Aesop Rock is an underground rapper known for building complex verbal landscapes in his verses, often with several meanings to each word or phrase spoken. Unlike many of his peers in the industry, he is also known as a well-respected artist who also works a 9 to 5 job during the week. His job was the inspiration for a song called the 9 to 5’ers anthem, which speaks about the emptiness of working a job that only serves the ends of those seeking profit and success. To begin the second verse, Aesop declares that “It’s the year of the silkworm, everything I built burned yesterday…”. Imagine laboring as a silkworm, building something valuable, yet fleeting enough to disappear in an instant in the face of threat. In the same way, many labor their entire lives in vain, building empires of silk, only to lose them in the end.
If you can understand the meaning behind this message, then you are on your way to understanding God’s vision for Campus Crossroads. College is a time when people make decisions that inform the rest of their lives. Most students discover their natural talents while in college, and devote themselves to career paths, as well as intellectual and social pursuits. While standing in the middle of these pathways, one can become lost as to the meaning of it all. Often, the Church becomes secondary to these new interests for various reasons. For some, the Church becomes a mere social gathering, which does not offer actual life change, but rather, offers the opportunity to be with similar people who enjoy similar interests. For others, the Church transforms into an unnecessary institution that conforms people to antiquated rituals and beliefs, while inhibiting the pursuit of who they “really are”. In any case, the Church is viewed as unnecessary, and if anything, a place to go because one is a “Christian”. I want to offer an alternative view today, one that people associated with our church to any degree ought to know. At Crossroads, our mantra is to not go to church, but to be the Church.
What do we mean by this? For one thing, Church is not a place where Christians go. Church is a body of people, bonded by their love of Christ and striving together in discipleship under Christ. If Church were a place, then we could expect to enter a space, and for this space to provide everything essential to being a Christian. Imagine this scenario for a moment. If Church were simply a place…a location…then your life would be no different once you left its doors. Your faith would only exist during the hours you spent within those four walls. We simply do not agree with this view of Church. God moves every day of the week…every second of every day. God brings change to individuals and to communities that lasts into eternity. Otherwise, Church is no different than any other social gathering or group meeting that goes on in the world…gatherings which can be capable of doing some good, but eventually must be replaced by some other group or gathering. God offers more than this fleeting silk, which burns up in an instant…God offers the eternal.
Furthermore, if Church were a place, then we should expect God to move only within a building on Sunday mornings. God is too big for four walls…He spills out of these walls, through the hallways and walkways of the University…washing over the countryside, through cities, towns and suburbs…He is transcontinental, pouring over different countries and cultures. God is bigger than our University (as beloved as it might be), bigger than our nation, bigger than a race, or gender, or age group…God is bigger than we can imagine. Thus, it limits God too much to think of Church as a place where we gather.
In my experience at UNC, as well as at other universities, I find that people commonly view the Christian Church as an institution that offers moral development, much like other religions. Many people who offer this view also seem to find conventional institutions too stuffy for personal development, and would rather pursue self-exploration free from any outside influences. Ironically, I would argue that this freedom only exists in the Church, and I will explain why. I recently heard a lecture, where N.T. Wright explained his view on character development. Taking his cues from Aristotle, Wright points out that it takes no effort learn a vice…if one simply coasts along in life following their natural instincts, then they will begin to slip into bad habits. It takes something more to learn the good habits of virtue. We live in a culture that encourages “following your heart” and “finding yourself”, but, paradoxically, people who strike out on this journey are merely conforming to the rest of the world, as they all seek the same end. But Christ teaches us differently: that the only way to find one’s self is to give one’s life away. In this sense, the Church alone offers this freedom of self-discovery. Rather than some stuffy, unnecessary institution, we see Church as a subversive community which stands opposed to the world, offering freedom to any and all who turn to follow Christ.
In this way, God wants to affirm your interests and desires, so that you can use these gifts to participate in what He is doing. Some of you are artists…you see the world in a unique way, and have the knack for communicating this worldview so that others can likewise imagine the world differently. Some of you have the ability to take quantities of raw material, and organize it in such a way as to bring results where others (such as myself) would otherwise waste the opportunity. Some of you have gifts of healing others with your hands, your words or your heart. Some are in tune with God’s voice and plan more clearly than others, even if they do not realize it! Some are so motivated to do something, that they are growing restless this very moment to leave this room and help someone. God has preloaded each one of you with unique desires and gifts, but some never realize the application of these gifts because they become increasingly distracted as life goes on. For this reason, we emphasize ownership of our church by students, so that you can explore how to develop and apply these gifts. Ultimately, wherever and whenever you are, these skills will prove invaluable to you to be the Church at all times. Don’t spend your life shopping for churches…be the Church!
In his book, Confessions, Augustine prays the following prayer: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you.” Augustine, who has had more influence on the Western church than anyone not named Jesus or Paul, reflects on the fact that it took him around 40 years to truly own his faith. Much of the Confessions reflects the sentiments in this prayer. Augustine has a desire within himself, but he cannot seem to fill it with in his pursuit of literature, drama, culture or philosophy. Ultimately, after immersing himself in a variety of diversions, he realizes that God has been with him all along. He mourns that he did not recognize God in these pursuits earlier…that he wasted so much of his life distracted from God. I want to challenge you this morning…do not waste your life. Statistically, spanning several differently surveys, somewhere between 60%-80% of college students stop attending church during college. Many people put off church until they start families, and even then, the reasons for attending church center on their children. Many people miss out on God because they see no need to be a part of church during the most formative years of their lives.
The good news is that God is calling you now…this instant. He is knocking at your door now, asking you to be the Church. You are never too young…never too unprepared…you have everything you need to begin a life of discipleship under Christ. Simply offer yourself to God, and begin building eternal things, which no man can destroy. I want to close with a passage of Scripture from the Message…listen to these words in Ephesians…hear them as a call to be the Church:
Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.
[prayer] I encourage you to speak with us about how to follow this challenge. If you can, we’d love to speak with you a bit after we dismiss. Any one of our leadership would love to speak with you about how to get plugged into a ministry. If you need to leave, please leave us some information so that we can stay in touch and help you get involved with God’s work on this campus!
