"Ianity"
I am deeply troubled by the state of Christianity.
My experiences as a blogger and as one who posts regularly on my Facebook page has led me to believe that the love of God, his grace, mercy and forgiveness is rarely outworked through words and deeds. Instead the tone of the comments I receive are often racist, graceless, judgemental and extreme. I grieve at the lack of awareness of the plight of the marginalised, I grieve for a community that religiously and piously celebrates church attendance, worshipping, giving and maintaining a Christian "culture" whilst condemning anyone who disagrees, or who belong to a different faith, or who happens to be our much maligned P.M, or, God forbid, those struggle with addictions, race, or, for some irrational reason celebrate a different sexual preference. I see a generation of Christians who see grace as something to be received to top up self righteousness without ever extending it to anyone else. The abuse of scriptural texts taken out of context whilst ignoring the ones that deal with love, compassion and humility shows a tragic misunderstanding of the life and message of Jesus and reveals a Christianity without it's Christ.
Has modern song happy, prosperity driven, self motivated, shallow and self centred Christianity in essence become "Ianity". After 34 years of church life I really do not like what I see and hear.
My experiences as a blogger and as one who posts regularly on my Facebook page has led me to believe that the love of God, his grace, mercy and forgiveness is rarely outworked through words and deeds. Instead the tone of the comments I receive are often racist, graceless, judgemental and extreme. I grieve at the lack of awareness of the plight of the marginalised, I grieve for a community that religiously and piously celebrates church attendance, worshipping, giving and maintaining a Christian "culture" whilst condemning anyone who disagrees, or who belong to a different faith, or who happens to be our much maligned P.M, or, God forbid, those struggle with addictions, race, or, for some irrational reason celebrate a different sexual preference. I see a generation of Christians who see grace as something to be received to top up self righteousness without ever extending it to anyone else. The abuse of scriptural texts taken out of context whilst ignoring the ones that deal with love, compassion and humility shows a tragic misunderstanding of the life and message of Jesus and reveals a Christianity without it's Christ.
Has modern song happy, prosperity driven, self motivated, shallow and self centred Christianity in essence become "Ianity". After 34 years of church life I really do not like what I see and hear.
posted by Unknown at 5:22 pm
9 Comments:
Much love. Thanks for presenting the challenge.
Well written, Geoff. Can't help but agree
Thanks Chris, I really appreciate that you found the time to read my post. I thought about posting it on Facebook but I think I'll probably get my head kicked in!!
Thanks Scott. Perhaps you could pass it on..
Your not alone in feeling this way Geoff!
Thanks for posting this ... ironically ... I am a kiwi who lives in South Korea ... this morning I was talking with a friend in Canada and we were having this exact discussion ... we are seeing it in church globally and we are both concerned. It's one thing to see it ... what is the answer ... how do we change this culture of christianity ... its so far removed from what Jesus modelled and taught? I know it begins with me ... do I model grace? Do I show his love? How do I challenge without being accused of being graceless?
Thanks for your comment SassieK, my only answer is we have to start teaching each other to become personally responsible for our own spirituality and the way it is outworked in our lives. Church, pastors, preaching, praise and worship, especially, and Christian culture must withdraw from framing how we see Jesus and how the world sees him through us as individuals. I wish we could silence our works, our words and our songs within these unnecessary four walls, I wish we could stop treating our faith like a sporting match between the winners and the losers, I wish we could expose extra-biblical nonsense . I wish we could look deep into our own lives, I wish we could look deep into the lives of others, I wish, I wish, I wish we could discover the love that reveals our brokeness and then helps us to heal ever so slowly. Perhaps then we could become "useful" to our brothers and sisters who are just as blind as we are.
Anonymous... thank you for your comment although I think you have read my post whilst being "pre-loaded".
I was lamenting the lack of grace that is evident in the church today. At times I feel like we have lost our sense of "Christlikeness".
I will publish your comment when you come out of the shadows of being "Anonymous" and place a name to your comment.
Spot on, Geoff. In fact, extra-Biblical teaching seems to be the main diet in some churches.
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