Christian pop-culture is one of the most interesting contradictions in this world. For those of you unfamiliar with the idea I will explain. Please understand that this is my interpretation and is by no means the common ideas held by all Christians. I have developed my opinion after reading and listening to many of these rock stars that find their homes comfortably in this obscure idea.
I cannot say when this idea became a reality but it is clear that it is now a very big problem in Western Christianity and has allowed the gospel to be molded into a middle class American dream-like reality. As I read books like "Love Wins" and "Crazy Love" I see the realities of this movement staring me right in the face.
How so? When I read Francis Chan's take on the gospel in "Crazy Love" I was left with the feeling that my passion for Christ was under par and that Francis had some how discovered the secret to the full fulfillment of a Christ like lifestyle. His description of awe over the size of the universle seemed like a minimal detail to me. I felt as if I was missing the point, I questioned if I was truly a follower of Jesus Christ.
As I look at the lives of Rob Bell, Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, and many other hotshot Christian leaders I start to feel as if something is missing in my life. They make being Christian look so easy and fun. When in reality I battle every day with the thoughts of a life without the burden of the Gospel. They seem to enjoy their lives of upper middle-class America. They can sit comfortably in their suburban homes and drink iced while tweet about their children as I sit here and battle for my morals among other things. These Christian "pastors" live the American high life while writing books and leading thousand plus congregations. And yet I want to be like them? What will I gain if I have a life like Rob Bell's? Believe it or not I see myself preaching like Mark Driscoll... but why? There are times when Driscoll is an outright jerk from the pulpit. Their lives seem like just a dream to me, a dream that I will never live. If my life would go as perfect as I imagine now it would never turn out like theirs. Where is the Gospel in their lives? Shouldn't their lives look more like the homeless rejection of Jesus Christ? A man who gave it all for what he believed in and truly was?
There are only two ways that Christianity can go in this world and we all know it cannot be down so it must be up. The important question to ask is how is this going to happen? To be honest, I have no idea. I don't think I will ever be ready to lead a church, but I know God's guidance will be there.
There are more of you out there, who are frustrated just as I am at what the Christian leaders of today are guiding us into. How can we make Christianity real without the designer jeans and clever books? How are we going to respond our commission? How are we going to LIVE?
Until next time...
laterDays
