Recently a friend of mine handed me a copy of Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne

To say revolutionary is limiting its impact upon Christendom. It is more a “calling out” of Western Christianity in its laziness, contentment and consumerism lifestyle. This book is exactly the kind of book I would want to write… Within the pages Shane unabashedly unveils what Western Christianity has become which can be easily compared to the Pharisees… of which Jesus called whitewashed tombs and cups which are clean on the outside but corrupt on the inside full of greed and wickedness (Luke 11:42-43). In the midst of reading this book, I have found myself deeply cynical of the church, of Christendom… a mindset I deeply deplore.

I want to instead look upon something like the church and see it’s good, see it’s impact, it’s love and it’s power… But as I drive around, this is not what I see. I see huge buildings, huge auditoriums, expensive equipment, appendages to the church. A church with many appendages but no arms. No comfort (except emotional comfort to the contented). No outreach (except to scoop more people ($$) into the tithing program, which for your ease can now be taken monthly from your checking account via a automatic withdrawal (to ease the sacrifice of actually writing a check). I long for a community that doesn’t spend its budget on the program. But rather spends its money on the people, the needy, the homeless, and the forgotten. I am tired. But not ready to throw the towel in. I believe in a church that affects change, not by mere words, but by action. I believe in a God who lives, dwells, and blesses those who live in His presence, not a place… for He now dwells within us, John 15:1-17, but an action, a community, a gathering, a helping hand.