Cultural Christian or Practicing Christian

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)

The term “practicing Christian” is not found anywhere in the Bible. In the first century, if a person chose to become a Christian, it was assumed they would do their best to follow Jesus and live out his teachings. The idea that a person would call themselves a Christian but not do what Jesus says was unimaginable. To be a Christian was to live like Christ and belong to a Christian community where others were engaged in the same pursuit. In the years following the death of Jesus, all Christians were practicing Christians.

Christianity obtained legal status in the Roman Empire in 313 A.D. and became the official state church of the empire in 380 A.D. As Christianity began to be embraced by emperors, kings, and governments, a form of Christianity was created that was cultural rather than practicing. Cultural Christianity embraces the name Christian but not the practices. It seeks to use Christianity to its advantage and sometimes labels certain practices or beliefs as Christian, which are not Christian at all. Cultural Christians are often not active members of a church community. They do not live transformed lives that produce the fruit of the Spirit because their Christianity is a label rather than a way of living. 

We live in a time and place where both realities exist. We must be careful about who we listen to and follow. Not everyone who calls themselves a Christian deserves our time and attention. Cultural Christianity is a misnomer because it is not Christianity. There is no Christianity in the New Testament that advocates adopting the label but not the practices. Christianity is about following Jesus. It is sharing our lives with fellow Christians and living in community with them. It is having our lives transformed into the image of Jesus. It is continuing the ministry of Jesus by helping people in need. Christianity is not a label. It is a practice. People should not know us as Christians because we call ourselves Christians but because we are living it, and they see Jesus in what we say and do. 

Go!

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'” (Mark 16:15)

For many years, Christians have centered their faith around activities that happen in a building. We have made being a Christian about what one does in a church building. We have said Christianity is attending worship, participating in a Bible class, volunteering to train children, serving on a committee, etc. These are all good things. They are things Christians should be doing, but if we are not careful, we can reduce Christianity to only things that happen within the walls of a church.

The early church was not bound to a building. They prayed together, ate together, and met on the first day of the week. However, they did not limit their activity to what happens in a single structure. They were in the marketplaces and each other’s homes. They were found at the temple and on the streets. They continued Jesus’ ministry and took his command to “Go into all the world…” seriously.

Where am I going?

Christians need to consider this question. Something is wrong if our faith only leads us to a church building and nowhere else. We must prioritize meeting together and worshiping on Sunday, but we also must prioritize going into our communities to help people in need and share the good news. We need to be going into other people’s homes and having people in our homes. We should be aware of needs we can help with so we can continue the ministry of Jesus.

Where are we going?

All churches must ask themselves this question. Where are we going as the body of Christ? Are we being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community? Are we visible to the people around us, or are we a group that no one knows anything about because the walls of our church building hide everything we do? If we want to be like Jesus, we must go. He did not call us to hide our light under a basket. He called us to be the light of the world.

Is Your Church Dying?

According to Lifeway Research, Protestant churches are in decline. We are losing more churches than we are planting. I know this from my own experience. When I moved to La Grange, TX in 2010, there were three Churches of Christ in our county. Now, there is only one. My experience is not unusual. The fastest-growing religious affiliation in America is what researchers have labeled “nones.” Many of these people were affiliated with a church at one time but have stopped attending and now identify as not belonging to any religious group. There are lots of churches on life support.

The obstacles Christians face are numerous and complex. Books have been written, and conferences have been held to discuss what is happening to Christianity in America. Some of these trends have been years in the making. At the same time, the answers to some problems are simple. You may not be able to reverse the growth of the “nones,” but you can have healthy, thriving churches that are making a difference in their communities. Churches don’t have to die. Many churches are growing and doing quite well.

If you are attending a church in decline, don’t get overwhelmed by all the data, articles, and podcasts. Information is helpful, but don’t become paralyzed by the amount that is available. Keep it simple! Focus on what you can do. What can you do as an individual? What can your church do? What can be done in the community? There are lots of things that are out of your control. Don’t worry about national trends when you have local issues you need to address. You have a limited amount of time, energy, and resources; use them wisely.

One question is more important than all others. If your church is experiencing decline, the whole congregation needs to spend time contemplating and discussing this question.

Do we, as a church, want help?

Take your time with this process. Discuss what it means. Think through the sacrifices it requires. Consider the changes that need to be made.

Sadly, many churches are content with dying. They don’t want help. They don’t want to make sacrifices or changes. They are comfortable and want it to stay that way, even if it means the church will eventually close its doors.

If your congregation sits with this question and answers “Yes!” There is hope. The news is not all bad. People are seeking meaning in life, looking for institutions they can trust, and wanting to be a part of a movement that is making a difference. Get outside the walls of your church building and into your community. Open your homes and invite people to your tables. Don’t wait for the world to come to you. Go into all the world, your schools and workplaces, your food pantries and homeless shelters, your neighborhoods and parks, and make disciples. God is at work and looking for churches to say, “Yes!”

If you or your church would like help, I would gladly discuss your situation with you. I am certified in church revitalization and would love the opportunity to help any church seeking to make a difference.

Listening to Unbelievers

If we focus on condemnation rather than listening, we may never hear what unbelievers have to offer. We may miss out on meaningful conversations that produce much fruit.

“We know the fire awaits unbelievers
All of the sinners the same
Girl, you and I will die unbelievers
Bound to the tracks of the train”

• Vampire Weekend, Unbelievers

Vampire Weekend are professed unbelievers, but this does not mean they have nothing to offer. Some would dismiss this band as a group of young secular elites, but in doing so, they would fail to notice a desire and willingness to have meaningful spiritual conversations. Vampire Weekend are raising questions and exploring topics related to God and religion that some professed Christian artists refuse to explore. They are not interested in pat answers and are willing to listen to those with whom they disagree in the search for truth. As Christians, we should welcome such conversations and seek to love our neighbors by listening to what they have to say.

I recently saw Vampire Weekend live in concert. They put on a phenomenal show, and as they were performing, I was listening. That may be too obvious of a comment to make, but I wasn’t just listening to the music; I was listening to the message. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the lead singer, Ezra Koenig, decry the values of Beverly Hills and tell the audience life was more than money or status. He said this before the band broke into a cover of The Flying Burrito Brothers song Sin City.

“This old town is filled with sin
It’ll swallow you in
If you’ve got some money to burn
Take it home right away
You’ve got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn

This old earthquake’s gonna leave me in the poor house
It seems like this whole town’s insane
On the thirty-first floor a gold-plated door
Won’t keep out the Lord’s burning rain”

• Gram Parsons & Chris Hillman, Sin City

Sadly, we live in a culture where stereotypes are pervasive. We dismiss entire generations of people because we have been told they are this or that. It is easy to embrace stereotypes. It makes the world black and white. It is us vs. them. It lets us off the hook because we have convinced ourselves that an entire segment of the population is unsavable or unworthy of salvation. What is difficult, but what is also Christlike, is to listen. We may come to learn that these unbelievers are not what they seem. We may end up saying along with Jesus, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mk. 12:34)

On Vampire Weekend’s new album, Only God Was Above Us, they continue this theme of exploring religious ideas. The closing song is entitled Hope. It is not the easiest song to decipher. There are some cryptic lines in this nearly eight-minute anthem. What is clear is that the song recalls all that is wrong with the world and advocates we should not allow these wrongs to dictate our lives. Life is more than all the bad things that happen. 

Christians should take this song seriously because it provides insight into the mind of an unbeliever longing for hope and searching for answers. Ezra Koenig gets so much right it is hard to believe he is not already a Christian, but maybe what is holding him back is Christians themselves. We live in a time when some Christians place their hope in mere mortals. We live in a time when some Christians seem to lose hope if the news or an election does not go their way. We live in a time when some Christians are more focused on the 24-hour news cycle than on their eternal hope in Christ. The longing in this song is for a transcendental hope that does not come and go based on the headlines. Are we offering such a hope? Do our lives point to something beyond our circumstances? 

Our lives tell a story, and this song explores what kind of lives we are to live. A life consumed with bitterness, anger, jealousy, revenge, etc. is not worth living. If we cannot forgive, we are not living the life we should. If we are filled with anger or rage because we didn’t get our way, we are not living the life we should. If our focus is on what we do not have, we are not living the life we should. Christianity teaches us how to live such a life, but we only obtain it by letting go. 

Maybe, just maybe, we could learn a thing or two from an unbeliever. 

“I hope you let it go
I hope you let it go
My enemy’s invincible
I’ve had to let it go”

• Vampire Weekend, Hope

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” (Matt. 10:39)

Be Gentle

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt. 11:29)

When we consider who Jesus or God is, we sometimes make assumptions, which may be right or wrong. For instance, many assume God in the Old Testament is wrathful. They make this assumption without engaging the many texts in the Old Testament that show God’s mercy and grace for his people and others. Assumptions can be based on cultural images or influences. They can be things we have heard from family or at church. Not all assumptions are wrong, but we should get our answers from Scripture when considering significant questions.

We don’t have to look hard to discover who Jesus is. In our Bibles, we have four accounts of his life, called the Gospels. We can see how Jesus interacted with others and read about his life. How did he spend his time? What were his interests? How did he speak to people? Studying these accounts helps us understand who Jesus is, but there are even more direct ways of knowing who he is. He tells us. This happens more than once. In one famous passage from Matthew 11, he describes himself as gentle. Who is Jesus? He is gentle.

When thinking about Jesus, gentle is probably not the first word that comes to most people’s minds, but it is true. Jesus not only tells us he is gentle, but we see him live this out in his life. He often deals with people gently. He shows compassion and mercy for people on the margins of society. He makes time for children and others who are frequently overlooked. He touches people you are not supposed to touch. He is gentle.

Gentleness is not just for Jesus; it is also for us. It is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23). If we lack gentleness, we are not being who God wants us to be. We are also commanded to be gentle when dealing with unbelievers (1 Pet. 3:15). Those outside the faith are to see Jesus in us. They are to come to know the gentleness of Jesus through how we engage them. We live in a world that is anything but gentle. It can be unkind, vulgar, rude, lacking in grace, and harsh. People in the world expect to receive this type of behavior in return. What a surprise when they receive a gentle answer or a gentle response from a follower of Jesus. They get a glimpse of something unusual, which might cause them to reflect on their own life and wonder if there isn’t a better way.

The Transforming Power of the Road

God’s truth is most evident in his word, but it is also found in creation and even culture. We see this in places like Acts 17, where Paul quotes pagan poets to point out truths about God. Our world is infused with God’s truth. If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, we will discover it in the most unlikely places. Even those far from God can say something true, good, or beautiful. We must be wise enough to recognize it and humble enough to accept it.

One theme that runs throughout Scripture and modern songs is the power of a journey. Time on the road can heal, build a person’s faith, help a person mature, and even lead to conversion. We see this throughout Scripture. The Bible gives us story after story of people on a journey. It begins in Genesis when Abraham is called to leave his homeland and trust and follow God. His grandson Jacob spends much of his life on the run after he has to flee from his brother Esau, whom he tricks. Joseph unwillingly travels to Egypt. After the Hebrew people are freed from Egyptian bondage, they spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. These travel stories are not limited to the Old Testament. Paul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus and becomes a follower of Christ. His faith is tested and strengthened on multiple journeys to spread the gospel. Even Jesus spends much time on the road, traveling from town to town, ministering to those in need. Lives are changed on the road.

Many modern Christians miss this theme in Scripture. It is not the subject of sermons or Bible classes, and it is not found in the plethora of popular Christian books being produced today. No one can deny this theme is in the Bible, but it is somewhat mysterious and therefore avoided. We can see how the road is present in these life-changing moments, but we are uncertain of its role in these accounts.

As modern Christians try to figure out what to do with the road, modern songwriters are plowing ahead. You will find more theology concerning the road on your radio than in your local Christian bookstore. Songwriters have embraced the mystery and are unafraid of exploring the blessings and benefits of life on the road. We see this in songs like Conor Oberst’s Moab, where he sings,

There’s nothing that the road cannot heal
Washed under the blacktop
Gone beneath my wheels
There’s nothing that the road cannot heal

Oberst’s theology of the road could be more precise. It is missing some essential elements, but it is not all wrong. He is picking up on ancient themes found in Scripture.

Another of my favorite road songs is Peter Wolf’s Nothing but the Wheel. In this song, the protagonist is trying to get over a relationship, so he goes for a drive. However, the song’s focus is not on the relationship at all. It is on the road and how the road has this mysterious ability to change our mood and provide perspective. Wolf sings,

When I’m passed the boulevards
Out here underneath the stars
I’ve been flyin’ past the houses, farms and fields

Leavin’ all I know, back home
Rushin’ through the cold night air
I’m holdin’ on to nothin’, but the wheel

Stayin’ clear of the interstate
I’m seekin’ out those old two lanes
An’ tryin’ to explain the way I feel

Till all at once it’s half past three
An’ it’s down to the trust and me
An’ I’m holdin’ on to nothing but the wheel

We have to be careful with these songs. They do not provide all the truth, but they do provide a truth, one that sometimes Christians avoid. There is something about a journey. The element missing from most of these modern songs is essential. It is God. The stories we find in Scripture are not just road stories. They are journeys with God. Abraham trusts God as he leaves his homeland behind. The Israelites wrestle with God in their wilderness wanderings. Paul encounters Christ on the road. The journey is an important biblical theme we cannot ignore, but we must also acknowledge it is a journey with God.

The next time you take a road trip, understand that you may return a different person than you were. As followers of God, it should come as no surprise when God uses the road to help us become the people he wants us to be.

What Makes a Good Bible Student?

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

What was unique about the people in Berea? Their willingness to search the Scriptures daily is often highlighted, but knowledge of the Bible alone does not make a person a good Bible student. The Pharisees knew the Bible well. Satan knows Scripture and quotes it. People can know the Bible and misuse it. The character of the Bereans is what sets them apart from those in Thessalonica and other places.

The passages in the New Testament about false teachers focus on character more than teaching. When Paul writes to Titus, he describes individuals who are “teaching for shameful gain” and “profess to know God, but…deny him by their works” (Tit. 1:11, 16). Peter mentions teachers who “follow their sensuality” and are greedy (2 Pet. 2:1-3). When Paul warns the Ephesian elders about false teachers who will later come, he reminds them of how he has lived among them (Acts 20:17-35). The main difference between Paul and the false teachers is one of character.

Good Bible students are honest and have pure motives. They will accept a text’s teaching even if it requires sacrifice or change. Their goal is to discern the will of God and apply it to their lives. They are not double-minded. They do not have other allegiances that influence their understanding of a passage. They will not explain away a passage because it goes against their traditions, politics, or desires. They seek first the kingdom of God and do their best to live out the teachings of Jesus. They do more than know the Bible. They meditate on it. They submit to it and humbly accept what it says. They do not use Scripture as a weapon. Their use of the Bible reflects the love of God. They do not use Scripture to get what they want. They understand the word of God is not to be manipulated. It is holy and should be handled in such a way that reflects its message.

The best Bible students are not the ones who know everything. They are the ones who deeply love God and are committed to living like Jesus.

Peter Gabriel’s Meditation on Forgiveness

“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'” (Luke 23:34)

The final track on Peter Gabriel’s album from last year is a powerful meditation on forgiveness. It is a song worthy of our attention, especially if we call ourselves Christians. Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith. God forgives us, but we also have to practice forgiveness.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15)

We love to reflect on how we are forgiven, but practicing forgiveness is difficult. We do not easily let go of the wrongs that have been committed against us. We sometimes cling to them until they turn into bitterness, anger, or rage. We long for justice, but God calls us to abandon vengeance and to forgive.

Why?

We are to forgive because we are to be like Jesus. He forgave his killers while they were in the act of murdering him. Some believe a person needs to repent or show remorse before they are deserving of forgiveness, but Jesus did not expect this. He did not wait for his murderers to recognize the extent of their actions. He forgave them in that moment and let them know so.

We are to forgive because a world without forgiveness would be a terrible place to live. What happens when there is no forgiveness? People get canceled. Vengeance thrives. Violence rules the day. A world without forgiveness would be an awful place where people bite and devour one another until no one is left. Forgiveness is not easy. Jesus chooses to absorb the hate and violence so that it does not continue. He stops the evil from growing so that love can flourish in its place.

We forgive because it is what is best for us. We allow someone else to control our lives when we refuse to forgive. Bitterness and anger take over. We become a person that others don’t want to be around. When we choose forgiveness, we are choosing freedom. When we let go of the wrongs and sins others have committed against us, we can finally become the person God wants us to be. We can grow into the image of Jesus and live a blessed and abundant life.

Peter Gabriel understands what happens to a person when they refuse to forgive. His song is a plea to give up getting revenge and to forgive. It is not easy, but it is the best way to live.

Just how long do you want to hate
With all that anger to burn?
You dream of revenge
And you dream a reply
You hope that someday we learn
Every time you think of that hurt
It spins around in your mind
With an eye for an eye
Again and again
Until the whole world is blind

This is how it turns
This is what we do
This is who we are
When we forgive we can move on
Release all the shackles one by one
We belong to the burden until it’s gone

– Peter Gabriel, Live and Let Live

The Spiritual Discipline of Listening to Modern Music

Spiritual disciplines are exercises that one practices to draw closer to God. There are traditional spiritual disciplines that Christians have practiced for years (e.g. silence, solitude, Bible memorization). In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discusses how we are to practice three of these disciplines: giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting (Matt. 6:1-18). Christians should engage in the traditional and biblical disciplines, but we can also adapt spiritual disciplines to fit our times and develop new ones.

Not all spiritual disciplines have to be burdensome or even require a significant change on our part. Sometimes a small shift in our routines can alter our focus and draw us closer to God. For example, if you listen to political talk radio, try switching to Christian podcasts. That may seem small, but it can considerably impact your life.

Spiritual disciplines, or maybe we should call them exercises, can even be something we enjoy doing. Nearly everyone listens to music, but what if we slightly shifted how we listen to music? What if we began to listen to music through a particular lens that helps us deepen our faith? This is possible, and it is something I have tried to do.

What are some ways that listening to music could help strengthen our relationship with God? Look for truth, goodness, and beauty in songs. Identify spiritual elements. Listen with a sense of curiosity. What is at the root of the longings and desires in a piece of music? Songs can help us empathize with others. They can lead us to be more merciful and understanding if we listen correctly. They can help us practice grace and approach others as Jesus did.

Songwriters often tap into situations and scenarios that are foreign to us. They allow us to see people and the circumstances they find themselves in from a different perspective. It is easy for us to judge the homeless man on the corner, but what happens when we get past the easy judgment and begin to think more deeply about why this man is on the corner and what led him to be there? It may not be as simple as we imagine. We may change our mind about this man and others like him.

A song like Townes Van Zandt’s Marie helps us make this shift. It is one of the saddest songs ever written. A person cannot listen to it and think the same way about homelessness again. It is life altering. It causes us to be more empathetic, merciful, and caring. Simply listening to this song can nudge us to be more like Jesus.

What would happen if we all began to listen to music differently? How might our lives and the world around us change if we began to listen to music in a way that drew us closer to God?

I stood in line and left my name
Took about six hours or so
Well, the man just grinned like it was all a game
Said they’d let me know
I put in my time till the Pocono line
Shut down two years ago
I was staying at the mission till I met Marie
Now I can’t stay there no more

Fella ‘cross town said he’s lookin’ for a man
To move some old cars around
Maybe me and Marie could find a burned-out van
And do a little settlin’ down
Aw, but I’m just dreamin’
I ain’t got no ride
And the junkyard’s a pretty good ways
That job’s about a half week old besides
It’d be gone now anyway

Unemployment says I got no more checks
And they showed me to the hall
My brother died in Georgia some time ago
I got no one left to call
Summer wasn’t bad below the bridge
A little short on food that’s all
Now I gotta get Marie some kind of coat
We’re headed down into fall

Be Curious!

Humility is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of God. Christians are to have the mind of Christ, who came and lived out humility in every aspect of his life (Phil. 2:3-8). Pride is the great sin that led to the downfall of Satan (1 Tim. 3:6) and many others. Anyone who has spent much time in church knows this, but how often do we fail to embrace humility in our everyday lives?

One thing that will help in the pursuit of becoming like Jesus is curiosity. Jesus did not always tell people what to do or what to believe. Instead, he asked a lot of questions.

“What are you seeking?”

“Who do you say that I am?”

“Why do you worry about clothes?”

“Why are you so afraid?”

“What did you go out to see?”

“How do you read it?”

“What is it you want?”

How often do we imitate Jesus in this way? We hear something we have not heard before and want to tell the other person immediately that they are wrong and why. We don’t consider that we might be wrong. Instead of shutting down the conversation, we could ask, “How did you arrive at that conclusion?” We could invite the person to tell us more before we speak. We could choose to listen rather than respond, and we may even keep ourselves from looking foolish. Even if the person is wrong, we will better understand their beliefs and have shown them kindness by listening rather than dismissing them. The table is now set to have a healthy and engaging conversation. Pride shuts down conversations, whereas curiosity gives them life.

If we want to be like Jesus, we should ask more questions. If we want to be humble and avoid pridefulness, we need to embrace curiosity. Pride goes before a fall (Prov. 16:18), but curiosity opens the door to many possibilities. We may learn something new. We may secretly discover we were wrong. We may make a new friend. We may understand someone better than we did before. We will undoubtedly have more conversations that bless us and others.

The world is a wild, beautiful, strange, and crazy place. Be curious!