The other day I was walking along the street when I looked up and saw this sight; I just had to get a photo. It looked like the church was hiding in the trees.

Of course it’s kind of an illusion; the church is up the hill on a different street where it is open and easy to view… but from this vantage point, it seems to be hiding.  Sometimes I wonder if the church is hiding today…

The Greek word for “church” is only recorded in the Gospels once.  (Matt. 16:18)  The next time it appears is in Acts, and understand, they weren’t talking about real estate!  The first century Christians called Christianity “The Way” because followers of Jesus realized that this “Way” was not an edifice or an organization… it was a movement.  In short, following Jesus in that time was radical, and following Jesus is just as radical today.

The Church is under attack in our time; not just as an organization as it might appear, but as a movement also.  Culture, society, academia and government are all taking steps to keep us silent about Jesus Christ.  The very progressivism that exercises power in so much of the Western world, including America, is in total opposition to Jesus Christ and His “Way,” preferring to replace the power and majesty of God with the power and majesty of the State.  While it may be tempting to hide in the bushes to avoid the wrath of those around us, this is the time for followers of Jesus Christ to come out in the open and declare the truth.

Of course, many who read this will have concluded by now that I am advocating a great deal of political action; and they would have missed my point entirely.  The Way was not a political movement; it was a spiritual one.  It did not require the followers of Jesus to march on Rome and demand change; it required His followers to change their way of living and viewing the world.  They came to see the world for what it is, a whitewashed tomb, nice and pure on the outside and rotten on the inside.

Following Jesus Christ means that we do not compromise with the powers of this world.  We are to put others first, love all and do what is right, even if it is unpopular… even if the New York Times has a problem with it.

Whew!  Radical stuff doing what is right, wholesome and true… It could result in a better world; shocking!