"You must not be a Christian"

Let me preface this post with a disclaimer.  This post is solely about my experiences and my views.  It is in no way a comment on your views, your church, or your experiences.  There is no need to get offended, try to change my views, or convince me that I am “wrong” and you are “right.”  I hope and pray that you are learning the same things in your church that I am.  I hope that my experience in other churches is not yours, truly.  However, I can only speak to my experiences and beliefs.

I often find myself defending my “liberal” Christian views, especially as they are tied to my political thoughts.  Often times, I have found myself questioned on whether I am even a Christian or more like accused of not being a Christian at all.  Literally!  People have said things such as, “You must not be a Christian” or “You need to go read your Bible more.”  Recently, a friend posted a meme on Facebook about how Liberal churches basically welcome you and don’t expect you to change or something along those lines.  At the time, I breezed by it, but it has stuck with me.  So, let me tell you a little about what has happened as I have attended “liberal” and “progressive” churches and as I have spent more and more time reading the Bible.

·         I have never felt more convicted of my personal sins than I have in liberal and progressive churches.  I have never been pushed harder to do more, be better, help others, or be the church more than I have in these churches.  This is mostly because the churches I have attended in recent years put a HUGE focus on our sins as Christians and our failures as a Church.  Therefore, rather than feeling like the pastor is focusing on someone else’s sin, I know, ever week, he or she is speaking about me and what I need to do, where I need to ask forgiveness and where I need to change.  Just this week we were reminded in church that Jesus went out to the people.  He didn’t wait for them to come to him and were reminded how badly we need to do that same thing in this broken and hurt world.  We are constantly told that we do not get to check our Christianity at the door and that our job is to continue to be the church every time we walk out those doors.  My church has taught me that when I draw a line between “us and them” I am sinning.  Period.  No discussion.  God loves “them” just as much as me.  He is not on my side.  He loves ALL his children.  If I perpetuate hate, I am working in DIRECT opposition to God’s will.  That is sinning in a pretty big way peeps!

·         I have never felt more EMPOWERED than I have in liberal and progressive churches.  I am constantly reminded that I am one of God’s children; I am one of his representatives here on earth, and put here to do his works.  I have the amazing ability to serve as an example of God’s grace and love to the people on earth, whether they are believers or not.  As a matter of fact, that is what I am supposed to do.  I (and my husband and children and friends and every other individual on God’s green earth) have the ability to CHANGE THE WORLD, by loving God and showing that love to others.  Little old me?  Able to change the world?  That is pretty powerful stuff.

·         About the whole “You need to read your Bible” thing.  I have spent more time reading my Bible in the past few years than ever in my life.  In preparation for my recent trip to Israel, I read all four gospels in a few weeks.  Sometimes, I read a chapter and analyze it.  Some days, I read it like a novel, as much as I can soak in at one time.  Have I read and studied every line and every word?  Not yet.  However, I can tell you this for sure.  The more I read, the more I realized I am commanded to love people.  I am commanded to do God’s will.  I am commanded to treat others respect and help those that are in need.  Just in the four gospels, we are commanded these things repeatedly.  Over and over, we are commanded to love your neighbor as yourself.  Not just love them, but love them as much as you love yourself.  In Mark 22, a scribe asks Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”  Jesus answered, “The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then in Matthew 25, Jesus says, “"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”  In these verses He lays it out clearly that we are to feed the hungry, give the thirsty something to drink, show hospitality to the stranger, clothe those without clothes, and visit those that are sick or imprisoned.

So, in response to every person who questioned my Christianity or who told me to read my Bible.  I did, I do, I will continue to.  As such, I cannot leave my convictions outside the polling booth.  So yes, my religion, my church, and the Bible all have the same result, a more liberal me and I am okay with it.