Monday, June 29, 2009

What's Wrong With Christianity Today?

It depends on the defini of Christianity. Come with me on a little journey-pack your google in your top pocket, open a new tab or duex and let's see what.
First, for fun, let us face the music: google “Contemporary Christian Music magazine” -click on the top entry and visit CCM online.
If your speakers are on, do you hear anything of gospel? Under the ‘music’ tab click artists. Click around and you might see Amy Grant listed, which is fine...but the rest are beyond my ken, and possibly yours. See anything of Jesus there? Supposedly it is a generational thing-the parents listen to the Gaithers, the kids have their Rag Top Crucifix and Black Barn-two band names I just made up but which would fit in very well in CCM magazine. So would my imaginary band from a few weeks ago, the ‘Meth Living Suicides’ who didn’t even know that CCM labeled them a Christian group.
When ready to continue our little netjaunte, follow me to our next desti-
google “Christianity Today”, follow the sponsored link to the online magazine and kill the popup.
When I visited the site last night, the only mention of the name of “Jesus” was in the title of a film revue where the reviewer was chortling about the funniest scene in “Monty Python’s The Life Of Brian”.
There are a few generalized mentions of God, but Jesus Christ is as absent here as at CCM. However, today (while it is called today) there is a review of that Christian classic, “Transubstanciformers-Revenge of the Fallen” Spoiler: the fallen sinners get revenge on and defeat God, and everyone parties like its 1999,999,999,999,999.
When your spirits have been uplifted plenty enough at Christianity Today, google “Jesus Christ”. Your mileage may vary, but my browser returned 47,300,000 hits. Now, just for fun, type in “Beatles”. I guess Lennon was right-I see 53,000,000 hits. Huh.
This all started when I began reading “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” by Philip Yancey. He writes well, but doesn't say much about Jesus Christ.
He seems to think that Christians need to be scolded (?) into extending grace to unbelievers and each other.
Here’s an example from page 31:
‘Mark Twain used to talk about people who here “good in the worst sense of the word,” a phrase that, for many, captures the reputation of Christians today. Recently I have been asking a question of strangers--for example, seatmates on an airplane--when I strike up a conversation.
“When I say the words, ‘evangelical Christian’ what comes to mind?
In reply, mostly I hear political descriptions: of strident pro-life activists, or gay-rights opponents, or proposals for censoring the Internet. Not once--not once--have I heard a description redolent of grace. Apparently that is not the aroma Christians give off in the world.’

My answer to Philip Yancey, so concerned with how the world sees us, is found in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17
“15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 17For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.”
To put it in simple, if we smell good to God, we shouldn't be pleasing to unbelievers.
Who Is Philip Yancey? He has been an editor at Christianity Today where we can’t find much of Jesus Christ. I’m sure he’s comfortable there. And well loved by the world.

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