Do you ever see things that are just embarrassing.  What about Michael Jordan's childish rant during his hall of fame induction speech (nobody wants to be like Mike anymore . . .), or Kayne West's drunken idiocy at the MTV awards?  There is no shortage of material out there for guys doing foolish things.  I have contributed to that profile myself. 

However, it is even more embarrassing when it is done under the label and title of Christian.  I expect guys who are not in submission to God to do stupid and embarrassing things, but it is more painful when those who wear the Christian uniform do so, and without apology.  But this has always been a problem on this earth and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.  When Paul was writing the New Testament letters, he was continually calling people out publicly for doing embarrassing things in Jesus' name.  He called Peter out for his racism, he called out others for their greed and manipulation of women, he called others out for getting drunk and playing the grace card.  It is an old, old story, but today I thought I would throw out a few things I would love to see rectified in our global church.

1. The "Christian" music industry.  It is such a joke.  You submit an original song and they like it and want to publish it, but they ask to change ONE WORD of the song and in return they want to be listed as a bona fide co-writer and thus receive 50% of all future profits.  One word of a 100 word song and they want 50%, and they dare call that "Christian"?  Last time I checked, God hates stealing.

2. 50 U.S. based bishops from a large denomination, all of whom receive a lifetime appointment, decided to lower their salaries this year as a "gesture of solidarity with others hurt by the global economic downturn."  As a result, all 50 US based bishops will receive a salary of $121,000 this year, not the $125,800 they were scheduled to receive.  I hope they figure out a way to survive with that kind of drastic 'gesture'.

3. Churches recruiting staff.  When universities recruit coaches from other teams, they have to make contact with the Athletic Director before opening that conversation, as a matter of respect and integrity.  Churches, on the other hand, would never do such a respectful thing.  When we recruit staffers from other churches, we never ask or consider how the loss of this person might affect the church where they currently serve . . . . sad to say, but I think we don't care how it affects that church as long as we get our man.  If it really is God's will for that person to leave and come to work with us, would God not lead the other church to recognize that as well???  Shouldn't we at least have that conversation before making the offer?  I hate it when secular rivals (college athletics programs) treat each other with more respect and dignity than local church leaders, who claim to be 'on the same team'!

These are just some of the issues of the day, there are plenty more we could put here.  But here is the warning for us all - we are all capable of doing things that are just flat embarrassing to Jesus and His Kingdom.  I have been guilty before, no doubt.  My daughter recently told me of an instance at her school where an administrator blatantly violated the very dress code they had just emphasized to the students.  She was upset about it, and rightfully so.  I explained to her the word hypocrisy at that point and then told her plainly, "If you ever see that at Radius church, you have the authority to call it out right away, as we are capable of doing foolish things like that as well, and we need to be held accountable so that we don't embarrass Jesus with our double standards."  I like that, a place where we are aware of our propensity to set up a double standard, but a place where we have the right to call it where we see it.  Sounds like a New Testament church to me . . .