Musings from Graceland

Why Christians S**k

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As many of you know, last year God started talking pretty strongly to our family about the comfort zone we were living in. He pointed out to us that though we had needed some time of rest and healing, it was now time to get back in the fight...the fight to set the captives free...free from the bondage of addictions, extreme poverty, abuse, sin, and disease.

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His plan for our family was to get our eyes off of our own needs and wants and on to the needs of those who we didn't necessarily run into every day...those we would have to work to be in contact with. He let us know that it would mean getting outside the walls of our church and the boundaries of our safe, comfortable neighborhood and getting out "there"...out where people desperately needed the good news of Jesus and His transforming love and power...the only news that can truly set them free. Part of his plan included getting us involved with two inner-city ministries as part of our church's SUMMER OF SIGNIFICANCE. Another part of His plan was to send me back to Swaziland, Africa, with my two oldest daughters this past January to love on HIV/AIDS orphans and widows.

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We traveled with an organization called Children's HopeChest. Tom Davis is the CEO of CHC and vision/misson trip leader extraordinaire. Tom has an incredible passion for the "least of these", especially orphans and those caring for them. Because of his love and desire to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, Tom spends a good chunk of his time, energy, and resources passing this passion on to others. He leads trips like the one we were a part of, he writes books, he speaks at conferences, he meets with influential people to get them involved in the vision, and he blogs and writes articles.

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One such article is "Why Christians S**k"...not a fluffy, feel good read by any stretch, but an important one. Each of us that calls our self a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, needs to be asking ourselves if our lives really line up with what Christianity is supposed to be about.

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Here is the beginning of Tom's article:

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Each Sunday, millions of Christians in America gather to worship the God who commands us to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” We belt out praises to the God who tells us that “pure and undefiled religion is caring for widows and orphans in their distress.” We kneel in pious prayer before the Almighty God of the universe who describes Himself as loving, gracious, merciful, and generous.

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Then, we walk out the back door of the church, step into a world in need, and proceed to withhold the love, grace, and mercy that’s extended to us.

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We might as well give God the middle finger. Outside of a tiny minority of Christians, we have become a self-centered group of priggish snobs. In short, we s**k.

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Man, those are harsh words. But then Tom's not afraid to stomp on some toes if it means some little ones will be saved.

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To read the article in its entirety, go to http://www.beliefnet.com/story/234/story_23432.html

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