I fly to Germany on Tuesday to be part of a delegation of a dozen leaders discussing the future of the church. We will actually be in Wittenberg, Germany where Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on Reformation Day!
The theme of the gathering is Acts 17:6 where it says the early disciples turned the world upside down. Each member of the delegation will share their perspective. But I'd give a nickel for your thoughts.
Here are my two questions.
1) Do we need another reformation?
For the record, I think we do. I love the way Rick Warren framed it a few months ago in a similar sort of gathering. He said the 16th century reformation was a reformation of creeds. The five solas were an important theological correction to some of the unbiblical practices that had crept into the church. But Rick suggested that the 21st century reformation needs to be a reformation of deeds. And he's obviously trying to lead that charge through a variety of worldwide initiatives.
2) How can the 21st century church turn the world upside-down like the 1st century church?
I know the easy answer: do what the 1st century church did. But I'd love to hear some perspectives. Where has the church missed the mark? What do we need to reform? What opportunities or technologies do we need to redeem? How can we recapture the primal essence of Christianity in a way that turns the world upside down?
The theme of the gathering is Acts 17:6 where it says the early disciples turned the world upside down. Each member of the delegation will share their perspective. But I'd give a nickel for your thoughts.
Here are my two questions.
1) Do we need another reformation?
For the record, I think we do. I love the way Rick Warren framed it a few months ago in a similar sort of gathering. He said the 16th century reformation was a reformation of creeds. The five solas were an important theological correction to some of the unbiblical practices that had crept into the church. But Rick suggested that the 21st century reformation needs to be a reformation of deeds. And he's obviously trying to lead that charge through a variety of worldwide initiatives.
2) How can the 21st century church turn the world upside-down like the 1st century church?
I know the easy answer: do what the 1st century church did. But I'd love to hear some perspectives. Where has the church missed the mark? What do we need to reform? What opportunities or technologies do we need to redeem? How can we recapture the primal essence of Christianity in a way that turns the world upside down?
25 Comments:
Nail it to the door Mark. Bring it on.
i really think think that we do need a transformation in the way that we lead our congregations and encouraging disciplship and evangelism efforts. i don't know if that helps
If the reformation sola's were only practiced in our preaching, we would see a difference.
Mark...In large measure, the church's response to the needs of our community has been to send out a team one Saturday a month to perform acts of kindness and to serve of others. We called it missions and we placated the obligation of many church people. That's not necessarily wrong, but in my humble opinion, the church needs to reach those in the shadows of the shadows and minister as a way of life, not as a mere spiritual satisfaction of duty.
I think the church needs to regain the perspective of first century believers that on account of the name of Jesus, we will endure various trials and troubles. The persecuted righteous motif is one that has become unpopular in the modern church, leaving the door open to easy believism and shallow faith. One serious question to our people should be, "are you willing to die for your faith?" I'm not sure if it's always a perfect test for whether I'm being as effective for the kingdom as I can be or not, but I examine the level of opposition I'm experiencing in my life. That is, not to say that I look for a devil around every corner, but there should be some tension between darkness and light happening as a direct result of the things I am doing. Anyway, sorry to ramble.
Yes....Recapture Jesus' leadership prototype - "Serve and not be served."
I sense the need for leaders to experience, model, then coach the American church to return to God's commands concerning sabbath. Reformation that drives us into God's presence is needed. I'm reading Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton.
I think it should be noted that the early church had a lot of troubling issues just like today. If you doubt me, read 1 Corinthians!
I believe we need a reformation. I believe we need a revival.
However, we need to take culture into our considerations (all over the world), just as the early church did. While I believe the principles of the early church should be practiced (i.e., love for each other, generosity, use of spiritual gifts, community), I do not necessarily think that we should mimic the early church's methods.
I think the reformation involves having good theology--that is, read the bible, meditate on it, pray through it, and do whatever God tells us. If we would all listen to the testimony of the Spirit inside of us, we would probably be a much stronger Church.
The “creeds to deeds” illustration is an accurate description of the change required within the body. As necessary as the establishment of the creeds were among the first reformers, risks beyond our comfort to serve our community and world are a necessary offering missing in many of our churches. Particularly coming alongside the socio-economic poor. As valuable as it is to gain an academic knowledge of our God and Savior through time and study of His Word and the teaching of the great (first) reformers, couple that by mirroring the action God took to leave his place to walk alongside and serve the socio-economic poverty of His day.
I like what Jeremiah said of Josiah
“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD.” Jer. 22:16
We need a reformation in how we see ourselves as much as how we see those who don't know Christ yet.
Instead of coming into the community of the church to find sanctuary from the world, we will need to find the church as a place of replenishment. A place where we 'fill up' in order to return to our places of work, etc. to take the understanding of community, (and ultimately relationship with God) to a world that desperately needs it.
Sociologically, the church fills two primary functions - to provide community and to take care of the poor. Today's poor aren't just poor in the physical, although there are plenty, they are poverty stricken in mind and soul as well.
God is by nature the ultimate in community, and the Christian church has an understanding of community that the rest of the world is searching for. We can provide community and healing throughout society because that is what Christ did and via the Holy Spirit, still does.
Hi, I got your book as a gift, The Wild Goose Chase from Felicia and Michael in your church, Felicia is Romanian. I must say it is shaking up my world and the Lord has been dealing with me for a while. Thank you for this book. It is not by chance that I got to read it. In fact I haven't read it all yet, I take it like tablets, in small (chapters) doses, letting myself transformed by the Holy Spirit. I am a 27 year old mother to be and a children's worker in our church. THe Holy Spirit has been surprising me ever since I started this work with the children. As about your topic on the blog, I believe the first century Christians believed in Christ like children do, no hesitation and believed in the promises God had for them, by the actions they did. Today, we Romanians, forget about the God of the impossible and focus on our daily struggle to earn enough money. During the communism time the churches were packed, people wouldn't leave for home though they were told at work not ot attend the church and fellowship, though there were spies among them. Then Christians were strong in their faith, not even threats or death could take Jesus from them. But the past is past for Romania, we need to start getting our of our comfortable shells for the present and future. Less and less young people are involved in the ministry and if they are involved, their perseverance dies out very soon. We, Romanian Christians need to wake up and have a pain in our hearts for the unsaved.
Oana
The American church seems to have forgotten that it is not the government's job to legislate morality - people will become moral when their lives are changed by Christ.
If the church would do her job, the government would actually have an easier time doing its job - punishing (fewer) lawbreakers.
Daniel
It seems to me that the second Reformation we need is to remember the first one...I notice that everyone is talking about discipleship and evangelism and serving the community. Those are all well and dandy, but if we focus on the Gospel: the Good News that we have been saved through faith by God, even in our sin, all else falls into line.
Mark,
I think the "creed of deeds" idea is right on, on a couple of levels. First we need to translate the creeds of Luther's Reformation into action. We need mutual submission & accountability in the church. Secondly, I think Rick Warren's idea is correct. We need to start standing up for what we are for rather than only standing up for the things we're against.
Matt
Yes, yes, yes!
The first "Re"formation was a self-theologizing response to the conditions of "then."
And we need a "Re"construction now where we (collectively) take it back down to the studs (deconstruct), check every board, rethink the engineering, reconsider the design necessary for now and then work to remodel it.
This is different than declaring all things past null & void and it's different than simply swallowing the past unquestioningly.
The reformation occurred when people realized their own identity in Christ. Rather than living their faith through the church, it became their own faith. Leaders like Luther worked to empower and equip the people - giving them back the identity which had been stolen by the corrupted church.
A 2nd reformation is definitely needed, but so is a 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Until we all reach unity in the faith, and claim our true identity as God's children and followers of Jesus, there will always be need for more reform.
By the way, "In a Pit" and "Wild Goose" are great examples of teachings centered on reclaiming our true identities in Christ. We are more than conquerors! We are lion chasers. We are God's representatives on earth.
Mark,
I was recently asked by a church, "What are some ideas you have to help us build community and reach the community?" I believe their heart was right, but the tone of their voice let me know they were trying to build numbers because they were struggling financially. This conversation reminded me of the beauty of biblical Paradoxes.
So I said, "You need to CONTRIBUTE to the community and stop trying to just CONSUME the community." After their eyes stop resembling a fresh HOT Krispy Kreme doughnut, I explained.........."It's time that we, without expectation of anything in return, contribute to the community."
It's time for the church to come back to the center of town (thanks NCC & Ebenezer's) and for the front porch to be back on America.
Michael Trent
M,
Thanks for asking. I think that the church has failed to reach the most fertile harvest field in America, the public high school.
Largely unchurched (~96%), statistically most open to receiving the gospel, historically reformation starters.
Consider this: Malachi 4:6 ...turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..
Luke 1:17 ...turn the hearts of the fathers to their children...
The last thing God says and one of the the first things God says is that the fathers need to turn their hearts to the children.
Why, as the body of Christ are we not sowing MORE into the next generation, especially the public school system? What we have been doing has not been enough the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. I believe that the next reformation will begin when we turn our hearts to the next generation.
M,
Thanks for asking. I think that the church has failed to reach the most fertile harvest field in America, the public high school.
Largely unchurched (~96%), statistically most open to receiving the gospel, historically reformation starters.
Consider this: Malachi 4:6 ...turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..
Luke 1:17 ...turn the hearts of the fathers to their children...
The last thing God says and one of the the first things God says is that the fathers need to turn their hearts to the children.
Why, as the body of Christ are we not sowing MORE into the next generation, especially the public school system? What we have been doing has not been enough the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. I believe that the next reformation will begin when we turn our hearts to the next generation.
After looking at the line up for the meeting in Germany, the first thing that struck me was the lack of women in the list. I'm not knocking the caliber of people who will be attending, but given two thousand years since the first church I would think that we would have past this gender mark.
We must have a deconstruction of the sytems within the church as we know them. For many of us we have tried to make changes, but have made the decision to keep the systems. True change has to involve a transformation of systems. This change goes far beyond using new technology and goes to the heart of what it means to "be" a follower of Christ in today's culture.
If we start looking with "new" eyes, I think that the greatest ideas for our children's spiritual experience will become evident.
We need to practice grace and forgiveness, even when it requires personal sacrifice or suffering.
We need to remember that the concept of sin is good news because we are forgiven: every time we confess a sin, it is an opportunity to give grateful love to God (Luke 7:36-50). The message of sin and confession needs to be revived, but not in a rules/legalistic way. We need to revive the mystical wonder present in the fact that we are wholly forgiven and restored! True understanding of grace and forgiveness are transformational. They lead us into loving God with all our heart, mind, body, soul, and loving others as ourselves.
How can the 21st century church turn the world upside-down like the 1st century church?
She can search the Word for Her true identity. She can lay aside Her programs, classes and trinkets and pick up intimacy with Her Husband. She can understand that She exists to establish the Kingdom of God upon the earth instead of building kingdoms of men.
Even just these few changes in approach would begin to usher in the reality of the Gospel. Check out this recent blog for a much more elaborate answer to this exact question.
The Church must discover Her true identity.
We need to be both "grace and truth" as Christ was and still is - John 1:14.
How? Col. 4:5 - "Being wise in the way we act toward outsiders" with our "daily lives winning the respect of others" - First Thes. 4:12.
We need to "be"(truth)in order to "do"(grace)in incarnational ways.
Threading the needle between grace and truth allows our beliefs to effect our behaviors. Now that is a hill to die on.....or nail to a door.
In a new reformation along with missional ministry I believe there needs to be a fresh return to the Word of God. There is power when we preach the Word. (Heb. 4:12) And there is no subsitute for preaching. (Rom. 10:14) We must communicate God's Word with new authenticity and clarity.
The blurb in the newspaper we can make as church with our missional minsitry will last for a day, but God's Word lasts forever.
Read it, preach it, then live it! In a new reformation let us listen to God as He speaks to and guides us through His Word!
Nail it to the door Mark!
I think you nailed why we need a reformation at the Saddleback gathering when you said "We are educated beyond our obiedience."
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