So I realize that its been years it seems like since I last blogged, so I do apologize to all 3 of you that actually read this. No need to make excuses for my laziness in blogging, but I do finally feel like things are starting to fall into place.
Im going to be trying to blog at least once a week to at least give a bit of an update on how the week is going and my thoughts at the time, but hopefully I'll blog more than that.
A friend of mine from this summer recommended that I read the book The Kingdom of Couches by Will Walker. Up to this point of reading it, I would recommend it, nothing that just makes your jaw drop, but still a good book and a very good book on the importance of community, so with that said, Id say yeah, give it a look.
He poses a very intersting question to some of his students at the University of Texas, he's on staff at Texas with Campus Crusade for Christ, he asks, "If I could choose when to go to heaven, would I rather die and go right away or keep living and go later?" To sum up his answer to why he would rather stay here on earth, he quotes Paul from Philippians1:23-25 where Paul realizes that of course it would be better to go to Heaven, but also recognizes that it would be better for the Philippians that he stay for their "progress and joy in the faith." He realizes that the Philippians need him.
Where am I going with all of this you ask, well here is where Im trying to go. Paul would rather stay here and edure this place just a little bit longer for the sake of the Philippians. He realized that this life is not about him, he gave up his status of being someone important and in a powerful position to follow Christ and submit to his authority.
I too often see in myself and in other Christians where we are still way too concerned about ourselves and even though we say we are not about ourselves and selfless, deep down, the reason we do the things we do is to make ourselves look just a little bit better, even if its just a little bit better. Will Walker says that we don't have to die to ourselves, all we have to do is "spiritualize my pursuit of being important."
Jesus' hope for us a followers is that we may be brought "to complete unity to let the world know that [God] sent [Jesus] and has loved us even as He has loved Jesus." It is still more than just a community, but rather a missional community as Walker puts it. "People infused with the love of God, overflowing to everyone around them." People who instead of striving to be important, rather strive to be significant. If we as a community and not just as a community here in Knoxville or whatever city you may be in, but on the bigger scale, a community of Christ followers are taking the Gospel to the people around us and those around us don't see a community then it seems fake or irrelevant, but if they see a community and don't hear the gospel, then it comes across as being exclusive and some type of club to be in or even worse, judgmental.
Will we decide to settle for the good life of being important, making enough money, being part of a church, looking good to everyone else, or will we strive to significant and strive to become one so that the world around us will know that Jesus is who he says he is.
Read Hebrews 11:13-16
May God not be ashamed to be called our God
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3 comments:
It is so hard for the average believer to release their grasp on the twin American cultural values of individualism and consumerism. But, as you say, we must choose his path and lay aside all else.
We Americans have it all too good.
remember when you were going to update regularly?
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