Ever have the same conversation 3 times?

Typically when that happens it is worthwhile to process said conversations and learn from them. Yesterday over pho tai a friend told me about his desire to start an organic faith community modeled after his interpretation of the "early church". He expressed a desire to distance his community from terminology such as Christian, church and practices like meeting on Sunday for worship. For him these terms were too loaded with negative connotations to be helpful in reaching the un-churched. He even suggested that the bowl of pho that we had just shared could substitute for the Eucharist because the important thing is fellowship over food, not the elements of bread and wine. This dude's heart is in the right place, he is aware of the negative stereotypes that those terms conjure up and he feels the best way to get around the issue is to ditch the terms.

I then asked what he would call his community? no answer. How would you describe your own faith and practice? a disciple of christ, or maybe a christ follower...

Then this morning, in my P-Lead class, the instructor talked about thinking of other terms that we could use with similar concerns as my friend. His angle is totally different though..he is more concerned with branding and his primary concern is that Christian as a brand name and church as a retailer were both too loaded with negative connotations to be marketable. He also suggested that we think of better brand names and suggested that he was now trying to use "Christ follower" instead of christian.

Then this afternoon I talked about theses conversations with my friend James and our conversation led to the following conclusions:

I have problems with both of the views and this why...Yes the terms Christian and Church have many negative connotations. But that doesn't mean that we have to disown that which is our central to our identity. In response to those who wish to call themselves Christ followers or disciples of Christ, but who do not want to be associated with the church. NEWSFLASH! all of Christ's disciples (those whom he taught personally during his earthly ministry) are dead. Without the church you would have never known Christ. You would not have been taught the Gospel. You would not have any Scripture. You would not have any spiritual life. The church is Christ's body and you cannot be a follower of Christ without being a part of his body. Separate yourself from the church, the Spirit indwelt worldwide community of faith, and you are not a follower of Christ you are some sort of cult.

If you are a Christian you should gather with other Christians on Sunday. It really matters. It matters because Sunday is the day that Christ was raised from the dead, and without the resurrection your faith is futile and you are still dead in sin. We gather on Sunday because we owe our very existence to the resurrection. Without the resurrection there is no church, no faith, no life, and no hope. Not just any day will do. You can gather in addition to Sunday, but if your faith is in the Son of God who rose from the dead than you should always worship on the eighth day.

Pho Tai is not the Eucharist. If you say that any food can be substituted for the body and blood of Jesus Christ then you are only revealing your lack of understanding of the uniqueness and importance of his substitutionary death on the cross. "unless you eat my flesh, and drink my blood, you have no part in me." Not any flesh and any blood, but Jesus' flesh and Jesus' blood. The church has taught us that the appropriate elements are bread and wine. Anything else is not the Eucharist, and is not in remembrance of Christ for whom the elements are a symbol. If you gather and do not partake of the elements you have not worshiped Christ nor honored his memory, and your worship is not Christian. It is something, but it is not Christian.

Finally, if you believe by faith that Christ's sacrifice provided atonement for your sin and that God will raise you from the dead, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, associate yourself with the church, read the scripture, and partake of the Eucharist, you are a Christian. Own it. The negative stereotypes are only an issue for those who do not know you relationally and who judge you based on stereotypes that likely do not apply to you. Are there those who claim the name Christian that at best are an embarrassment, and at worse an abomination? Yes. But the best way to confront the stereotypes is to claim the name and then live differently. Those who you impact relationally will not be put off by the title because they will have witnessed your transformed life and will have nothing that they can hold against you.

SO..to the Christian who is ashamed of the terms because of the stereotypes, own the terms and change people's perceptions. Realize that you are either a Christian or you are not, and apart from the church you would not know Christ nor could you follow him for the Church is his body and apart from the church you cannot have fellowship with him.