Battle #5 - Culture over a leader...
I recently heard a recording from Jim Collins (author of Good to Great and Built to Last). He said we must get over the draw we have to the idea of a need for a dynamic, charismatic leader.
I grew up in the church. My dad was a pastor my whole life. I have spent my life around church leadership in varying degrees. I have to say that there is no place that the tendency to follow a dynamic leader is more present than in the church. One powerful church pastor told me, "People are sheep. They will go where ever you lead them." Fairly scary proposition!
One of the transitions that I observe in culture is that the boomer generation was a very hierarchical in its respect of and need for leadership. people respected positions, not people. This is not true anymore. With the fall of so many great high profile leaders across the leadership perspective, we have grown cynical of leaders in general. The notion of a strong dynamic leader being the answer to the church's woes is a painfully misinformed idea in this culture. And it will serve to further widen the gap between the church and the world.
We need to establish and participate in a culture that reflects the ideals and values that we espouse. While leaders definitely have a strong role to play in that scenario, it is not in the control and steering of people. The leader's role falls more inline with being a co-laborer and a model of the values and vision lived out. Not a benevolent dictator.
In the book ReWork, the authors make a great statement. "You don't create culture. It happens...Culture is the byproduct of consistent behavior....Culture is action not words."
Simple implication - what we do is what we will reproduce, not what we teach. So people are attracted to who we are through what we do. By the way, they are repulsed by who we are by the same criteria. It is not enough for a high powered, dynamic leader to get up and preach a motivational sermon anymore.
The people who are part of the church will determine what the church is known by regardless of how strong the preaching is. The responsibility is solely on the people to become what Christ has called them to. This is a scary idea, but is a reality none the less. I am not sure that it is better or worse, it is simply a reality of the world in which the church is called to function.
I think it would be fun to discuss the potential good and bad of this notion. so, have at it!
May you become part of a culture that collectively pursues the mission of Christ above their own individual comfort. And may you become the type of follower of Christ and deeply presses into his agenda for the purpose of knowing Him more and more. May your church community be defined as a place full of passionate followers of Christ.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
My Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 4
Battle #3 - Information vs. Insight...
So I spend time on an amazing website called TED.com. TED.com is dedicated to taking people who are teh global trendsetters and putting them on a stage and letting them talk.
Today I happened across a lecture that Seth Godin gave in 2003 that speaks exactly to what is happening in the church. At the time, he was in the process of releasing his book called "The Purple Cow." And the whole idea is that in defining what you bring to the table, you need to be remarkable. The idea is that if you are driving down the road, and you see a cow, you will not notice it at all. Cows are boring and normal. But if the cow was purple, you would stop and take note, because cows aren't purple as a rule. Now, if every cow was purple, you would no longer notice a purple cow. But the fact is that they aren't and so we notice.
What Godin says is that ideas that stick are remarkable - regardless of the topic that idea is about. This is also true of the church. IT is funny how there are very few trend setters in the church world. Everyone seems to be chasing the latest "church growth fad" that someone started. For what it is worth, I also believe this is true outside of the church as well, but the interesting part about the church specifically is that God makes people unique and perfectly designed to accomplish His purpose for each person's life. The Bible says that God marks our steps. But to take that a step further... Not only does He mark our steps, He also designs us to be the perfect person to walk the path He has laid out for each of us.
So why isn't the church remarkable? it would seem that the diversity inherent in people should be celebrated and we should see phenomenal ideas cropping up everywhere. What is going on that makes the church chase its own tail and in the process become less and less relevant in our culture?
Church is built around information transfer. Sunday the sermon is the point. Bible study is the group time during the week. And we study our Bible to learn something new. There is nothing wrong with learning and we should. But honestly, we have to admit that our attempts at education aren't working. People are moving further and further away from Biblical knowledge, not closer to it. Culturally, this happens as a result of several factors but the over riding principle is pretty simple - information with insight is boring, lifeless, and useless. And because we live in an era where we are constantly barraged with information, stuff that seems useless or like it can be put off is forgotten.
John 5:39-40 (New Living Translation)
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
Where are the remarkable life transformation stories? Where are the people who have been so deeply changed by putting God's Word into practice that they cannot keep it in? Where are those who are like Jeremiah and cry out, "Your Word is like a fire in my bones and I have to let it out!"
When I was in Bible college, I was told that it is the preaching of the Word of God that has held the church together over the centuries. Now, after nearly 20 years in the ministry, what I have observed is that the preaching of the Bible has continued to fracture and splinter the church all while robbing people of their appetite.
My theory today... It is the testimony of God working among His people that holds the church together. That is what the Old Testament is. And that is what we should be most concerned about celebrating. Because expression give insight. And it is remarkable how much we gain simply by seeing and experiencing the lessons of the Word of God played out in our lives and the lives of those we are peers with.
I am not down on education. I have an advanced degree and am working on another. But my dad used to say all the time that impression without expression leads to depression. Stated another way, there is nothing remarkable that will happen when all I am getting is more information. Until I learn through expression of that truth and gain deep insight about those truths, I have gained nothing. And if we don't make this shift, the church becomes more and more unremarkable.
So, may you have a life of insight. And may your expression of God's truth lead to tremendous and life transforming relationships. May it be said of you that your relationship with God is remarkable!
So I spend time on an amazing website called TED.com. TED.com is dedicated to taking people who are teh global trendsetters and putting them on a stage and letting them talk.
Today I happened across a lecture that Seth Godin gave in 2003 that speaks exactly to what is happening in the church. At the time, he was in the process of releasing his book called "The Purple Cow." And the whole idea is that in defining what you bring to the table, you need to be remarkable. The idea is that if you are driving down the road, and you see a cow, you will not notice it at all. Cows are boring and normal. But if the cow was purple, you would stop and take note, because cows aren't purple as a rule. Now, if every cow was purple, you would no longer notice a purple cow. But the fact is that they aren't and so we notice.
What Godin says is that ideas that stick are remarkable - regardless of the topic that idea is about. This is also true of the church. IT is funny how there are very few trend setters in the church world. Everyone seems to be chasing the latest "church growth fad" that someone started. For what it is worth, I also believe this is true outside of the church as well, but the interesting part about the church specifically is that God makes people unique and perfectly designed to accomplish His purpose for each person's life. The Bible says that God marks our steps. But to take that a step further... Not only does He mark our steps, He also designs us to be the perfect person to walk the path He has laid out for each of us.
So why isn't the church remarkable? it would seem that the diversity inherent in people should be celebrated and we should see phenomenal ideas cropping up everywhere. What is going on that makes the church chase its own tail and in the process become less and less relevant in our culture?
Church is built around information transfer. Sunday the sermon is the point. Bible study is the group time during the week. And we study our Bible to learn something new. There is nothing wrong with learning and we should. But honestly, we have to admit that our attempts at education aren't working. People are moving further and further away from Biblical knowledge, not closer to it. Culturally, this happens as a result of several factors but the over riding principle is pretty simple - information with insight is boring, lifeless, and useless. And because we live in an era where we are constantly barraged with information, stuff that seems useless or like it can be put off is forgotten.
John 5:39-40 (New Living Translation)
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
Where are the remarkable life transformation stories? Where are the people who have been so deeply changed by putting God's Word into practice that they cannot keep it in? Where are those who are like Jeremiah and cry out, "Your Word is like a fire in my bones and I have to let it out!"
When I was in Bible college, I was told that it is the preaching of the Word of God that has held the church together over the centuries. Now, after nearly 20 years in the ministry, what I have observed is that the preaching of the Bible has continued to fracture and splinter the church all while robbing people of their appetite.
My theory today... It is the testimony of God working among His people that holds the church together. That is what the Old Testament is. And that is what we should be most concerned about celebrating. Because expression give insight. And it is remarkable how much we gain simply by seeing and experiencing the lessons of the Word of God played out in our lives and the lives of those we are peers with.
I am not down on education. I have an advanced degree and am working on another. But my dad used to say all the time that impression without expression leads to depression. Stated another way, there is nothing remarkable that will happen when all I am getting is more information. Until I learn through expression of that truth and gain deep insight about those truths, I have gained nothing. And if we don't make this shift, the church becomes more and more unremarkable.
So, may you have a life of insight. And may your expression of God's truth lead to tremendous and life transforming relationships. May it be said of you that your relationship with God is remarkable!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
my Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 3
Sorry for the delay on this... My father spent the last few days in the hospital so I have been a bit preoccupied. Things are much better now so we can continue with the task at hand - The second battle that the church will have to fight. Battle #2 is The Battle for the role of Church in my life and in the life of the culture.
Hebrews 10:25 (New Living Translation)
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
In years past, it has been Christian practice that if you have a friend who is ready to start a relationship with God, or if we have a friend that we want to accept God (whether they are ready or not) we bring them to church. By which we mean a building and a Sunday morning or Saturday night service. We were taught and believed that if we could just "get them to church" God would work on their hearts and they would suddenly become "hungry for God."
Worship experiences are not designed to make you hungry for God. They are designed to fill you up.
Hunger comes from exercise… exercising your faith is the key to staying hungry in your spiritual life.
Bringing people to church to find a hunger for God will not work. Living out your faith in front of them will create the hunger that coming to church will fill.
We are going to have to re-assess the role of church in our lives. We need to grab ahold of the reality that church truly is me, but the role of church as a community is also vital. Wherever I go, I take church with me. The Holy Spirit living inside of me empowers me to accomplish great things through Him. I can walk with my friends through the process of their receiving Christ. I can minister to them in their time of need. I can be the pastor of my world as I move in it. And then Sunday morning, dried up and used from a week of ministry, I drag myself into church "the building" or the community, desperate to hear from God and be filled up for another week of amazing ministry as we walk with God and observe and join His work in and around us.
Church (the building) is no longer enough. It never was, but that is more evident now than ever before. We must actually live out our faith daily. Or it amounts to nothing. And you see these people around you all the time. They are the ones who come to church every week but are critical and nit picky. Why? because they are not hungry... Why? no exercise...
So the building must be a place that we come each week poured out from a week of serving and ministering to our sphere of influence. Sunday worship service still has great value if we understand the truth that we don't go to church, we are the church. And the power of a spiritually alive life comes not from attending a Sunday service alone, but from being poured out each week in exercise of our faith. In this way we find worship service to be extremely valuable and a necessary part of our lives. So are you struggling to want to go to church? this may say more about your own faith exercise than the church you are currently attending.
May you be compelled to action by Christ's love. May you live to serve your sphere of influence. May each Sunday morning find you desperate for God to fill you up. And may you become a powerful part of your church - personal, local, and corporate.
Hebrews 10:25 (New Living Translation)
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
In years past, it has been Christian practice that if you have a friend who is ready to start a relationship with God, or if we have a friend that we want to accept God (whether they are ready or not) we bring them to church. By which we mean a building and a Sunday morning or Saturday night service. We were taught and believed that if we could just "get them to church" God would work on their hearts and they would suddenly become "hungry for God."
Worship experiences are not designed to make you hungry for God. They are designed to fill you up.
Hunger comes from exercise… exercising your faith is the key to staying hungry in your spiritual life.
Bringing people to church to find a hunger for God will not work. Living out your faith in front of them will create the hunger that coming to church will fill.
We are going to have to re-assess the role of church in our lives. We need to grab ahold of the reality that church truly is me, but the role of church as a community is also vital. Wherever I go, I take church with me. The Holy Spirit living inside of me empowers me to accomplish great things through Him. I can walk with my friends through the process of their receiving Christ. I can minister to them in their time of need. I can be the pastor of my world as I move in it. And then Sunday morning, dried up and used from a week of ministry, I drag myself into church "the building" or the community, desperate to hear from God and be filled up for another week of amazing ministry as we walk with God and observe and join His work in and around us.
Church (the building) is no longer enough. It never was, but that is more evident now than ever before. We must actually live out our faith daily. Or it amounts to nothing. And you see these people around you all the time. They are the ones who come to church every week but are critical and nit picky. Why? because they are not hungry... Why? no exercise...
So the building must be a place that we come each week poured out from a week of serving and ministering to our sphere of influence. Sunday worship service still has great value if we understand the truth that we don't go to church, we are the church. And the power of a spiritually alive life comes not from attending a Sunday service alone, but from being poured out each week in exercise of our faith. In this way we find worship service to be extremely valuable and a necessary part of our lives. So are you struggling to want to go to church? this may say more about your own faith exercise than the church you are currently attending.
May you be compelled to action by Christ's love. May you live to serve your sphere of influence. May each Sunday morning find you desperate for God to fill you up. And may you become a powerful part of your church - personal, local, and corporate.
Monday, April 18, 2011
my Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 2B
In continuation of yesterday's battle #1 - I want to post an excerpt from a book called New Testament Christianity, Edited by Z.T. Sweeney. It was compiled in 1923 and written by various authors who wrote the articles some as many as 50 years prior to the compilation of the book. I have re-written it to make it more readable, but this section of Vol. 1 Chapt. 1 is exactly what I am trying to communicate in fighting the battle of transitioning generations well. I hope you enjoy it...
In the process of living as a Christian, or in the example of Christianity as a lifestyle or worldview, questions arise about issues that are in and of themselves debatable, but which may have a relative importance. These issues often take on a life of their own and become the dividing lines for various schools of thought. When we look at issues like this as a point of history, these kinds of issues are easily dealt with. But when they are present issues, because of all the preferences and arguments that they give birth to, it requires a lot of wisdom and careful navigation of the issue to deal with these issues well.
Within these types of discussions, there will always be those who want to attach the high value of “essential” to one of these types of issues while the other side could be in danger of treating the same issue flippantly. But however trivial the issue might actually be, it requires a certain amount of importance and becomes a big deal because of the feelings and prejudices that are attached to that issue.
This shows up most in the area of Public worship – church services. Preferences here, left up to a matter of discretion, taste, and judgment are likely to be as they always have been – various. One man will think an full band the best thing possible to improve and perfect the singing of a congregation. Another, who is disgusted by the sound of a congregation that sings poorly, may want only the band and the professionals to sing and thinks that we should have a worship concert, not an involved worship service. Still another regards the instruments of any kind in and of itself an abomination and insists that instruments be ruled out all together or it will rule him out of that particular group. He finds it offensive, his feelings are aroused by it, and 10 to 1 odds that his conscience will somehow become involved in the matter, and he will believe that the introduction of instruments in worship is a sin just like witchcraft. All sides search the scriptures for authority, pro and con, and finding none, as, of course, they do not, because the matter is not the subject if biblical teaching at all, they strain and force different texts into a sort of simulated support of their respective positions, while attacking motives, unkind words, and all manner of evil thoughts grow and multiply until they run their course and die only to be replaced by another argument or issue that will be fueled by the same passions and pass through the same stages.
What we need in this whole line of discussion is a reality check without reservation or qualification concerning the rights and value of others.
No man who has taken a good hard look at the state of various church denominations can fail to notice that various churches gather largely upon the single point of taste. 9/10 of those are Presbyterians are so, not because they appreciate the distinctive doctrines of that sect, or really care anything about them, but because they like the way Presbyterians do things. Others who prefer to be Methodists or Episcopalians do so for the same reason. And it is so through the whole round of churches. It is only a few who are there because of consideration of doctrine or creed; because, whether it is true or false, it is beyond doubt that most people accept that in regards to doctrine, theology, and/or creed, one church is pretty much as good as another. But aside from that, every one has an opinion about church things and takes his position concerning those things as his opinion leads him.
There is a predominant philosophy underlying all this that the capital “C” Church universal needs to recognize and live by. It is a philosophy of not only tolerating, but also providing for, the various tastes and peculiar preferences that come from different people on all these debatable issues. Hold firmly and teach faithfully without any wavering or compromise the essential truth. Make men Christians according to Christ’s law, and develop and perfect their moral and spiritual nature by His word, and in all other things leave them free. If they want a band, let them have it. If they are opposed to it, respect their preference. If they wish to worship like a Presbyterian or a Methodist or an Episcopalian, or a Lutheran, let them do so, not only without censure, but with your blessing and encouragement.
But unfortunately, the human nature is so weak and our heart is so intolerant that we feel like we need uniformity in regards to all these secondary things, even if it puts the success of vital truth at risk. We must accept one another’s tastes, be governed by our preference, worship in our own mode, or have no place and no recognition among us.
For myself, I prefer spontaneous variety on all these non-essential matters instead of stale, dry, dead uniformity. We seldom need two churches just alike in the same town. And it would be a positive blessing if, when there are several, each should be composed of those who find their own particular tastes provided for, and their innocent preferences gratified. Thus without denominations and with perfect agreement in faith and doctrine, we should be able to reach all types of people and save people from all walks of life. Without this, we will address only a fraction of the types of people out there to be reached. And the rest will go about their own way finding their own place and mode of worshipping God – or will not worship at all.
May we be focused the value of people before we demean, trounce, or belittle others. May we see that diversity is the mark of the blessing and work of God and that loving each other above all else will open the door to all of having permission to live out our worship of God without regret.
In the process of living as a Christian, or in the example of Christianity as a lifestyle or worldview, questions arise about issues that are in and of themselves debatable, but which may have a relative importance. These issues often take on a life of their own and become the dividing lines for various schools of thought. When we look at issues like this as a point of history, these kinds of issues are easily dealt with. But when they are present issues, because of all the preferences and arguments that they give birth to, it requires a lot of wisdom and careful navigation of the issue to deal with these issues well.
Within these types of discussions, there will always be those who want to attach the high value of “essential” to one of these types of issues while the other side could be in danger of treating the same issue flippantly. But however trivial the issue might actually be, it requires a certain amount of importance and becomes a big deal because of the feelings and prejudices that are attached to that issue.
This shows up most in the area of Public worship – church services. Preferences here, left up to a matter of discretion, taste, and judgment are likely to be as they always have been – various. One man will think an full band the best thing possible to improve and perfect the singing of a congregation. Another, who is disgusted by the sound of a congregation that sings poorly, may want only the band and the professionals to sing and thinks that we should have a worship concert, not an involved worship service. Still another regards the instruments of any kind in and of itself an abomination and insists that instruments be ruled out all together or it will rule him out of that particular group. He finds it offensive, his feelings are aroused by it, and 10 to 1 odds that his conscience will somehow become involved in the matter, and he will believe that the introduction of instruments in worship is a sin just like witchcraft. All sides search the scriptures for authority, pro and con, and finding none, as, of course, they do not, because the matter is not the subject if biblical teaching at all, they strain and force different texts into a sort of simulated support of their respective positions, while attacking motives, unkind words, and all manner of evil thoughts grow and multiply until they run their course and die only to be replaced by another argument or issue that will be fueled by the same passions and pass through the same stages.
What we need in this whole line of discussion is a reality check without reservation or qualification concerning the rights and value of others.
No man who has taken a good hard look at the state of various church denominations can fail to notice that various churches gather largely upon the single point of taste. 9/10 of those are Presbyterians are so, not because they appreciate the distinctive doctrines of that sect, or really care anything about them, but because they like the way Presbyterians do things. Others who prefer to be Methodists or Episcopalians do so for the same reason. And it is so through the whole round of churches. It is only a few who are there because of consideration of doctrine or creed; because, whether it is true or false, it is beyond doubt that most people accept that in regards to doctrine, theology, and/or creed, one church is pretty much as good as another. But aside from that, every one has an opinion about church things and takes his position concerning those things as his opinion leads him.
There is a predominant philosophy underlying all this that the capital “C” Church universal needs to recognize and live by. It is a philosophy of not only tolerating, but also providing for, the various tastes and peculiar preferences that come from different people on all these debatable issues. Hold firmly and teach faithfully without any wavering or compromise the essential truth. Make men Christians according to Christ’s law, and develop and perfect their moral and spiritual nature by His word, and in all other things leave them free. If they want a band, let them have it. If they are opposed to it, respect their preference. If they wish to worship like a Presbyterian or a Methodist or an Episcopalian, or a Lutheran, let them do so, not only without censure, but with your blessing and encouragement.
But unfortunately, the human nature is so weak and our heart is so intolerant that we feel like we need uniformity in regards to all these secondary things, even if it puts the success of vital truth at risk. We must accept one another’s tastes, be governed by our preference, worship in our own mode, or have no place and no recognition among us.
For myself, I prefer spontaneous variety on all these non-essential matters instead of stale, dry, dead uniformity. We seldom need two churches just alike in the same town. And it would be a positive blessing if, when there are several, each should be composed of those who find their own particular tastes provided for, and their innocent preferences gratified. Thus without denominations and with perfect agreement in faith and doctrine, we should be able to reach all types of people and save people from all walks of life. Without this, we will address only a fraction of the types of people out there to be reached. And the rest will go about their own way finding their own place and mode of worshipping God – or will not worship at all.
May we be focused the value of people before we demean, trounce, or belittle others. May we see that diversity is the mark of the blessing and work of God and that loving each other above all else will open the door to all of having permission to live out our worship of God without regret.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
My Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 2
I believe there are 5 battles facing the church in the future. And since I did not get the chance to explore all of them in my sermon, I thought I would explore each of them in their own post here on the blog. I guess that is the kind of thing that this is for. =)
Battle #1 - Generational Transitions
Matthew 10:16 (New Living Translation)
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
I think it is of great value for us to be aware of how culture is shaping the way we think. We cannot assume that the world will simply "come around" to our way of doing things. We must be aware of where they are and how they think so that we can present a correct Gospel message that is appropriate for the context we are speaking to.
Boomers desired a common enemy… This is the reality of the end of the Modern Era. Boomers wanted to know who they were fighting.
Gen “X” desired a common experience… My generation reacted strongly to this reality and the seeker sensitive movement was born. of course we took it too far and became "seeker driven." this led to an absence of any real content. and it lost the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit and mostly fizzled out. But we became very effective at branding our experience and creating big events that were "Christian Cool."
Gen “Y” desires a common cause… At this point in history, we are watching people of diverse world views, religious expression, and ideologies come together around common causes (i.e. Japan's relief efforts are seeing Muslims and Christians work side by side... something unheard of 60 years ago).
This reality was explored in the most full capacity in the sermon so I will explore it the least here. You can get further explanation from the sermon podcast @ http://www.liferotp.com/mediaresources/listen-online...
Some concluding thoughts... We can fight it all day long, but in the end we will not stop this shift from happening. So as the church we must find a way to respond to this and use the tools available to us to change the world we live in.
Whether we like it or not, the nature of relationship is being redefined and whether we agree with it or not, we will have to find away to build authentic relationships within the world that we live in or we will be left with little to no influence and the church will all but disappear.
Please join the discussion on this one. I know that the mixed generations that follow this blog will be a good indication that what I am saying is true. We are not trying to decide who is right or wrong. Generational shifts are "amoral." however understanding how we can impact each generation is a powerful tool in advancing the work of the Kingdom.
So may you have grace for people different than you. May you celebrate God's diversity and creativity. And may your life be an example of Christ's love that resonates across generational lines and world views.
Battle #1 - Generational Transitions
Matthew 10:16 (New Living Translation)
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
I think it is of great value for us to be aware of how culture is shaping the way we think. We cannot assume that the world will simply "come around" to our way of doing things. We must be aware of where they are and how they think so that we can present a correct Gospel message that is appropriate for the context we are speaking to.
Boomers desired a common enemy… This is the reality of the end of the Modern Era. Boomers wanted to know who they were fighting.
Gen “X” desired a common experience… My generation reacted strongly to this reality and the seeker sensitive movement was born. of course we took it too far and became "seeker driven." this led to an absence of any real content. and it lost the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit and mostly fizzled out. But we became very effective at branding our experience and creating big events that were "Christian Cool."
Gen “Y” desires a common cause… At this point in history, we are watching people of diverse world views, religious expression, and ideologies come together around common causes (i.e. Japan's relief efforts are seeing Muslims and Christians work side by side... something unheard of 60 years ago).
This reality was explored in the most full capacity in the sermon so I will explore it the least here. You can get further explanation from the sermon podcast @ http://www.liferotp.com/mediaresources/listen-online...
Some concluding thoughts... We can fight it all day long, but in the end we will not stop this shift from happening. So as the church we must find a way to respond to this and use the tools available to us to change the world we live in.
Whether we like it or not, the nature of relationship is being redefined and whether we agree with it or not, we will have to find away to build authentic relationships within the world that we live in or we will be left with little to no influence and the church will all but disappear.
Please join the discussion on this one. I know that the mixed generations that follow this blog will be a good indication that what I am saying is true. We are not trying to decide who is right or wrong. Generational shifts are "amoral." however understanding how we can impact each generation is a powerful tool in advancing the work of the Kingdom.
So may you have grace for people different than you. May you celebrate God's diversity and creativity. And may your life be an example of Christ's love that resonates across generational lines and world views.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
My Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 1
John 17:20-23 (New Living Translation)
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
This was Jesus' prayer. And I have to admit, it sounds really awesome! The idea of unity and grace and a true loving community sounds like such a great idea. And I believe that a movement of churches like that would really do some major work in the Kingdom. So, what is the problem? Why is it so hard to get there?
It is easy to say, "Well, Satan." and move on. But to be honest, I don't think that he has to work all that hard at getting the church off track. We are so good at it. And for all the calls to grace and love and forgiveness, people stand up and demand justice and repentance and condemnation at the expense of relationship. using verses like , "Religion that God accepts as pure is to look after widows and orphans in their distress and TO KEEP ONES SELF FROM BEING POLLUTED BY THE WORLD!!!" these well intentioned folks light up the world with shouts of humiliation and shame. It makes me sad. Because Jesus didn't shout. Jesus didn't yell. Jesus asked us to get along.
There are 2 reasons that we have "doctrine." One reason defines who is with me and who is not. We know where each other stands and then, though we may acknowledge that we could both be saved, I think I am more saved than you because my doctrine is "more right."
The second reason is to define the parameters of a lifestyle lived out in faith. This is not about being right as much as it is about being Godly. That idea resonates. It says, "I don't have all the answers, but I have an opinion. And I would love to hear yours so we can both grow." I don't have to agree. But I do have to acknowledge that everyone has infinite value given by God. And when I understand, acknowledge and treat others with that value, I can then disagree without being disagreeable. This key unlocks Jesus' definition of unity.
So I fancy myself a cultural tour guide. What I mean is, I am particularly passionate about understanding and getting out ahead of culture and helping people see how to respond. But in my study of culture I think I have been a bit remiss in my study of the church.
How do we find that place of unity? How do we let go of the junk and hold onto Christ and let people's lives be transformed by who He is? How do I promote an accurate representation of the church that God loves and Jesus died to marry? Do you see my dilemma? Please respond and help me out. But please don't think that trite answers like "Just love Jesus" will do. If it was truly that easy, this would have been resolved years ago. How do we move the church towards real unity so that the world will know that God sent Him.
May you be challenged to think deeper. And may you love the church and its history and the hopeful future. Can't wait to read your responses.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
This was Jesus' prayer. And I have to admit, it sounds really awesome! The idea of unity and grace and a true loving community sounds like such a great idea. And I believe that a movement of churches like that would really do some major work in the Kingdom. So, what is the problem? Why is it so hard to get there?
It is easy to say, "Well, Satan." and move on. But to be honest, I don't think that he has to work all that hard at getting the church off track. We are so good at it. And for all the calls to grace and love and forgiveness, people stand up and demand justice and repentance and condemnation at the expense of relationship. using verses like , "Religion that God accepts as pure is to look after widows and orphans in their distress and TO KEEP ONES SELF FROM BEING POLLUTED BY THE WORLD!!!" these well intentioned folks light up the world with shouts of humiliation and shame. It makes me sad. Because Jesus didn't shout. Jesus didn't yell. Jesus asked us to get along.
There are 2 reasons that we have "doctrine." One reason defines who is with me and who is not. We know where each other stands and then, though we may acknowledge that we could both be saved, I think I am more saved than you because my doctrine is "more right."
The second reason is to define the parameters of a lifestyle lived out in faith. This is not about being right as much as it is about being Godly. That idea resonates. It says, "I don't have all the answers, but I have an opinion. And I would love to hear yours so we can both grow." I don't have to agree. But I do have to acknowledge that everyone has infinite value given by God. And when I understand, acknowledge and treat others with that value, I can then disagree without being disagreeable. This key unlocks Jesus' definition of unity.
So I fancy myself a cultural tour guide. What I mean is, I am particularly passionate about understanding and getting out ahead of culture and helping people see how to respond. But in my study of culture I think I have been a bit remiss in my study of the church.
How do we find that place of unity? How do we let go of the junk and hold onto Christ and let people's lives be transformed by who He is? How do I promote an accurate representation of the church that God loves and Jesus died to marry? Do you see my dilemma? Please respond and help me out. But please don't think that trite answers like "Just love Jesus" will do. If it was truly that easy, this would have been resolved years ago. How do we move the church towards real unity so that the world will know that God sent Him.
May you be challenged to think deeper. And may you love the church and its history and the hopeful future. Can't wait to read your responses.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Relationship Series Post Number 4... the final chapter
So, No relationship series would be complete without a section on conflict. I am convinced that conflict is the single greatest help and the single greatest hinderance to building real relationship.
It is the single greatest help because it forces us down to those risky places in our hearts that we work to keep covered up. We feel exposed and vulnerable and often react in silly ways to what is going on around us. We have already talked about how it is necessary to get to these places in our lives because we have to go there to allow the Word to transform us at that level. These are those moments where we do things and say things that we regret. We let our worst side out - we become the person that work to keep hidden from the world - the most real version of me.
It helps because we are forced to deal with those places in ourselves that we hide even from ourselves. But that is where the point of real transformation can take place. That helps us become more when we deal with conflict rightly... and it reinforces poor behavior when we allow it to consume us and we deal with it poorly. This is where it can also be most hurtful in relationship. But it is our choice in how we deal with conflict helps or hurts us - not the conflict itself.
So, scared of conflict? Take a deep breath, then charge in... not be right or to make the other person feel wrong, but to bring resolution to what conflict does in yourself. Then you can have a heart of peace no matter the circumstances.
May you understand that peace does not come from ease. Peace comes from a decision to let God and His Word penetrate your soul at its deepest level. And may you celebrate conflict as an opportunity to go there. May you love people more that correctness. And may you be transformed by the peace that conflict can bring.
It is the single greatest help because it forces us down to those risky places in our hearts that we work to keep covered up. We feel exposed and vulnerable and often react in silly ways to what is going on around us. We have already talked about how it is necessary to get to these places in our lives because we have to go there to allow the Word to transform us at that level. These are those moments where we do things and say things that we regret. We let our worst side out - we become the person that work to keep hidden from the world - the most real version of me.
It helps because we are forced to deal with those places in ourselves that we hide even from ourselves. But that is where the point of real transformation can take place. That helps us become more when we deal with conflict rightly... and it reinforces poor behavior when we allow it to consume us and we deal with it poorly. This is where it can also be most hurtful in relationship. But it is our choice in how we deal with conflict helps or hurts us - not the conflict itself.
So, scared of conflict? Take a deep breath, then charge in... not be right or to make the other person feel wrong, but to bring resolution to what conflict does in yourself. Then you can have a heart of peace no matter the circumstances.
May you understand that peace does not come from ease. Peace comes from a decision to let God and His Word penetrate your soul at its deepest level. And may you celebrate conflict as an opportunity to go there. May you love people more that correctness. And may you be transformed by the peace that conflict can bring.
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