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What are "Kumbaya Christians"?


God was certainly at work on campus back in the 70's.  There were many Christian groups springing up.  As a  young believer in Christ, I soon noticed that not all Christians looked the same. Most were similar, but one looked very different.  I called this group "the Kumbaya Christians".    They liked to meet and sing and share Scripture with each other. There was nothing wrong with that, but they seemed so passive.  There was very little action.  They seldom shared their faith or reached out to others. They were sleepy Christians, I called them "Kumbaya Christians".

Peter, Paul, and Mary popularized the song, "Kumbaya" in the late 60's.  The lyrics are quite interesting:

Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone's laughing, Lord, Kumbaya…
(repeat)

Someone's crying, Lord Kumbaya…
(repeat)

Someone's praying, Lord Kumbaya…
(repeat)

Someone's sleeping, Lord Kumbaya…
(repeat)

From <https://genius.com/Peter-paul-and-mary-kumbaya-lyrics>

Certainly there is nothing wrong with singing, crying, praying, or sleeping.  But is that all?  Can't there be a bit of action in the Christian life?  No wonder this songs makes me sleepy.  It ends with sleeping.  It would make a great lullaby, but a theme song for a movement on campus?

Throughout Scripture we are warned against a sleepy, sluggish heart. 

So what is sleep?  To me it is comfort, peace and quiet, drifting away on a cloud, not a care in the world.  Give me a dark, cool, quiet room.  Don't interrupt me.  I'll arise when I'm good and ready.

This attitude can be so disruptive to our walk with God.  As a follower of Christ, we are his servants, He is the master.  When he calls, we listen.  When He commands, we obey.  Scripture has sharp warnings for the those who sleep:

          1      “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
    He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
          2      ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
          3      ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Re 3:1–3.

To Christians who are asleep, we are commanded to "wake up".  Jesus also tells us to remember, keep it, and repent.  In other words to return to those times when our walk with God was alive, vibrant, active.  He also points out to the church at Sardis that their deeds were not complete.  He criticizes their lack of action.  Sleepy Christians are inactive Christians.

How about you?  Are you a "Kumbaya Christian"?  Have you fallen asleep spiritually?  Is it time to wake up, time to repent, time to take action for Christ?  Yes.  Do it now.  Time to get up and get moving!

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