Progress is an affirmative or positive term. Progress suggests that things are getting better. So does that mean that progressive Christians are better than regular Christians. Not at all. Here progress also means growth, improvement, a moving further. I don't consider myself better, in a prideful or arrogant sense, in fact much of what I consider wrong with the church, I have been guilty of myself. However somewhere along the line the church got lost. We lost some of the basic message of Jesus. We got too full and sure of ourselves.
God's message and love always brings life and improvement. This movement of God that we call progressive is about God waking us up and getting on set on a course, that is a definite improvement and much more relevant to people we touch. I recently heard it described as the church unpacking all of its baggage and then repacking only what is necessary and relevant.
In my estimation the church has become too religious and resembles the pharisees more than Jesus. The church has become exclusive and only those who conform to our ideals are "IN" the rest are "Out". However Jesus reached out to the "outcast" and taught that we are judged by how we treat the "least" He also so closely identified with the "least that he said how you treat the least in society is how you treat him. The present condition of the church has created outcast or misfits. People who feel they don't fit or are not welcome in the church. GLBT people are very much a victim of this although some would take exception at this and some would say they choose to not be part of such a disconnected and obsolete institution. But that is just the point the church was never meant to be an institution but is rather a people of a new kingdom with a message of God's love. A revolutionary force of Love to restore man to a powerful relationship with God and to transform lives through Love and inclusion. This is the message of Christ.
The Progressive movement is a group of these "misfits" who know that there is more and a better way. We must never stop learning, growing and progressing. We must get back to the Love and teachings of Jesus. We must get back to looking like and being Jesus in our world. This is progress. The alternative is to be obsolete and counterproductive.
I am thankful that God has shown me the errors of my ways. I was wrong and "poor in spirit" and once I saw this I was a great candidate to be a part of progressing the kingdom of God. Not because of my success or wisdom, but rather because of my weakness and need.
So,no we are not better than anyone else but there is a better way. God is calling his church to move forward with a renewed sense of the Message of Christ that will have a great impact in this world and will meet people where they are, just like he did and still desires to do. We will not just point out the problems but will seek to be part of the solutions. We are not called to judge, but rather to generously love and reach out to those around us. The question is What is Jesus doing and are we part of it?
Now that is progress!
2 comments:
Well said, Brother!
Well said, Brother!
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