I Don’t Want to be a “Christian”
I ran across this video on Facebook Friday night. Around 11:30. I had just posted a status update about finally clearing out my inbox…managed to answer and reply to all of my email, file what needed filing and finally delete some things that were just taking up space. I’m down to two remaining emails, y’all. I feel liberated.
I was headed to bed, but I got sidetracked looking at one of my college roommates recent wedding photos. Don’t you love how Facebook allows us to see glimpses into people’s lives when we can’t be near the people we love? Anyway…as with any social media site, I somehow started jumping around from profile to profile; reading stalking and looking at photos, when a video caught my eye. I don’t do YouTube videos too terribly often, but this one got my attention. I’ve placed it below. Take a second to watch (it’s 3:00-ish minutes…I’m sure you can spare it and it’s worth it).
Preach.
Josh and I have talked about this very thing time and time again in our lives. This is a topic that gets me fired up and ready to start shouting. If I’d been in the room when someone started talking about this, I’d have been one of those women shouting hearty “Amens” and “Praise Jesus!”
I’ve been part of places where the moment you let your weakness show…admit to your shortcomings…let on that you aren’t perfect like Christian’s are “supposed” to be…everything changes. I’ve been on the receiving end of those judgmental stares. On the other side of the room when the whispers start. Been the brunt of an indirect but oh-so-obvious Facebook status.
It hurts.
And it’s wrong.
If you don’t know my story, let me give you a quick rundown:
I drank myself to the point in college where I should have ended up dead. Not only did I drink to an extent that I was an alcoholic at not even 20 years old, waking up hungover and spending the day itching for the evening when I’d party it up again, but I was also foolish with my choices…looking to hookup with whoever I could, whenever I could. Trying to find acceptance through popularity and doing what the “popular” girls did.
How I didn’t end up dead in an alcohol related car wreck or pregnant with an illegitimate child, is by God’s grace only. And it’s only by God’s grace that I’m still here and have reached the point in my life where I am comfortable sharing my mistakes and hoping that others learn from them.
But you know what? Those mistakes? Those stupid choices?
They don’t make me any less SAVED than anyone else.
We ALL have baggage. We all need grace.
If we didn’t, then the cross? The cross is meaningless.
I’m not bashing the church or saying we don’t need the church. God gave us the church-the body of believers we are supposed to come together with to worship and fellowship-as a gift. But, it’s been the church-the building, the body of believers thumping the scripture over people’s heads-that has led people away.
It’s the church that’s left me feeling many times over like I don’t want to be a Christian anymore.
Because as unfortunate as it is, “christianity” isn’t the same today as it was when Jesus Christ walked this earth.
Christianity isn’t a once a week (twice if you go on Wednesday’s) thing to just check off your list.
It’s not driving the most expensive car, to the most prestigious building, wearing the top of the line name brand clothes and sitting in the front row singing louder than anyone else, interjecting the “amen” in the right spot.
It’s not knowing or memorizing the most scripture or being able to understand Hebrew.
It’s not knowing the Books of the Bible or having the most verses highlighted on those tissue paper thin pages (Bonus points if you use something like the inductive method with all kinds of different colors, all coordinated in accordance to subject matter.)
It’s not looking the other direction when a brother or sister in Christ is struggling and needs your help. It’s not passing judgement or condemning someone over a bad choice or even a series of bad choices. Last time I read the Easter story, I’m pretty sure Peter denied Christ…not once, not twice, but three times.
Jesus rode a donkey. Not a Porsche. He wore a robe and sandals. Not Chanel and Jimmy Choo’s. He carried with Him the presence of the Almighty. Not a Michael Kors bag.
Jesus associated with the least of these so that we could have the greatest of his grace.
In fact Jesus was the least of these. Dig your Bible out and read-really read– about who Jesus was. Because he wasn’t who the churches seem be depicting him to be these days.
A church is fine. Going to church is fantastic. My family and I go every week.
But, who do you see in church? Your friends? Family members? People you associate with? Families that are part of the school attached to the church? Upstanding citizens of your city?
Do you see the least of these? Do you see the barstool type people? Do you see the broken, beaten and bruised souls that are all around us? Do you see the Vets holding the signs outside your local fast food place? Do you see the homeless man you always pass by, but manage to “turn the other cheek” to?
We aren’t too good to reach them. We aren’t too good to associate with them.
When did becoming a Christian…becoming a church member…take us from being ONE of the least of these, to thinking we were the BETTER of these?
The Bible tells us in the book of 1 John that all wrongdoing is sin (src).
Not some of it.
Not just a little bit of it.
ALL of it.
There’s no good sin and bad sin.
No right sin or wrong sin.
No little sin or big sin.
It’s ALL sin.
From that little white lie to the adultery. From stealing a pencil from your office (that wasn’t yours!) to murdering half a dozen people.
It all put Christ on the cross.
It all kept Christ on the cross.
And at the end of the day, when I stand before God at those pearly gates, I know that I will answer for the mistakes that I have made (and heaven knows there’s been a lot of them). I know that I will have to give an account of all the wrong doing in my life.
But when all of my transgressions are counted and the great and mighty Lord of Lords gets ready to place his verdict? I want to be sure that I hear him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
If I have to be the “too good of these” to engage with the least of these, then how much like Jesus am I really?
Prostitutes.
Adulterers.
Tax collectors.
Lowly fishermen.
Shepherds who shot slingshots.
Blasphemers.
Thieves.
Murderers.
These don’t sound like the high society type to me.
And if associating with them makes me more like HIM…then that’s right where I want to be.
Because when Christianity becomes about being better than the ones who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, then I don’t want to be a Christian anymore.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a church’s (or Christians) criticism and judgment? How did you feel? Are you under the impression that that’s what Jesus Christ is like? If it is, I’d love talk to you more about who my God is and what he is really like!
I do agree with most of what you say I have to wonder when you say to be amongst all of the people where exactly does that mean? I have been through much of the same as you but added to the abusive spouse that I am still with and by the grace of God he is a new creation, I have almost died lying in a hospital with to young babies wondering how there life would be and will my husband hold on to Jesus and so many more things that the Lord has rescued me and givene piece in! In my walk I have learned people attract certain kinds of people, usually ones that have gone through similar things, there is no wrong or right in that, some of us will reach beyond those and dig deeper into our spiritual walk with Christ but as Christ did we go, we teach the good knews which is the whole truth and if our friends, brothers and sisters decide to stay in there sin we must move on, dust our feet, there are more to reach!!! At the same time, those who I had to leave know that wherever, whenever they need me they can call! There are the same kind of people in and out of church, the sad thing today is that the church looks more like the world because we have become fenclined people, never sure how much we can say or do because of hurting or pushing away the unbeliever, there are mature believers who know how to reach out in love and say lets see what our father says about this and let’s see what he would ask of us. It’s not to hurt or to turn off, if we speak the truth of the living word it is never in vain, the saints are just as abused and battered if not more than the unsaved, if these things were not so our country would be in a better place and not trading eternity for the more popular easy way gospel which is tolerance, when you decide it’s ok to stay in the lions den and decide your ways are better than His something will happen and more than likely we the people of God become more like, we the people of the world, blind to the fact that the word says few will enter! It’s sad but true, not everyone one will enter the kingdom of God but it’s our job to reach as many as possible and plant seeds and show them a life lived where the Holy Spirit resides, that life should be ever changing becoming more like Christ, pure and holy without blemish, we cannot ever be him but he says we will
do greater things and he lived a life of pursecution to show us it is possible to be holy, our hearts are read by God and God alone, he knows the truth behind every action and makes away for those who are trying to find there way; if they choose to turn away well then your work at that time is done with them except for praying of course and that should never cease! I am in a church of 4000 and have been in churches of 20, I have to say it is not about the numbers it is about the truth, if we feel beat up its because we have been by the enemy, the one wants us to see the other person wether in church or not against us; I just told my mom the holy than thou who every one feels beat up by in church or no different than the arrogant and popular out in the world that continue to where the believers down, it’s a choice of where to stand and be strong enough to stand even when people say you are over board, holier than thou , you have no right to judge, your making big mistakes in your kids lives, you use to be fun, you don’t have to be so black and white; well the Word of God is black and white I hope God can use us to show people that his way is freedom, all old things will fall away when we commit and and believe he is our Lord and Savior, to believe is to follow his ways, we may fall but we just have to get back up, that old thing will lose its grip and we will be made new in the name of Jesus!!!
It’s not common for me to respond but I saw a friend of mines daughter shared and I hope she really understands that the church is the people who really follow Christ, and not out in bars or places where her own pureness may be at risk, we can be friends and do life with people without damaging our witness, we want them to look more like Christ and not more like the world, Jesus went into theses places where others said he shouldn’t be but he did not take up residence there!!!
Courtney,
Your post speaks to so many people. I am so happy to have found a church where our literal goal is “to be among them” and our motto is “no perfect people allowed.” The church I go to is Worship on the Water at the Flora Bama. Yes, our church is in the famous honky tonk bar. God’s radical grace can be felt moving through this place and these people. Please visit sometime! http://www.centralonline.tv/flora-bama/
But if they had had Porsches in Jesus’ day, he might have been tempted to give up the donkey.
Philippians 2:1-11
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
I have struggled with many of the things you have shared in regards to the church. I find it difficult to go to church and tithing is something I don’t want to do. I hate being bitter and have prayed many times over this. Thank you for this article.
Beautifully written. I love that video. I have often felt like the least of these. I haven’t always made good choices, and some days I still make really bad ones. I don’t expect people to like or accept my sin. I really have come to a place in my Christian walk where I look for God’s approval more than man’s approval. (I think that comes with being the black sheep in the family.) Some days, I find it hard to forgive myself for being who I was. All that said, I don’t even want to imagine where I would be now if I didn’t have amazing friends who didn’t give up. They stood for truth, and they didn’t give up. They also didn’t look down on me when I finally came around and admitted I needed God. They just loved me even more. It was during that time that I learned my value to God. I was one of those shouting “Don’t judge me!!”, but when I realized they weren’t judging they were trying to pull me off a ledge. A ledge I was jumping over. A ledge that was dangerous and destructive. A ledge that I was too blind in my deception to see. After I jumped, they were there to pick up the pieces. I am so grateful for them all. Grateful they spoke up even when it wasn’t easy. Thankful they never compromised the truth to make me feel better about my sin. Sometimes we just have to speak the truth in love, and let God handle the fallout. Call it what you will …..judgement….whatever. I have pledged myself to be one of those who will speak the truth no matter what it costs me personally. God will take care of the rest! BTW I took a nose dive into homosexuality, and came out with many scars and disease. God has redeemed me, the time I lost, and my destiny and purpose. But none of that would have happened if I didn’t have loved ones who didn’t compromise the truth of my son and God’s immaculate love!!
Thank you for sharing this video. I agree whole heartedly that we need to be like Jesus with everyone!!! Loving unconditionally and forgiving unconditionally!!! Remember that it is not what you wear but why you are there when attending church. Also, step outside the four walls of the church and our comfort zones to reach out to the lost, broken, and hurting!!! Thank you for speaking boldly about our responsibilities as followers of Christ!!! May God continue to Bless you, your family, your church, and your ministry!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! This is soooooooooo good! 🙂
this is true of many Christians, but not all. I believe we need to leave the judging up to God and show our love to the downtrodden, the lost ones, and those that are seeking. This should be a wake-up call to those who think they are better than any other sinner.
Beautifully written. I love my church because we are transparent about our walks and our struggles. The only thing I would wish for Jesus followers is that we don’t abandon Christianity because of the stigma that follows it. For those of us who are trying to follow the gospel, we have to stand up for it and show people that we are the Christians, not the ones spreading hate.