By the Way

Evangelical Christianity in the United States is often characterized by a deep desire to have "Christianity" pervade our culture but not have Christ permeate our being. (Rich Villodas - @richvillodas on Twitter - September 23, 2019)

That comment - from an evangelical Christian pastor in the United States - could be truly said about Christians of different types in Canada as well. Over the past 30-40 years, many of us have been swept along through seeker-sensitive evangelism efforts through to the missional movement emphasis. Going back farther there have been (and continue to be) Canadian echoes of the American Moral Majority. And before that, there were decades of crusade evangelism.

As different as all of those methods are, they all have a primary focus and posture . . . attempting to change the world "out there" rather than opening ourselves up to being changed deeply. As followers of Jesus, we did receive the "Great Commission."

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)

This life we have for Jesus is not just for us. We are to share the good news and invite others into the way of Jesus. But just what is this way of Jesus? Is it focused on "changing the world" for Christ?

Consider these other teachings of Jesus and his earliest followers:

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. (Philippians 2:3-6)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. (Matthew 7:24-27)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

The focus for Jesus and for his early followers was not on changing others, but rather on being changed by Jesus - and that change is deep and hard and transformative. We don't just act humbly, the Spirit of Christ does a work in us that helps us become humble. (Trust me . . . that work can be painful!) If we're truly in step with God it, over time, grow unmistakable fruit in us. It isn't just building a new house or putting up a Sunday morning (or evening) facade . . . it is taking the time to lay a deep solid foundation into Christ. This isn't about changed behaviour. This is about our mind - our way of thinking about and viewing the world - being transformed. Behavioural change comes with that and helps to shape it, but simply pursuing morality is not what we're called to.

My prayer for myself and for our church is that we will be open to the deep and transformational work of allowing Christ to "permeate our being." That any impact we make on the world will not come because we are trying to change the world, but rather because we are being so radically changed by God that the world won't know what to do with us!