At a clergy gathering on Tuesday, Bishop Jung invited us to spend some time talking at our tables. I don’t remember the topic, but I brought up my challenges with being authentic, as I believe God leads me to be. Another, the lead pastor of a larger church – remarked about God not being the one who signs the paychecks (my wording). I don’t pretend to know this person’s beliefs or opinions, but their words suggest what a challenge it is for people to true to what they believe.
When I was getting into pastoral ministry, accepting that I was on the later side of my working years and that Kay would be on her own in a few years, I committed to be as authentic as I could, come what may. And for ten years, I’ve practiced. It’s tricky. Sometimes I’m more successful than others.
When one is passionate about justice and earth care in a sociopolitical environment like the one we’re in, one must either adapt, remain silent, or be prepared for challenges and snubbings. (I’ve never been good at being quiet.) Yet these things I care about are the sort of things I hear God expects us to work on.
What concerns are you passionate about? How do you navigate that fine line between authenticity and boring or offending people? This last is something I’ve struggled with. I couldn’t get how people couldn't see the importance of earth care or would say they’re Christian but not follow Jesus’ lead in their lives. I used to be more outspoken, but I got tired of people not wanting to be around me. I still try to keep the message out there, but with a softer delivery.
People don’t want to hear about their excesses. Many refuse to face the whiteness that keeps justice at arm’s length. Then, there’s the prosperity gospel – a certain form of conservative Christianity popular in the U.S. that corrupts the gospel message. Robert Leonard recently wrote an article about this notion that God grants financial blessings to the faithful.
Now I like the idea of faithful people get rewarded financially BUT this just isn’t biblical. By tallying gospel references, we find that Jesus talked more about money than anything else, but not about the mountains of it we’d each get by believing. No, he talked about not storing up treasures for ourselves, and the wealthy having a hard time coming to salvation (Matthew 6:19, 19:24).
I suspect lots of people who avoid church know the bible better than we give them credit for and that, like Gandhi, they “like your Christ, [but] do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” They may not know it’s Matthew 25, but they know about Jesus’ call to care for the least and the lost. And they know that too many Christians aren’t doing it. We shouldn’t be surprised that 85% of Millennials who don’t do church find Christians to be hypocritical.[1]
If your Christianity doesn’t lead you into justice and compassion, then please use this Lenten season to examine your beliefs. Your god might not be the one you think it is. (And, no, I'm not "you-you-you-ing." This is something I ask myself regularly, too.)
[1] “… substantial majorities of Millennials who don’t go to church say they see Christians as judgmental (87%), hypocritical (85%), anti-homosexual (91%) and insensitive to others (70%).” From “Millennials at Church: What Millennials Want When They Visit Church” https://www.barna.com/research/what-millennials-want-when-they-visit-church/
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