Over the past few months I have been noticing more and more articles and blog posts by people talking about why they have left the ‘traditional church’ or left church altogether. Last night my intention was to post my thoughts as to why these people have ‘quit’ church because I think there are some huge issues with their claims. Last night as I worked on the intended post I found myself going in numerous directions because there are vastly different reasons people have given up on the church. I also found that the more I worked on the post the more negative I seemed to feel and write. So tonight I’m going to travel down a slightly different road and see where I end up.
Today I want to focus on the type of people that are staying in the church and why they do so. By that I mean people who have just as much reason to leave as those who actually leave but have purposefully chosen to stay. This is not going to be a description of all the people that are in the church but of the more particular group of people who chose to stay instead of go. I think that by simply describing a few of the qualities I see in these types of people I will in a way be challenging many of the reasons other people leave.
The first thing I notice about the people that choose to stay is that they have a tremendous depth of love for people, even the ones that challenge that love to the extreme. They are well aware that the church is filled with imperfect people and know that they have just as much an opportunity to ‘be salt and light’ in the church as they do in the world. Because they love people they take advantage of the opportunity to positively influence their church community. This love gives them the added ability to co-exist with those intolerable church folk who cause intolerant or less tolerant people to leave. They practice rather than preach tolerance and this is visible in their choosing to stay. By staying they can shape the church community they have united with via their love for the diverse members of that body. In turn, their influence is multiplied out through the lives of those changed which would never have occurred if they had simply left.
The second thing I notice is that they have a servants heart. The love that they have for God’s children moves them into action as they find opportunities to serve the body of Christ. Church isn’t a place they attend but is a place they serve. Not only are they found serving the people within the church but they are also the ones looking for ways to connect the church with the surrounding community. They serve as the eyes and ears of the church as they motivate others to look beyond the walls of the building and serve as a vital hub in the community. They can’t sit back and talk about how the church is disconnected from the real life issues of this world because they themselves are making those connections happen.
The third and most important characteristic I see in the people who stayed is an unswerving hope.
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."—Hebrews 10:23-25
I think hope provides an excellent set of lenses through which we see the church and in many ways it is hope that fuels the first two characteristics I discussed. When you lose hope it becomes increasingly difficult to serve? When you are no longer serving it becomes increasingly difficult to love. And when you find it hard to love the people of the church community it becomes increasingly difficult to attend. Many of the articles and blogs I’ve read by those who left are completely void of hope for the church. However, those who have held unswervingly to the hope they profess have simultaneously not given up meeting together. By staying they are able to spur on and encourage others while also being spurred on and encouraged themselves.
"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."—Colossians 1:24-27
The hope of the church is found in Christ and it is only in Christ that the church can participate in his redeeming of the world to himself. You can’t be a servant at arms length and those that chose to stay have recognized God’s commission on their lives to be servants to His church even when they may have preferred to leave. It’s impossible to be a servant and be on the outside looking in. The only way to be a servant TO the church is to be a servant IN the church.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Name Bearers
I don’t know what parents are thinking nowadays when naming their kids. Whatever happened to spelling names the way they ought to be spelled? I can understand a couple variations on a name but it’s getting to the point where the sky is the limit and anything goes when naming a child. Even as an ‘adult’ you can decide you want your name changed to things like "Chad Ocho Cinco" or "Metta World Peace". (Chad Johnson NFL, Ron Artest NBA) Parents in many ways want their children to feel special and what better way to kick off that uniqueness than with a name they can’t spell until the 3rd grade because it defies every rule of English spelling and pronunciation.
Recently I’ve been reading in Genesis and it’s funny what names were given to kids and the meaning of the names. I’ll just mention Esau (hairy) and Jacob (heal grabber or figuratively ‘he deceives’) for example. There’s nothing really special about those names by today’s standards. It’s interesting to note that God has a habit of changing people’s names as Abram, Sarai, and Jacob become Abraham, Sarah, and Israel. But what is of utmost significance is the name we find in Exodus 3 when Moses asks who he is to say sent him to free the Israelites and God gives him the name by which he is to go to Pharaoh. God’s name becomes the ultimate source of authority and identity for Moses and all of Israel. Previously God told Moses that He has seen the misery of His people and heard their cries and in Exodus 6 He states that He will free them, redeem them, and take them as His people. These people will bear the name of their God who rescued them from captivity and all other nations will know them by the God they serve. They bear the name of their God.
In the New Testament we see something similar happening after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the very early history of the church we see a name get placed on followers of Christ. People on the outside of the church start referring to them as Christians and so they end up bearing the name of the one they are following. Their identity becomes connected to a name. Paul says in Philippians 2:9-11
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
His name carries all authority and power and his people end up bearing not just his name but also trials and suffering. We read in 1 Peter 4:12-16
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."
A couple months ago a friend and I were talking the third commandment and what that looks like in today’s culture. The third commandment deals with using the Lord’s name in vain, or misusing it in some form but what does that look like? I remember learning about the commandments as a kid and back then it meant not saying God or Jesus Christ in a swearing fashion. This included all of the variations that could be used as a way to avoid actually using a name in vain. Oh my ‘gosh’! Is that what it’s about? Not saying His name in a vain or improper way?
The purpose of bearing God’s name went beyond a simple name of identification and had everything to do with the covenant relationship He had with His people. The covenant had an impact on what they ate or didn’t eat, how they worshipped and even had a physical element to it via circumcision. His name had a bearing on how His people lived their lives. For the early church the name of Christ had a bearing on how they were to live their lives and it should have an impact on how people in the church live today. What if someone bears the name of Christ but their lives do not reflect Christ? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but consistently speaks behind the backs of co-workers just like everyone else? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but is unforgiving and harbors bitterness towards others? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but engages in questionable ethics when it comes to how they run their business? When we bear the name of Christ but refuse to let it change how we live our lives isn’t that a form of using His name in vain?
In Matthew 5 Jesus raises the bar on many of the commandments mentioned in Exodus. Hate becomes equivalent to murder and lust becomes equivalent to adultery. I can’t help but think Jesus would have upped the ante when it came to using God’s name in vain as well. Media is quick to point out when religious leaders, political figures, celebrities or athletes who bear His name fail miserably but who takes notice when you or I aren’t reflective of Christ? Co-workers? Family members? Grocery clerk? Bank teller? Customer service person on the phone? Unless you have a Jesus bumper sticker on your car and only have shirts with a church name on it there are many people in this world that you will come across who won’t know whether or not you bear the name Christian. But I’m guessing that there are a ton of people you interact with daily or weekly who do so don’t take the 3rd commandment and the name that you bear lightly. There is no other name like it!
Acts 4:8-13
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is
‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Recently I’ve been reading in Genesis and it’s funny what names were given to kids and the meaning of the names. I’ll just mention Esau (hairy) and Jacob (heal grabber or figuratively ‘he deceives’) for example. There’s nothing really special about those names by today’s standards. It’s interesting to note that God has a habit of changing people’s names as Abram, Sarai, and Jacob become Abraham, Sarah, and Israel. But what is of utmost significance is the name we find in Exodus 3 when Moses asks who he is to say sent him to free the Israelites and God gives him the name by which he is to go to Pharaoh. God’s name becomes the ultimate source of authority and identity for Moses and all of Israel. Previously God told Moses that He has seen the misery of His people and heard their cries and in Exodus 6 He states that He will free them, redeem them, and take them as His people. These people will bear the name of their God who rescued them from captivity and all other nations will know them by the God they serve. They bear the name of their God.
In the New Testament we see something similar happening after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the very early history of the church we see a name get placed on followers of Christ. People on the outside of the church start referring to them as Christians and so they end up bearing the name of the one they are following. Their identity becomes connected to a name. Paul says in Philippians 2:9-11
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
His name carries all authority and power and his people end up bearing not just his name but also trials and suffering. We read in 1 Peter 4:12-16
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."
A couple months ago a friend and I were talking the third commandment and what that looks like in today’s culture. The third commandment deals with using the Lord’s name in vain, or misusing it in some form but what does that look like? I remember learning about the commandments as a kid and back then it meant not saying God or Jesus Christ in a swearing fashion. This included all of the variations that could be used as a way to avoid actually using a name in vain. Oh my ‘gosh’! Is that what it’s about? Not saying His name in a vain or improper way?
The purpose of bearing God’s name went beyond a simple name of identification and had everything to do with the covenant relationship He had with His people. The covenant had an impact on what they ate or didn’t eat, how they worshipped and even had a physical element to it via circumcision. His name had a bearing on how His people lived their lives. For the early church the name of Christ had a bearing on how they were to live their lives and it should have an impact on how people in the church live today. What if someone bears the name of Christ but their lives do not reflect Christ? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but consistently speaks behind the backs of co-workers just like everyone else? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but is unforgiving and harbors bitterness towards others? What if someone bears the name ‘Christian’ but engages in questionable ethics when it comes to how they run their business? When we bear the name of Christ but refuse to let it change how we live our lives isn’t that a form of using His name in vain?
In Matthew 5 Jesus raises the bar on many of the commandments mentioned in Exodus. Hate becomes equivalent to murder and lust becomes equivalent to adultery. I can’t help but think Jesus would have upped the ante when it came to using God’s name in vain as well. Media is quick to point out when religious leaders, political figures, celebrities or athletes who bear His name fail miserably but who takes notice when you or I aren’t reflective of Christ? Co-workers? Family members? Grocery clerk? Bank teller? Customer service person on the phone? Unless you have a Jesus bumper sticker on your car and only have shirts with a church name on it there are many people in this world that you will come across who won’t know whether or not you bear the name Christian. But I’m guessing that there are a ton of people you interact with daily or weekly who do so don’t take the 3rd commandment and the name that you bear lightly. There is no other name like it!
Acts 4:8-13
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is
‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Unconditional Love?
"Unconditional love" is a phrase that has caught my attention on a regular basis over the past year. When I hear it being used I take note of the particular way it is being discussed. In many of those occasions I feel a bit uneasy. On the surface, the concept of unconditionally loving others is easy to grasp. Even though ‘unconditional love’ isn’t a specific phrase found in scripture it’s easy to see it woven in. Here are a few verses in Romans that top many peoples ‘favorite verses’ lists which blatantly hint at unconditional love.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."—Romans 5:8
"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."—Romans 8:38-39
God loves everyone, even the unlovely, and if you follow what Paul says in Romans you should come to the conclusion that everyone is unlovely.
"There is no one righteous, not even one;"—Romans 3:10
However, our poor condition did not keep Him from loving us and there is no condition that separates us from His love. And so, in scripture, we see the example of non-preferential love in the pouring out of Jesus on the cross for all people once and for all time.
So what’s my problem?
My problem has to do with the fact that in a majority of the contexts in which I hear this phrase being used it has to do with family, or more particularly with parents. I reckon that this is probably one of the highest compliments any child could give their parent, but I struggle with whether such an honor is an actual reflection of unconditional love. Are human beings actually capable of unconditional love?
My parents have an overwhelming love for me and my two brothers, but can it be described as an unconditional kind of love? Underlying the love that they have for us is the pretty significant precondition of being their children. They love us the way that they love us because of who we are, their sons. Despite our failures they keep on loving us and I honestly think that there is ‘nothing in all creation’ that could separate us from their love. Ultimately though, I think that this kind of love is only a shadow of the kind of love that ‘the Father has lavished on us’. (1John 3:1) If my parents were ‘unconditional love’ type people my testimony about them would be more like, "My parents loved my friends as much as me. My parents loved the next door neighbor kids as much as me. My parents loved their enemies as much as me." Wouldn’t it?
It seems to me that unconditional love is like a faucet that won’t turn off. It overflows the sink and gets on everything and everybody. It shows no hint of preference. That’s the kind of love I see poured out in Jesus for the world. That’s the kind of love we are called to participate in. The story of the Good Samaritan wouldn’t have the same kind of power if it ended with a father coming across his own son in that dire situation and caring for his needs. We would probably still like the story as it would reaffirm how families care for each other, but it would be far removed from a story displaying unconditional love. If we exchanged the victim’s father in for the good Samaritan we would have a glimpse into the ‘why he did it' aspect of the story. Of course the dad stopped to help. Of course he paid for his son’s recovery. And while we could feel a sense of warmth about the love of a father for his son, the story would still fall short of unconditional love. Instead, we have a Samaritan who has every reason in the book not to take care of this man’s needs. Why would he? The power of cross is that we can’t even fathom the depth of ‘why’ Christ did what he did for us.
So back to my question stated earlier: Are humans actually capable of unconditional love? I think it can easily be shown that we have an overwhelming capacity for preferential love. The disparity between how we love family and how we love everyone else in many ways testifies to our preferential love tendencies. Jesus' command to love our enemies challenges the preferential quality of our love to its core. The question posed by the expert in the law prior to Jesus sharing the story of the Good Samaritan is an attempt to narrow the list of ‘who is my neighbor’, almost like asking, "How far down the block to I have to go? Where does my list of neighbors end?" That’s the nature of preferential love. It narrows the list of people who will be the recipients of love. Rather than slim down the expert in the law’s list, Jesus’ response tears it up altogether. If we are to truly love unconditionally, we need to widen our vision beyond those we prefer to love. He did it for us, all of us, and calls us to do the same. If we are to have any hope of loving as Christ loved then it's time to tear up that list.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."—Romans 5:8
"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."—Romans 8:38-39
God loves everyone, even the unlovely, and if you follow what Paul says in Romans you should come to the conclusion that everyone is unlovely.
"There is no one righteous, not even one;"—Romans 3:10
However, our poor condition did not keep Him from loving us and there is no condition that separates us from His love. And so, in scripture, we see the example of non-preferential love in the pouring out of Jesus on the cross for all people once and for all time.
So what’s my problem?
My problem has to do with the fact that in a majority of the contexts in which I hear this phrase being used it has to do with family, or more particularly with parents. I reckon that this is probably one of the highest compliments any child could give their parent, but I struggle with whether such an honor is an actual reflection of unconditional love. Are human beings actually capable of unconditional love?
My parents have an overwhelming love for me and my two brothers, but can it be described as an unconditional kind of love? Underlying the love that they have for us is the pretty significant precondition of being their children. They love us the way that they love us because of who we are, their sons. Despite our failures they keep on loving us and I honestly think that there is ‘nothing in all creation’ that could separate us from their love. Ultimately though, I think that this kind of love is only a shadow of the kind of love that ‘the Father has lavished on us’. (1John 3:1) If my parents were ‘unconditional love’ type people my testimony about them would be more like, "My parents loved my friends as much as me. My parents loved the next door neighbor kids as much as me. My parents loved their enemies as much as me." Wouldn’t it?
It seems to me that unconditional love is like a faucet that won’t turn off. It overflows the sink and gets on everything and everybody. It shows no hint of preference. That’s the kind of love I see poured out in Jesus for the world. That’s the kind of love we are called to participate in. The story of the Good Samaritan wouldn’t have the same kind of power if it ended with a father coming across his own son in that dire situation and caring for his needs. We would probably still like the story as it would reaffirm how families care for each other, but it would be far removed from a story displaying unconditional love. If we exchanged the victim’s father in for the good Samaritan we would have a glimpse into the ‘why he did it' aspect of the story. Of course the dad stopped to help. Of course he paid for his son’s recovery. And while we could feel a sense of warmth about the love of a father for his son, the story would still fall short of unconditional love. Instead, we have a Samaritan who has every reason in the book not to take care of this man’s needs. Why would he? The power of cross is that we can’t even fathom the depth of ‘why’ Christ did what he did for us.
So back to my question stated earlier: Are humans actually capable of unconditional love? I think it can easily be shown that we have an overwhelming capacity for preferential love. The disparity between how we love family and how we love everyone else in many ways testifies to our preferential love tendencies. Jesus' command to love our enemies challenges the preferential quality of our love to its core. The question posed by the expert in the law prior to Jesus sharing the story of the Good Samaritan is an attempt to narrow the list of ‘who is my neighbor’, almost like asking, "How far down the block to I have to go? Where does my list of neighbors end?" That’s the nature of preferential love. It narrows the list of people who will be the recipients of love. Rather than slim down the expert in the law’s list, Jesus’ response tears it up altogether. If we are to truly love unconditionally, we need to widen our vision beyond those we prefer to love. He did it for us, all of us, and calls us to do the same. If we are to have any hope of loving as Christ loved then it's time to tear up that list.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Signs of Growth
Change is the only constant, as the saying goes. Nothing is ever static, unmoved, unchanged. Even things that appear unchanged have in fact changed. I recently read an article stating that the kilogram, an international standard of measurement, has gained some weight over the years. Because of the need for precision in scientific studies it was necessary to have a standard by which everything else had to measure up and over the years the original 40 prototypes of the kilogram have beefed up, by tens of micrograms to be precise. Even while just sitting in an airtight container the prototypes still manage to collect dust and other forms of contamination and so they need to be cleaned periodically to regain their former figure.
I think it is easy within religious circles to be anti-change. Much like scientists need something static and precise in order to do their research there are many within Christendom that rely heavily on a static and predictable God and a static and unchanging Bible in order for them do their own type of research. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth. If anything the creator God we see at work in scripture is unpredictable and constantly on the move. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on how God works and through whom God works there is another lesson to be learned. And while it may seem easy to look at the Bible and view it as something unchanged over the centuries we have to consider things like Hebrews 4:12 which describes the word of God as ‘living and active’.
The Christian life ought to be characterized by tremendous change but a particular kind of change: Growth. All growth is change but not all change is growth. Change can be a sign of growth and maturity but not always. This past summer I watched as the cornfields here in Illinois became brown and withered. If it had been late September or early October I would have seen it as a sign that the seasons were changing as fall was on its way but this was July and what I was seeing was a sever drought taking its toll. Growth, however, is always characterized by life, new birth. I find the contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:16-26 helpful. There are things characteristic of change heading toward death and there are things characteristic of change heading toward life.
In 1 Corinthians we read what Paul has to say in dealing with a very unhealthy church. In chapter 3 he simply calls them infants and says that he had to give them milk because they couldn’t handle solid food. The implication here is that at some point they are supposed to get the solid food. They are supposed to grow up. But as we see throughout the rest of his letter they are far from it and he points to specific characteristics of the church to show that they are not ‘growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ’. A man is sleeping with his father’s wife, there are issues about food sacrificed to idols, people are exalting some spiritual gifts over others, and then there are people eating and drinking everything while leaving others hungry and thirsty. Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, stated in one of his messages that things like swimming in the kiddie pool, wearing a diaper, or drinking from a baby bottle are totally acceptable behaviors……….for BABIES! There comes a point where Christians need to get out of the kiddie pool at church, start chewing on some solid food beyond John 3:16 and put on their big boy/girl pants as they quit crawling and start walking in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
Looking back over the past 21 years as a follower of Christ I can say that there have been many changes along the way. There are many beliefs that have been changed or shaped through a variety of life experiences, through things that I encounter in scripture or things that I think God reveals in His own way. All of these together have drawn me closer to Him while also drawing me closer to those I share this spinning globe with.
How are you growing in Christ? What are some areas where you are seeing signs of life? Are there areas experiencing drought? One more thing about hanging out in the kiddie pool: People rarely stay there by themselves. An adult in the kiddie pool stands out like a sore thumb unless it is filled with adults. Paul found a whole church full of them! Who are the mature adults that you are or ought to be treading water with?
I think it is easy within religious circles to be anti-change. Much like scientists need something static and precise in order to do their research there are many within Christendom that rely heavily on a static and predictable God and a static and unchanging Bible in order for them do their own type of research. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth. If anything the creator God we see at work in scripture is unpredictable and constantly on the move. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on how God works and through whom God works there is another lesson to be learned. And while it may seem easy to look at the Bible and view it as something unchanged over the centuries we have to consider things like Hebrews 4:12 which describes the word of God as ‘living and active’.
The Christian life ought to be characterized by tremendous change but a particular kind of change: Growth. All growth is change but not all change is growth. Change can be a sign of growth and maturity but not always. This past summer I watched as the cornfields here in Illinois became brown and withered. If it had been late September or early October I would have seen it as a sign that the seasons were changing as fall was on its way but this was July and what I was seeing was a sever drought taking its toll. Growth, however, is always characterized by life, new birth. I find the contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:16-26 helpful. There are things characteristic of change heading toward death and there are things characteristic of change heading toward life.
In 1 Corinthians we read what Paul has to say in dealing with a very unhealthy church. In chapter 3 he simply calls them infants and says that he had to give them milk because they couldn’t handle solid food. The implication here is that at some point they are supposed to get the solid food. They are supposed to grow up. But as we see throughout the rest of his letter they are far from it and he points to specific characteristics of the church to show that they are not ‘growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ’. A man is sleeping with his father’s wife, there are issues about food sacrificed to idols, people are exalting some spiritual gifts over others, and then there are people eating and drinking everything while leaving others hungry and thirsty. Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, stated in one of his messages that things like swimming in the kiddie pool, wearing a diaper, or drinking from a baby bottle are totally acceptable behaviors……….for BABIES! There comes a point where Christians need to get out of the kiddie pool at church, start chewing on some solid food beyond John 3:16 and put on their big boy/girl pants as they quit crawling and start walking in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
Looking back over the past 21 years as a follower of Christ I can say that there have been many changes along the way. There are many beliefs that have been changed or shaped through a variety of life experiences, through things that I encounter in scripture or things that I think God reveals in His own way. All of these together have drawn me closer to Him while also drawing me closer to those I share this spinning globe with.
How are you growing in Christ? What are some areas where you are seeing signs of life? Are there areas experiencing drought? One more thing about hanging out in the kiddie pool: People rarely stay there by themselves. An adult in the kiddie pool stands out like a sore thumb unless it is filled with adults. Paul found a whole church full of them! Who are the mature adults that you are or ought to be treading water with?
Monday, January 7, 2013
Grace and Knowledge
I have never been a fan of the "spiritual growth" concept. Growth I get. As I mentioned previously I grew up on a farm and so the process of growth and maturation was clearly visible year after year but you don’t have to live in the middle of nowhere to see this transformation. Anyone who has ever had kids is amazed to see just how fast their little ones grow and develop. Perhaps the home you grew up in has one of those doorways with little notches or lines and your name by it where you can see how ‘tall’ you were when you were 3. Perhaps you have a pair of jeans you wore in high school or college that now serve as an unwanted reminder of how much you have ‘grown’ since then. Growth is everywhere and in many ways it can be measured and quantified.
Perhaps that is why I have such a hard time when a word like ‘spiritual’ is placed alongside ‘growth’. So much of what most people would deem as ‘spiritual’ could also be classified as ‘unseen’. Spiritual terms such as faith and hope seem so internal that it would be an impossible venture to attempt to quantify them. And so, when I think about spiritual growth I can’t help but think that this is a feeble attempt to quantify what can’t be quantified. If I had placed some sort of notch on my doorframe 10 years ago assessing where I was spiritually I wonder where I would have placed it. What criteria would I have used? Time in prayer? Verses memorized? Time spent serving others? And now 10 years later and looking back at where I was at that time where would I place the current notch? Would I use the same criteria in figuring out how much or little I have grown? Is it possible that maybe I would have to make a notch lower than where I was?
The thing about being a Christian is that we have a clearly visible standard that isn’t to be found in the notched wood of a doorframe but we see it, or rather him, nailed to a cross. What we see in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus speaks volumes about how we are to live our lives in this world. What makes this so tough is that Christians live in a world filled to the brim with people who know about Jesus. People who don’t follow him but they know the story and know enough verses that they can point to that notch and say, "You don’t measure up." Isn’t that the regular slam against church going folk? "I know what your bible says and you just don’t live up to it." How do you respond to that kind of critique? Especially when the critique is true?
It is impossible to follow the life of Jesus and read his words without simultaneously seeing the people he is interacting with. The lame, the blind, the paralyzed, the tax collector, the woman caught in adultery, the centurion, the Pharisees and the disciples are continually in the context of what Jesus says and does. Of these groups it is the religious know it all’s who point out those who don’t measure up. Jesus is regularly rebuked for eating with ‘tax collectors and sinners’. I can’t help but feel that our world has got more than enough religious know it all’s inside and outside of the church. There are those pointing at the church and saying it doesn’t measure up and those inside the church pointing to the world saying it doesn’t measure up. But the fact remains that our measuring up has never been the standard for being recipients of God’s love.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
My aim this year is to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ which is why I chose 2 Peter 3:18 as a theme for this blog. This isn’t a new aim and is something that in no way could be checked off my list when the year is done. My hope is that as I go along I can get a better feel for the interaction between grace and knowledge. Does growth in one area naturally lead to growth in the other or do I need to do separate workouts to strengthen each of these areas. I would hate for my life in Christ to resemble workout freaks who only do upper body stuff. They walk around thinking they look impressive with their huge arms all the while people are laughing at their chicken legs! I think the same can be said of people filled with the knowledge of Christ but have not grown in the grace of Christ. Only there’s no one laughing.
Perhaps that is why I have such a hard time when a word like ‘spiritual’ is placed alongside ‘growth’. So much of what most people would deem as ‘spiritual’ could also be classified as ‘unseen’. Spiritual terms such as faith and hope seem so internal that it would be an impossible venture to attempt to quantify them. And so, when I think about spiritual growth I can’t help but think that this is a feeble attempt to quantify what can’t be quantified. If I had placed some sort of notch on my doorframe 10 years ago assessing where I was spiritually I wonder where I would have placed it. What criteria would I have used? Time in prayer? Verses memorized? Time spent serving others? And now 10 years later and looking back at where I was at that time where would I place the current notch? Would I use the same criteria in figuring out how much or little I have grown? Is it possible that maybe I would have to make a notch lower than where I was?
The thing about being a Christian is that we have a clearly visible standard that isn’t to be found in the notched wood of a doorframe but we see it, or rather him, nailed to a cross. What we see in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus speaks volumes about how we are to live our lives in this world. What makes this so tough is that Christians live in a world filled to the brim with people who know about Jesus. People who don’t follow him but they know the story and know enough verses that they can point to that notch and say, "You don’t measure up." Isn’t that the regular slam against church going folk? "I know what your bible says and you just don’t live up to it." How do you respond to that kind of critique? Especially when the critique is true?
It is impossible to follow the life of Jesus and read his words without simultaneously seeing the people he is interacting with. The lame, the blind, the paralyzed, the tax collector, the woman caught in adultery, the centurion, the Pharisees and the disciples are continually in the context of what Jesus says and does. Of these groups it is the religious know it all’s who point out those who don’t measure up. Jesus is regularly rebuked for eating with ‘tax collectors and sinners’. I can’t help but feel that our world has got more than enough religious know it all’s inside and outside of the church. There are those pointing at the church and saying it doesn’t measure up and those inside the church pointing to the world saying it doesn’t measure up. But the fact remains that our measuring up has never been the standard for being recipients of God’s love.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
My aim this year is to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ which is why I chose 2 Peter 3:18 as a theme for this blog. This isn’t a new aim and is something that in no way could be checked off my list when the year is done. My hope is that as I go along I can get a better feel for the interaction between grace and knowledge. Does growth in one area naturally lead to growth in the other or do I need to do separate workouts to strengthen each of these areas. I would hate for my life in Christ to resemble workout freaks who only do upper body stuff. They walk around thinking they look impressive with their huge arms all the while people are laughing at their chicken legs! I think the same can be said of people filled with the knowledge of Christ but have not grown in the grace of Christ. Only there’s no one laughing.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Where do I start?
My favorite movie since childhood is The Wizard of Oz. From the wonderful music to the very simple idea that "There’s no place like home" I can’t help but love it. When Dorothy finds herself dropped into the middle of an unfamiliar place, unsure of how to get home, she receives simple advice from Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. "It's always best to start at the beginning" and so that is where I’ll start. Growing up in the country I was able to see up close all that goes into farming. From plowing the field to planting the seeds to water irrigation and finally the harvesting of corn and beans. I doubt there is a profession on earth as labor intensive and worrisome as being a farmer. And so when I read Paul talking in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 about how he planted the seed and Apollos watered it, I can’t help but think that what he is describing has a bit more to it than a singular event, or one time investment. There is some nurture and care followed by a lot of prayer and then it happens. God made it grow! When it comes to me I know there are a handful of people that planted and watered seeds in my life early on. For years they probably did so while seeing little to no change in my external behavior. If anything they probably saw this little kid get worse as I neared my teenage years.
One night as 7th grader changed everything for me. I knew something was terribly wrong as soon as I heard the phone ring. I was doing what I normally did after a track meet as I stretched out across the floor with a pillow and relaxed while watching television. Young Riders was on that Tuesday and I was getting into Easter break mode since school was done for the week. When my mom went to answer the phone I went the other way around the house so I could hear who it was and what they wanted. When she started crying the gut feeling I had was confirmed. Something was wrong. The conversation was brief and the little I heard from her side of the conversation didn’t help me one bit. She called for me as soon as she hung up and it was then that I found out that a classmate of mine, one I had seen at the track meet just a couple hours earlier, had committed suicide.
The 3 days from then until the funeral were a blur. I had to deal with a flood of emotions that quickly moved from one to the next as I wasn’t quite sure what I should be feeling. Anger, sadness and uncertainty took their turns. Following the funeral I went immediately to my room and it was then that I realized that it was Good Friday. I found it ironic that the absolute worst day of my entire short life was Good Friday. In my anger and sadness, and in the absence of any answers for why any of this had happened I asked, "What possibly could be good about Good Friday?" I knew the biblical answer for what Good Friday was about. People had been planting and watering seeds in my life for years, but then something else happened. God made something grow and it started with something that in looking back can only be described as a revelation. I hadn’t spent those days pondering the biblical answers about Good Friday nor spent time considering the biblical truth revealed to me in an instant that day as I directed a question to Him. It wasn’t a voice that spoke to my ears but a voice that spoke to the core of a very angry and hurt kid. "I know what suffering feels like." The Good News of Good Friday went so much further than what I had ever heard before. On that Friday and on this Friday God personally knew suffering and even knew my suffering. The only one who could absolutely identify with my suffering was Him. And that is where this whole thing started for me as God made use of the seed that was planted and watered and brought growth and life from death.
On this day consider those people who have planted and watered seeds in your life. Consider those people who you are, or ought to be, planting or watering seeds in their lives but in the process don’t forget to pray and give glory to the God who makes things grow.
My next post will talk about growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ which I have chosen as a theme for this blog.
One night as 7th grader changed everything for me. I knew something was terribly wrong as soon as I heard the phone ring. I was doing what I normally did after a track meet as I stretched out across the floor with a pillow and relaxed while watching television. Young Riders was on that Tuesday and I was getting into Easter break mode since school was done for the week. When my mom went to answer the phone I went the other way around the house so I could hear who it was and what they wanted. When she started crying the gut feeling I had was confirmed. Something was wrong. The conversation was brief and the little I heard from her side of the conversation didn’t help me one bit. She called for me as soon as she hung up and it was then that I found out that a classmate of mine, one I had seen at the track meet just a couple hours earlier, had committed suicide.
The 3 days from then until the funeral were a blur. I had to deal with a flood of emotions that quickly moved from one to the next as I wasn’t quite sure what I should be feeling. Anger, sadness and uncertainty took their turns. Following the funeral I went immediately to my room and it was then that I realized that it was Good Friday. I found it ironic that the absolute worst day of my entire short life was Good Friday. In my anger and sadness, and in the absence of any answers for why any of this had happened I asked, "What possibly could be good about Good Friday?" I knew the biblical answer for what Good Friday was about. People had been planting and watering seeds in my life for years, but then something else happened. God made something grow and it started with something that in looking back can only be described as a revelation. I hadn’t spent those days pondering the biblical answers about Good Friday nor spent time considering the biblical truth revealed to me in an instant that day as I directed a question to Him. It wasn’t a voice that spoke to my ears but a voice that spoke to the core of a very angry and hurt kid. "I know what suffering feels like." The Good News of Good Friday went so much further than what I had ever heard before. On that Friday and on this Friday God personally knew suffering and even knew my suffering. The only one who could absolutely identify with my suffering was Him. And that is where this whole thing started for me as God made use of the seed that was planted and watered and brought growth and life from death.
On this day consider those people who have planted and watered seeds in your life. Consider those people who you are, or ought to be, planting or watering seeds in their lives but in the process don’t forget to pray and give glory to the God who makes things grow.
My next post will talk about growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ which I have chosen as a theme for this blog.
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