I want to start by stating that this is not a rebuttal to
the article or a bashing in any way. In fact, I loved the article! I think it
fairly pointed out the facts about the Christian bubble at A&M from
different perspectives and was written by a Christian. The article got me
thinking about the topic and led to me to writing this blog. Consider this a
completely biased version of the article where I’m allowed to incorporate more
of a Christian perspective without getting bashed by an editor or reader.
I’d like to start this off by admitting that I am, without a
doubt, more than not, a member of the Christian Bubble. Given, I don’t own
TOMS, my Chacos are broken, and I don’t have any Hebrew tats. So what is this
Christian Bubble?
Well, I find it pretty difficult to define such a general
term. But I think it’s important to see the Christian Bubble by what it
produces: individuals who are stuck in groups of similar Christians that
inevitably (though unintentionally) block people out and restrict reaching out
to non-Christians.
Now, I realize that my description may seem condemning and
bleak, but I also think the Christian Bubble can get confused with the
Christian Presence at A&M. I think it would be a mistake to discount the
fact that God has been and is moving in a mighty way throughout our campus! It
is my belief that the presence of Christ at A&M is what stops many students
from falling off the deep end.
With the amazing ministry of Impact and the hundreds of
organizations that make Christian fellowship and discipleship for freshmen so
attainable, it is very easy for students to find a Christian community that
holds them accountable to sticking with the way of the Lord. However, our
obedience can’t stop with Christian community. Our obedience and ministry must reach
the edges of the earth! (Acts 1:8)
A couple weeks after I read this article, I went back to my
hometown church for a weekend where someone was preaching in the place of my
father who had just gotten back from Ethiopia. I honestly can’t even tell you
what he talked about that morning because after he read this single verse, I
completely shut down and focused on it. The verse was this:
“He says: ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of
Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach
to the end of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6
Basically, God is saying through Isaiah that it’s too easy
to encourage or strengthen those who are God’s people. How true is that? It’s a
whole lot easier to go to a Bible study or meet with an accountability partner
at a coffee shop than to go share the Gospel with a stranger.
I found a really good video about the Christian Bubble that
you should definitely check out. Don’t be freaked out by Johnny Bravo, it’s
still pretty good. http://www.churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-videos/152980-the-dangers-of-the-christian-bubble.html
One term he mentions that I love is the “Jonah Christian.”
As you may know, the story of Jonah is one of complete disobedience to the
calling of God. God ordered Jonah to preach the Word to those in Ninevah, yet
Jonah refused and parted for Tarshish.
Now, let’s talk about Tarshish. Matthew Henry states in his
commentary that there are two likely reasons Jonah specifically sailed for
Tarshish. He may have had friends there that he could return to making it a
place of comfort for him. Also, it could’ve just been the most accessible way
out and away from the presence of God. Either way, Jonah was looking for the
easy way out. He hated the idea of stepping out of his comfort zone and
pursuing a people who were very unlike his own. Tarshish was Jonah’s “bubble.”
Now to relate all this to the Christian Bubble we see at
Texas A&M. As I said before, I personally find myself trapped in this
bubble all the time. At times, I even completely avoid opportunities to be
surrounded by non-Christians with the intent of pursuing them with the Gospel.
I can often times count how many conversations I have a day with non-Christians
on one hand. But I can’t say whether another person is in the Bubble or not.
It’s for the individual to determine.
I think in order to determine if you are in the Bubble or
not, we should compare our lives and ministries to that of our Savior, Jesus
Christ! Of course, we’ll never compare, but if we take a hard look at His life,
we see that He often hung out with sinners of the worst kind and pursued the
lepers, bearers of the worst diseases of those times. Not only this, but He led
his disciples to do the same.
Jesus also dismissed the traditions and made-up religious
trends of the Pharisees. I think it’s okay to correlate the practices of the
Pharisees with the trends of the “hipster Christian” in some instances. We
often make accountability partners, mentors, and weekly or daily Bible studies
as requirements to Christianity. Not true! They are necessary, but the only
requirement to Christianity is satisfaction and faith in Christ alone! Those things
are merely means to an end.
To end, I’d like to point back to the Isaiah passage I
mentioned earlier. The last half says, “I will make you as a light for the
nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Any of those
words stick out for any reason?
Our natural tendency is to be comfortable. God makes
us a light and enables us to reach the end of the earth! The best way to “pop”
your bubble: let God take over!
