If you haven't yet, please read the first part of this post: Creating Money Makers: Part 1.
Now that leaves us with 2 aforementioned topics: the Bible and the church.
I find that when I don't turn to the Bible in times of need it means one of two things, either I don't trust that God has the answer to my problem or I don't know my Bible well enough to know where to turn. These are both rather common and understandable issues with Christians. Would I say that you're a "bad Christian" because you doubt? Absolutely not. Doubting gives us the opportunity to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, driving us back into the Bible.
I find that sometimes I will even have difficulty bringing up the Bible among other Christians. Why is this? I have come to realize that I fear being seen as one of those uber-Christian friends that can't talk about the weather without going into some hyper trendy Christian babble (ya you know who I'm talking about). This is a result of two separate extremes, two separate abuses. On one hand, Christianity is seemingly suppressed as to not offend others, being real and relatable and still in the world but not of the world. On the other hand, Christianity is turned into a trend that can easily evolve into the self-righteous regurgitating of feel-good Christian lingo. I understand both of these very well as I have struggled with both. We need to find the middle ground, being passionate about the Gospel without making our Christianity just another trendy obsession.
And now for a topic in which I will have difficulty keeping concise: the Church.
I can't tell you how disgusted I am with the way people treat the Church these days. They walk into a building that they understand as being "the church", sit in a pew (or flip down stadium seat), and see what the church has prepared for them this week. NO NO NO NO NO! The Church is NOT and building, it is NOT a source of entertainment, it is NOT made to make you feel good and it is NOT made FOR you it is made BY you!
Please take a minute and read 1st Corinthians 12:12-31.
I can't tell you how sick I am of seeing church turned into a franchise. It's like McDonalds, it's appealing, it'll fill you up and they're freaking everywhere. You roll in Saturday night (cause who wants to wake up Sunday morning?! I mean its my freaking day off!), start off with I nice performance, then you get a few laughs and a Bible verse peppered in here and there, and then one more rockin' song to make you feel good on the way out. Makes me sick.
The Church is a community and with the way people understand the church these days, it's no wonder that it is so difficult for people to humble themselves and seek guidance from the church. I've been friends with my pastor's family since I was 5. I used to eat dinner with them on a weekly basis. I would play video games with one son almost every day and I've played music with the other for years. Their daughter used to babysit me. One time I went into anaphylactic shock and she had to call 911. Do I feel a sense of community with my pastor? Of course! When I need assistance that I know the church can offer and/or was intended to offer, do I have any difficulty turning to my pastor? Absolutely not!
Well once again this is going longer than I intended. See you again at Creating Money Makers: Part 3
Because of our sinful nature we need to always be on guard and testing our motives. Unless we focus continually on God, I believe we will always feel we are the center of the universe and act accordingly. Self examination is necessary but I think we need to do it with Christ's eyes rather than our own.
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