Best Book: The New Faces of Christianity March 26, 2009
Posted by Dan R. Dick in Uncategorized.2 comments
This week’s Best Book is Philip Jenkins’, The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South. Jenkins presents a thoroughly-researched, well thought-out, and highly provocative prediction of the future of global Christianity in the 21st century. This is a book every pastor and laity leader will find insightful and helpful.
Ratiocinational Anthem March 26, 2009
Posted by Dan R. Dick in Christian discipleship, Mission of the Church.Tags: Christian discipleship, church, Mission & Purpose
8 comments
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so,
But Jesus does not love you,
Because of all the crap you do.
(scribbled on a church bathroom wall)
There is a perverse logic at work in the Christian church. Recent polls of regular church goers indicate that over two-thirds would prefer that “sinners” not attend church. There is a troubling implication in this. Do the people who don’t want sinners in their church consider themselves not to be sinners? Now, of course it depends on the sin. 
Gossip, lying, cheating, gambling, drinking, divorce, sexism, borrowing or lending money at interest, breaking the speed limit, domestic abuse, and/or racism – these don’t count. Basically, only convicted criminals, homosexuals, drug addicts, homeless people, and anyone else we can comfortably label as fundamentally different than we are is who we really mean by “sinner.” And even then, there are conditions. If poor people will bathe and behave properly, they can come in. If homosexuals will ‘choose’ not to be homosexual anymore, then they can come in. With criminals, it depends on the crime — some criminals are less criminal than others. Various research studies indicate that people convicted of fraud, embezzlement, drunk-and-disorderly, domestic abuse, rape, tax evasion, and stealing have little trouble finding a church that will accept them, while those convicted of drug possession, armed robbery, murder, child molestation, and kidnapping are unwanted by just about everyone. Forgiveness, it appears, has limits and layers — some “sins” are more forgivable than others. And in most cases, there is no real offer of redemption – once a person has been labeled a sinner, the best they can hope for is to be a ‘forgiven sinner,’ but still a sinner nonetheless.
