Authentic Christianity

Yesterday I had a conversation with a lady that set me to thinking about the question, "What is authentic Christianity." Certainly I will not try to explore this subject very fully, but look at it from only one angle.

The lady's story was as follows. She was asked by some lady friends to visit their church and sing a solo during their worship service. She agreed to do this, but only on the condition that it met with the approval of the pastor whom she did not know.

She arrived for the service and took her seat. Soon someone informed her that the pastor wanted to meet with her in his office. She was glad to do so thinking that they would talk about when and what song she would sing.

To her surprise they never got to that point. Instead the pastor asked her a question that startled her He wanted to know if she ever wore necklaces. She responded that she does sometimes, even though she didn't have one on that time. She asked him what that had to do with her singing. He responded very adamantly that it had everything to do with it. He stated that he was suspicious that she does wear necklaces because he noticed that she had on a watch, a bracelet and wedding rings. He laid down the law in no uncertain terms that wearing a necklace was a sign of worldliness and unacceptable for a Christian. In light of the fact that she did not meet his standard of being an authentic Christian, he would not allow her to sing in HIS church.

Feeling so humiliated she intended to leave as quickly as possible, but as she walked down the aisle toward the front door, some of the ladies who had invited her there asked her what she was going to sing. Very upset by the stern reprimand by the pastor, she answered loudly enough that all present could hear her, "Your pastor said that I can't sing because I wear necklaces." Then she rushed out the door vowing that she would never again return to that church.

The question is, "Did that pastor represent authentic Christianity?" He truly had a strong dose of religion, but not authentic Christianity. I am reminded of Jesus' words to the Pharisees in Luke 11:42, when he scalded them in no uncertain terms, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe and mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet you disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others."

Authentic Christianity, like Christ shows grace and kindness. It doesn't major on minor issues such as wearing necklaces. S uch religious trivia could hardly be called Christian at all for it drives folks away, rather than drawing them to Christ. Who needs religon? Few people want it. Everybody needs authentic Christianity and many want it.