Bubble Boy

I found this post last spring from Scott Copeland and was moved because it expressed some of the feelings I was having.  I felt cloistered away from the culture I was called to impact. I asked Scott then if I could repost his blog and somewhere in the midst of things we never really settled on it.

Wednesday I asked Scott in person here at Cre:ate Conference if I could repost this blog on my site.  He graciously agreed.  Thanks Scott for letting me share these thoughts with those in my tiny sphere of influence.  You can read Scott's other posts here.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008

Bubble Boy
I was reminded the other day that I am getting dangerously close to a recurring point in my life. Every few years, I will stop, look around me and realize that I am completely surrounded by Christians. Now, hear me when I say that being surrounded by other Christ-followers should be a mainstay in my life and the place where I draw the most energy to live life in the world.

My problem comes, however, when I am only interacting with Christians. I think I am there again. I am praying as to how God can use me to be in a constant interaction with some folks that don't know Christ. This same dissatifaction with the Christian "bubble" has led me to join a fraternity at my college and to spend a few seasons singing at a Theme Park in TX. I really don't think I am living out the calling in my life when I only interact with Christians.

I just read a great article by Phil Cooke talking about the Christian sub-culture. He goes as far as to call it a sin to live there. I would assume he means to live there at the exclusion to living in the larger world. He makes some great points about only being in the Christian media culture, but it spurred a deeper longer in me. Sometimes the Christian sub-culture drives me crazy.

I HATE it when someone makes me feel guilty because I enjoy a well-made movie or music group that may espouse a few views that I would not embrace. There is still beauty there to be enjoyed there and we should know that all beauty comes from the same place and can be redeeming in any situation. God is manifested in many more places than we bother to look. I hurt for people that work so hard to stay in the bubble out of fear of something. ( I am not sure what that something is, but I meet way too many people that are almost scared to be out in the world making a difference.)

Phil has a few great points in asking why we are trying so hard to protect something, i.e. our selves or families. First, Jesus certainly never lived a safe live, so who are we to think that we should not embrace that same approach to life? Second, what are we teaching kids when we try so hard to shield them from the world that they are afraid of the world instead of running to engage culture with the power of the God that loves the world? Would we not honor God more by showing them what the world embraces and how that stacks up against God's values? (obviously, this is done appropriately and in moderation, but serves to show kids what the world believes and that God is greater)

I am not sure what this means for me this time, but as much as I love the ministry that God has called me to, I can't be part of changing the world by being immersed in the Christian bubble.