Getting Real.

There seems to be an epidemic happening in our culture with folks who claim to be Christian yet often find themselves outside the walls of the institutional Church.

It appears that many Christians are a mirror of the culture itself. Many folks in America and Europe have simply walked away from the Church. In many parts of this country many folks who are 40 years old or younger have never stepped foot in a Church.

I’ve been studying this mass exodus for a few years and I have read all the reasons as to why this is happening but this morning I began to think that part of this phenomenon is a result of people being taught what they should believe or what is socially acceptable in that particular culture. Many people have never distinguished between what they were taught to believe and what they actually believe—what they sense to be true in the deepest part of their heart, soul and guts. As a result about a generation ago, many folks simply walked away.

Well intentioned leadership in many parts of the church have discounted this exodus by claiming that culture is more secular and folks can’t stand the demands of the Gospel. In some ways I think this is a huge copout.

There seems to be a conflict between what feels to be socially acceptable in the any particular church culture and what is real in the hearts and souls of those in the congregation.

I believe anytime people are socially conditioned not to show what is real and conform to what is socially acceptable there exists a mismatch between what one is seeing and what one is getting or experiencing. And I believe this is why many folks are walking away.

Many folks are being taught what they should believe and what is socially acceptable rather than to tend to what is real.

The Bible is often used in the same manner that physicians use prescription drugs to treat the symptoms of what ails society—“Here, read these two verses and call me in the morning.” I suspect this is because some think that if they can just get people to posses the correct belief or to conform to a particular church culture’s socially acceptable code of behavior that folks can be healed. I think this is only treating the symptoms of the deeper soul sickness that lurks within humanity.

This mode of thinking or rationalization seems to conflict with the very heart of Jesus’ teachings and method of ministry. He encountered many folks who possessed the “right” beliefs; any good Jew knew the law and how to obey the law just like many good Christians today have learned what to “believe.” Jesus had a manner that allowed people to be authentically who they were and helped the folks reach the deeper places within themselves. He certainly seemed to be less concerned with doing what was socially acceptable and tended to delve deeper into what was real for people. Just for kicks, he wasn’t afraid to raise his hand to ask a silly question or to actually question to beliefs and methods of the society. He did not seem to be looking for answers to questions about orthodoxy but was more concerned with the orthodoxy of the soul. Jesus touched the hearts and souls of those he encountered—he had the ability to name and touch what was real. He did not rationalize or deny feelings and experiences but embraced folks in the fullness of humanity, including his own. He knew that life with God and each other consisted much more than possessing the right answers and socially acceptable behavior. He named what was real in others and he wasn’t afraid to name what was real in himself.

Jesus concern for truth wasn’t found the in truth of doctrines but in the truth of human existence. The truth was that the law demanded execution for adultery; execution was the correct doctrine and was socially acceptable—it was truth but in the deeper places within the human heart and soul execution of the adulterous was false for it masked and rationalized the truth of compassion and healing of the human condition.

“I am the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through me.” I believe Jesus is the way. I believe Jesus is the truth. I believe Jesus is the life. And the way, the truth and the life to God isn’t found in orthodoxy and socially acceptable behavior, it’s found in the incarnation of God into the fearful, doubtful, pain-filled, ugly, messy, real hearts and experiences of humanity and to deny or avoid this realty is to deny and avoid God in our most innermost selves.