Get Out of the Way!

I'd like to thank Kelly Stanley for waking me up at 3am:) Yesterday she blogged about Christianity and how people can get turned off by it. I thought about that starting at 3am and never went back to sleep. I can't blame it all on Kelly. Part of it has to do with all that water I drank right before bedtime!

I got up this morning and responded to Kelly's questions. My response was this:

I woke up at 3am thinking about this. After reading the different responses, and knowing what I hear from other people myself, I think people get confused by people, society and churches. I think the most important thing to remember is that the absolute truth comes from God's word. No church is perfect, no pastor or Christian is perfect. But the Bible is God's inspired word (2 Tim 3:16), alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and it never changes and never will. God will speak to you through His word and ultimately it is about a relationship with Him, not people in a church or a pastor or anyone else. I pray that people don't lose hope in the Christian faith because of a few people who try to get in the way of the Gospel:(

Two things came to mind. Two songs actually. Casting Crowns songs. The Word is Alive and What this World Needs.



Looking out from His throne, the Father of light and of men
Chose to make Himself known and show us the way back to Him
Speaking wisdom and truth into the hearts of peasants and kings
He began to unveil the Word that would change the course of all things

With eyes wide open, all would see

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

Simple strokes on a page
Eternity's secrets revealed, carried on from age to age
It speaks Truth to us even still
And as the rain falls from Heaven, feeds the earth before it returns
Lord, let Your Word fall on us and bring forth the fruit You deserve

With eyes wide open, let us see

The Word is alive
His Word is alive

(Spoken) The bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years
In times of war and in days of peace
By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers and shepherds
The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive
Could have been produced by such a diverse crowd
Over a period of time which staggers the imagination
Jesus is it's grand subject our good is designed and the Glory of God is its end

2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.




What this world needs
Is not another one hit wonder with an axe to grind,
Another two bit politician peddlin` lies,
Another three ring circus society.

What this world needs
Is not another sign wavin` super saint that's better than you,
Another ear pleasin` candy man afraid of the truth,
Another prophet in an Armani suit.

What this world needs
Is a Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love them in their time of need.

A Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love,
That's what this world needs.

What this world needs
Is for us to care more about the inside than the outside.
Have we become so blind that we can't see?
God's gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt.

What this world needs
Is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance.
Blendin` in so well that people can't see the difference
And it's the difference that sets the world free.

What this world needs
Is a Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love them in their time of need.

A Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love,
That's what this world needs.

(Spoken)
People aren't confused by the gospel,
They're confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God,
But we are not the only way to Jesus.
This world doesn't need
My tie, my hoodie,
My denomination, or my translation of the Bible,
They just need Jesus.
We can be passionate about what we believe,
But we can't strap ourselves to the gospels.
Because we're slowing it down
Jesus is going to save the world,
But maybe the best thing we can do
Is just get out of the way.

What this world needs
Is a Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love them in their time of need.

A Savior who will rescue,
A Spirit who will lead,
A Father who will love,
That's what this world needs.

Jesus is our Savior,
That's what this world needs
Father's arms around you,
That's what this world needs
That's what this world needs

I think what stands out for me is we think we are right. We think our denomination is right. We think our church does things right. We think our worship style is the right style but really I think all of that gets in the way and messes it up. I see so many people say on facebook that God is great but they don't like organized religion. The lyrics, actually the spoken part of that second song that stand out to me are:

People aren't confused by the gospel,
They're confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God,
But we are not the only way to Jesus.

and

We can be passionate about what we believe,
But we can't strap ourselves to the gospels.
Because we're slowing it down
Jesus is going to save the world,
But maybe the best thing we can do
Is just get out of the way.