Religion or Relationship?

Buzz words are a part of life, well maybe my life more than some others, when you are in conference rooms, people talk about "Face time", "Voice Conference" and "Knowledge Transfer", which are all great principles, but really just mean seeing someone, phone call and asking a question.

Buzz words are creeping into Christianity as well, now do we say we are a Christian or a Christ follower? Are we in a Religeon or a Relationship? Is it Youth Work, or Youth Culture?

Well, this has made me think a little, I'm not going to create a list of buzz words that will revolutionise my faith, but I would conisder myself a Christ Follower, more than a Christian, simply because I don't like the Stigma of being a Christian, but I like being associated with my savior!

I've had several experiances recently that have caused me to re-think my values on evangelism. I'm a prolific debator, I'm quite good at it, maybe that's because I can shout louder than most. But, I don't feel this is the way forward.

The whole point of a debate, is to change someone's mind on an issue, 9 times out of 10, you enter a debate and neither party will change their viewpoint.

So, lets bring this into context, how can I debate God's existance? There are 3 types of Truth, they are:
> Mathmatical Truth, 1+1=2
> Factual Truth, Tony Blair is Prime Minister of Great Britian
> Emotional (Perceptive) Truth, My experience of Alton Towers was good

So, in these debates, which type of truth applies...I could give you extensive research to 'prove' Christianity on all 3 levels, but whats the point? I can give you 'proof' that God DOESN'T exist on all 3 levels...so why DO I believe in God, and why do I try and follow him so closely?

Well, really, it's about Perceptive / Emotional truth. Here's a small excerpt from a roller coaster review (Oblivion, Alton Towers, Review from www.coastergrotto.com)

"Personally, I think the ride is great, the drop into the tunnel is awesome, and my first ever ride accounts for one of the best adrenaline rushes I've ever experienced. There's a great feeling of weightlessness on the way down, and you can often feel yourself floating out of the seat. The g's at the bottom of the tunnel are also quite strong.

I strongly recommend riding in the front row, which is the front two rows of either loading platform, as the view of the drop is much better. If you are going to be scared by any ride in the park, Oblivion is most likely to be the strongest contender."

Great review, lots of feelings of enjoyment there, but can I feel it? Nope. Can I feel the pleasure of being in a relationship by reading a book or watching a film? Nope. Can I feel Gods love by reading about it or watching Passion of the Christ? Nope.

Religion is one way of putting it, but it's not, well not for me anyway, I'm in a relationship with God, and I want to please him by abstaining from certain things, in a similar way that I would give up things to be in relationship with a girl.

So, my theory on evangelism? Well, it's all very well answering peoples questions, and I still will, but now I question their curiosity, are they just trying to catch me out? Are they just being obstinate or facetious? If they are REALLY interested, I challenge THEM to say, find out more by going to your local church for a month.



It does work.

Spiritual Polyfilla

Trusty Polyfilla! When I was living in my flat, I relied on the stuff to cover up all the imperfections which I had made in the walls...mis-drilled holes, craters I had punched, cracks etc. If I hadn’t repaired the holes, not only would my landlord have had kittens, but my walls would have looked a state! It would have been obvious to everyone how little I cared about my walls!

Polyfilla is described on Wikipedia as; "...paste typically used to fill holes, small cracks and other minor surface defacements in wood, drywall and plaster...a term that has become a genericized trademark in colloquial speech" If you have ever used it to fill cracks in a wall, you will know that there are several steps to successful filling…
> Prepare the area, cleaning excess away
> Apply first batch
> Clean, and sand down the area
> Apply second coat and smooth as appropriate
> Once dry, paint over if required

It has only struck me recently how cracks appear not only in walls, but in our Christian life too...these cracks (like my walls) are often self inflicted, but also appear with lack of maintenance. I see cracks appearing in peoples lives all the time, a boundary moved here, a liberty taken there, allowing ourselves to be in situations we shouldn’t be in - It’s SO easy to stray away from the Christian walk.

Anyone who says being a Christian is easy, is ignorant, it has been the toughest journey ever, and it continues to be.

I have in my mind several situations where there are cracks appearing, and I’m so worried, but you know what? Worry is a sin! If I don’t hand these situations over to God, then I’m acting on my own, and that isn’t the way to do things…WWJD, What Would Jason Do? Well, inevitably the wrong thing, and I’d probably create more cracks than I repair.

Polyfilla serves as more than just an easy way to cover up cracks, it restores structural integrity, it makes good of the imperfections and in quantity it can restore a whole wall.

You don’t build a house with Polyfilla, you just use it to maintain and fix it. My theory is, the more often we fill the gaps, however small, the better we are overall. And our spiritual polyfilla? The most perfect prayer ever prayed…

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever.
Amen.
Matthew 6, NKJV