Casting a Wide Net

I choose to cast a wide net for the body of Christ. Actually I'm not even sure that I'm using "casting a wide net" in the right context, but for me it works. After all, didn't Jesus say we'd be fishers of men?

I am eager to include people into Christendom if they claim they are a Christian. In my previous post I said "could someone be considered a Christian if they believe Jesus is exactly who the Bible says He is"? I do know there are some recognized belief systems who claim they are Christians but then argue against the deity of Christ. So if you argue against the deity of Christ, or anything else that the Bible says is true of Christ, then in my opinion you fall outside that parameter.

But it sure seems to me that some Christians are eager to exclude people from the Kingdom based on the most insignificant principles. When we argue about points other than the claims of or about Christ, we are arguing the context and history and application of the words of men.

Now wait... don't get me wrong.

I believe the Bible is entirely God-breathed and Holy Spirit inspired. I believe the Bible is capable of serving exactly the purpose God intends it to. (I am undecided about the inerrancy issue, but that's another post.) What I'm saying is we know from centuries of experience that it is easy to argue about the points that are written by men because there are so many factors, contexts and interpretations to consider. But since, in the end, I believe the purpose of the Bible is to point to Christ, then that is exactly what it should do for us. When we argue about whether or not women should wear head coverings, we are not pointing to Christ, we are pointing at each other. We then have to consider context and application and interpretation before we can decide what it means. But if we argue about whether or not Christ was both fully God and fully man, then we have a problem. There, in my opinion, is so little that can be mis-interpreted about that. Seems pretty simple to me.

We all know there are so many points that people argue to be defining of Christianity. They are eager to exclude people based on details and rituals. It makes me sad.

I for one, am excited to include people. "Welcome" I say, "So glad you are here. We can share in this journey together. What do you know that you can share with me? This is what I have learned that you may not have learned. Maybe we will agree on the finer points, maybe not. But I love you still and I am not going to cast you out, but rather we should agree to disagree."

I heard one of my favorite songs yesterday. I was at a pub with some friends, having some food and drinks. The place was busy and there is a jukebox there which was being well utilized, playing all sorts of awesome and/or interesting songs.


We Just Disagree
(I like the Billy Dean version, but there are a several versions out there.)

Been away, haven't seen you in a while.
How've you been? Have you changed your style?
And do you think that we've grown up differently?
Don't seem the same, seems you've lost your feel for me

So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy.
There's only you and me,
And we just disagree.

I'm going back to a place that's far away.
How bout you? Have you got a place to stay?
Why should I care? When I'm just trying to get along.
We were friends, now it's the end of our love song.

So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy.
There's only you and me,
And we just disagree.

So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy.
There's only you and me,
And we just disagree.


In some ways the song leaves me sad, with the sense that one person wants to be friends and the other refuses because they disagree on some unnamed issue. In some ways it makes me feel good, because I'm an eternal diplomat, that someone at least is willing to be flexible in the name of harmony.

I wonder what everyone else thinks? Having been part of a denomination that teaches that they are the only ones going to heaven because they are the only "True Church of Christ", I can say that I am thoroughly sick of such attitudes. It makes me cry, it breaks my heart. It makes me pray.

Is it even worth our time or energy to argue about whether baptism should be sprinkling at infancy or immersion in adulthood, or even whether we must be baptized at all? Does it matter if we take Holy Communion once a month, weekly, or each day? Is it significant that we sing Hymns, contemporary choruses, or Gregorian chants? Should I be wearing only dresses and a head covering at all times?

Or can we agree to disagree and focus on loving Christ?

In the end I have always felt that we Christians don't make a bigger difference in the world because we waste so much of our precious energy arguing amongst ourselves. We put dollars into political causes in opposition of each other rather than into feeding the homeless. We avoid associating with each other because one denomination ordains women and another believes that is evil.

Whatever. I will still be casting my net as far as I can throw it.