The following is a response to Fracis Frangipane's article, "The Credibility Factor," at http://www.frangipane.org/
Frangipane confused me a bit in the early part of this essay by stating that godly men created denominations to protect and lift up truth in a dark age--one like he claims ours is. (And I'd agree.) Yet he demotes these convictions to "traditions" and says that they aren't worth fighting for any more. He makes this appeal for a line between who to be one with and who not to: "Please remember, I am not suggesting we should strive for unity with churches that do not believe in Christ or God's word or the Holy Spirit or the virgin birth or the second coming."
The definitions of these terms matters very much. I believe in Christ. So do demons. Mormons believe in the Bible, and they believe if they are good they may be given the Holy Spirit. Jehovah Witnesses believe something about each of those things too--they think Jesus' second coming was quite a while ago. Most of my readers may not be in those sects, but each of us undoubtedly has misconceptions about some aspects of True Faith (pretty sure I do, anyway...). Obviously, just believing in some definition of those words does not embody orthodoxy and the line between who's in and who's out is not so easily drawn. But what we mean by "believe in Christ" matters, as I believe Frangipane would agree since he felt the denominational reformers were right in their early declarations.
The different aspects of truth that were lifted up at the reformation, and by others over time are worth preserving. But something else has happened as we bought one brand of Christianity and clung to it--we froze the pursuit of what these words mean to the Author of them. Imagine an ordained denominational pastor pursuing truth and finding that some of the definitions of those words that his denomination clings to are not biblical. Is he free to grow closer to truth? No, he's bought a brand and a set of beliefs and he may not preach and follow the new discoveries he's made. It would be like his congregation walking into a McDonald's and finding they no longer serve hamburgers!
And yet it is not effective to ask the various denominations to toss out truth and say, "Oh, well, it doesn't really matter WHAT you preach about Christ, so long as you use the word, we are brothers." Such an embracing of any old thing would bring about unity, but we couldn't call it Christian unity.
Unity will be developed when we stop thinking of "church" as a religious club that holds events where a guy speaks and we sing and we have monthly potlucks and try to be good together, and restore the meaning of the words that were translated as "church" in our Bibles: eklesia, the called out ones. The assembly of the saints. The household of God. The things that we call churches contain a mix of those are truly believers and those who are merely religious. There is no way around that, and it is probably as it should be (wheat and tares, and all that.) But the called out ones are the called out ones, and must love one another, where ever they are on Sunday morning.
Does love let your friend go on in destructive error? While pride and selfish ambition are sometimes expressed in arguing, a disagreement and discussion does not mean two parties are not being humble and receptive. We must pursue truth together without battling about "who's right" so much as what's true, and be free to embrace truth as we find it in the Word, without denominational constraints.
Our denominational organizations can be useful: they give us structure and a framework to in which to work. They bring order, both social and functional so that we can be with the same people week to week and do more than we could as separate believers. But if our denominations begin to say that it doesn't matter how we use the words that Frangipane lists, we need to use caution. God does mean something by what He says, and we need to understand Him with increasing accuracy, both as individuals and as congregations. Realizing the benefit of walking with other believers of every stripe in this process of Spirit powered growth is (super) natural unity.
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Good Enough?
I initiated a discussion with my kids over dinner tonight, about the sermon at the Grand Prix. (See previous post.) My oldest started by saying that she liked it a lot. So I asked them what they thought the main point was. They agreed that it was that God wants us to confess our sins and loves us even when we mess up. They could accurately recount the stories he told to support his point. Then I asked them what was similar between the allegory and the reality of Christ, and they gave good, true, and perceptive answers. They were able to see some differences between what the story king did and what the real king Jesus did.
They had been listening. What they learned was predominately true and good. And it gave us a chance to talk about things.
I wish that this kind of discussion was not treason. Why is it that we must fully agree with every word and not poke and test things? I want my kids to have these discussions, in their heads, and at home. But I try to warn them strongly against trying it in church. My oldest asked me not long ago how old you had to be to argue with the teacher in church. I told her it would never be okay. That makes me sad.
I also wonder how accurate teaching needs to be to be good enough. There is a line there somewhere. I am not talking about judging others and deciding who's in and who's out of the kingdom. I'm talking about choosing one's company, one's traveling companions. I'm willing to accept that a lot of folks I think are very wrong about some things are indeed part of God's family. How much does right belief matter, anyway? This preacher kid had the main point correct: God loves us and wants us to come to him, dirty or not. If he had other parts of it mixed up, how uptight should we be about that? What he taught may put a stumbling block in front of someone. Does God take false things and teach truth through them? Surely true teachings have been taken and used to teach falsehood.
When my kids are learning to write, I do not at first insist that they spell everything right. I do not at first insist that they put spaces between their words. But as time goes on, I show them the right way to punctuate, and spell, and use language. As they grow, I expect them to move closer to "correct writing." I wonder if God does this with our theology.
But if I kept on saying, "write whatever you want, don't worry about rules or right," then my kids wouldn't move towards writing well. If correct theology isn't honored and lifted up, will we move toward orthodoxy? Or will we believe--and live--in a way that is the equivalent to gibberish and hen scratch?
And what is orthodoxy, anyway. The Holy Spirit is supposed to lead us into all truth, and yet it is possible to find a church that teaches and practices almost anything, even among those that share the same Confession. That's annoying.
They had been listening. What they learned was predominately true and good. And it gave us a chance to talk about things.
I wish that this kind of discussion was not treason. Why is it that we must fully agree with every word and not poke and test things? I want my kids to have these discussions, in their heads, and at home. But I try to warn them strongly against trying it in church. My oldest asked me not long ago how old you had to be to argue with the teacher in church. I told her it would never be okay. That makes me sad.
I also wonder how accurate teaching needs to be to be good enough. There is a line there somewhere. I am not talking about judging others and deciding who's in and who's out of the kingdom. I'm talking about choosing one's company, one's traveling companions. I'm willing to accept that a lot of folks I think are very wrong about some things are indeed part of God's family. How much does right belief matter, anyway? This preacher kid had the main point correct: God loves us and wants us to come to him, dirty or not. If he had other parts of it mixed up, how uptight should we be about that? What he taught may put a stumbling block in front of someone. Does God take false things and teach truth through them? Surely true teachings have been taken and used to teach falsehood.
When my kids are learning to write, I do not at first insist that they spell everything right. I do not at first insist that they put spaces between their words. But as time goes on, I show them the right way to punctuate, and spell, and use language. As they grow, I expect them to move closer to "correct writing." I wonder if God does this with our theology.
But if I kept on saying, "write whatever you want, don't worry about rules or right," then my kids wouldn't move towards writing well. If correct theology isn't honored and lifted up, will we move toward orthodoxy? Or will we believe--and live--in a way that is the equivalent to gibberish and hen scratch?
And what is orthodoxy, anyway. The Holy Spirit is supposed to lead us into all truth, and yet it is possible to find a church that teaches and practices almost anything, even among those that share the same Confession. That's annoying.
Congratulations, Now You Can BE GOOD! (aren't you happy?)
I've complained a lot about the charismatic church we sometimes attend. I'm not going to do that today. Today, I'm going to complain about the Baptist church.
Our kids attend AWANA at the Baptist Church where I first came to God. It has been, by and large, a blessing. We've bounced around a lot in the last five years, attending two home churches, two large churches, and visiting many others, but most of the time just skipping it. But the kids have been at AWANA every Sunday come hell or high water.
Why would a person, such as myself, who hates all that is religious, choose to put her kids in a program that is hugely religious? Well, first of all because the kids are memorizing scripture. And, while I do not always agree with how it is used at AWANA, the kids are banking it away, and it often pops out of their mouths as we explain spiritual principles to them. Secondly, it has provided stability in their "church" sector when we couldn't. They have several close relatives at the Baptist church. Since we homeschool, I felt like it was important to keep something like this going in their lives.
So, I preface my complaints with the utimate conclusion that the overall experience is a benefit to us. Some claim that the kids have been a blessing to others in the program, too, but I have a hard time buying that.
Today was the annual AWANA Grand Prix, a pine box car race wherein the dads compete to see who can most artistically fulfill their children's dreams of speed and victory. And being a religious activity, the program is arranged such that you cannot receive your trophy without sitting through a sermon. This year's edition was delivered by the church's youth pastor, who was about 20. This frustrated me to start with—don't teens deserve someone with some maturity and experience and wisdom? Not that he wasn't a nice 20 year old, maybe a good Bible student. But what did any of us know at 20? I don't think I know much at 38.
In any case, they gave the floor to this young man, so that he could share the wisdom of his years. Which isn't a kind thing to do to someone who is 20. (Or even maybe 38!)
The content of this young man's speech made my heart sink. His main point was that you could tell God when you mess up because he loves you. Which is a good and valid point. But his support for it revealed a very faulty foundation for his understanding. He illustrated his thesis with a couple personal stories, wherein he struggled to admit he had done something wrong. In both cases, his guilt was not very certain since they were accidents, and in both cases, the person to whom he confessed did not respond with grace. Not exactly a home-run in illustrating repentance and confession, but that wasn't the worst of it.
The worst was the allegorical story that he told that related the story of salvation:
A king had a lovely and happy kingdom that he ruled with wisdom and kindness. But one of his cities went renegade on him and stopped obeying him and didn't want him to be their king. They started to be rude and cruel to one another. And their city got worse and worse. The king had to do something. He couldn't just let them go on destoying one another because he loved them. He couldn't destoy them out of hand, because he cared too much for them. So, of course, he went and lived among them and showed them love and kindness, and they learned the error of their ways and started being nice again. But they were afraid to come back to the king, because maybe he wouldn't want them any more since they had been so bad. Then he showed his ring—I am the King! I am not mad! I still want you! Group hug, happily ever after.
There is so much wrong with this. Let's start with the nature of God. God has, in the past, gone right ahead and obliterated towns and peoples because he would not tolerate their faithlessness. He is not all that nice. And he will, ultimately, condemn most of the people he has made. They will suffer because of their rejection of him. It isn't safe to ignore him. We are his creations, and his rightful “property”, in the crassest sense. And while he is apparently letting some kind of story run its course, every sin will be paid for, one way or another.
Ex 34:6-7 "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.”
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then we cannot neglect this element of his character, even with our tender children.
Another problematic element of the story is the mistaken hope that being a Christian means Now I Get to Be Good! Jesus was not primarily a moral teacher. Yes, he did come and model a perfect life. What was the essence of this perfect life? This is so, so important. Jesus perfect life was NOT NOT NOT the fulfillment of a list of right behaviours. It was a life lived in perfect step with everything the Father directed. The book of John is FULL of this. Here are a few snips:
John 5:19-20
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Note: SEES, active and happening at that instant, not something he once saw, but the current action of the Father.
John 8:28-29
I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 12:49
For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 14:10-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.
Jesus was full of God. And through faith in him, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in us also. Think on that for a moment. Because Jesus died and was raised, he could send the Holy Spirit to live in us, if we will. We are offered what he had—a live connection to God, to empower and direct us in living a pleasing life, no longer stupidly wallowing without power or wisdom.
Read this section of John with that in mind:
John 14:19-24
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. That can be a command or a statement of something that happens. If I let go of this brick, it will fall to the ground. God first loves us, we respond by loving him, and the natural fruit is obedience. Note that love comes first, the relationship comes first. In the story, the people did not love first. They figured out that living clean is good for you. This is not repentance, it's just common sense. Nice, but purely carnal. It has nothing to do with being saved or indwelt by God. In the end, they will still be destroyed because they refused to be owned.
What Jesus offered was Life. He was alive because the Father was IN him. We have that same chance, to be IN Christ, and to be alive in the same sense that Jesus was. What Jesus offered was emphatically NOT a pattern to copy, beyond his relationship to God.
So, I was disappointed that the church leadership inflicted this sermon on this kid, and on us. Why would a year or two of Bible School equip someone who is so young to shepherd teens? And how did he go to Bible School that long without, apparently, hearing the Gospel? If the role of leaders is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, why aren't there a large crop of older men to fulfill this role?
Apostasy, I tell you! ;-)
Our kids attend AWANA at the Baptist Church where I first came to God. It has been, by and large, a blessing. We've bounced around a lot in the last five years, attending two home churches, two large churches, and visiting many others, but most of the time just skipping it. But the kids have been at AWANA every Sunday come hell or high water.
Why would a person, such as myself, who hates all that is religious, choose to put her kids in a program that is hugely religious? Well, first of all because the kids are memorizing scripture. And, while I do not always agree with how it is used at AWANA, the kids are banking it away, and it often pops out of their mouths as we explain spiritual principles to them. Secondly, it has provided stability in their "church" sector when we couldn't. They have several close relatives at the Baptist church. Since we homeschool, I felt like it was important to keep something like this going in their lives.
So, I preface my complaints with the utimate conclusion that the overall experience is a benefit to us. Some claim that the kids have been a blessing to others in the program, too, but I have a hard time buying that.
Today was the annual AWANA Grand Prix, a pine box car race wherein the dads compete to see who can most artistically fulfill their children's dreams of speed and victory. And being a religious activity, the program is arranged such that you cannot receive your trophy without sitting through a sermon. This year's edition was delivered by the church's youth pastor, who was about 20. This frustrated me to start with—don't teens deserve someone with some maturity and experience and wisdom? Not that he wasn't a nice 20 year old, maybe a good Bible student. But what did any of us know at 20? I don't think I know much at 38.
In any case, they gave the floor to this young man, so that he could share the wisdom of his years. Which isn't a kind thing to do to someone who is 20. (Or even maybe 38!)
The content of this young man's speech made my heart sink. His main point was that you could tell God when you mess up because he loves you. Which is a good and valid point. But his support for it revealed a very faulty foundation for his understanding. He illustrated his thesis with a couple personal stories, wherein he struggled to admit he had done something wrong. In both cases, his guilt was not very certain since they were accidents, and in both cases, the person to whom he confessed did not respond with grace. Not exactly a home-run in illustrating repentance and confession, but that wasn't the worst of it.
The worst was the allegorical story that he told that related the story of salvation:
A king had a lovely and happy kingdom that he ruled with wisdom and kindness. But one of his cities went renegade on him and stopped obeying him and didn't want him to be their king. They started to be rude and cruel to one another. And their city got worse and worse. The king had to do something. He couldn't just let them go on destoying one another because he loved them. He couldn't destoy them out of hand, because he cared too much for them. So, of course, he went and lived among them and showed them love and kindness, and they learned the error of their ways and started being nice again. But they were afraid to come back to the king, because maybe he wouldn't want them any more since they had been so bad. Then he showed his ring—I am the King! I am not mad! I still want you! Group hug, happily ever after.
There is so much wrong with this. Let's start with the nature of God. God has, in the past, gone right ahead and obliterated towns and peoples because he would not tolerate their faithlessness. He is not all that nice. And he will, ultimately, condemn most of the people he has made. They will suffer because of their rejection of him. It isn't safe to ignore him. We are his creations, and his rightful “property”, in the crassest sense. And while he is apparently letting some kind of story run its course, every sin will be paid for, one way or another.
Ex 34:6-7 "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.”
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then we cannot neglect this element of his character, even with our tender children.
Another problematic element of the story is the mistaken hope that being a Christian means Now I Get to Be Good! Jesus was not primarily a moral teacher. Yes, he did come and model a perfect life. What was the essence of this perfect life? This is so, so important. Jesus perfect life was NOT NOT NOT the fulfillment of a list of right behaviours. It was a life lived in perfect step with everything the Father directed. The book of John is FULL of this. Here are a few snips:
John 5:19-20
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Note: SEES, active and happening at that instant, not something he once saw, but the current action of the Father.
John 8:28-29
I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 12:49
For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 14:10-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.
Jesus was full of God. And through faith in him, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in us also. Think on that for a moment. Because Jesus died and was raised, he could send the Holy Spirit to live in us, if we will. We are offered what he had—a live connection to God, to empower and direct us in living a pleasing life, no longer stupidly wallowing without power or wisdom.
Read this section of John with that in mind:
John 14:19-24
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. That can be a command or a statement of something that happens. If I let go of this brick, it will fall to the ground. God first loves us, we respond by loving him, and the natural fruit is obedience. Note that love comes first, the relationship comes first. In the story, the people did not love first. They figured out that living clean is good for you. This is not repentance, it's just common sense. Nice, but purely carnal. It has nothing to do with being saved or indwelt by God. In the end, they will still be destroyed because they refused to be owned.
What Jesus offered was Life. He was alive because the Father was IN him. We have that same chance, to be IN Christ, and to be alive in the same sense that Jesus was. What Jesus offered was emphatically NOT a pattern to copy, beyond his relationship to God.
So, I was disappointed that the church leadership inflicted this sermon on this kid, and on us. Why would a year or two of Bible School equip someone who is so young to shepherd teens? And how did he go to Bible School that long without, apparently, hearing the Gospel? If the role of leaders is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, why aren't there a large crop of older men to fulfill this role?
Apostasy, I tell you! ;-)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Updates and Service
I'm flunking home maintenance. I fell off the wagon in early December more or less, and thoroughly lost it around Christmas. My goal is to get things under control and running well by February 1. I hate stepping over junk and working around the mess. It's wound down so much that the laundry is mixed and people can't find their socks and underwear. Inconvenient.
So what? This is what God says: get up and engage with your life. So that's the way of faith for me. I've strayed from it, and I'm going to be paying the piper for a while. The truth: God loves me and is with me and I can do all things through Christ, and his ways are good.
It is time to examine our family activities for the coming season. I need to think about what we need and not over commit. I will probably do mini school with our homeschool group--something relating to legos.
The biggest thing I would like to see our family grow in this season is Giving and Helping. Starting with me.
I really don't "get" serving. Our lack of church attendence has provoked accusations from relatives that we aren't "serving." That puzzles me. If I went to church, I'd need to pull my weight by assisting with childcare. That doesn't really strike me as serving: I'm bringing five out of fifty kids, if I do 10% of the childcare, that's giving? I don't think so. Why is that better than just lowering the workload by five kids? I could sing on the worship team--is that serving? I love to sing, that would be like a hobby. My prayer would be that my lack of skill wouldn't detract from worship. That doesn't seem like serving to me. I could help direct traffic. I could teach a class, but I don't see how that would ever happen--can't think of a pastor in his right mind that would let me. And if I did, I don't see how it would be service--I love teaching. It oozes out of me unbidden. Doesn't require me "dying to myself", it's what my "self" does. When it comes to church, I have no idea how traditional ideas about serving fit.
At home, however, service makes a vast amount of sense. There are endless and constant chances to lay down my life and serve in invisible ways. I'm missing at least six at this very moment, in fact.
So what? This is what God says: get up and engage with your life. So that's the way of faith for me. I've strayed from it, and I'm going to be paying the piper for a while. The truth: God loves me and is with me and I can do all things through Christ, and his ways are good.
It is time to examine our family activities for the coming season. I need to think about what we need and not over commit. I will probably do mini school with our homeschool group--something relating to legos.
The biggest thing I would like to see our family grow in this season is Giving and Helping. Starting with me.
I really don't "get" serving. Our lack of church attendence has provoked accusations from relatives that we aren't "serving." That puzzles me. If I went to church, I'd need to pull my weight by assisting with childcare. That doesn't really strike me as serving: I'm bringing five out of fifty kids, if I do 10% of the childcare, that's giving? I don't think so. Why is that better than just lowering the workload by five kids? I could sing on the worship team--is that serving? I love to sing, that would be like a hobby. My prayer would be that my lack of skill wouldn't detract from worship. That doesn't seem like serving to me. I could help direct traffic. I could teach a class, but I don't see how that would ever happen--can't think of a pastor in his right mind that would let me. And if I did, I don't see how it would be service--I love teaching. It oozes out of me unbidden. Doesn't require me "dying to myself", it's what my "self" does. When it comes to church, I have no idea how traditional ideas about serving fit.
At home, however, service makes a vast amount of sense. There are endless and constant chances to lay down my life and serve in invisible ways. I'm missing at least six at this very moment, in fact.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Humility
A good portion of the sermon on Sunday was about humility this week. There were some great illustrations: humility is like allowing God to take what you believe to be the finished portrait of your life and return it to blank canvas. That's a wonderous picture of brokenness, isn't it. To me, it's like God saying, "I know you think that what you've made or what I've made in you is neat, but that's nothing, I have more for you, but you have to let go of this." And then there are times when we wish that we *could* be a blank canvas again, but it seems like way too much to ask.
A definition of humility: "Lowly thinking, the quality of esteeming ourselves as small, but at the same time recognizing the power of God in us." How difficult it is to hang on to both of those things! I was explaining just how huge the universe is to my son the other day. In his seven year old wisdom, he took it in stride---yeah, yeah, a million earths fit in our sun, nearest star so many light years away, pretty far, but I can take it in... But we are small beyond all reckoning in this universe made by a frightfully huge God. A childish mind refuses to recognize this.
Here's a sermon quote that I jotted down to ponder: "Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." The idea that thinking and talking and ideas are of limited value is a perspective that is pretty pervasive in this body--the word "theology" is a dirty word, used to express ideas that have no connection to spirituality, Pharisees were in to it. Maybe it's more a denomination-wide conviction, because the last Foursquare pastor preached for a very long time on "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but a matter of Power."
"Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." I think this is a statement to be handled with care. Trust in *any* of our faculties above the goodness of God is a road to destruction. But is thinking itself suspect? I wish I could understand better this danger the pastor saw. Maybe it goes like this: "I can understand everything, God really isn't that mighty, and I don't really need him to save me, per se." Or maybe thinking one is dumb is equivilent to humility? I can't buy that. Our little pea brains have very little capacity to grasp the created, let along the uncreated, and yet we were made to apprehend God, and to have faith, which is an adherence to an *idea* which lives in our pea brains. He's given us capacity that we are expected to use to pursue him. (Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.)
It seems to me that there is an undeniably cerebral aspect to our walk with God. We have the life of God in our Spirit, and as we submit to it with each bit of our soul, we take on the flavor of that reality. Our brain is part of our soul, and it is indeed the portion of us that, as it is renewed, allows us to perceive the will of God: Rom 12:22 "Do not conform any longer 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. " From that, it seems really obvious that the activities of our intellect--thoughts, ideas, words, concepts and beliefs--are a key aspect to bring into line with the Spirit. So, I have to trust that God will do that in me, trust that He is acting in process of renewing my mind to bring my intellect into line. That doesn't amount to trusting in my ability to think better than God, it just means that I recognize that God desires my mind to be conformed to the truth.
If anyone has more thoughts on how trusting our intellect could keep us from trusting God, I invite you to comment.
A definition of humility: "Lowly thinking, the quality of esteeming ourselves as small, but at the same time recognizing the power of God in us." How difficult it is to hang on to both of those things! I was explaining just how huge the universe is to my son the other day. In his seven year old wisdom, he took it in stride---yeah, yeah, a million earths fit in our sun, nearest star so many light years away, pretty far, but I can take it in... But we are small beyond all reckoning in this universe made by a frightfully huge God. A childish mind refuses to recognize this.
Here's a sermon quote that I jotted down to ponder: "Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." The idea that thinking and talking and ideas are of limited value is a perspective that is pretty pervasive in this body--the word "theology" is a dirty word, used to express ideas that have no connection to spirituality, Pharisees were in to it. Maybe it's more a denomination-wide conviction, because the last Foursquare pastor preached for a very long time on "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but a matter of Power."
"Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." I think this is a statement to be handled with care. Trust in *any* of our faculties above the goodness of God is a road to destruction. But is thinking itself suspect? I wish I could understand better this danger the pastor saw. Maybe it goes like this: "I can understand everything, God really isn't that mighty, and I don't really need him to save me, per se." Or maybe thinking one is dumb is equivilent to humility? I can't buy that. Our little pea brains have very little capacity to grasp the created, let along the uncreated, and yet we were made to apprehend God, and to have faith, which is an adherence to an *idea* which lives in our pea brains. He's given us capacity that we are expected to use to pursue him. (Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.)
It seems to me that there is an undeniably cerebral aspect to our walk with God. We have the life of God in our Spirit, and as we submit to it with each bit of our soul, we take on the flavor of that reality. Our brain is part of our soul, and it is indeed the portion of us that, as it is renewed, allows us to perceive the will of God: Rom 12:22 "Do not conform any longer 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. " From that, it seems really obvious that the activities of our intellect--thoughts, ideas, words, concepts and beliefs--are a key aspect to bring into line with the Spirit. So, I have to trust that God will do that in me, trust that He is acting in process of renewing my mind to bring my intellect into line. That doesn't amount to trusting in my ability to think better than God, it just means that I recognize that God desires my mind to be conformed to the truth.
If anyone has more thoughts on how trusting our intellect could keep us from trusting God, I invite you to comment.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Healing
I picked up a brochure at church on Sunday titled “Healing of the Body, Mind and Emotions.” The instructions on the inside page read, in part, “God’s Holy Word, anointed by His Spirit, spoken out in faith will bring deliverance and health…Speak these scriptures out loud every day, proclaiming that these words are true of you…Speak these words out more often during times of trouble. It is important to say them out loud and not just read them silently. ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.’ Don’t give up on bodily healing. We have been promised wholeness and healing through the shed blood of Jesus.”
Then it has several pages of excerpts from the Bible, some of which are declarations about how good and powerful are the words of God, others are quotes like “I will live and not die” or “As I have believed, so let it be done for me” or “I know that I will prosper in all things and be in health, just as my soul prospers” or “Lord, you heal all those who have need of healing.”
I think I need healing now, because this makes me violently ill. Where did they get the idea that speaking Bible quotes would bring deliverance and health? Show me the faithful Pentecostal that failed to get sick and ultimately die because they chanted these verses enough. I am not saying that PMA (positive mental attitude) isn’t effective—I believe in the power of focusing on good things bringing good things. That’s true just as a human principle. I also believe that God moves with compassion on his people. But to suggest that by speaking these magic words and brainwashing oneself to believe things that AREN’T TRUE (your body remains subject to illness and death), to lead folks into thinking they are not at the mercy of suffering, good grief, words fail me.
I do find this sad and offensive. Offensive, because it is a baldfaced lie—the people muttering these verses that weren’t spoken to them, will continue to age, rust, decline, get sick, get in accidents until which time Jesus returns or they die. They are laying claim to something that is not yet theirs—an eternal, resurrection body. It cheapens their hope to pretend it is currently in their hand. What kind of witness is it for someone dying of whatever to go about declaring the life of Christ is healing them? When their body dies, what is the world to conclude but that God failed them? Blind denial declares that one isn’t aging and winding down physically. This is not an appropriate confession for a people claiming to walk in truth.
The Biblical, Christian response to our broken bodies and aching souls is to be very unlike this. We don’t need to chant our way out of it, rejecting the pain, pushing back and denying reality. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says this: 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” A day will come when the suffering is ended, and our joy will be more than full because of the reality of it—unconjured, undeniable. Meanwhile, our suffering gives us reason to rejoice. Why?
Rom 5:3-5 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” There is something to be gained in the suffering—jewel-like qualities that will be rewarded by God. Our suffering gives us an opportunity to be weaned away from what the world offers, to put all our hope in what is so much more certain and solid: the eternal love of God. If we are busy repeating declarations that NOW is the time for that reward, we are picking very green fruit.
How should we endure hardship? Financial reversals, accidents, illnesses, etc? Should we shove them back and declare that they are of the devil, cast them away from us? Hebrews 12:7-9 counsels us otherwise: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”
If we endure hardship with an eye towards God, believing Him to be the good father who filters EVERYTHING that comes to us, we respond to HIM in trial, not to the enemy who may have other plans for our suffering. We look to our Father and learn from him how we can drink more deeply from His bottomless well of life, so that on the other side of it, we are less flappable, less vulnerable to standing on the sand of our money or health or friends. But if we reject our pain as bad, we miss the goodness of God IN it. This brochure is a roadmap to missing that.
How do I not freak out about that? I care about people there, people that are obediently getting up in the morning and confessing that the millenium is now, that the benefits of the resurrection are theirs now, embracing their responsibility to believe the impossible is true. Will they take this to the next logical step and brow beat one another when the doctor's report comes back worse not better? "Did you recite your verses just 10 times when I told you to do it twenty? tsk, tsk, this is what you get..." May it never be. May no heart suffer that abuse.
Then it has several pages of excerpts from the Bible, some of which are declarations about how good and powerful are the words of God, others are quotes like “I will live and not die” or “As I have believed, so let it be done for me” or “I know that I will prosper in all things and be in health, just as my soul prospers” or “Lord, you heal all those who have need of healing.”
I think I need healing now, because this makes me violently ill. Where did they get the idea that speaking Bible quotes would bring deliverance and health? Show me the faithful Pentecostal that failed to get sick and ultimately die because they chanted these verses enough. I am not saying that PMA (positive mental attitude) isn’t effective—I believe in the power of focusing on good things bringing good things. That’s true just as a human principle. I also believe that God moves with compassion on his people. But to suggest that by speaking these magic words and brainwashing oneself to believe things that AREN’T TRUE (your body remains subject to illness and death), to lead folks into thinking they are not at the mercy of suffering, good grief, words fail me.
I do find this sad and offensive. Offensive, because it is a baldfaced lie—the people muttering these verses that weren’t spoken to them, will continue to age, rust, decline, get sick, get in accidents until which time Jesus returns or they die. They are laying claim to something that is not yet theirs—an eternal, resurrection body. It cheapens their hope to pretend it is currently in their hand. What kind of witness is it for someone dying of whatever to go about declaring the life of Christ is healing them? When their body dies, what is the world to conclude but that God failed them? Blind denial declares that one isn’t aging and winding down physically. This is not an appropriate confession for a people claiming to walk in truth.
The Biblical, Christian response to our broken bodies and aching souls is to be very unlike this. We don’t need to chant our way out of it, rejecting the pain, pushing back and denying reality. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says this: 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” A day will come when the suffering is ended, and our joy will be more than full because of the reality of it—unconjured, undeniable. Meanwhile, our suffering gives us reason to rejoice. Why?
Rom 5:3-5 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” There is something to be gained in the suffering—jewel-like qualities that will be rewarded by God. Our suffering gives us an opportunity to be weaned away from what the world offers, to put all our hope in what is so much more certain and solid: the eternal love of God. If we are busy repeating declarations that NOW is the time for that reward, we are picking very green fruit.
How should we endure hardship? Financial reversals, accidents, illnesses, etc? Should we shove them back and declare that they are of the devil, cast them away from us? Hebrews 12:7-9 counsels us otherwise: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”
If we endure hardship with an eye towards God, believing Him to be the good father who filters EVERYTHING that comes to us, we respond to HIM in trial, not to the enemy who may have other plans for our suffering. We look to our Father and learn from him how we can drink more deeply from His bottomless well of life, so that on the other side of it, we are less flappable, less vulnerable to standing on the sand of our money or health or friends. But if we reject our pain as bad, we miss the goodness of God IN it. This brochure is a roadmap to missing that.
How do I not freak out about that? I care about people there, people that are obediently getting up in the morning and confessing that the millenium is now, that the benefits of the resurrection are theirs now, embracing their responsibility to believe the impossible is true. Will they take this to the next logical step and brow beat one another when the doctor's report comes back worse not better? "Did you recite your verses just 10 times when I told you to do it twenty? tsk, tsk, this is what you get..." May it never be. May no heart suffer that abuse.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Trying Church
My hubby and I have ongoing conversations about church--should we go, shouldn't we, are we called out or in, if we are supposed to go, where, and how do our minds need to change to survive it, what do we have to give, etc.
This quest has taken us to a body where they strongly preach the gospel as we understand it, and its great, but it is over a half hour away and we don't know a soul who goes there. Then, there is our old church, where we know half the people, but often don't connect theologically.
Today, we went to our old church. We have our children to consider, and they are getting older, need to be experiencing the fellowship of the saints, and it would be better if they felt comfortable with folks. So we went, and it was really great to see everyone. It felt so warm and homey.
The kids feedback from Sunday school leaves me nonplussed. I don't know how to respond. The youngest, I don't know what she learned or did, but she got a "stay off drugs" sticker (she's 5), and a pair of swimming goggles, which she loved. Of the middle two, the older one was highly annoyed that her brother wanted to cling to her, and declared she didn't learn a thing because she already knew it all. Apparently they discussed Jesus feeding the 5000. The oldest Sunday school kid said that they read the section of Nehemiah where it lists who built which part of the wall, but she didn't know what the application of that was. She did say her teacher taught them that if you pray stuff God says in the Bible that he'll give you, you're more likely to get it. Second child said she learned this too.
This makes me a bit nervous. In past churches, based on this idea, people have lifted anything God ever said to anyone and filtered it through "All God's promises are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus" and figured if they prayed whatever Bible quote with enough fervor, God would of course give it to them. And if it didn't seem that he gave it to them, they would declare that he had in fact given it to them. Nonsense, superstition, bleh. But, I don't really want my kids to be disrespectful to their teachers, nor to teach them that church/sunday school/God and the Bible are bunk. So I tried to draw out from them what they know God has promised to give them in the Bible, but apparently they don't know of anything. Wonderful job of training that we have done.
The problem is, I don't really understand prayer very well myself. I know that when Jesus taught the disciples to pray, before he inaugurated the new covenant, he had them acknowledge our Holy Heavenly Father, and pray for his rule to come to earth. Remember that you are dependent on God supporting you. Ask for forgiveness (though I can't imagine anyone not looking around nervously when he suggested that God only forgive as well as a human!) How any of this teaching would be altered by the new covenant, I don't know.
Some will criticize me for being too critical of the kids' sunday school teachers. Maybe even suggest that if I think could do better, step up to the plate. Can I ethically do that? I guess that is a big question. Would anything I would teach violate the direction the leadership believes the church should go?
My kids need to be aware that the Christian life isn't lived in isolation, but that being part of the body of believers is an irreplaceable element of walking with God. And they also need to be trained in truth. They need to understand what Jesus has done for them, and what he has promised to do in the future.
The old church is great for being together with other believers, but the things my kids have been fed there have included a false story about the 12 days of Christmas being a Christian allegory of some significance, that the church is just the new version of the temple (God used to live in the temple building, now he lives in the church building? Hello?), and now this questionable doctrine about prayer. And they have been nudged about the baptism of the holy spirit, which I am really not all that comfortable with at all. I don't know if any of this matters, the kids don't appear to be retaining anything they are taught anyway--by me or anyone else.
Case in point: we were discussing the feasts of the Lord the other day. We came to the feast of Weeks, Pentecost. I read that it was initiated by God to commemorate the giving of the law. It was fulfilled on Pentecost, after the ascension, by the giving of the ____________. The kids didn't know. We rephrased--the old covenant was lived by the Law, the New Covenant power is the ________. No idea. The ________ gives life, the letter kills? None of it rang a bell. Holy Spirit. Somehow, the significance of the whole Jesus story had escaped them. He died and rose again to give us life through the Holy Spirit, so that we could live like Jesus did, moved directly by God. Needless to say, we've been through this, but apparently it doesn't have a place in their hearts yet. So why should I fuss about fluff in Sunday School? Maybe I should just be happy that they have a chance to be loved and known by others and figure that the Spirit will lead them into all truth in due time.
God promised me patience, right? I think I'll pray for it...
This quest has taken us to a body where they strongly preach the gospel as we understand it, and its great, but it is over a half hour away and we don't know a soul who goes there. Then, there is our old church, where we know half the people, but often don't connect theologically.
Today, we went to our old church. We have our children to consider, and they are getting older, need to be experiencing the fellowship of the saints, and it would be better if they felt comfortable with folks. So we went, and it was really great to see everyone. It felt so warm and homey.
The kids feedback from Sunday school leaves me nonplussed. I don't know how to respond. The youngest, I don't know what she learned or did, but she got a "stay off drugs" sticker (she's 5), and a pair of swimming goggles, which she loved. Of the middle two, the older one was highly annoyed that her brother wanted to cling to her, and declared she didn't learn a thing because she already knew it all. Apparently they discussed Jesus feeding the 5000. The oldest Sunday school kid said that they read the section of Nehemiah where it lists who built which part of the wall, but she didn't know what the application of that was. She did say her teacher taught them that if you pray stuff God says in the Bible that he'll give you, you're more likely to get it. Second child said she learned this too.
This makes me a bit nervous. In past churches, based on this idea, people have lifted anything God ever said to anyone and filtered it through "All God's promises are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus" and figured if they prayed whatever Bible quote with enough fervor, God would of course give it to them. And if it didn't seem that he gave it to them, they would declare that he had in fact given it to them. Nonsense, superstition, bleh. But, I don't really want my kids to be disrespectful to their teachers, nor to teach them that church/sunday school/God and the Bible are bunk. So I tried to draw out from them what they know God has promised to give them in the Bible, but apparently they don't know of anything. Wonderful job of training that we have done.
The problem is, I don't really understand prayer very well myself. I know that when Jesus taught the disciples to pray, before he inaugurated the new covenant, he had them acknowledge our Holy Heavenly Father, and pray for his rule to come to earth. Remember that you are dependent on God supporting you. Ask for forgiveness (though I can't imagine anyone not looking around nervously when he suggested that God only forgive as well as a human!) How any of this teaching would be altered by the new covenant, I don't know.
Some will criticize me for being too critical of the kids' sunday school teachers. Maybe even suggest that if I think could do better, step up to the plate. Can I ethically do that? I guess that is a big question. Would anything I would teach violate the direction the leadership believes the church should go?
My kids need to be aware that the Christian life isn't lived in isolation, but that being part of the body of believers is an irreplaceable element of walking with God. And they also need to be trained in truth. They need to understand what Jesus has done for them, and what he has promised to do in the future.
The old church is great for being together with other believers, but the things my kids have been fed there have included a false story about the 12 days of Christmas being a Christian allegory of some significance, that the church is just the new version of the temple (God used to live in the temple building, now he lives in the church building? Hello?), and now this questionable doctrine about prayer. And they have been nudged about the baptism of the holy spirit, which I am really not all that comfortable with at all. I don't know if any of this matters, the kids don't appear to be retaining anything they are taught anyway--by me or anyone else.
Case in point: we were discussing the feasts of the Lord the other day. We came to the feast of Weeks, Pentecost. I read that it was initiated by God to commemorate the giving of the law. It was fulfilled on Pentecost, after the ascension, by the giving of the ____________. The kids didn't know. We rephrased--the old covenant was lived by the Law, the New Covenant power is the ________. No idea. The ________ gives life, the letter kills? None of it rang a bell. Holy Spirit. Somehow, the significance of the whole Jesus story had escaped them. He died and rose again to give us life through the Holy Spirit, so that we could live like Jesus did, moved directly by God. Needless to say, we've been through this, but apparently it doesn't have a place in their hearts yet. So why should I fuss about fluff in Sunday School? Maybe I should just be happy that they have a chance to be loved and known by others and figure that the Spirit will lead them into all truth in due time.
God promised me patience, right? I think I'll pray for it...
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Picking a Church
Whereas, we desire an intimate bond with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and
Whereas, we recognize the importance of giving and receiving spiritual encouragment and material participation, and
Whereas, our children need to see the relational nature of walking in Christ, and
Whereas, I need to worship and meditate to believe what is true,
We hereby sorta, kinda, maybe think perhaps we might go to church and Get Involved.
I really want to teach Sunday School and model the new covenant with kids, and do science experiments to both learn about God and the world he made. Would any church anywhere put up with a teacher that taught about the phases of matter instead of the parables of Christ (or at least, in addition to the parables?)
Chuck would love to have the chance to teach about the new covenant. But the only church around here that wouldn't burn him for a heretic is a half hour away, and its big. Do I want to take my kids to a big church? So much of what I desire for them to know about Christianity is about relationship--would they find it there? Would anyone in town identify with homeschoolers from the sticks, dressed in cloaks and telling stories in elvish about milking the cow?
I'll let you know.
Whereas, we recognize the importance of giving and receiving spiritual encouragment and material participation, and
Whereas, our children need to see the relational nature of walking in Christ, and
Whereas, I need to worship and meditate to believe what is true,
We hereby sorta, kinda, maybe think perhaps we might go to church and Get Involved.
I really want to teach Sunday School and model the new covenant with kids, and do science experiments to both learn about God and the world he made. Would any church anywhere put up with a teacher that taught about the phases of matter instead of the parables of Christ (or at least, in addition to the parables?)
Chuck would love to have the chance to teach about the new covenant. But the only church around here that wouldn't burn him for a heretic is a half hour away, and its big. Do I want to take my kids to a big church? So much of what I desire for them to know about Christianity is about relationship--would they find it there? Would anyone in town identify with homeschoolers from the sticks, dressed in cloaks and telling stories in elvish about milking the cow?
I'll let you know.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
I want a New Church
(sung to the melody of "I want a new drug" by Huey Lewis)
I want a new church,
One that won't make me sick,
One that won't make me work the nursery,
Or make me feel like throwing a brick.
I want a new church,
One that won't hurt my kids
One that won't say the truth's a lie,
Or select leaders by bids.
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in you
I want a new church
One where I can talk
One that don't charge too much
or stop when He says Walk.
I want a new church
One that sings loud
One that will let us wear our cloaks
And not teach heaven's a cloud
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in You
Only in you, Jesus, yeah
I want a new church
One that does what it should
One that won't make me pray to Satan
"You're not welcome in this 'hood"
I want a new church
One that can handle my doubt
Handle me talking too much
and not cast me out
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in you
Only in you, Jesus, yeah
(just a little response to our latest attempt at attending church...)
I want a new church,
One that won't make me sick,
One that won't make me work the nursery,
Or make me feel like throwing a brick.
I want a new church,
One that won't hurt my kids
One that won't say the truth's a lie,
Or select leaders by bids.
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in you
I want a new church
One where I can talk
One that don't charge too much
or stop when He says Walk.
I want a new church
One that sings loud
One that will let us wear our cloaks
And not teach heaven's a cloud
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in You
Only in you, Jesus, yeah
I want a new church
One that does what it should
One that won't make me pray to Satan
"You're not welcome in this 'hood"
I want a new church
One that can handle my doubt
Handle me talking too much
and not cast me out
One that won't make me guilty
Forgetting who I am
One that makes me feel like I am who I'm in you
Cause life is only in you
Only in you, Jesus, yeah
(just a little response to our latest attempt at attending church...)
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The Relational Nature of our Hope
Here's the thing: if our hope is not foundationally one of relationship with each other and God, I despair of putting stock in it.
Laying down my life and following Christ that I may have a life where I get power and authority and majestic responsibility does not move me. In light of what must be endured, I see no point. God may well be holy and good and worthy and the only one, but I do not find enough in that hope to awaken the faith to persevere.
When I connect with others, and sing songs that waken the relational part of me, I can hope. That gives me solice and lifts my head: not only is life offered, but it is a life worth living. Not a perfect machine, but a breathing thing with tender unexpectedness.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control--where are these revealed if not in relationships, even broken ones? How can they be provoked, or honed, or seen without connection with others? What meaning do they have without that context?
Laying down my life and following Christ that I may have a life where I get power and authority and majestic responsibility does not move me. In light of what must be endured, I see no point. God may well be holy and good and worthy and the only one, but I do not find enough in that hope to awaken the faith to persevere.
When I connect with others, and sing songs that waken the relational part of me, I can hope. That gives me solice and lifts my head: not only is life offered, but it is a life worth living. Not a perfect machine, but a breathing thing with tender unexpectedness.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control--where are these revealed if not in relationships, even broken ones? How can they be provoked, or honed, or seen without connection with others? What meaning do they have without that context?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Empty Feeling
I was talking with my 12 yo a couple nights ago, about life. She was complaining that the other girls at AWANA just sit and talk and don't work on their books and don't seem to care about God at all. So I asked her, "Is God YOUR center?" She squirmed uncomfortably. She feels guilty for not praying more, not reading her Bible more. And of course, we don't go to church. We are trying to train our kids to listen to the Holy Spirit, but dd says she doesn't hear him, doesn't know what we mean.
I really don't know what to say to that. If we were back in the Vineyard, they'd grab her and lay on hands so that she could be "baptised with the Holy Spirit." I don't know what to make of that any more. I find that among my friends, there is no real difference between those that are "spirit filled" and those that are not in terms of spiritual satisfaction, righteousness, power, etc. Everybody just seems to be bumping along blind, happy in greater or lesser degrees according to their personality and circumstances. It doesn't look much like the book of Acts, to me, in any church on the block.
I don't believe that God has taken spiritual gifts away. I do believe we have everything we need for life and godliness. If there is weakness in us, it must be from lack of faith in the finished work of Christ, not because we've tied God's hands.
It looks like a really anemic season in the life of the church.
I really don't know what to say to that. If we were back in the Vineyard, they'd grab her and lay on hands so that she could be "baptised with the Holy Spirit." I don't know what to make of that any more. I find that among my friends, there is no real difference between those that are "spirit filled" and those that are not in terms of spiritual satisfaction, righteousness, power, etc. Everybody just seems to be bumping along blind, happy in greater or lesser degrees according to their personality and circumstances. It doesn't look much like the book of Acts, to me, in any church on the block.
I don't believe that God has taken spiritual gifts away. I do believe we have everything we need for life and godliness. If there is weakness in us, it must be from lack of faith in the finished work of Christ, not because we've tied God's hands.
It looks like a really anemic season in the life of the church.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Church Life
We had a great day today. We went to a farm that was having an open house. The owners had sent word out on our homeschool communication loop, so there were a number of familiar faces there. The kids had a blast competing in sack races, throwing raw eggs, painting pumpkins and eating soup and milk shakes. I enjoyed the live music and quality conversation with a friend from high school.
From there, we visited friends that allowed us to use their cider press (and apples!) to make cider, while our kids helped and played. More good conversation and just life sharing.
This is what I want my kids to think of when they hear "church." The community of Called Out Ones. But without the religious structure, they don't seem very "called out." It has a sanctified feel to me, but if there are no worship songs, praying or bible stories, will the kids realize God's role in it?
From there, we visited friends that allowed us to use their cider press (and apples!) to make cider, while our kids helped and played. More good conversation and just life sharing.
This is what I want my kids to think of when they hear "church." The community of Called Out Ones. But without the religious structure, they don't seem very "called out." It has a sanctified feel to me, but if there are no worship songs, praying or bible stories, will the kids realize God's role in it?
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Please, Not Hell!
"Oh, PLEASE! Don't go looking into whether Hell is real! If we question hell, we will NEVER find a church!" This was my response to my hubby bringing home printouts on the history of the ideology of hell.
How sad for me. What are we coming to if we can't look honestly at the faith we profess and promote? What is the point of our gathering if we can't talk about ideas like these? I think that the branding of Christianity is one of the biggest stultifiers of growth. Branding--the idea that you can put a Baptist or Episcopal or Presbyterian sticker on a church and know what they believe. There can be little dynamic growth and revelation. It is assumed that by the time a man is old enough to graduate seminary that his beliefs are in line with orthodoxy and will not require any major adjustment until Jesus returns. This idea borders between optimism and arrogance.
The creeds that we all mouth do little for maintaining orthodoxy. What do you mean by One? What do you mean by Created? And what the heck is up with "I believe in God the Father, maker of Heaven and Earth" when John says Jesus was the creator--and without him nothing was made that has been made?
The real application of this is the idea that if you are part of a body, and discover the denomination is "holy cow" wrong about some big things, what do you do? If love and unity are the highest laws, perhaps it does not then matter if we functionally preach "another gospel," so long as we are generous and kind to one another.
This all hinges on what the Main Things are. Obviously, Christ is central. It is the essence of being in Christ that makes a Christian and creates fellowship. But there are lines around what this means. A Mormon will tell you that they believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins. Does that mean we have fellowship with them? They may go on to quote you the book of Mormon where it says that once you are REALLY good, THEN you will be given the Holy Spirit--a complete violation of the gospel, as I understand it. And shades of this same heresy are ubiquitous in religious circles. God can only act if you do X. To receive the Holy Spirit, you must not eat for three days, then pray for six hours, then mumble incoherently for an hour to prove you are serious. And make sure you really are sincere, because like a horse, God can smell fear.
In more conservative circles, independence is encouraged by books like The Purpose Driven Life, which tells you figure out why God made you and walk in it. Christians cry for this kind of book, like the Israelites chafed against the theocracy God gave them. They want a King: a visible standard to follow so that they can follow and measure how they are doing. God would lead our hearts, but we want something we can see. It's the difference between feeling the beat of the music and moving to it and following the numbered footsteps on the floor. If we are possessed by the Great Dancer, why are we stomping through numbered footprints?
I believe Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. Most people believe the Bible teaches that if you don't put faith in Him, the result is eternal, conscious suffering. Is this a main thing? If I look in the Bible and find more evidence that the damned are destroyed, do we have fellowship? In my mind, we have fellowship if we remain grounded in Christ. If we are more attached to our denomination than we are to seeking what is true, we will be torn. If we are more attached to being right than we are to loving each other, we will be torn. If you believe in hell and I don't, we can still share Christ. And really, it ends up being a very secondary issue. Because the foundation is faith: are we walking in our own strength and wisdom or by the Spirit's leading and power. You can violate or fulfill that AND believe or disbelieve in hell, I think.
It feels very vulnerable and dependent to stay open to God rewriting my inner story. I would like to camp on a denominational standing--or even my own--and stop asking if it is true and how the pieces fit together. I just don't think I have that freedom.
How sad for me. What are we coming to if we can't look honestly at the faith we profess and promote? What is the point of our gathering if we can't talk about ideas like these? I think that the branding of Christianity is one of the biggest stultifiers of growth. Branding--the idea that you can put a Baptist or Episcopal or Presbyterian sticker on a church and know what they believe. There can be little dynamic growth and revelation. It is assumed that by the time a man is old enough to graduate seminary that his beliefs are in line with orthodoxy and will not require any major adjustment until Jesus returns. This idea borders between optimism and arrogance.
The creeds that we all mouth do little for maintaining orthodoxy. What do you mean by One? What do you mean by Created? And what the heck is up with "I believe in God the Father, maker of Heaven and Earth" when John says Jesus was the creator--and without him nothing was made that has been made?
The real application of this is the idea that if you are part of a body, and discover the denomination is "holy cow" wrong about some big things, what do you do? If love and unity are the highest laws, perhaps it does not then matter if we functionally preach "another gospel," so long as we are generous and kind to one another.
This all hinges on what the Main Things are. Obviously, Christ is central. It is the essence of being in Christ that makes a Christian and creates fellowship. But there are lines around what this means. A Mormon will tell you that they believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins. Does that mean we have fellowship with them? They may go on to quote you the book of Mormon where it says that once you are REALLY good, THEN you will be given the Holy Spirit--a complete violation of the gospel, as I understand it. And shades of this same heresy are ubiquitous in religious circles. God can only act if you do X. To receive the Holy Spirit, you must not eat for three days, then pray for six hours, then mumble incoherently for an hour to prove you are serious. And make sure you really are sincere, because like a horse, God can smell fear.
In more conservative circles, independence is encouraged by books like The Purpose Driven Life, which tells you figure out why God made you and walk in it. Christians cry for this kind of book, like the Israelites chafed against the theocracy God gave them. They want a King: a visible standard to follow so that they can follow and measure how they are doing. God would lead our hearts, but we want something we can see. It's the difference between feeling the beat of the music and moving to it and following the numbered footsteps on the floor. If we are possessed by the Great Dancer, why are we stomping through numbered footprints?
I believe Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. Most people believe the Bible teaches that if you don't put faith in Him, the result is eternal, conscious suffering. Is this a main thing? If I look in the Bible and find more evidence that the damned are destroyed, do we have fellowship? In my mind, we have fellowship if we remain grounded in Christ. If we are more attached to our denomination than we are to seeking what is true, we will be torn. If we are more attached to being right than we are to loving each other, we will be torn. If you believe in hell and I don't, we can still share Christ. And really, it ends up being a very secondary issue. Because the foundation is faith: are we walking in our own strength and wisdom or by the Spirit's leading and power. You can violate or fulfill that AND believe or disbelieve in hell, I think.
It feels very vulnerable and dependent to stay open to God rewriting my inner story. I would like to camp on a denominational standing--or even my own--and stop asking if it is true and how the pieces fit together. I just don't think I have that freedom.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Searing the Conscience
Sometimes in Christian circles, you hear the phrase "a seared conscience" and it is used as the result of ignoring God's word and disobeying. The concept is that if you ignore God enough, you lose the ability to hear him, you become insensitive. That may be true. But the actual scripture that this phrase comes from has a rather different lesson:
1 Tim 4:1-54:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
So those with a seared conscience, are they ignoring godly boundaries? No, they are creating a stricter morality. How can being stricter sear the conscience?
1 Tim 4:1-54:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
So those with a seared conscience, are they ignoring godly boundaries? No, they are creating a stricter morality. How can being stricter sear the conscience?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Let's Go to the Potluck!
"I am only asking you to go to a potluck, not marry these people!"
"I have nothing in common with them! It isn't like I haven't tried! I spent a year trying to connect with them. We don't mean the same things by what we say. We aren't pursuing the same gospel."
"How can you say that? The same God is that is leading you is also leading them. They are saved--the Holy Spirit is in them, leading them into all truth. Yes, they are out to lunch on some points. Are you saying that you aren't?"
"I'm sure I have some things wrong. But I don't want to lose the good that I do have by soaking in what I know isn't true. And I absolutely do not want my kids taught the "try harder" gospel!"
"I don't want that either. But couldn't you just spend one day every six months talking with someone about what God is saying to them, and share what's going on in your walk and be connected a bit on what you do share in common? I feel so edified when I find that people who have very different views are being led in the same things as I am by God."
"We are different in that way. I wish I could feel that too. But I don't. I feel sad. Deeply, deeply sad that the good news that is so essential isn't preached or lived or embraced there! I know that it brings bondage and destruction to believe what they preach. I don't want to be there for the hurt that it will cause."
"Well that's very loving! 'You're bound for pain so I don't want to go with you!' I know it makes a difference when we speak the truth to each other. Even people that argue with you about the extent of the Grace of God are introduced to an iota of doubt by your saying you are so forgiven that you needn't ask for more forgiveness. They may not be pursuaded, but they are at least aware of the question! It takes time! You can't expect to walk in the door and have people change their schema the first time it is discussed!"
"I don't. I don't want to change anyone's schema. I just want fellowship. And encouragement. And they don't believe what I believe. They are trying to build faith by whipping up emotion and it is doomed."
"You are overstating the separation. And it becomes wider in your absence. You don't miss talking with Mike, or Dan, or Earl?"
"I do like talking with those guys, but they really don't understand what I'm talking about. I am a lot of work for them. I disrupt what they are doing. It is more merciful for me to not rock their boats."
"Sometimes it is more loving to rock a person's boat than to leave them in calm water."
"That's true--but only if God tells you to rock it. God didn't tell me to rock their boat."
"You are impossible. I just want to go to the potluck, sing songs and talk with people."
"I don't care if I never sing another worship song again."
"How can you say that? I love to sing. I need the bolstering of my faith that meditating on the truth brings."
"Now, see what I mean? You are using the word faith as if it was a feeling."
"Be that as it may, singing about the goodness and power of God helps me believe that it is true and makes me more likely to live like it is. And that IS faith--living like God is all that."
"Well, it doesn't do that for me, and I don't trust my heart to be led by people who obviously believe things that are false. I am not interested in entering into an altered state of consciousness at their mercy."
"I just imagine a way in which the words could be true. It works for me."
"That's great for you--but what about your kids? We have a responsiblity to raise our kids in faith. And the road of emotionalism and law will baptize them into flesh and self effort, not trusting God."
"I still want to go to the potluck."
"I have nothing in common with them! It isn't like I haven't tried! I spent a year trying to connect with them. We don't mean the same things by what we say. We aren't pursuing the same gospel."
"How can you say that? The same God is that is leading you is also leading them. They are saved--the Holy Spirit is in them, leading them into all truth. Yes, they are out to lunch on some points. Are you saying that you aren't?"
"I'm sure I have some things wrong. But I don't want to lose the good that I do have by soaking in what I know isn't true. And I absolutely do not want my kids taught the "try harder" gospel!"
"I don't want that either. But couldn't you just spend one day every six months talking with someone about what God is saying to them, and share what's going on in your walk and be connected a bit on what you do share in common? I feel so edified when I find that people who have very different views are being led in the same things as I am by God."
"We are different in that way. I wish I could feel that too. But I don't. I feel sad. Deeply, deeply sad that the good news that is so essential isn't preached or lived or embraced there! I know that it brings bondage and destruction to believe what they preach. I don't want to be there for the hurt that it will cause."
"Well that's very loving! 'You're bound for pain so I don't want to go with you!' I know it makes a difference when we speak the truth to each other. Even people that argue with you about the extent of the Grace of God are introduced to an iota of doubt by your saying you are so forgiven that you needn't ask for more forgiveness. They may not be pursuaded, but they are at least aware of the question! It takes time! You can't expect to walk in the door and have people change their schema the first time it is discussed!"
"I don't. I don't want to change anyone's schema. I just want fellowship. And encouragement. And they don't believe what I believe. They are trying to build faith by whipping up emotion and it is doomed."
"You are overstating the separation. And it becomes wider in your absence. You don't miss talking with Mike, or Dan, or Earl?"
"I do like talking with those guys, but they really don't understand what I'm talking about. I am a lot of work for them. I disrupt what they are doing. It is more merciful for me to not rock their boats."
"Sometimes it is more loving to rock a person's boat than to leave them in calm water."
"That's true--but only if God tells you to rock it. God didn't tell me to rock their boat."
"You are impossible. I just want to go to the potluck, sing songs and talk with people."
"I don't care if I never sing another worship song again."
"How can you say that? I love to sing. I need the bolstering of my faith that meditating on the truth brings."
"Now, see what I mean? You are using the word faith as if it was a feeling."
"Be that as it may, singing about the goodness and power of God helps me believe that it is true and makes me more likely to live like it is. And that IS faith--living like God is all that."
"Well, it doesn't do that for me, and I don't trust my heart to be led by people who obviously believe things that are false. I am not interested in entering into an altered state of consciousness at their mercy."
"I just imagine a way in which the words could be true. It works for me."
"That's great for you--but what about your kids? We have a responsiblity to raise our kids in faith. And the road of emotionalism and law will baptize them into flesh and self effort, not trusting God."
"I still want to go to the potluck."
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Life is like a walk to Mt. Doom
We just finished watching all of LOTR with the older kids. It was the first time I'd watched the whole thing. I don't like violent movies, and I get figetty during extended action scenes. But I read the trilogy to the kids a couple years ago, and we have all been passionate LOTR afficionados ever since.
The whole LOTR thing is very dear to my heart. Here's a community of people living at the end of their age. And Frodo says something like "I wish this wasn't my life. I wish it hadn't come to this." And Gandalf answers that we don't get a choice about the times we live in, we just get to decide what to do with our time. I feel the twist of Frodo's lament, and the wisdom and peace of Gandalf's answer. Let's live in the Now and Love What Is.
I am afraid of Frodo's destiny though: "We saved the Shire, but not for me." When he reached the Far Country, did the sword of the nazgul cease to pain him? Will the agony of sin follow us beyond this chapter of the story? How is it that hell doesn't taint heaven?
The whole LOTR thing is very dear to my heart. Here's a community of people living at the end of their age. And Frodo says something like "I wish this wasn't my life. I wish it hadn't come to this." And Gandalf answers that we don't get a choice about the times we live in, we just get to decide what to do with our time. I feel the twist of Frodo's lament, and the wisdom and peace of Gandalf's answer. Let's live in the Now and Love What Is.
I am afraid of Frodo's destiny though: "We saved the Shire, but not for me." When he reached the Far Country, did the sword of the nazgul cease to pain him? Will the agony of sin follow us beyond this chapter of the story? How is it that hell doesn't taint heaven?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
I Don't Have To
A partial list of things I don’t have to do:
Keep up with the culture
Go to church
Fix my friends
Say something
Shave my toes
Make my children perfect
Apologize for the color of my hair
Make my husband happy
Write in my blog everyday forever
Explain why
Strangle my brother in law
Handle tomorrow today
Teach grammar this year
Win
Scrapbook
Get along with everybody
Have a “Ministry”
Know
Sing well before I sing with all my heart
1 Cor 6:12-13"Everything is permissible for me"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Drawing in a Breath
I am discovering a beautiful thing right now, and this blog writing has been a part of it. I am sorry if this writing doesn’t speak clearly or is contradictory or is way too long, but it is the imperfection of it that is allowing my soul to breath in the life of God. I am just going to give what I have, a partial understanding in a childish heart, and I’m going to give it with abandon, because I’m okay. I need to hash these thoughts through, and this is how I was made to do it. Maybe the process can help someone else understand something better, maybe it won’t. If it doesn’t, it is still doing me a world of good.
I am accepted by the Father and given an irrevocable name. I will persevere and lay hold of my salvation. I am one of a web of Called Out Ones, and I belong. Mike, if you’re out there, I just listened to your sermon on the Indwelling vs. the Incarnation, and I receive that word from the Father that Christ is my head and He alone will lead me. I am walking in freedom and joy as I awkwardly give—in coaching the lego team, in serving my husband, in shepherding my kids, in writing rambling blog entries, in preparing to teach silly classes on paper crafts and birds, preparing for a camping trip that I could have had a bad attitude about, having friends over in my lower class home. I feel His pleasure in it.
I am discovering that I have “everything I need for life and godliness.” My heart has, in the past, turned to wanting. It would begin a sentence, “I wish….we had a church/more money/could go to Hawaii/were born with different color hair, etc.” The conviction in my husband’s heart that the Day of the Lord is coming soon to end all normal life functions, pretty much made all those wishes totally irrelevant. It took away the option of getting terribly wrapped up in preparing for my kids’ college, or redecorating, or going on a luxurious vacation, or crafting the ultimate business or ministry. So, life has been very hard without the draw forward. But I am slowly grasping the joy of the now, and the eternal hope of the future. When we realize that God is close to the broken hearted, there is no danger in having your heart broken, because the Comforter is greater than all.
Because of the Spirit, we have forever. I may only get started learning to draw now, but I will have all eternity to practice and seek mentors and find beautiful subjects. I don’t have to worry that relationships aren’t progressing as fast as I’d like, because I will have forever to get to know and enjoy my brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t have to despise the day of small beginnings. I can step down a road, and if it is cut short now, I will have a chance to pick it up later.
I find that my wishes are silly. I wish we had a church. Yet, here around me are a great cloud of believers that support, know, and love me, as well as any cohesive church ever did. I wish I had something to offer, but I can offer the things that don't seem like much to me (because they are what I do naturally) and they are something to someone else. Go figure! Praise the Author of the Story!
Heb 10:14 ...by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Let's hear it for the Now and the Not Yet of our hope!
I am accepted by the Father and given an irrevocable name. I will persevere and lay hold of my salvation. I am one of a web of Called Out Ones, and I belong. Mike, if you’re out there, I just listened to your sermon on the Indwelling vs. the Incarnation, and I receive that word from the Father that Christ is my head and He alone will lead me. I am walking in freedom and joy as I awkwardly give—in coaching the lego team, in serving my husband, in shepherding my kids, in writing rambling blog entries, in preparing to teach silly classes on paper crafts and birds, preparing for a camping trip that I could have had a bad attitude about, having friends over in my lower class home. I feel His pleasure in it.
I am discovering that I have “everything I need for life and godliness.” My heart has, in the past, turned to wanting. It would begin a sentence, “I wish….we had a church/more money/could go to Hawaii/were born with different color hair, etc.” The conviction in my husband’s heart that the Day of the Lord is coming soon to end all normal life functions, pretty much made all those wishes totally irrelevant. It took away the option of getting terribly wrapped up in preparing for my kids’ college, or redecorating, or going on a luxurious vacation, or crafting the ultimate business or ministry. So, life has been very hard without the draw forward. But I am slowly grasping the joy of the now, and the eternal hope of the future. When we realize that God is close to the broken hearted, there is no danger in having your heart broken, because the Comforter is greater than all.
Because of the Spirit, we have forever. I may only get started learning to draw now, but I will have all eternity to practice and seek mentors and find beautiful subjects. I don’t have to worry that relationships aren’t progressing as fast as I’d like, because I will have forever to get to know and enjoy my brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t have to despise the day of small beginnings. I can step down a road, and if it is cut short now, I will have a chance to pick it up later.
I find that my wishes are silly. I wish we had a church. Yet, here around me are a great cloud of believers that support, know, and love me, as well as any cohesive church ever did. I wish I had something to offer, but I can offer the things that don't seem like much to me (because they are what I do naturally) and they are something to someone else. Go figure! Praise the Author of the Story!
Heb 10:14 ...by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Let's hear it for the Now and the Not Yet of our hope!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Considering Authority
One objection to leaving the church that Jacobsen did not discuss is the idea that not attending church is unsubmissive to leadership. I've been pondering this today, and looking at what the Bible has to say about it.
We are to select leaders of a certain kind: they should serve like Christ did, laying down their lives, with sincere love for the sheep; able to teach; their personal life should be in order--kids following God and not unruly, just one temperate wife who doesn't gossip, respected by outsiders, and not greedy, holding on to the core truth of the faith.
As these mature believers work among us, we are to respect and love them, valuing their service. We are to submit to them, obey what they say.
I can't find any evidence for the "covering" theory put forth by some teachers that say that the devil (or even God) will get you if aren't under the authority of a pastor or husband, so I won't worry about that (unless someone can show me scripture to the contrary). I guess as I read this, it looks very relational to me: if someone is laying down their life and giving you the benefit of their maturity and wisdom, treat them with the honor due them and listen to them. I can't really find how what our family has done in leaving church is unsubmissive.
The submission issue is very difficult. My husband was recently asked, "Do you think you know better than any one else what is true?" The implication was, "How arrogant to think for yourself!" Yet I can't fathom yielding the responsibility to search out truth. Why should I take another person's word for something? If it doesn't stand up to the Bible, if the Holy Spirit says it isn't so, if logic agrees that the concept is false, why shall I accept instead my pastor's word? Is that unsubmissive? Perhaps we have erred in "rebuking an older man harshly" and that is the disrespect we have made. Lord, make my heart truly humble and gentle and not just afraid of man.
We are to select leaders of a certain kind: they should serve like Christ did, laying down their lives, with sincere love for the sheep; able to teach; their personal life should be in order--kids following God and not unruly, just one temperate wife who doesn't gossip, respected by outsiders, and not greedy, holding on to the core truth of the faith.
As these mature believers work among us, we are to respect and love them, valuing their service. We are to submit to them, obey what they say.
I can't find any evidence for the "covering" theory put forth by some teachers that say that the devil (or even God) will get you if aren't under the authority of a pastor or husband, so I won't worry about that (unless someone can show me scripture to the contrary). I guess as I read this, it looks very relational to me: if someone is laying down their life and giving you the benefit of their maturity and wisdom, treat them with the honor due them and listen to them. I can't really find how what our family has done in leaving church is unsubmissive.
The submission issue is very difficult. My husband was recently asked, "Do you think you know better than any one else what is true?" The implication was, "How arrogant to think for yourself!" Yet I can't fathom yielding the responsibility to search out truth. Why should I take another person's word for something? If it doesn't stand up to the Bible, if the Holy Spirit says it isn't so, if logic agrees that the concept is false, why shall I accept instead my pastor's word? Is that unsubmissive? Perhaps we have erred in "rebuking an older man harshly" and that is the disrespect we have made. Lord, make my heart truly humble and gentle and not just afraid of man.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Fixing the Institution of "Church"
Mike responded to the "Why I don't go to church anymore" article with some very thoughtful and insightful comments. The main idea centered around the criticism that the author bailed instead of remaining in church and making it better.
Because we find ourself in the bailing position, I find I must defend it. ;-) To be part of the solution, you have to understand the problem AND have the right to address it. I can't go out to my car which is making a funny noise and fix the ball joint (or whatever!) because I don't understand the problem. I'm pretty much just left with a broken car. Some things about the broken church are like that. You go, the sermon sounds good, the music is nice, the people sing at the appropriate times and go through the appropriate motions...but Nobody's Home. The car just isn't going anywhere, and I don't know how to fix it. Staying in that car is silly and of no benefit to anyone.
The authority issue is even more important, though. I can't go to my neighbor's house and say, "Oh, your car is making a funny noise, let me fix that for you," and proceed unbidden to disassemble it and change parts. I can not go to the local church and begin telling people that their leaders are wrong about tithing. I don't have the right to do that. Yet that is a fundamental demonstation of a lack of understanding of the very reason Christ came, and it is an entry into something that will bring self reliance, sin and destruction. A very big broken thing, and it's not my place to fix it.
I think the institutional church is a profoundly broken thing in this phase of history--perhaps in all of history. Christ still moves and works there, but the structure itself thwarts growth. Contrast the experience of exploring your weaknesses and questions with your peers to doing so with your pastor. Especially if what you want to talk about and explore is what he is teaching--things he has already reached conclusions on, and informed you of. If my friend (MIKE!) has come to a conclusion that I don't share, there is no rub. We can keep talking and looking at the scripture and accept each other where we are, and share the goal of worshipping together in Spirit and in Truth. But if I am supposed to be following you, accepting what you say, then it really isn't okay if I don't see in the Bible what you see.
Once upon a time, we were part of a church that had a pastor that was an exceptional teacher. He could lay out a logical sermon like nobody's business. But, by his own testimony, God called him to *pastor* a *relational church.* In short, God was asking him to go beyond the transparency that he was very good with, to even loving people. Listening to them, spending time with them, sharing lives with them. This pastor wrestled and wrestled with God over this, sometimes declaring that God wanted him to engage in it and that he was committed to following, sometimes declaring that it just wasn't who he was and he wasn't going to do it. Which is how our struggles go, wouldn't you say?
The gentile church structure that we engage in totally messed this guy up, separating him from a support structure. As his traveling companions and co-ministers in Christ, we spoke the gentle word of the Father to him, encouraging him to trust and obey. That is our job in each other's lives. However, you cannot encourage your pastor to better love his congregation without a number of people being very mad at you for "touching the Lord's annointed." And of course it is messy, because we do hope that our pastors can be spiritual fathers to us, and it is a personal loss when they are not. But that aside, if we had nothing to gain from his obedience, it was still the will of God that he care for others.
Now, if we stay in relationship that is fettered with the heirarchical approach of traditional church organizations, is there any way to really be of benefit to this man? No, to call him to obey the voice of God is insubordination. It doesn't work because pride is involved, and expectations.
How can a structure that promotes and praises men when they do well encourage believers to mature by dying to themselves and becoming more abased? How in the world is a disciple to grasp "the last shall be first" when the greatest among us is not the servant of all? I hope I don't sound ungrateful to the hard work that preachers and pastors do, I have great admiration for their devotion. But I feel for them. The church machine runs the opposite way they are trying to go. They need to lead people into relationship: the form tends to isolate them from truly sharing their lives. They need to lead people into laying down their lives, but the form puts their name in lights and says wear the right suit.
Mike also points out that if you pull your hand from the hot stove and leave the building, sometimes the building bursts into flames and causes destruction. He encourages folks to stay in and be caring, concerned builders that would make the building sound. My feeling is often that the building is already in blazes and my emotions are not of calm concern but of alarm when I see what is happening in church. Hard to function helpfully in the burning building.
Because we find ourself in the bailing position, I find I must defend it. ;-) To be part of the solution, you have to understand the problem AND have the right to address it. I can't go out to my car which is making a funny noise and fix the ball joint (or whatever!) because I don't understand the problem. I'm pretty much just left with a broken car. Some things about the broken church are like that. You go, the sermon sounds good, the music is nice, the people sing at the appropriate times and go through the appropriate motions...but Nobody's Home. The car just isn't going anywhere, and I don't know how to fix it. Staying in that car is silly and of no benefit to anyone.
The authority issue is even more important, though. I can't go to my neighbor's house and say, "Oh, your car is making a funny noise, let me fix that for you," and proceed unbidden to disassemble it and change parts. I can not go to the local church and begin telling people that their leaders are wrong about tithing. I don't have the right to do that. Yet that is a fundamental demonstation of a lack of understanding of the very reason Christ came, and it is an entry into something that will bring self reliance, sin and destruction. A very big broken thing, and it's not my place to fix it.
I think the institutional church is a profoundly broken thing in this phase of history--perhaps in all of history. Christ still moves and works there, but the structure itself thwarts growth. Contrast the experience of exploring your weaknesses and questions with your peers to doing so with your pastor. Especially if what you want to talk about and explore is what he is teaching--things he has already reached conclusions on, and informed you of. If my friend (MIKE!) has come to a conclusion that I don't share, there is no rub. We can keep talking and looking at the scripture and accept each other where we are, and share the goal of worshipping together in Spirit and in Truth. But if I am supposed to be following you, accepting what you say, then it really isn't okay if I don't see in the Bible what you see.
Once upon a time, we were part of a church that had a pastor that was an exceptional teacher. He could lay out a logical sermon like nobody's business. But, by his own testimony, God called him to *pastor* a *relational church.* In short, God was asking him to go beyond the transparency that he was very good with, to even loving people. Listening to them, spending time with them, sharing lives with them. This pastor wrestled and wrestled with God over this, sometimes declaring that God wanted him to engage in it and that he was committed to following, sometimes declaring that it just wasn't who he was and he wasn't going to do it. Which is how our struggles go, wouldn't you say?
The gentile church structure that we engage in totally messed this guy up, separating him from a support structure. As his traveling companions and co-ministers in Christ, we spoke the gentle word of the Father to him, encouraging him to trust and obey. That is our job in each other's lives. However, you cannot encourage your pastor to better love his congregation without a number of people being very mad at you for "touching the Lord's annointed." And of course it is messy, because we do hope that our pastors can be spiritual fathers to us, and it is a personal loss when they are not. But that aside, if we had nothing to gain from his obedience, it was still the will of God that he care for others.
Now, if we stay in relationship that is fettered with the heirarchical approach of traditional church organizations, is there any way to really be of benefit to this man? No, to call him to obey the voice of God is insubordination. It doesn't work because pride is involved, and expectations.
How can a structure that promotes and praises men when they do well encourage believers to mature by dying to themselves and becoming more abased? How in the world is a disciple to grasp "the last shall be first" when the greatest among us is not the servant of all? I hope I don't sound ungrateful to the hard work that preachers and pastors do, I have great admiration for their devotion. But I feel for them. The church machine runs the opposite way they are trying to go. They need to lead people into relationship: the form tends to isolate them from truly sharing their lives. They need to lead people into laying down their lives, but the form puts their name in lights and says wear the right suit.
Mike also points out that if you pull your hand from the hot stove and leave the building, sometimes the building bursts into flames and causes destruction. He encourages folks to stay in and be caring, concerned builders that would make the building sound. My feeling is often that the building is already in blazes and my emotions are not of calm concern but of alarm when I see what is happening in church. Hard to function helpfully in the burning building.
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