Calling all Reform Voters

In the press recently are reports of Reform voters (or would-be voters) and others with nationalist convictions or politically 'far right' views turning to the church. Some may even be making some steps to enquire about the Christian faith, or feel they are 'returning' to the faith of the parents / grand-parents. Articles like this one report on the dilemmas and apparent contradictions that this raises for church leaders.

 

Not surprisingly this has raised a few eyebrows, but from a mission perspective I would argue: 'business as usual'! The reality is that at any time people might start looking towards church and/or faith for a whole variety of reasons ... and they will bring their baggage with them. This is normal!

The challenge in working with anyone new or a person who randomly just turns up, is to offer welcome and Christ-like friendship. That will not mean simply appeasing them and their views, nor will it mean simply assimilating them into your church congregation or group ... because to be Christ-like is not to simply accumulate bums on seats. Instead it will mean journeying with them as best as you can, and will include listening to them along with their views. That listening will hopefully go deeper, discerning what for lies behind those views for this person.

In parallel with this activity, it will mean lovingly and confidently asserting the gospel of Jesus over and over, snippet by snippet. That will inevitably highlight sooner or later the way of Jesus with its summaries of 'Love God and Love your neighbour as yourself'. That way of course reveals God who has a bias to the poor, the underdog, the refugee, those at the margins ... regardless of race or country of origin.

Of course it is these very same gospel foundations that have led to the principles on which our 'Christian-based society' or 'Christian-based country' are founded! They underpin our laws and the freedoms that nationalists think they want to protect. And they underpin our historic welcome and sense of duty to asylum seekers, forming the basis of international treaties that our country helped author and signed up to.

Some might find that surprising ... and when spelt out they might even find it offensive. Paul writes that we are the aroma of Christ, but for some it is like a bad odour (see 2 Corinthians chapter 2)! But just because some will find it offensive, we should not shy away from or hold back the true gospel of Jesus - that ultimately Jesus is Lord and not our political leaders, that it is Jesus we follow and not the ideas of political leaders that we find appealing.

We need not assert these truths in an argumentative or forced fashion, but ultimately there are surely 'way-posts' along the journey with someone where we need to be clear on choices to be made. Those choices are essentially between opening hearts to let God transform our priorities and thinking (Paul writes this as 'renewing of our minds' in Romans 12), and the choice to continue with hard hearts with all its 'othering' of different people groups and the attitudes (and political policies) that arise from such a choice.

Traitors - Our Calling to Reality

Last week the final of Celebrity Traitors was aired on TV and drew large audiences not amassed for a long time in British TV. The clever dynamics of the game had many of us hooked, and it proved to be high drama with suspense right until the final reveal.

The winner Alan Carr did an excellent job of being a "wolf in sheep's clothing" until the very end!

In our culture today the question of discerning what is 'true' from that which is 'false' or fake becomes ever more pressing. But we also have to admit that we all wear masks or present an edited version of ourselves to people around us to varying degrees. We are longing for people we meet to be genuine and real, but that can often seem elusive.

As followers of Jesus, sent into the world to point to Jesus and His Kingdom, we are surely called to stand out in the crowd as genuine and real. Jesus said the light should not be hidden under a bucket, and lamented the possibility of salt no longer being salty. If we hide or obscure the reality of who we are in Christ, are we not hiding under a bucket or losing our salty distinctiveness?

The call to follow Jesus is a call to learn to be open about who we are in Him. Not in an insensitive overbearing way - but being up front about what motivates and drives us: our faith in the risen Lord Jesus.

The love of Christ compels us, because in Him is the ultimate Truth that enables all things ultimately to hang together. We therefore live clear and truthful lives now, showing the reality now of a life lived in Christ, knowing (and motivated by) a greater reality that is to come. Paul summed this up in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 where he writes extensively about the resurrection, and the reality of a physical / bodily resurrection for us all, as witnessed first in Christ. Paul is set and clear about this reality, and says (verse 19) that if this is wrong, then he and all other Christ followers are the 'most to be pitied' ... because in that case the final reveal will not turn out as he has been saying!

Traitors on TV is of course just a game. But everyday life for all of us brings the same complexities that the contestants faced - with each of us having to work out what (and who) is true. As Christ followers, help others discover the ultimate Truth by being open, genuine and real about your faith in Him.