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Friday, September 27, 2013
Stuck in a Grey Area
Yea, so I've been struggling with doubt lately. Mostly doubt about where I stand in relation to God. I haven't exactly been a shining beacon of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, in fact I have questioned lately whether I can even correctly claim that I'm a follower. I haven't attended church in a while, though I can't say that I really believe this is the root of the issue. More importantly, I would say that I have been avoiding the people of God. I have found myself becoming more consumed by my job, and as a result I am conveniently allowed myself to make excuses for not making time for spirituality. As a result, I have not been very spiritual lately. In fact, I don't talk about it much at work, and I'd prefer that people there didn't know that I do have a spiritual life. It sounds terrible, but I'd be pretty embarrassed for people to find out that I have some sort of faith in Jesus, because lately I haven't been living it.
I think the root of this cause for me is lack of community with the people of God. My wife and I have attempted to find such community, but I don't feel that we have met anyone else truly seeking it who live here in Savannah. Those whom we know that might be interested in such community are too busy with their own lives. The churches that we have attended seeking such community are filled with people who are more interested in a church program centered type of community. I believe in this day, however, its unrealistic for people's lives to revolve around a church with its activities. Church should be about people living in community with each other and God, bottom line.
Though I doubt where I stand in relation to God, and especially in relation to the people of God. I want to strive to do better and not be paralyzed by uncertainly and my comfortable lifestyle (lately) of not seeking God. Pray for me and my wife Heather as we do this, and pray that we find authentic community and cultivate a desire to actually be who we are supposed to be in relation to God and his people.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Pastor: Traditional vs. Biblical, by Joel Spencer
The following blog post can be found on Joel Spencer's blog over at http://desh412.blogspot.com/
First, here's a little background:
We were having a little conversation over Joel's facebook status, which read:
"Joel Spencer Wants to remind my local FB friends that Kristin and I still open our house every Thursday night for anyone to come in and gather. No sermons, no bulletins with orders of service to cling to, noone in charge but God Himself and Christ is the Head. All can come and share about the Word, where they are, where they're headed and be edified. This is the Church."
Naturally this stirred up some responses, and one guy quoted from Eph 4:11 which reads "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." He then proceeded to ask, "How can you have a church without the gift of God to the church, a pastor?"
Here is Joel's response:
This post was quickly scribbled down in response to a question that I was asked on facebook this morning after I posted a status about how we have no traditional "pastor" who leads the weekly gatherings in our home. What started as a 3-line comment turned long really quickly. The question was "How can you have a church without the gift of God to the church, a pastor?".
(This may have many grammatical errors. I have no time to edit it right now.)
My answer: Fantastic question Mr. Smith! One that I LOVE to answer actually. (First of all, I do find it interesting that only the lack of a “pastor” is what you brought up.) The issue with this is that the Body of Christ has errantly translated these roles into positions and titles. What you’re referencing as the definition of “pastor” is not the same as what Ephesians 4:11 is speaking of (at least I assume you would refer to a “traditional pastoral role” – ie: preaching sermons, visiting members, heading up “church” programs, etc.). None is elevated above another, when the Scripture is properly adhered to. Even the pastoral and apostolic roles are primarily to serve and take the lower position, simply enabling and teaching those who are younger in the faith. (The same translation/application error exists within the modern-day definition of “evangelist” and “apostle”. According to the original text, “apostle” (apostolos) is the more properly capable to be the messenger who is sent out, not the “evangelist” as most would refer to today. So, you see, it’s all about the original meaning of these things.)
As far as positions go, there’s a vast difference between offices held and functions. The best example we have is Jesus Himself. People wanted to elevate Him to an earthly position as a king, the “pastor of the ages” who would somehow make everything right in their religious worlds. He wanted no part of it. He laid Himself low and was as nothing when it came to lording over men, even though He was the only one with the right to do so. They wanted a leader-king, He washed feet. Jesus saw the eternal side of it all – something so much greater than any earthly position among men! Sadly, many “pastors” today respond out of the flesh and gladly fill this role – settling for earthly reward and status, unlike Jesus. The pastoral role, as is most common in nearly every “church”, is that the church is a business and the CEO is the pastor. The elders, deacons, etc. round out the pyramid of power until you get down to the lowly “laypeople”. Where is this in Scripture? What verses tell us of the “nobodies” in the Kingdom whose primary role is to show up when expected, give their money and carry out the designated leaders plans? There are no laypeople in the true Body of Christ - period. This is nothing short of yet another pattern of this world that has invaded the Body of Christ.
Christ is the Head and we are ALL the members. Can a physical body have 2 heads? It has one head and many members are controlled by it – ALL being equal, worthwhile and holding great value. Until Believers realize that they’re not meant to sit and “be fed” by an earthly leader, they will continue to lack personal revelation and the power that comes from grasping that each member is to be a vibrant, active, integral part of the Body. (Examine the people’s choosing Moses to go to God on their behalf because they didn’t want to do it themselves. The same thing happens today. “You, pastor, tell me what God is saying because that is easier.” It is a two-sided coin and both parties are responsible.)
I do have people in my life who fit the biblical pastoral role. Men that I look up to, seek biblical counsel on and gladly submit to as I know that they have walked in my spiritual shoes. The primary difference however, is that they wield no place of position over me. They enable me to walk further and deeper on my own. They heed my wisdom and listen to what I have to say on spiritual matters, seeing, that even though I may not be as far along, God speaks to and through me as well. They are humble and seek no earthly titles or recognition from men. They’re more interested in preserving and establishing biblical truth than age-old doctrines and traditions. Most of all, they live before me with Christ as their life. I know them. I eat with them. I love them and they love me. This is the deeper role of a pastor that simply cannot be established with a 1 per 100 (at best) system in order. It simply cannot work! I have seen first-hand what does and it perfectly fits the biblical model (imagine that!). Those gathering as the Body of Christ were never meant to be passive observers. No one man reserves the right to solely manage a gathering of Believers – period. 1 Corinthians 12-14 might as well be removed from the Bible if churches continue to promote the clergy/laity model as correct. (Just ask your pastor if you can preach next Sunday and see what happens.)
Lately so many people say to me, in summary, “Joel, why don’t you just stop questioning everything and be like the rest of us?!? Stop offending us and asking us to examine why we believe what we do as Christians! You’re hurting my feelings!” *sigh* I’m not out to offend and anger anyone – it’s simply not my agenda whatsoever. I just want to know why even the thought of questioning the golden calf of religion is such a travesty deemed unmentionable? The response to such a reality is as simple now as it was back in the days that Jesus walked the earth. The Phariseeical mindset runs deep and long (see Matthew 22 and 23 for many familiar examples). Whether people like to entertain the thought or not, the religious order of today greatly mimics the religious order of Jesus day. They chose to cling to traditions and old, dead rituals rather than embrace the life that Jesus was about to usher in via His sacrifice. They were so enveloped in their own practices, speaking as God’s self-ordained mouthpieces, that they literally missed the Messiah Himself! A snippet for example’s sake, taken from Matthew 15: Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Even if the common approach to the role of a pastor were biblically correct, which it clearly is not, it is not being applied right. The verse in question states clearly, some are appointed, implicating several. So if this were to be held to correctly, from the mainstream Christian majority’s approach, should there not be scores of pastors within each separate organized church gathering? This is obviously incorrect as well as even in the largest of “mega-churches”, there is but one “senior pastor” who “oversees his flock”. It’s no wonder so many pastors who spent their lives attempting to be successful within this system fail miserably and get burnt out. The simple fact is they are trying to fill a position that was never intended for them to fill. To debate the fact that the position of pastor as it is commonly known is all about the ultimate servant is futile. Whose name is on the marquee out front? Whose salary is the largest on the payroll? Who preaches every service? Who generally leads communion? Who prays for those who come to the altar after the altar call? Who leads the altar call? (This could go on for days!)
The “lay people”? Of course not! The pastor! (Someone tell me, when is “Layperson Appreciation Day” again on the church calendar?) All eyes look to the pastor and he is clearly known as the leader of the local church. Ask anyone who is the head of the church, Christian or otherwise. If even 1 out of 100 say “Christ”, I’d be in awe. No, it is the pastor. We could all go back and forth and debate how your pastor doesn’t see things this way or how different your church is. The issue at hand is with the system that is in place, not just with the people who embrace it. Plain and simple, elitism runs rampant within the Body of Christ and it continues to push out the “lesser” and elevates the “greater”. Sitting down, [Jesus] called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:34)
Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28)
It saddens me to no end to hear responses to my questioning of today’s “rule over” as opposed to “serve under” pastors. “Not my pastor!!!!” most say. “Mine preaches the Bible!”, “Our pastor is nice guy!” and let’s not forget, “You’re just rebellious and un-teachable!” (my personal favorite.) Friends, this is not about hurting feelings or offending others, it is much deeper. What does the Word really instruct us to do as the Body of Christ? Do we even know? Once we find out, should we dare to look, will we adhere to it and leave our traditions behind if they in any way oppose the Word? We will all personally be held responsible for what we cling to as Truth!
What does your Christianity look like apart from structured religion? Sadly, the majority would not even know what to do if someone was not present to tell them what to do next (ie: a traditional pastor). I believe this grieves God deeply because it devalues His children and keeps them ignorant of their purpose and potential. For years I’ve said, after having a bird’s eye view as one on paid staff at two different churches, most congregations would be more up in arms if the pastor didn’t show up than if God did. As a matter of fact, I believe One can often go completely unnoticed.
In summary, all people and roles are welcome in the gatherings we’re a part of. All are on a level playing field and titles have absolutely no role to play. Unity is achieved because the Spirit is our Guide and Christ is our primary Teacher. So while most would say, “how can you gather as the Church without a traditional ‘pastor’?” I’d respond, “Why would we need one?” There is no business to oversee. Each one who is a part of the gathering is invited to teach (which is simply expounding on Scripture – not some privilege for the select few). There’s no salaries, building projects or power bills to pay, so we don’t pass offering plates – choosing to live lives that cheerfully give, that God says He loves. We don’t adhere to service orders so no one needs to tell us what to do next. The differences are too vast to adequately list here. One way, the wide way, is a business and many travel down that path without question. The other way is the high way, where God dwells. Christ alone is the Head and anything that hinders us from becoming more like Him is thrown out the window and deemed unnecessary. So, while many might say “how can you not have a traditional pastor?”, I say “I’d rather have the biblical pastoral role in place instead”. All who have been born from above have gifting and abilities ready and waiting to be used in the Body of Christ. I will continue seek to join the LORD in drawing them out. Everyone else can keep “going to church” and sitting in rows with hands folded while someone preaches to them…. again. I choose freedom. I choose a living organism that is The Church that Christ Himself is building. This Body is not built with human hands and no man can claim any credit or reward. It is all His.
First, here's a little background:
We were having a little conversation over Joel's facebook status, which read:
"Joel Spencer Wants to remind my local FB friends that Kristin and I still open our house every Thursday night for anyone to come in and gather. No sermons, no bulletins with orders of service to cling to, noone in charge but God Himself and Christ is the Head. All can come and share about the Word, where they are, where they're headed and be edified. This is the Church."
Naturally this stirred up some responses, and one guy quoted from Eph 4:11 which reads "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." He then proceeded to ask, "How can you have a church without the gift of God to the church, a pastor?"
Here is Joel's response:
This post was quickly scribbled down in response to a question that I was asked on facebook this morning after I posted a status about how we have no traditional "pastor" who leads the weekly gatherings in our home. What started as a 3-line comment turned long really quickly. The question was "How can you have a church without the gift of God to the church, a pastor?".
(This may have many grammatical errors. I have no time to edit it right now.)
My answer: Fantastic question Mr. Smith! One that I LOVE to answer actually. (First of all, I do find it interesting that only the lack of a “pastor” is what you brought up.) The issue with this is that the Body of Christ has errantly translated these roles into positions and titles. What you’re referencing as the definition of “pastor” is not the same as what Ephesians 4:11 is speaking of (at least I assume you would refer to a “traditional pastoral role” – ie: preaching sermons, visiting members, heading up “church” programs, etc.). None is elevated above another, when the Scripture is properly adhered to. Even the pastoral and apostolic roles are primarily to serve and take the lower position, simply enabling and teaching those who are younger in the faith. (The same translation/application error exists within the modern-day definition of “evangelist” and “apostle”. According to the original text, “apostle” (apostolos) is the more properly capable to be the messenger who is sent out, not the “evangelist” as most would refer to today. So, you see, it’s all about the original meaning of these things.)
As far as positions go, there’s a vast difference between offices held and functions. The best example we have is Jesus Himself. People wanted to elevate Him to an earthly position as a king, the “pastor of the ages” who would somehow make everything right in their religious worlds. He wanted no part of it. He laid Himself low and was as nothing when it came to lording over men, even though He was the only one with the right to do so. They wanted a leader-king, He washed feet. Jesus saw the eternal side of it all – something so much greater than any earthly position among men! Sadly, many “pastors” today respond out of the flesh and gladly fill this role – settling for earthly reward and status, unlike Jesus. The pastoral role, as is most common in nearly every “church”, is that the church is a business and the CEO is the pastor. The elders, deacons, etc. round out the pyramid of power until you get down to the lowly “laypeople”. Where is this in Scripture? What verses tell us of the “nobodies” in the Kingdom whose primary role is to show up when expected, give their money and carry out the designated leaders plans? There are no laypeople in the true Body of Christ - period. This is nothing short of yet another pattern of this world that has invaded the Body of Christ.
Christ is the Head and we are ALL the members. Can a physical body have 2 heads? It has one head and many members are controlled by it – ALL being equal, worthwhile and holding great value. Until Believers realize that they’re not meant to sit and “be fed” by an earthly leader, they will continue to lack personal revelation and the power that comes from grasping that each member is to be a vibrant, active, integral part of the Body. (Examine the people’s choosing Moses to go to God on their behalf because they didn’t want to do it themselves. The same thing happens today. “You, pastor, tell me what God is saying because that is easier.” It is a two-sided coin and both parties are responsible.)
I do have people in my life who fit the biblical pastoral role. Men that I look up to, seek biblical counsel on and gladly submit to as I know that they have walked in my spiritual shoes. The primary difference however, is that they wield no place of position over me. They enable me to walk further and deeper on my own. They heed my wisdom and listen to what I have to say on spiritual matters, seeing, that even though I may not be as far along, God speaks to and through me as well. They are humble and seek no earthly titles or recognition from men. They’re more interested in preserving and establishing biblical truth than age-old doctrines and traditions. Most of all, they live before me with Christ as their life. I know them. I eat with them. I love them and they love me. This is the deeper role of a pastor that simply cannot be established with a 1 per 100 (at best) system in order. It simply cannot work! I have seen first-hand what does and it perfectly fits the biblical model (imagine that!). Those gathering as the Body of Christ were never meant to be passive observers. No one man reserves the right to solely manage a gathering of Believers – period. 1 Corinthians 12-14 might as well be removed from the Bible if churches continue to promote the clergy/laity model as correct. (Just ask your pastor if you can preach next Sunday and see what happens.)
Lately so many people say to me, in summary, “Joel, why don’t you just stop questioning everything and be like the rest of us?!? Stop offending us and asking us to examine why we believe what we do as Christians! You’re hurting my feelings!” *sigh* I’m not out to offend and anger anyone – it’s simply not my agenda whatsoever. I just want to know why even the thought of questioning the golden calf of religion is such a travesty deemed unmentionable? The response to such a reality is as simple now as it was back in the days that Jesus walked the earth. The Phariseeical mindset runs deep and long (see Matthew 22 and 23 for many familiar examples). Whether people like to entertain the thought or not, the religious order of today greatly mimics the religious order of Jesus day. They chose to cling to traditions and old, dead rituals rather than embrace the life that Jesus was about to usher in via His sacrifice. They were so enveloped in their own practices, speaking as God’s self-ordained mouthpieces, that they literally missed the Messiah Himself! A snippet for example’s sake, taken from Matthew 15: Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Even if the common approach to the role of a pastor were biblically correct, which it clearly is not, it is not being applied right. The verse in question states clearly, some are appointed, implicating several. So if this were to be held to correctly, from the mainstream Christian majority’s approach, should there not be scores of pastors within each separate organized church gathering? This is obviously incorrect as well as even in the largest of “mega-churches”, there is but one “senior pastor” who “oversees his flock”. It’s no wonder so many pastors who spent their lives attempting to be successful within this system fail miserably and get burnt out. The simple fact is they are trying to fill a position that was never intended for them to fill. To debate the fact that the position of pastor as it is commonly known is all about the ultimate servant is futile. Whose name is on the marquee out front? Whose salary is the largest on the payroll? Who preaches every service? Who generally leads communion? Who prays for those who come to the altar after the altar call? Who leads the altar call? (This could go on for days!)
The “lay people”? Of course not! The pastor! (Someone tell me, when is “Layperson Appreciation Day” again on the church calendar?) All eyes look to the pastor and he is clearly known as the leader of the local church. Ask anyone who is the head of the church, Christian or otherwise. If even 1 out of 100 say “Christ”, I’d be in awe. No, it is the pastor. We could all go back and forth and debate how your pastor doesn’t see things this way or how different your church is. The issue at hand is with the system that is in place, not just with the people who embrace it. Plain and simple, elitism runs rampant within the Body of Christ and it continues to push out the “lesser” and elevates the “greater”. Sitting down, [Jesus] called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:34)
Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28)
It saddens me to no end to hear responses to my questioning of today’s “rule over” as opposed to “serve under” pastors. “Not my pastor!!!!” most say. “Mine preaches the Bible!”, “Our pastor is nice guy!” and let’s not forget, “You’re just rebellious and un-teachable!” (my personal favorite.) Friends, this is not about hurting feelings or offending others, it is much deeper. What does the Word really instruct us to do as the Body of Christ? Do we even know? Once we find out, should we dare to look, will we adhere to it and leave our traditions behind if they in any way oppose the Word? We will all personally be held responsible for what we cling to as Truth!
What does your Christianity look like apart from structured religion? Sadly, the majority would not even know what to do if someone was not present to tell them what to do next (ie: a traditional pastor). I believe this grieves God deeply because it devalues His children and keeps them ignorant of their purpose and potential. For years I’ve said, after having a bird’s eye view as one on paid staff at two different churches, most congregations would be more up in arms if the pastor didn’t show up than if God did. As a matter of fact, I believe One can often go completely unnoticed.
In summary, all people and roles are welcome in the gatherings we’re a part of. All are on a level playing field and titles have absolutely no role to play. Unity is achieved because the Spirit is our Guide and Christ is our primary Teacher. So while most would say, “how can you gather as the Church without a traditional ‘pastor’?” I’d respond, “Why would we need one?” There is no business to oversee. Each one who is a part of the gathering is invited to teach (which is simply expounding on Scripture – not some privilege for the select few). There’s no salaries, building projects or power bills to pay, so we don’t pass offering plates – choosing to live lives that cheerfully give, that God says He loves. We don’t adhere to service orders so no one needs to tell us what to do next. The differences are too vast to adequately list here. One way, the wide way, is a business and many travel down that path without question. The other way is the high way, where God dwells. Christ alone is the Head and anything that hinders us from becoming more like Him is thrown out the window and deemed unnecessary. So, while many might say “how can you not have a traditional pastor?”, I say “I’d rather have the biblical pastoral role in place instead”. All who have been born from above have gifting and abilities ready and waiting to be used in the Body of Christ. I will continue seek to join the LORD in drawing them out. Everyone else can keep “going to church” and sitting in rows with hands folded while someone preaches to them…. again. I choose freedom. I choose a living organism that is The Church that Christ Himself is building. This Body is not built with human hands and no man can claim any credit or reward. It is all His.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Late Church
So I've attended Savannah Christian's late church a couple of times...not a big fan. I have attended Savannah Christian a few times with a couple of friends of mine--both are great guys, and they have also recently joined the church. I cannot say I really enjoy it, however.
Here are a few thoughts:
1. Worship music is accompanied by too many bells and whistles, like smoke/fog and fancy lighting. They also take up a tithe, which is standard for most churches, but both me and my girlfriend agreed that we thought our money would not be best spent on keeping their fog machine and lights running.
2. They do communion every week, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's too impersonal. In the New Testament, believers would gather together for a meal, and communion would accompany this meal--so that it was actually the body of Christ coming together in communion with the Lord. Savannah Christian is too impersonal of a setting for communion to be anything like that...it is an individual and private thing there, and as such, seems to lose a lot of its meaning.
3. The church service is too impersonal. I noticed there were several individuals who were sitting off to themselves trying to soak it all in. However, you don't need to go to church to do that. One could simply download an Andy Stanley sermon online (which actually would probably be more rewarding) rather than waste their time going to a place where you just show up, keep to yourself, and are not bothered by other people trying to be all friendly and getting up in your business. I've talked to many people that like this type of church setting, because of the very fact that they can come and not really be bothered, and just blend into the crowd and do their own thing. What's the point? Church is about finding real Christian community with other believers and coming together in that community to seek and worship Jesus.
4. The church service seems like a show. See points 1 and 3. Also they meet in a theater, and for some reason everyone insists on standing. This poses a problem, however, as the floor itself is sloped downward, which means that this theater was not intended for standing, but sitting. But there are always those few annoying people who think it is their spiritual duty to insist on standing for every song, thus shaming everyone else in the building to stand as well. Darn you people.
5. The guy speaking was talking about spiritual gifts, and his intention seemed to be to get people plugged into the machine that is Savannah Christian Church. I usually get wary when churches start talking about spiritual gifts, because usually they are looking for someone to help them out with their programs and to keep the machine running. I think Christians ought to be able to develop their gifts, not simply to serve the machine that is the church, but to actually become creative individuals who make a difference in this world.
It would be good to take this with a grain of salt, since I am often very cynical when it comes to church. To their credit, I have heard Savannah Christian has done a lot of good in the community around Savannah. Although I must admit, I have been cut off a couple of times in traffic by people with the Savannah Christian Church decal on their window.
Did I mention that I think it is absolutely moronic to promote your beliefs with your vehicle? No one is going to look at how you drive and think, "man I wanna join that group!" The only thing you will succeed in doing in making somebody angry every now and then, and they'll usually just associate their negative feelings with whatever ideology you are trying to promote with your car.
Here are a few thoughts:
1. Worship music is accompanied by too many bells and whistles, like smoke/fog and fancy lighting. They also take up a tithe, which is standard for most churches, but both me and my girlfriend agreed that we thought our money would not be best spent on keeping their fog machine and lights running.
2. They do communion every week, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's too impersonal. In the New Testament, believers would gather together for a meal, and communion would accompany this meal--so that it was actually the body of Christ coming together in communion with the Lord. Savannah Christian is too impersonal of a setting for communion to be anything like that...it is an individual and private thing there, and as such, seems to lose a lot of its meaning.
3. The church service is too impersonal. I noticed there were several individuals who were sitting off to themselves trying to soak it all in. However, you don't need to go to church to do that. One could simply download an Andy Stanley sermon online (which actually would probably be more rewarding) rather than waste their time going to a place where you just show up, keep to yourself, and are not bothered by other people trying to be all friendly and getting up in your business. I've talked to many people that like this type of church setting, because of the very fact that they can come and not really be bothered, and just blend into the crowd and do their own thing. What's the point? Church is about finding real Christian community with other believers and coming together in that community to seek and worship Jesus.
4. The church service seems like a show. See points 1 and 3. Also they meet in a theater, and for some reason everyone insists on standing. This poses a problem, however, as the floor itself is sloped downward, which means that this theater was not intended for standing, but sitting. But there are always those few annoying people who think it is their spiritual duty to insist on standing for every song, thus shaming everyone else in the building to stand as well. Darn you people.
5. The guy speaking was talking about spiritual gifts, and his intention seemed to be to get people plugged into the machine that is Savannah Christian Church. I usually get wary when churches start talking about spiritual gifts, because usually they are looking for someone to help them out with their programs and to keep the machine running. I think Christians ought to be able to develop their gifts, not simply to serve the machine that is the church, but to actually become creative individuals who make a difference in this world.
It would be good to take this with a grain of salt, since I am often very cynical when it comes to church. To their credit, I have heard Savannah Christian has done a lot of good in the community around Savannah. Although I must admit, I have been cut off a couple of times in traffic by people with the Savannah Christian Church decal on their window.
Did I mention that I think it is absolutely moronic to promote your beliefs with your vehicle? No one is going to look at how you drive and think, "man I wanna join that group!" The only thing you will succeed in doing in making somebody angry every now and then, and they'll usually just associate their negative feelings with whatever ideology you are trying to promote with your car.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Escape from fundamentalism...
Don Miller, in his book Blue Like Jazz, wrote "I was a fundamentalist once. It lasted a summer." I really like what I have read of Donald Miller's writings, because he writes in a way that seems so approachable and real. A lot of Christians I have talked to either seem to absolutely love him, or they seem somewhat wary of his approach to spiritual issues. I personally think that the way he paints the Christian faith is very refreshing, and can relate in a very personal way to this quote.
I too, was a fundamentalist at one point. I became a Christian around August 2002, a date which is pretty memorable to me because it represented such a radical change in my life at the time. After this change occurred, I started attending a Southern Baptist church, one which at the very least had borderline fundamentalist tendencies. One time a large group from my church lined Savannah's main highway with signs protesting abortion...an event which I am ashamed to say, I participated in at the time. After all, it seemed to me to be the thing that "the faithful" were supposed to do, and I certainly wanted to be counted among that number. I realize now, however, that this is more than likely not an approach that Jesus would have taken. And he certainly wouldn't have been a fan of shooting abortion doctors or bombing clinics. But I digress...
The point is, my ideas of what it means to be a "good Christian" are not the same anymore, at least not entirely. For example, I enjoy beer, and the church I attended at this time had it clearly spelled out in their membership covenant that you were not to drink alcohol if you were a member of that church. Never mind the fact that Jesus drank wine, and that his first miracle involved turning water into wine at a wedding where a lot of the people were already tipsy! He was even accused of being a drunkard because he did partake (contrast this with John the Baptist, who was accused of being crazy because he didn't drink). You can't win for losing. I might add at this point, that even though Jesus drank wine, he was not a drunkard--a lifestyle which the Bible speaks against.
As for my transition from fundamentalism, I started to change my thinking a bit while I was studying at a Southern Baptist college in Florida, which was actually a pretty conservative school. Upon enrolling in this school, I interpreted the Bible very literally, and "knew" that I was correct for doing so. My world was rocked, however, when I learned that you could actually take the Bible very seriously without taking every bit of it literally, and it was upon this realization that I began to really examine many of my beliefs (more on this later).
For a while, I had actually tried to give up listening to "secular" music. I got rid of most of my CDs, keeping the Christian ones in some sort of effort to keep my mind "holy." It wasn't too long after this that I realized that most Christian music sucks. I eventually learned that you don't have to give up listening to good music to be a Christian...if you have a brain, you should be able to think critically enough to not let music, movies, books, video games, ________,(fill in the blank) influence you in a way that is somehow detrimental to your well being.
I must have watched one too many rated R movies, or listened to one too many secular songs, however, because in November 2008, I committed the unpardonable sin for Christians living in the Bible Belt: I voted Democrat. Here in the Bible Belt, if you vote for a Democrat, you probably aren't a believer. Sunday mornings in the Southeast U.S. around election day are essentially political rallies for the Republican party, at least in the "white churches" anyway (yes, we are still segregated down here). Now, I am not sure which candidate Jesus would have voted for, if he would have voted at all, but I am pretty sure that neither party lines up with God's way of doing things. Both parties have their merits, and both have their downfalls. But one thing I don't like is when churches and pastors tell you who to vote for and then try to paint you as a second-class Christian if you choose to vote for the other guy. So yea, I voted for the Democrat. Was I right in doing so? Who knows...not everyone has that direct line to God like Pat Robertson does (God told him that Bush was gonna win last time).
I've noticed that God seems to tell people all sorts of funny things--conveniently in the form of their own egos, however. And apparently with some Christians, the devil seems to hold conversation with them as well. Someone I know shared something the other day that "satan" seemed to be "telling" him. If you talk to a lot of Christians, it seems like he is always running around doing stuff like that. I would be very worried, however, if the devil was whispering in my ear. I might go see a doctor in fact...
Despite my sarcasm, I do believe it is possible to discern the voice of God. I would recommend that if you want to do this, try reading through the New Testament as a guide--especially the first four books. Perhaps you will be able to get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus, and he may surprise you. You will definitely find that he's nothing like the guy out there yelling at people on your school campus about their sins, or the people out there picketing abortion clinics, or the Christians treating you like you are less than human simply because you do not share their beliefs.
I too, was a fundamentalist at one point. I became a Christian around August 2002, a date which is pretty memorable to me because it represented such a radical change in my life at the time. After this change occurred, I started attending a Southern Baptist church, one which at the very least had borderline fundamentalist tendencies. One time a large group from my church lined Savannah's main highway with signs protesting abortion...an event which I am ashamed to say, I participated in at the time. After all, it seemed to me to be the thing that "the faithful" were supposed to do, and I certainly wanted to be counted among that number. I realize now, however, that this is more than likely not an approach that Jesus would have taken. And he certainly wouldn't have been a fan of shooting abortion doctors or bombing clinics. But I digress...
The point is, my ideas of what it means to be a "good Christian" are not the same anymore, at least not entirely. For example, I enjoy beer, and the church I attended at this time had it clearly spelled out in their membership covenant that you were not to drink alcohol if you were a member of that church. Never mind the fact that Jesus drank wine, and that his first miracle involved turning water into wine at a wedding where a lot of the people were already tipsy! He was even accused of being a drunkard because he did partake (contrast this with John the Baptist, who was accused of being crazy because he didn't drink). You can't win for losing. I might add at this point, that even though Jesus drank wine, he was not a drunkard--a lifestyle which the Bible speaks against.
As for my transition from fundamentalism, I started to change my thinking a bit while I was studying at a Southern Baptist college in Florida, which was actually a pretty conservative school. Upon enrolling in this school, I interpreted the Bible very literally, and "knew" that I was correct for doing so. My world was rocked, however, when I learned that you could actually take the Bible very seriously without taking every bit of it literally, and it was upon this realization that I began to really examine many of my beliefs (more on this later).
For a while, I had actually tried to give up listening to "secular" music. I got rid of most of my CDs, keeping the Christian ones in some sort of effort to keep my mind "holy." It wasn't too long after this that I realized that most Christian music sucks. I eventually learned that you don't have to give up listening to good music to be a Christian...if you have a brain, you should be able to think critically enough to not let music, movies, books, video games, ________,(fill in the blank) influence you in a way that is somehow detrimental to your well being.
I must have watched one too many rated R movies, or listened to one too many secular songs, however, because in November 2008, I committed the unpardonable sin for Christians living in the Bible Belt: I voted Democrat. Here in the Bible Belt, if you vote for a Democrat, you probably aren't a believer. Sunday mornings in the Southeast U.S. around election day are essentially political rallies for the Republican party, at least in the "white churches" anyway (yes, we are still segregated down here). Now, I am not sure which candidate Jesus would have voted for, if he would have voted at all, but I am pretty sure that neither party lines up with God's way of doing things. Both parties have their merits, and both have their downfalls. But one thing I don't like is when churches and pastors tell you who to vote for and then try to paint you as a second-class Christian if you choose to vote for the other guy. So yea, I voted for the Democrat. Was I right in doing so? Who knows...not everyone has that direct line to God like Pat Robertson does (God told him that Bush was gonna win last time).
I've noticed that God seems to tell people all sorts of funny things--conveniently in the form of their own egos, however. And apparently with some Christians, the devil seems to hold conversation with them as well. Someone I know shared something the other day that "satan" seemed to be "telling" him. If you talk to a lot of Christians, it seems like he is always running around doing stuff like that. I would be very worried, however, if the devil was whispering in my ear. I might go see a doctor in fact...
Despite my sarcasm, I do believe it is possible to discern the voice of God. I would recommend that if you want to do this, try reading through the New Testament as a guide--especially the first four books. Perhaps you will be able to get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus, and he may surprise you. You will definitely find that he's nothing like the guy out there yelling at people on your school campus about their sins, or the people out there picketing abortion clinics, or the Christians treating you like you are less than human simply because you do not share their beliefs.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What this blog is about
I've tried to blog before, but usually I just give up after a while. I think I'm gonna try to make a "go" at it again. The purpose of this blog will be to examine issues of the Christian faith that are tough and confusing, and to think through many unexamined assumptions that Christians often have.
Another thing that I would like to do is examine this Christian subculture that we have created, which we equate with the "straight and narrow" way. When Christians don't think like we do about certain issues, when they deviate from Christian subculture, a lot of times we criticize their commitment to Jesus and look down on them. Maybe we should look at ourselves instead more often, and question whether our convictions and practices are right.
I'd be surprised if many people actually read this blog, but if you do, then cool. Maybe we can have some good discussions. I will try to keep it interesting and helpful.
Another thing that I would like to do is examine this Christian subculture that we have created, which we equate with the "straight and narrow" way. When Christians don't think like we do about certain issues, when they deviate from Christian subculture, a lot of times we criticize their commitment to Jesus and look down on them. Maybe we should look at ourselves instead more often, and question whether our convictions and practices are right.
I'd be surprised if many people actually read this blog, but if you do, then cool. Maybe we can have some good discussions. I will try to keep it interesting and helpful.
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