepting Christ for the first time. God's question to me was asked to my former self. If who I was as a fifteen year old without Jesus saw who I am as a twenty five year old pastor, would I be challenged to accept Christ because of the life I live.
Looking intrinsically has a way of making you punch yourself in the face. Nothing like looking within the caverns of your life and finding that what you present externally is full of questions and lingering issues internally. For the past few weeks I have asked myself, "Would I believe in Christ if I saw how I lived?" As a pastor, you would hope so. As a follower of Christ, you would hope so. But is the answer yes? It can be easy to say so. It allows us the "out" to not have to look in and examine.
I have found recently that many of my friends, who have dynamic stories of salvation, have begun to write off the very things that caused them to turn to Christ in efforts to be more relevant, culturally practical or any other reason imaginable. I wonder though, if our dynamic story of salvation would ever have happened if we were offered the Christianity we offer.
Os Guinness made the following statement in his book Prophetic Untimeliness:
“Never have Christians pursued relevance more strenuously. Never have Christians been more irrelevant.” Os Guinness, Prophetic Untimeliness
I wonder if our pursuit of relevance and what we see as "speaking points" to an otherwise uninterested culture are actually doing more harm than we suppose (I'm not speaking to a denomination or cultural trend. This is meant for individuals). It would seem that the world at large is no more interested in Christianity and its message these days than it has been in decades past, yet we still pursue with breathless haste our own ideas of what will cause people to be interested in Christ.
Do we really think whatever has made it to the latest "trend" in Christianity is going to make a difference? Do we think "new" Christianity is going to have an effect? Would you have believed in the Christianity you are offering?
Early Christians weren't nearly as concerned with "the issues", politics or the news as we are today. In fact it seems that they "cared to know nothing amongst you except Christ and Him crucified", "to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and render to God what is His" and to love God, love their neighbors and go into the world to make disciples.
The heart of the Gospel is the Gospel, the saving knowledge and life of Jesus. Not a better planet (though it's part of it). Not a sub-culture (though that seems to happen). It's God on the planet. Living a sinless life. Dying upon the Cross. Resurrecting from the grave. Conquering sin and death. Inviting sons and daughters to be adopted. Filling them with the Spirit. Commissioning them to reach the lost by the Good News they have encountered. Imagine a church committing to knowing nothing but this! Imagine yourself.
Margaret Mead, an anthropologist, said the following:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Scan the pages of history and this is true. Scan the pages of the Bible and this is true. Do we truly think we can be anything different?
I believe in Christ. I believe in His salvation. I believe that He believes in me. May I life a live that I would believe in. May I live a life that leads others to Christ and not to "the issues." May I live a life that I would have seen ten years ago and have been "strangely warmed" to. So is the Gospel, the Good News.
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Now playing: Delirious? - History Maker
I have to admit that the past week has been a rather interesting journey for me. At some point, of which I can't remember, God asked me the following question (which when you think about what I just said could come off as a lunacy or schizophrenia or common place depending on your spiritual history):
"Is the Christianity that you present, one you would believe in yourself? Would you believe in a transforming life if you saw yourself?"
The heart of the question dates back ten years ago. Over ten years ago, I accepted Christ. While in a retreat in the mountains of Colorado, I can remember accepting Christ for the first time. God's question to me was asked to my former self. If who I was as a fifteen year old without Jesus saw who I am as a twenty five year old pastor, would I be challenged to accept Christ because of the life I live.
Looking intrinsically has a way of making you punch yourself in the face. Nothing like looking within the caverns of your life and finding that what you present externally is full of questions and lingering issues internally. For the past few weeks I have asked myself, "Would I believe in Christ if I saw how I lived?" As a pastor, you would hope so. As a follower of Christ, you would hope so. But is the answer yes? It can be easy to say so. It allows us the "out" to not have to look in and examine.
I have found recently that many of my friends, who have dynamic stories of salvation, have begun to write off the very things that caused them to turn to Christ in efforts to be more relevant, culturally practical or any other reason imaginable. I wonder though, if our dynamic story of salvation would ever have happened if we were offered the Christianity we offer.
Os Guinness made the following statement in his book Prophetic Untimeliness:
“Never have Christians pursued relevance more strenuously. Never have Christians been more irrelevant.” Os Guinness, Prophetic Untimeliness
I wonder if our pursuit of relevance and what we see as "speaking points" to an otherwise uninterested culture are actually doing more harm than we suppose (I'm not speaking to a denomination or cultural trend. This is meant for individuals). It would seem that the world at large is no more interested in Christianity and its message these days than it has been in decades past, yet we still pursue with breathless haste our own ideas of what will cause people to be interested in Christ.
Do we really think whatever has made it to the latest "trend" in Christianity is going to make a difference? Do we think "new" Christianity is going to have an effect? Would you have believed in the Christianity you are offering?
Early Christians weren't nearly as concerned with "the issues", politics or the news as we are today. In fact it seems that they "cared to know nothing amongst you except Christ and Him crucified", "to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and render to God what is His" and to love God, love their neighbors and go into the world to make disciples.
The heart of the Gospel is the Gospel, the saving knowledge and life of Jesus. Not a better planet (though it's part of it). Not a sub-culture (though that seems to happen). It's God on the planet. Living a sinless life. Dying upon the Cross. Resurrecting from the grave. Conquering sin and death. Inviting sons and daughters to be adopted. Filling them with the Spirit. Commissioning them to reach the lost by the Good News they have encountered. Imagine a church committing to knowing nothing but this! Imagine yourself.
Margaret Mead, an anthropologist, said the following:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Scan the pages of history and this is true. Scan the pages of the Bible and this is true. Do we truly think we can be anything different?
I believe in Christ. I believe in His salvation. I believe that He believes in me. May I life a live that I would believe in. May I live a life that leads others to Christ and not to "the issues." May I live a life that I would have seen ten years ago and have been "strangely warmed" to. So is the Gospel, the Good News.
----------------
Now playing: Delirious? - History Maker
