Lark News is my favorite source of fake Christian news. Why would I waste my time reading fake Christian news? Well, for one, because it makes me laugh, but also because the stories are so close to what really happens in Christianity.

Sometimes we need satire to point out the sad reality of what is really going on in our lives, or in this case, our churches.

Here are some of the recent headlines from Lark News. All the stories are fake, but if you didn’t know that, you could almost believe they were true… Sad, but true. Click on the title of each article to read the whole article.

Church sends clown and puppet teams to war-torn Africa

KENEMA, Sierra Leone — A short-term missions team from South Coast Community Church in New Orleans, La., arrived in this country racked by three decades of civil war, and began serving the ravaged people through the ministries of clowning and puppetry.

The team’s first performance was in Makeni, a city in the north where a third of the population has been brutally slaughtered in factional fighting, and those people who remain have no reliable source of food or water.

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However we understand the Imago Dei, the image of God in which humans were created, most of us would agree that all people were created in God’s image.

While some might argue that those who are not in relationship with their creator have lost that image, as is evidenced by what we may believe to be their obvious sin, many of us have come to another conclusion – that all people continue to bear the image of God in some sense.

Rather than look for the signs of people’s brokenness, we choose to look for the image of God in them, and in turn love and honor them not only for who they are, but also for the potential of who they can be in Christ.

Regardless of the condition and situation in which we find any person, we choose (as Jesus himself advised) to love them, and look for whatever we may find of the image of God in them. Regardless of their age, race, physical condition, economic situation, gender, apparent moral or religious position, we choose to love that person.

Practical Application

On the face of the matter, this appears to be a completely idiotic approach. That fellow voted for the wrong guy in the last election, he cheats on his wife, is dishonest in business, drinks like a fish, doesn’t go to church, has crazy religious ideas, and his neighbor tells me he may be gay! Only a total idiot would love and honor such a person.

I’m quite sure Jesus would approve if I told everyone I know what a nasty piece of work that fellow is. I should be certain to tell all the folks at church so we can confront him with Bible verses that will prove how wrong he is. It’s our responsibility. That way he will know he is going to hell. Obviously somewhere along the line that fellow lost God’s image.

Impractical Application

On the other hand, I can choose to spend some time getting to know that fellow, try to build a relationship with him and love him. Rather than point out what I believe to be his sins, I will look for what I can find of God’s image in him, and will honor him in every way I can. Regardless of what I discover about him, I will learn to love him and let him know I care about him and love him.

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Eric Carpenter at A Pilgrim’s Progress posted one of the best videos I have seen in a while.

It’s called “Shoot Christians Say” which means “$#!t Christians Say”…. but you know, since we can’t say “The S Word” it’s “Shoot Christians Say.” That should give you a clue what the following video is about.

Have you ever wondered where we picked up all this Christian lingo? I have been trying to weed it out of my life for the past five years or so, but sometimes it still creeps back in. But every once in a while, I listen to other Christians talk and the amount of jargon and lingo we sometimes use is amazing! It sometimes sounds like gibberish, and honestly, if you really listen, they are not saying much of anything at all.

It is not at all uncommon to hear Christians have conversations like this:

“God bless you, Man!”

“God bless you, too! How’s your walk?”

“Still stugglin’ with the flesh, but there is victory in Jesus, praise God.”

“Well, just keep walkin’ by faith and not by sight.”

“Yep, and I’m stayin’ in the Word.”

“Oh, that speaks to my heart. I know it’s been a battle.”

“Yeah, but your accountability has been such a blessing.”

“Give Him the glory, man. I’m just a vessel.”

“Amen to that!”

And so on…

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I know that Christians often have different ideas on how to evangelize… but my family and I discovered a strange tactic recently…

Jesus Graffiti

We recently moved to Oregon and were taking a hike in God’s beautiful creation, standing in awe of the streams, and trees, and waterfalls in this area, and also enjoying communication with other hikers we met along the trail, when we came across this:

Nice, picture right? But look what someone wrote on the top railing:

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