The typical routine on a Sunday night after church is to hang out with the band guys, Molly and anyone else that happens to join us that night. We usually hit up the same places, either Plaze del Sol, Logan's, Steak n Shake, or Cracker Barrel. The conversation usually goes the same way, either we talk about band stuff, church stuff, friend stuff, or have a theological/big religious issue discussion. As you can tell, we're pretty wild...
This past week we went to Steak n Shake. Somehow Seth and Molly's conversation ended up involving the whole table, in which Steve just shook his head because he is not a fan of theological/big religious issue discussions. The conversation involved politics and the War on Terrorism or whatever it's being called these days. We talked about presidents, their decisions--some good, some bad, what should have been done and what we should be doing now. I'm not a huge politics person and I don't keep up with any of that stuff, nor do I remember anything historical, but I like hearing what other people have to say, especially when it's something I don't know. Long story short, one opinion was that Bush did what he thought was best for the protection of the American people after September 11th and people don't give him enough credit. One was that America doesn't need to be pushing democracy in every country's face when something goes wrong.
Interestingly, I started reading a book a few weeks ago called The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. The chapter I got into yesterday was about the war, September 11th and a response that would be much more Biblical for Christians than supporting the war. For example, Shane (the author) went to Iraq with a group of Christian peacemakers and he spent time with children, families and homeless of Iraq, showing them love, discussing the gospel. Many of the Iraqi people he met were Christains and were confused. Why is America bombing their country when they proclaim Christianity? Many of them didn't see a difference in the Muslim extremist terrorists blowing up buildings in the name of Allah, or America bombing Iraq in the name of the safety of their country. I'm really glad that's where I was at in the book after the conversation Sunday night.
Sunday night I was pretty confused about how I should feel about the war. I also before this chapter wasn't too excited about finishing the book because it seemed like it was just huge advertisements for all the ministries and communities Shane is involved in and a way of showing off how great of a person he was because he really talks a lot about what he's done in his life. Perhaps within that feeling was really conviction to take the Gospel more seriously.
All of that to say, I'm praying that the church becomes alive. Shane points out how stagnant Christians are, just attending church, going through the motions, saying the right things, pretending as if they have their life together. I've heard that for years, "Don't let God and church just be motions you go through, or something you check of your to-do list." But it's so much more than that. Instead of being a church that points out only the parts of the Bible that make us feel good (blessings and love and forgiveness--which are important, don't get me wrong), let's challenge ourselves, our country, our world, to think beyond ourselves! What about "Take up your cross and follow me" or "You must hate your mother, your father, your brothers and sisters to follow me" or "Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, then follow me" and really break down what they say. I pray that the church is challenged and persecuted, so that real disciples will be made! So that we will finally be in a place where we desperately need God. Shane works with the homeless and points out how little they have and how strong their faith is because they literally depend on God for the next meal. I don't know anyone like that.
Shane points out the verse where Jesus says, "The poor will always be among you" and kinda slaps the church on the back of the hand for misinterpreting that. A lot of people say that as an excuse not to do anything with the poor and destitute other than throw money to charities and again check off something on their to-do list, but Shane points out that if the poor are always among you it means you must be among the poor, or be around the poor. It seems so obvious but his points in the book are really difficult things when you've been fed nothing but morals at church.
Alex and I are going to be challenged with being married, and adjusting to that. But I pray that we are challenged with the Gospel, and that we can challenge the middle school at our church, and our friends and together put it into action.
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