What’s Missing?

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to making changes in how Christians practice what they believe. For nearly 2000 years we have ascribed to a few basic concepts. Humanity is basically sinful. Jesus came to save that world lost in that sin. To be redeemed from that sin, we need to repent and believe that Jesus came to this Earth to be the ultimate sacrifice. And once we believe that we cannot save our selves, but only through Jesus can we be saved, then we will go to Heaven when we die. What about the rest of the message of Jesus? It would be different if all that Jesus did were come to Earth and die on the cross to be the ultimate sacrifice. If we believe the Bible and the stories in it, then we have to realize that Jesus was much more than a substitution sacrifice for our sins. In other words, it was about more than salvation!

If what Jesus came for was to show us a new and different way of living, what is that way that He was trying to show us? In Mr. McLaren’s book, “Everything Must Change”, he says that there are two basic questions to look at. The first, “What are the biggest problems in the world?” And to follow up, “What does Jesus have to say about these global problems?”

Okay, in my prior writings, I told you a bit about myself and what this whole topic means to me. I have known for some time that in order to make a difference in this world, there needed to be a different attitude towards the world issues we see growing closer and worse every day. Now I need to tell you what the information in this book has caused me to think about. When I think about the questions posed, I automatically think of some of the most serious problems we face. It really comes down to what the Catholic Church calls the “seven deadly sins”. Greed, Sloth, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony and Pride. Or at least that is what is most basic. To be more specific we have to talk about our world condition. Because of all these deadly sins, we have genocide, global warming, poverty and extreme hunger. Then there are the problems regarding the love of power. Nations rising up against nation and violence against the innocent. I could go on and on, but at this point it seems overwhelming, doesn’t it? Mr. McLaren also provides some lists that different leaders or groups have published of what they believe are the most serious issues of our day. For those lists you will need to read the book.

It would seem that we as Christians would know what the message of Jesus has to say about such problems. Maybe it is just too simple for some. Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, raised the dead and generally ministered to those with whom He had contact. What is so complicated about that? This is the part where I believe that the head talk started coming in to play. I mean, I am a pretty simple and direct person and to me the answer is pretty clear. Do what Jesus did. Sometimes we make things way too difficult.

For the time we have spent talking, in the book study, I had known something was missing. I believe I knew what it was, but last week, at lunch, Matt said it, the thing that was missing in this whole discussion. LOVE Love is what’s missing. We have talked all around it, but it has all been head talk. I mean you can talk about change all you like, but if any of this is going to work, the love of Christ has to be in the equation. Just what is the Love of Christ? You tell me…

What is it that we need to do, Part Deux?

In the first piece, I stated that I was having a difficult time talking about how I understand or what I feel about “Everything Must Change”. I mentioned how that Mr. McLaren doesn’t talk about Jesus in the way most of us have heard. I have since learned that there is a reason for not talking about the traditional salvation message. It is really been talked about so much that we have missed the rest of what Jesus has to say. For many, this has been a difficult book to talk about. Not because the topic itself is so unmentionable, but more that when we talk about Jesus and being church, it is usually a more spiritual, philosophical discussion. In this study, we are getting down to the ‘nuts and bolts’, so to speak. Some may say, “You’ve now gone from preaching to meddlin’!”

Now that I’ve said that, let me give a bit of my background and tell you how this topic has affected me. I think it started when I was 15 years old and I went on a mission trip with the Youth group at Metropolitan Baptist Church. I had been a part of this group since I was 8 years old and the trip was one of those “rites of passage” that we all look forward to. It was on that trip that my mind and heart were changed. My whole view of the world and of Christianity had changed. I realized for the first time that there were people in the world who were really suffering. We as young Christians were blown away by the amount of poverty we saw and were determined to make a difference.

As the years went by, I began to see the world through different eyes. I began to see new and different ways that we, as the Church might be able to reach out to the world. Some of it was naïve, I guess, but the spark was there nonetheless.

Then, in 1995 I moved into Americana. I have always cared about missions. I have always been concerned about the poor. I have always wanted to know more about the world and different cultures. Moving in to Americana did something to me. It was there that I learned so much about the rest of the world. I learned so much about the different cultures and had such a beautiful experience; it was really difficult for me when I had to move.

Americana is an apartment complex, here in Louisville. The apartments themselves have been here for about 60 years or so. They were originally built as military housing, but in recent years, have been home to many of this city’s marginally poor and a first home for many of the refugees coming to the United States. People from all the poorest places in the world, who come to Louisville, often live in Americana till they can get on their feet.

I had neighbors from Vietnam, Bosnia, El Salvador and Cuba. That was just in my building. There were also people from Iraq, Sudan, Laos, Nigeria, Nicaragua and Mexico. While the rest of the community struggled with the change, I saw the residents struggle with prejudice and fear.

As I look back, I see that I was almost always at odds with the ministers in my life. Still am, to some degree. I wasn’t at odds because I was trying to cause trouble. It was more like I didn’t see the world, or didn’t want to see the world the way that the Church or the church I knew saw it. I questioned preachers regarding doctrine, I read book after book, I listened to professors in college talk about religion and yet there were still things that just didn’t seem to fit.

I had read the stories of Jesus, sung the songs and listened to countless sermons. It still seemed like we were saying one thing and yet, doing something else. I mean, Jesus said to “Love your neighbor, as yourself”. Yet, there are so many things that we, as Christians should be doing. Someone else knows that we are missing the point!!! I really didn’t believe I was the only one who thought there was a problem. It is one thing to want to save the world; it is another to figure out how to save it.

In the book, “Everything Must Change”, there is a challenge to reexamine the stories of Jesus. We are challenged to look at the world’s problems and try to see what Jesus would really do. With his two questions, McLaren challenges us to take a look at what Jesus said and did, in the context of His time and how might we apply it to the world’s problems, today.

If you are reading this, please make a comment. I am really looking for feedback.