Scary Christianity

Scary Christianity
“If the game doesn’t scare you a little, it isn’t big enough.”  - William T. Riker Star Trek TNG “Pen Pals”
“If your faith doesn’t scare you a little, it isn’t faith”  - Debra Janet Smith

 Faith is scary. If you don’t believe me, read the New Testament with an open mind and see what it actually says. Take God’s grace. I have always been reclusive since childhood. It has been a matter of self protection. If I didn’t keep to myself, people would see my emotional difficulties and  one other that I want to keep hidden.

   Trouble is, grace gets in the way of my chosen life strategy. I would prefer to keep to myself and not have to expose my flaws to anyone who might wish to harm me. Yet here is God’s grace, not only offering forgiveness but totally accepting me as I am.
 How and anyone keep that under wraps? Well, I try. I mean talking about God’s mercy in anything other than a purely theoretical manor requires exposing what I wish to keep hidden. No wonder we would rather settle for luke warm Christianity that never challenges us.
 
No, I am not saying that Christians should be political. Politics has nothing to do with faith. Besides that isn’t what faith is about. Its about going into world with nothing but God’s love as a defense, doing whatever it takes to bring God’s blessings to those who need it.

 Here is my conundrum. I don’t always find my relationship with God satisfying. I love the people I am with on Sunday yet I don’t always find worship enjoyably. Thing is, I know what the problem is. The Holy Spirit is trying to take me to places I do not want to go. Its scary out there, Yet there is a small part of me that would rather choose the danger, because not to accept the challenge would be to trap my faith in the same prison I have created for myself and to quench God's spirit.

Its a struggle give control to the will of the Spirit, especially for those of us who have valid reasons to keep certain things about ourselves hidden. Yet really cannot serve God and remain in our comfort zones at the same time.

Review and Commentary: Pagan Christianity Frank Viola, George Barna (Audible)

Truthfully, nothing in this book actually surprises me. When I try to analyze my dissatisfactions with Christianity and look at the description of the early church in the Bible, it is obvious that there are great differences between what we do today and the early church. No, they didn't get everything right as the letters to the churches show. Yet it is obvious that they had been infused with the Holy Spirit and despite widespread persecution, Christianity conquered the world.

Where did "church buildings" , professional ministers, and the artificial division between the clergy and the laity come from? If you think it is scriptural, you are wrong. The early church was participatory, not a spectator sport. Everyone had something to share. It was not a "performance". Words like "priest" and "saint" applied to every believer, not the chosen few.

Pagan Christianity traces the outside influences that have diluted God's church, making it inert and ineffective. The early church was a living representation Christ. It does not need to conform worldly values and pratices.