Not all Christians are alike
Not all Christians are alike. Do you notice that? When you are in a faith tradition you notice the nuances of your tradition. You can detect differences between different Christians. Some might take the Bible literally and try to convince you that the earth was created in 6 days, and on the 7th day God rested. If you are a Lutheran, you might feel uneasy around a fellow Christian trying to convince you of that belief. Yet both of you are Christian.
We have thousands of denominations for a reason. We all see something that speaks to us in scripture, and lift it out of the Bible and say… “This is what the Christian faith is all about.” The reason we do this is because a particular Bible verse resonates with my experience and beliefs. Others might see something different and lift up a verse that doesn’t speak to your heart.
The early Christian Father, St. Augustine wrote that when it comes to interpreting the Bible, the proper interpretation would lead us to further love God and love our neighbors. If we find something leading us away from this ideal, it most likely is not the proper use of the Bible. It’s pretty simple and easy to understand. St. Augustine speaks to my understanding of Bible interpretation.
With so many varieties of Christian denominations, representing different beliefs, there is one grounding practice of faith, ALL CHRISTIANS STAND UPON, AGAPE. God’s love for us, and Jesus’ challenge that we too can grow at loving as God loves. This aspect of the Practice of Christianity, holds true for all Christians around the world. We may not all believe the same things, but we are called to AGAPE.
It is November, traditionally STEWARDSHIP MONTH in the church. It is the season of Harvest Home and the recognition that all that we have, all that we are, and all that we can ever become, comes from Mother Earth. The Earth sustains us. followers of Jesus centered in AGAPE, consciously live our lives, realizing our impact upon the earth. We must live in ways that sustain Mother Earth while providing for a healthy Mother Earth for future generations. We are called to LOVE the Earth.
Stewardship is not simply giving money to the church, it is using your resources to support people, places, and institutions that support you and your stewardship principles. We all share responsibilities for sustaining Christ Lutheran.
Hopefully Christ Lutheran Church is a place of spiritual nourishment for you. As members of this church together we create an environment of welcome and grace for all people.
Remember, no matter who you are or where you are on your faith journey, YOU are welcome here!
Hopefully you are a Christian that centers your faith journey on both LOVE and STEWARDSHIP