Since I’ve been home from Africa, I’ve been experiencing quite a bit of culture shock. Shock of the selfishness of this culture we live in here in America. Shocked by the ungratefulness that I’ve perpetuated inadvertently and accidentally, and the part I’ve played in even raising the next generation relatively unawares of how good they’ve got it. And then, last week, a firestorm of “evangelical” vs “progressive” thinking all within the CHURCH.
It was enough to make your head spin, even if you didn’t just get back from picking jiggers out of little kids’ feet in rural Africa.
And I have to tell you…while I’m not much of a social commentator, mostly because I don’t feel qualified enough to stand on a soapbox and preach it from any side, the whole firestorm has honestly just left me frustrated with EVERYONE!
Progressives hating on evangelicals….evangelicals hating on progressives…the church eating itself alive and everyone is involved.
It’s just sooo off base… ALL OF IT!
I don’t pretend to know much. I’m not even sure what I think half of the time about all the social stuff out there that appears to be one side or the other. I DONT KNOW!
But I do know this…and I do profess this.
If I’m a follower of Jesus, then that makes me “evangelical.” If I want to see the justice of a loving God span the globe, then it’d stand to reason that would make me “progressive.” But in light of all the extra definitions & stereotyping that seem to reshape the meaning of both of these words in the present, I think I’d rather not be labeled either.
How bout I just follow Jesus and not pretend that I know much more than that?…
Truth is…I’m just gonna love well the person in front of me…and if that doesn’t make me opinionated enough, then to hell with having opinions.
I hear ya Logan! The church is here to sharpen one another, encourage another and exhort another unto good works until the return of our Saviour. Sounds pretty much like spreading the gospel, bending a knee, feeding the poor, taking care of the orphans, pulling jiggers out of toes, loving our families, carrying one another’s burdens, loving our neighbors, praying for our enemies, heck, loving them too. Doesn’t sound too opinionated, does it?
I so agree with so much in this! Let’s follow Jesus and love the person in front of us! Pour deeply and sprinkle widely.
Deb Weaver
I’m tired of it too. But I think a lot of it is growing pains. I think many of us have reached the point where we just can’t be defined by what the evangelical label has turned into.
But where to go from here? I don’t know. What do we call ourselves if we just want to follow Jesus and say to hell with the rest?
It’s all making me sick to my stomach and sick in my heart.
This is exactly where I sit. We’ll start our own Jesusvangelicalgressive group, ok?! 🙂
Love you friend, and I am with you!
Amen Sister! I try not to affiliate myself with any side….I’ simply on Jesus’ side
Love well the person in front of you…YES! So very well said Logan!!! Love you girl.
Amen Logan! I couldn’t agree more. We just need to keep our eyes on Jesus. That is all. No labels, no taking sides. Just Jesus!
Say it sister!!! I love this. Let’s take off our labels. Love Jesus and our neighbor. There are BIG things to be done in this world.