Thoughts on church

There are times when a certain topic takes root in my mind, and like weeds it pops up in all sorts of places, shading most of what I think about and talk about. I see it in things I read…in conversations I have…in studies I do…EVERYWHERE! So has it been with church. In one sense, I am not sure why. In another sense I know exactly why. In regards to the former, I am not preparing for a specifically “church” ministry. By this I mean that I am not preparing for a vocational ministry within a church (like a senior pastor, minister to a specific age group, youth pastor, etc). So why the obsession? In regards to the latter, all Christians need be part of a church because this is the body of Christ…this is the family that I have been placed in…this is part of my new identity…it is created/instituted/ordained by God…so how can I not think about it??

I found these interesting statements regarding challenges to the church…issues that I find dangerously real.

The truth is that without a biblical understanding of why God instituted it, the church easily becomes a liability in a market where it competes only with the greatest of difficulty against religious fare available in the convenience of one’s living room and in a culture bent on distraction and entertainment.

The constant cultural bombardment of individualism, in the absence of a robust theology, meant that faith that had rightly been understood as personal now easily became faith that was individualistic, self-focused, and consumer oriented. That was the change to which the church marketers attuned themselves.

–David Wells, The Courage to be Protestant

For many Christians, a biblical understanding of the church is rapidly disappearing.

bad orthodoxy or orthopraxy?

Evangelism…this is one of the touchier subjects in Christian churches. Our pastor has jumped in on a whole series on evangelism (a rarity to find anything more than one sermon), and all I have to say is “ROCK ON!!!!”

I was struck yesterday at an all too often comment that made me want to guffaw loudly. My reaction? Well, it stems from frustration, the cliche-ness of the statement, and…okay, personal attachment to the underlying sentiment. (By the way, this was not spoken by our pastor).

Well, I just think the best evangelism we can have is to live a good Christian life for everyone to see.

WRONG!! This is not evangelism…okay, okay, I don’t want to spend the rest of this post trying to define and nuance all the terms related to evangelism. Because, yes, this can be a very real and quite valid part of evangelism as a whole process. But you know what, me just living a “good Christian life” never got any saved by itself!!! At some point, by some person, in some way, there must be a presentation of the Gospel!

And so, as I sat pondering this statement, one that I am far too familar with…I’ve used it myself…though I knew that it wasn’t true…I wondered if it stems from bad orthodoxy or bad orthopraxy (orthodoxy refers to correct belief, orthopraxy refers to correct practice or behavior as a result of belief). I think I’ve concluded that it is really bad orthopraxy. In general, most Christians know that evangelism requires more than living “a good Christian life.” The problem is, we don’t want to actually have to share the Gospel, so we cop-out by saying we’re no good at it…there are others “gifted” in evangelism so we’ll let them do it…and we’ll do our part by living with good Christian behavior. Umm, no. Sorry, that doesn’t cut it…but nice try!

At some point, by some person, in some way, evangelism requires that the good news of Jesus Christ be told/shared/explained/preached/etc. God has not ordained for a specific behavior by which people will say, “Oh! Jesus Christ is Lord and I can be saved only through faith by believing in Him!” Nope, it is by the proclamation of the Gospel, which might indeed be given a hearing by your “good Christian life.” By all means, lets definitely live correctly…but let’s not stop there!!

He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.
– Acts 11:14

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile
– Romans 1:16

dem’s fightin’ wurdz

I want to deny these words, but sadly I often find that there is little proof to counter the accusation…

But what is the average Christian experience? Church members typically think and behave very much like morally upright non-Christians. They are decent enough, but there is nothing supernatural about them.
J. Robertson McQuilkin, Five Views on Sanctification

does not compute…

37 hours to know the ins-’n-outs of world religions…unfortunately the world religions have avoided the ins and found only the outs of my brain

 

God is not just saving individuals and preparing them for heaven; rather, he is creating a people among whom he can live and who in their life together will reproduce God’s life and character. (emphasis added)
– Gordon Fee

glimmers of encouragement

It’s spring. The sun is shining, the days are warming, nature is waking…and I’m sitting under flourescent lights staring at a computer, yipeeeee.

On a more encouraging note, we had the opportunity to hear from some missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators who are in Brazil. They left us about 3 years ago, so a lot has happened as they settled in a new home, had a baby girl, and have been welcomed by the remote tribe for whom they will translate the bible. There were 2 main points of encouragement: 1) to hear the great stories about God’s faithfulness and providence as they trust Him, and 2) that our church willingly (with some persuasion, of course) gave up their regular Sunday school time in order to hear from the missionaries. This is a pretty big deal for our church, as some of the people have had their Sunday school routine for longer than I’ve been alive. AND, they asked interested/intelligent questions!! When the talk was over, a large group immediately swarmed the missionaries to ask more questions. It was a GOOD day!

mmmmm…goody

our sunday school class, like any “true” evangelical group is studying Romans…okay, i jest. but we really are working our way through Romans. we have just climaxed with chapter 8:

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (8:37-39)

Now we enter what can be the dark valley of chapter 9 (and following)…dark not because of what it reveals about God, but because of the warring battle that the heart & mind of man fights. It is a battle that I still fight, to a differing degree depending on the day. And I suspect, as with the confession of many a revered pastor, theologian, and Christian who has gone before me, it demands FAITH, then a lifetime of seeking understanding, if the Lord permits.

I am excited about the journey we as a group are taking, though well aware of the dangers that lurk as we delve into God’s Word! As we gather together to devour this slab of meat that is before us, may the Spirit help us digest the hunks lest we choke on them (ewww)!!

Book Review – The Church

From the Ground Up: New Testament Foundations for the 21^st Century Church. By J. Scott Horrell.

 

First, my disclaimer: this is a brief book review and is not meant to be a formal endeavor, hence I depart from the “scholarly” format.

 

Dr. Horrell is a theology professor at DTS, but his credentials are bolstered more by the fact that he has pastored 5 churches and taught in seminaries around the world. The majority of his time has been spent in Brazil.

 

This short book, just over 100 pages, suggests that local churches in the 21^st century need evaluate all programs and organizing principles according to the model given in the New Testament. Horrel does not, however, call for a return to the “New Testament church.” Instead, his call is “to conceiving and to living out the doctrine of the church in harmony with the life of the Spirit of Christ within.” (9)