4 posts tagged “christianity”
To comment on this post, you can register for free at Vox.com. Alternatively, you can send comments here, and I'll post them below.
***
***
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.
-- Mark Twain
It is fashionable today, among young and passionate Christians, to say that the church -- as an institution, as a ministry, as a place -- is doomed. There is a big difference within this camp between the Church and church. It is the latter, the uncapitalized locale in all its pitiful expiration, that represents the true problem for the members of this creed. The church has come to represent the last vestige of a dying day. The way we do church today, the logic goes, has nothing to say to the people of this world. The modern church, in short, has lost its value, and worse still, it has lost its use to both the saved and the wanting.
I have not subscribed to this reasoning, and at best, I find it suspect. The popularity of catchphrases like “we won't have 'church' in twenty years” or “God is not in a building” among young intellectuals in the Church only serves to muddle a very important debate. I believe it is vital to analyze what the church means in modern culture, what it has meant, and what it could mean in the future. Obviously, this is not the space to do something of that considerable length. What I will discuss here, though, are three relatively brief reasons why I do not believe the church is going anywhere any time soon. The church will remain a factor in Christianity precisely because it will retain its usefulness. In spite of the naysayers, what made the church important in the first place will ensure its constancy in the world of tomorrow, in a time of post-post-modernism or whatever novel philosophy to which the world might subscribe.
Reason #1: The church is global.
There is no use denying every criticism of the church as hopelessly illogical. Only an optimist of the delusional type would look at churches today and see a field of beautiful flowers lifting up their Creator. I still laugh hysterically (even as I cry inside) when I watch Sunday night BET. “Call and receive my Holy Prayer Handkerchief, and all your dreams will come true.” “Send my ministry a financial contribution, and God will open the storehouses of His blessing.” I have heard this kind of language on TV and witnessed it myself in churches here in San Antonio. As huge buildings are erected to the self-importance and perceived necessity of local ministries, it is difficult to not get angry and wonder where we're headed. But these aren't points I need to stress. John Piper has said the same (and more) much better than I ever could:
But deep within this clip is something you might have missed. It is certainly true that America is manufacturing a dangerous idea of church, a delusional approach to ministry that focuses on people and not the kingdom. But this is America. This is not the entire world. The funny thing about the people who blame American ministries for focusing only on themselves is that they commit the same sin. The idea that we are witnessing the end of the church is an American response to an American problem.
Allow me to elaborate. The young and the passionate who amplify the creed of a “no-church Church” have also come out of America. The Church they see has evolved past the need for an institution that is prone to focusing on the vanity of its human leaders and audience. These same thinkers cry out -- and rightfully so -- for a renewed focus on the world outside of America, but at the same time, they present a solution to church that ignores the world around them. John Piper hits the nail on the head when he says that America is exporting an idea of Christianity that focuses on goods and on people instead of the Good and the Kingdom. But what good would it for Americans to export a very different idea, that the church is unnecessary and a thing of the past. What past would we be speaking of? Our past. But what about their past?
If we are to subscribe to the idea that the church is dead, we will have localized the Church. We will have committed the same sin as the vain preachers, only in a different way, toward the other end of the spectrum. Like the foolish leaders who erect “Landmarks for Jesus,” we will have created an approach to Christianity that is only focused on our local problems. We will have prescribed an American solution to a global church. For millions of Christians outside of America, who number well above the swelling masses of the me-first West, the church is the future.
In places like India and Africa and Asia, the saved have not become disillusioned, as we have, from the onslaught of postmodernism. There is joy to be taken in this fact. There is a world outside of the gates of the West whose people long for something only the church can offer. And not the church of HD cameras. Not the church of three-piece suits. Not the church that takes offerings for the pastor's private jet (which I actually attended at one point in time). When these things become the focus of a church, we are right to criticize. But the church -- as an institution, as a ministry, as a place -- still has something to offer the vast majority of the world.
Perhaps we have become too spoiled in our history. And perhaps the church will make changes. It should. But we cannot localize the Church because of our history. Regardless of which way we turn, we will be exporting an idea of church to the rest of the world. The utility of this idea -- as opposed to “host home” or “coffee shop meet-up” -- is priceless for places of poverty and war and desolation.
A correct response to this argument would be that in places like Africa, people only have the church because they need it. People will walk miles to a church because they don't have a choice. But how advanced do we really think a poverty-stricken community would be if they had no more meetings in an established gathering? What would a village be like if everyone had a Bible and didn't have to take the long walk to a church? Surely, this would solve all of the community's problems! I mean, I can't ever think of a time where I was involved in a Bible study where someone said something horribly misinformed or heretical! I can't ever recall a time where meeting with fellow Christians who thought exactly like me and lived in exactly the same area left me wanting interaction with people outside of the “circle!”
Sarcasm is often difficult to put into type, but hopefully you get my point. (I am laying it on pretty thick.) The church continues to represent the opportunity for people to come together from different areas, and this is true in the Third World and in America. Can churches become stale? Can they get to a point where all they do is scratch their own backs and pick their own pockets? Sure. I'd recommend a few places here in town, but I'm sure you already have some in mind. All of these places -- I find it difficult to call them “churches” proper -- should change or dissolve. But this does not end the discussion for all churches. I hate to use the trite adage that one bad apple does not spoil the bunch, but it bears mentioning in this discussion. To say something like “the church as we know it won't exist in twenty years” brings up useful questions. How do you “know it?” What church? Whose church? How we truthfully answer questions like these is unlikely to lead us to sound the clarion call for a future without church. It is because the church is global -- and not simply American -- that it will remain a fixture of Christianity.
To comment on this post, you can register for free at Vox.com. Alternatively, you can send comments here, and I'll post them below.
***
- Remember Jenga? Apparently some of the kids that played it ended up becoming architects. What was once family fun has become industry vogue.
- Most of us, Christian or not, are familiar with the story of Jesus. But in telling that story to others, we often miss one of the most important aspects of Jesus: his "crucifiability." It isn't enough to say that Jesus commanded love for one another. Under Roman law, Jesus was deemed dangerous enough to receive the most humiliating and brutal death of all, something normally reserved for rebels and insurrectionists.
- Ten years after Columbine, it is easy to forget how much that day changed America.
- In a later post, I plan on outlining why I don't think the church as an institution will be going anywhere any time soon. Evan Sparks (who I used to work under in DC) discusses the argument that modernism may have been the biggest boost to the strength of organized religion.
- Doves, one of my favorite bands, are arguably the most underrated today. Their latest album, the long-awaited Kingdom of Rust, stands as a testament to both their greatness and to the travesty of their unpopularity. (This review is kind of surprising, by the way; I normally hate Pitchfork reviews.)
- Now this sounds like something I'd be interested in for graduate school.
- Tim Duncan is awesome. 'Nuff said. Now, get ready for the playoffs.
To comment on this post, you can register for free at Vox.com. Alternatively, you can send comments here, and I'll post them below.
***
***
Psalm 104:24 (ESV)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Last week, the usual breakfast gang at La Bandera Molina was discussing a characteristically wide assortment of subjects. Though much of what we talked about could be called frivolous, if not harmlessly entertaining (sports, music, television, etc.), our conversation eventually turned toward more weighty thoughts. What is popular culture? How can and should Christians interact with it? What makes certain aspects of it so enjoyable?
This post is not about any of that. But it is about that day. Over that breakfast I commented, in my usual offhand and somewhat distracted manner, that I was surprised the title "Good Friday" has stuck around for so long. Considering the circumstances of the holiday, shouldn't it at least be called "Great Friday?" "Good" to me implies a day that is only slightly better than the norm. Consider the following exchange:
"Hey, man, how was your day?"
"Good. Yours?"
"Yeah, it was good. Thank God it's Friday, right?"
"Yeah, no kidding."
Is that what you think about when you hear "Good Friday?" Maybe not. But it's easy to miss the real reason for the holiday. This year, I felt like I managed to pay more attention than usual. I went to the local zoo with my family, and though I had anticipated a great day of fellowship, what I saw was difficult to ignore.
All around me, on that perfect spring day, were the wonders of His creation. In the midst of relational problems among my extended family, in the middle of the excitement of preparing for a wedding, under the weight of a stomach full of Mexican food -- shining through all of this was the beauty of life. I've been to the zoo too many times to count, but this Friday seemed different. The sights were so moving this go around. My spirit was constantly engaged by the majesty of His purpose, by the genius of His creation.
That to me is what this one Friday in April should be about. As Christians, we should recognize the perfection of a God who created all creatures and, in His infinite glory, decided to place us right in the middle. The animals there were beautiful, but their natural grace, their spectacular colors -- these came second to the humanity around them. As truly amazing as all the animals at the zoo were, it was the look of wonder on my little cousin's face that stuck with me at the end of the day. The simple hope in his awe at the beauty of God's creation was a reminder of what the day really signified.
God's will is perfect. He created humans that are free to be flawed, free to be in bondage. This seems like a contradiction when we try to grasp the truth with our finite minds. Free to be slaves. But like GK Chesterton noted, the "contradictions" we find in God's Word are merely calling us to the truths we might have otherwise missed. It is in recognizing that God created us free to commit sin that we realize the necessity of becoming a new creation. It is in God's perfect plan that we were created with weaknesses; likewise, it is in His perfect plan that we might attain salvation, that we might rise again as completely reimagined creatures of His glory, by accepting the sacrifice paid on that cross. That's not just a good thing. It's the only thing. But sometimes it takes a second to look around and remind ourselves that His will is perfect, His plan truth.
Colossians 1:21-23 (ESV, emphasis added)
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
To comment on this post, you can register for free at Vox.com. Alternatively, you can send comments here, and I'll post them below.
***
My dad and I are on a Planet Earth kick now that we have an HD TV. The visuals are stunning, the colors vibrant, and the ability to just sit in awe at the beauty of God's creation is profound, even if it's happening through cable. About a week ago, we saw the “Jungle” episode, and of all the great scenes or parts, one stood way out. In the jungle, there is a type of fungus -- called cordyceps -- that will literally take over the insect it infects. Like some kind of evil genius parasite, this infection takes over the minds of the insects and manifests itself in bizarre protrusions as the insect slowly dies.
The scene we watched (which I found on YouTube and pasted above) stuck with me later in the week. At the last Tuesday night service for the College/Career ministry at my church, we were going over a passage in Colossians, and as I passed over one verse, the image of the ant dying from the inside returned to my mind.
Enemies in your minds. Think about that for a second and your mind is drawn to an illustration of sin. There is something in us, in our nature, that leads us to disobey God. Like the ant above, we are taken over by our sin as it leads us further and further toward our demise. Grim stuff, indeed. We often think of the ant's existence as endless toil, working toward something greater, but this isn't so lowly a situation. We too are called to serve someone greater in all that we do here, yet something stops us. Something inherent keeps us from that service.
But unlike the ant, we explain it away. We reason that our sins can easily be wiped away, as if to say, “no matter, God will forgive.” But this is a dangerous pose for a Christian. To take God's love for granted is to misunderstand what experiencing that love truly entails. Proverbs 28:26 (ESV) says, “Whoever trusts his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is delivered.” I was reading a devotional this morning from John Piper's Pierced by the Word, and I was really challenged by his analysis of forgiveness. We do not pursue forgiveness for emotional relief or for a free conscience. These things do happen with forgiveness from the Lord, but they are not the ends of salvation. They are means. We are forgiven so that we might truly experience the wonder of God, so that we can stand before Him in His glory unashamed. That is the goal of forgiveness, but that is not always how we pursue it.
So we are often like the ant -- double-minded -- professing our faith and excusing our ways. Proverbs 12 :8 (ESV) says, “A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.” What we desire then is not just the cure for our ailments. What we desire is the removal of the obstruction to experiencing the ultimate satisfaction of God's love. A simplistic view of forgiveness misses this.
One of the most profound parts of the ant's story is the discovery that there is a unique strand of this bizarre, body-snatching fungus for nearly every insect in the jungle. How similar is our humanity! Lust, pride, greed, rage, sloth -- there is a sin for every man and woman on earth, one that pricks and pulls, nudging us in directions we wish to avoid. Sin specializes. Paul's description of his own sin in Romans is striking in its resemblance to the infected ant:
What Paul needs, what Paul desires, is to have a renewal of his mind (Rom. 12:2). He wants a deep transformation of his entire worldview. He wants to no longer conform but to fight, to move against the crowd of the sinful. This crowd concept is important, too. The ant in this jungle doesn't just die alone. He's removed from the entire colony because he also has the potential to infect others. Sin is the same way. We've all read Psalm 1, but return to it for a second.
The wicked, the sinners, the scoffers -- in the first Psalm, they are not pictured keeping to themselves. These people, infected by their flesh, counsel others. They have a way. They even have assigned seating! And all of this is tempting to those near them. But blessed is the man who avoids their sin. James 4:7-8 (ESV) says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
And here's the most important part about avoiding our own cordyceps: it takes work. Submit, resist, draw near, cleanse, purify -- it takes action to receive forgiveness from the Lord. Proverbs 26:2 (ESV) says, “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” In Romans, it's clear that Paul wants a clear mind so that he might leave his “body of death” and experience the love and mercy of a perfect God. His conclusion: the only lasting mental clarity that can be found is in the law of God (Rom. 7:25). If we want to avoid the manifestations of our sin, to escape the slow death of the spirit as the flesh takes over, we have to follow His law. We cannot trust our “twisted minds.” The only refrain from this body-snatching is faith. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” The promise of Colossians is our hope. It is our goal. To be present, "holy in his sight." Let that be our prayer as people of flawed flesh, of creatures with our own cordyceps. Let us focus our minds on His glory and trust in His law. Let us pray for forgiveness and clarity so that we might experience His perfect love.
***
My dad and I are on a Planet Earth kick now that we have an HD TV. The visuals are stunning, the colors vibrant, and the ability to just sit in awe at the beauty of God's creation is profound, even if it's happening through cable. About a week ago, we saw the “Jungle” episode, and of all the great scenes or parts, one stood way out. In the jungle, there is a type of fungus -- called cordyceps -- that will literally take over the insect it infects. Like some kind of evil genius parasite, this infection takes over the minds of the insects and manifests itself in bizarre protrusions as the insect slowly dies.
The scene we watched (which I found on YouTube and pasted above) stuck with me later in the week. At the last Tuesday night service for the College/Career ministry at my church, we were going over a passage in Colossians, and as I passed over one verse, the image of the ant dying from the inside returned to my mind.
Colossians 1:21-23 (NIV):
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Enemies in your minds. Think about that for a second and your mind is drawn to an illustration of sin. There is something in us, in our nature, that leads us to disobey God. Like the ant above, we are taken over by our sin as it leads us further and further toward our demise. Grim stuff, indeed. We often think of the ant's existence as endless toil, working toward something greater, but this isn't so lowly a situation. We too are called to serve someone greater in all that we do here, yet something stops us. Something inherent keeps us from that service.
But unlike the ant, we explain it away. We reason that our sins can easily be wiped away, as if to say, “no matter, God will forgive.” But this is a dangerous pose for a Christian. To take God's love for granted is to misunderstand what experiencing that love truly entails. Proverbs 28:26 (ESV) says, “Whoever trusts his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is delivered.” I was reading a devotional this morning from John Piper's Pierced by the Word, and I was really challenged by his analysis of forgiveness. We do not pursue forgiveness for emotional relief or for a free conscience. These things do happen with forgiveness from the Lord, but they are not the ends of salvation. They are means. We are forgiven so that we might truly experience the wonder of God, so that we can stand before Him in His glory unashamed. That is the goal of forgiveness, but that is not always how we pursue it.
So we are often like the ant -- double-minded -- professing our faith and excusing our ways. Proverbs 12 :8 (ESV) says, “A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.” What we desire then is not just the cure for our ailments. What we desire is the removal of the obstruction to experiencing the ultimate satisfaction of God's love. A simplistic view of forgiveness misses this.
One of the most profound parts of the ant's story is the discovery that there is a unique strand of this bizarre, body-snatching fungus for nearly every insect in the jungle. How similar is our humanity! Lust, pride, greed, rage, sloth -- there is a sin for every man and woman on earth, one that pricks and pulls, nudging us in directions we wish to avoid. Sin specializes. Paul's description of his own sin in Romans is striking in its resemblance to the infected ant:
Romans 7:15-25 (ESV):
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
What Paul needs, what Paul desires, is to have a renewal of his mind (Rom. 12:2). He wants a deep transformation of his entire worldview. He wants to no longer conform but to fight, to move against the crowd of the sinful. This crowd concept is important, too. The ant in this jungle doesn't just die alone. He's removed from the entire colony because he also has the potential to infect others. Sin is the same way. We've all read Psalm 1, but return to it for a second.
Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV):
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
The wicked, the sinners, the scoffers -- in the first Psalm, they are not pictured keeping to themselves. These people, infected by their flesh, counsel others. They have a way. They even have assigned seating! And all of this is tempting to those near them. But blessed is the man who avoids their sin. James 4:7-8 (ESV) says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
And here's the most important part about avoiding our own cordyceps: it takes work. Submit, resist, draw near, cleanse, purify -- it takes action to receive forgiveness from the Lord. Proverbs 26:2 (ESV) says, “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” In Romans, it's clear that Paul wants a clear mind so that he might leave his “body of death” and experience the love and mercy of a perfect God. His conclusion: the only lasting mental clarity that can be found is in the law of God (Rom. 7:25). If we want to avoid the manifestations of our sin, to escape the slow death of the spirit as the flesh takes over, we have to follow His law. We cannot trust our “twisted minds.” The only refrain from this body-snatching is faith. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” The promise of Colossians is our hope. It is our goal. To be present, "holy in his sight." Let that be our prayer as people of flawed flesh, of creatures with our own cordyceps. Let us focus our minds on His glory and trust in His law. Let us pray for forgiveness and clarity so that we might experience His perfect love.
My Groups
-
Christus Vox Updated: 2 hours ago
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
