Day 2 Birmingham

2nd Day Take Away...

I know this is not the best quality photo but let me ask you a question...

What do you see in this picture? 

This is in the center of the shopping district in Birmingham. Thousands of people each day (not an exaggeration) are here shopping and entering into the trains in this cities major hub to travel across country or in order to go to work across town. Public transportation is huge and well done throughout all of Europe I am told.

When I took this photo I tried to capture two things: The spire of a very large and old church in the back ground and in the foreground a man on the left with his Bible folded back yelling at people over a P.A. system about going to hell. To the right, another man supporting him as the two try to beat people over the head with a 2x4 of God's "love". (LAW!)

In this picture, we see Pastor Ron at the church doors of the Anglican church, St. Martin of the Bull Ring. The same church which I took a picture of its spire previously. The church doors were locked and the times of prayer and worship were printed on the board to the left but also to the left...

...was this. Tucked in the corner of this beautiful old church. 50 feet from the front doors of the church was a camp, the home of a homeless person. A human being loved by God and that Jesus laid down his life for so he or she might have eternal life...  

Don't be too quick to pass judgement my friends for this could be anywhere even your own church property. 

Today Dr. Hunter spoke to us concerning many things and it was a day where we spent our time with him and his very wonderful partner on ministry, Tracee Swank who also shared much with us. What stood out to me today was this: When did Christian people begin to love a church more than love people? 

I have heard people say many times: "I love my church" or "I love my pastor". Please, I understand the feelings and emotions behind it. I know we love God and love to come to church to worship and be refreshed and renewed each week but for what? 

Dr. Hunter challenged me on this today. He reminded me of what I had learned from N.T. Wright and our history as Christians. Christians were often the people who loved and prayed and cared for others no one else gave a hoot about. When plagues and sickness ravaged through the cities and lands be it Rome in the earliest days of Christianity or Germany in the 15th century, it was often the Christian people who stayed behind while others ran for the hills. Those Christians sometimes got sick themselves and died. There were times when the people they cared for got better and when their loved ones or friends returned from the hills after the plagues passed and found them alive asked: How? Who? Why? 

Jesus was praised and the number of believers grew. 

When did we loose our way? When did we forget the words of Jesus when asked what is the greatest of the 10 commandments answered; 

Love God.

Love others.

I was struck by the scene of the tent outside in the cold and 50 feet away from the locked, big wooden doors of the church. I wonder what Jesus thinks? I wonder for those who are skeptical about the Christian faith think when they see this if they themselves even notice! I come from Alaska where homelessness is epidemic. Some refuse to be helped but most are never engaged by caring people who are not trying to fix them but just care for them as a human being, one of God's children. 

Today I saw the Christians yelling at people as they passed by about Hell. I saw Muslims with their tables of literature and prayers being chanted out loud. I saw Jehovah Witnesses passing out books about creation. These three different belief systems competing for people walking by. Was that like what St. Paul encountered on Mars hill? Maybe we should stop competing and yelling and get back to what Jesus did. Remember what he did? 

Cared for the lost. 

Sat with the sick. 

Feed the poor. 

Jesus Loved People.

Have I wrecked your day?

Mine was wrecked!

(and that is ok!)

Jesus sometimes wrecks us so we can see clearly and change. 

For it is never, ever too late to change thanks to Jesus.  

God bless, Pastor Andy