Do you speak Porky-Jesus?
Excuse me! Porky Jesus, that’s got to be taking God’s name in vain if not out right blasphemy!
Well before you heat up the tar and start plucking feathers let me tell you first of all these were the words of a precious, innocent two year old. She and her dad were having a random conversation and he referred to something as being Portuguese to which she responded, “Mommy, daddy is talking porky-Jesus!”
Well I just chuckled, as I hope you are now doing! Her dad had said one thing and she had heard another. Because of her limited vocabulary and understanding she translated what he had said into words that she could put together. Portuguese was not in her vocabulary box. So, she quickly grabbed the two things in her box that would coincide with what she thought she heard and so she came out with “porky-Jesus.”
I tell you this story to convey one simple truth; We interpret things in the framework of our box, our understanding, experience and vocabulary. We can see or hear one thing and because of our box we translate or interpret things very differently. This is especially true in regard to the Church (body) that Jesus founded and the churches that are in business today.
For about 1700 years we have been reading more or less the very same New Testament. Yet these centuries have been marked by blood, controversy and division because of the way we read the very same words.
Thankfully, it has been a long time since one Christian group has imprisoned and or executed a member of a rival Christian group. No longer is the government imprisoning people because of what they believe the Bible says, all in the name of allegiance to the Bible.
Nowadays churches just fight it out with music styles, superstars and media campaigns. One church can prove their superiority and spirituality if they are able to do a better job of saturating the market with their name and ministry strengths. Often it is about whether one pastor happens to be a more gifted entertainer than another. Not that content does not matter, content matters greatly. If your platform personality can say something profound and insightful in a moving and interesting way; then you will have a church with a growing attendance on your hands. The people probably came from another church but hey…you get more people and the church with the most people wins, right?
Currently the majority of churches are drifting or declining. And those that are growing and seemingly reaching people for the kingdom are all headed down the same spiraling staircase into self-centeredness.
Only a handful grasp the idea that the purpose of the church is to be a moving force charging out into our world and not a fortress built on a hill in which all of its people can hide.
I want to invite you to join me as we look at just how we have twisted and misunderstood what Jesus taught and commanded the same way my friend’s little girl changed Portuguese into Porky-Jesus. To be continued…
