Mike Erre’s book, The Jesus of Suburbia, is a book meant to push Christians beyond the comfort of a suburbanized, safe Christianity. Here’s an excerpt that seems even more powerful given the upcoming trip to Uganda.
"I'm inspired by the many college students in our church who take what are called the 'best years' of their lives and spend them on the poor, the needy, and the outcasts. When a team from our church recently left on a two-week mission trip to India, a young woman among them was making a one-way trip. She intends to stay for three years (maybe more) and minister to prostitutes and sex slaves.
What would happen if such giving began to characterize our churches? What would happen if we took the best of our resources and refused to spend them on ourselves but instead invested them in making the world a better reflection of Jesus? What would happen? People need to see what we are for, not just what we are against. So much of our message is tied to what the Christian opposes: Harry Potter, homosexual marriage, abortion, feminism, stem-cell research, et cetera. But what are we for? The world needs to know we stand for faith, love, truth, beauty, grace, compassion, kindness, and courage. The only way they will know is if we show them. Words, these days, are meaningless."
The sentence prior to this excerpt is exciting and depressing, "Luke reminds us that in the early church, 'there were no needy persons among them.' (Luke 4:32-35)"
My how Christianity has changed! Lord, change me. Help me to cheerfully give of my best so that the world can see the true image of your Son - the faithful, loving, truthful, beautiful, graceful, compassionate, kind, and courageous one.
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