Yesterday at the meeting of the Georgetown Ministerial Alliance, the manager of a local bowling alley shared plans for a Christian, family bowling league. It sounds like a lot of fun, but it led me to wonder how many opportunities there are for us (Christians) to do things that isolate us from them (non-Christians). I can appreciate the rationale, but I just wonder...
It's possible to complete one's entire education, preschool through doctorate (in some fields) in a Christian environment.
Our children can participate in sports through church sports ministries like Upwards. They can go to Christian camps, Christian concerts, even Christian movies.
As adults, besides Christian bowling leagues, we too can participate with other Christians in sports leagues like softball and basketball.
Much of our time can be spent in Christian worship and Bible study assemblies, and in Christian homes through a small group ministry. Sometimes our free time is spent in Christian service and ministry that keeps us in the church building.
And then there are people like me, who work in a Christian environment. For those of us who work in ministries or Christian schools, our day is pretty much surrounded by Christians.
All good things, but I wonder if there is a point where we can be so involved with other Christians that we have isolated ourselves from those who are away from God. I think of what Jesus taught, don't hide your light under a basket, and what he practiced,"He's a friend of 'sinners.'"
Later this year I will be addressing this very issue in a series of sermons from 1 Peter called "Resident Aliens." Of course, we all fully anticipate that these sermons will resolve every question and concern we might have, but what do we do in the meantime? How do we strike a balance between the need to have Christian influences with the need to be Christian influences?
One of the ways I have dealt with this in my own life is to be intentional about finding ways that I can be involved in something that will help me form relationships with people who aren't Christians, or with people whose faith doesn't have much of an impact in their lives. I guess I run the risk that those friends will pull me in their direction, but so far that hasn't been the case. In fact, I find those relationships to be spiritually invigorating.
So here's something to think about, and if we are really serious, to pray about: How can we intentionally place ourselves in positions where God might connect us with people who are away from him?
"Hide it under a basket? No!
I'm going to let it shine....
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
Great post, Tim. Several years ago, Lynn and I intentionally "dropped out" of Church. (Note, not little-c church, but the big-c church with its endless programs, meetings, committees and isolation.) In Church's place, we joined our neighborhood association and spend a great deal of time with the precious people we live near. With our new (primarily non-Christian) friends, we sing carols at the local nursing home, clean up alleys and parks together, have picnics, celebrate birthdays and more. What we've found is a group of people who care and serve and love others, perhaps even more than my Christian friends. They are definately having an influence on me...a positive influence.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us that we are not participating in the mission of God by isolating ourselves from "people of the world."
A conversion is incomplete if it does not leave one with an intense social consciousness, if it does not fill one with a sense of overwhelming responsibility for the world. It has been said... truly that the Church exists for those outside of itself. The Church must never be in any sense a little huddle of pious people, shutting their doors against the world, lost in prayer and praise, connoisseurs of preaching and liturgy, busy mutually congratulating themselves on the excellence of their Christian experience.
ReplyDelete... William Barclay
Great quote from William Barclay. He nailed it.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned in a Sunday evening sermon recently that we have reversed the great commission. Jesus said that we are to go and make disciples; our approach seems to be more a matter of making disciples of those who come to us. They are not mutually exclusive, but I think most churches are way out of balance on this.
Enjoyed your post Tim. We deal a lot with this here in Auckland. We are seeing that Christ is everywhere and that he is inviting us to be a part of his work and a lot of the time that is not in "church functions". I have nothing against hanging out with other Christians, it is needed. But at what cost. We like to ask the question, how many friends do you have that aren't following Christ, because frankly that is who I want to be spending my time with. Plus I am so messed up in my life often they are the only ones that understand me! :)
ReplyDeleteI guess we have to admit that there is a certain danger in what we are saying. It is true that "bad company corrupts good morals." I saw that in my own life as a teenager.
ReplyDeleteBut at that point in my life, I had a weak faith and no real positive spiritual influences that had meaning for me. There was no source of spiritual strength to counter the negative influence; and I certainly had no sense of mission in my relationships with non-Christians.
I think all of us who have commented share both of those elements. We have a relationship with God that we want to share with others; we have spiritual relationships with others that serve as a moral counter-balance.
I am a Brentwood kid so i spent all my life in that Christian environment, it was over kill to the point where it meant nothing to me. After graduation is was like the bubble popped and i was just not ready for the real world! I still get burned by people all the time becuase i was so sheltered. But my kids will go to Brentwood too if I can afford it ...
ReplyDelete