Let us begin here: There are some pretty radical things happening in the Church collectively these days. Some of the events and movements are bringing fresh wind into the lungs of Christian churches, while some come unknowingly (and sometimes knowingly) armed and are primed to take the life out as quickly as She is moving again. No matter the repercussions, it seems as though the Church may be on the return to being the progressive entity in society. What an awesome revival would come if the Church could again be the catalyst for the ebb and flow of cultural change instead of the sub-cultural little brother of the mTV generation, just begging to fit in.
I very sincerely believe that Christianity is radical and relevant to the core, with no need for bells and whistles to help us look like the culture around us. It now appears that there are many influential Christian men and women who are standing up and living with that desperate authenticity that a relationship with Christ should inspire us to have. What is the result? The same result that occurred when Jesus first ministered on earth, the same result that came from the desperate men and women in the first century Church…the Gospel is alive and revolutionary and when it is presented as it is and it draws men and women to draw to His irresistible Grace. The Gospel IS progressivism, the Gospel IS relevance, the Gospel IS reform and the Gospel IS revolution. How encouraging it is to see the men and women who have decided to just get out of the way and preach the Gospel and allow the power of God to work in a way that only He can orchestrate. The Gospel is alive and whenever it is taught…change will happen and heads will turn.
Anytime something makes a ripple in our ever-so-progressive society, there is a lot of reaction and attention. The largest fear I have with Christianity again becoming a cultural and spiritual revolution is what can happen if we start believing our hype. It happens all the time in the secular world, Sean Penn went from cheese-ball 80’s movies to thinking that he is some sort of political and social revolutionary because he saw a couple news programs, gave some money and maybe even some time to help those in need and then sat back and listened to the accolades pour in. I heard Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade just the other day discuss the bravery that he is exhibiting rehabbing his shoulder so that he can return to help his team, which came not so coincidentally a day after coach Pat Riley called him a warrior. Even in the Christian community already, Derek Webb (who I have always admired both as a musician and as someone who loves the Gospel and poured the doctrine of Grace into his lyrics) has loaded his newest CD with shock factor lyrics and empty political platforms (as well as put out 3 gimmick records/stunts to help his records sell). It can become dangerous when Christians stop being authentic once they have received attention for their work and buy into their own hype.
Please note: I don’t say all this wagging my finger at the prideful Christian leaders because I’m jealous of the noteriaty they have obtained. On the contrary, if I was in the same position I would probably be the first one to be on tour with Bono and Mr. and Mrs. Pitt on our global campaign to save to world…revolution style. I have always been obsessed with revolutionary minds (Che Gueverra, Huey P. Newton, Malcom X, Ghandi, etc) and have to constantly keep myself in check. Christianity is not about starting a revolution on a cheap platform…it is the foundation by which lives are changed and cultures are reformed. We are not revolutionaries, but ministers allowed to share in the work of Christ Jesus. Through Him, we can shake the world, but of ourselves we are but a vapor in the wind.
