Are you a "Christian" ?

Have you ever been put into a stereotype? Had someone classify you the same as the rest of a group based on one reason or another? Have you ever felt the victim of being classified as a "Christian?"

I talked in my last blog about how I am reading "Blue like jazz" and how it has been a very thought provoking experience for me. Something it has currently got me thinking about is the stereotypical "Christian."

I can get into very heated and passionate discussions when it comes to hypocritical Christians, as a lot of members of my youth group could probably tell you. Its one of my biggest pet peeves. Hypocrites. And not just any type...but hypocritical Christians.

Growing up in the Salvation Army, it's a horrible truth to admit that this crime is so evident in our church. "Sunday Christians" or people who have never uttered the words "I'm a Christian" from their mouths, but who go into uniform to be able to play in the band, sing in the songsters, or just to uphold the norm for a 14 year old who attends a Salvation Army church. Hypocritical thought, action, and words are all very present in the church as a whole and amoung seemingly godly people (obviously not just the Salvation Army).

Is it any wonder that people don't want anything to do with religion, or God, or the church? Is it any wonder that it's so hard to be a Christian in a secular setting and stand up for what we believe in? We, the "Christians", have dug our own grave...and now we can't get out.

We claim to live for Jesus, and that we would do anything for the cause. Yet how many of us will pray or read our Bible in a public place? Yes, I am not ashamed as I once was, but it took me 21 years to get to that point. The time when the people alround me really needed my influence, and really could have used hearing about God's love...my whole childhood and teenage years...they've been wasted by my hypocritical behaviour and inability to stand up for what I believe in.

Who do we look to when we need someone to blame for the bad rap that Christians get? Who's fault is it that people have such bitter memories of the church or of a "Christian" encounter? I'll tell you. It's our fault. The "Christians." The people claiming to be living their lives for Jesus. And it's time we start taking responsibility for it, confessing our hypocritical behaviour, and asking for forgiveness. Yes we need to ask our Father in Heaven for forgiveness...but what about everyone who has been offended, hurt, crushed, and damaged? What about all those lost souls who for one reason or another has formed a negative and misinformed opinion of God because of human weakness? Why should the cause of Christ suffer because of our negligence and laziness??

We are human. We are weak. And just because we're "Christians" doesn't exempt us from that. We need to face up to the fact that we make mistakes, and we misrepresent God. I think that we need to disassociate ourselves from the term of "Christianity" and instead of trying to witness as if we have something to sell or force apon people, talk about our stories. Talk about what Jesus has done for us. Jesus needs to be real, needs to be a person that we talk to, that we can relate to...someone who likes us. We can't look at witnessing or demonstrating our faith as a job, or an obligation. We should just be so full of the love we have for our Father we can't help but talk about it. Talk about conversations we've had with Him. Talk about the miraculous works he has done in our lives.

You might not have personally offended or hurt anyone by your works as a Christians, or maybe you're just not aware. I look back at anyone who knew that I was a "Christian" yet I lied to them, gossiped about them, hurt them, failed to stand up for what I believe, or they saw some other behaviour from me that I'm ashamed of....and I regret it all. But God is definilty a forgiving God. And He understands. He just wants me to do a lot better next time around.

I don't want to be a stereotypical Christian. I want to be someone who is known for having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I want people to be able to hear and really listen when I tell them about the passion and love I have for my Father in Heaven. I don't want to be ashamed. And I don't want to misrepresent the most important person in my life.

God deserves to be seen in this world! He deserves his children to be showing what living for Him really means! No more hypocritical behaviour...no more "Christianity." We need to find out what Jesus means to us, what role He really has in our lives...and if we feel that He is worth living for.

To say that we would die for our faith and for God is a great and powerful thing. But to really LIVE for Him...That's far greater.