Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)
I was listening to an audio recording the other day called “Introduction to Relational Christianity”. The title seemed cool as God has been moving both Jen and me to a deeper understanding of his church as a family, made up of organic relationships, not a place or time or meeting or any sort of infrastructure. So I listened, and heard a bunch of stuff I agreed with, and some things I had already been thinking of, and even some stuff that I hadn’t thought of. It was all good stuff.
And then I finally heard it. I think I have been missing this, even though as I type this right now I am chuckling at the thought that I could have possibly thought anything else…
Relational Christianity is all about relationships… with God.
Now, you might be saying, “Duh!” But, let me explain. I think how I have been missing that is that for a long time, I have been on the side of “the church” that does all the programming, that puts on the stage presentation, that plans the meetings, talks details, money, staff & volunteer numbers, and reports on people’s lives as though it was the daily Stock Market watch. Not that this is necessarily bad, just feels to us like the wrong focus, and at least in our case – it is.
So, my natural inclination of late has been to avoid all things structured as far as life with other believers and just try to live daily life with the people God has placed around me. I have a special connection with the believers whom he has placed in my life, we are on the same journey. And the others are not the target or my evangelistic cross-hairs… they are people just like me, who will know the love of our Father through my life shared with them in whatever ways God allows. I don’t need to try to get them to “go to church” (something that by definition is not actually possible) … I just need to share the love I have been given. In whatever ways manifest themselves each day, each moment.
So, as you might understand with me, I have been focusing on the relationships with EACH OTHER rather than the key to the whole thing.
When I heard it, I just kinda laughed at myself. For perhaps my whole life, but definitely for the past 15 years or so, I have understood that Christianity is a relationship and not a religion. I know the Creator. He is my friend. I understand that. I don’t need to say any incantations, or do any dances, or offer any sacrifices… I have direct access to him through Jesus’ death on the cross. That was a magical moment in history, where God created a direct, high-speed connection between each of us and himself. (And there are no faulty lines!) So, I know that. And have for a while. And that is the core of who I am.
But… I have been trying to live out “church” in a relational model, focusing on making relationships with other believers work rather than just living my everyday relationship with Jesus. Everyday, I get to do every thing with someone who listens to me, knows me, and wants to be there with me. Every day. Every place. Crazy.
So as I draw closer to him (just by spending time with him, by doing life with him) I will begin to experience “relational Christianity”. Even cooler than that realization is, I already AM! 🙂 This is what I do! So, I have been recently longing for something I already have!
That is too funny.
I am still trying to understand ways to relate to people who are still in the system. Friends and family who live out their relationship with God through various meetings and schedules and regular practices. None of those are bad in themselves, but they are for me… (perhaps like Rom 14, the meat offered to idols?) and so I am trying to sort through all of this stuff still and just live in the freedom of relationship with my Father.
I hope you are too. I hope you are not doing dances for him, or anything that is empty ritual. Rituals don’t have to be empty, but they can often deteriorate to that. Where the practice takes the place of the relationship. God is real, and living, and though he is “the same yesterday, today and forever” he remains a dynamic individual, who wants to walk with us in the garden again. The veil has been removed (when Jesus died on the cross) and we have unrestricted access to him. I hope you are experiencing that today.
Relational Christianity is all about Relationship. With God the Father through Jesus our brother and Holy Spirit who lives in us.
I hope you know how insanely lucky we are.