The "Christian" Thing to do and "Christian" Things Assumed

So a lot of people - family, friends, acquaintances, the whole nine yards - seem to know that I am going away to Uganda for the semester. That's a very humbling thing. The truth is that at times I have no idea what is new in their lives or how I can be praying for them. I'm sure you understand how this is when people seem to invest time, energy, and prayer into you and you can just not amount to such a thing in return.

Well I noticed that with a little bit of information, a lot can be assumed (as the old expression goes, points out grandpa, "assume" can make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'). When people hear that I am going to Uganda, or more broadly, Africa, they immediately assume that I am doing mission work. I commonly get the question, "Are you going to be doing missions?" I try to explain to them that I am kinda doing missions, but we must remember that a missionary is "one with a mission." If I am a hitman told by a client to kill his or her family, I am a missionary. Yet somewhere along the line, "missionary" became a "Christian" thing to say, and it carries a lot of loaded meaning.

Another assumption that is made is that I will be going out to "share the Gospel." I feel as if this carries loaded meaning as well. We are familiar, in the western culture, with the Gospel being something that is shared by a professional clergyman one morning out of the week. We are taught that if we pray a mystical prayer, then we are "saved" because we have "invited Jesus into our hearts." I think what many of us fail to realize is that this is the beginning, not the end. James tells us that faith without deeds is dead. Even Jesus Himself says that not all who call Him "lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the Father's will. I don't suggest that the Gospel is one singular thing to be embraced at one point in life. I'm not too big into the turn or burn thing. Biblically, it holds quite a small amount of merit.

I am very much, however, into viewing the Gospel as a holistic experience that fills in the gaps of all social, personal, and spiritual problems. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus how to get to heaven, Jesus gave him a completely different answer than what he told Nicodemus. I think that's because Jesus saw what each individual was lacking and suggested the Gospel in a manner that would reform each of them.

But we are only taught one way of spreading Jesus' message of love: speaking. It is true that speaking is an effective action if executed correctly. Dialogue helps us grow, but there are plenty of misconceptions about "preaching the Gospel," in my opinion, that can be laid to rest right now. If we are radically in love with Jesus and attempting with our entire effort to live as He did, people will see something in us, as a community, that will be irresistible. That's how the early church of Acts did things. Even communism was a ministry and outreach tool (read the end of Acts 2 and the end of Acts 4). People were being added to the Kingdom of God daily, merely because Christians were actually following Christ. Imagine that!

Anyway, I know I kind of went off on a little rabbit trail, but I want everyone that has asked me about this trip not to be misled. What I am going to do there is learn. I hope to have the Gospel preached to me more than I preach it. In my opinion, I live in a lost and distracted culture. I want to learn about the raw and pure thing of Christianity. Although I am oft upset with the direction of the western church, I think the status of mission work has improved. It is no longer about be preaching advancement or westernization or being cultural insensitive. It is about helping to foster an organic Christian community that is holistic to each person's life in the community (individually and as a group).

Specifically, I will be taking a full load of classes at Uganda Christian University. The first ten days of my study abroad I will experience Rwanda. From what I understand, this will be done during the time of mourning over the recent genocide. I will then move in with a Ugandan family, hand-washing clothes, eating basic foods, and developing a plan of how I can engage my community. Trips will occur on weekends to places like the Equator and the Nile River.

I leave you with this: try not to assume things based on what is "Christian." Like I said, the "Christian" thing about going to Africa seems to be "mission work." Be careful about your speech. Be reminded that "Christian" is not an adjective. I have not played in any "Christian" bands, but I have collaboratively played with other musicians that attempt to live like Jesus. To be Christian means to be a follower of Christ. If you don't understand what that is - I encourage you to read Matthew or Luke. Those are probably my two favorite books. Develop your own understanding of who Jesus is (don't base it off of what you've heard in church. And he's certainly not just a ticket into an afterlife location that is the most luxurious). Recognize both Jesus' teachings and actions. The Sermon on the Mount, as I say time and again, is a great place to start (Matthew 5-7). Don't skip over the fact that Jesus lived in poverty and suggested to those with affluence to give away all of their possessions to help the poor. Don't overlook how Jesus lovingly restored sight to the blind who would probably end up lusting with their new eyes anyway. Again, develop your own understanding of this guy. Try to follow Him without compromise. Even though you might be in deep trouble by doing this, you'll be intensely fulfilled. If you are going to claim to be a Christian, compromise is no longer part of your lifestyle.

Now I must go finish my summer assignments for the upcoming semester.
Thank you for all of your help, prayer, and encouragement.
Love and be loved.