Hold the Hymnals, Hold the Dramas, Others’ Preferences Cause Us Traumas….
Thank you Burger King for letting me modify your jingle.
Before I proceed, it was pointed out to me that my last post misspelled Jane Eyre as Jane Erye. I apologize and thought it only right that I air my Jane Eyre error. Pretty clever, eh?
Enough of my faux-cleverness. One way to stir up people's rancor about preferences in church is to insinuate that you shouldn't have rancor about preferences in church. The sermon at our church last week did precisely that.
There are three categories in which the decisions of how to do church can be divided into. They are preferences, convictions, and absolutes. These are simple categories which require processing and have some disagreement. However, they are just handles to help and are not going to make every issue crystal clear.
I knew I wanted to write on this topic, but I have struggled to know what to say. Some are helped by the categories while some are offended because they feel legitimate concerns are swept away. Trying to address all of the issues I've dealt with on this subject this past week would take too long. Instead I will report some summary thoughts about church and people that may be helpful.
Here are my observations:
- The more time we pour into the absolutes (creation, fall, redemption, church, new heaven/new earth) the less time we will stew over preference dislikes.
- We love to be unhappy. I know we think we are striving for happiness, but many of us relish being unhappy, displeased, and generally contentious. We must like that state because there is usually an alternative that we refuse to take. Being unhappy is easier than being content. Contentment forces us to use our will to look past disappointment to focus on appreciation. That takes work. Unhappiness uses the downhill momentum of our hearts to focus on what we do not like. That takes no work and often feels exhilarating and powerful.
- Speaking of power, we hate to feel powerless. We are so accustomed to exerting power that times of powerlessness are painful and unacceptable.
- Dissent can be good as well as bad. Discerning the difference and handling it well takes up a big chunk of time and energy.
- God does care about preferences but where there is little to no Scriptural clarity on which to move authoritatively we must tread lightly. Sin brings a cloudiness and confusion that limits our discernment. Patience and humility are needed.
- Each of us holds tremendous potential energy to be positive and uplifting to those around us. The Spirit is in us hoping we will use His power to love. We must use it more often.
- Church is a unique institution and we should be careful drawing analogies with other institutions like corporations, schools, stores, etc.... For example, a store will tell you the customer is always right. If you buy into that you will be demanding and if you take that thinking to church you will be destructive.
- Finally, my church is great. God has used it to save my life, my marriage, and my family. I am amazed how much God has used my church family to help me. Thank-you.
Martina Navratilova, Jane Eyre and Me
I hit the tread mill Monday at my gym to go toe to toe with the demons of age and apathy. I usually listen to an audio book on my ipod. My current book is Jane Eyre a favorite of my wife's and my two oldest daughters. I appreciate well written thoughtful literature which Jane Eyre is. However, when I'm in the gym I need to have my game face on. Unfortunately, to put it bluntly, Jane was dragging me down. I could feel my testosterone levels dropping with each maddeningly lengthy description of a room's decor, or a painstaking recollection of her mood that morning. I needed something more in the moment.
Internally I was screaming, "Jane. Do something!!"
"D0 anything, but for the love of humanity create some action."
"Grab a gun and shoot something, or steal something, but for your sake and the sake of my workout MOVE!!!"
Alas, no action was to be had, or as Jane might have put it, "The pause in matters of immediate and suspenseful enrapture was interminable."
Finally, I had to unplug Jane to keep my treadmill from grinding to a halt.
To re-energize I plugged into the t.v. on my treadmill.
I plugged into espn to get my mojo back. Suddenly, Martina Navratilova was on screen lauding Martin Luther King Jr. (It was MLK day) for being a champion of gay and lesbian rights. Huh?!!? Instantly, I longed for Jane's boring but virtuous diatribes on furniture arrangement. How could Martina attach her cause to MLK, when I, who totally disagreed with Martina's statement, had attached my cause of sanctity of life to MLK earlier that day on this blog? Can I use MLK for my purposes and not allow Martina? How confusing this must seem to the casual listener. How should a Christian think about these things?
Post-modernity is an odd thing when you meet it face to face. The reinterpretation of historical writings and ideas to fit personal desires is now common place, but often confusing. The upshot of this practice is not the elimination of truth through oppression, but the elimination of truth through dilution. So who is ok enlisting MLK into their cause? Me? Martina? Both? Neither?
This is why understanding the biblical narrative as a world and life view is vital. The bible tells the one true story of reality. In doing so, an honest view of reality over time should deepen our faith in that story. False stories eventually fall apart under scrutiny and testing.
As part of this story, Scripture tells us what people are for and why life is precious. We learn why we are sexual beings and how our sexuality is to be healthy, fruitful, and edifying for our world. As we learn to care about life as Christ does we realize there is a sanctity or holiness to every person because it is the only part of God's creation that bears His image. Every life then carries value in its unique manifestation of God's image. Because of the sanctity of life, our sexuality and how we use it is of utmost importance to God and to us.
The subjects of abortion, racism and gay and lesbian normalization deal with the sanctity of human life. It is at this crossroad that MLK and I connect, but leave Martina without a doubles partner. MLK's message of racial harmony through peaceful resistance attempts to restore to a race of people the value and dignity that God gives to all humans. Likewise, the battle against abortion is an attempt to give back to pre-born children the value and dignity that God gave them. Conversely, Martina's message of normalization of same sex couples was an attempt to demand something people want for themselves that God did not intend for them. It is not the restoration of something God gave and man took away. Instead, it is something God did not intend but we took anyway. In the end it devalues humanity. Dignity is robbed and holiness is lost.
Martina helped me see the value of Jane Eyre and a life anchored in a true story rather than a false one. My apologies Jane. I will be back, but could you at least do one little bit of action for me. If not I understand. I won't be leaving again.
A Stone of Hope – MLK Day
Guaranteed time well spent. Follow the link for video and text of one of the greatest speeches ever given. MLK \"I Have a Dream\" speech Several of my favorite lines include:
"With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."
and
"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline."
Great words for all who struggle for freedom in truth against great odds. Racism is still too prevalent, but the Dragon's devouring of pre-born children is the greatest evil of our country and our world. Over 42 million children are destroyed in the womb each year worldwide. That is more than one abortion per second.
Christ-followers should not be surprised by a world deluded into mass evil. The things Christ holds most dear will come under the greatest attack of Satan (the dragon of Revelation 12) and we as His people must stand against odds that seem hopeless.
How do we stand? We pray, we vote, we persuade, but most of all we live a life as the embodied presence of the Kingdom of God. Whoa! That is a big chunk of god-speak. What does that mean? It means understanding people the way Christ does. When we do this we then build households that are communities of Christ centered character and virtue. In turn we raise up churches that are communities of character that are a redeeming presence in a given community.
May I be so bold as to give you a link to a sermon I gave on the subject. Sorry I am not quite Martin Luther King Jr. but I do the best with what I have to work with. Go to this link A Story of Life and Death and click on the link near the bottom of the page titled "2009 BHBC online sermons". Yes, I know it is 2010. We will update that title just before 2011. The sermon is entitled "A Story of Life and Death" given on January 17, 2010.
Press on until we are all free at last.
Laughing at Ourselves
Since my last post contained no humor I offer you this bit of satire.
From Larknews.com
ROCHESTER, Minn. — At The Circle, a young, innovative church which meets in a renovated bus depot, there is no pulpit, platform or pastor, as such. The congregation rejects the labels "Christian" and "congregation," preferring "followers of Jesus" and "friendship community."
There are no ushers, but rather "helpers."
There is no worship team, but rather "God artists."
And woe to anyone who affixes traditional church labels to any of it.
"God's doing a new thing here," says Mitch Townsend, the leader of the church. He shuns the "pastor" label and insists people call him, "Hey, man," or simply "Dude." If someone slips and calls him "pastor," he bristles and gently rebukes them.
"We got rid of all those old labels," he says. "There's no going back."
At the church office, which they never call a church office but rather "the Hub," secretaries, or "community action facilitators" as they are called here, tap-tap on computers (which they still call computers) and take calls.
When a visitor slips up and refers to The Circle's "sanctuary," Dude Townsend cuts him short.
"Listen, it's not a sanctuary, it's a meeting place, a gathering place," he says, flushing red.
"Sorry, pastor," the visitor says.
"Not pastor," says Townsend. "Dude, or friend. Or just hey, Mitch."
"Sorry, Dude Mitch," the visitor says uncomfortably, and slinks away. Mitch quickly goes to him and hugs him.
"We're all about love and freedom here," he says. "I know it's hard to get used to."
At a Sunday morning "gathering," as services must be called, people sit in chairs arranged in circle around a "focal point" (not a platform) and listen to the team of God-artists play instruments and sing "songs of adoration and devotion to the Creator," as opposed to praise and worship music. The gathered "posse of Jesus followers" is free to sing along and to express themselves in any way that seems "real and authentic."
"We strive to be genuine here," says non-pastor "Hey, Jim" Richards, who in another setting might be called an associate pastor. "It's about being who you are, not fitting into a pre-determined box."
Before Dude Mitch's personal sharing time (which markedly resembles a sermon), one visitor raises her hand and says, "Is there going to be an altar call? Because I really want to give my life to Jesus today."
Dude Mitch answers quickly, "We don't have altar calls here; we have 'God moments' or 'Creator re-connects.' And we don't say 'give your life to Jesus,' but you may begin a lifelong love relationship with the Creator-Friend, if you like. But please wait until we are done with sharing time."
After the service, "new friends" join in the "kick-back hall" for refreshments and conversation with the Dudes and other Hub personnel. They may also join a mid-week "hang-out crew" of 10-12 people which meets in a home, and which is steadfastly not referred to as a "small group."
"Anyone who wants a break from normal, rigid church life is welcome at The Circle," says Townsend. •
The Office – part two
"The Creation" by Marc Chagall
What are people for?
Our culture has lost the ability to answer this question clearly and meaningfully. Understanding how our culture answers this question erroneously may help us approach a biblical view of human purpose. Three prominent non-biblical views of "what people are for" emerge:
1. People as products. In this worldview, people are dehumanized into some sort of economic unit. This occurs at both ends of the economic spectrum. On the lower end of the economic scale people, particularly children, are an economic drain or burden. Their person-hood gives way to the cost they are to others. Conversely, the wealthy, famous and powerful, become brands or abstractions. Their person-hood gives way to becoming idols who exist to give us vicarious meaning. Think of how we talk about people we perceive as very wealthy. We talk as if they aren't real people and their lives are open to our scrutiny. Either way humanity is diminished.
2. People as pleasure. This worldview evaluates people by the enjoyment we receive from them directly or indirectly. A primary pleasure is they make us laugh or feel connected. These are good things but often when the pleasure disappears so does the friendship. An indirect pleasure could be in a salesperson to customer relationship. The relationship rides on economic gain. When the money disappears so does the friendship. We won't risk talking about things that could jeopardize the sale, so we never really enter into their humanity on the vital issues of life.
3. People as pollutants. This is a recent development and is quite odd when scrutinized. In this worldview we are over-populated, so each person is a drain on resources and an increase in the aggregate carbon footprint. Little thought is given to the productivity and the creativity the person brings to society. Each human stresses the planet closer to doomsday.
The purpose of people is to bring glory to God through relationship and creativity. Each of us has a primary office as image bearer. This is what makes us unique in God's creation. When we lose sight of this office we de-humanize people in the manners mentioned above.
To fulfill this office is to see every life valuable and to live and relate in a way that helps others realize their God-given purpose. This office requires that we deeply desire to see all people flourish. As C.S. Lewis wrote in his sermon entitled "The Weight of Glory,"
are, and henceforward shall be free…..
God uses certain people at particular moments to do extraordinary and courageous things the ramifications of which cannot be seen at that time. Abraham Lincoln is one of those people.
On January 1, 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves in the United States took effect. The scars of slavery are still evident, however, on this day almost 150 years ago liberty and justice began to be reestablished for a race of people once considered property. That emancipation should move us in deep ways.
The public ministry of Jesus opened with the sermon on the mount. He began His address with what are commonly called the beatitudes. Beatitudes are blessings. As part of them Jesus told us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed because they will be filled.
Righteousness has a personal and a universal understanding. We often default to the personal meaning of us behaving well. The universal idea is that of a world set right. We are to hunger and thirst for the world to be set right. In other words, we are to hunger and thirst for justice.
It was, at least in part, a hunger and thirst for justice that motivated Lincoln to end slavery. He dreamed of a union where all people are free. As Christ's people we are to dream of a just society that brings glory to Christ.
In the midst of your holiday take time to reflect on the significance Lincoln's actions. Then ask yourself, does my life reflect a hunger and thirst for justice?