Army of Priests

Stanley Hauerwas, professor at Duke University and America’s “best theologian” (TIME Magazine, 2001), makes the following profound statement: “The work of Jesus was not a new set of ideals or principals for reforming or even revolutionizing society, but the establishment of a new community, a people that embodied forgiveness, sharing and self sacrificing love in its rituals and disciple. In that sense, the visible church is not to be the bearer of Christ’s message; but to be the message.”

As a religion, I believe we focus too much on life after death. The comfortable knowledge that we are “saved” keeps us chained to the pews until eventually this life ends and the next one begins. However, I believe God is just as interested in revolutionising life before death as he is in providing life after it. I’m not talking about prosperity; I am talking about a life that is in stark contrast to the culture surrounding it. A life filled with love, a life lived in humility, a life where pain is healed and treasure is built up in heaven – and sacrificed on earth. This revolution requires us to forcefully abandon the ideology of this world and embrace another.

The “Me” Complex

Self Centeredness, or pride, is at the core of every Sin. Adam and Eve were deceived by possibility of becoming “like God” – an entirely self focused motivation. Ever since humans have forgotten just how infinitely incomparable we are with God and have continued to place ourselves first. We wouldn’t sin if we truly placed God above our own desire to do wrong. We could never hurt others if we cared for them more than what ever we would gain my doing so. This self centeredness is having a debilitating effect on Western Culture – and the Church.

Many Christians claim to place God as a priority (a minority actually – 15%) yet when you challenge them to express that through their actions – to volunteer for the poor, reach the hurting people, or even spend more time with God – it rapidly becomes apparent that other priorities get in the way. The reality is this: they place their salvation first (which is placing themselves first), then they place there other priorities second, then they get to the work of actually serving God in the community if it is convenient.

Christians in Western Societies are never required to make a sacrifice for our faith. We aren’t persecuted. But in order to solve the deep pride (sin) problem we need to learn to place others and God first in our lives. Because Christianity is easy in the west Christians never have to make this move, thus they never deal with the ‘me’ complex.

There comes a point where a Christian has to decide: how much is God worth? How much will they hold back? Will they drop everything – everything – and follow Christ? No more “buts”; no more compromise. No more convenience. God wants to fix the greatest problem you will ever have, but it will not be easy.

Cheap and Dear Grace

We’ve often heard the definition “Mercy is not getting what you deserve (i.e. punishment), Grace is getting what you don’t deserve (i.e. eternal life etc)”. But only recently did I realise there is another element to grace – grace costs. Think about how much God’s grace cost him. It cost him the life of his son. If you really want to make a difference for God in this world you need to learn to show that type of grace.

Plenty of Christians are willing to show “cheap grace”. This is grace that costs nothing. We’ll spread the good news if someone brings it up; we will provide a shoulder if someone needs one; we’ll give some money for a cause if we have change. What the world really needs though is “dear grace”. We need more people who are willing to purposefully go out of their way to show God’s love to someone. We need people who are willing to give away more than they can afford for someone. We need more people who will sleep with the homeless. This type of grace changes the world – and it changes you. This is sacrifice and it will cure you. The world sees this and they say, “There is something different about that man/woman.”

Crucify Yourself

Similarly we must learn to be ruthless in our pursuit to place God first in our lives. Christ died for us and it is time to us to “take up our cross” and follow him. As we crucified Christ, so we must let him crucify ourselves. That picture above isn’t just Jesus – it is our old flesh and way of life. Some of the “nails” are as follows:

• Obedience – do what ever God tells you to do (no “buts”, no hesitation)
• Dedication – pre-commit to sticking with this journey even when it is hard. Follow God all the time.
• Discipline – Make your time with God a habit. Say “no” to temptation.
• Sacrifice – Be prepared to give up everything. Hold nothing back.
• Authenticity – place following God and being “real” above being accepted by others
• Accountability – be honest with others. Have them keep you on track.
• Service – Place others and God first. Go out of you way to serve them.
• Evangelism – Be proactive in spreading God’s grace right where you are.
• Contagiousness –Replicate yourself by showing and sharing your life with others.
• Righteousness – Hunt down and destroy sin in your life.
• Ruthlessness – You’re at war with the ways of this world.
• Courageousness – Take risks, have faith.
• Humility – Give the glory to God.
• Teaching – Share with others what you have learned.
• Learning – Commit yourself to learning more from God and others.
• Compassion – Judge sin, but don’t condemn a sinner. Love is the solution to sin.
• Change – Commit yourself to continual change.

To be honest, I’m not there yet. But I am on the way. It’s a much more vigorous form of Christianity than you may be used to. God is worth it.

The Radical Christian: An Overview

The Radical Christian: Revolutionising Society

The Radical Christian: Place in Ecclesiology

The Radical Christian: How they got there

(www.art.com)

God’s Samurai is the name I hastily chose for this blog when I created it because that is what I want you to become. I have had the great joy of seeing Christians transform from “born again lazy” (Starving Jesus) into people desperate to truly place God first in their lives. I deeply believe that transformation is at the core of the gospel and that Western Christianity is not achieving this.

But this begs the question: transform into what?

Like many people, I unfortunately see the need to categorise Christians. Rather than use denominational lines I divide Christians into “Easter Only Christians”, “Sunday Only Christians”, and “Radical Christians”. I question whether the first two types are saved but that is irrelevant as Christianity is not about salvation, it is about redemption, and Radical Christians are on their way to being redeemed.

God is utterly un-imaginable. He is the God of the universe yet lives to serve us. He made himself humble for us. We are nothing yet live only for ourselves. The greatest travesty of the fall was that we began to place ourselves first. Consider: what was worse eating the fruit or trying to “be like Gods”? The motives behind the first sin were clearly self serving. This attitude is the root of every sin.

God’s plan is to change this. Love is what enables us to place others and God first. It is what can redeem us. He sent and example of what we are to become – someone who truly placed others before himself to the point of death. It is an internal change that completely changes your life. Can you sin against God if he is truly your top priority? Can you hurt others if you love them?

But this deep love does more than stopping us from doing things; it compels us to do things. It compels us to get out of the pews and into the community. It compels us to reach people who are desperate for help. It compels us to share God’s love. It compels us to serve others at a cost to ourselves.

I have described the Radical Christian and hundred ways before, and I’m sure I shall do it a hundred times more. The Radical Christian is someone who is forcing themselves to place God and others before themself. It is completely contrary to natural impulses and our culture. The Radical Christian believes that since Christ crucified himself for them, they must (figuratively) crucify themself for him. They express this belief through action.

Becoming Radical is a hard path to take, but one you’ll never regret. I encourage you to “up the ante” on your faith or, if you already have, start infecting others.

I’ll be exploring the following topics over the next few posts:

The Radical Christian: Being the Gospel

The Radical Christian: Revolutionising Society

The Radical Christian: Place in Ecclesiology

The Radical Christian: How they got there

I was browsing a Christian book store when I came upon the description for the “Faithgirlz Backpack”. It read:

“This cute and colourful girl’s backpack features pretty printed flowers, a front pocket to fit your FAITHGIRLZ BACKPACK BIBLE, adjustable back straps and a handy loop for hanging! 24cm.”

When I read this my heart sank. Is this what western Christianity is all about? Pretty flowers printed on some girl’s bag. Is this what Christ died for? Who’s idea was it that commercialisation would advance the kingdom of God? Unfortunately, this is a typical example of what I see in the Church. Like Judas, we have sold out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Does more of the money you give go towards a church building than the poor? If it does, you may be suffering from Commerciallity. That’s replacing the “Christ” in Christianity with Commercialism. Our Churches are run like businesses; concern isn’t so much for reaching the lost as it is for entertaining the found. Pastors wear designer clothes and drive flashy cars, worship bands play in fancy light shows and on big plasma screens, our sermons give us just a big enough dose of Christianity for the week to keep us coming back. Religion is a commodity; it is part of the entertainment sector.

It is a joke to think that a Sunday Service could ever cater for the spiritual growth of a Church’s congregation. If you think carefully about a service you will find that it is a convenient means of distributing a small amount of spirituality over a large group of people quickly. We give them their dose of worship, we give them their dose of grape juice, and we give them their dose of teaching. They then leave the building and forget everything, live their lives like they did last week, come back to Church next Sunday, pay some tithes, and feel very holy for doing so.

I cannot live my life that way. The western church (organisation) is amongst the shallowest, most sold out institutions I have ever seen. I want to live every minute of every day worshiping, learning, and having communion with other believers. A small dose doesn’t do it for me. I’m interested in glorifying God by changing my life, by reaching the lost, and by loving the unloved. I will not sell out Christ for something easier.

Is it any wonder that you can’t get Christians to evangelise? You can’t get them to give money, you can’t get them to volunteer, you can’t get them to love the unlovable, you can’t get them to stop habitual sin, and you can’t get them to be honest with each other. Christianity is easy, God’s way is hard.

I’m furious at this mutilation of the faith. I’m shattered by Christians chained to the pews they pay their tithes for. I’m disgusted by people buying Faithgirlz backpacks and thinking their daughter is so cute in the name of God. Christianity is not “cute”.

When was the last time you went out of your way to show love to someone who has never felt it before? When was the last time you were desperate enough to glorify God that you revealed your deepest, darkest sin to someone? When was the last time you committed yourself to walking beside a fellow believer in their faith? Think carefully about these things. Is your Christianity active or is it passive? Is it easy or hard?

Don’t sell out Christ for a counterfeit.

The following seven suppositions briefly outline what I believe about Church. There is a lot of (potentially controversial) material in the following points:

1. The Church (which is Christians) exists to present itself as a complete, pure, and humble bride before God.

I propose that the Church (which is merely the plural form of “Christian”) is better understood as an organism (similar to a colony of ants) then an organisation. I believe that this organism is destined to become a perfect community as its members become perfect. I believe that the gospel is one not only of salvation but also of transformation and that this transformation from sinner to saint of individual Christians is central to the purpose of Church as a whole. In essence I believe Church exists to help Christians be transformed, and not merely saved. I believe that the end result of this transformation is a perfect new creation similar to what existed before the fall.

2. Radical Christians are self reproducing.

“Radical Christian” is the term I use to describe a Christian who puts God’s purposes before their own. (That is, they live to serve God and are not just a Christian for the sake of their salvation. In essence, a Radical Christian makes sacrifice a part of their walk with God and is a Christian who is being transformed.) I propose that Radical Christians are self reproducing without the aid of programs in that: 1) A Radical Christian will seek to spread the gospel with or without help from an organisation and 2) A Radical Christian will seek to grow and support other Christians. Not only are Radical Christians at the core of my vision for Church change, they are also the goal of it.

3. Radical Christians seek strong relationships. Strong relationships produce radical Christians.

I believe that Radical Christians will naturally seek out strong relationships. Not all personalities are conductive to truly intimate relationships, but I do believe that Radical Christians will place authenticity with others above acceptance by others. In fact, I propose that this type of relationship is essential for the growth of Radical Christians. These types of relationships encompass the idea of a “shared Christian walk” (growing in faith together).

4. It is my personal responsibility as a priest to build up the people around me.

I propose that people with direct access to God (aka Christians) have a responsibility to be a priest to the people around them. I do not believe that the work of building up Christians in the faith is the work of the clergy. I do believe that every Christian has a personal responsibility to care for, carry the burdens of, and nurture each other. I believe that this can take a variety of different forms that aren’t all (or cannot be) covered by traditional Church programs.

5. Everything I do affects the people that know me.

I propose that my every action has an influence on the people that know me. I believe that as an example of the transforming power of the gospel (which every Christian should be) that my life becomes the good news and not just the bearer of it. I believe I am responsible for what I do or do not do. I suggest that my personal walk with God (personal prayer, reading the bible, etc) will affect the people I know as it builds me in the faith.

6. God will use the ordinary to do the extraordinary through his unique gifts.

I propose that God has given the potential to “make a difference” to every Christian. I suggest that there is no such thing as a “super Christian” (i.e. I suggest that a pastor, for instance, has no more potential then a layman). I also suggest that most traditional Churches prevent Christians from reaching their potential by 1) allowing people to be lost in the congregation, 2) making a distinction between Clergy and Laity, and 3) not building relationships that nurture their members.

7. Love is the only eternal structure.

I propose that love becomes a form of Church structure as it influences the interactions of Christians. I propose that Church buildings, organisations, programs, sermons, and music are temporary, but that this “structure” of love is fundamental to the Church as an organism and will remain forever. Therefore, I believe that love between Christians (and to non-Christians) is far more important then buildings, organisations, programs, sermons, and music. I believe that our focus on programs can interfere with our love for each other. I also believe that love shown by God and Christians is the driving force of the transforming power of the gospel and hence a core part of the purpose of Church.

New Christians are infectious. This week I got a chance to meet one of the people that had been saved this semester on my university campus. The way his eyes would light up upon reading passages from the bible for the first time bought a smile to my face. A pity, I thought, that his faith would eventually deteriorate into some day-in day-out cycle. But then I realised that I wasn’t thinking like the radical Christian I claim to be. I began to realise that if our passion is dying it is probably a sign that something is wrong.

A little background on me: I am a 19 year old university student living in Brisbane, Australia. I am heavily involved in reaching the lost and building strong inter-Christian relationships that support growth. I was raised in a Christian home though I never really “knew” God till after I thought I would waste some time praying to him when I was 8. I don’t remember very much of my early Christian hood, but I do remember praying for hours and soaking up the feelings that God would lavish upon me. Those feelings eventually went away and for years my passion was non-existent. That has all changed however and now I am far more passionate then I when I was a young Christian. I hope to explain some of the things that changed me from a dead Christian into an unstoppable one here.

First, I’ll describe passion as emotion that compels you to do something. If I have a passion for reading my bible, I am likely excited by what it contains and hence inclined to read it. If I am passionate about reaching the lost, I may feel deep compassion and love that drives me to spread God’s word. Secondly, there is a truth that is at the core of Christian growth: when you take one small step towards God, he takes a big step towards you. God is always desperate to help you and merely awaits you to show him (by action) that you want him to.

1. Keep Changing

The core of the gospel is that God can transform you from a sinner into a saint. Sin tears apart our lives and is making us far less that what we were created for. God’s goal is redemption: repairing the damage such that we can fulfil our original purpose as the jewel of God’s universe.

A lot of people never change however. They stay the same year in and year out never experiencing God’s transforming power. Do not be fooled: even the best of us is far from perfect and there is much to be done.

If you want to be passionate – let God change you. There are few things more exciting than seeing what God has done in your life. This is an active initiative on your part. You must recognise what needs to change in your life, ask yourself what you can do, and then do it asking God to help you. You must keep doing this continuously.

2. Know who God is

God is Big. God is Creative. God is Glorious. God is Powerful. God is Holy. God is Lovesick. God is Smart. God is Addictive. God is Eternal. God is.

The more I think about God, the more in awe of him I become. The fact that he died for me is astounding. The fact that this God listens to my every word when I pray, teaches me when I read his word, and uses me when I post blogs online is amazing. If your passion is dying, perhaps it is because you have taken your eyes off God.

Our Churches are filled with “me worship”. If you listen to most songs you will find more references you the singer than to God. We have to get ourselves back to our senses. God is God. Get a grip on who he is and you won’t be able to stop thinking about him.

3. Take Risks

I was not made for comfort. I was made to risk myself for something. I was made to get out of the boat.

Far too many Christians are doing the comfortable thing. They sit in the pews never stepping out of line or drawing attention to themselves. But God has called us to be more then a bench warmer. If we were all honest, I think we would all acknowledge that there is this constant challenge within us to do something. That is how this blog was formed. God is challenging me to take a bigger risk in sharing my knowledge.

The more risks you take, the more God will step in on your behalf. Ask yourself: Do you have enough faith in God to risk being a fool for him?

4. Reach the Lost

Few things are as exciting as knowing God is using me to change someone’s eternity. We aren’t all called to place ourselves in positions where we can evangelise, but we are called to evangelise in the situations where we are placed. It can be as simple as asking someone what they did on their weekend and waiting for them to ask you back.

Remember: other people are just like you. They can be lonely, like you. They can hurt, like you. They can be excited, like you. We often find ourselves thinking about other people as though they were not people. But they are, and they need you to step in and help them.

5. Value what God values

The more I value what God values the more I find he is wiling to help me live my values. God values humility over pride. He values giving over receiving. He values risk over safety.

For a lot of Christians, their main concern is their self. They don’t take risks for God. They don’t reach the lost. They don’t give their time, effort, or money. They are more concerned with appearance over authenticity. If we are going to be God’s Samurai, we must be fighting for the right things.

6. Be Transparent

Don’t pretend that your relationship with God is going great when it is not. Be honest. The fact that you value that relationship more than your image is precious to God. The prayers of other’s can have a mighty affect.

Moving beyond Passion

One final point: passion should not be our goal. The mature Christian will read their bible, pray, reach the lost, and take risks whether they are passionate or not. We should live for God independent of our feelings and there are times where God will take away feeling to help mature you. Our goal must be living for God regardless of the circumstances. If you are waiting for passion before you act, that passion will never come.

(Draw Me The World)

I use a larger version of this image as my desktop. It reminds me of just how big God is and of how much care he put into the creation of every quark in this massive universe.

The total square area of the Earth is 509, 600, 000 square kilometres. That’s enough for each human (about 6.5 billion) to have a back yard of 78,400 square metres or 19.4 acres (assuming all the water was land). There are approximately 1.3 billion cubic kilometres of water on Earth. Those numbers are well beyond comprehension on their own but they’re barely a start.

The Earth is 146 million kilometres from the sun. This length is known as an Astronomical Unit (AU). The Sun is a giant nuclear reaction whose mass is 333, 000 times larger than the Earth’s. Remember that the sun is almost entirely gas and not made of the heavier solid materials of the Earth. Pluto is 5, 913, 520, 000 (5.9 Billion) kilometres from the sun. That’s about 40 AU (40 times further than the Earth is from the Sun). Voyager 1 is the furthest man made object from the Earth. It is approximately 12, 874, 700, 000 (12.8 Billion) kilometres from the Earth. That is 88 AU away.

One light year (the distance travelled by light in one year) is 9, 460, 730, 472, 580 (9.4 Trillion) kilometres or about 63, 240 AU. That is 719 times further than voyager 1 has travelled in 30 years. The nearest star to the Sun (Proxima Centauri or Alpha Centauri 3) is 4.22 light years away. The Milky Way (our galaxy) is estimated to be 100, 000 light years in diameter with over 200 Billion stars.

The Milky Way has at least 14 satellite galaxies (galaxies that orbit our own). They are part of the “local” galaxy group. It contains approximately 30 galaxies. The closest significant galaxy in this group is the Andromeda Galaxy which is 2.5 million light years away. The local group itself is approximately 10 million light years in diameter. The Local Group is one of approximately 100 groups and clusters of galaxies in the Virgo Super Cluster. The Virgo Super Cluster centres on the Virgo Cluster which has up to as many as 2000 galaxies. The Super Cluster is approximately 200 million light years across. There are believed to be about 10 million super clusters in the known universe. All up there are estimated to be over 125 billion galaxies in the known universe.

The scale reduces the other way as well. Compared to atoms we are giants of a colossal scale. When ever scientists construct a bigger telescope or a better microscope they just keep finding more. There doesn’t appear to be any limits to God’s creation. God put his entire focus towards the creation of every inch of this universe. It is his great work of art. But nothing in this universe is more precious than you.

The creator died for you. He was big enough to create all this without strain yet he made himself nothing to save you. The glorious king died at the hands of his creation on a torture device. You are worth more to God than a thousand galaxies.

Just think about this. We sin. We spit in the face of our creator. We think we can do things our own way. We have such huge heads. Yet God is desperate to save us. He loves us this much. Is this understandable? Is it possible? Apparently it is.

God is Big.