The decry of many in Christian circles in the loss of "Christian America."[i] It was most obvious the other week with the Supreme Court ruling on marriage across the country. I have been asking what does the term Christian mean. I believe the term has had a change in definition and understanding since it was coin long ago.
How the Name Was Given
In truth, people who believe in Jesus Christ cannot take credit for the title of Christian. Biblical tradition reports that the title was given to the followers of Jesus in an ancient city called Antioch.[ii] The title was given to followers of Jesus by non-Jewish people. It is a composite word from two languages, Greek and Latin. The meaning is “like/belonging to Christ.” The people on the outside saw the people following Jesus as being like Christ.
What Happened
I believe today we understand the title to be less of action and more of persuasion. People identify as a Christian not because of what they accomplish, but what personal convictions they hold on faith. In and individual believes in a god and believes that god sent a person on earth with the name of Jesus, they are a Christian. But that does not seem like enough. It is because of this identification many people are throwing away the title of Christian and identifying in more generic terms.[iii]
The Modern Transformation
Well, Gabe Lyons believes that this is changing with a new generation of followers.[iv] I believe that all followers can learn from this new generation. It will take us all reclaiming a new title. We cannot keep the Christian title for the near future. It has been tainted by hate, hypocrisy, judgement, and many other misalignment. No, it would be better to take on a different identifier. I do not mean the trendy titles of spiritual, religious, or any other generic religious motif. No, I believe we should relearn a very basic ideal of Jesus’ teaching. We need to live again ,” You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”[v]
The Challenge
Our identifier will not be words or titles as the faith passed down from generations past. In the now, the identifier of followers of Christ must be our actions. Once our actions coincide with the New Testament teaching and words of Jesus, others may one day call the followers of Jesus by the title of Christian. But we must earn that title.
Do you know what changes you need to make to become a follower? What in your life needs transformed to becoming a servant and live out the love command? Christ Focused Coaching is committed to working with you to discover the calls of Christ in your life and the transformation you can make. Church will need to make the same transition. Life cannot be the same. Christ Focused Coaching will work with your congregation to discover and uncover the old habits pushing others away. A congregation can be an inward focused or outward. Christ Focused Coaching wants to help all be Christ focused.
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[i] Gabe Lyons states the end was in May, 2007 with the death of Jerry Falwell. (Lyons, Gabe. (2010). The Next Christians: How A New Generation Is Restoring the Faith (p.13). New York: Doubleday Religion.)
[ii] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+11%3A25-26&version=NASB. The term only occurs in two other places in the New Testament (Acts 26:28; 1 Pet 4:16) (Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 273). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
[iii] Lyons, Gabe. (2010). The Next Christians: How A New Generation Is Restoring the Faith (p. 11-12). New York: Doubleday Religion.
[iv] Lyons, Gabe. (2010). The Next Christians: How A New Generation Is Restoring the Faith. New York: Doubleday Religion.
[v] Luke 10:27, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10:27&version=NASB See also Matthew 22:36-40
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