Bearing the Name of Christ

I wrote this a few months ago and reread it today and realized it applies to a lot more than just Ann Rice's statements. I left it in that context because it makes more sense that way.

I am sure a lot of you have heard about Ann Rice (a pretty famous author) deciding to "quit" being a Christian. Before I speak to this, here is what she said:

“For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.

As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I’m out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”

So, first of all the title Christian means follower of Christ, so you can't be a Christ follower and not a Christian. I do agree that there are an alarming and increasing number of un-Christian principles being attached to Christianity. This is a part of the persecution Christ said we would endure if we bear the name. To bear the name means you are a Christian. I don't agree with everything that the world or even the church label as Christian, that does not mean I am not one.

The next problem is her statement of anti's.

You do not have to be anti-gay in order to disagree with the lifestyle, I love homosexuals this does not mean I have to tolerate and accept their lifestyle as good and right.

The same principle applies to being "anti-feminist", I don't have to be against womens rights just because I support the biblical model of those rights and characteristics (Proverbs 31).

I am anti-artificial birth control because this is directly against the will and word of God. Children are a blessing and a gift and we should no attempt to limit or control the number of children we have other than abstaining from intercourse. The purpose of intercourse is not simply our own selfish pleasure but first and foremost for reproduction.

Again, no need to be anti-democrat, I am personally not affiliated with any specific political party because neither one of them line up with the will and word of God. I hate what God hates and love what God loves.

No where in the word of God does it say that we must be anti-science or learning, He created the Earth in such a way that we can discover the way things work, live, grow, etc. You can be a Christian and a scientist, this just doesn't happen often because we live under the lie that you must deny one to have the other.

Secular humanism is the opposite of believing in or following Christ. Secular humanism says that there is no supernatural and in effect there is no God. It says we can be "good people" all on our own and we do not need a savior. This statement alone makes the rest of what she said a contradiction. She basically said I believe in God but I don't believe in God. This is an illogical and confusing statement.

I am honestly not sure what she meant by being "anti-life" so I will leave this one alone.

I will say I understand not wanting to be affiliated with the title "Christian" people hear this and think: hypocrite, liar, judgmental, close-minded, discriminatory, etc. I don't want to be affiliated with those words or things either. I do want to be affiliated with Jesus Christ, therefore I must bear the name and live according to the word of God. I cannot decide to not be labeled a Christian because it is difficult, you cannot enjoy the benefits without the costs. The name of Christ will cost you your reputation in this world. Don't denounce the name, be different, be a true representation of Christ in a world of counterfeits, show love not hate, ask forgiveness, admit when you are wrong, display humility, and be honest. If these are in fact the things Ann Rice believes in then she is right to denounce the name of Christianity because her views do not match up with those of Christ.

I pray that Christians change their actions and their hearts not their name. Changing your label doesn't change the person you are. Allow God to change the person you are and then bear His name with honor and give Him all of the glory. Be worthy to suffer with Christ!

His Heart

Lord, I am asking for your divine inspiration now; would you please speak to me regarding your people; would you show me the words that need to be spoken; give me the prophetic grace now to put to paper the things of your heart.

My heart aches to see Your Kingdom lived out on this earth, especially in my own life. It is so easy for me to look around and see the depraved, desperate, and lost state of the world around me; it is much more difficult to look at my own heart with any honesty and objectivity. I know you are speaking to me that the change has to begin in my own heart, and I do know that it has begun; I also know it will continue until I am in Your eternal presence. I cannot create anything sustainable, profitable, or Kingdom worthy here on earth, You alone are capable. I can only do my best to align myself with the desires of your heart, be willing, be humble, and obedient. I want to do so much for you and your Kingdom, it is so easy to become lost in a sea of good works. I don't want to be one who stands before you on judgement day and says "Lord, Lord, I did miracles, healing, and prophesying in Your name." and only hears the reply "Depart from Me I never knew you." My performance and works mindset can come from a very good place in my heart most of the time, but that is not always the place you have asked me to be. I just want to fall in love with you and live like you are the only important thing to me. It sounds so simple yet it is so overwhelming, it is totally opposite of everything in my dark and deceitful heart.
So, Lord, I have so many hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. I want to see our community grow, I know it can grow under our strength and then it will eventually crumble and leave people jaded and wounded, would you protect us from that, Oh God! Would you speak to our hearts, would you bring us into obedience, would you draw us into your heart. Would you give us the faith to let go, drop everything, and walk away from this at the very instant you ask. Let our hearts be attached to you alone. This prayer applies to so many things in my life. I am so hopeful for my future in you, Jesus! Keep my hope grounded and rooted in your heart alone. Jesus, I love you, I trust you, expand my heart for more of you!

Community, a Lifestyle? How?

What the heck is community anyways, for the most part American's today would define community as a group of people in the same neighborhood or more specifically that live the same lifestyle (ie. the Christian community, the LGBT community, the retirement community, etc.). I think the definition we use for a group of people living the same lifestyle is a good start to the definition, there is so much more there though. A community is not simply a bunch of individuals that agree on some similar moral and lifestyle choices. A true community is dependent on one another for health, survival, fellowship, encouragement, and correction. The true community shares life in every aspect; they are tight-knit, everyone knows everyone else in an intimate way.
I want to see the Kingdom of God lived out on this earth, it is possible to listen to His heart and respond. We must be willing to live outside of convenience and isolation that this world and this nation so heavily promote. I am so guilty of the convenient, self-sufficient, self-satisfying, and isolated lifestyle. We must commit to being wholly and intentionally focused on Him and His Kingdom on a continual basis.
"How do we make this thing we do once a week a lifestyle?" -Walter A. Miles
In our American, capitalist, marketing mindsets we all see 100 ways to promote and generate attendance and revenue. Money and bodies are not the goal though. I would much rather see us stay at three community homes and 20 people, and maintain our vision and focus on Him alone. I don't want to see a new worldwide ministry established out of the strength and power of our flesh. May the Lord create community among His people and His bride, and may that look uniquely different and yet unifying. The only way we will ever see this thing become a lifestyle is to get people focused on the one thing that we all are dependent upon, Jesus Christ and His redeeming love. The only reason you can get 10-50 people who are so alarmingly different to gather together every single week is because we have one focus, Jesus and His Kingdom.
As soon as we decide to stray from being organic and intentional we lose focus on Him and we lose the glue that made this community. We cannot do this under our own strength, it's simply not possible. The fact is we all need every single person in this community for different and unique reasons and if we lose focus we lose people and we no longer have all of the puzzle pieces. I know that I would never choose to spend my time around these people on an individual basis if it was not for Him and His love. My flesh doesn't know what I truly need, it only knows selfishness, sin, and individualism. When we look into His eyes, He reflects the world around us in such a light that we are able to see our own desperate state of need.
We don't need more meetings or events, we need more Jesus; the more of Jesus we have the more this community will grow, flourish, thrive, maintain, and be strengthened. We are building one big house where our whole family can live and if we don't make Jesus that firm foundation to begin with then the walls begin to sag and fall. If we expand out of our own strength we are only building on the sand of the world, we must wait for Him to first expand our foundation and lay the ground work.
Patience, perseverance, obedience, and focus will be the keys to seeing His vision and promise made reality in and through our lives and our community.
So, start praying, keep praying. Get in the Word, stay in the Word. Meet Him in the place of worship, stay in the place of worship.
Easier said than done, but totally possible with Him alone.

Alter[native] Lifestyle

Why Alter[native]?

The alter is the place of change and remembrance of the "native" or the original.

I live an Alter[native] lifestyle, a lifestyle that is rejected, mocked, and misrepresented. I live a lifestyle that most people would call crazy, insane, or irrational. I am a radical disciple of Jesus Christ living in community with other radical disciples. I want to see this world transformed by the radical-life-changing love of Jesus Christ. This isn't a new concept, it is actually a lifestyle that has been going on for about two thousand years. This life has been bringing the dead to life, turning apathy to response, and exchanging lethargy for enthusiasm. I have hope for this world; that hope is found in Jesus Christ alone.