This past week, my church denomination had a big, multi-day event. Lots of activities such as trade booths, information exhibits, workshops, and worship services took place for three days and nights. Interestingly, I noticed three streams of philosophical thought (in terms of doing church) with a strong presence there: (1) Traditional, (2) Emergent, and (3) Church Growth. I believe all of the camps thoroughly love Jesus Christ and desire to serve His kingdom... but they all have have unique perspectives on just what that means in practice.
The mostly older (in my estimation) Traditional folks love and honor their rich heritage. They continue to attend and support the denomination-wide events with gusto, even as they look bewildered by all the changes in methods and philosophical shifts they encountered a wide variety of workshops and public services. Over the nearly 100 years of our church's existence, our primary doctrines have undergone some pretty severe criticism, and have been minimized (or rejected) by many of it's own churches and church members. But of the remnant that prefers a more traditional church model, they continue to powerfully influence the denomination through strong verbal and financial support, as well as a firm power base at the top levels.
Meanwhile, the Church Growth folks had a very strong presence at the conference as well, continuing a trend that has been building steam for some time now. Essentially, the philosophy of this camp is that our old fuddy-duddy churches need to get out of their traditional rut and wake up to the new methodologies that attract unchurched people and transform communities. Rather than just continue to be a small, obscure presence in our cities and towns, we need to become market savvy... we need to meet the needs and desires of young families - because if they aren't attracted to come to our churches, they won't hear the message of salvation. Therefore, Church Growth folks would have pastors learn better marketing strategies and management techniques, rearrange their worship services to be more seeker-friendly, and follow a basic business model which have proven to be effective in countless mega-churches around the world.
The Emergent crowd seeks to be more missional, more organic in it's connection to the local community, and more concerned with serving God's kingdom than with building His church. This camp - in a moment of rare agreement with the Church Growth crowd - puts less emphasis on traditional doctrines and practices that came to full development somewhere around the 1950's. Emergents simply don't believe in placing an over-emphasis on the individual. Important as that may be, the gospel speaks more of corporate sin and salvation. Therefore, a major emphasis is placed on living in authentic community together, reading the stories of God and allowing His Word to shape our character.
Why am I writing all this? Since the conference is now complete, I've heard or taken part in several conversations about how splintered things are becoming within our tradition of faith. Rather than finding a way to affirm the good in the other streams of ecclesial thought... people are choosing what "side" they're on, and criticizing the other two with a subtle (or not so subtle) air of superiority. However, call me weird, or spineless, or attracted to the squishy-middle... but I think all three camps have at least something to offer. Obviously, if you've read any of my previous posts, it's very apparent that I fit most comfortably in the Emergent camp... but not completely. I went to a Brian McClaren seminar a couple of years ago, and that was the beginning of a major paradigm shift in my Christian faith. Since then, I have read numerous books and blogs, had countless conversations with Christians from all walks of life... and wrestled with God in my continual search for authentic Christianity. The result is that my faith in Jesus Christ has been strengthened, my calling to pastoral ministry has been reinterpreted, and my faith in the future of His church has been radically restored.
But does the Emergent crowd (or any other) have a patent on Truth? Are Emergents better Christians than those from the Church Growth Movement? Are Church Growth folks closer to the kingdom of God than the more Traditional folks? Whatever your opinion of the answer to those questions... only God knows the answers for certain (and I have a feeling we're all way off base... Aren't you glad for grace?) As a potential church-planter, someone who's been a member of a whopping two churches in my 13 years as a Christ follower (a Church Growth kind of church, and a more Traditional church)... I can tell you that I have encountered Christ in both communities numerous times. I have not ever yet attended an Emergent church... but something tells me the church I will serve as pastor will reflect much of that philosophy. However, just like I never fit in to any particular social labels in high school (the jocks, stoners, and rednecks)... I don't fit exclusively into any of the three streams of thought swirling around my church denomination either.
Frankly, I want the best of all worlds... I want to find a way to honor the traditions and doctrines upon which my church denomination was built (Traditional)... I want to be a good communicator and place a premium on doing things with excellence as a church should (Church Growth)... and I want to live in authentic, missional community with my friends and neighbors (Emergent).
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:17-19).
From Psalm 104 of Eugene Peterson's The Message: O my soul, bless God! God, my God, how great you are! beautifully, gloriously robed, dressed up in sunshine, and all heaven stretched out for your tent. You built your palace on the ocean deeps, made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings. You commandeered winds as messengers, appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.
There was a big fire here in Kansas City earlier this week. Apparently some bad wiring in a bar set off a huge fire that engulfed a large portion of an city block, leaving a whole group of businesses at 75th and Wornall with nothing but charred remains and a horrible sense of loss. However, in a short sound byte kind of interview, I heard one of the owners bravely report that there must be some reason this happened, and she would rebuild... in fact, the new business would be bigger and better!
I don't know why, but I thought of the Hebrew people entering the Promised land. God is God, and doesn't have to explain Himself to us... therefore, sometimes God's Word can be pretty troubling. One of those times is when the Hebrews were commanded to charge into the Promised Land and destroy all who were dwelling there. To someone seeking God, one glance at the book of Joshua could very well derail their budding trust in Him... How could a loving God command His people to wantonly murder a whole generation of peoples and cultures who lived in the wrong place at the wrong time? Number one, we could probably never understand the darkness of the Canaanite culture... the evil is beyond our comprehension... child sacrifice, sacred prostitution, oppression and mutilation of the innocent and vulnerable... etc. It was a religious culture completely given over to the very idea of evil, and God had had enough. So, He sent His people, the people He had promised to bless, into the land to take it back for His sake.
Number two, this was not an eternal mandate... or excuse to wage "Holy War" with anyone who opposed the Hebrews throughout their history - rather, it was a specific empowerment of a specific people, for a specific time frame, for a specific reason. It was bloody, it was violent, it was vile, it was repulsive... but in the bigger picture of human history, it was necessary according to God. Do you know what else it is...? It is a perfect metaphor of our hearts. Like it or not, we are born into this sinful, fallen world and participate in it. For instance... I'll bet no one had to teach you to lie when you were a child... it just came natural the first time you were backed into a corner by your actions and felt compelled to get free by whatever means necessary. The bottom line is that we all store up some form of sin in our hearts... no one is exempt. But by His grace, God has given us a means of "waging war" on the evil inside of us, by coming to a place of recognition of the sin, and overwhelming desire to have it destroyed.
Repentance.
Our God is a God who both builds up and tears down. I'm sure the Kansas City business owner who lost it all in a consuming fire would not prefer to start from scratch all over again... but funny thing... when something is utterly destroyed, it creates an opportunity for something new, something better, something exciting, something meaningful... something unimaginable when life continues along at status-quo. Jesus put it this way: Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal (John 12:24-25).
That Jesus. He had a way with words. But have you noticed...? He never said anything He wasn't willing to live out in His own life... no matter the cost.
And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17).
When God created humanity, He didn't just make us with a pre-determined, robotic desire to live in fellowship with Him. To love is to choose to be with, and in order to provide a legitimate choice, there had to be an alternative to God's will... otherwise there really ain't no such thing as free will. I don't know about the state of the universe prior to human history... nevertheless, I wonder where the "serpent" in the garden who tempted Eve came from. God is good, His creation is good, and yet... without this mysterious third party offering a viable alternative to God, Adam and Eve had no real potential to choose to love Him only and obey His commandments.
Though for a time they enjoyed fellowship in the garden with their Lord and Friend, Adam and Eve ultimately chose poorly, giving in to the serpent's temptation. And they paid a dear price... banishment from the only home they ever knew... separation from God... the seeds of death. But God made a choice too - that is, one of grace. This special creation, made in His image, was too valuable to simply obliterate from existence. God's intimate relationship with humanity did change of course, but God saw to it that one day everything would be fully restored. The Bible is full of stories of the ups and downs of this restoration process - many of them good and redemptive - and many of them troubling and confusing. Why? 'Cause we're a messy, sinful bunch!
But even the most violent and troubling stories have a purpose. The church at which I serve is currently going through the book of Judges on Wednesday nights. Wow, talk about dysfunctional, violent, aggressive behavior! (The people in the stories, not the church!) But the thing is, even when we discuss a really warped story like the rise and fall of Abimelech (the son of Gideon who murdered his 70 brothers to become king) - most everyone seems to walk away from the discussion with plenty of food for thought about their own relationship with God and/or one another. The Bible doesn't try to dress up the ugly stories to make them more palatable for our tender senses. Still, as we participate in and experience them together in the community of faith, we are - if we choose to listen - able to discern the sometimes obvious, sometimes very subtle presence of God in our midst. Obviously, we're not called to go out and apply Abimelech's self-serving methods to our own lives. Through his story however, the Spirit of God may decide to talk to us about our own forms of rebellion against Him... that is, our own tasty, but deadly forms of forbidden fruit.
I guess that's why I don't want to slice and dice the Bible so I'm only reading the "good" or more interesting stories that are more familiar and easier to digest. I want to read large portions of the Word (heck, maybe even ALL of it!), interpret it together within my faith tradition, allow God to reveal Himself to us in the process... and choose to obey what we hear God telling us in terms of living as His children - holy and dearly loved. When I look at it that way, somehow the forbidden fruit doesn't seem so tempting.
I know it's not Christmas, but I read the account of Jesus' birth in Luke today. Funny thing... even though Joseph was the man of the house, it doesn't seem as though he got a whole lot of respect. Mary was the one to whom the angel Gabriel visited and gave such wonderful news about the coming of the Savior. As far as Luke is concerned, Joseph wasn't even told of this scandalous pregnancy, much less asked what he thought about it all. We have to go to Matthew's gospel to learn how Joseph was told... it wasn't even an angel, but a dream. Hmmmmm. And later, at the temple when Joseph and Mary were presenting Jesus to be circumcised, Simeon came up to them. Can you picture it...? An old man (devout and righteous, but probably scary looking nevertheless) comes up to Joseph and Mary - out of town visitors from Nazareth - takes the baby Jesus out of their arms, and proclaims that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. But then who did he turn to...? Joseph? Nope. Simeon turned to Mary and warned her that life as the mother of the Anointed One of God would not be easy.
Poor Joseph. He was the master of his household. Along with Mary, he had to endure the looks and whispers about marrying a woman who became pregnant before they were even married. More than likely he had to walk the whole way from Nazareth to Bethlehem to participate in the census (Mary was in no condition to walk). Mary is the one who was filled with the Holy Spirit, and who felt the child leap in her womb, and was called blessed, and who was inspired to break out into song. Poor Joseph was a bit player in the whole drama. It reminds me of the Charlie Brown Christmas. All the kids are excited about what they received in their stocking (caution: this is a vague memory at best... it's been a long time since I've watched A Charlie Brown Christmas). "I got some candy", "I got a popcorn ball"... and Charlie Brown sadly proclaims, "I got a rock."
It's almost as if God was preparing to radically redefine the customary social roles within Judaism. Rather than one step up from a piece of property or a slave, the gospels paint women in a whole new light. Think about it... It is a woman who brings the baby Jesus into the world (by the Holy Spirit, of course), women who become His disciples (no, not the disciples... but several women sat at the feet of their master, learning from him), women who came to embalm his body the day after he was crucified, and consequently, women were the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Hmmmm.
Yesterday, my wife and I enjoyed a nice dinner with a couple that essentially operates in a challenging, yet successful co-ministry together. They recognize that he brings certain gifts to the table, and she brings other, complementary gifts. Rather than a hierarchy, this marriage functions as a team... something I really desire for my wife and I as we prepare to enter full-time ministry. I can't imagine trying to do it with me as the man of the house, and her playing the role of quasi-servant. Oh, she doesn't share the same gifts or specific interests - for example, she would never want to preach - but without her, my ministry would be so limited and one-dimensional.
I guess what I'm saying is... I'm not ready to be Joseph and take a minor role in the unfolding saga of our emerging ministry (unless God demands that I do), but I'm thankful that through Joseph's rather obscure life with spiritual superstars like Mary and Jesus, God revealed the importance of women in His ongoing plan to redeem the world. He desires to bring His prodigal kids back home, and He'll use anyone who is willing to accept the call to serve Him.
So, what is it about human nature that makes it so hard to forgive one another? I was reading the account of the crucifixion this morning in Mark 15, and something struck me afresh. Jesus was on His way to the cross, carrying His own cross (actually, just the crossbeam portion I'm guessing). Of course, this is only after being put on false trial, mocked, brutally beaten, etc... you get the idea.
But the thing that caught my eye this morning wasn't the story of Jesus carrying His own cross... it was the fact that "they" (whoever they are) grabbed a passer-by named Simon of Cyrene and made him carry the heavy, splintery, now-bloody crossbeam... apparently because Jesus could not physically carry it any longer Himself. I wonder if Simon of Cyrene ever forgave the Jews, the Romans, and perhaps even Jesus for invading his privacy and making him carry that stupid cross. He was just passing by from the country - he had no beef with the Roman government. Why'd "they" pick him to carry that disgusting thing... UPHILL? And Jesus... if He hadn't gone and stirred up trouble, taking on the religious leaders, and making statements like, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (John 2:19)... Simon would not have been put in this God-forsaken position in the first place! But alas, as the Bible so often does, it only mentions Simon in passing - it never lets us in on his emotional state after being forced to do such a humiliating task.
Why do I ask if Simon ever forgave everyone? Because even though he had to carry the cross, I wonder if Simon really understood what was really happening in Jerusalem that fateful day. I wonder if he stuck around and heard Jesus cry "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" shortly before breathing His last? I wonder if Simon ever realized that Jesus died for him... and his family... and his relatives... and the whole world? Because, unless Simon understood the significance of the cross in which he was enlisted to carry - that is, the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus - he probably went away embarrassed and angry, rather than grateful and repentant.
I'm convinced that it is only in the light of the cross that we have the proper perspective on our own pain and suffering at the hands of evil-intended people. If we judge our actions based on our own, extremely self-serving sense of justice rather than God's supremely self-giving act of love... then it is next to impossible to forgive those who conspire to hurt us. If we truly want to be free when we're trapped in a prison of unforgiveness... then all we have to do - all Simon had to do - is look to the enormity of God's willingness to become one of us and lay down His life for our sake. Anything and everything we'll ever face in this life pales in comparison. Paraphrasing C.S. Lewis, he said that in order for us to roughly understand the significance of the Incarnation (The Son of God coming into the world and being born of a woman)... is to think of ourselves letting go of our humanity in order to become a slug! Amen... and, I might add, becoming a slug with the full knowledge that evil people would eagerly be there to pour salt on our slimy little body.
It's a hard thing, this life of faith. Many years ago, when I first fell in love with Jesus Christ, things were relatively easy. Just read God's Word and do what it says. But 13 years and nearly a master's degree later, I've learned that being a disciple of Jesus can't realistically be reduced to bumper sticker theology... C'mon, you've seen them before (heck, maybe you have one stuck on your rear bumper)... "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!"
Ya, I love God's Word too, but since the "good book" was written thousands of years ago, in other languages, in and for a completely different culture and philosophical worldview... trying to interpret what the Bible could be saying to God's people today ain't so simple. But frankly, I don't think it ever was meant to be simple. It's not a book of cut and dried answers to life... it's a unified collection of narrative stories of our God, and His movement and presence among His creation - namely, humanity. The Holy Spirit not only reveals how God has acted in human history, He also reveals to us - through the Church - how and where we fit into the ongoing story of God. As such,we as disciples of Jesus are called to do more than read the accounts what Jesus did and imitate his lifestyle... we are called to live in the community of God's people, interpret His Word through the lens of our cultural context, and allow the Spirit to show us how He is still at work in the world today through our lives.
Part of me wishes it were simple... just read the instructions and obey - but the greater part of me appreciates the holy mystery. God didn't give us a prescription for moral behavior, He gave us a collection of stories about ourselves... the good, bad, and ugly of human nature... and how He has continually weaved His mercy and grace in the midst of our fallenness. The Spirit of God beckons us to Christ, and reveals to us how our character ought to be shaped by His life within the context of our lives together as His disciples. I've heard it stated before that He is the Master, and as His disciples, we are apprentices, called to follow Him. Unlike what much of what 21st century American Church would tell you today however, the place we follow Him to is paradoxically into the valley of the shadow of death... to the cross.
Simple? No. Easy? No. Rewarding? Absolutely! Against all human logic, the Way of the cross, the Way of holiness, the Way of suffering, the Way of servanthood is the Way of deep-seated, God-infused joy. I understand that in my spirit, but articulating it to others caught up in a dog-eat-dog, fast-paced, self-serving world is difficult... no, it's downright impossible. Perhaps that's why we're called to do more than verbalize our faith... perhaps our actions - our Christlike concern for justice in the world - have the potential to speak louder than our words ever could. Perhaps we're called to do both... proclamation and mercy.
I wonder... why do people feel compelled to share their inner thoughts with others? After all, opening up and making yourself vulnerable to the world could lead to a whole lot of pain and regret... not to mention the dangerous whackos who lurk in the dark corners of cyberspace. On the other hand, we humans are deeply communal by nature, and we long to share our hearts with others we believe to be "safe." So to be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly certain why I opened Cafe Verona for business today... I suppose part of it was because my good friend Eric inspired me through his extremely consistent example. Part of it is because I have always wanted a good forum for writing a personal journal. Yes, I said personal... in a public kind of way (life is full of paradoxes). And finally, part if it is because the professor of my "Doctrine of Christian Holiness" class advised his students to keep a diary of their their journey of sanctification. Wow, now there's a big word that needs unpacking. It's an important one within my denomination... and yet, here I am three months from graduation and I still don't know exactly what it means. Scary.
Anyway, I suppose those are the primary reasons I set up shop with Cafe Verona. Yes, I know Starbucks spells it "Caffe" but Cafe Verona isn't a coffee, it's a place of my inner thoughts "loosely" based on my favorite coffee in the whole world! Ya, I know I'm a corporate sellout, but what can I say, I'm from Seattle, and live in Kansas City... home of Foldgers... 'nuff said!
One of my biggest problems with bloggers is that they either post very irratically, or they overwhelm us with six posts per day. Frankly, that doesn't do much for me except overload my Blog Reader. I think one posting per day would be a grand goal to acheive. However, I know myself better than that, and it's much more likely that I'll fall on the irratic side within a few days. Oh well, since I'm not planning to share Cafe Verona with too many folks, I'm sure no one will really notice if my blogging drops off the face of the earth.
If for some reason you are reading this post and you want to join me in my "private" spiritual journey, then by all means, pour yourself a cup of coffee (dark roast), pull up a chair, and join me! Your comments are welcome (unless they're really mean-spirited)... I love good conversation over a good cup of java!
