Authentic Believers

I was very inspired by Donald Miller's book Blue Like Jazz

Thank you God that someone is saying the stuff that many Christians are thinking

We're not all black and white. We don't all buy into
WAR, MONEY, SUBURBS, SUVs, etc.

I have been thinking about a ministry I'd like to start- not that I have time- but I thought if I could take the 12 steps to the Church... the 12 steps were William Wilson's elucidation of the principles of the Oxford Group, which was an early 20th century group/movement that was trying to return to 1st century Christianity.

And those principles work really well- in fact, though many 12-step group members may not be Christians, some of them are much more honest and authentic, know their own hearts better, are less self-deluded than some Christians I've met. And when people share with the group, they are honest- the best 12-step examples share with as much honesty and humility as they can.

I've always been an outsider, and no less in Christianity.

So I'm thinking the ministry would be something like "Examine Your Heart", or "Psalm 139" or something.

When you look at the picture of the first believers in Acts 2:42-47, and also Acts 4:32-37, you see a picture of, dare I say, communism. I don't mean communism in the fallen world sense but an ideal sharing of possessions.

It seems to me that Christian "culture" these days misses the Biblical boat because we get too caught up in GREED, ISOLATION, US vs. THEM, etc.

I don't isolate myself to just Christians because I want to influence non-Christians, be a light unto the world.

I am guilty of spending too much time working and plotting my way toward financial self-sufficiency. I believe God is against self-sufficiency... that's one implication of the beatitudes.

And when it comes to dealing with money... our national policies are just as isolationist and greedy- do we deserve more money and opportunities than Mexicans? Than Africans?

We're just too afraid to give up our privileges, too afraid to go labor for men's souls in politically unstable environs.

I'm guilty of all this too- convicted about it- but I bring it up and contemplate it because I want to be what God wants me to be.