After 30 seconds of torture it ended.  "that's the best you could offer," questioned the other DJ's. "A new metaphor to start off 2009, related to beautiful women, and "hot as a furnace" is all you've got?"  The metaphor was bad.  The song was worse.  But it did get me thinking.  Thinking about metaphors.  Thinking about metaphors and faith.  And I began thinking about bad metaphors and faith, and here are a few.

BIBLE

The Bible as Fitness instructor or massage therapist?  Is the Bible something to whip you into shape.  To help shave off some fat?  To help make you look better?  Or is it something to help you relax?  Ease some pain?  Soothe?

CHURCH (as a Sunday morning gathering)

The church as an auditorium or pick up joint?  Is Sunday morning a place to see people perform?  Hear great music with video, lights, smoke etc?  Engage in well polished presentations?  Sit comfortably in high quality cushioned seats, being served by volunteers?  Or is it a place to find your next fling?  The best place to find a good Christian mate?  The hippest place in town for Christian singles looking to hook up?

TITHING

Tithing as a sound investment.  Do we give our hard earned money to the church...to God, because it makes financial sense?  A good tax deduction?  On the counsel of our accountant? Because we want to diversify?

CHRISTIANITY

The Christian Faith as a wikepedia article.  Is the Christian faith destined to become a relic? Obsolete?  A thing future generations only read about on the internet? 

I think not.  

So we must do better.  We must speak of the Bible, church, money, prayer, Jesus and so forth in ways that make sense.  Using language that connects.  That fits our day.  That causes people not only to sit up and take notice, but to get up and get involved.  And involved isn't the best word. there is more to what I am saying than just being involved.

And this is why metaphor matters.  Why bad metaphors hurt.  Why good metaphors help. 

Maybe you've experienced the Bible as a fitness instructor or church as a pick up joint or tithing as only an investment...and for that I'm sorry.  There is another way.

Will you help me explore i?.  Will you share a metaphor for faith?  For belief, the way of Jesus, God, church, money, prayer, the Bible?  The way you see it.  In a way that is helpful to you.  So in turn it may be helpful to others.  

May the Christian way, be a way that you are compelled to explore, may it fuel your life and may it be something we encourage each other in this year.