A Classic From Shane

I just re-read an amazing article, maybe more of a letter, by Shane Claiborne on Tony Campolo's blog. It was originally written at least a couple of years ago but it's too good not to read more than once. It's an attempt to redeem the beauty of the Christian faith for those on whom the beauty has been lost, for those who've been burnt to badly by Christians to really take interest in their Christ. Shane, as you may know, is a favorite author of mine and just an incredible person. I encourage you to take the time to read the whole article: What if Jesus Meant All That Stuff?

Here's a sample from the letter:

The Bible that I read says that God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it… it was because “God so loved the world.” That is the God I know, and I long for others to know. I did not choose to devote my life to Jesus because I was scared to death of hell or because I wanted crowns in heaven… but because he is good. For those of you who are on a sincere spiritual journey, I hope that you do not reject Christ because of Christians. We have always been a messed-up bunch, and somehow God has survived the embarrassing things we do in His name. At the core of our “Gospel” is the message that Jesus came “not [for] the healthy… but the sick.” And if you choose Jesus, may it not be simply because of a fear of hell or hope for mansions in heaven.

Read the article: http://www.redletterchristians.org/what-if-jesus-meant-all-that-stuff/