That would be an odd comment to receive. How would you take that? Compliment or Insult?
I guess the real question is 'Are there Christian and/or un-Christian ways of looking?' Most would probably say 'no' but act as if the answer were 'yes.' As a society, we identify people and categorize them based on the way they look. Everything including their clothes, hair, demeanor, skin (tattoos and piercings), and facial hair help us determine what sort of person we are confronting.
Very few today overtly say, 'A Christian ought to look this or that certain way.' A few will use scripture to argue against tattoos, cross-dressing (women wearing pants in particular), women wearing make-up and jewelry, and hair length (long for men, short for women). Frankly, each argument is pretty flimsy. On a more covert level, however, many believers act as if a Christian ought to be clean, kept, neat, and have no tattoos or piercings (unless they got them before Jesus, Lord forgive them).
So what about it? Are there Christian appearance standards?
Issues to think about: Balancing cultural expectations with Christian freedom, The standard of modesty, matters specific to our culture vs. universal matters.
Showing posts with label Christian Culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Culture. Show all posts
3.15.2010
3.01.2010
He Said What?!
In my younger years, I had Sunday School teachers who not only taught against cussing, but even taught against using our Christian cussing alternatives. Anyone who grew up in Church knows the Christian cuss words: freakin', frappin', darn, crap, heck, shoot, dad-gum-it (huh?!), and a whole host of other creative terms. These were our acceptable alternatives where a cruder person would insert a cuss word.
In my later years, where I have had a broader exposure to varied types of Christians, I have encountered both those agree with the teaching of my youth, and those who freely insert cuss words where they are appropriate. Experiences in seminary brought this into stark contrast. On the stricter side, I had a fellow student tell me that one of the first things he tried to achieve in discipleship was cleaning up someone's language. This, he said, was one of the easiest and most tangible ways that a person can experience the transformative power of Christ. On the free side of things, I had a professor who, over the course of a semester used the word $#!t no less than 10 times. The first couple of times there was an audible gasp in the room.
Some issues that I think are pertinent here are balancing Christian freedom with Christian witness, the standard of Ephesians 4.29 (does this verse ban cussing as many claim?), and balancing our culture's expectations of Christians (non-drinking, non-cussing, family-values-oriented conservatives) with Christ's expectations of Christians.
So what do you think? Is it wrong for Christians to use words considered crude by our culture, or is it OK to use them when appropriate?
In my later years, where I have had a broader exposure to varied types of Christians, I have encountered both those agree with the teaching of my youth, and those who freely insert cuss words where they are appropriate. Experiences in seminary brought this into stark contrast. On the stricter side, I had a fellow student tell me that one of the first things he tried to achieve in discipleship was cleaning up someone's language. This, he said, was one of the easiest and most tangible ways that a person can experience the transformative power of Christ. On the free side of things, I had a professor who, over the course of a semester used the word $#!t no less than 10 times. The first couple of times there was an audible gasp in the room.
Some issues that I think are pertinent here are balancing Christian freedom with Christian witness, the standard of Ephesians 4.29 (does this verse ban cussing as many claim?), and balancing our culture's expectations of Christians (non-drinking, non-cussing, family-values-oriented conservatives) with Christ's expectations of Christians.
So what do you think? Is it wrong for Christians to use words considered crude by our culture, or is it OK to use them when appropriate?
12.07.2009
Must Read Now!
When I became a Christian, I hated to read. I actually got by in high school having only ever read one book all the way through (Catcher in the Rye). When I got to college, I met several Christians who were extremely dedicated to growing in the Lord. Every one of them read constantly. Not only this, but every one of them had a short list of books (besides the Bible) that "every believer ought to read." Common titles were Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, or Desiring God by John Piper.
Since that time, I have become a reader. I love to read. I love books. I love used book stores (that's more of an addiction than a love, but whatever). Those who know me now, know me as a guy with a lot of books. In my reading, I have developed some opinions about a 'must reads for every believer' list.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1) The Ragamuffin Gospel or Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning (they overlap a lot, but they are both excellent)
2) The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (my first "deep" read, a classic that still has bite)
3) A good survey of church history (because if you don't know where you came from, you don't know who you are)
The IVP Pocket History of the Church by Jeff Bingham, and Pocket History of Theology by Roger Olson and Adam English are quite good as short surveys. For a more in depth look, I recommend The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez.
4) How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Fee and Stuart (actually lives up to the title)
5) The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the OT (Judith, Tobit, Maccabees, etc... Some of or brothers and sisters read these as scripture, we ought at least to know what they say)
6) My most recent addition, Life With God by Richard Foster (to my mind, Foster's most complete and helpful work)
I am sure you think I have either included something that should be left off, or left something off that should be included. What say you?
Since that time, I have become a reader. I love to read. I love books. I love used book stores (that's more of an addiction than a love, but whatever). Those who know me now, know me as a guy with a lot of books. In my reading, I have developed some opinions about a 'must reads for every believer' list.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1) The Ragamuffin Gospel or Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning (they overlap a lot, but they are both excellent)
2) The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (my first "deep" read, a classic that still has bite)
3) A good survey of church history (because if you don't know where you came from, you don't know who you are)
The IVP Pocket History of the Church by Jeff Bingham, and Pocket History of Theology by Roger Olson and Adam English are quite good as short surveys. For a more in depth look, I recommend The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez.
4) How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Fee and Stuart (actually lives up to the title)
5) The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the OT (Judith, Tobit, Maccabees, etc... Some of or brothers and sisters read these as scripture, we ought at least to know what they say)
6) My most recent addition, Life With God by Richard Foster (to my mind, Foster's most complete and helpful work)
I am sure you think I have either included something that should be left off, or left something off that should be included. What say you?
9.14.2009
The Christian Alternative
College and seminary professors are often in the habit of posting interesting or funny items related to their areas of study on their office doors. Of course, the funny posts are often only funny to those with PhD's; the rest of us just scratch our heads and try to pretend like we get it. I remember one professor in particular had a fascinating chart posted on his door. It had two columns, one labeled "If you like..." the other labeled "Then try..." The "If you like..." column contained the names of at least 200 mainstream music bands. The "Then try..." column contained the names of Christian bands that, I guess, sound comparable. The chart, of course, was meant to offer a Christian alternative to the mainstream music.
The Christian Alternative is present not only in the music world, but in several arenas. A few notable alternatives are bookstores, coffee houses, movies, TV channels, action heroes (Go Bible Man!), schools, and phone directories. Undoubtedly, others could be added here. The idea of the Christian alternative seems to be that believers are better off if they have less input from the world and more input from Christian sources.
But...Is that true? Does using the Christian alternative produce godlier, more Christ-like believers?
As I think about this issue, I can see two opposing realities colliding. On the one hand, the Christian alternative seems to feed an impulse toward separatist fundamentalism. On the other hand, as a parent, I really do not want my son to grow up and be more American than Christian. As a friend of mine puts it, "When my kid leaves my house, I want him to love Christ more than he loves the world" (Daren Busenitz).
My instinct is to lean away from using the Christian alternative in most areas. I am all for Christians using their gifts in art, music, business, or any other arena. I am not for Christians creating an alternative by intentionally imitating successful 'secular' ventures.
How about you?
The Christian Alternative is present not only in the music world, but in several arenas. A few notable alternatives are bookstores, coffee houses, movies, TV channels, action heroes (Go Bible Man!), schools, and phone directories. Undoubtedly, others could be added here. The idea of the Christian alternative seems to be that believers are better off if they have less input from the world and more input from Christian sources.
But...Is that true? Does using the Christian alternative produce godlier, more Christ-like believers?
As I think about this issue, I can see two opposing realities colliding. On the one hand, the Christian alternative seems to feed an impulse toward separatist fundamentalism. On the other hand, as a parent, I really do not want my son to grow up and be more American than Christian. As a friend of mine puts it, "When my kid leaves my house, I want him to love Christ more than he loves the world" (Daren Busenitz).
My instinct is to lean away from using the Christian alternative in most areas. I am all for Christians using their gifts in art, music, business, or any other arena. I am not for Christians creating an alternative by intentionally imitating successful 'secular' ventures.
How about you?
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