The Christian Label On People & Places & Things
In my years of growing up in my church’s youth ministry, I heard this question repeatedly, “Is it Christian?”
It was asked about cassette tapes and then CD’s.
It was asked about video games.
It was asked about movies.
It was asked about roller skating rinks.
If whatever we were evaluating did have the label “Christian” on it, then the green light of acceptability was given and we could enjoy the thing.
If it wasn’t “Christian,” it probably wasn’t going to be acceptable.
I remember justifying my possession of U2’s Joshua Tree album, “Yes they ARE Christians! In Where The Streets Have No Name, Bono says, ‘I believe in Kingdom come.’ See? Christian.”
We went to the Christian bookstore. It was a great big smorgasbord of green light stuff available for purchase. It even had some edgy Christian products, like Stryper’s To Hell With The Devil album.
And of course there were plenty of Thomas Kinkade paintings. Acceptable art. Green light designs for your walls.
Need a Christian mug? They got ‘em at the Christian bookstore.
Shirts? Ties? Pencils? Erasers? Action figures? Stuffed animals? Mints?
Yes, this is the place for all your Christian needs.
Weird.
I was searching “Christian products” online and found a website for “Wholesale Christian Products.” They want you to carry their Christian products in your Christian store. Apparently, it’s lucrative. They claim, “Christian / inspiriational products account for over $4 Billion in retail sales annually.”
The term “Christian products” doesn’t sit quite right with me. It makes me uneasy, like we’re talking about something that shouldn’t be.
I wonder what I’d discover if I searched “Christian products” in my Bible? *crickets*
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say slapping the “Christian” label on things is more about marketing and sales than God’s Kingdom.
And instead of giving us the green light, the “Christian” label should probably give us more of a yellow light… caution, slow down, be careful, pay close attention to what’s going on here.
Christian art.
Christian fiction.
Christian restaurants.
Christian politics.
Christian nation.
The label makes me uneasy, just like it makes me uneasy when I hear people talk about how America is favored by God because our country was founded on biblical principles.
We’re more favored, as a country, than others?
Weird.
Like when Ray Lewis, on the path to the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, said, “When you sacrifice something for God, he will give you anything your heart desires if it aligns with his will… God just kept telling me ‘No weapon formed against me shall prosper. No weapon formed against my team shall prosper.’ ”
So Ray Lewis, and his team, are more favored by God than other players and teams?
Because Ray Lewis is a Christian? And the Ravens are Christians?
That’s how it works?
I mean, they did win the Super Bowl – so there’s evidence.
Here’s what I think: it’s baloney.
My reading of the New Testament doesn’t show me how people and places and things with a “Christian” label get victory, success, or special favor.
I think Greg Boyd speaks to this issue so well – particularly about America…
“The evangelical church in America has, to a large extent, been co-opted by an American, religious version of the kingdom of the world. We have come to trust the power of the sword more than the power of the cross. We have become intoxicated with the Constantinian, nationalistic, violent mindset of imperialistic Christendom.”
“The evidence of this is all around but nowhere clearer than in the simple, oft-repeated slogan that we Christians are going to ‘take America back for God.’ The thinking is that America was founded as a Christian nation but has simply veered off track. If we can just get the power of Caesar again, however, we can take it back. If we can just get more Christians into office, pass more Christian laws, support more Christian policies, we can restore this nation to its ‘one nation under God’ status.”
“Did Jesus spend any time and energy trying to improve, let alone dominate, the reigning government of His day? Did He ever work to pass laws against the sinners He hung out with and ministered to? Did He worry at all about ensuring that His rights and the religious rights of His followers were protected? Does ANY author in the New Testament remotely hint that engaging in this sort of activity has anything to do with the Kingdom of God?”
“Just listen to Frederick Douglass, a nineteenth-century slave who taught himself how to read and write, as he expresses his view of how Christian America was:
Between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference — so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt and wicked…. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ; I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity.”
“When we suggest that this nation was once Christian, we participate in the racist and demonic deceit that Douglass poignantly exposes…. The list of ways that early America didn’t remotely look like the domain in which God is King — indeed, the ways America has often looked the opposite — could be expanded indefinitely.”
“As much as God wants governments to operate justly, Jesus didn’t come to establish a perfect worldly government. He came to establish the Kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare themselves to be ‘under God’ or not.” —Greg Boyd, The Myth of a Christian Nation – How The Quest For Political Power Is Destroying The Church
I do not have faith in the Christian label on people and places and things. For me, it does not give the green light of acceptability. Instead, I see the yellow light – the one that makes me cautious and careful.
I am hopeful about the Seahawks this season. It seems like we could be on the path to the Super Bowl…
But not because Russell Wilson is a great Christian (he is). And not because the Seahawks are highly favored by God. They could be on the path to the Super Bowl because they have a great team and are playing well together. I do hope they make it, and I hope they win (but I don’t plan on asking God for special favor on my favorite NFL team).
ADD YOUR VOICE:
How does the “Christian” label on people and places and things strike you?
Come back tomorrow for “Does Jesus______?” and on Thursday for “Life Coach Jesus & The Winner’s Circle.”
I am a husband, father, pastor, leader & reader. I love God, love people & love life.
Love this PB. I have often felt American Christians are fighting the wrong battle, on the wrong battlefield, with the wrong weapons.
So true! I often feel uncomfortable when I’m in a Christian bookstore like I may talk too loud or break something. Ha ha. I wonder if some people feel the same way when they come to church. Sure hope not.
I hope not too.
I am going to thank God each time the Seahawks win though. No point in casual disregard of a great experience!
I’ve expressed similar thoughts (particularly about our “Christian” nation) – though not nearly so well. By the reaction I received, you’d think I had committed the unpardonable sin. We must keep peeling back the layers of cultural deceit. Thank you for being a truth-teller.
I know what you’re talking about Vicki – it’s almost as if the subject is untouchable. Sometimes I think the greatest threat to the Christian faith is the combination of materialism and politics – which are both huge American “values.”
“Things with Christian labels”….my mind went to Paul, Stephen, Peter, etc. They had the Christian “label”, and were imprisoned and martyred. So much for the flavor of prosperity, success, and whatever else we, as Americans, like to paste onto God’s Word. I’ve been in that spot of asking “is it Christian” when the kids brought new music in (Tourniquet was pretty hard, but I caught a couple Godly words in their lyrics). The same with trying to sift through political stuff or make sense of the news. It’s the easy route to put a label on something and rest in the label, not looking deeper to see the bones of the thing or what God may really think about it. It’s the harder route to “test everything, holding on to what is good”–but I’m sure that’s where God would like us to be, knowing His word and testing everything in light of it.
PS: If the rest of the population judges Christians by the bookstores, we’re seen as a bunch of cheesy Hallmark-types with really bad taste in art
Well said pastor Brian! I think for the exception of a few cul de sacs of pocket Christendom, American Christianity is an oxymoron. Most people in this country borrow their faith from some familial patri/matriarch and it is subsequently lost along the way as a right of passage. Or it is assumed but never actually possessed because America is a western culture and by default we must be Christian because we are not Buddhist or Muslim and those are the only options, of course. The truth is that our country was founded by deists, Free Masons and humanists and these very clearly lack the “Christian label” we evangelicals eat up like a fat kid eats cake.
The separation of “sacred” and “secular” is a dangerous deal for sure. Instead of being an influence in an existing culture is far more vulnerable and scary than creating your own sub-cultures where everything is safe, sound and home schooled. The message “sacred and secular” sends to the world is “you aren’t meeting my standards”. And the “sacred and secular” people pass laws, preach messages and develop crap music that says “you don’t meet our standards” and they come across as racist, bigoted, judgmental and exclusive. I don’t know if that made sense, I just threw up my response. Good post Peebs
“I do hope they make it, and I hope they win (but I don’t plan on asking God for special favor on my favorite NFL team)”… This statement reflects my sentiments on the present day church. “I really hope they make it, I hope they are able to see their path and have the courage to follow their faith to the Will of God.” (But I’m not going to expect God to give the church special favor, just because I think they deserve it.) They do deserve to find the true Will of God for their life, they are worthy of a loving relationship with their Creator. But I cannot root for a team which I oppose. Meaning, I cant pray that they will complete the tasks they have created for themselves at this moment in history..
I’m going out on a limb here. Because the points you make in this post, Pastor Brian, truly are radical, controversial you could say. Because at the heart of Christianity’s history in America, we see some damn ugly things, things that Christians today will BE VERY naïve to, if they only intake approved “Christian” ideas, books, music, movies, etc… Christianity is built on too much bloodshed for me, and in my humble opinion, I am ready for a complete re-think of every tradition and long held notion which we celebrate. We must Not trivialize the violence inflicted on fellow man in the name of Christ. And we do trivialize it by participating in traditions that we don’t even understand the history of. We don’t know exactly where they started, and why. So the “American Christian” label doesn’t represent the true belly of the faith, and maybe it hasn’t for a long long time. But rather the parts which we know today, may only be here because their power is built on the blood of people who were deemed “unrighteous” by our ancestors. They used a grading scale of racism, sexism, slavery, domination, and humility to justify their actions… ::crickets::
I wonder how those ancestors visualized Christ in their minds…The Humble-poor-wandering-servant of humanity; The Majestic-powerful-bearded-saint whom sits on a cloud-with-a very large book of Life, The ALL powerful-Judge-backed by Holy Spirit Fire- and riding on the wings of the Dawn- with thee Baddest angel army-a man-ever did see… Which Jesus were they taking orders from? What does the Jesus from the Bible order? How do we know?
Damn ugly things – yes. And I don’t think we heal or see restoration by covering, denying, or stuffing our ugly past. Gotta talk about it, repent of it – so we can heal and move forward.
I love this Pastor Brian . One of the things the drives me crazy. Is when people use or should i say over use the word “Christian” The other day I heard someone say “they aren’t living like Christian ” “They aren’t right with the Lord like me ” I was thinking I wonder how many times a day they do something that isn’t “Christian” . I’m glad Jesus doesnt say “well your not acting very Christian today Brock . So Your not made right with me anymore!” Any Ways thanks for all you post, always love reading your blog .I am always challenged, encouraged, and sometimes slapped into reality .lol .