Quit Putting the Christian Label on Everything!... And Other Random Thoughts

Hello, all! Sorry that last week's post was a tad on the longish side... I'll try to keep this one short and sweet.

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Cody Deese, a youth pastor, speak on his spring tour, and man, was it amazing! His last message was about being in the world, but not of the world, something a lot of people get confused on.

Basically, we're either one or the other-- in the world (just barely) or of the world (excessively). In the world: meaning we're here, but we'd rather not be. So we take everything that we can't see or hear or read or use because it's "pagan" and stick a Christian label on it. Music... the world had Green Day, SLAP on goes the label, and now us Christians have Third Day. The world had secular books, SLAP on goes the label-- they're still secular books, but now you can buy them from the "Christian" bookstores, not the pagan ones! Do you see what I'm getting at here? It's ridiculous! I mean, we have "Christian" tattoos, music, books, movies, and these are all good and well. But we're not "of the world" when we don't even allow these "pagan" things into our life!

And it's taking it a dreadful step forward when we don't allow "pagans" themselves into our life. Basically, the message was: Be in the world (God called us to be witnesses, not judges and lawyers, and how can we witness when we go to a "Christian" school, live in a "Christian" neighborhood, and only have Christian friends) but not of the world (no need to take it too far but totally throwing the Holy Spirit out the window-- that's why you feel guilty when you're listening to a dirty song or doing dirty, "worldly" stuff). ...Just a thought.

On to the random stuff...

I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding at a friend's sleepover the other night, and I have to say, it cracked me up (even though I don't recommend it). Now all I have to do to my friend to make her die from laughter is to say in a Greek accent, "It was my twiiiiiiin!!!!"

Another thing: for my best friend's birthday, I'm writing her a story. Great present, I know! So far, the forest guide named Ashley has been taken captive along with her group by a band of Hungry Hungry Hippos. Turns out the hippos are part of a fight to the death for the totalitarian government leaders, Milton and Bradley. Only 2 kids escape-- and with the help of a lone Hungry Hungry Hippo, Nyssa, and her boyfriend Pete-- they rescue the group, while keeping away from the increasingly strange creatures in the woods. (Think: an escaped murderer named Buck, Ben Ben the Lizard Man, the magical rock, demon wolves, and more on the way!)

Oops, I lied. It wasn't short, but I sure hope it was sweet.

How are some ways you're in the world? Are you of the world?

Is it possible to be both?

(Author's Note: You may notice that I use the word Christian sometimes with quotations, sometimes without. This is because Christian is a word that describes a person: a follower of Jesus. A movie, book, song, or tattoo can't have a relationship with God! That's why I use quotations, to show that these things aren't REALLY "Christian". By the way, if you're interested in Cody's messages, go to codydeese.com. I think currently he's in Arkansas, so if you live in Our Kansas, you're in luck!)