We have packaged Christianity. We write about it in books, produce it on CD's, paint it on inspirational plaques and stitch it onto bracelets. We mask Scripture by mimicking pop culture—mass marketing Christianity and selling it in mulberry-scented storefronts in malls dotted across the nation. The culture of Christianity, in its attempt to evangelize, has expanded from Sunday's best crinolines and pipe-organ hymns to scripture-stamped T-shirts and its own music industry. Although we've created a trendier edge for Christianity, are these transformations serving their purpose?

As far as the authors can gather, the purpose is evangelism; we merely want to share our faith. Christian music artists, when interviewed, express a heartfelt and humble desire to share the promise of hope and peace found in Christ, both to those with similar beliefs and those without. Apparel with Christian slogans or Bible verses attempt to say what the wearer cannot find words for. Those WWJD bracelets grew from In His Steps, a novel by Charles Sheldon, which depicts a church that accepts the challenge to honestly ask themselves, "What would Jesus do?" before making any decisions in their lives. It was written around the turn of the century. The bracelet fad sprouted when Sheldon's grandson rewrote the book in a contemporary setting, challenging Generation X to adhere to a similar commitment.

But is trendy Christianity working or is it merely the cause of separatism? Wearing certain clothes is a conscious effort to project an image to others; an image of how one wants to be perceived by the world. Similarly, jewelry and accessories are even greater projections of oneself. Wearing 15 pieces of metal piercing about the face reflects something about a person. It almost begs for someone to prejudge it. So does dressing in a three piece suit, and the rule stands for those wearing lots of cool Christian gear.

But what is the overall image we are presenting? To some, we must appear self-righteous. Others understand us as the "good girl or boy next door" types. Some probably don't care, and still others demean our faith as a crutch. Most importantly, however, we are presenting ourselves as a unified group—one that, unfortunately, is also exclusionary. By utilizing trendy Christian gear, then, do we not merely solidify our little Christianity clique by evangelizing our common ground and not our true faith?

Just as the Gap label and baggy flannel separate us in high school, so does trendy Christian gear divide Christians from most of the nation's populace. To some extent, it even divides us Christians. As some join the trendy movement, they receive labels like "woman of God" and "a man after God's own heart." Others deny it and receive the label of apathetic.

The true challenge is this: to dwell in, but not of, this world. In doing so, we must not cause separatism among ourselves, and particularly from everyone else. For, at its core, Christianity is about living as Jesus lived, with his dusty sandals, cotton robes and calloused hands—just like every other artisan in Nazareth—yet so filled with loving-kindness, hope and faith that his existence transformed the human condition. Individuals should be overwhelmed with the mercy and love they have found in Christ. Rather than turning to cool Christian gear to express it, we should allow the faith to settle in our souls, and then overflow to an aching world.

Copyright © 2001 Michelle Godwin & Brian Scates. All Rights Reserved.

michelle godwin and Brian Scates are Texas-based writers.