Confrontational Christianity

When the word "confrontational" comes up in reference to Christianity, we often think of street preachers who confront passersby with such questions, "If you died tonight would you go to heaven or hell?" Confrontation has, in many circles, come to mean a form of evangelism. Once someone is a Christian, the confrontation stops.

I believe this is backwards. We need to be non-confrontational and non-judgmental with those who are not followers of Christ. Once someone becomes a follower, then we confront them, with love and grace.

This past weekend, my wife and I were out of town for a getaway. We attended a church, where the pastor stepped on numerous toes during the message. He was stepping on the of the church members. He blasted them for gossiping. He did it in a loving and corrective way.

Too many churches seek to coddle the Christian and confront the pre-Christian. When you look at Jesus' ministry he was very confrontational with the religious elite, but with the woman caught in adultery and woman at the well he was not.

Let's confront the problems within the Church, and quit slapping each other on the back with an "I'm-okay-you're-okay." We are not okay. Each of us is a broken person who need Christ daily.

Admit One

Yesterday, I was at the car dealership getting my oil changed. I was sitting in the waiting room reading a book. One lady stood up and walked around the small room handing out the tract seen in the picture. She said nothing as she thrust each tract at all four of us sitting there. I politely said, "Thank you," and went back to reading.

When I got home, I looked at it. I was intrigued by the "Admit One" ticket on the front. Is that what our view of salvation is about? Are we only interested in getting people a free ride to heaven? Is that all there is to the Christian life? We get our "Admit One" ticket that we can hand to St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. Then we go around handing out tracts without saying a word. Is that what it's all about?

What about Jesus inviting on an adventure? What about bringing the Kingdom of God to people on earth, here and now? What about relationships? What about relationships with others, including icky sinners? What about a relationship with the King of the Universe? It is all a present reality, not just a future hope.