You Say The Church Is A Building. I Say Go Out to the Streets

I got to thinking this morning about church. Or what a lot of Christians these days seem to think church is. You see all through the bible the church is referred to as the body of Christ. Us, people, followers of Christ, we are the church.

Yet in modern day society the church has somehow become a building that you go to on Sundays to ‘supposedly’ learn about the word, fellowship with other believers and sing songs of praise. But if you don't go to this building every week (or even twice a week) how can you call yourself a Christian? you are straying off the path and turning evil if you don't want to go each week and sit and listen to a bunch of judgmental people tell you how evil everything is and how we should fight against said evil by coming to church each week, shouting condemnations at the world and not letting our children watch TV or leave the house without a crucifix in their hand and a bible in their pocket.

It’s not hard to see where this view of the church comes from. Even outside the church you can see it. Look on the internet site youtube there are sermon post from pasters like Rob Bell, songs from Christian bands like Underoath. And hundreds of comment from Christians saying how evil these people are, how they are heretics of Christ. Rob Bell hangs around gays and lesbians and says you don't have to tithe 10%, Underoath are a screamo band! They have long hair and play at rock concerts with drug users and alcoholics... In the book of Matthew Jesus said, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... For I have not come for the righteous but the sinners.

Both Underoath and Rob Bell are doing what God called them to do! Rob Bell is using the modern day medium to reach so many hurting people and showing them the love of Christ rather than the condemnation of the church. And Underoath sing some of the strongest lyrical praise song to God, the most humble, soul crushing truths. They pray before sing at concerts in front of thousands of angry people who have been abandoned and criticized by the church yet rather than revolt and throw the band off stage, the crowd is silent for the band has earnt there respect by accepting them and not preaching down there necks.

I ask you, why is it that to go to church is to be holy and righteous, but to hang out with drug addicts, and convicts and the gays makes you evil... That doesn't sound like Love?

When you want to set someone free rather than going to be with them in the
darkness - where you're light will shine brighter and be seen so much clearer - you invite them to come to your church, to sit and watch the freaks sing and dance, all the while feeling judged and condemned because their hair is long and they did not heed the altar call or fall down when the pastor touched them.... Does that seem right to you?

Let’s face it church. The building you go to on Sundays is not made for saving others, it is not even made for worshiping our Lord - as it was once intended - it is made for you and you alone. That you may feel good about yourself, that you may be made to look righteous and so that you yourself be saved. Safe inside you house of God away from the sinners and the ever darkening world, just you and your fellow believers...

I tell you the truth by living in your building and by being so close minded, you save no one, especially not yourself.

Fire in the belly!

There's this kind of feeling you get, when you finally see why things in your life have happened the way they happened. call it fate, call it destiny, the universe, call it God. What ever you call it you can't deny that when you look back at a situation there are so many subtle little turns and pushes that you had along the way, while they seem like such a small insignificant little thing at the time, if they didn't happen you wouldn't be where you are and you wouldn't have what you have now.
I'm not sure what the feeling is, it's kind of like peace, yet at the same time there's this raging inferno blaring in the pit of your stomach! like being totally still, while running 50 miles an hour...

It's a great thing to see, looking back at life when all the pieces just fit together, even when at the time you're saying "what the hell kinda shape is this!? what am i meant to do with it? where does it go?" hold on... You'll see where it goes in due time. and when you do, it'll be on of the most amazing looking puzzles you've ever seen.

What do I do!?!

Ok, so I've always wanted to be a writer and try and help make peoples lives better through the stories I write..
but lately I've really feel like I should get into something more hands on, like studying nursing and move on to work in a hospital. I really think nursing would be good. When I was in hospital they were all so nice and friendly and I actually remember the nurses more than the doctors.. I really just wanna help people and have them remember me.
I know that if I do nursing I can still write for fun on the side and maybe sell the odd story or two. but I really just don't know if i should go through with it or if I should stick to purely writing.

what do you guys think?

It's Not Fair!

You know it’s not hard to see that there’s this great imbalence and that things aren’t right. And you know i know that but for me i suppose it really hits home if i stop and think about this moment, because it’s happening right now

In the same moment you have a generation who is sitting around, entertaining themselves, watching reality television which to be honest is anything but real – while you have a child who is being prostituted behind closed doors and robbed of their innocence.

It’s not fair that we can go about consuming every single material option that comes our way, while widows and orphans are stripped of life’s basic dignities because they are victims of a conflict that simply isn’t theirs.

It’s not fair that there’s a generation who are choking on their obesity while at the same time there are 30.000 children who will die today for lack of food.

It’s not fair that we can sing and dance and jump around in our freedom and in our liberty while at the same time the slave remains captive – out of sight and out of mind.

It’s not fair that we can sit and watch the evening news from the comfort of our living rooms and pity those who live with the storm hit, or where the ground shook, or where the water rose – simply feel sorry for them and then change the channel and get on with supper.

Who are we to forget the downtrodden or the oppressed or the marginalised while we go about chasing the dream.

We see this imbalance and we amend: “that’s not right, that’s not fair” but too often that’s all we do – because for us to do any more is actually going to cost us something.

When we ignore the prostitute and child – we actually lend our hand to their abuse.
When we ignore the widow and the orphan in their distress – we actually add to their pain.
When we ignore the slave who remains captive – it’s us who’s entrapping them.
When we forget the refugee – it’s us who is displacing them.
When we choose not to help the poor and the needy – we actually rob them.

Perhaps the only fair thing to say is that when we forsake the lives of others – we actually forsake our own.

Sam's blog moved!

hey all!
Just lettin ya know I've moved my blog here!
so please read. add me. and don't forget to comment!

peace and love!