Immigrant’s song

by John Fischer

It’s hard to talk about Christianity in American culture right now without getting tangled up in politics — something I prefer not to do from the Catch if I can help it. But on the currently contested issue of immigration, I can’t help it. Mainly because there is a biblical mandate, both New and Old Testament, to welcome and make room for the stranger and the foreigner. If we are going to be marketplace Christians, we need to exhibit God’s attitude toward strangers and foreigners regardless of what our government does, and God is always placing them first. We may disagree over what we want the country to do or how they do it, but there is no discussion when it comes to us individually.

This is true for us as believers wherever we are in the world. Over forty times in the Old Testament, the Jewish people are admonished to welcome the stranger and the foreigner. And both Jesus and Paul speak of the same thing to us as followers of Christ. Hospitality toward strangers is built into our spiritual DNA.

Perhaps we can learn something from our Jewish friends. A recent article I read from a reputable source pointed out that there is a strong movement among Jews in America to aid and assist their Muslim neighbors and provide hospitality toward Muslim refugees among others. Syrian refugees can take English courses through a free program at a New York synagogue. One Rabbi claims that the current attitude of shunning immigrants being exhibited in America is “a betrayal of what this country stands for, what we Jews stand for, and is a terrible recollection of our own history… There has been an incredible coming together of synagogues around the country to welcome Muslim refugees. Jews really understand what it is to be ‘the other’ and to arrive in a strange country.” And now this same hospitality is being extended to Afghan refugees. 

What is it to be “the other?” Many of us don’t know.

Read the full article: https://catchjohnfischer.com/2021/09/14/immigrants-song/#more-18081

The Church of the Misfit Toys

People ask me about where I've been going to church during the pandemic. I'm always happy to tell them about The Catch. I've long been a reader of John Fischer and when he started the catch as a ministry to real people out in the real world, I wanted to give it a shot. 

It's no shock to anyone who knows me that I used to love my former physical church for it's "Church of the Misfit Toys" model of outreach. Then that changed and we became much more "modern contemporary" (in structure, not just overly repetitive music) and "first Baptist-ish" in terms of merely paying lip service to welcoming the least of these and reaching out to those who don't look and act like typical modern Christians. Then again, it's tough to make budget when the bulk of the church members aren't in positions of power or money in the community, so it's only normal that the most successful churches cater to the "norms and muggles" so to speak. 

When John and the ministry team at The Catch put together this statement, I resonated with it on pretty much all cylinders. At first I was taken back by the term "marketplace Christian" because so many treat the church like a marketplace nowadays, trying to find the best "services" and even "coffee house." But John and the team's approach is more the idea of Christians becoming part of the marketplace (real world, "in the world not of it") rather than standing outside it and yelling at it or making a list of everything that's wrong with it or trying to change all it's cool stuff into "safe" Christian versions (of the world not in it). 

I share it here with a link for those who has asked about it, and for those who wonder where an very non-traditional believer can find a church home that embraces my understanding of the life of faith. 

=============================

 

Declaration of a Marketplace Christian

Whereas:   We are followers of Christ who are wary about things that are given the cultural label “Christian”; and

Whereas:   “Christian” has become a term that has more to do with how one aligns oneself politically and socially, or how one behaves in relation to certain cultural mores, than it does with anything of the heart; and

Whereas:   We want to be Christians – but with a new definition;

We have come to the following conclusions:

We are not trying to create a place of safety in the world. Instead, we have found a place in our hearts where Christ dwells, and this gives us courage to face the world as it is.

We realize our overall purpose is not to change the world (that kind of thing is beyond our control), but it is to bring comfort, peace, warmth, love, and aid to people who are in the world, in the name of Jesus and His gospel.

Even if we were able to control the moral standards of society we understand that we would not necessarily be furthering the cause of Christ by making people better. In fact, we recognize a selfish motive in wanting a better world so we can have a safer environment in which to live and raise our own families. This gives no regard that to the fact that “better” people without Christ still perish in their sins. A more moral society means little or nothing if people do not come into relationship with Christ.

We may not look or talk like traditional Christians because we hang around non-Christians a lot and have learned to play down our differences rather than exploit them, as some Christians before us. We have discovered that by identifying with sinners we are in a better position to introduce them to Christ than when we remain separate and aloof because we think we are “different” (which usually translates to “better” in their minds). The only people who are looking for perfect Christians to model their lives after are other Christians who have bought the lie that perfection is attainable.

We will not be offended by the language and behavior of non-Christians. We realize, because we know ourselves, that sinners sin. There is no reason to be appalled at this. If we were perfect and had no sin of our own, we could be appalled, but we are not without sin. The only thing that should offend us is the same thing that offended Jesus: self-righteous hypocrisy. We realize that in choosing to be offended by the normal behavior of non-Christians, we are turning ourselves into the very thing Jesus hated. We, who are worried about being offended, make ourselves an offense to God.

We have decided not to put any real stock in having famous people endorse Jesus and have concluded we would be happier having Jesus endorse us. Character is superior to fame and glory.

We realize that we live in a world dominated by secular minds and philosophies. Because of our love for all people and our desire for them to know the love of Christ, we choose to learn about and interact with these philosophies rather than categorically reject them. When it becomes obvious that we have to part ways with the world to avoid compromise of our beliefs, we will do this in such a way as to not judge others who don’t feel as we do.

Though our hearts are connected to eternity, our feet are firmly planted on earth. For this reason we will strategize, barter, study and grow in two kingdoms. We have found that these two kingdoms need not always be warring against each other. We have found the things of God in the earthly world, and we have found evil in the kingdom of heaven, just as the parables of Jesus indicated we would.

We have learned to appreciate the artistic expressions of those who may not be following Christ. We will not begin with the assumption that they are wrong so that we can condemn them, but with the belief that they are right about something so that we can communicate with those who value their work.

We will not be threatened by “other paths to God” knowing that there is only one God and one way to reach Him, and if people are truly seeking Him, they will ultimately find their way to Christ even if they started out by way of another path.

We believe that wherever we go, God got there first. This means at least three things:

1) There is always something to find and embrace in the world, since God’s truth is everywhere.

2) We are never alone because there is nowhere we can go on earth or in heaven where God is not present.

3) There are many shoulders people are riding on other than our own. We do not have to finish everyone’s search; we are merely helping them along the way. If we happen to be there when someone comes to Christ, we will be overjoyed, but we will realize we are only part of a long line of witnesses who have prepared the way.

We do not have to determine whether a person is a Christian or a non-Christian before we know how to talk with him or her.  We speak to everyone in a universal language. Some may be drawn to us; others may be repelled. We do not know who is who – nor is it our responsibility to figure this out; we only point the way.

We can be fearless in the world because we know that Jesus is praying for our protection (John 17:15), and there is no power on earth or in heaven that can stand against Him.

Therefore, and for all these reasons, we do not have to hide in a subculture, nor do we have to spend all our efforts fighting society. We are not at war with the world. We love the world as God does because it is full of people for whom He gave His Son so that those who believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.

Since Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, neither will we. And since, instead, Jesus came to save the world, we will put all our efforts to that end, knowing that He has already completed all the work necessary to save people. It remains only for us to let them know.

Originally posted at The Catch: Declaration of a Marketplace Christian

A New Word for Christian?

 One of my favorite writers, John Fischer, once asked: Do you ever wish we had a new word for "Christian?" I bet there are a lot of people out there who would be Christians if they didn’t have to become a "Christian" to be one.

To me, John Fischer is a guy who "gets it." A man of faith whose faith deals with the real stuff of life, not the stuff of political activists or irrelevant evangelists or poor communicators with big plans and no skills at getting them across. He's a guy who is able to say the important things about why people dislike so much people who believe what I believe. And he's right most every time, I've come to believe.

People don't like us because by and large...

• We're fake.
• We're hypocritical.
• We're judgmental.
• We're known more by what we stand against than what we stand for.
• We're loud and opinionated.
• We dress funny. (Well, at least on those horrible TV networks.)
• We fit in the real world like a black and white TV with rabbit ears fits with a new Game Cube.
• We throw around language that doesn't mean anything to people.
• We think we're better than others.
• We think we're right. All the time.
• We're unfriendly.
• We're a clique.
• We play at being pious.
• We don't feel comfortable associating with non-religous people.
• We ask people to change who they are before we'll accept them.
• We want converts, not friends.
• We are terribly condescending.
• We like ideals better than people.
• We focus on rules more than living.
• We can't even get along among ourselves.
• And most of the time we end up disproving what we say we believe more than proving it.

It's a painful list to make. And I could go on.

But there's another side. I've seen the soft underbelly of my faith that doesn't get shown on the news. I've seen the man with AIDS who shook my hand and hugged me and said thank you. And I asked him, "For what?" because it didn't seem right for a man to have to thank me for being human to him. I've seen more "Mother Teresa's" at work in storefront centers, helping kids graduate high school and helping people learn job skills to get a better job than fast food. I've seen people I know give their last few dollars of their monthly budget just because someone had a need.

A Christian I know once asked me if I joined an online journaling community so I could "share my faith" with people. That's a tough question to answer for me.

First, because I can't get away from "sharing my faith" with anyone I know. My faith is part of what makes me, well, me. It comes with the package, so to speak, and I'm not going to apologize for it being there. So, I guess, simply by the nature of "being" I'm "sharing my faith" -- at least in one sense.

Second, it really gets down to what people mean when they say, "sharing my faith." If by it they mean, did I join to make a bunch of converts to my way of thinking, then the answer is no. Plain and simple.

I joined social media and blogging communities because I like getting to know people. All people. Particularly people who don't believe the same as me. My life would be really boring with just me-clones around. And to be honest, I don't like most Christians I know either. For all the same reasons many other people don't.

Would I like for my friends to believe what I do? Sure. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't. Is any friendship contingent on it? Of course not. Never will be. I consider it an honor that many of the people I've met in LJ continue to give me the time of day once they learn that I'm "one of those religious types" -- albeit a far cuter and less stereotypical one, I hope. I'm fortunate to be given the opportunity to be a friend in spite of the baggage my world view brings with it.

In fact, I received today what I consider one of the highest compliments I've ever received, bar none. An friend said I was the "nicest Christian I know." (Okay, she added some other stuff about my fascination with fishnets, but that's for the other essay I promised.)

And the worst part...

I start to get pretty proud of myself when I mention things like that.

Which just goes to show how much I still don't get it myself, after all.

John Fischer on Little Brown Birds and the Kingdom of Heaven

"According to Bill, who wrote us about the birds at his backyard feeder: Heaven is going to be full of little brown birds. 'I am avid about backyard birds,' he wrote, 'and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to feed the cardinals and blue jays, without attracting all the house finches and sparrows.  One day I realized that I am one of the little brown birds in God’s human flock and that changed my attitude.  I now thoroughly enjoy feeding all of the birds that show up in my yard.'

"This is a great metaphor for what we so often get wrong about the gospel. We say the gospel is for everybody, but we don’t necessarily mean it. We like to associate with pretty people, upwardly mobile people – attractive types who give a good face on what we believe. We also like to associate with people who are like us — people of the same race, same economic status, same political beliefs, who send their kids to the same schools. We gravitate towards sameness and find comfort in the familiar.

"But the gospel of Jesus Christ is big and wide and messy. It is for everyone, even people we don’t like. It is for those on both sides of the tracks — those we admire and those we would rather not associate with."

-- John Fischer (http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/little-brown-birds/)

[Link] Where Is the Kingdom?

We have become much too obvious about identifying what is “Christian” in the world. In fact, we have lost ground trying to gain ground. We have labeled and marketed a subculture and an agenda in the world. Christians have become much too visible. If you can say, “Here it is!” or “It’s over there!” then chances are you’ve got something other than the Kingdom of God. Not sure what it is but it isn’t that. Trying to identify and establish what is Christian in culture can easily work at cross-purposes with what God is already doing in the world.

The Kingdom of God is not something you can buy or sell or purchase a ticket to. You can’t market it or vote it in. You can’t put it in power because it is already in charge. You can’t call it out because God hasn’t called it out. There will come a time when every eye will see it, but this is not that time. To pray “Thy Kingdom come” as Jesus taught us to pray is not to bring it as if it weren’t here. He told us already that it is here. It means to pray that we might be agents of doing His will on earth “as it is in heaven.” -- John Fischer

Read more: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/where-is-the-kingdom/

Playing Judas

"If we can’t embrace our own sin, how can we claim to know anything about our own forgiveness? If we can’t identify with Judas, how can we pretend to identify with Peter, or John, or Matthew, or any of the others who all betrayed Him and denied they knew Him by running away in His time of need? We identify with good old Peter because he got forgiven and reconciled to Christ, but Judas went out and hanged himself. Do we not understand that? Can we not embrace that in our own character? Are we all so bent on being good Christians that we cannot connect with being the bad guy?"
     -- From John Fischer, "Playing Judas" (The Catch)

Read more: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/playing-judas/

[Link] Lincoln and Speed

by John Fischer

It’s a conversation that allegedly took place between Abraham Lincoln and his life long friend, Joshua Speed. Speed, upon finding Lincoln reading the Bible, laid a hand on his shoulder and remarked, “I am glad to see you profitably engaged.”

“I am profitably engaged,” was the affirming reply.

“Well, if you have recovered from your skepticism, I am sorry to say that I have not.”

“You are wrong, Speed,” said Lincoln, looking up from the pages of his Bible. “Take all of this book upon reason that you can, and the balance on faith, and you will die a happier and better man.”

This story resonates with me for numerous reasons.

1) It’s Abraham Lincoln, an obviously smart and great man who gave God respect, believed the Bible, and relied on Christ for strength to lead America through one of it’s most trying times.

2) It’s a great statement on the cooperation of reason and faith. Christianity is not unreasonable. It does not require blind or stupid faith. It requires a reasonable faith. That would be, as Lincoln described it, a faith that travels along with reason until reason can go no further, at which point faith goes the rest of the way alone. That says that faith is not antagonistic to reason, it’s just that reason alone isn’t enough.

3) Joshua Speed, who is said to have been one of Lincoln’s best friends, did not share Lincoln’s belief. They even disagreed over the slavery issue, yet they remained close throughout Lincoln’s life and presidency. This is a good example for us, because we tend to gravitate, especially with best friends, to people who support the same belief systems we hold. We might have acquaintances that are not believers, but rarely best friends. I’d be curious as to whether Mr. Speed ever came to faith. It’s hard to imagine a long, close friendship with a man like Lincoln that wouldn’t have deeply impacted Joshua Speed about the reality of all that Lincoln believed.

At any rate, it’s a great example of the kind of friendships I believe we as Christians need to cultivate — relationships of mutual respect with those who are different from us. It’s hard to deny the powerful witness of a life of faith over the long haul.

For original link, click here: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/lincoln-and-speed/

More Important Matters

by John Fischer
 

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness." (Matthew 23:23)

How we love to control what we can control and let go by what we can't. How well I understand this. This is the diversion of religion, and when Christianity becomes just a religion, we get all taken up with things like going to church, reading our Bibles and praying while missing the bigger issues of the heart - things that color all that we do and say. Jesus mentions three of those things here: justice, mercy and faith.

The first one, justice, is sorely missing in conservative Christianity today and has been for some time. I admittedly know little about it and I have been around Christian ministry all my life.

Years ago, in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the church let the world take up the banner of justice and we haven't done much about it since. Yet Jesus mentions it as one of three important things for us not to miss. How many sermons besides those of Martin Luther King, Jr., admonished us as followers of Christ to treat everyone adequately, fairly, and with full appreciation - and that's just one aspect of justice. There are many more.

I think we get confused over this sometimes because justice is often paired with its social counterpart to create social justice - something that has more to do with the laws of the land than with individual responsibility. That may be obliquely related to what Jesus was talking about here, but I think He meant something more attached to the heart, and how each one of us thinks about and treats other people.

We are going to look more into this in the coming days, but I must say that I am not as far along on this journey as many of you probably are, so bear with me. I have much to learn.

How can any follower of Jesus bypass what He has so clearly marked out as being an important matter? So please, teach me about justice. Write to me with some illustrations of what you have experienced as acts of justice or lack of it. Let's do this together. Marti believes that justice is going to play a big role in the next spiritual revolution and I, for one, don't want to miss it this time.

From Fischtank.com

The Scandal of Christmas

Sheep poop. What part of this
makes for a glamorous religion?

"If you thought up a god, would you have him take on the form of his own creation, go to them to save them, and have them reject him and kill him? And then would you raise him from the dead and have his resurrected being witnessed by over a hundred people, yet unconfirmed by science, so it would be disputed for the rest of human history. And then would you have his church begun by a rag tag team of followers with little credibility and no social clout? See what I mean? It's preposterous. It's unthinkable." -- John Fischer

Continue reading: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/the-scandal-of-christmas/

In due time

by John Fischer

NOTE: Reposted in entirety from http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/in-due-time/ 

I remain with Daniel’s influential place in court of Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian empire, during a time when the children of Israel were in captivity there. I find this similar to the place a follower of Christ has in the marketplace today. As believers, Christians are in exile in a foreign country since their true home is in heaven, yet, while on this earth, they are required to take part in the “secular” culture in which they find themselves – to “build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:5-7 NLT).

And when, in the course of living in an environment sometimes hostile to their faith, Daniel’s example would be to remain true to his God whatever the cost. In Daniel’s case, that’s what got him famously thrown into the lion’s den, where his survival impressed the king, making him respect not only Daniel, but Daniel’s god, and causing the king to put him in a place of high influence in his empire. At all times Daniel conducted himself with humility and respect for those around him – looking after their welfare as he would his own. These were pagan people following pagan gods, and though they were hostile towards him at times, he was never hostile towards them.

Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed with Daniel and Daniel’s god (I use the lower case “g” to indicate the king’s perspective) that he named him Belteshazzer, a name after his own god, and claimed “the spirit of the holy gods is in him” (Daniel 4:9). This is Nebuchadnezzar putting Daniel and Daniel’s faith into terms he understands. And Daniel does not appear to resist this. Why should he? If anything, it’s a compliment, and Nebuchadnezzar will find out for himself whose god is God in due time.

Christians of recent years have tried to gain ground in society through confrontation, in some cases creating animosity and then claiming “persecution” over the reaction that animosity engendered. I do not find this to be in keeping with the way God works. Daniel’s approach is much more suited for representatives of the kingdom of God who are living in and taking part in the secular culture in which they find themselves.

Daniel never tried to turn Babylon into Israel. At all times, he operated without compromise, remaining true to his God while respecting the people and the religion of the nation to which he was exiled.

And in the end, after recovering from a period of insanity during which he lost everything (something also predicted in a dream Daniel interpreted) Nebuchadnezzar claimed, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble those who are proud” (Daniel 4:37).

[Link] Who's my faith for?

by John Fischer 

My computer is missional. Most likely yours is too.

Ever notice how the logo on your laptop is upside down to you? In fact, how many times have you placed your laptop in front of you with the logo towards you and tried to open the thing? I still start to do it all the time. Of course there's a marketing reason for this. Once you have your laptop open, it's more important that everyone knows what brand of computer you are working on. You already know.

Faith is a lot like this. Our faith is for others as much - if not more - than it is for us.

Continue reading: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/whos-my-faith-for/

[Link] Getting it

by John Fischer

Peter now claims to “get it,” this essential equality, which prohibits him from falsely judging and practicing separation by the avoidance of certain “unclean” things and by withholding the gospel from those Gentiles who would hear it and receive it.

Peter struggled through his cultural practice of holiness and separation and we are guilty of the same kind of legalism and externalism today.  Peter did not change overnight nor will our entrenched ideas and beliefs. Nevertheless, one thing is certain, God never meant for anyone to judge another. Therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s stop the proliferation of our spoken and unspoken judgment.

Here are some concluding thoughts:
Let’s each step into the shoes of those we deem unclean and see what they see when looking at us.

This new insight will cause our knees to buckle toward the floor and our heads to bow in supplication. ...

Continue reading: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/getting-it/

the view from ... John Fischer

Tell us a little about how and why you became a Christian.

John Fischer: I grew up in a Christian home and have believed most of my life. My issue has not been believing but making real what I believe.

What lessons have been the most valuable to you during your experience of following Christ?

John Fischer: A Christian is to be real. There is no need to hide. It is not how good we are but how honest we are to ourselves with Christ living in us.

You helped usher in Christian music during the '70s with many songs that became campground favorites of that youth generation. Tell us a little about that experience and how you perceive the current Christian music culture (or subculture)?

John Fischer: I have books written about this. The short of it: The Jesus movement was turned out towards the world. The subculture that grew out of it is turned in on itself.

In one of your CCM columns from years ago, you wrote a statement that I've had tacked on my office bulletin board ever since. You said, "Is there anyone out there fool enough to think they can still change the world with their guitar? I don't think anything's going to happen until there is." Do you still hold to that statement? How do you think it applies to this current generation of Christians, even those without musical talents?

John Fischer: We can make a difference in the world through living as an honest Christian in our own sphere of influence.

One of the things I've enjoyed about your writing is the sense of honesty and realness and transparency that comes across in your books. Do you make a conscious effort to stay real or does that come naturally to you? Why is that important to you and your writing?

John Fischer: When I gave my life in service to God as a college student, it was on one condition. That following Him -- being a Christian -- would be real. He's kept his side of the bargain. I've tried to be honest about mine.

In your earlier books Real Christians Don't Dance and True Believers Don't Ask Why you wrote of the hang-ups that plague Christendom and keep Christians from focusing on the truly vital issues of being salt and light in the real world. Do you still see those hang-ups getting in the way? Or does each new generation develop it's own set of hang-ups to focus on?

John Fischer: We have new ones as culture and society and people change. I see the big issue now being fear of the world and a desire to hide in the Christian subculture where we can be safe.

 ================================

The In's and Out's Of It
by John Fischer

"In it not, of it," the statement was made
As Christian One faced the world, much afraid.
"In it, not of it," the call was made clear,
But Christian One got something stuck in his ear.
"Not in it, or of it," was the thing that he heard.
And knowing the world was painfully absurd,
He welcomed the safety of pious retreat,
And went to the potluck for something to eat.

Now Christian Two, he knew what to do,
He show those fundies a thing or two!
How will the world ever give Christ a try
If we don't get in there and identify?
So "In it, and of it," he said in his car,
As he pulled in and stopped at a popular bar.
"I'll tell them the truth as soon as I'm able
To get myself out from under this table."

Now along comes Christian Three jogging for Jesus,
In witnessing sweats made of four matching pieces.
His earphones are playing a hot Christian tune
About how the Lord is coming back soon.
"Not in it, but of it," he turns down the hill
And stops in for a bite at the Agape Grill.
Like the gold on the chain of his "God Loves You" bracelet,
He can have the world without having to face it.

While way up in heaven they lament these conditions
That come from changing a few prepositions.
"Not in it, or of it," Christian One thought.
But who in the world will know that he's not?
"In it, and of it," thought Christian Two.
But who in the world will know that he knew?
"Not in it, but of it," thought Christian Three.
But who in the world watches Christian TV?

And Jesus turns to Gabriel, shaking His head.
"'In it, not of it,' wasn't that what I said?"

(used by permission)

=================================

One of your books contains a poem that perhaps best illustrates how Christians have misunderstood Christ's intention for our interaction in the world and have created a Christian subculture. In your opinion, how and why did such a "counter-culture" develop and why is it such a danger for Christians to pull away from the world at large?

John Fischer: It developed out of a preference for the familiar and a desire to be safe -- to protect our kids from the world instead of prepare them for it. We created an alternative world with a Christian version of everything cultural so we could reject the world and still enjoy it anyway.

What do you think are the biggest trouble spots or blind spots contemporary Christians face in trying to impact their culture and develop ongoing, genuine relationships with people who may not believe as they do?

John Fischer: Most Christians are trying to prove the world wrong. The world is not wrong as much as it is lost. We don't know how to dialogue with our culture. We spent our time and effort fighting culture instead of making a difference in it.

Any advice for Christians who want to impact their culture rather than retreat from it or judge it from a "safe" distance?

John Fischer: Don't surround yourself with Christian things. Be a Christian in the world. The world doesn't need Christian music; it needs Christians making music. You can substitute pretty much anything for "music" and get the point.

Just as your writings have influenced many people in this generation, who are some of the writers and thinkers who helped to influence your views on faith and living out that faith? Why are they important to you?

John Fischer: C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, Frederick Buechner, Harry Blamires

Tell us a little about the concept behind the book 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (Like Me).

John Fischer: The biggest errors of Christians are in attitudes of self-righteousness and condemnation. I felt the recovery model would suit breaking out of those attitudes well. Someone came to me after a talk and said my writing was like a 12 step recovery program for a Pharisee. I told them right then and there that I wanted that for a title of my next book. Two years later at the same event I was able to give that person a copy of the book!

[Link] In the Line Up

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – Jesus Christ (Luke 6:35)

If you want to get a little taste of what God is like, try loving your enemies, lending money to those you know won’t pay you back, and then try being kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. What does this do to one’s sense of justice and fairness? What could this possibly be about? Jesus can’t be serious about this, can he?

Here’s what I think. I think Jesus is getting us to think this way because he wants us to see something important about ourselves.

After all, what are we thinking here… that we are God’s friends, that we always pay back what we borrow, and that we are most certainly grateful and holy, and that’s why it’s so hard for us to understand why God would ask us, the holy ones, to be kind to all these wicked and ungrateful folks? Gee, somehow we’re going to have to find it in ourselves to love these awful people. But I suppose that if God can do it, we can too. It will be a stretch, but we will try… Is that what this is about?

Hardly. Here’s what I think it means:

There is relatively little difference between the most ungrateful, wicked people I can think of and me, and I had better be deeply grateful that God is, in fact, “unfair” in this way, because otherwise there would be no hope for me. I know this is what Jesus is saying because the very next verse is: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful [to you].” And that is followed up with: “Do not judge and you will not be judged.” See where He’s going with this?

When you look at it this way, it changes the whole picture.

Love your enemies and be kind to those who, like you, have received the kindness of God when they didn’t deserve it. And if you are ever tempted to think of God as being unfair, then go all the way and rejoice in the glorious inequity of grace that has made unlikely room for you and me, and in that same spirit of “unfairness,” make room in your heart for others.

You have to always be on the lookout. A little self-righteousness goes a long way. 

Reposted from http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/in-the-line-up/ because John Fischer said it better than I ever could.

[Link] What’s in a name?

by John Fischer

“Your name will be a curse word among my people, for the Sovereign Lord will destroy you and call his true servants by another name.” (Isaiah 65:15)

It looks as if God had the same problem here as we have today; He had to come up with a new name for His true followers because most of the people who were supposed to be His followers gave the old name such a bad rap.

I understand this. I find it hard in some circles to call myself a Christian, not because I am ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but because the name has come to mean things that have little or nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Continue reading: http://catchjohnfischer.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/whats-in-a-name/

Is There a New Word for Christian?

Do you ever wish we had a new word for "Christian?" 

 I bet there are a lot of people out there who would be Christians 

if they didn’t have to become a "Christian" to be one. 

-- John Fischer

To me, John Fischer is a guy who "gets it." A man of faith whose faith deals with the real stuff of life, not the stuff of political activists or irrelevant evangelists or poor communicators with big plans and no skills at getting them across. He's a guy who is able to say the important things about why people dislike so much people who believe what I believe. 

And he's right most every time, I've come to believe.

People don't like us because by and large...

We're fake.
We're hypocritical.
We're judgmental.
We're known more by what we stand against than what we stand for.
We're loud and opinionated.
We dress funny. (Well, at least on those horrible TV networks.)
We fit in the real world like a black and white TV with rabbit ears fits with a new BluRay player.
We throw around language that doesn't mean anything to people.
We think we're better than others.
We think we're right. All the time.
We're unfriendly.
We're a clique.
We play at being pious.
We don't feel comfortable associating with non-religous people.
We ask people to change who they are before we'll accept them.
We want converts, not friends.
We are terribly condescending.
We like ideals better than people.
We focus on rules more than living.
We can't even get along among ourselves.
And most of the time we end up disproving what we say we believe more than proving it.

It's a painful list to make. And I could go on.

But like John says in his article, I've seen the soft underbelly of my faith that doesn't get shown on the news. I've seen the man with AIDS who shook my hand and hugged me and said thank you. And I asked him, "For what?" because it didn't seem right for a man to have to thank me for being human to him. I've seen more "Mother Teresa's" at work in storefront centers, helping kids graduate high school and helping people learn job skills to get a better job than fast food. I've seen people I know give their last few dollars of their monthly budget just because someone had a need.

A Christian I know once asked me if I blog so I can "share my faith" with people. That's a tough question to answer for me.

First, because I can't get away from "sharing my faith" with anyone I know. My faith is part of what makes me, well, me. It comes with the package, so to speak, and I'm not going to apologize for it being there. So, I guess, simply by the nature of "being" I'm "sharing my faith" -- at least in one sense.

Second, it really gets down to what people mean when they say, "sharing my faith." If by it they mean, did I join to make a bunch of converts to my way of thinking, then the answer is no. Plain and simple.

I started blogging because I like getting to know people. All people. Particularly people who don't believe the same as me. My life would be really boring with just me-clones around. And to be honest, I don't like most Christians I know either. For all the same reasons many other people don't.

Would I like for my friends to believe what I do? Sure. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't. Is any friendship contingent on it? Of course not. Never will be. I consider it an honor that many of the people I've met continue to give me the time of day once they learn that I'm "one of those religious types." I'm fortunate to be given the opportunity to be a friend in spite of the baggage my worldview brings with it.

In fact, I received today what I consider one of the highest compliments I've ever received, bar none. An friend said I was the "nicest Christian I know." (Okay, she added some other stuff about my fascination with fishnets, but that's for the another essay.)

And the worst part... I start to get pretty proud of myself when I mention things like that.

Which just goes to show how much I still don't get it myself, after all. 

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To read more of John's work, visit The Catch.