I’ve never been a fan of Christian bumper stickers on cars. Now don’t get me wrong. I believe in publicly declaring and demonstrating faith. I regularly pray for the sick and share Jesus in public places. I just like to see that a person’s faith is more than “bumper sticker” deep. Of course, some have Christian bumper stickers on their cars and a real relationship with Jesus. They are a delight.
“Bumper-sticker Christians” remind me of manikins - they can look good, almost perfect, but they are a specimen of superficiality.
Several years ago, the Lord gave me a dream contrasting the superficial, “ bumper sticker” only manikin -folk, and those who have that deep relationship with Jesus and with others which has caused them to escape superficiality.
In my dream, a woman brought her son to me and asked me to pray for his healing. I knew this son in “real life”, and believe me, he was not well-liked. He was different, odd, sometimes irritating, and others treated him as such
I felt as if I needed to take him to a church, although, in real life, that would not be necessary, so I looked around for a church close by. Ahead of me, I saw a huge, modern-looking building that I knew was a church. It was stunning with multiple glass windows and many floors.
I walked up to the building and noticed that there was an elevators to the top where the service was meeting. As we went up that elevator, I looked around in shock as I saw multiple numbers of men and women on their cell phones. They were all well-dressed, perfect looking - manikin-like -, and in my dream, I knew they were making business deals.
When I got to the top and walked into the room where the meeting was being held, disappointment and sadness overwhelmed me. I saw a talented worship team in the front, but no one was worshipping. I saw teenagers whispering and laughing. I saw more men and women engaging in business deals on their phones. No one, NO ONE, noticed us enter the group. It was obvious that no one cared.
Then, I saw a man standing in the corner. He had a curled mustache and an expensive suit on. I noticed a sly smile forming on his face. Suddenly, I knew that he was their “Jesus”. He was the kind of “Jesus” that they preferred - one who would give them a good deal in life without asking for much commitment or relationship.
I looked at this young man’s mother and said, “This won’t work. I can’t pray for him here. Let’s look for another place.”
Down the escalator we went, and then, I began to look around for another possibility. I noticed that right outside of the modern-looking building from which we had just come, there were some steps. At the top of the steps was something that looked like a porch.
I said to the mother, “Let’s try that.”
As we approached the steps to the upper porch, I noticed that there was a river that we needed to walk through. The waters of the river came up about chest level, but we walked through it eagerly. Then, we headed up the steps.
The contrast to the other “church” we had been in was marked. The room was small and rather old. There was no talented, flashy worship team, but the people in that room fairly glowed with the life and love of Jesus. They were obviously worshippers from the very depth of their beings. They were the opposite of “bumper sticker, manikin” Christians. They were real! They loved! They cared! They knew Jesus intimately!
Then, I saw the REAL Jesus! He was standing in the middle of them, dressed simply, but exuding love towards us. I was drawn to him as if He had a magnet attached to Him. I could barely take my eyes off of Him.
Instantly, I knew that this was the place where this young man would be healed. Joy flooded me as I saw healing fill the room. Then, I woke up.
If we want to escape “bumper sticker” Christianity, we must go beyond superficiality.
We need to really know Jesus as a person. Even though He wants to bless us, He is not a slot machine in which we only love Him if He gives us what we want. He is a PERSON. He desires a real relationship with each and every one of us.
We need to love people that are not just like us. We need to love people that are different. marginalized, misunderstood, and countless other things we could say. God loves them so much, and just the fact that they are made in His image gives them infinite value.
We need to be willing to go deeply in the river of His Spirit. In my dream, I was not over my head yet, but I was deep enough to have my heart under His springs of living water. We need to allow Him to change us in His presence, to baptize us in His love.
In that culture of real love, relationship, and the living water of His Spirit, people will be healed - both emotionally and spiritually. The world awaits this kind of culture. They truly are tired of “bumper-sticker, manikin” Christianity.
Dive in deeper today! Go deep enough to acquire His heart and nature. Lives will be changed.
Going deeper with you,
Sherry Evans