Mannequins and Masks

I have been underground in the lab for a minute, taking a break from the routine of life. Reading, researching, reflecting, re-purposing, and re-engaging. So what are the results? There is a degree of worldliness reflected in Church Life that is staggering! In Christian circles, worldliness is historically categorized by how you dress, what music you listen to, what movies you see, how close you are to people that are not Christians and so on. However, worldliness goes beyond those things. Are the middle class values of safety, security, and the American Dream worldly values held on to by the Church? Is it worldly to share the viewpoint that the poor, unemployed, homeless, and destitute have always brought their troubles on themselves? Is it worldly to pursue and proclaim prosperity as a Biblical value when history shows otherwise? Is it worldly to establish leadership structures in churches that mirror Wall St more than the Via Dolorosa?

As I read the Bible, study the landscape of the world, and listen to cutting edge Christian leaders I am convinced that the way we "do church" is a poor substitute for God's design. I challenge anyone to read Luke 10, the Gospel of John, and the Book of Acts and compare it to what we do today. Jesus did not tell us to plant churches. He told us to make disciples. He said that HE would build his church. We have instead built churches, preached the Romans Road instead of the Gospel of the Kingdom, gotten decisions, made converts, and wondered why people are going in and out of our churches so frequently.

Everything and I mean everything starts with a heavenly revelation of who Jesus Christ is! This is the rock that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against. Somebody has to take a stand for the truth! Let it begin with me.