Friday, February 22, 2008

Christian vs. Christ Follower

My gorgeous husband found some really funny videos on YouTube last night and I absolutely had to share them here. They've been online since May of last year - so if you've already seen them . . . well then watch them again, they're funny!

It seems like the term "Christian" has been given such a negative connotation.

What does it mean if you're a Christian? Does it mean you dress up every Sunday and go to church? Does it mean you look down on those that don't?

An Illinois church created these videos (a parody of the Mac vs. PC ads which I looove).

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6


I think these are great - and a good way to demonstrate how certain beliefs have become so skewed and that the most important part of being a "Christian" is believing in and following Jesus - not all the "stuff" that people associate with church.

What do you think about these videos?

(FYI - if you are interested in showing these at your church or youth group - there are high resolution videos available for purchase here.)

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Reasons 1 through 5 why I wear jeans and camo's to church...step out of the box people! God must love you the way you are, he made right?

Barry Pike said...

These are really funny, although the last 3 wouldn't play for some reason. I do like the concept and appreciate the humor, except that I believe some people, say in my father's generation, would probably think that there is an excessive amount of disrespect being lobbed at the "Christian" guy in the suit.

I think that context is very important when comparing "types" of Christians in this way. At a deeper level, to make "Christian" an object of ridicule and "Christ-Follower" out to be some sort of new, superior paradigm is, ultimately, a problematically divisive and non-scriptural distinction.

Sure, we all know uptight, opinionated, traditionalist guys like "Christian." Heck, until recently, we offered a venue service specifically for them. And maybe there's nothing wrong with poking a little fun. But the tendency in this emerging generation of believers to discredit and disrespect an older, more evangelically conservative generation is not Christ-like. It's smug and self-gratifying....not at all like Jesus.

I wrestle with this myself all the time. I know I have at times offended God with my ungracious attitude toward the people in our church family who are more like "Christian". As you know, I like my worship loud. With lots of electric guitars. And I have to continually remind myself that I must truly and genuinely love those that like it soft... preferably with no guitars...and certainly no drums...and no songs written after 1935 unless it's one of Bill Gaither's.