Christian Community: Let's get Messy!

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be a Christian. For many years now I have been embarrassed to be associated with Christians. I hide that fact of my life for as long as I can when I meet new people. This has been a huge struggle for me causing me to question my faith: am I really an unbeliever, what is so embarrassing, etc. It hasn’t helped any that I’ve felt seriously dry in my faith. I have had no desire to search for Christ or change who I am. In the past few months, I’ve really begun to think about this and have begun to understand a little more about what embarrasses me. I am hurt by and deeply troubled with the state of Christianity in America (I am sure the church is screwy worldwide, but I can only speak for my little corner of it here in the good ole US of A). With September 11th, Christianity became completely enmeshed with politics. Republican and Christian became confused and many of us became even further alienated from our beliefs. I am embarrassed to be associated with people who are hateful, angry, hurtful. Who are so focused on revenge that they cannot see love; who are so confused about right and wrong that they believe consuming more crap and spending more money is an appropriate response to acts of war. Ask someone what the first thing that comes to mind is when you say “Christian”. You will get answers (I would provide answers) like: angry, hateful, judgmental, shallow, etc. And I cannot say that is untrue.

All of this has led me to a real crisis of faith. Which was strange to me because I’ve never struggled with unbelief. I’ve never questioned who Christ was or that He came to save us from our sins. I’ve always believed fervently, passionately that Christ’s love for us would ultimately save us and that we would be restored and made whole in the eternal life. I’ve just lost sight of what that means here on earth. Which is a sad shame.

On a separate track (I thought), I’ve been thinking a lot about what it meant to care for the earth and to be good stewards of the blessings of this earth. And this has led me deep into crunchiness (I use only baking soda, vinegar and peroxide to clean house and my body; I try to line dry our clothes; we recycle; we ride our bikes when we can, we cloth diaper, yada, yada, yada). And all of this is nice and good and I do believe it is part of responsible stewardship. But I was missing the mark. These acts had become a sort of salvation by works for me. I was proud of these things; I allowed myself to be self-righteous (and consequently ungracious). All the while I am praying that God would start a revolution in my heart and that I could begin to feel passionately about my Lord again. Then God sent me to Cornerstone.

This year has blessed my heart and my spirit in ways I could not imagine. I attended a lecture called “Ordinary Radicals” by Shane Claiborne (look him and his community, The Simple Way up or check out his book, An Irresistible Revolution and check it out for yourself). This young man is on fire for our Lord Christ. And it is hard to resist it. Because, unlike with other magnetic leaders, it is easy to see the Gracious Spirit of Christ bursting out of every pore! He and his friends started in much the same place as myself, questioning the state of the church around them, disillusioned and broken hearted. And instead of whining (oh-so-guilty over here!), they began studying and learning about who Christ is (not who the church is) and decided to re-imagine the Church. Which ended up looking an awful lot like the early church.

So, my brothers and sisters out there in internet-land, I encourage you to embark on this journey with us. Forget your ideas of the church as you know it and open your bible to the book of Acts. Ask yourself what it would look like to take God at His word and obey? To forget hoarding your earthly treasures and start sharing them? Because you love your neighbor! Ask yourself how your gifts (all of your gifts: spiritual, mental, monetary, physical) can bless the church of God?

I’ve been asking myself some of these questions (and it is TOUGH!) and I have gotten SO EXCITED about some of the possibilities. Maybe instead of worrying about paying lot’s of money into the health insurance machine against the off-chance that you might get ill, we could start a health-care coop for our community. We could pay for the needs of our brothers and sisters and only ask for help when we needed it. What does it look like to sell my possessions and give that money to the poor? What about the things I might need to keep, how can I still share them? I’m thinking about my sewing machine and serger (integral parts of my art making and housekeeping, right?). Maybe I can share them by teaching others to sew and modify their own clothes. Maybe I can make baby slings and kids clothes for families in need.

How can we as Christ’s bride, His lovers, share that amazing gift? And let’s not allow ourselves the escape of thinking about "charity" or “ministry.” Ministry implies otherness. We condescend to minister to others in order to keep ourselves at a distance from their real messes. Let’s just care for each other. Love one another, our neighbors, as we love ourselves. Maybe that means that every time I buy something for myself, I need to spend an equal amount on a neighbor in need. I just spent $432 on a new bike. That’s a lot of money for a needy neighbor! Let’s get radical about this revolutionary love that Christ brought for us!