Hide and Go Seek Blog

To be honest, here at the blog I strive for a certain level professionalism. When making certain assertions I use narrative to develop my statement, instead of coming right out and saying it, embarrassing myself in the process. This blog, while an expression of my relationship with Christ, and a tool in our journey together as Christians, is also an expression of my love and talent for writing, and so I do my best to integrate all three of those things when doing so.

However, it all flies out the window with this one.

Two words. Jesus Camp. It’s sad…because it’s true. This documentary from American film makers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, travels with American children’s evangelist and pastor Becky Fisher through America’s Heartland, ending up at “Kid’s on Fire” Children’s Camp. Like fat camp for Pentecostals, Kid’s on Fire, held in North Dakota, represents a branch of Christianity that has absolutely missed the point. They have missed the point of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they have missed the point on children’s ministry and they have missed the point of church altogether, in their blind affirmation of the Republican Party. They represent a facet of faith, completely out of touch with reality.

The devastation of this movie is two fold. The first is that the filmmakers portray this tiny faction of charismatics as the whole of evangelical Christianity, which is certainly not true. Yet, I could understand how they could come to such conclusions, and be lead to make such a film. Because, unfortunately, wacky charismatics are usually the most loud and proud about their faith.

Yet the second is more troubling. That is, that though there was a bias presented in the generalization of all evangelical Christianity, the film’s depiction of this particular sect of charismatics is fairly accurate. Though this brand of ubber-charismatics has existed since the great Pentecostal revivals, it stands as a great example of Christians missing the point.

The whole point of this entry is to point to one thing. Our ability to find relevance within our culture. Gaining the right to be heard by those around us. This was essential to Christ’s message to us.

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?”” (Matthew 9:10-11)

The religious leaders didn’t get it. They didn’t understand. How could a religious teacher be with sinners? Doesn’t he understand the ramifications of his actions? He’s completly desecrated himself by being with these people! It was a completely counter-cultural action, and a mind blowing sight to see a Jewish Rabbi, such as Jesus was thought of, flying in the face of God’s law. Yet it was the religious leaders who didn’t understand. They were the ones who missed the point. Christ found relevancy with these men, the very men he came to save.

He knew that the only way He could do any good for them, the only way he could accomplish his task was this way. By being in their lives, by being relevant to them. By going out and reaching them and meeting them where they were, in their everyday lives. Jesus knew that there was no way he would reach this people by merely sitting in the synagogue or in the Temple court and teaching all day long.

In order to do any good for anyone, if took reaching across the universe, reaching across the cultural norms, across the accepted application of the Holy Scriptures themselves, to touch the shoulder and change the life of the lost people He came to save. In order to have a voice into people’s lives, to really make a difference, Christ broken all the rules, ate with the people he loved so dearly, cried with the ones that cried, laughed with the ones that laughed.

Something I didn’t expect to see in Jesus Camp, was the face of a man who was made famous for his evangelicalness, and even more famous for his fall from it. Ted Haggard made an awkward appearance in his former role as lead pastor of his megachurch in Colorado. Ted Haggard is an example for someone without relevancy. Now, before you turn your computer off at that comment, let me finish. The nicely packaged, press suited Ted Haggard had no relevancy, even more so after what happened. Yet, I think, the Ted Haggard that openly struggles with his own sin nature could have, in the appropriate setting, had tremendous relevancy. Tremendous relevancy in a society full of people struggling with their own sin nature. Don’t miss the point. Maybe God can do something with where we’re at.

, Chad