Archive - September, 2010

Stupid Bumper Stickers

September 22, 2010 in Christianity with 4 Comments

Dumb Bumper Sticker

Dumb Bumper Sticker

I will continue to look, but I won’t hold my breath. Look for what, you ask? I will continue to look for a person who’s been compelled to change because of a bumper sticker! I have been searching for years, but haven’t found one person who’s ever admitted to having been swayed to a pro-life position, to believe in God, or to change their political affiliation because a bumper sticker was so powerfully moving that they couldn’t but change. Despite the futility of my search, I know they will continue to be printed and placed on bumpers,  the back of windows, or, as was the case for me today, passed out in a local WalMart.

I was torn yesterday morning. We’d been purchasing our fruit and vegetables at a local grocery store, but I was short on time. Heading back to campus, WalMart was right on the way. I let convenience reign, when I knew I should have forgone convenience for something more enduring (That’s another subject, though.). So I went to WalMart.

Inside I crossed paths with a man I’d met before. In fact, he is a part of my Christian fellowship, but not a member of our particular congregation. He hands me a religio-political bumper sticker. I’m not even an Obama fan and it ticked me off. The thought that a dumb bumper sticker like the one he handed me might, at all, be persuasive is simply absurd to me. It smacked of everything that I’ve grown weary of over the years. To be brutally frank, I was embarrassed- both for him and for the fact that this is what things have come to.

Last year, I read Lord Save Us From Your Followers by Dan Merchant. It was an insightful look into how people perceive professed Christians. Part of Merchant’s project was to stick a bunch of bumper stickers onto a white jump suite and ask New Yorkers questions about Jesus and Christians. He found that a good number of people, several of whom were atheists, had a favorable opinion about Jesus, but an unfavorable opinion about today’s Christians. There seems to be a growing disparity between the modern Christian and the First Century Savior. His book probes into why. He’s also produced a DVD that is probably worth watching. I haven’t seen it, though.

Merchant had more than a few things to suggest about “bumper sticker” evangelism. It’s not conversational, at all. Nor is it really affective. In fact, it tends to be rather offensive. But the book spoke to me because of my growing disgust for an approach that demeans more than discusses, that markets more than it moves.

I mean really, is this what we’ve come down to? Walking around WalMart passing out religio-political bumper stickers? Lord save us from your followers? These days I can’t help but agree!

Mosques, Koran Burnings, and The Religious Right

September 11, 2010 in Christianity with 13 Comments

Everyone is talking about the group who wants to put up a mosque near Ground Zero in New York. Even more are now talking about the Florida pastor who thinks Koran burnings are the answer. I’m glad, at least that of this morning, he’s called the whole thing off. Yet here we are, 9 years removed from the morning the World Trade Center towers crumbled, and we still haven’t learned much. At least that is my opinion. You are free to yours.

We in America love our freedoms. We are a country built upon religious freedoms, especially. Living, though, in a representative republic that employs the democratic process means we are going to face tough questions about matters relating to all kinds of religions. We seem to be all about religious freedom and expression, as long as it has “Christian” leanings. But we are learning that freedom is a double-edged sword. We want freedom of religion because it is sacred to us; but, we also want freedom from religions like Islam. Both, though, cannot be had.

What the last 9 years have taught me is that the Way of Jesus is the only solution. Political Conservatism isn’t the answer. The panacea is a movement away from politics as usual to the Way of Jesus. Jesus never once encouraged his disciples to reform the Roman republic for the benefit of His mission in the world. I contend, first century Christians were indifferent to the political process all together. This is the route I’ve chosen. I’ve chosen Jesus as my Hope over a President. I’ve chosen the Kingdom of God as my dominion over any earthly rule. I’ve chosen the way of peace over the way of the world.

I’m glad that there has been outcry over the idiocy of a pastor who thinks Koran burnings send the message of Jesus. I also think its incredibly foolish for an Islamic group to want to erect a mosque anywhere remotely close to Ground Zero. I, personally, hope it never happens. Whatever happens, though, I hope that Christians aren’t made to look foolish because we haven’t learned to practically apply John 18:36!

Thirst

September 9, 2010 in Christian Life with 0 Comments

Tisha and Jasmine come down from The Lighthouse

On Labor Day, Tisha and I took 6 kids whose ages ranged between 6 and 14 on a 6 mile hike in Palo Duro Canyon State Park in triple digit heat. The sign at the trailhead suggested that in making the hike each person needs a minimum of one gallon of water. That seemed reasonable to us, but after having completed the trek, I’m convinced that quantity is lower than I’ll ever take, should I return. I’m not convinced you can take too much water, to be honest.

We were heading back to the trailhead and we had about 2.5 miles remaining. We were out of water that we were carrying on us and I wasn’t liking what the rest of the walk back to the van was looking like. I told Tisha, “Why don’t you guys continue to walk, taking it easy as you go, and I am going to jog to the van and get two gallons of water and bring them back. I’ll meet you all somewhere between here and there. How does that sound?” She thought it was a good idea, so I hit the trail running.

I got two gallons of water and made my way back towards my crew. Along the way, though, I noticed two different individuals who were obviously thirsty and feeling the effects of the heat. I didn’t think twice about asking either, “Do you need some water?” Both said, “Yes” and I let them both have as much as they needed. One of them even said, “God bless you, man!”

I didn’t know either of these guys. I’d seen both of them at The Lighthouse, a rock formation that is the focal point of this trail, but that was the extent of it. Out there, though, under the hot Texas sun, that didn’t matter. What was mine was theirs! They couldn’t thank me enough, but they didn’t have too. Desperation like that dissolves so many inhibitions we have about dealing with people we don’t know.

Tisha and Cottage 3 atop The Lighthouse

I couldn’t help but be reminded of two stories from the gospels. John 4 came to mind as I thought about Jesus and the woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus used water as a metaphor for eternal life. The thirst many possessed that day was strong. Would to God we possessed a similar thirst for the zoe of Jesus!

The story of the Good Samaritan came to mind, as well. How could it not? Two guys were in need, and I could have ignored them. I could have pressed on and looked the other way, but I refused to do so. That I didn’t know them didn’t matter. They were in need, and Jesus tells me I am not to ignore one in such a need.

I met back up with my crew about a mile from the trailhead. They were fine, and I still had a gallon and a half to divide between us all to get us back to van. I was a wonderful experience, one I’ll never forget. I came face to face with the power of thirst and I got to make the story of the Good Samaritan my story. Those are life-lessons that get to the heart of Jesus, and that’s right where I need to be!

A Thought About Forgiveness…

September 3, 2010 in Uncategorized with 3 Comments

God’s forgiveness is permission for us to forgive ourselves.

Doug