LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

I think the two main issues for Christianity today aren’t the ones most often thought. Christians in America today seem to be hot and bothered about gays and abortion. George Barna also agrees that these are the “hot buttons” for many Christians. It’s as though if we coud make everyone straight and pro-life, the world would be safe. Isn’t it strange that two things that Jesus said nothing about, the church in America (not in other parts of the world) majors on?

Amazing distractions!

For me, the two major problems for Christianity (in America) are superficiality and a false image of God!

I am pro life. But over the years, the operating definition of that concept has changed, and is still fluid in many ways. One example comes from a phrase that I used to use, from signs I saw fellow pro-lifers holding. Back in 1992 when I was on the verge of being put in jail for demonstrating outside of Planned Parenthood in Houston, I had a very limited concept of the term pro-life. I had not asked what that meant and how it worked when it came to the death penalty, war, and other areas of PRO LIFE!

Then there was this sign that I mentioned in the above paragraph. The sign read “Protect Unborn Innocent Life“. Who can disagree with that? But, what’s totally missing is the fact that God does not limit His love or just protect the innocent unborn. To the chagrin of the self righteous, God also wants to protect the life of the born (living) non-innocent! How’s that work in your mental constructs?

Superficiality at it’s best.

Then there’s the image of God that so many people have. I John 4:16 says that God is LOVE. Why do we not believe that? Why can’t we accept and rest in the fact that that Jesus came to CORRECT the image of God that was shown in the Old Testament? Take some time to meditate on Hebrews 1:3. Jesus is the EXACT REPRESENTATION of God! How can anyone NOT love Jesus? How could the Pharisees and religious leaders of His time hate Jesus and want Him crucified? How indeed?

As Dennis Linn said in his book, Good Goats, ” In the moment that Paul’s image on God changed, Paul changed.” Can you get that? The MOMENT YOU change the IMAGE that you have of God (we all have portions of a wrong image), you will be transformed in some way. Too many still embrace an Old Testament God. That was the image that the Hebrews had of God- and IT WAS FALSE! I and you are either a follower of Jesus, the Christ, or we are not! The NEW has replaced and improved upon the OLD. We know that mentally, but we’re not allowing it to be the leaven in our experiential life.

Take some time and write down at least one paragragh on what your image of God is. And then spend the rest of your life changing and altering it as He reveals Himself to you as He did Paul and others. Want a Damascus road experience?

What’s your IMAGE OF GOD? “