By Jimi Calhoun
This entry is the sixth post in a series of bridge-building, theological-cultural reflections by Jimi Calhoun, Pastor of “Bridging Austin,” in Austin, Texas.
In 1974, my band, the Dr. John band, opened for the late, great Sly Stone. The show was at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Speedway. The venue featured a 1/4-mile oval dirt track where cars raced in front of a 13,000-seat grandstand. The stage was located at the top of a curve, and there was festival seating inside the open track, allowing hundreds more to have an unobstructed view of the stage.
As was his custom, Sly sat behind his keyboards, flanked by the other members of his ensemble on each side while he sang. After our set, I lingered on the open-air makeshift platform to hear my longtime friend and colleague perform. Suddenly, a security person not-so-politely informed me I had to leave the stage. I was humiliated, hurt, and angry.
Once my emotions settled, I realized that was exactly what should have happened. Here’s why. The audience came to see Sly perform, not me. Quite naturally, any distraction would take away from that. Correspondingly, the same holds for the superstar of our faith, Jesus; any distraction we allow to linger on the platform of our lives takes our eyes off of Him.
All of us are on center stage to somebody at some point. Human beings often find inspiration through observing others. Over time, people adopt the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of those they value. Philosopher Rene Girard argues that our desires, and therefore our pursuits, are never truly our own; they only mirror the preferences of people we admire.
What happens if, as a result of that form of peer pressure, people align themselves with preferences that are inherently divisive? They can begin to hate the things their influencers hate. Sadly, that often includes certain types of people! Keeping Jesus center stage keeps the focus away from what divides and toward who unites. Jesus’ message and His person offer a compelling, unifying vision that can bring understanding between diverse people groups.
To keep our hearts open, we remind ourselves of three foundational truths, each rooted in Scripture, and highlight the sacred mystery that shapes our faith. First, Jesus existed before the world was formed: “He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”[1] Secondly, Jesus is right here, right now, saying, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[2] Thirdly, He is Lord of heaven and earth: “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”[3]
The eschewing of this sacred mystery in exchange for cultural relevance in churches, or as some would frame it, “accessibility,” reduces the gospel down to something less than it has been historically. This approach culminates in church leaders attempting to read the cultural currents and respond accordingly. The downside is that this practice can unintentionally obscure the eternal value of the good news of Jesus. That is why we believe that keeping Jesus center stage is paramount, even if some find the mystery surrounding Him and His counter-cultural teachings off-putting.
At Bridging Austin, we emphasize the centrality of Jesus in this way. He is the timeless bridge who connects all things, because our past began with Him, our present rests in Him, and our future unfolds through Him. That pattern demonstrates to us that, in terms of God’s dealing with us, the past reveals, the present seals, and the future heals us for eternity.
Today’s news headlines make it clear we cannot continue to be a church that allows Jesus’ vision for our world to be a nightmare for some because of an unwillingness to join God in doing something about it. An actionless version of Christianity is a purposeless Christianity that ultimately leads to hopelessness. That is why at Bridging Austin, we believe keeping Jesus center stage empowers the church to function as it should: a place of grace and a force for the good of all.
[1] John 1:2–3. NIV
[2] Matthew 28:20. NIV
[3] Luke 1:33. NRSVUE
You may contact Jimi Calhoun at Jimi@Bridgingaustin.org.