 Some years ago, and not long after I had re-committed my life to Christ, I was invited to have dinner with a friend and a married couple—we’ll call them Derek and Deidre. My friend wanted me to meet this young couple because she was enamored with their strong faith in God. She had bragged on them many times before. “They’re the best Christian people I know,” she said.
I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant at first. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of meeting this couple, yet I wasn’t exactly sure why. As I drove to my friend’s house, I thought about what could be causing my apprehension, and before I arrived, a thought struck. It occurred that Derek and Deidre could perhaps be better Christians than I was. This line of thinking was rooted in my girlfriend’s view of them (and that she constantly told me how good these people were), which created a fear that I may not measure up to the standard of being a good Christian. But as soon as that thought came to mind, I remembered that imperfection is something we all have in common—even Christians. So, I dismissed my concerns, pulled into the parking lot, and looked forward to a pleasant evening. An hour later, I would regret being there.
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 Photo by Karl Fredrickson Joe and Brandon were good friends who had worked together for over a year. They had gotten to know one another while sharing lunch in the office break room. Even though they discussed personal issues like relationships, family, and politics, the subject of religion had never come up. So, during one of their usual lunch breaks, Joe thought he would get his friend’s thoughts on God. “Do you believe in God?” he asked. Brandon gave a casual reply as he chewed his food. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I believe something created the universe. I don’t know. Good question.” “Do you ever go to church?” Brandon took a break from eating his sandwich to answer. “I went with my parents when I was a kid, but I quit going after I got out of high school. I haven’t been back.” Joe pressed. “Do you ever think about giving it another shot?” “Nope,” Brandon said, “Churches are full of hypocrites. I remember the time when one of the deacons in our church was messing around on his wife. And most people in church think they’re better than everybody else. I don’t want to be around people like that.” Joe paused for a moment to think about what Brandon had said. Yeah, he’s got a point. I don’t want to get involved with people like that, either. *****
A guest post by Jordin Kelly  Photo by Adam Sherez on Unsplash Sometimes us Christians speak a language I call, “Christianese,” which is basically a compilation of clichés that may not be understood by “outsiders” who aren’t fluent in the language.
“Just give it to God”, “doing the Lord’s work,” the whole idea of “sharing your personal testimony” and asking people, “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” are all common Christianese phrases. Even though I shy away from clichés in general, I realize most Christianese phrases come from good intentions and I try not to be petty when other people use them. However, there is one common Christianese phase that makes absolutely no sense to me. In fact, I’m not even sure how it got so popular in the first place.  As Christians, sharing our beliefs and faith with others is something we’re not asked to do, but something we’re required to do by Christ himself. We do this hoping others will embrace him and have a life beyond the one we know. We do it so they will learn who Jesus is, what he stands for, and to give them hope unmatched by anything here on Earth.
But sharing our faith is not something to be taken lightly. It bears a responsibility that should be handled with care. Yet, there is a group of Christians who aren't being careful and it’s damaging the reputation of God and his church. I call them “Irresponsible Christians”, and today's post is for them. I know what an Irresponsible Christian is because I have been one. I remember times when I was quick to judge and condemn those who chose not to believe as I do. |
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January 2019
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