True Christian Activism

There are several people here in the Treasure Valley who call themselves "Christian Activists". But they have a completely different definition for Christian activism than what the concept truly means. These individuals believe that Christian activism deals with causing a raucus, making the news, standing all alone, challenging authority, and causing enough fuss to get your issue in the papers. If someone's not getting upset - then you are not doing your Christian activism job very well.

But this is not true Christian activism.

This is only an outer shell - a prideful outer shell that is more focused on the activism part than on the Christian part.

In order to see the true heart of Christian activism, you have to look at the heart of Christ. Would Jesus Christ care if there was a monument for the Ten Commandments that nobody ever saw in a lonely park? Or would He instead care about the homeless man who sleeps next to it - and try to fulfill His life through hope, purpose, help for his addictions, and job training. Would Jesus be holding huge anti-abortion signs in front of a clinic? Or would He be talking with the young girls and their families in their homes - trying to bring restoration and healing in the midst of a difficult situation. Would Jesus travel all the way to China just to get arrested for illegally throwing His beliefs all over the country? Or would He focus on real and practical ways to be able to spread His church around the globe?

The heart of Christ is other people. The heart of true Christian activism needs to be other people. It needs to be tangible help and hope for the lowly and the poor. It needs to be relevant assistance for those who are suffering or being oppressed. It needs to be a loving strategy, loving actions, and loving attitudes.

True Christian activism flows from the heart of Christ.

The things that some people are doing now are not Christian activism.


So where are all the true Christian activists? Who will stand up to take back the reputation of the Church and bring real help and hope to those who really need it?

The Reputation of Christianity...(and the things we do to destroy it)

Recently, there was an incident involving a local 'Christian activist'. This woman went over to China for the beginning of the Olympics in order to protest something and stand up for human rights. While her intentions may have been admirable (misplaced, but admirable), her actions were unwise. This woman simply went to Tienamann Square (spelling??) and unfurled a large banner that said "CHRIST IS KING". She was immediately detained. Her banner was taken away. And she was deported back to the US.

Things like this happen all the time. And they all happen under the title of "Christian activism". There are many other things that happen under similar 'Christian' titles, as well. Violence and gross protests at abortion clinics. Money-grubbing televangelists. Affairs and indescretions from top leaders. Really dumb Christian t-shirts. All of these things happen within the name of Christianity - and that is usually all that everyday people see about Christianity.

The reputation of Christianity is built upon the things we do that make the news and that are interesting to people. I mean, I know that Christians do lots of good things in the world. But these types of things are not in newspapers and on magazines and debated in talk shows. Nope. The things that are on the news and in the media and engrained in people's psyche are these other things that make us look so bad. But who's fault is that? Is it the everyday person's fault because they only know about Christianity what they read on the newspaper and see in the streets? No. It is Christianity's own fault that our reputation is so bad.

We have to be more mindful of our overall reputation. The local 'Christian activist' who I referenced at the beginning was nnot thinking about the overall reputation of Christianity. Her actions did not help anyone over in China. They did nothing for anybody over there. And her exploits were plastered all over the news here in the US. So the reputation of Christianity being a religion that does not respect other countries, does not do anything to really help people, and has selfish and oblivious 'activists' is furthered and cemented. Basically, this woman's actions did more to hurt Christianity's reputation than to help anyone.


We have to protect the reputation of Christianity. We have to value the reputation so much that we do not allow other people to ruin it. We need to do all that we can to restore the reputation of Christianity so that it accurately reflects our heart, beliefs, and personality.

And we have to do it now.