authentic
As we head towards the summer the music festivals and outdoor concerts begin! Last weekend there was Radio 1’s ‘Big Weekend’, and thousands of Christians got together for the ‘Big Church Festival’.
Taylor Swift arrives in the UK in a fortnight, with cities braced for a jamboree of sparkly outfits and mass singalongs. Then at the end of June it’s the behemoth of Festivals… Glastonbury!
I read an interesting article last week that said that these events are drawing far more crowds than the top actors are in the big movies being shown at the cinemas.
It goes on to say that movie streaming has a part to play, but it suggests the bigger reason is ‘authenticity’.
The Hollywood Reporter said, ‘Our expectations of celebrities are changing in general.’ Today’s fans want their heroes to be authentic.
You get this from those people who write and perform their own music. It’s not the same with actors who, by definition, portray somebody else. I found this fascinating!
I think the same is true in churches around the world. The days of the untouchable ‘man of God’ seem to be over. I think this is a good thing! People want to see vulnerable, honest leadership.
This is where the Bible is brilliant and totally relatable. It has countless stories of flawed people being used by God to do extraordinary things!
From Abraham and David in the Old Testament to Peter and Paul in the New Testament, the Bible does not shy away from showing the human weaknesses in these characters. We can both identify and relate to them!
The best example, in my opinion, is Jesus. It’s not because he was flawed in any way, but we read of how he felt in all he faced. There is something deeper too, Jesus revealed what God is like…
“The Son (Jesus) is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
In other words, if you want to know what the God of the Bible is like, look at Jesus. In doing so you will discover love, grace, mercy, truth and compassion all in perfect harmony. This is an authentic God.
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader