Sometimes I chuckle to myself (well I do that a lot actually...particularly at my own jokes) because I think 'HA you hate Jesus but you celebrate Christmas suckeerrrrr' but of course I say this with a humble and gracious heart...
It wasn't until I stumbled upon a non-Christian friend's tweet saying 'Christmas isn't even a religious thing anymore, what's the point of going to church on Christmas Day anyway?!' It was a bitter-sweet statement to read.
1) yes, it is still a 'thing' and a very important thing to Christians world wide. It's something we delight in because finally the most powerful, boundless light took out all this darkness.
2) it's not religion it's RELATIONSHIP. The amount of times I say this, rolling my eyes, like an angsty teenager.
1) yes, it is still a 'thing' and a very important thing to Christians world wide. It's something we delight in because finally the most powerful, boundless light took out all this darkness.
2) it's not religion it's RELATIONSHIP. The amount of times I say this, rolling my eyes, like an angsty teenager.
For me anyway, it's no longer hymn books, dog collars and silence. The church is becoming new, modern and exciting. The old is getting dusted, polished and re-evaluated. I was saddened to know that a Christian friend of mine kneeled at the alter for communion, only to be turned away because he wasn't of that 'denomination'. Now please don't get me wrong, I love an old fashioned service as much as the next person, I'm certainly not condemning the different denominations of faith. But I can't help but ask- What are we trying to achieve when turning people away from Christ?! Do we honestly want these non-believers, who only know the stereotypes of our so called 'religion', to one day kneel at an alter and be turned away. Isn't that the most damaging approach to Christianity? Didn't Jesus say that He loves everyone, He shares His body and blood for everyone, He died to save everyone?
If we look at the WWJD question- would he honestly turn someone away from sharing his body and blood because of the type of church they go too?! I'm filled with such a burning desire to see churches stand up and be noticed. For these outreach programs to start changing nations. A church very close to mine has absolutely flourished through their work with the homeless and addicts. Lives are suddenly not just being saved, but evil is being ripped out their souls, their hearts and their lifestyle.
So that leads me to point 3) I hate to admit it, but actually my friend is right- why should they go to a church service with no belief in Jesus, in his existence and purely for the 'sake of it'? To feel 'christmassy?' If people like my friend are seeing Christianity through these old and dull stereotypes, why should they sit through 2 hours of it?
It's a wonderful opportunity for churches to take note and start inspiring, changing some lives, welcoming the holy spirit to pour out in to the four walls and more. Now I don't mean to be biased (cough cough) but my church, I believe, does a wonderful job of that. I was moved to tears at just a simple (but detailed) shadow puppet display about the story of Jesus' birth.
I enjoy my church so much because of what it does to my heart. Because I can sit in whatever service or event and feel moved. I can ask for prayer and feel accepted.
I want to see the church stereotypes move away from the yawning and boredom and start moving towards this powerful force that can't help but take over people.
Our youth pastor said to me recently 'and then I'll finish with- 'if some of you here don't know Jesus and you'd like to, please come up for some prayer'...I always seem to throw that in my teachings recently' and what an amazing statement to casually 'throw in' to a sermon. Because suddenly people are being challenged... a vital part of following Jesus; being challenged.
Since going 'independently' in my faith these past 2 years I've seen Christianity in a whole new light. It's about following Jesus, living for Jesus and working alongside Jesus. Suddenly the walls were being smashed down around me (a bit like a Miley Cyrus video- minus the inappropriate nudity!') and my world was being changed. I no longer saw Christianity as all these rules, facts and figures. I started to feel a force inside me, a spirit far from any fear or destruction. It started to change me and move me and inspire me. And the complete opposite to everything I thought 'religion' was- I started to feel this freedom. What a beautiful feeling as tears rushed down my cheeks and my chains began to break.
So my prayer this Christmas is that lives will be moved, that Jesus' birth will not be forgotten but delighted in. My prayer is that my non-Christian friends will never feel as though Christianity is something that turns them away because of any sin, sexuality or lifestyle. Jesus is the most precious, most beautiful and most powerful person to believe in.
And once you find him, your life will never be the same...
Merry Christmas beautiful friends, family and lovely strangers.
A xx
If we look at the WWJD question- would he honestly turn someone away from sharing his body and blood because of the type of church they go too?! I'm filled with such a burning desire to see churches stand up and be noticed. For these outreach programs to start changing nations. A church very close to mine has absolutely flourished through their work with the homeless and addicts. Lives are suddenly not just being saved, but evil is being ripped out their souls, their hearts and their lifestyle.
So that leads me to point 3) I hate to admit it, but actually my friend is right- why should they go to a church service with no belief in Jesus, in his existence and purely for the 'sake of it'? To feel 'christmassy?' If people like my friend are seeing Christianity through these old and dull stereotypes, why should they sit through 2 hours of it?
It's a wonderful opportunity for churches to take note and start inspiring, changing some lives, welcoming the holy spirit to pour out in to the four walls and more. Now I don't mean to be biased (cough cough) but my church, I believe, does a wonderful job of that. I was moved to tears at just a simple (but detailed) shadow puppet display about the story of Jesus' birth.
I enjoy my church so much because of what it does to my heart. Because I can sit in whatever service or event and feel moved. I can ask for prayer and feel accepted.
I want to see the church stereotypes move away from the yawning and boredom and start moving towards this powerful force that can't help but take over people.
Our youth pastor said to me recently 'and then I'll finish with- 'if some of you here don't know Jesus and you'd like to, please come up for some prayer'...I always seem to throw that in my teachings recently' and what an amazing statement to casually 'throw in' to a sermon. Because suddenly people are being challenged... a vital part of following Jesus; being challenged.
Since going 'independently' in my faith these past 2 years I've seen Christianity in a whole new light. It's about following Jesus, living for Jesus and working alongside Jesus. Suddenly the walls were being smashed down around me (a bit like a Miley Cyrus video- minus the inappropriate nudity!') and my world was being changed. I no longer saw Christianity as all these rules, facts and figures. I started to feel a force inside me, a spirit far from any fear or destruction. It started to change me and move me and inspire me. And the complete opposite to everything I thought 'religion' was- I started to feel this freedom. What a beautiful feeling as tears rushed down my cheeks and my chains began to break.
So my prayer this Christmas is that lives will be moved, that Jesus' birth will not be forgotten but delighted in. My prayer is that my non-Christian friends will never feel as though Christianity is something that turns them away because of any sin, sexuality or lifestyle. Jesus is the most precious, most beautiful and most powerful person to believe in.
And once you find him, your life will never be the same...
Merry Christmas beautiful friends, family and lovely strangers.
A xx
No comments:
Post a Comment