From the Desk of Pastor Craig

Uh-Oh 

That is the title of a book by Robert Fulghum.  On the first page he opines that “Uh-oh” may have been the first thing Adam said to Eve after he bit into the apple.  Could be.  I would hope for an expletive more worthy the damage done.  But, since he didn’t know what all the consequences of knowing good from evil would be, “Uh-oh,” was probably it.

This quote begins a book some colleagues and I are reading (Almost Christian : What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church):

Let me save you some trouble. Here is the gist of what you are about to read: American young people are, theoretically, fine with religious faith—but it does not concern them very much, and it is not durable enough to survive long after they graduate from high school. One more thing: we’re responsible.[1]

Uh-oh!  I’ve talked to a lot of teens over the last three decades of teaching Confirmation and I’m pretty sure Kenda Dean is right.  In fact, it often doesn’t last much past “graduation” from Confirmation class.  And, it’s not just teens and young adults.  She’s describing the whole mainline American church.  That’s us.  Her point?  That, instead of teaching our children Christianity, we (the Church) have taught them to be nice.  And, the content of their faith mirrors that of an Almost Christian culture that equates sharing and caring with faithfulness and obedience to God.  They’re not the same.  People don’t get crucified for being nice: they get crucified for being trouble-makers.  And, lest we fool ourselves into thinking that nice people don’t crucify others, two words: “capital punishment.”

As for the place of religion in people’s lives, Ms. Dean says, “Teenagers tend to approach [it] like music and sports, as an extracurricular activity: a good well-rounded thing to do, but unnecessary for an integrated life.”[2]

Worse yet, when asking people what they believe about God and Jesus, many have a hard time finding words for their faith.  Ask a mainline Christian of any age what God wants and you’re likely to hear words to the effect of, “God wants us to be happy, to be kind to each other, to work hard, be good people.”  Seldom will one hear Jesus’ own words, “Repent and believe the good news.”  Repent?  That would imply that there is something wrong with us.  Believe the good news?  That the Kingdom of God isn’t for nice people so much as it is for anything-but-nice people.

As you read this, the beginning of Lent is three weeks away.  Allow me to suggest a challenge to ourselves.  Rediscover Christianity.  If not already participating in daily devotions, let’s start.  Several are published and available.  Many more are online and free.

Next, have a faith conversation – with someone important to you, someone you trust to listen carefully and push you to be clear and complete… talk about what you understand God’s purpose for you is.  Why are you doing what you’re doing?  If you get a paycheck, stop calling it my/our money and wonder, out loud, what God wants you to do with GOD’S money.  If you’re of voting age, explain why you think Jesus would vote the way you intend to vote (or not vote at all?).  Talk about where God wants you to be on a Sunday morning, say… and why.  Think through and talk about what it means to be, as the Bible calls us, the Body of Christ – and what kinds of behaviors (or lack of) betray or promote unity.

Then, if you have a teen around to talk to, have that conversation with him or her or them.

Last, tell me about it.

Maybe Adam said, “Uh-oh.”  I don’t know.  But, Jesus said, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  That’s us.  Pass it on.

Love, Craig