When I Say I am a Christian

I ran across this poem and it is so meaningful because I believe it addresses where many Christians know they are. We realize more than anyone our fallen condition. Being a Christian is not about thinking we are better than someone else. It is about realizing that was have been saved by grace. It is a realization that as someone saved by grace we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to share that message of forgiveness and hope with a fallen and hurting world. The message that God in his mercy sent His only Son as a ransom for me and for you. What an opportunity! What a powerful message!

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'", I'm whispering, "I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven." When I say "I am a Christian, I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide. When I say "I am a Christian, I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on. When I say "I am a Christian, I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess. When I say "I am a Christian, I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it. When I say "I am a Christian, I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name. When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not holier than thou. I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

The Multi-Cultural Church

I am struggling with the concept of a multi-cultural church. I would like to believe that it is possible this side of heaven. What is hard is that I grew up in the deep south and racial lines have been drawn so clearly in the sand, "You can go here and no further." But I am encourage by the fact that I met a young couple from the west coast who said to me that the Midwest has a long way to go. On the west coast race is not the determining factor. As a matter of fact they did not even notice race. For us to create a multi-cultural church we have to see each other not through the eyes of our segregated past, but through the eyes of our Resurrected Lord. It is what St. Paul reminds us in Galatians 3: 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. "