Consumer Christian as Anti-Christ

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Many of us go to church for selfish reasons.  They might be healthy reasons (I want fellowship, accountability, worship experience, to draw close to God, to be taught a challenging message) but they are primarily about me getting/consuming something.  Churches cater to this.  We promote ourselves as offering services or experiences, teaching or ‘community’– these are our goods which we promote to tantalize and tempt people to come to our church.  But this feeds into a stance in opposition to Christ who ”did  not come to be served, but to serve…”  We need to evaluate whether or not we are taking and not giving, consuming and not serving. 

The idea of service is sort of popular now.  Recent books like ‘the hole in our gospel’ have become must-reads at many churches.  Christians such as Shane Claiborne or Francis Chan are calling Christians to live their life to make an impact in the world– especially through Christian service.   Thinking about such radical transformational possibilities is exciting, and it is wonderful that Christians are considering such role models and being inspired to consider how they are spending their life more seriously.  But sometimes it results in serving at a soup kitchen once or twice, and then the excitement wears off, and its back to reality.  When we serve in order to scratch an itch to serve, the itch is quickly scratched, and then we feel fine.  When service becomes another need of ours, it is often a superficial desire which is easily satisfied and then we move on.

Old habits are hard to break, and many of us construct our lives in such a way that we make it quite difficult to serve, or to even think about it.  Most of the prompts around us draw us to think of ourselves first, and beside that we also have a natural born disposition to be fairly self centered.  So we construct a world sheltered from the poor and the hurting, and we fill our lives with work and leisure and busy-ness so that we really have very little time to consider the needs of others close to us, much less the needs of strangers outside my circle of acquaintances.  Its not that we don’t like the idea in general of living a life of sacrifice for Christ, its just that unfortunately, we are too busy to do it (although we’d really like to).

But the consumer attitudes run deeper than that in most of us.  Our packed lives make us more miserly with our time when it comes to being involved in Christian community.   I decide whether or not I’ll be in a small group not because I think God calls us to serve others through being in such groups, rather, my decision is based on what I will get out of it.  I decide whether or not I will attend a church gathering or meeting based on whether I think it’ll be a good sermon or who will be there, rather than going to honor God and to encourage others who are there.  We like the idea of community– of getting it.  But when it comes to being committed enough to create it for others– well thats not how most of us think about the matter. 

We know that whoever will try to gain his life shall lose it, and whoever loses it for Christs sake will gain it, but still, its hard to give up our lives, our days,  our evenings, our mornings, our hours.  We have a lot going on.  We have a lot to lose.  We don’t really believe Jesus.  “I tell you the truth”, Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and th egospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present agee…and in the age to come, eternal life” Mark 10:29

The notion of servanthood is kind of cool.  Being a faithful servant of others in commitment and real love is very very hard.  It takes discipline and life choices which confront us with choices to live our lives for ourselves or to really lay down our lives and our schedules for others.   When we have such busy and such multifaceted lives, it is hard to be willing to get tied down to the needs of others, and the bother of regular commitments and faithful service. 

Am I a person who is a life-consumer or a life giver?  Am I someone who provides grace and peace to others, or am I so frantically living my life that I am usually running on empty and so unable to really stop to think about others, much less actually live for their sake instead of my own?  One can’t simply decide to think about others– the reasons we don’t are often rooted in our lifestyles and habits which go deep and run throughout our lives.  Christian life and practice is based on fundamental decisions we make about how we construct our lives.  Have we constructed our lives to allow us to serve others, or have we constructed them so as to have no time left for the Other?  This is a good question to ask ourselves…

Here is a great ‘scolding’ from Mark Driscol on being a consumer Christian (no, I don’t agree with everything pastor Driscol says, but this is great):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUQyRTK6dQo

May God have mercy on us all…

Living Dangerously — Instead of Anti-Christ

Every time one gets out of the shower on the first floor of my house, there on the bathroom wall is a poster of Nietzsche looking at you.  The quote on the poster says, “Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!”  Of course what Nietzsche meant by this is anyone’s guess, being an atheist German philosopher of the 1800′s who struggled with the fact that it seemed that belief in God was dead and so a new morality needed to be created.  But many people have noticed that quote– family, friends and strangers.  

Of course at one level the quote seems absurd– when I was in high school my friend Brian and I used to go out on the rural gravel roads and he would get on top of the car, sprawled out, with one hand holding on gripping the roof through the open windows, and I would speed up to 60 mph, knowing Brian was still on because I could see his white knuckes and fingers on either side of me gripping the car.  And I think both Brian and I would say that, looking back, that was probably dangerous and fairly stupid.  But we still lived life more vigorously at that point than a lot of our friends were…

Its not so hard to live life dangerously when there is not much to lose.  When you are young and single and have very little, its easier to be risky.  With a wife, job, kids and mortgage, you get more risk-averse.  But even some people who are young don’t like risks.  And of course there are some young souls who always take risks– even when they are not so young in age.   Part of the reason people don’t like risks is that they want to make sure they are in control of the variables– in control of life.  That is understandable– but that doesn’t mean its necessarily the best way to live. 

Oswald Chambers wrote for June 27th,

“The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is not time to stand up for ourselves.  Jesus says, in effect, ‘Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.’  Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him.  Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it.”

This is the opposite of my tendency– and the tendency of most of us.  We just want to make sure that we get what we have coming– let others suffer what problems they may have.  I don’t care if others are stupid enough to get the raw end of the deal– thats none of my concern– but I’m sure not going to be taken for a fool.  Our concern is more often for justice for ourselves, our own family, our own children, our own situation– and not others.  We can justify it to ourselves as ‘common sense’, as a ‘motherly concern’ or ‘paternal obligation’, as being ‘wise as serpents and innocent as doves’– or we can not justify it at all, but simply do it because we can and we are cleverer than most.  But in any case, we are in some sense doing it out of selfish concern– a concern for self over others, and it is an anti-Christ attitude in that  rejects His call that we follow Him in giving ourselves up for the sake of others ‘who know not what they do’.  We see it as just taking care of our own business and being responsible.  He sees it as rejecting His call to a life that is really worth living– a life of sacrifice that risks what he has given us back potentially to lose it completely and utterly– our utmost for His highest.

Oswald continues: “If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to say, ‘Why should I be treated like this?’ If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust.  In essence, Jesus says, ‘Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life.  If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.’ ”

When we live our lives guardedly, we will constantly give up opportunities to live it for Christ.  We will constantly give up those possibilities of really losing ourselves for Christ and His kingdom.  We refuse to follow Christ there because honestly we do not believe that Christ is sufficient to give us what we need.  We don’t really believe in God at those points…

Again, Oswald says, “Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard– we do not believe Him.  We put our common sense on the thrown and then attach God’s name to it.  We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6)

Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It says to lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge God, and He will make your way straight.  This is the more dangerous approach– sometimes the less common sensical approach.  But in that we are then able to release to God our responsibility and trust that God will provide as we step out in faith for Him, it is our opportunity to not have to be in charge, to not have to try to control the outcomes, and to leave ourselves in the hands of God– intentionally, hopefully, and with expectation of good things.  I believe that when we live dangerously like that, that we will, as Nietzsche says, reap the greatest fruitfulness from our lives. 

May God have mercy on us all.   –andy

The Latest Renovation/Redemption Project

I am just about finished with renovating a 6 plex near Leavenworth and Park Avenue. We have solid tenants living there now, who really want to make the neighborhood better. When I bought it in August of 08 it had been boarded up for a long time, the copper pipes stolen, the wiring boxes ripped out, and garbage left everywhere from the squatters who broke in. The latest project is an 8 plex at 27th and Dewey. Even my ‘guys’ who work with me said that that neighborhood is ‘tough’. I am hoping that by transforming this building we will make a significant inroad into changing this neighborhood and getting a foothold to start a positive space/habitation that can eat into the trouble and overtake the trouble in the neighborhood. Obviously tagging is an issue in this neighborhood, and we will fight that. If you want to see lots of pictures of the 8 plex check out:  http://www.andygustafson.net/net/dewey/2709_dewey.htm 

 –Andy Gustafson (andygustafson.net)

coffee time with the locals

Lately, 3-4 mornings per week I’ve been having Izzy, Richard and Mike come over for coffee around 830. They are guys who live in the neighborhood and do work for me on various projects– from sanding floors to painting to tilework or fixing windows. They have all lived in my places at one time or another, and they are all on gov’t assistance to various extents. All of them have been homeless at some time. They live on the edge in many respects. I learn a lot from them about steadfastness, habits, alcohol, and myself. Izzy and Richard have been alcohol free for three weeks now, and Mike just inherited some money, but is continuing to work and to try to be responsible with his money. I like the rhythm of having them over most mornings, and I think it is good for them too– we laugh and talk about current events or whats going on on 33rd street. I really do enjoy these guys.  Its not an earth-shaking selfless act to make coffee and serve these guys, but they enjoy it and appreciate it.  Its one of those small habits that makes a small difference in the lives of those in my neighborhood.  I’d be interested to hear about other people’s experiences reaching out in small ways like that to their neighbors…

Meeting the Good Neighbor: Steven Stout

On Tuesday March 17th we had Steven Stout of Good Neighbor Ministries come share with us about what they do and his heart for his neighborhood which runs roughly from Leavenworth to Martha streets and 20th to 32nd, including the Park Avenue area. Steven has a humble spirit and is easy going. He lives with his wife and four kids near 27th and Poppleton St. and has been doing this ministry for 13 years since he was first asked to do so by Faith Bible Church, at 27th and Hickory south of Poppleton St. His office is just north of the church. He lives on donations from various supporters, most being out of state. His goal is to share Christs love through helping with various tasks such as yard cleanup, painting, and helping with household tasks, often connecting needs with available volunteers, and often taking on the task himself, especially if it has to do with a chainsaw (which he enjoys running). Most importantly, Steven has a desire to help establish lasting life change in people. He has nearly 140 people on his volunteer list, and they have various degrees of involvement. He also has some groups from other churches volunteer to help with particular projects. One of the largest events he coordinated last year involved nearly 150 volunteers all descending on his neighborhood on the same day to help with cleaning up after the storm. He told us that recently he has tried to focus a bit more on prayer and really helping to make lasting changes in peoples lives and a little less on “doing, doing, doing”. There are always tasks that need to be done, and it seems that Steven usually can figure out a way to get them done. It was good to hear from Steven, and we hope to be able to volunteer for some of the projects he has. For anyone who wants to get on the email list to find out who needs what help, just let Steven know at gnm-1@juno.com or give him a call at 402-344-4738

Cleaning up is a suspicious business

Last Saturday, Jan. 17, we went out and cleaned up some of the unpleasantness at 31st and Davenport. There was a whole slew of mess to clean up, but we stuck to mostly brush and weeds, which was more than enough to fill Andy’s truck. The trash will have to wait until the snow is gone.

As soon as we showed up, I thought to myself, “Someone is going to call the cops on us.”

Sure enough, about 30 minutes into it, three cops showed up and said someone told them we were dumping stuff. They immediately realized we weren’t and that, in fact, we were doing the complete opposite, so they left.

It was funny because we showed up with a completely empty pickup truck that got fuller and fuller, but someone still thought we were dumping.

It’s understandable. It was an odd thing we were doing. It’s not like we were painting a house or helping an elderly woman across the street, something you see and immediately say, “Oh, that’s a good thing.” We were four strangers rummaging around in a corner of the neighborhood that needed some attention.

All things considered, it was a great day.

-Zach