Am I a Christian?

Of course I am. The thought that I’m NOT a Christian had never crossed my mind until recently. Over the course of the last couple years of living in the small affluent community of El Dorado Hills California, I have been told that I am not a Christian – not just once but on two separate occasions. To make matters worse it came from teen age boys that I have known and respected (and still respect) through over six years of coaching. Each time I asked the boy why he thought I wasn’t a Christian. Both answers were the same - because I was a member of a particular church and that we weren’t Christians. Maybe these boys were on to something that I better check in to.

I consulted the American Heritage 4th Addition dictionary and it defines a Christian as one who “professed belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.”  Not only do I profess His name, but with the grace of God I do my very best to follow Him by making Him Lord and Master in my life. So far so good.

Outside my church is a marquis that bears the name of my church. Within the official name of the church is the very name of Jesus Christ, not just the nickname first given at Antioch of the followers of Christ. Inside people speak of Jesus Christ, teach that he died, on the third day was resurrected and lives today. There are no crosses but lots of paintings depicting Christ and his ministry. Based on the dictionary definition and what I personally observe going on within the four walls of my church, I must conclude that I am a Christian.

So, I asked both boys where they ever got the ridicules idea that I wasn’t a Christian. Both responded that they were told that by their youth pastor. Both attend the same popular non-denominational church here in El Dorado Hills. About a year ago my high school age son was invited by a friend to attend a Sunday night youth lecture entitled “Jesus versus [nickname for my church].” My son accepted the invitation with my support. The title of the lecture caught my curiosity and since I’m young at heart I also attended (though in the back out of sight – I didn’t want to embarrass my son, though I did when his friends asked “isn’t that your dad sitting in the back?”).

The lecture was absolutely fascinating, not entirely correct, sometimes misleading but fascinating and very believable and influential for the 200-250 youth that attended. I took lots of notes that filled six 3X5 cards front and back. I left before a paper was handed out with all the internet references supporting what was said; and you know that if it’s on the Internet, it’s got to be true.

I guess you could say I heard it from the horse’s mouth. Now I know where my young teenage friends are getting their information or in this case some misinformation. I also learned through this experience that that if you define a term it becomes yours to use, yours to control. I deal with creating legal documents all the time and know it’s necessary to define legal terminology typically within the first couple pages that will mutually serve all parties involved in the life of a contract. This youth minister created his own definition and appears to be the sole beneficiary. In a nut shell he defined a Christian as one who accepts only his biblical view (plus several extra-biblical 4th and 5th century creeds) of Jesus and anything outside that view you must not be a Christian.

Well I suppose I could play the exclusion by definition game too. If I defined a Christian as one who accepts the authority of the Pope in Rome, then only Roman Catholics will be considered Christians. Not only could I could go back to my teenage friends and tell them they are not Christians (I would never do that), but my dear catholic friends would love me all the more for my creative slanted definition. Needless to say I don’t personally care that a teenage boy doesn’t think I’m a Christian. I’m more concerned that a youth pastor is teaching religious bigotry to these young people.

My wife recently told me about an interview she saw on PBS where the actor of Big Love, Larry (?) appeared to be shaking with rage as he went off on the faith of Mitt Romney’s fathers. I heard the interview replayed on the Hugh Hewitt show and could sense the deep animosity and bad feelings. I recently got a similar response from a friend of mine. I had asked her 16 year old son (one of the two boys who said I wasn’t a Christian) to tell me about his Christian camp experience over the summer. After getting the thirty second version that it was a great experience, I took the opportunity to tell him that despite what his youth pastor says, I am a Christian.

What I didn’t realize is that the mom, my friend for seven plus years, shares the same deep feelings of animosity toward members of my church as does this youth pastor. So, any comment about the youth pastor was a comment about the mom. I should have seen that coming. Now, I had heard her go off before on another church (the faith of her husband’s side of the family) and saw her get very passionate about how they were living a big lie. I got the same passionate speech only it was now directed at my church and it lasted much longer. When I asked her to be specific about the lies I was living she started to list them. She said that we didn’t worship Jesus. I responded that it was indeed a lie, that I do worship Jesus. She said that we think we can work our way to heaven. I responded that it is through grace of Jesus that we are saved and not by our own merits. The statements continued to come and they were all false. I asked her where she was getting this information. She went into another room and brought back a book on new religions and cults. She handed me the book. I accepted it on the condition that we can sit down and discuss the LIES as she called them in more detail. She accepted my challenge, though when I returned the book with lots of handwritten comments, she was too busy to schedule a time to talk.

I did meet with the youth pastor and have attended church and several study groups with this fundamental Christian church. The youth pastor is holding firm that I am not a Christian where as the three lay elders have conceded I am a Christian but one with a lot of unnecessary baggage. We have opened up some dialog that I hope can bridge the gaps of misunderstandings.

I really never doubted that I was a Christian – though I have since learned that apparently I am a Christian with some unnecessary baggage.  I’m okay with that. Just don’t say I’m not a Christian. Moreover, I would never doubt the sincerity of ones proclamation of his or her Christian beliefs. The transformation that takes place in humble followers of Christ speaks louder than words. The apostle Paul said to the saints in Corinth, “ye are my epistles.”  My Catholic and Episcopal friends know and believe I’m a Christian because they see how I love to talk about Christ, follow His ways, and how I treat my family and friends. They also know that I accept them as fellow Christians. I even dare say that there are parents of those youth who attended this lecture, which also attend the same church, believe that I’m a Christian, despite what their youth pastor says. They must not have received and their free copy of “New Religions and Cults.”

There are two things here that concern me. First, get the information where clear clean upstream waters flow. If I truly want to learn about Catholicism, I would ask a Catholic priest not a Jewish Rabbi (and vice versa). I suppose a Catholic Priest knows a little bit more about the tenants of Catholicism than this youth pastor. I am an expert on what I believe so I am available if he’s interested in a more balanced approach to the tenants of my faith.   Second, it is crucial to get beyond the “what” one believes stage to the “why” one believes it stage. This typically doesn’t happen during a one-sided one-way lecture.  There needs to be open dialogue.

I’m not taking these misrepresentations of the truth too personally because I know other churches were featured in the “Jesus versus ______ lecture series.” My church (rather the collective members) stands with this church and all other churches to uphold Judeo/Christian values, to defend the sanctity of marriage, fight against pornography, and other key moral issues. Does this church really think they are providing some type of public spiritual safety announcement for the community by having this lecture series? Parents of the children who drop your kids off at this church (or any church), are you aware of what is being taught and support this divisive dialog? You might want to stay and listen. As a religious community we ought to be unified not divided.

On a more positive note, I have met some wonderful people at this non-denominational church that have become new friends. I hope we can agree to disagree on points of doctrine and at the same time recognize that we share many things in common – first and foremost, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Brad
(14 year resident of the El Dorado Hills community, passionate about open and truthful religious dialogue, not acting for and behalf of my church - all views and opinions are my own)