We're missing out on His voice

We've traded God for ashes

We've got to think for ourselves

Where's our passion?

I have been contemplating the impact of the American culture on our gospel. I wonder just how much of our faith and practice comes from what we find to be culturally acceptable rather than what we actually find in the context of Biblical culture.

We have diminished the gospel. My friend Brandt used the word "neutered" whilst speaking last night. I would concur with this statement in terms of our making it neutral. First century Christians were ridiculed and even killed for this thing we call the "good news".  If this news is worth living for it should also be worth dying for. Radical is a word that accurately describes the message of my Jesus. He was considered a fool and even insane for who He was (is!). Who am I to try to live a life anything short of humiliated and sacrificed?

Also, the gospel isn't just a set of beliefs. It isn't a list of things that we can just check off as we go along. It is a way of life - a pattern of living.  How much longer will we stand around and observe things but continue to let them happen? We see what is going on in our American Christianity. Many places around the world, Christianity is thriving. Here, it seems to be something people do on Sundays to show that they are better than others. We are dissatisfied. We are sick of it. But we really must ask ourselves, "Where's our passion?" We may sit here in our intellectuality and condescendingly point out everything "wrong" with the church. That doesn't solve anything. It simply publicizes the problem. We. have. to. make. a. change. 

Do I have all the answers? Absolutely not! But we do have access to the One who does know all the answers. Not one of us is flawless and we will stumble. We will make mistakes. But if we claim them and show the world that following Christ isn't about being perfect, its about being redeemed. Its about giving of yourself the best you know how until you can't give anymore...and then giving more anyway. Its about not compromising what we absolutely know but following hard after Truth even when it will humiliate and shame us. Dr. Reeves recently said, "Nobody can teach the essence of the gospel, God has to reveal it to you." (Paraphrasing Paul in Philippians, actually) I pray for myself and for you, blogstalkers, that God will reveal the essence of the gospel. That we will no longer be conformed to our culture, but be transformed by Christ's culture instead.