I was part of an interesting gathering yesterday called The Movement. Not even sure how I got invited. But it was quite an eclectic group. I sat at a table with Hank Hanegraffe, the Bible Answer Man. And I was in a discussion group with Phil Vischer, creator of Veggie Tales. Talk about left-brain and right-brain ends of the thought spectrum. Lots of different theological and methodological persuasions represented.
Just thought I'd share some personal reflections. The gathering really revolved around this question: what's wrong with the church? That isn't the way it was phrased. And it wasn't meant in a negative way. I think everyone gathered deeply loves and believes in the church. But the church-at-large has issues. And we need to be humble enough, honest enough, and courageous enough to admit it.
Here's my take.
I think the modern church has fixated on sins of commission. Don't do this and don't do that and you're alright. But that's not alright. Why? Because goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. That is why we're more known for what we're against than what we're for. Christianity was never intended to be a noun. It was meant to be a verb. It is sins of omission, those things we could have, would have, or should have done for the cause of Christ, that grieve our Heavenly Father. We've got to quit playing defense and start playing offense. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and start loving our enemies. We need to quit pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Discipleship is so much more than the accumulation of rote knowledge. It's a sanctified imagination that dreams God-sized dreams. It is a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God. It's not enough to create our own sub-culture. We desperately need to raise up a generation that feels called to culture-shaping professions as God-ordained vocations. We cannot reduce the gospel to the forgiveness of sins. It's about glorifying God by maximizing our God-given potential and serving our God-ordained purpose. It can't just be about creeds. It's got to be about deeds. It can't just be about us. It's got to be about others. We need the courage to stand up for what's right in a culture where nothing is wrong. But we need to do it in a spirit of humility. We need the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. But we need to do it in a spirit of authenticity. And we need the courage to preach the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. But we need to do it in a spirit of grace.
Just thought I'd share some personal reflections. The gathering really revolved around this question: what's wrong with the church? That isn't the way it was phrased. And it wasn't meant in a negative way. I think everyone gathered deeply loves and believes in the church. But the church-at-large has issues. And we need to be humble enough, honest enough, and courageous enough to admit it.
Here's my take.
I think the modern church has fixated on sins of commission. Don't do this and don't do that and you're alright. But that's not alright. Why? Because goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. That is why we're more known for what we're against than what we're for. Christianity was never intended to be a noun. It was meant to be a verb. It is sins of omission, those things we could have, would have, or should have done for the cause of Christ, that grieve our Heavenly Father. We've got to quit playing defense and start playing offense. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and start loving our enemies. We need to quit pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Discipleship is so much more than the accumulation of rote knowledge. It's a sanctified imagination that dreams God-sized dreams. It is a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God. It's not enough to create our own sub-culture. We desperately need to raise up a generation that feels called to culture-shaping professions as God-ordained vocations. We cannot reduce the gospel to the forgiveness of sins. It's about glorifying God by maximizing our God-given potential and serving our God-ordained purpose. It can't just be about creeds. It's got to be about deeds. It can't just be about us. It's got to be about others. We need the courage to stand up for what's right in a culture where nothing is wrong. But we need to do it in a spirit of humility. We need the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. But we need to do it in a spirit of authenticity. And we need the courage to preach the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. But we need to do it in a spirit of grace.
17 Comments:
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Can any of us truly say that we have no regrets in the way we live our lives?
God help us to truly have the passion that we need to reach people who have been left hanging by the "traditional church".
Wow, great insight! I just finished Wild Goode Chase, and can hear some of that here, it is time to free ourselves from the cages we find ourselves trapped in! The church will prevail, and I resolve to be part of the resurgence of the local American church!
Well said. What I also see as part of the bigger problem is the idea that a once of confession, "Jesus come into my heart." is not a freedom to sin. Just like Paul talked about in Romans. For some reason people think that the "sinners prayer" is a pass when in reality it is the thing that leads to a hard life. A life on the narrow path as Jesus put it. That life may be hard and the way may be narrow, but the joy that comes is well worth it. The joy to be loved and to belong to the creator of the universe is a blessing that can be tasted.
When James talks about hearers vs. doers he doesn't try to say, "Do one and the other will come." although that can happen. His idea is BOTH are necessary. LOVE people because God loves you. Your right that we become little ears sitting in pews and not the feet that spread the gospel. I'll stop the rant now. :-)
My wife and I just started going to NCC Union Station and we absolutely love it. Thank you and your team so much for your obedience to God. We are grateful to be apart of the community.
Dustin
endurelife.com
This is a really great post. Thank you for the insight. I couldn't agree with you more.
Great post, Pastor Mark. Sounds like a fascinating conference.
I think a major part of "the problem" is we still treat Christians as if we were unsaved! That is, we know about justification/forgiveness, but we've forgotten about regeneration, reconciliation, and redemption. We are new creatures in Christ: saints. We are in a new relationship with God: sons and daughters. We have a new power within us: Christ's resurrection power.
True discipleship empowers Christians to live like the new people we already are....
this is awesome... thank you.
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Mark,
Thanks for your insights regarding the church. It has taken a long but I finally discovered that as long as I focused on my sins I was only thinking of myself. I always felt judged by standard I could never live up to. When I realized Jesus was more concern for my Kingdom potential than my performance I began to live the life He had for me. Jesus came to set the captives free!
You are dead-on right here. But remember, some of the sins of the church are distinct to the American church...it would be fascinating to read a comprehensive study of the church from 3-4 different cultures to see what their corporate sins are. [For example, any Christian ministry that taps into a theme of materialism will be successful in America because of that stronghold - but that's not true in every culture.] I bet there is a place where someone is standing up and saying, "Hey people, it's not just about deeds, it's about creeds!" We should study places where the church is activistic and learn from them.
Great comments bro!
Great thoughts Mark, the words really challenged me. Recieved Wild Goose Chase the other day and can't wait to get into it. As soon as I am finished with Organic Church I will be starting it. I was also told to watch the videos after I read each of the chapters. Really Excited, Can't wait!
The 3 spirits you mentioned - humility, grace, and authenticity - are good to remember. Good examples of the Beatitudes in action. After all, the kingdom of heaven is what we're all after, right?
Enjoyed the article very much. The segment concerning keeping a "spirit of humility" is so on target. This is true no matter what endeavor we pursue. Allowing it to complete a full work in us, humility takes care of many of the other issues that would otherwise become obstacles in the way.
Seems we as Christians sometimes shy away from this kind of thinking and practice, because too many see it as a weakness rather than a strength. Nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks Mark
I am someone the traditional church has rejected time and time again.
You don't need passion; there's lots of that. It's not even really about sin, though that's part of it.
Acceptance.
The traditional church, in my experience, does not offer acceptance.
A person cannot be different. They cannot dress or speak differently. They cannot hold differing political or social views. They cannot have unusual hobbies or jobs.
Or, rather, they can - for the first two or three times they visit a church. After that, they are expected to star to conform, to start to wear traditional 'Sunday best' speak like everyone else and blend into the homogeneous mass of everyone else there.
If you stand out, if you look, act or speak differently for too long, you aren't truly welcomed into community.
Everyone sins. Christian and non-Christian. Accept that. Accept the sinner; love the sinner.
But stop making dressing differently or speaking differently or being different part of sin.
It's not always.
We're supposed to love our neighbor. How can we love if we don't accept?
All the rest of it - discipleship, understanding sin, having passion, teaching the truth - all of that works itself out if you can manage to really love the people you're reaching out to, especially those different from you or that you don't understand.
Half of what you shared was exactly what God impressed on my heart as well. Thanks Mark for the affirmation!!
Just to let you know I'm one of the many leaders of a campus ministry in Perth, Australia and have been following your blog for sometime. You insights has inspired and encouraged not only myself but many other Christians halfway round the world!! Never stop blogging and being a witness to world (literally)!
P.s: In the Pit with the Lion was awesome! Haven't finished Wild Goose yet. Australia is bit slow in
bringing new releases.
Mark, thanks so much for the amazing insight on such a crucial topic in the church today. Somehow we've lost site as a whole that Jesus said the GREATEST commandment is to love Him with all our hearts and to love others. You touch alot of lives and I'm so thankful for the spiritual insight God has blessed you with.
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