Now They Are Like Normal People

I was visiting with a 39 year old single male who does not attend church.  We were talking about our plans for the weekend.  I told him my daughter would be in town and he was thrilled for me because he knows how much my girls mean to me.  I asked him what he was doing for the weekend.   He was having dinner with his girlfriend's mother.  I asked:  Does she go to church?   His reply was interesting:  They used to go to church all the time - now they are like normal people and only go once in awhile.


This was a few days after hearing a grandmother in Target tell her grandchildren:  I am not buying Easter stuff - you know I don't believe in that &*^%$.


Both of these encounters are upsetting especially for someone like me, who spends all their time working for the church.  However, I have had some time to begin to make sense of these two encounters.   Perhaps this is good news for the myself and the church.   Maybe this signals the beginning of a new era for Christians.


When I think about Christianity of the 1950's - I remember that the church was community.  The only thing to do on Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, for youth, for parents with children - the only thing to do was to participate in a local church.  I believe that the understanding of church morphed in to an unhealthy understanding of what it means to be a Christian.  Being a Christian was like being in any other club - you go to be social, to do good things, to meet people, because everyone else does.


Jesus came to teach about a different way of life that went contrary to the world.  He taught that the last shall be first, the least will be the lifted up, the weak will be strong and those who are mighty and powerful will be brought down.   During the time of modernity we came to be the strong and powerful in society and now we are being brought down.  The only thing for us to do is to not mourn what has happened but to reclaim what Jesus really meant.


People like Shane Claiborne, Elaine Heath and many others are reclaiming that Christian heritage.  It is time that all of us stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and the negative reports we hear about the death of the church and denominations.  Now is the time to stand up and not be like "normal people".


As much as it hurt to hear those two different comments about Christianity - the slap in the face did me good.  My hope and prayer is that I will be able to live Christ's way out in my life.  I invite you to follow the footsteps of Jesus and together we can discover anew Christ's ways and hand in hand we can bring glimpses of the world the way God wants it to be - to bring those to light.


May your Holy Week truly be holy.