Counter Culture for Counter Culture’s Sake

Luke 14:26, “If anyone come to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”

I call it “my men’s meeting,” the group calls it “Iwo Jima” but the theme among the members is that we all have, or are in the process, of crossing the proverbial line drawn in the sand to give everything to Christ. And as a result of this commitment it is a collection of (dare I say) extremists. --That term has such negative connotations these days, so for argument's sake let’s call all the participants disciples. Disciple being a person that has come under the discipline of Jesus.

The catalyst for this collection of radicals (oops… another bad word)… these disciples in love with trying to love like Jesus is Jim Spivey. Here is a man that by his own words lives a life of counter culture. Having, like the apostles before him, left everything to “follow” Christ. No longer a top executive from some publicly traded company sporting suits, ties, and ego is a man grey haired, bearded, and content in t-shirts and shorts in the presence of any manner of company or place. Like Jesus, and the original disciples, he wanders the streets of sort embracing those wanting, needing, or looking for love though none know that’s what they are looking for. Jim job/ministry/calling is meeting with the modern day Lazarus’s and Zacchaeus’s of this world. Without consideration of means to compensate Jim meets with any and all who find their way to his path and for which time allows. All the while without predictable financial support or paycheck he is wholly dependent upon God’s provision financially. That’s right… wholly dependent.

If you ever get the pleasure of meeting with Jim one on one I suspect he will say the same thing to you that he did to me. It was something like, “I do not charge for my services, but I am 100% dependent upon God’s provision so if He tells you to give to me, by all means please obey.” And this dedication to Christ, this faith in His provision is so counter culture; it is so Christ like that it is inspiring. Particularly in light of the fact that only about once a quarter do you ever hear him appeal for funds. For the most part it appears that God regularly provides even when the occasional crisis appears. And so in this group of men called Iwo Jima it is clear to see the inspiration that Jim’s faith has inspired.

One man left a comfortable job to go do something on his own that he feels is in obedience to the Holy Spirit, and that I’m sure is spiritually rewarding. Another has joined this counter culture revolution to open a studio, and in this act of obedience has come under attack in his financial support. Still another is relying on God to provide as he embarks on what looks very similar to a replication of the ministry Jim has obeyed his way into. And still another has moved his family in with a friend while he struggles and searches for his real ministry and calling that is accompanied with God’s provision. And still others walk this same path of total dependence on God that has manifested most immediately as financial dependence.

Mind you none of these men are lazy. None are not working “traditional” employment because work offends them; and equally I do not believe they are being counter cultural for the sake of being counter cultural. They each profess a deep need to experience Christ in His fullest and this is the path they believe the Holy Spirit has led them down. And why not?

God loves extremist, and I don’t mean radical Islamists terrorists imposing their will on those around themselves. God loves all of mankind, will allow those “saved” to spend eternity with Him, but perhaps takes particular delight in those that will extremely deny themselves, that will extremely follow, that will extremely love. Look at Christ. His 40 day fast was extreme. Christ love was extreme without consideration of position.  Paul was an extreme zealot. Peter was just plain extreme.  Mary was extreme in her anointing of Christ. Bartholomew was extreme in his honesty. And the list can go on and on.

The point is this. There is a place where people’s lives run counter to the culture because they are extremely following after Christ. And there is a place where people selfishly act counter culturally for the sake of being counter cultural. God uses those that will do it for Him. These “counter culture” people are who He uses so often in the role of teacher, mentor, or just plain inspirationally. Walking with Christ is so often on a path that is outside our comfort zone. The path offends are ego, it challenges our norms. Why not use people that walk a path so radically outside of our own comfort zones to be a visual reference and inspiration for us to move even so slightly out of our own to experience Christ more.