by Laura Wilcox | Dec 17, 2013
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine passed along an enticing blog post about Christian culture. In the post “Sexy Christianity,” author Kyle Donn argues that an edgy, radicalized image of Christianity has grown so popular that it threatens to become an idolized ego-trip. Donn criticizes a very popular image of Christians in hopes of exposing a dividing line between seemingly and genuinely radical believers, which is a good reality-check.
Of course, we all know one of these chai-drinking, bike-riding, beanie-wearing Christians Donn describes. But are they really just fakes? Donn writes, “And when our ‘style’ starts to get a little too close to our ‘heart’ our faith begins to become as skin-deep as the skinny jeans we like to wear.” Although there definitely is an appreciation for hipster style among twenty-somethings in the church, I think Donn fails to miss a critical point: popularity is not always a bad thing.
Although we always want avoid vanity and superficiality, shouldn’t we, as Christians, in some sense want the radical Christianity to be “cool”? Shouldn’t we want Christians to openly enjoy conversing about God, even if it is with a macchiato in hand? The popularity of this “Christian culture” seems to exist only within the church, making it more of an internal issue. To my knowledge, non-believers do not find eco-friendly, scripture-memorizing extremists particularly “cool”(at least not by the world’s standards).
Although I admittedly find myself annoyed with trendy Christians like these, they still may be advancing the kingdom. Donn writes, “Sexy Christianity feels pretty good until someone throws a stone at you,” and then suggests many of them would jump ship if genuine sacrifice were on the line. However, the authenticity of their heart is not marked by any brand or trend. Only God can measure faithfulness. And if our hearts are right, does it really matter if we are talking about someone who serves God wearing Toms and a diamond stud nose ring?
by Laura Wilcox | Sep 20, 2013
As school picks up, I find myself saying “I don’t have time” more and more with each passing day. Homework, club meetings, work, church, family, friends, significant other. It all adds up, and pretty soon I’m stuck wondering how I ever had time to read a book, grab a coffee or, say, write a blog post.
Sometimes it feels like being Elastigirl from The Incredibles, stretching in a million different directions right up to the breaking point. As you might guess, it was only a matter of time until all that hustle and bustle took a hit on my quality of life. The quality of my spiritual life, too.
Lazy summer mornings on the patio, sipping coffee over the Word, have long since given way to granola bars on the go. Now I’m lucky if I even have time to throw on some mascara before running out the door to catch the bus. After a while, it becomes so easy to simply say, “I don’t have time.” In reality, it’s not about how much time I have, but how I spend that time. A friend of mine once posted something on Facebook that really resonated with me:
“Every time you go to say ‘I don’t have time,’ substitute it with ‘that’s not a priority.’”
Seems silly, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you may realize that your priorities are not the same thing in theory and in practice. It requires little of us to say that God is our number one priority, but it requires a great deal more to prove it by carving out time from our jam-packed schedules.
Being busy in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, but placing our daily agendas before God is really just well-disguised idolatry. Crazy, right? So the next time you’re tempted to say, “I don’t have time,” say “that’s not a priority” instead. If you’re anything like me, it might be just the wake-up call you need.
by Laura Wilcox | Sep 4, 2013
In college, there’s nothing harder than committing to a church. Some Sundays you’re home, others you’re going to church with your friends, and the rest you’re too bombarded with homework to go anywhere at all. As long as you’re going to church, does it really matter if it’s at the same place each week? And do you really need to be an official member?
I spent a lot of time wrestling with these questions over the past three years, and I’ve come to a few conclusions about why membership matters.
1. Tithing
As you probably know, the Bible calls us to tithe 10 percent of our earnings to the church. Sure, you could tithe at any church, but it would be more rewarding to stick around long enough to see the fruits of your financial labor.
2. Community
It’s hard enough getting to know people at church without bouncing around week to week. The most effective form of fellowship occurs with those individuals you can engage with outside of church, which means forming friendships.
3. Fellowship
Whenever I was switching churches on a weekly basis, I rarely participated in anything outside of Sunday service for fear of being that awkward semi-visitor, semi-regular. As a member, you get the feeling of belonging.
4. Accountability
Of course you’re going to miss service from time to time, but it’s always encouraging when people reach out with a simple, “Hey, we missed you this morning.” From my experience, you’re more likely to receive that as a member, since you’re now part of a larger, hopefully tight-knit community.
5. Benefits
Although you don’t want to think of a church in a cost/benefit way, there are definitely benefits to belonging to a church. Volunteer opportunities, mission trips and communion are often church-exclusive events that can sow serious spiritual profits.
In case you’re wondering, I did in fact take the plunge a few weeks ago and committed to a church in my hometown where I felt God was calling me. Of course, I recognize there are valid points to be made against membership as well, and I would love to hear some rebuttal.
What are your thoughts on membership?
by Laura Wilcox | Aug 26, 2013
In a world where social change hinges around the word “tolerance,” it’s easy to get swept away by a cultural misunderstanding of the word. Although tolerance and respect are things to be admired, a cultural misinterpretation of the word may lead Christians astray from the gospel. To quote Mary Jo Sharp from Why Do You Believe That?, there are two definitions of tolerance:
Actual definition: The ability or willingness to permit something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.
Cultural definition: Accepting all ideas and opinions as equally true.
Although it seems unbelievably cruel to say that only Christianity leads to Heaven, especially in our all-inclusive society, it’s a Biblical truth. Jesus even said it himself:
“I am the way, the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
I’ve seen Christians preach a very different gospel, however, choosing instead to believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven to accommodate religious differences. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God-breathed” and therefore to be taken as truth. We cannot cut and paste what we please from the Bible to shelter non-Christians from scriptural truth, no matter how difficult it may be to process. If we as Christians truly believe in a singular path to Heaven, then is it not cruel to accept the false doctrines of others simply for the sake of avoiding controversy? Risking their eternity to dodge an uncomfortable debate?
“Love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no greater commandment than these.”
Mark 12: 31
Notice that we are called to love others, not to agree with them. When we confuse the meaning of tolerance and agreement, we risk throwing Biblical principles into question and turning people away from Christ. Instead, we should be ready to defend our faith when the situation calls for it and humble enough to respect the opinion of others when it does not.
If you witnessed a driver going the wrong direction down a one-way street, you wouldn’t simply stand by with a smile on your face until they crashed, right? You wouldn’t stand by to support and agree with their decision, knowing the inevitable danger of the situation at hand. No, you would do everything in your power to see them turn around and head the right direction.
Why should tolerance and salvation be any different?
by Laura Wilcox | Aug 24, 2013
Dear freshmen,
Congratulations on your first step toward independence! If you’re anything like me, your bags are now unpacked, and the excitement of college threatens to overwhelm you at any moment. You’re ready to conquer the world, to make something of yourself. Nothing could possibly bring you down.
Yet.
There are many questions you’ll face throughout your freshmen year, but none as frequent or pressing as one: what is your major? At first, “undecided” will seem like a perfectly acceptable response, but as your friends and peers gradually drift closer to their future, panic will inevitably set in. The longer you remain undeclared, the more you will begin to question yourself and God.
I struggled more with my lack of a major freshmen year than anything else. Daily, I prayed God would send a divine sign, a grand gesture of some sort that would steer me in the right direction. When He didn’t, my faith began to dwindle.
Little did I know then that I would remain undecided until the last semester of my sophomore year. As time wore on, I grew more comfortable with God’s silence on the matter and slowly came to peace with the situation, simply because I had no other choice. Had I trusted God’s perfect timing from the start, I could have spared myself four grueling semesters of heartache and confusion.
So if God does not call you to political science or elementary education on the second day of school, don’t panic. Save yourself the stomach ulcers, and remember that His timing never fails. I know that’s far easier said than done. When anxiety begins to wear on your faith, check out these helpful verses: Jeremiah 29:11, Mathew 6:26, 1 Peter 5:7 and Philippians 4:6.
You only have one freshmen year, so don’t waste it worrying about a future God may not yet reveal. Enjoy the wonderful opportunities He has already prepared for you, and savor every second. Spend your first year of independence learning to be dependent on God, and the rest will fall into place.
Best wishes on your new journey!
Sincerely,
A senior