Hollywood Jesus and the Church

2013/06/03 Daily Thoughts and Digressives, Evangelism & Discipleship, The Church No comments

The church: it’s not Hollywood. And this post isn’t about hollywoodjesus.com or a church in Hollywood. But it is is about the Hollywood we’ve created in the church.

On a visit to the “world’s largest Christian university” to be a patient for someone in the nursing program (one of the three A rate programs there), I noticed a large photoboard of sorts boasting of how the founder had trained many champions who are movie stars of sort in the Church.

We seem to focus on size and names. Size matters because it’s proof that something is right. Names matter because it attracts the masses and they are needed to successfully reach others. Right?

Of course not. My life is many moons from perfection. I have my faults but current “Christianity” is something I tend to want to steer an association away from rather than with it. The church isn’t a production. The church is people. They hurt, cry, have joy, laugh, desire love, etc. And we are hurting and thirsting after something real. Proverbs 20:6 says that many people claim to be loyal  but finding this trustworthy person is hard. Big names, awesome stage sets and props, and famous bands don’t build genuine relationships. Discipleship does. It’s our core. It’s about relationships from within the church and outward into the world through evangelism. Christianity is not about feeling good. It’s about doing good [according to the Bible] and sometimes doing good hurts. At times doing the right thing seems like it costs everything. But in the end you will gain something more valuable.

We recently talked about whether Mattias of Paul was the 12th apostle in Sunday school and it was mentioned that Matthias really doesn’t have anything recorded of him in Scripture but Paul does. This was an example of that Hollywood mentality. We don’t know what Mattias did or didn’t do. You don’t have to write books, tour the country, or have buildings named in your honor to be that effective servant of Christ. Love God and obey, while loving others.

We rejoice with those that rejoice and cry with those that cry (Romans 12:15). Christianity isn’t the glorious life we would want to think but it is the most rewarding. Entertainment placed over the Truth of Scripture is destructive. The physical church is not a place to attract sinners and we are not salespeople. The church is a place for the redeemed of Christ to grow in doctrine. “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching (1 Timothy 4:13).

“It’s none of your business.”

2013/05/23 Daily Thoughts and Digressives, Evangelism & Discipleship No comments

I have not written or posted anything in months. Not because my brain has cramped or even had nothing to say. Maybe I am in a state of awe or even confusion. I could even say it’s none of your business.

If I were to roll back my life five years ago, I see a totally different me. Good and bad. The common trait I see in myself to a degree and others is that we have forgotten that as a Christian this life is not ours. We belong to Jesus Christ.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12 that our business as Christians is not judging the outside but within the walls of the church. In other words, we are to hold each other accountable for sins by the Love of Christ, whether of omission or commission. Iron sharpens iron and a man sharpens a man (Proverbs 27:17).

The weight of the sin in our lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters should cause us to mourn…which is a discriptor of who we are supposed to be as Christians (Matthew 5:4). We are a body or family that suffers and rejoices together (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Our role is not only pointing out sin but building and lifting each other up through discipleship.

When you [or I] say to another Christian “it’s none of your business”, we need to remember our business is the business of each other. However, our approach to each other should be done in love. If we fail to be a part of each other’s life in this way, we sin against each other and more importantly, God.

Time and money: the Great Church Trap

2012/12/04 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

Time and money always scheduled around personal desires is contrary to Christian living. I.e. greed. Who teaches that in church anymore? If it were taught and lived out, the body would probably be hurting just a little less.

We want to blame government and others for our problems but this past election was a prime example of how out of wack our priorities are. For example, Billy Graham and his organization would rather sacrifice Truth for an election rather than stick by principle. While Romney may have been a better person of peace for Christianity (a possible argument), one cannot sacrifice Truth for personal gain. Where better could money and time have been spent for Kingdom purposes?

This of course is seen on an organizational level (but personal in the lives of those that exercise the purposes of that organization). Do we sometimes focus too much on certain issues that it becomes a personal focus rather than a God-centered focus? If so, love stops and we neglect those around us with a false sense of “doing good” or “honoring God”.

No matter who you are, whether a student working to get through college or some mega church pastor, we must prioritize our time and money toward others for Kingdom purposes and the sake of loving others. But, let it be known that this type of giving goes much further than tithes or attending/inviting someone to church.

Live a little today. Love someone. Go outside of your “busy” schedule and make a difference even if it seems to cause an inconvenience to you. In the end, this little inconvenience will become a great blessing.

The right, the left, or even the center. We’re missing the target.

2012/09/25 Daily Thoughts and Digressives, The Church Comments Off

You can see the times change for the church coming as our tolerance turns into  condoning.

No matter what side of the religious and sometimes religiopolitical spectrum you are a part, we seem to get misguided as a whole on what our mission is. Our personal ideological system tends to confuse and confound Biblical truth.

Our lack of concentrated Godly love leads to inaction, tolerance turned condoning, and/or wrongly motivated action. Love was never promised to be easy. For the sake of God’s love, He sacrificed His Son.

Love was God through Paul and other Bible authors addressing the sins of the church. When we allow each other to swim in our sin unaddressed, we hurt not only ourselves but God and those that are lost.

Donald Trump Saves Christianity in America!

2012/09/24 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

Yes, that is sarcastic and a little crazy but below is an email that Johnnie Moore, vp of special projects at Liberty University spammed out to everyone with a LU email.

____________

Liberty University is welcoming Donald Trump to address the student body at Convocation on Monday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m. EST in the Vines Center on Liberty’s campus.

Join us for this event and watch streaming video of the service atwww.LibertyChannel.com, or via your Liberty Today mobile app.

If you are local, we invite you to view the event LIVE in one of our satellite locations at either the Thomas Road Baptist Church sanctuary or the Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall.

With nearly 100,000 students studying on campus and online, this Convocation will be viewed live by the largest number of students in Liberty’s history. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this event that will further the legacy of excellence Liberty continues to produce.

Sincerely,

Johnnie Moore
Vice President
Executive Projects and Spiritual Programs


Liberty University | Training Champions for Christ since 1971

A push for too long or not long enough.

2012/08/31 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

The last hint of life coming from this blog was about pushing away technology. While I was gone for a while for some training and just hiding, I must say it has been nice staying away from technology but bad at the same time being out of touch with what is happening around me.

But face it. We are slammed with political ads and people attacking each other from every corner. Pastors and other religious leaders are pushing their candidates. Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever form of media you use is plagued with anything but good news. While I am a supporter of Christians being involved in the political process, how can one just not grow tired of the Presidential campaigns? Maybe it was not so bad getting away after all.

It seems we push the summary of our Christian being (loving God and each other as ourselves) to the side at some point and get swept up into a whirlwind of stuff. Completely and simply stuff and nothing of which is anywhere as important as Love. While I am no softy and quickly deny condoning sinful behaviors, I have to ask how sinful is my behavior when the majority of my life, breath, and effort would be related to stuff (such as politics, Xbox, or whatever floats your fancy)?

Love, it defines who we are or are not.

Get Personal: Push Technology Away

2012/07/18 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

I am a technology geek. Admirer. Dreamer. Enthusiast. Lover. I l heart Android. I thrive on my HTC EVO 4g LTE, Motorola Xoom, Macbook Pro, built-it-myself gaming PC, and of course the Xbox 360. Oh and did I mention Twitter, my newfound addiction. Life without these things seems meaningless (just kidding). However, they say truth lies behind every “just kidding”.

Truth it is. For Facebook, it is a love-hate relationship. I hate the privacy issues associated with it and some places requiring Facebook log-in to comment. Mix this with their wish to dominate the world by all things Facebook through phone apps and everything else, I only love it for keeping in contact with friends that are moons away and the occasional stalking we all do. As for Twitter, oh it is an addictive information overload.

However, the whole thought of “friends” and what it means Biblically for some time has truly bothered me when you mix it with what society thinks of as social networking friends. We add all these people on Facebook, and we do not know and will never meet many of them. Then, we spend countless hours Facebooking, Twittering, texting, and gaming to what end? To the point that we have completely perverted what relationships are.

Over the past few months, I drastically cut out my Xbox time. While I still curl up in the fetal position occasionally from withdrawals, I do find myself more mentally, physically, and spiritually whole. I recently cut out my Facebook time and probably have enjoyed that the most. While I do not have extra weight hanging on my Facebook account (such as people I do not know). It has been nice getting away the past few days. The time spent away allows for a better focus on things that matter, such as people you can physically interact.

While you can defend social networking and electronics as way to interact, do not fool yourself. They eat your life and time away that can be spent glorifying God while serving Him and others in a personal way. Think of all the negative things that we post or see daily and allow to sink into our minds. For instance, keep up with world news closely or on a daily basis and you know how depressing it is.

What if we made a limited technology week? We put aside all the social networking, texting, and gaming aside outside of what maybe required by work. Devote time with the friends and family we love. And of course share a little Jesus with everyone.

Marriage and the Economy

2012/07/17 Daily Thoughts and Digressives, Marriage & Family Comments Off

While browsing internet talk radio, I came across Kilmeade and Friends talking about how marriage has a positive impact on the economy as compared to singles or those that live together. One of the main questions posed was, “Should the government encourage marriage by giving benefits?” (i.e. subsidies, tax breaks, etc).

I am uncertain where they got their facts from, however, I have no reason to doubt that married families help stabilize the economy. The reason to wed should have nothing to do with money. While marriage may have a positive effect on the economy, I cringe at the thought of the government even having a part of marriage. Our country is quickly approaching $16 trillion in debt, which is over $50,000 per person. The government did not do it alone. We, the citizens, allowed them and helped them. Our focus on material things instead of pure Biblical love for God and one another has not only affected the national debt but our personal debts as well. More than debt, it has affected who we are and how we treat each other.

Do we want to boost our economy? Sure! But, at the expense of everyone but the church being involved in the family unit? I think not. Maybe it’s time for pastors to start swinging hard on marriage, adultery, and all the issues facing the family. Does it always need to be how to make your church huge, abortion and homosexuality on the national stage?

Moral and Cultural Chaos

2012/07/16 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

Being a Chicago born, Cubs fan through and through, news that affects the Chicago always catches my eye. Recently, Chicago Mayor Rham Emanuel sought to address the gang violence that plagues the Chicagoland. However, what he and many  politicians keep focusing on is money when the problem is not money but spiritual.

Gary Bauer of American Values said, “The left focuses almost exclusively on improving the economic circumstances of the poor. But people can’t be lifted from poverty when they’re weighed down by moral and cultural chaos.

American is not suffering from an economic poverty as much as spiritual poverty. Spiritual poverty can only be corrected when we refocus our lives to from politics and other selfish desires and put Christ first and love each other in a Biblical manner.

One web: http://www.humanevents.com/2012/07/16/rahm-emanuel-stumbles-into-the-truth/

Celebrating Independence Day

2012/07/04 Daily Thoughts and Digressives Comments Off

Life isn’t easy. I take pride and find happiness in that I got somewhere in life and will get where I’m going not because someone didn’t do their job and pushed me through, but because I earned it. The only thing we’re entitled to is being honesty and true through loving and serving others.

Our country declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776. It required a lot of blood and sweat. When society moves to the point of thinking that everyone is entitled to something rather than work for it, we destroy the principles in which this country was founded. Part of that is finding satisfaction in life with where you are and defending the liberty that we are afforded by this country.

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