Yes,” I thought to myself, “that’s actually what he’s saying.”
A few years ago, I took my students to a neighboring church as part of a partnership between their student ministry and ours. We had lots of crossover with our students, with schools and sports leagues and neighborhoods, so it was a great chance to show teenagers that Church was bigger than a building, and to have some good cross-denomination community.
We had hosted their youth group the week before, and were now spending the evening at their place. In most ways, the surface experiences were both very similar; fun social time, some silly games, a modern, concert-like worship experience, and inevitably, a message.
Ah yes, the message…
As the pastor introduced his talk, I quickly realized that even though I was just a mile from our home church, I was now in a foreign land.
He was beefed-up and tough talking, and he began his message by having two student volunteers from the congregation come up and wrestle with each other. As these middle school boys grappled right there on the worship platform, trying to choke one another out, the pastor began his message, talking about the fight Christians were in, and the physical toughness the needed to live the Christian life.
“You gotta TAPOUT FOR JESUS!”
(For a moment I was fearful that my eye roll was actually audible in the sanctuary. I quickly scanned the room for awkward stares).
This wasn’t just a metaphor for spiritual battle, but some oddly-physical, pseudo-religious display, that bordered on glorification.
It was the first, but sadly, not the last time I would experience a testosterone-fueled take on the Christian faith, as in recent years, more and more Church leaders have felt completely comfortable, not only to introduce physical aggression and violence into the worship/preaching experience, but to conjure up a raging, ‘roided-up take on Jesus that gets church folk pumped-up and ready to throw-down.
The only problem is, it’s pretty much ignoring everything we know about Jesus, and everything he ever taught and modeled throughout his life and ministry.
Between Christian-sponsored MMA parties, to public pastor-sanctioned fights, to all kinds of best-selling books and message series, we’ve conveniently remodeled the Jesus of the Bible, remaking him into a tough guy, macho, butt-kicking Messiah; one that real “dudes” can look up to.
“Tough guys need Jesus, too,”, is a quote from a new movie trailer on the phenomenon.
I agree. Tough guys really do.
They also need an honest depiction of just how tough Jesus really was.
He taught about the peacemakers being blessed.
He told his followers to personally turn the other cheek when attacked.
He commanded them not to meet violence with violence.
He scolded his friend, when he used violence in his rightful defense.
He endured insult and persecution, and assured there was real beauty in his people doing the same.
He allowed himself to be beaten, mocked, and tortured.
Oh yeah, and he allowed himself to be murdered on a Cross.
That’s how freakin’ tough Jesus was.
The truth is, Jesus was always the toughest guy in the room, always the most powerful, always capable of physically dominating and destroying his many detractors without batting an eye.
But his real strength; Jesus truest toughness, his greatest show of “manliness”, (if we’re going to use that term), was how rarely he showed how just powerful he was. The most amazing thing about Jesus’ power, was how often and how willingly he withheld it, unless using it to heal or feed, or to demonstrate through nature just what he could do if he really wanted.
“Jesus never tapped out!” is a common rallying cry; but one that defies the Story.
Regardless of the way any of us wants to twist it, or how much many cottage Christian industries and celebrity pastors want to avoid it, the central message of the Gospel, isn’t that might will win out, or that physical force will bring redemption, or that faith is measured by bicep size and punch power.
The heart of The Gospel, is the truth that God will become powerless, that Savior will become servant; and take the bruises, and accept the blows, and bear the scars, and empty it all out in loving sacrifice.
On the Cross, Jesus didn’t Tap-Out, but he laid out. He allowed violence and aggression to think it had won.
As someone whose calling is to shepherd young people in their faith walk, especially young men, I grieve that we feel like we need to “bulk’up” Jesus to make him more follow-able; to exchange his quiet, dignified strength, with body slams and leg sweeps.
And frankly I’m outraged, that Christian leaders who boldly, publicly fight for the “Biblical” in everything these days, suddenly feel like they can play fast and loose with the very life, ministry and message of Christ, just to win some converts to a Jesus who never existed.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – Jesus
I’m drop-kicking Macho Christianity.
I’m knocking-down Testosterone Church.
I’m tapping-out on Tough Guy Jesus.
