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As I’m in the midst of “They Like Jesus But Not The Church” by Dan Kimball…here’s a segment from this book…speaking of the Christian Bubble noted a week or so ago.
“Things really start changing in phase 3. As we slowly withdraw from ongoing relationships with those outside the church and focus on relationships with those inside the church, something happens. Once, it was more natural and even exciting to share life with people at work or at school, with relatives, or with neighbors. But slowly we begin to see evangelism as something the church does, primarily through events. We get more excited about going overseas to the mission field on summer trips than about the mission field we live in every day. We start to see evangelism as inviting people to go to a church, where the pastor will do the evangelizing and explain Christianity, instead of spending time with people and talking with them and being the church to them. During this phase, we stop praying daily for those who don’t know Jesus and instead pray for our church’s latest building project or latest program. Other than maybe at an office Christmas party that we have to go to, we rarely ever hang out with non-Christian friends or go to movies with them. For the most part, only Christians are in our circle of peers. We begin buying little Christian stickers or put metal fish symbols on our cars, and we even have a few Christian t-shirts. We set our radios only to our favorite Christian radio shows, and most of the music we listen to is Christian. We make a trip to the amusement park that has the special Christian day each year featuring Christian bands. We find ourselves regularly using Christian words and phrases and clichés, such as backsliding, prayer warrior, fellowship, quiet time, traveling mercies, “I have a check in my spirit.” (Apart from the word fellowship, none of these are even from the Bible.) The transformation is complete. We have become citizens of the Bubble.”
Dan must be talking of someone else. Certainly not you or me. More segments to follow as I continue reading…
“Things really start changing in phase 3. As we slowly withdraw from ongoing relationships with those outside the church and focus on relationships with those inside the church, something happens. Once, it was more natural and even exciting to share life with people at work or at school, with relatives, or with neighbors. But slowly we begin to see evangelism as something the church does, primarily through events. We get more excited about going overseas to the mission field on summer trips than about the mission field we live in every day. We start to see evangelism as inviting people to go to a church, where the pastor will do the evangelizing and explain Christianity, instead of spending time with people and talking with them and being the church to them. During this phase, we stop praying daily for those who don’t know Jesus and instead pray for our church’s latest building project or latest program. Other than maybe at an office Christmas party that we have to go to, we rarely ever hang out with non-Christian friends or go to movies with them. For the most part, only Christians are in our circle of peers. We begin buying little Christian stickers or put metal fish symbols on our cars, and we even have a few Christian t-shirts. We set our radios only to our favorite Christian radio shows, and most of the music we listen to is Christian. We make a trip to the amusement park that has the special Christian day each year featuring Christian bands. We find ourselves regularly using Christian words and phrases and clichés, such as backsliding, prayer warrior, fellowship, quiet time, traveling mercies, “I have a check in my spirit.” (Apart from the word fellowship, none of these are even from the Bible.) The transformation is complete. We have become citizens of the Bubble.”
Dan must be talking of someone else. Certainly not you or me. More segments to follow as I continue reading…
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2 comments:
As far as none of those terms being in the Bible, prayer warrior may not be there as a term, but the concept is found in Colossians 4:12:
"Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured."
--Luke
I love you man. Your insight is always greatly appreciated.
Jed
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