Granted, over the years I have learned many lessons from God. (and by the way, they are almost always through experience rather than head knowledge.) This is not the first, or most profound, but it is one of the most recent.
It is interesting that we learn lessons better in situations we might not care for too much. So, why do we sometimes look at these situations as places we want to leave, escape from, run from?
I don't think the church was meant to be a place of comfort. It is supposed to be a furnace of healing and learning. Your place of comfort is supposed to be in your heavenly father's lap. That is a personal thing (and it can be a group thing too.. But it is a personal intimate thing between you and God). Church is supposed to be a rough and sometimes uncomfortable place where God grows you up fast because you have to actually deal with REAL PEOPLE and REAL ISSUES.
Does that happen "In church" for you?
My family has been gathering with a group of believers for the past three months or so. A very informal, house style gathering. That part I like. I like the open and non-programmed environment. But because most of the others in the group don't have the same background that I have, there are a lot of things said and done that I wince at. There are differences of opinion. There are differences of understanding. There are doctrinal differences in some cases. There are maturity level differences. (and trust me, my wife and I have discussed these things and wondered if we should leave or if this is a place God wants us to stay.)
But one thing has come out of this. People are open to discuss and confront and state their views. I have confronted people (as gently as possible) when I felt they were just plain wrong about something. It is never comfortable to do that (especially as a relative newcomer). However, it is profitable. I know what issues God is working in me now... and what He is working in others around me.
When I sat in a church "audience" and knew people only at a surface level it was not like this. When most of the people around me grew up with a similar church experience, there was little conflict (except about silly things like methods of ministry and trivial things of that sort). There was no challenging on issues deeper than ministry philosophies and things that didn't really amount to much.
In the past year I have spent time in the Book of Hebrews. Studying it with others... and by some "coincidence" it keeps coming back into my life. One of the things the Lord has re-emphasized to me this year is the truths found in Hebrews 10:24: "... let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
I have learned that this verse sounds so "nice"... It sounds like such an ideal... but walking it out can be stressful, painful, and anxiety ridden at times!
It means summoning the courage to "risk" a relationship, to confront someone on something you see in their life, or urge them to step up to something they are gifted in but have been afraid to do. Or sometimes worse... Being on the receiving end and trying not to take what they say as an attack but rather the loving concern of a friend.
I try to keep Proverbs 27: 6 in mind at all times...
"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."
There have been times in our small loose knit, un-organized, open gatherings, when I have thought half the people in the group were wrong or going off the deep end. But it is in this environment, and in a gathering of people who are at least willing to speak their mind, listen to you speak yours... and seek God's best in it all... there the Lord has me growing.
This past Sunday was really trying for me because not only did we as a group study that passage in Hebrews again, but God made me live it out too. I had to confront someone about their beliefs and their point of view. I didn't want to do it. Yet, I know that I didn't want to "trade truth for false unity" (as a verse in one of the songs we listened to that day stated it). I knew I had to discuss a subject that I felt I could not let slide. I had to trust that it was better to resolve this issue of understanding with my brother than to put on a false mask of Christian happiness and tolerance... keeping that false unity going...
And you know, I found out some things about my brother who had the differing opinion. I found out his hurts and his experiences. I learned a thing or two more about God because I had to make sure what I was saying was lining up with God's Word. Well... we didn't totally resolve our views... but I think we both grew and know, and trust each other better for it. I would never have understood my brother like that if I had chosen to zip my lip and avoid confrontation.
That does not happen in pew sitting land very often.
As difficult as it can be, it is much more refreshing to live in this land where things can be unpredictable. It is because I know I can trust others there to take what is said and be honest with me. It is preferable to me more than in the wandering wasteland of comfort I left behind.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Friday, November 12, 2004
"So, How is House Church Going?"
I had the "pastor" of the church I used to attend (we still communicate) ask me the other day, "so, how is that house church going?".
It got me to sit down and write a response... so I thought I would put it here too...
I have come to think less about "how to DO church" and more about how to "BE the church". Which makes even the label "house church" sound funny to me now. So, I am not sure how to answer how the house church is going, but here is part of the journey I have been on....
On a personal level, we are getting together with and meeting more people now -- getting to know more people than we ever have before -- going outside of our familiar acquaintances and circle of friends to meet new people (as well as staying in touch with old friends) and that has been good. We have met up with a small group of believers who get together... Meeting in their homes or wherever they can. Many have been "outside of the organized church" for 4- 10 years. We met another couple through the internet who has just recently started hanging out with us, worshiping and praying with us who had left an abusive church two years back and finally were convinced that they needed to seek out new relationships with Christians but not in a typical church setting.
The more I consider what Jesus said and what Paul and others wrote... The more I see that the emphasis (even in the New Testament) is about PERSONAL responsibility, faith, and relationships rather than describing a 'movement' or a 'procedure for organizational ministry'. Jesus said next to nothing about what this thing the "church" would be, except to describe it in personal terms of the people's nature and responsibilities... How to live, how to act, how to worship the Lord (with their lives -- spirit and truth -- location is not important... Etc.).
I told you once (maybe more than once) that John 3:8 has always fascinated me... I kept thinking maybe there was something more in that verse that I kept overlooking but could not quite put my finger on?... I think maybe some small insight into it was given to me while reading an article by a guy from New Zealand named Jack Grey.
Link to Jack Grey's article: "My search for the church (part 1)".
He mentioned the talk to Nicodemus in john 3 and it peaked my attention. This writer was talking about a new view of what the 'church' might be: That it was not primarily organizational... That it was primarily personal and directed by God as a collection of individuals. (in other words, it was meant to be a people of God who practiced a life of being led by the LORD himself and as a PART of that, they would live their lives together not to simply meet and live out some kind of spiritual life, but as a part of the rest of the whole of their lives. They were a 'force' hidden in society (sometimes for safety's sake because of persecution) that was not a 'tangible' or 'targetable' group... Nothing to really see except individuals who followed the Lord, loved one another and loved everyone else too.
So... He pointed to John 3:8 where Jesus is describing these people who are "Born Again"... (In essence... The Christians who would come and become the church)
"...The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
For years I read this and thought, "this is speaking of how the Spirit moves in our lives... We see that He is active but we can't put our finger on him... Like the wind." Then it dawned on me that if you really read the verse... It is not really saying the SPIRIT is like this... It says that EVERYONE BORN OF THE SPIRIT is like this. It is only descriptive of the Spirit in that He live IN US... But Jesus is talking about US.
I started thinking... How can we be like that? What does that mean? Hear and see the effects of a Christian but not know where it comes from or where it is going?
That is where I started thinking that Jesus was really describing the church here... Not in organizational terms like we are used to hearing, but on a personal level... That the church, if it were simple like I mentioned above, would be a force for influence, change, blessing, love on a culture even though it would be hard to pin down where it was coming from, what it was called, where it's leadership was, where it was located... All the things we would normally think of asking about a religious organization. It was "untouchable" as a group because there wasn't really a "group" or an organization, or a location, or anything beyond the individuals who made up God's Spirit-led guerrilla force. It would be like the police looking for a suspect using the wrong eyewitness description.
I guess I picture it something like the American revolution... An organized force (human society) being overcome by a hit-and run, rag-tag un-seen army that does not seem to have any organization or leader... And yet seems led by one mind or one passion. For us that leader and passion is the Lord alone.
It got me to sit down and write a response... so I thought I would put it here too...
I have come to think less about "how to DO church" and more about how to "BE the church". Which makes even the label "house church" sound funny to me now. So, I am not sure how to answer how the house church is going, but here is part of the journey I have been on....
On a personal level, we are getting together with and meeting more people now -- getting to know more people than we ever have before -- going outside of our familiar acquaintances and circle of friends to meet new people (as well as staying in touch with old friends) and that has been good. We have met up with a small group of believers who get together... Meeting in their homes or wherever they can. Many have been "outside of the organized church" for 4- 10 years. We met another couple through the internet who has just recently started hanging out with us, worshiping and praying with us who had left an abusive church two years back and finally were convinced that they needed to seek out new relationships with Christians but not in a typical church setting.
The more I consider what Jesus said and what Paul and others wrote... The more I see that the emphasis (even in the New Testament) is about PERSONAL responsibility, faith, and relationships rather than describing a 'movement' or a 'procedure for organizational ministry'. Jesus said next to nothing about what this thing the "church" would be, except to describe it in personal terms of the people's nature and responsibilities... How to live, how to act, how to worship the Lord (with their lives -- spirit and truth -- location is not important... Etc.).
I told you once (maybe more than once) that John 3:8 has always fascinated me... I kept thinking maybe there was something more in that verse that I kept overlooking but could not quite put my finger on?... I think maybe some small insight into it was given to me while reading an article by a guy from New Zealand named Jack Grey.
Link to Jack Grey's article: "My search for the church (part 1)".
He mentioned the talk to Nicodemus in john 3 and it peaked my attention. This writer was talking about a new view of what the 'church' might be: That it was not primarily organizational... That it was primarily personal and directed by God as a collection of individuals. (in other words, it was meant to be a people of God who practiced a life of being led by the LORD himself and as a PART of that, they would live their lives together not to simply meet and live out some kind of spiritual life, but as a part of the rest of the whole of their lives. They were a 'force' hidden in society (sometimes for safety's sake because of persecution) that was not a 'tangible' or 'targetable' group... Nothing to really see except individuals who followed the Lord, loved one another and loved everyone else too.
So... He pointed to John 3:8 where Jesus is describing these people who are "Born Again"... (In essence... The Christians who would come and become the church)
"...The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
For years I read this and thought, "this is speaking of how the Spirit moves in our lives... We see that He is active but we can't put our finger on him... Like the wind." Then it dawned on me that if you really read the verse... It is not really saying the SPIRIT is like this... It says that EVERYONE BORN OF THE SPIRIT is like this. It is only descriptive of the Spirit in that He live IN US... But Jesus is talking about US.
I started thinking... How can we be like that? What does that mean? Hear and see the effects of a Christian but not know where it comes from or where it is going?
That is where I started thinking that Jesus was really describing the church here... Not in organizational terms like we are used to hearing, but on a personal level... That the church, if it were simple like I mentioned above, would be a force for influence, change, blessing, love on a culture even though it would be hard to pin down where it was coming from, what it was called, where it's leadership was, where it was located... All the things we would normally think of asking about a religious organization. It was "untouchable" as a group because there wasn't really a "group" or an organization, or a location, or anything beyond the individuals who made up God's Spirit-led guerrilla force. It would be like the police looking for a suspect using the wrong eyewitness description.
I guess I picture it something like the American revolution... An organized force (human society) being overcome by a hit-and run, rag-tag un-seen army that does not seem to have any organization or leader... And yet seems led by one mind or one passion. For us that leader and passion is the Lord alone.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Politics, Morals and the Church
It is interesting to me that the press was so "surprised" to discover that the voting of people in this year's presidential election was primarily swayed by character, morality and religious standards. They seem to be astonished that these issues trumped the issues of foreign policy, economics, and other more "practical" issues.
I am pleasantly surprised that things turned out as they did. I guess it was surprising to me because I so completely see how my faith is the foundation of my morality, and it seems that faith is so mechanical or worse, non-existent, in so many people these days.
Now, while it is possible to hold to some standard of values without faith in God, there is no absolute standard without God's laws being the final word on the subject. If God's laws are not the foundation of one's morality, then the morality is based on culture, tradition, feelings, whims or worse. I guess there is enough residual flavor of Christianity in our nation's culture to give a semblance of Godly morals... but in reality it is probably just a latent image of true faith in God's laws which has become more cultural and traditional than anything else.
The problem with true Christians relying on these cultural and traditional moralities when it comes to the laws and electing of officials in our government is that cultural and traditional morals morph, change and deteriorate with time. We were "lucky" this time. Now our courts will have appointees who uphold some semblance of Christian values due to the man we elected as president. However, in four years, we may not be so lucky. The cultural morality might wear thin and not elect leaders based on morals that are similar to true Godly morality next time.
If we (the church) do not start acting more like Salt and Light -- influencing our culture by founding people's morality on the world view of God's Word -- we will see out nation fall into a new cultural morality that looks less and less like the morals of Christ.
Most "pastors" in institutional church organizations see it as politically incorrect to talk about the moral issues of the day which are closely tied to political issues. They have unknowingly created a mindset in church-goers that your Christian beliefs, and your practical political beliefs exist side by side but never interact. "Pastors" may not intend to teach this, but by refusing to speak on political issues which are tied to moral standards of the Bible, they teach it none the less. Most church-goers have learned by example that these two sides of belief do not have to interact or coincide, because the "pastor" keeps them separate too. Inadvertently, "pastors" are teaching their "flocks" to put on their Church beliefs for Sunday, and their political and moral beliefs the rest of the week. But that is not what Jesus or the Bible tells us about our beliefs. We are to have a "world view" that that includes our political, moral, and day to day beliefs as well as our religious beliefs and they all must be aligned with the scripture. Founded on God's laws and wisdom.
Those of us who are not a part of the institutional church should be all the more fervent and unafraid of speaking God's morality even when it steps on political toes or treads on cultural whims.
Politics is a part of life; life is meant to be governed by morality; legitimate morality can only come from God; therefore, these things should be a natural part for a Christian's conversation and life. There is no "separation of church and state" - not in the US constitution, nor should there be in the heart of a Christian. If your politics are not governed by your religious understanding, then you are a walking contradiction.
Now, I am not saying that the "right" morality is aligned with one or another political party. Political parties are human institutions (on the whole) and can not possibly be equivalent to true Christian morality and purpose. However, we as those who hold to Christ and God's laws should pick our support of individuals, parties and initiatives based on God's morality rather than our personal well-being, convenience, preferences or culture.
Those Christians who think it is wrong for the church or Christians to be involved in politics are missing a few key commands of Christ. First of all, Jesus told us to love our neighbor and do good to those who hate us. If you know that God's laws for human government, morality and order are the best for mankind, wouldn't you be subjecting your neighbor to the worst, or at least not the best if you refused to take a biblically moral AND political stand for the laws of this land? By not voting down laws and politicians who bring ungodly laws to the books, you are subjecting yourself, your family and your neighbor to things God's Words says are wrong, sinful and downright bad for us!
Secondly, the book of Romans tells us to obey the laws of the land and be subject to rulers as long as they are not in conflict with God's laws. This is not a suggestion. Now it is not this way everywhere in the world, but here in the USA, in this century, to be considered a good and faithful member of society our government relies on us (the citizens) to vote. That is the backbone of our governmental structure. If we refuse to do this, and refuse to participate, we are violating a command of God to be subject to the governing authorities... to be a good citizen. It is not a matter of our right to vote or not vote. It is a matter of obeying God to be a model to our culture as a Christian citizen.
For those inside the institutional church, you are bound to be influenced by your pastors preaching... or lack of it. True, some will speak and live these truths in spite of their "church" or "pastor" -- and because of this they will be labeled as rebels (even though they are doing what the "pastor" should be doing). Others, whose church has a political/religious mix that is based more on culture than God's law will go to the flow and think of their political party as their religion.
We should really BE THE CHURCH rather than ATTEND AND ORGANIZATION... but there is more... to BE THE CHURCH we must learn to not fall prey to the politically correct view that politics and faith do not intersect.
I am pleasantly surprised that things turned out as they did. I guess it was surprising to me because I so completely see how my faith is the foundation of my morality, and it seems that faith is so mechanical or worse, non-existent, in so many people these days.
Now, while it is possible to hold to some standard of values without faith in God, there is no absolute standard without God's laws being the final word on the subject. If God's laws are not the foundation of one's morality, then the morality is based on culture, tradition, feelings, whims or worse. I guess there is enough residual flavor of Christianity in our nation's culture to give a semblance of Godly morals... but in reality it is probably just a latent image of true faith in God's laws which has become more cultural and traditional than anything else.
The problem with true Christians relying on these cultural and traditional moralities when it comes to the laws and electing of officials in our government is that cultural and traditional morals morph, change and deteriorate with time. We were "lucky" this time. Now our courts will have appointees who uphold some semblance of Christian values due to the man we elected as president. However, in four years, we may not be so lucky. The cultural morality might wear thin and not elect leaders based on morals that are similar to true Godly morality next time.
If we (the church) do not start acting more like Salt and Light -- influencing our culture by founding people's morality on the world view of God's Word -- we will see out nation fall into a new cultural morality that looks less and less like the morals of Christ.
Most "pastors" in institutional church organizations see it as politically incorrect to talk about the moral issues of the day which are closely tied to political issues. They have unknowingly created a mindset in church-goers that your Christian beliefs, and your practical political beliefs exist side by side but never interact. "Pastors" may not intend to teach this, but by refusing to speak on political issues which are tied to moral standards of the Bible, they teach it none the less. Most church-goers have learned by example that these two sides of belief do not have to interact or coincide, because the "pastor" keeps them separate too. Inadvertently, "pastors" are teaching their "flocks" to put on their Church beliefs for Sunday, and their political and moral beliefs the rest of the week. But that is not what Jesus or the Bible tells us about our beliefs. We are to have a "world view" that that includes our political, moral, and day to day beliefs as well as our religious beliefs and they all must be aligned with the scripture. Founded on God's laws and wisdom.
Those of us who are not a part of the institutional church should be all the more fervent and unafraid of speaking God's morality even when it steps on political toes or treads on cultural whims.
Politics is a part of life; life is meant to be governed by morality; legitimate morality can only come from God; therefore, these things should be a natural part for a Christian's conversation and life. There is no "separation of church and state" - not in the US constitution, nor should there be in the heart of a Christian. If your politics are not governed by your religious understanding, then you are a walking contradiction.
Now, I am not saying that the "right" morality is aligned with one or another political party. Political parties are human institutions (on the whole) and can not possibly be equivalent to true Christian morality and purpose. However, we as those who hold to Christ and God's laws should pick our support of individuals, parties and initiatives based on God's morality rather than our personal well-being, convenience, preferences or culture.
Those Christians who think it is wrong for the church or Christians to be involved in politics are missing a few key commands of Christ. First of all, Jesus told us to love our neighbor and do good to those who hate us. If you know that God's laws for human government, morality and order are the best for mankind, wouldn't you be subjecting your neighbor to the worst, or at least not the best if you refused to take a biblically moral AND political stand for the laws of this land? By not voting down laws and politicians who bring ungodly laws to the books, you are subjecting yourself, your family and your neighbor to things God's Words says are wrong, sinful and downright bad for us!
Secondly, the book of Romans tells us to obey the laws of the land and be subject to rulers as long as they are not in conflict with God's laws. This is not a suggestion. Now it is not this way everywhere in the world, but here in the USA, in this century, to be considered a good and faithful member of society our government relies on us (the citizens) to vote. That is the backbone of our governmental structure. If we refuse to do this, and refuse to participate, we are violating a command of God to be subject to the governing authorities... to be a good citizen. It is not a matter of our right to vote or not vote. It is a matter of obeying God to be a model to our culture as a Christian citizen.
For those inside the institutional church, you are bound to be influenced by your pastors preaching... or lack of it. True, some will speak and live these truths in spite of their "church" or "pastor" -- and because of this they will be labeled as rebels (even though they are doing what the "pastor" should be doing). Others, whose church has a political/religious mix that is based more on culture than God's law will go to the flow and think of their political party as their religion.
We should really BE THE CHURCH rather than ATTEND AND ORGANIZATION... but there is more... to BE THE CHURCH we must learn to not fall prey to the politically correct view that politics and faith do not intersect.
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