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Revolution in the Walls
by
Erin L. Wikle
A few years
ago I took a class in college that shattered every bible study
paradigm I ever had. And it's still shattering them. I'm
serious; by the end of the course, the pages of my bible were
wrinkled, covered with notes only I comprehend, and stained
with yellow and pink highlighter. Someone had shown me what
was hidden beneath these ancient words and I wanted to dig
further.
The clincher? Only a few chapters into the Book of Acts and I
had already learned more about the nature of authentic
church community than twenty-two years in "real church"
had shown me.
In fact, by the time I shut my bible, the Book of Romans
screaming, "Me next, me next!" I came to a startling
realization: It seemed this alleged (idea of) revolution
that's been so heavily marketed all over current Christendom
didn't start with a cool logo reminiscent of Che Guevara or
during a hyped up Youth Councils the year before. Rather, this
Revolution began when the dust of the earth lifted as men like
Paul and Silas traveled by foot from town to town in pursuit
of ears that were eager to hear this message: Jesus Christ
is the Messiah. This was a revolution that laid its
foundation in the early church, some two thousand years ago.
You see, the Greeks and Jews had it down. Everyone knew
that prior to Pentecost, these two groups really wanted little
to do with each other. In fact, all throughout the remainder
of the New Testament we hear more about the little quarrels
that took place. Circumcised, uncircumcised. Clean, unclean.
Meat or Gardenburger. You get what I mean. The Mosaic Law that
had been established years before was still the center
of all piety and righteousness. Then Jesus came and shook
things up a bit. No longer was it about doing, but
about believing and being.
1) Believe that Christ redeemed both male and female, Jew and
Greek with the same blood and same intention.
2) Be His. Always. Follow Him. Always.
So what's happened? The same stuff our predecessors fought
about easily parallels the crap we as "Christians" find
ourselves meddling with today. You've got plenty to say about
the girl sitting in the back pew, tattooed, pierced, and
wearing fish-net hose with her mini-skirt, but when it comes
to sharing the Gospel with your closest friends at school,
forget it. You say it's so hard, and that there are too
many areas in your life where Satan has a stronghold. Then
loosen free and quit giving him so much credit. Might I
venture to suggest that this Revolution's greatest enemy isn't
Satan himself to begin with? Rather, our adversary is the
ongoing crisis of what has become of the church. There hasn't
been revolution within the walls.
Quit griping about "that guy" in Songsters who's only there to
impress the girl you happen to be after. Stop slandering your
youth leader because he'd rather put it to you straight then
let you live in sin. Quit trying to over-commit yourself to
your Corps so you can bulk up your extra-curricular résumé
when you can't even commit yourself to Christ for the sake of
your relationship with him. If I were a preacher, I would get
pretty peeved at my congregation every week if I knew they
were filling the pews only to walk away with ears that were
never hearing, hands that were never doing, feet that were
never moving, and mouths that were only speaking ill-words
towards one another. When the Grecian Jews started
bad-mouthing the Hebraic Jews because their widows weren't
getting fed, the church didn't fall apart (Acts 6). The
disciples quickly recognized the problem, went looking for
more spirit-abiding leaders, saw that the Word was never
neglected, and the widows were fed. Got an issue with someone
in you church? Get some guts and talk to them. Revolution
must begin within the walls before we take it to the
streets.
Here's the timeline. Revolution began when Christ's hands were
nailed to the cross as a ransom for your life. Revolution
continued when the earth shook and our risen Savior showed
himself to his disciples. Revolution remained when sons and
daughters prophesied and young men had visions and their
numbers grew by the thousands daily (Joel 2:28/Acts 2:17-19).
Revolution traveled throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and
to the ends of the earth when Christ's followers abandoned all
they had to see share the salvation story.
You want to start a Holy War? You ready to bring it to
your community and preach the Good News? You lookin' to get
all stirred up in the Spirit, hands up, bumpin' a little Kirk
Franklin in your car? That's great. Do it in the walls. That's
where this mighty revolution is begging to begin.
I echo Gospel artist, Kirk Franklin on this one: I'm sick
and tired of the church talkin' religion, but yet we talk
about each other. Make a decision.
Go on. Be revolutionary... from the inside, out.
Acts 2:42-47
Erin L. Wikle
Hispanic Ministry Coordinator
San Diego Citadel
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