Today we are going to talk about avoiding the subculture. 

A subculture is a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture.  It is a group of people within a bigger culture who share similar philosophies and beliefs, and who may do things in the same way.

Christians have a subculture. We have Christian T shirts, Christian movies, Christian CD’s, Christian books, Christian bumper stickers, and Christian songs.  “Many of us will have the same beliefs.”

If we get too comfortable in our Christian subculture, we may start to “blend in” with other Christians, and we may miss out on what God is calling us to do.  Opportunities may also be lost in making a positive difference in the lives of others. 

This is analogous to riding in an elevator. While waiting for an elevator, everyone is talking; however, as soon people get in, there is silence.  Everyone then turns around and stares at the numbers located above the elevator doors as the elevator rises. Then the doors open and people step outside and begin talking again. 

What’s happening is everyone is blending in with the silence of riding in an elevator.

As Christians we may do the same thing and just blend into this world.  This immobilizes us from doing what God wants us to do.  Therefore, we must be careful of the Christian subculture, and be aware of what God is calling us to do.

Every one of us can make a difference and positively impact the world, but we must follow what God is calling us to do.

Sometimes as “As Christ-followers, we can easily end up being what I call Christian chameleons – we blend into whatever background we happen to be part of, and it camouflages who we really are.” (Wayne Cordeiro, “Jesus Pure & Simple,” pg. 39)

“God did not call you to just fade in and camouflage (yourself) within the fabric of the wood work.  God has called us to make a difference in this world.”

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul noticed that Christians were starting to get comfortable in their service to Christ and said 23 “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more.  I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.  27 I have labored and toiled and have gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NIV).

There is a problem with Christians getting comfortable in their subculture because this leads to complacency.  Therefore, they may not serve God to the level that He wants them to serve Him, and they may miss out on some of the potential that God has for their lives.

I believe that God did not send His son to die on the cross so that you and I could have a safe life.   I believe that He sent His son to die on the cross because he wanted you to have an adventurous life. God did not want you to be complacent.   God did not want you to have a mediocre and stagnant life, but to “live a sensible life – a version of Christianity that is dangerous.”

As Christians, how do we avoid the subculture in such as way as the Apostle Paul did, and live dangerously?  There are three pure and simple truths to doing this.  The first

PURE & SIMPLE TRUTH IS: YOU HAVE A GREATER PURPOSE!

God has a greater purpose for your life.  This is why you have to avoid the comfort of the Christian subculture, and be ready to do what God has called you to do.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible says “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 NIV).

In this scripture God is telling us if you love Jesus and are a follower of God, then you have the power of the Holy Spirit within you to do things in a great and extraordinary way.  But this can only be done by your willingness to not get comfortable and complacent living in the Christian subculture.

In this context, the word “greater” does not necessarily mean better.

Sometimes, God is calling you to a greater purpose by staying in what you are doing right now.   For example, God may not be calling you to quit your job.  Instead He may want you to stay in your job, and do it with a greater passion and purpose.  You may be dissatisfied with your marriage; however, He may want you to stay in your marriage, and serve Him through it.  He may call you to commit yourself to your marriage with a greater love, and a greater purpose.  This is because this greater purpose always ties into The Great Commission which says 19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”  (Mathew28:19 NIVa).

Life gets exciting when we get ecstatic about this fact.  As a disciple maker there is a greater purpose for your life – which is to change the world, one disciple at a time.  

God wants you to bring out the best disciple in your spouse.  As parents He wants you to shape the next generation of disciples.  For others, God may want you to change your direction in life.  God may want you to step out in faith and pursue a greater and different plan that will allow you to do more things, and make more disciples. 

For example, twelve years ago, I was happy living out my Christian subculture life by conveniently attending a church in Hawaii Kai.  I also was happy with my market place job that allowed me to have a six figure income.  During soccer season I had coached a girl’s soccer team, where some of the mom’s kept urging me to “check out their church” called New Hope.  I agreed to do so and was immediately swayed by Pastor Wayne’s sermon.  After a few months I got to know Pastor Wayne and I started to do devotions with him at Starbucks Coffee.

One day Pastor Wayne invited me to join his staff as part of his senior management team.  At first I declined because I was happy and content with my job; however, I felt God’s calling to do something greater with my life.  At this meeting I felt completely out of my comfort zone. This was because I was in my mid twenty’s, and the men were much older than I.  I also felt that I was inappropriately dressed because I wore a t- shirt, and puka jeans, my hair was spiked, and because I wore earrings.  This contrasted to the men on the team who wore look alike Tommy Bahama shirts, black slacks and shoes.

Ten years ago when I was living in Hawaii Kai, and Pastor Wayne asked me to pray about planting a church on the Leeward side of the island.  Back then, the Leeward area was desolate in comparison to Hawaii Kai.  Initially I was reluctant to do it; however, after prayer, I did it with a commitment to God.  Today, New Hope Leeward has a congregation of about four-thousand.

These were my examples of stepping out of my comfort zone to get where God wants me to be.  God wants you to avoid the subculture, and not be complacent in your walk with Christ.  God also wants you to step out in faith with trust in Him, and to live dangerously to the destiny that He has for your life. 

To avoid the Christian subculture of complacency you have to secondly remember the PURE & SIMPLE TRUTH: GOD IS HUGE. 

You have to remember “all the time” that God is huge.  A particular Bible passage out of the Old Testament reminds us that God is huge.  In the Bible Joshua became a friend of the Gibeonites, and helped defend them against an attack by the Amorites.  In the middle of the night as Joshua is walking to Gibeon to defend Gibeon, the Lord speaks to Joshua and says, 8 “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.  Not one of them will be able to withstand you”. (Joshua 10:8 NIV).

Joshua and his army of men break enemy lines and throughout the day gain victory taking out the Amorite army.  However, as the day wears on the sun begins to set, and Joshua becomes concerned that some of the Amorites may escape due to nightfall.  If this happened, they would not be assured a full victory.

Remembering the hugeness of God, Joshua prays to God this prayer 12 “Sun stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”  13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped…” (Joshua 10:12-13 NIV)

Joshua stepped out of his comfort zone and allowed God to help him do this huge thing – defeat the Amorites.  When God brings a sense of urging to your heart, to step outside of your comfort zone then you must cast aside the complacency and comfort that sometimes happens in Christianity.  You must do what He is urging you to do, and where He is directing you to serve.  It could be adopting a child from a foreign country, it could be taking the initiative to talk to someone about Christ, or it could be making a difference in the lives of others.

Finally remember, THE PURE & SIMPLE TRUTH IS: YOU DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY!

You cannot blame someone else for things that happened to you or for experiences that you have lost out on.  Some people do not have enough faith that God can use them.  Therefore, they are stuck in the Christian subculture. 

For example, they may be thinking that they God will not be able to finance their mission trip, or that this huge dream in their heart is unattainable. 

Your faith is not defined by who God is.

Your faith is defined by who you believe God is.

Jesus said “According to your faith it will it be done to you.” (Mathew 9:29 NIV).

If your faith in God is little, then God will do little things in your life; however, if your faith is in God is big, and if you believe that you serve a big God, then God will do big things in your life.

This is the pure and simple truth about the Word of God.

God is huge and can support us through our challenges.

Last week I was playing on a beach on Kauai with my son named Jeremiah.   As the waves were coming in to shore, I grabbed my son’s hands and we waded farther and farther out into the ocean.  I told my son to hang on to my hands.  As the waves were about to crash over his head I lifted him up by his hands and pulled him out of the water.  I said “If you keep holding on to Daddy’s hands, I’ll make sure that the waves do not knock you down and that you are safe.”

God wants us to trust Him and hold on to His hands so that we can step outside of our comfort zone of the Christian subculture - so that we can step outside of our complacency and serve Him.  This will allow us to do extraordinary things on an extraordinary scale, and we will be able “to change this world for Jesus, one disciple at a time.”

Questions:

·     How can we not live a life of complacency, but one dangerously devoted to Christ?

·     What greater purpose has God called you to do for this season in your life?

·     Let’s have a “faith check” – How big is our faith in God? 

·     Think about a situation where your faith or lack of it has resulted in a particular outcome.  How can we learn from this experience?