Chapter 5 of Michael Frost's swell little book 'Keep Christianity Weird' is about battling the forces at work trying to make Christianity "normal" as far as the world is concerned. Or, as Richard Rohr says, "a confirmation of the status quo and business as usual."
Frost poses the question, "When the world around us insists we be normal and behave like everyone else, what countermands those signals toward normality?" He then weaves us through 'granny shots,' the 'threshold model of collective behavior,' 'schizotypal personality,' and back around to the words of the Apostle Paul:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."
This was a highly interesting chapter - you don't often hear Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, and Malcolm Gladwell linked together - but I've decided it next to impossible for me to make sense in this brief snippet.
Let me just give away Frost's answer to combat this pull to conform: the renewal of our minds through the Holy Spirit. He says, through it:
- Your eyes will be opened to the light
- You will adopt the posture of humility and worship
- You will become more like Jesus
That's about as good as I can do with this chapter. For what it's worth, though, I learned that Wilt Chamberlain shot free throws way better using the underhand "granny shot," but he was just too embarrassed so he switched back to the "normal" shot. Collective behavior is a powerful thing... It can, however, be overcome. :)
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