As I’ve said at other times on this blog, my journey out of institutional Christianity has been a progressive one, but it wasn’t until I had a wake-up call–a public rebuke from a local pastor–that I truly realized how far I had drifted from the culture of the institutional church.
Before that point, I was still trying to belong to “the club” in many ways–still trying to garner acceptance from the mainstream church. After this point, I recognized that wasn’t working. I was clearly outside the walls, and I needed to learn how to embrace that fully.
A few months later, I read the book Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman. I had been curious for many years about where these four guys from Dublin stood spiritually, since there have been mixed opinions of them within the American church. To be sure, despite frequent Christian themes in their music, humanitarian efforts, and professions of faith from three of the four bandmates…with their whiskey-drinking, cigar-smoking, profanity-speaking ways, they do not fit the American picture of the typical evangelical Christian.
The author doesn’t condone or defend any of their rough-around-the-edges behavior. Instead, he shares their story, how the three Christian bandmates found their faith. What is intriguing is that, thanks in part to the unique culture of Dublin, these guys came to a real and vibrant faith in Christ in a culture apart from the Protestant or Catholic traditions. They became Christ-followers (and have remained so) without all the extra trappings of the typical Christian sub-culture. And as such, instead of focusing on acceptable Christian “behavior patterns” (such as not smoking or drinking or cussing), their faith has focused more on the activism that Christ promoted (such as caring for the underprivileged and standing up against injustice).
And that got me wondering…what would all of us “typical” Christians look like if we had come to Christ outside of the typical churchy culture? What would it have looked like if we had just started following the Christ of the Bible, without the extra baggage of pulpits, pews, and churchy protocols that have more to do with tradition than the Bible itself? I wonder if we would look a bit like these guys–rough around the edges, perhaps, but fully committed to learning and following the way of Christ.
It seems to me that this is actually a bit like how the first disciples might have looked. Fisherman, a tax collector, a political zealot, and even a thief and traitor…these guys were a rough, rag-tag group, far from the typical candidates that a “normal” rabbi would have chosen as disciples. But Jesus chose them and used them, not because they behaved right, but because they were willing to follow Him and trust Him.
Now, I’m not suggesting we all start smoking, drinking and cussing to be like U2. 🙂 But reading about their journey gave me a whole new perspective on following Christ. It showed me that it is possible to have a meaningful relationship with God, and to make a difference in the world, without the trappings of traditional church settings. And it changed my perspective on what is important as far as meaningful Christian actions. Think what you will about this band or its frontman, Bono; but when a whiskey-swilling rockstar can singlehandedly do more to model Christ to the world than the entire evangelical church in America–I think that might be something to consider. Just sayin’.
Wayward Son
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
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I have found what you are saying to be true in my own life. A few years back someone told me that Bono was the best example of a Christian they had ever seen. At the time I thought they were crazy. Now, I understand. The modern church could learn a lot from those guys.
Hmm… What you are ‘just sayin’ needs sayin’ 🙂
We can be so quick to judge (especially here in the states)who is right with God and who isn’t.
How many of our so called spiritual leaders get in trouble with the law or have problems with addiction?
Do we automatically assume they are lost and going to Hell?
I’m sure there were plenty of religious elite who thought Jesus was making his own bed in hell too..
Peace
Thanks for this Jeff. It echoes some discussions on my blog about what constitutes “typical” Christian behaviour in the context of what we expect from clergy. I am tired of other people’s expectations. God called me for who I am, not who someone else would like me to be.
Mark,
It is amazing, isn’t it, how we are so quick to judge the validity of someone’s conversion based on our own cultural biases?
Katherine,
That’s why I’m just sayin’. 🙂
Shaun,
Lessee…they said of Jesus that He cast out demons by the ruler of the demons. They even said at one point that Jesus *had* a demon.
Looks like you were right. 🙂
DP,
I think a lot of our unfair expectations are based on culture, context and tradition rather than Scripture. For example, certain words considered profane here in the US are not culturally offensive in the UK or Europe. And the US evangelical aversion to alcohol comes from our religious history more than Scripture (one of those “fences within a fence” to help us not get drunk). So when someone like Bono (from Ireland) drinks and uses profanity and says he is a Christian, he gets judged, when in his homeland those behaviors are probably not given a second thought. Is my perception correct? Am I stating the case accurately?
Yes, I think you are. The people who seem to take exception to my blog, when they do, are almost exclusively American. So yes, it is culture.