holistic believers: my soapbox

The news the past two days has been a confirmation of the effects of sin in the world. The first is the situation with the Terri Shiavo family. It is heartbreaking to realize a person, one created in the image of God is being sentenced to death because she cannot feed herself. She is not brain dead. She can respond to stimuli and sentences. She can comprehend words and messages. She can feel pain and hopelessness.

It amazes me the callousness I am hearing and seeing from so many people in the news and around my life. Some are totally unconcerned and even ignorant of what is going on. Others have no understanding of it and don't even care because she can't "have a normal life anymore". My question is who determines normal? They list a whole bunch of criteria for a normal life, and then I bring up the fact that normal is a life without sin, the life Adam and Eve enjoyed before the fall. They usually just stare at me blankly.

It's not that I want to win an argument with these people, I want them to see that this woman is created in the image of God and she's being murdered by a adulterous husband who has two children with another woman and is just wanting the million dollar life-insurance policy. I want Christians to stop being apathetic about what is going on in the world. I want believers to realize that fighting for another's life or working for social justice is as valuable as arguing over theology if not more valuable.

Our seminaries and colleges are teaching all kinds of theologies and theories to students, but they have no idea how to do ministry and how to relate to anyone without an Master of Divinity. We are making carbon-copies of Jerry Fallwell and Oral Roberts without realizing what the world needs is not more high-profile preachers but believers who are willing to work in the trenches and get themselves dirty in order to show Christ to a dead world. We need believers who understand what a transformed life means and is able to not only talk about it but live it.

I'm not saying we need to be more involved in the political process, because we cannot bring salvation to the world through legislation. What we need are Christians who think biblically and allow the grace that we have been lavished with to transform every part of our lives. We need to be disciples who understand what Christ has done and live like it. Our lives need to be totally transformed in every way--mind, body, heart and soul. The transformed life is not just a heart issue or just about eternity. We have been saved for not only eternal life, but an abundant life.

We need to be Christ-followers who will love unconditionally but who will also stand up for what is right and be a voice for the oppressed--physically, emotionally and spiritually. We need to not only be concerned with people's souls but also with the people themselves--mind, body, heart and soul. People don't want to hear about Jesus or the "eternal state of their soul" if they know we can care less about who they are. We need to earn the right to speak to them and then back up the love and grace we speak of with our lives.

Well, there's my soapbox. Hope it's not too preachy, but it's what I'm feeling right now. Feel free to comment.

until Christ is formed in us...

mike