Artists Formerly Known as Christians
"As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:36
It seems that on all sides of the Christian spectrum, it has become fashionable to discredit religion, and in particular, Christianity. I'm beginning to think many of the members of our churches are like the pop singer Prince--they want a new name for what they do, like the artist "formerly known as Christian." There are all sorts of organizations and speakers springing up these days whose primary identifier is that they are not the church. It is considered most unhip these days to be a Christian. What is hip is being a follower of Jesus, and to do it all solo. It's hip to love Jesus but avoid all his friends.
Now. lets be honest, I get why people do that. The church has done some embarrassing things in its day, and I personally do not want to be associated with a lot of it. But here's a news flash: Human beings do a lot of embarrassing, inhumane, cruel and igorant things, and I don't want to be associated with them either. Especially when I'm one of the ones doing those things.
And here, I think we come to the crux of the problem that he people "formerly known as Christians" have with the church. If we could just kick out all the human beings, we might really be able to do this thing.
If we could just kick out the fallibe people, like you and like me, the church might attain the lofty ideals of those too righteous to attend it.
In the meantime, count me among the unhip, gathering with other unhip people to try to be the church.
We may not meet the standards of those watching from a distance, but at least we're in a place that offers weekly confession.
Reform and renew the church, Lord Christ. And feel free to get started with me. Amen
Lillian Daniel is Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, UCC, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
To say that "God exists" is the greatest understatement ever made across space and time.
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