All Things New
I sense a need for a revival in the Christian church -- not just MCCGSL, but the church as a whole. For too long, violence, bullying, and bigotry have been used by the highest office in our country, passed off as an expression of holiness. Threatening genocide, allowing conversion therapy to continue, and stripping rights of trans people are just some examples of ways Christianity has been used as a front for evil acts.
The name of God, the name of Jesus, and the practice of The Way has been co-opted by people who invoke their religion to do nothing but oppress, while gaining riches for themselves. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in predominately white Christian churches or people claiming to be Christian, who have clearly never opened a Bible.
As a Christian pastor, I'm sometimes worried about claiming that place in the world too loudly. I don't want it to seem that I am behind these egregious acts done in my name as a Christian or an American.
This week, I woke up in the middle of the night convicted that I need to claim my faith in a more evangelical way. If you Google "evangelical" the first things that come up are all about the evangelical movement -- one that claims to "follow the way of Jesus and is focused on scripture-study." The word evangelical comes from the Greek and means "Good news." I think it's time we reclaim this word - to offer Good News in our work, words, and study. Progressive Protestants are well educated in Biblical teachings -- let us claim our part in being well-versed in the Bible. It is time to claim where good news comes from -- in human flourishing, in doing our part to mend creation.
Friends, it is time to get serious about our faith and claim it's impact on our hearts. To follow the way of Jesus with wide, expansive love and earnestness. To claim who we are in the world.
Even though I may be hesitant to claim my Christian faith with the way "Christianity" is thrown around to bless hideous behavior, I often end up in long conversations after “coming out” as a Christian minister. Just today when getting a coffee, someone complimented my necklace. I told them about our church, and she said she has never met a pastor before. After saying more about us, she said she might have to come sometime — as we are doing something different than the Christianity depicted in the news — and that IS good news.
This season, we will be exploring the theme All Things New, examining stories of beginnings, conversation, and fresh starts. How might we use this time to cultivate our hearts and create space for good news? How might be prepare our lives to embody a new way, a fresh perspective, a new Christianity.
To help enlighten and prepare us, we have two opportunities to join in study and community:
Join Faye Branum for a poetry writing class. You don’t need to be good at writing! Think of this as an opportunity to open your heart to the seeds growing in you.
Join Pastor Tijuana for a reading of Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. This book will get you thinking about new seeds that need to be planted through a science fiction perspective.
Whatever you do, may this season be a time of exploration as we claim our role in showing the true side of Christianity -- one of kindness, love, and joy.
Blessings,
Pastor Lauren