I was thinking about my last post and how we are seen as so unconventional by our way of life (and we are), how most of Christianity feels either threatened by us or that we have lost our way, when I open up Hosea and read something like this: God told Hosea, go marry an adulterous wife and take children of unfaithfulness.
How would that be received today by the "church"? What would happen to the "senior pastor" if he said that God told him to marry a prostitute? Then call his kids names like: not loved, not mine. Talk about unconventional. Then I got thinking about almost anyone in the book and it's the same over and over. Prophets disappearing, miracles abounding, talking to an ass (the animal kind although there are plenty of the other kind in the book too), getting pregnant without having sex, changing water into wine. SO unconventional and irreligious and yet we read it like it's just an old story when this should send our religious personae spinning.
What if He told me to lay on top of someone's dead child and breath into his mouth? What if He told me to go up to someone with split personalities and tell demons to flee from him/her? Because this was not only unconventional and irreligious, but culturally insensitive too (We try to sanitize and avoid confrontation- while Jesus tells his biggest crowd to drink his blood and eat his flesh- which insidentaly caused about everyone to leave). What if He called me to cross cultural borders and invite in strangers and become everything to all people in the hopes of being a conduit so that some might be saved?
And what if I was faithful to do all these crazed out things He tells me? The kingdom is at hand, the kingdom is upon us, the kingdom is within us. He does call us to all that and more. May I have the courage to be even more crazy than this.
From the New, not Old testament or covenant, post resurrection, not just to the twelve, but for all believers, the not so popular great commission: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe [and I presume- those who obey]: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:15-18
2 comments:
You go girl!
I have long been saying that Agent Family is prophetic. "Weird" is not a term I have used, but it captures a sense of it alright. And "comfort-zones" are contemptuous before your "weirdness". Keep up the good work.
I have one exegetical quibble. Mark did not really write the passage you site. Some one added that to the text later. (I have no doubt someone will want to argue the point, but its not really Mark after 16:8.)
Nevertheless, you and B are tremendous examples and encouragement to me. Your unconventional ministry is not just "weird" it is bold, daring, and fearless. It confronts the rest of modern Western Christianity with a disturbing God who is unhappy with our comfort bubbles.
I woke this morning half dreaming and seeing visions of a preacher standing before the congregation asking for a show of hands saying, "Raise your had if you think your children will rely on social security." No one raises their hands. Then the preacher says, "Please stand if you have successfully made other retirement arrangements for yourself."
At this point about a third of the adult congregents proudly and confidently rise from thier seats, feeling smug that they have done their Republican and Christian duty successfully.
But then the preacher asks those standing to look around the room at every man woman and child who is still seated and asks, "What have you done for the least of these?"
Imagine a church where as a community we decided to break with empire security, what a risky move, and as the body of Christ become the unconventional, sacrificial, deeply loving answer to social security problems for each other rather than sitting on church pews in complete comfort, punching our weekly spiritual time cards, and taking care of our selves first and others maybe ... if there is something left over.
I don't mean to steal you thunder. I mean to echo it in the distant canyons of God's creation this morning. I am with you on this. I think you are both preaching and living a message, both the world and I need today.
Thank you.
Agent X
preach it sis!
i love weirdness.
and you guys are definitely weird!
keep it up but prepare to be hated...
but not by me or mine
peace
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