Burst My Bubble....Please

For those of you not fluent in Chritianeese, Christians have this thing we call the "Christian Bubble."  It's a comfy little place; a cozy nook dressed with all the amenities of a 5-Star hotel.  It offers made-to-order sermons at the touch of a button, church volunteers eager to greet you with service and smile, hot coffee and a warm muffin, any book you desire to fill a specific "spiritual-kick" you may be on, people who speak the same, often Treky-like language, and to solidify my analogy...yup, a fitness center.  I mean shoot, who would ever want to stray far from that path?  It feels good right?...RIGHT!

So here's the deal.  In no way (I repeat: "in-no-way") is this post a planned attack on the ministries of the modern church or any one church in particular.  I can appreciate the intent and the proven ability to drive people through those church house doors; doors that ultimately lead to a sermon (hopefully) based on Biblical truth; truth that can change hearts and change lives with the power of Christ.  I get it.  However, I DO want to suggest that these comforts promote exactly that...comfortable living.  And while they entice them to walk through those doors, how much is being done to get them out the door and on the streets where they belong? 

When the "training grounds" are filled with so many great amenities it can be difficult for individuals to break free from those show-cased comforts when they walk out and hit the battlefield for Christ.  I mean come on, let's not forget who we are: the enemy to the wicked; the hated among the evil; the mocked among the "higher-minded;" the radical among the "mystics" and so on.  But yea, comfort definitely makes it difficult to burst the proverbial bubble or at least the desire or the "want-to."

So what kind of evidence or knowledge am I bringing to the table?  Only the fact that I've lived in this thing nearly my entire life.  I've had glimpses of life "outside the bubble" but usually those were circumstances by which I was the "mission field" and not the one bringing "the mission." 

I'm tired of living in this thing, and I'm frustrated because it is completely and entirely MY FAULT.  Therefore, my goal over the next few weeks is to begin processing life outside this bubble as it relates to my Christian faith and put forth energy and practice at explaining the staple things that we-Christians take absolutely for granted (i.e. sin, salvation, the human condition, goodness, evil, heaven, hell, etc) and do so in such a way that not only speaks truth to the non-believer, but also revitalizes the hunger and pursuit of Christ for those of us claiming to follow Him. 

I'll end with two notes: 

1) If we are followers of Christ, we should feel compelled to share with those that don't know Him the joy and freedom we experience as a result of our salvation.  But how can we do that if we don't even know how to engage them in a language they understand?  "Sinful," "fallen," "evil," and "saved" just aren't good enough.  We should know how to explain each one of those terms in a way that is completely in-line with scripture.  Are you there?  If not, why not?  What will you do to get there?  Are you willing to break from the bubble and pursue those that need Christ?

2) Never feel as though you have arrived in the things of Christ simply because you know a few buzz words.  These words/terms represent the tip of an infinite iceberg.  If we are to mature as believers and ultimately be the ones maturing others, we should have a solid grasp on what these mean....NOT to believers, but to non-believers.  I believe that as we learn this fact, we will realize the true depth associated with such magnificent terms.

So yea...ringading-ding; it's time to take up your cross...who's comin' with me!!??  Oh yea, you should hear a very loud POP as you walk out the door followed by what would seem to be a wheezing piece of rubber losing all of it's air...