Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Edgy Christianity

Bill and I are beginning a new ministry with a group of people we've never met at a church that was founded in the late 1800's. I was struck with this comment by Lee Strobel about what it means to live out our Christian faith in an "edgy" way.

'Tour-bus Christians' drive comfortably through life as they gaze out the window at others who are elbow-deep in the daily adventure of serving God and working among spiritually needy people.

Tour-bus Christians are insulated from the real-world activity and excitement of God's work. They may avoid some of the pain that's involved, and they may protect themselves from the difficulties and struggles, but there's no real adventure on a tour bus. They miss out on the excitement of living at the edge of expectation. They don't experience the tremendous counter-cultural truth that the more a Christian pours himself out serving others in God's name, the more god will fill him to overflowing. The adventure comes when you tell the tour bus to stop, and you jump off and say:

'Lord, I want to get into the fray. I want to play a role in the biggest adventure story of all time. Use me to make a difference. use me to impact a young person for You. Use me to solve someone's problem. Use me to soothe someone's pain. Use me to answer someone's prayer. Use me to fee someone who's hungry. Use me to rescue a child. Use me to bring someone to You. Use me to ease someone's loneliness. use me to raise a godly family.

Use me to deepen someone's faith. use me to cheer someone on. Use me to help a broken person understand that he's precious in Your sight. Use me to touch lives in Your name.

I don't want to just observe cathedrals through by bus window; I want to roll up my sleeves and build one! Lord, use me to build a living cathedral dedicated to Your glory.'

Lee Strobel

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