There are actually many Christian paradoxes. I have a theory about why this is. I'm still working some of them out through the novel series that I'm writing, but this column will deal with something very specific, that has been bothering me for quite some time.

The God described in the Old Testament of the Bible is the Creator of all that was, is and is to be. He is the most powerful being in existence, and his existence is eternal. Nothing else, not even "the universe," comes close.

"But we're people of the New Testament!" I'm glad you mentioned that. As we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the God Jesus described as "My Father" is the God of the Old Testament. In fact, the Father testified to that relationship at Jesus' baptism in the river with John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit visibly descended upon Jesus and those around him audibly heard the words, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

Remember, the Holy Spirit was not given to people in the world until the day of Pentecost, which was after Jesus' death and resurrection. The paradox herein (no, not the pair of theologians arguing about it) is this: The Bible clearly states that after Pentecost the Christian church, composed of believers, became one with God – the most powerful being in the universe.

Yet in our day we find the Christian church and its members pleading with the world to "just leave us in peace, to worship our God inside the confines of our church building." Public schools have been abandoned; local government has been abandoned, state government abandoned, federal government abandoned. Hollywood (film, music, television, news, entertainment) has been abandoned. Higher education has been abandoned (after Christians founded most of the Ivy League schools). The only Christian "cause" I can think of that hasn't abandoned the world is the pro-life groups, which are still opposing abortion.

So how did Jesus behave in the New Testament? He taught in the synagogues, but he did his stuff out in the world. That's where He healed people, cast out demons, multiplied the loaves of bread to feed the crowds listening to him, cleansed leapers and ultimately raised the dead from the grave. Jesus consistently opposed evil and error, not by running or hiding from it, but by confronting it in the public square and explaining God (Father's) alternative.

Christianity was made in heaven. It was an agreement between God the Father and God the Son, which was carried out in space-time history at the Cross and subsequent Resurrection. Thus Christianity has both a supernatural and natural component (many, actually; but we're considering only one here).

After Pentecost it was the Holy Spirit's job to convince (convict) the world and its people of sin (their offenses against God that separated them from Him). It was the church's job to preach the Gospel (Good News of Christ's Resurrection, and the path back to what Adam and Eve had in the beginning at Creation, which was an intimate relationship with their Creator).

Does it seem to anyone else that the big evangelical churches have become gated communities of believers? They preach, they teach, they worship; but to what end? How often does the Gospel need to be preached to believers? Perhaps the Gospel needs instead to be preached at one particular board of education meeting? A city council meeting? In the state legislature? In our federal government? By our diplomats to the nations we interact with? Within Hollywood, within colleges and universities, on construction sites, in corporate board rooms and many other places. God, remember, is really big.

How might our world be different if megachurches had focused their efforts on influence, rather than attendance? Doesn't it seem that they have taught a closet mentality? That somehow, by hiding inside their "safe" communities, they can still evangelize the world? While we sent missionaries to other countries, we neglected our own nation, with the result that we now see before us.

Beyond repentance, I don't know how we begin. Perhaps we could start by no longer ignoring the supernatural? Stop worrying about what the world thinks of us, because it rarely does.

Odessa is the key. Watch her. Reconnaissance.