Tuesday, October 17, 2006

What should those of us who are trying to follow Jesus call ourselves. The term "Christian" carries so much baggage with it. Do we really want to identify ourselves with the "Christian" Crusaders who raped and pillaged their way through Europe? Do we really want to be identified with the "Holy Christian Church" that helped to create the Dark Ages rather than reflecting the light of Jesus into the darkness? Do we really want to identify with a movement that, over the past 2000 years, has executed an estimated 25,000,000 "Heretics" who refused to support or participate in the politics of the Church? And what about the "Christian" right? Should the followers of Jesus be identified with a movement that is much more about political ideology than solid New Testament Christianity? So what should we call ourselves? Jesus People? Jesus Freaks? Followers of Jesus? Disciples of Jesus? Do we need a new name for those of us who are reluctant to identify with what Chrisitianity has become? Until we figure out what to call ourselves, let's continue to lift up the name, reflect the values and follow the way of Jesus. -- Bob