Rebel Christianity

This is a rant. *Caution... it might get ugly, and if you like Polo, don't get offended.

The rebels of Christianity are those kids that skip your prayer meeting to go to the party Billy's throwing downtown. I like them. I think I am becoming one of them. When did becoming a Christian mean completely alienating yourself from the world? This has been coming up a lot in my world lately. As Christians, we beleive that everyone, ahem EVERYONE is made in the image of God, not just your Polo-wearing pals.

I read this passage today and it really struck a chord:

Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."

In the context, Jesus had just finished doing all these miracles, healing the blind and lame, but the only things people were talking about was the fact that he was drinking, and hanging out with people outside of the church. We, as beleivers are called to be in the world. Yes, our citizenship may be in heaven, but our ministry is here.

For the record, I think prayer meetings are wonderful. I think reading your bible and learning everything humanly possible about loving and living like Jesus did is a great thing. But I also think we are called to party with people outside the church. When I say party, I mean spread joy and laughter. ( Without that correction, someone probably would have sent me hate mail.)Seriously, though..

I went to this bible study and this girl said she didn't want prostitutes sitting next to her in church. I about reached across the room and slapped her in the face. I kept my mouth shut for alot of the bible study, but I couldn't let it go any further. I looked right at her and said "My perfect church would be filled with prostitutes and theives and liars. What a blessing would it be for us to worship together." It's crazy that somehow when you become a Christian, it is now your job to patrol and tell people exactly what they are doing wrong when they are outside of the church. When you judge a person, you have no opportunity to love them. Have we not all fallen short? I know I have. But by the grace, ONLY by the grace are we saved.

I didn't mean for this to come across as an accusation.

I just want you to know, if you have ever been the "judged," I am sorry. I love you. And Jesus sometimes looks nothing like His followers. It is a shame. I do know that there are some others out there that are striving to be more like Him, and I hope you run into one of them someday. And if you don't -I hope you encounter Jesus on a completely supernatural way. :)