So. I'm absolutely awful on the follow through. (thank you Matt Westermayer).
Let me clarify. In my last blog post... I stated "I'm going to do a series of blogs..." which actually meant... I'm going to write one blog... and then by the time I get around to writing another one i'm going to be caught up in a different issue, and blog about that.
Sorry about the confusion...
ANYWAYS. I've been thinking a lot about "Christians" or this idea that we call "Christianity". Somewhere in this thought process I realized when I hear the word "Christian" I imagine a group of people that have met these certain "un-written requirements", not someone who is believes in God. Here are some of the examples I thought of when brainstorming the word "Christian"...
1. Someone who without hesitation can complete the phrase, "and all God's people said...."
2. Someone who no longer talks about culture... but now refers to "the culture".
3. Someone who takes these perfect reflected images of God, known as their family, and compresses them into a few 3x3 inch pieces of cheap plastic cut into fish shapes and slaps them on the back end of their mini-van.
4. Someone who can translate any two of the following acronyms... NLT, KJV, WWJD, or NIV.
5. Someone who has logged more hours in a church building than they have spent:
A. actually reading their bible OR B. investing time into cultivating their relationships with people
6. Someone who can take offense to the last five points and/or have done/or could answer any of the last five points.
SO you ask where I'm going with this... I hate that a word that is supposed to DESCRIBE who I am... now DEFINES who I am. I hate having to answer the question... "are you a Christian?" with yes... I believe in God... but i'm not like those religions you hear about. Since when did the term "Christian" turn into a definition of someone who idolizes man-made worship practices, and not someone who just simply... loves God. After my past few sentences... I feel bad even capitalizing the word "christian", as if I can sum up my relationship with God into two syllables.
What are some words/phrases you think of when you hear the word "Christian"? And SIDE-NOTE... this isn't about bashing... because I had to answer yes to more of those points than I wanted to. I just want to know when did I miss the big memo that said "Christians are now defined by WHAT they do, not WHO they do it for."
I'm done being a stereotype.
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4 comments:
Great post and I love the list...I'm sure we could add several (hundred) more...in fact, maybe the comments could include other "favorite" Christian or church phrases? That would be fun!
Keep up the incredible thoughts and writing!
Pops
Excellent Post Kayla! Nice follow up
Yes...I have noticed that the term "christian" has turned into something that looks a lot like "religion"...I'm struggling with the combination of this and the idea of being a "Native American"...I don't quite fit the stereotype though...so yes...good stuff K
Well said, Kayla! I've found myself in that same place...but I desire so much more than a bubble. I desire an authentic life...where people not only talk about making a difference they actually go out and make a difference. An environment where we don't wear labels or become labeled.....I guess I got tired of the show, even though the show was good...I just desired Jesus. That simple...just Jesus!!
Love ya,
Mom
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