A Little Closer to Home...

A Little Closer to Home….

Over the next few weeks we will see the church mobilize and come to arms.  Dan Brown’s book The DaVinci Code has made quite a stir.  I understand Ron Howard has taken the book and made it into a major motion picture.  I have read the book.  It is quite good.  Dan Brown is a very talented writer and story teller.  The book however is foolishness and is based on the idea that Jesus did not die on the cross, but married Mary Magdalene and moved to France where his royal linage still survives today.  The idea of the book is to place a modern day murder mystery in the midst of this fictional series of events.  Brown artfully mixes just enough of the factual with the make believe to pull even seasoned Christians off their path for a few moments.

The reaction to all this by many in the church has been a strong and well defined defense.  Over the next few weeks we will likely see many pastors preaching on the evils of The DaVinci Code.  We are likely to see churches support studies where the underlying premise of The DaVinci Code is proved false and why.  I know of many studies that are for sale already.  Now I ask you, what should we make of one who attempts to make a profit from this?  I believe we are going to hear more about this book and movie from the church than probably any other source.

Here is my question.  Why is the church always against something?  Why not be for something?  Why not study something good, like the Gospel of John for instance?  I am not asking us to put our heads in the sand.  For heaven’s sake read the book, it is a good book.  But lets spend our precious time and energy making good things happen for the all the people of God.  We in the church waste too much time fighting the wind.  I think Jesus would laugh about the DaVinci code and then invite us to break some bread and fish to feed the hungry in our midst.  

Let’s not be fooled about the mission of the church.  God has never asked us to defend the church.  God will take care of these issues.  Rather we are called to be the Body of Christ; willing to move faithfully in service and love in the midst of a hurting and searching world.  They will know us by our love, not by our defense of the church.