:not Christian enough...:
(please note that this is a backlog post, i have had major thoughts since then, especially about the shootings in Colorado, but for now, i need to catch up with my back posts. more to come later)
so recently in Hong Kong.. the Rev Dr Franklin Graham came to our neck of the woods to have a celebration and current day crusade (although you cant really say that these days)
growing up as a NON Christian, in Hong Kong, while not caring about anything really except myself.. i never even HEARD of this Billy Graham... like never. i didn't know he was the biggest evangelist... yaddayadda ya...
so when his son decides to come to hong kong.. it's a HUGE thing.. so huge that the stadium gets booked for like a whole week of services. that is big. just for perspective, hong kong has only one day a year where all churches are supposed to come together to do the most foundational thing we as Christians do... pray. so, the global day of prayer can not fill the stadium for one afternoon, and this guy comes to preach and he fills it... four times, and fills the overflow as well.. four times.
so already you see that while people would blow off prayer, they would rather see a son of a white mega preacher come a speak for hours.
that doesn't make any sense to me. so i voted with my feet, and i didn't go. why? because i knew that non of my friends would want to go. i also wasn't too hot on such a mega event. also i have no idea who Franklin Graham is, or what he has done.
little did i know that a LOT people from Hong Kong would be going, and apparently it's right up the alley of many locals. roughly 160,000 people... that's a lot of people.
so here's the thing. for many non or nominal Christians, this was THE event to go to. so someone to meet me, a pastor, and i'm not going? the answer is always the same...
"huh? you're not going?"
awkward silence.
"nope."
.........
"oh"
so i've been asked at least 10 times by people who i had no clue they knew anything about Christianity, let alone the whole Graham craze... and EVERY single time i get weird responses.
so i've been contemplating this question, am i less of Christian because i don't like old school Christianity? am i somewhat lacking in my relationship with God because i didnt' go and support the Reverend Doctor Franklin Graham?
after some days of self reflection, and soul searching... i've decided that i've come to a decision.
no. haha.
so recently in Hong Kong.. the Rev Dr Franklin Graham came to our neck of the woods to have a celebration and current day crusade (although you cant really say that these days)
growing up as a NON Christian, in Hong Kong, while not caring about anything really except myself.. i never even HEARD of this Billy Graham... like never. i didn't know he was the biggest evangelist... yaddayadda ya...
so when his son decides to come to hong kong.. it's a HUGE thing.. so huge that the stadium gets booked for like a whole week of services. that is big. just for perspective, hong kong has only one day a year where all churches are supposed to come together to do the most foundational thing we as Christians do... pray. so, the global day of prayer can not fill the stadium for one afternoon, and this guy comes to preach and he fills it... four times, and fills the overflow as well.. four times.
so already you see that while people would blow off prayer, they would rather see a son of a white mega preacher come a speak for hours.
that doesn't make any sense to me. so i voted with my feet, and i didn't go. why? because i knew that non of my friends would want to go. i also wasn't too hot on such a mega event. also i have no idea who Franklin Graham is, or what he has done.
little did i know that a LOT people from Hong Kong would be going, and apparently it's right up the alley of many locals. roughly 160,000 people... that's a lot of people.
so here's the thing. for many non or nominal Christians, this was THE event to go to. so someone to meet me, a pastor, and i'm not going? the answer is always the same...
"huh? you're not going?"
awkward silence.
"nope."
.........
"oh"
so i've been asked at least 10 times by people who i had no clue they knew anything about Christianity, let alone the whole Graham craze... and EVERY single time i get weird responses.
so i've been contemplating this question, am i less of Christian because i don't like old school Christianity? am i somewhat lacking in my relationship with God because i didnt' go and support the Reverend Doctor Franklin Graham?
after some days of self reflection, and soul searching... i've decided that i've come to a decision.
no. haha.
Comments