Red Letter Christianity

It's only yesterday I came across the term Red Letter Christianity. I was flipping through the Christian channels on television when I came across a program with this title. Because it was hosted by Tony Campola, whom I really respect as a Christian leader,I thought of watching it. Brian Mclaren was the guest whom Campola and his co-host interviewed yesterday.


Listening to them, I came to understand that many Christians are getting frustrated and disatisfied in the direction churches are moving these days, especially in North America. Instead of focusing on the poor and the lost and the inequality and injustice that's prevailing around us, it's so sad to see some Christians are wasting time in debating and fighting over abortion and homosexuality.

Red Letter Christians are those who are more interested in doing and following Jesus and His sayings which are printed in red letters in the Gospels. At one time, Christians wanted to identify themselves as Born Again Christians in order to differentiate them from the nominal Christians who had no Born Again experience. It seems that trend has lost it's distinction and meaning that Christians are looking for some other name to identify them. Some prefer to call themselves as Followers of Christ.

Although I couldn't learn much about Red Letter Christianity in one sitting, I can say that this group stands for what Jesus truly care and talk about in the Gospels. Because Jesus' sayings are printed in red letters in most of the Bibles these days, the organization has acquired the title Red Letter Christianity. Instead of wasting time on debating and fighting over issues on homosexuality and abortion like the Right winged Christians, Red Letter Christains have chosen to spend time working on more needful and important issues like poverty, sex trafficking, greed, corruption, growing income inequality. I was even surprised to know that an Emerging Church is on the rise and some Christians are prefering to meet and worship in house setting rather than attending the usual community or denominational churches.

In a way I'm glad that Christians are wakening up to see what's going wrong with many modern day churches. It's so sad to see the trend of prosperity gospel is spreading like wildfire not only in America but its spreading other parts of the world. As a result, the preachers are getting rich living in mansions and flying in their own jets while the parishners and those who support them out of their meagre income keep on living with the same social issues. Churches are getting built in huge arena like fashions to seat thousands and messages are offered to make the crowd happy and entertained.

The power that beheld the first apostlic church and made the gospel spread no longer exists in our churches. We do have powerful music bands and worship team to rock the buildings, but the power of God is hardly visible in our operation as it did in early churches.Younger generations are confused by what they hear and what they witness. It's no surprise, people are turning towards eastern religions and spiritual gurus to find some solutions. People are hurting and they are seeking to find deliverance.

Busyness has robbed many church leaders strength and left them wearied and unfruitful. Prayer has lost its powerin churches. As a result, hunger for reformation is arising among many Christians and no wonder Red Letter Christianity and Emerging Church are bringing hope and meaning to those who are getting disatisfied with what they are seeing in today's churches, especially in North America, with so many church leaders and televangelists are acting more like business men and woment to promote their own agenda instead of God's agenda.

Well, it's wrong to measure all churches as well as Christians with the same yard stick. There are many churches who are bringing hope and truth to communities. Just today, I heard someone, who co-founded St.Judes Children's Hospital, which provides free treatment to its cancer patients, say how much the church he attends has blessed him. When his son, film director Tom Shadyac asked him, whether he could give one thing which has impacted his life, he pointed to the love he sees at the church he attends every Sunday. For him to see Blacks, Whites, Hispanics and Asians worshipping together standing shoulder to shoulder praising God, hugging one another in genuine love and serving together in unity truly made an impact on him, he said.The love and energy he felt there on Sunday was enought to carry him through the entire week to operate in right attitude and come back on next Sunday to be recharged in love. Wow! what a strong statement and what a blessing to have churches like that where Christ's message is not only preached, but lived out.

So, what's my part and your part in this. Our part is to follow the foot steps of Christ and live by the Red Letters and pray for the churches and church leaders so that Christ name is glorified and displayed in victorious witnessing of His followers, whether they chose to call themselves Red Letter Christians, Followers of Christ, Born-Again Christians or mere Christians!