The Most Critical Issue Facing Christians
According to Robert Farrar Capon (my favorite Episcopal priest-chef-theologian-author), the most critical issue facing Christians today…
The most critical issue facing Christians is not abortion, pornography, the disintegration of the family, moral absolutes, MTV, drugs, racism, sexuality, or school prayer.
The critical issue today is dullness. We have lost our astonishment.
The Good News is no longer good news, it is okay news. Christianity is no longer life changing, it is life enhancing. Jesus doesn’t change people into wild-eyed radicals anymore, He changes them into “nice people.”
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I agree with Capon. Fighting culture wars isn’t what the Gospel is all about.
While we look with concern (or disgust, outrage, fear, and anger) at what is wrong with the world, we are also looking away from Jesus. And the sense of beauty and wonder and astonishment of the goodness of the Gospel fades in our hearts.
I have no illusions about our world. Or myself for that matter. We are broken and stained and in need of saving and healing.
But there is a Hero who saves and heals.
His Gospel announces Good News… For who? For the poor and the blind and the oppressed and the imprisoned.
There is nothing dull about this Message!
Cable news reports and political campaign slogans are dull.
Perhaps we’ve been listening too much to them and not enough to Jesus.
I am a husband, father, pastor, leader & reader. I love God, love people & love life.
Excellent points. Perhaps part of the reason for dull Christians is the quality of our experience with God. So often, too often, I find myself tweeting at Jesus instead of giving Him the heartfelt love letter He deserves. The transformational experience with God is not a one-time deal. I want to dwell in the astonishment of Him!