When We Stay in the 50s

The Christian church is in a tough spot.  Right now we are facing much trouble in the US.  While churches grow in South America, Africa and such they are shrinking and dying in the USA.  Denominations are strugging to keep congregations open.  Times are tough.

Maybe churches have forgotten the past.

Usually we say they are stuck in the past (hence my title) and yet being stuck and forgetting the past are two different problems. Many churches are stuck in the past (their memories, past successes, and how they do things) but really have forgotten the past.

What do I mean?

When most churches started (no matter the time period) much work had to be done.  The people had to be creative, innovative, and have guts.  They worked hard, took chances, and did what they needed to do.

We need that again! We might change how we do it but we need the same spirit that got it done to return.

Our generation is lazy.  We are facing tough economic times but I have yet to make clothes out of a feed bag.  The reality is that we have had tough times in my life but nothing like previous generations faced.  And so we are a tad lazy.  I’ll confess.  We can learn from this spirit of commitment, dedication, and forward thinking of the previous generations.  Now we must carry that same spirit forward and ‘dream again.’

Will we do it?

As you read the Bible in places like Colossians 4:2-6 and read Paul talking about open doors and opportunities you realize this is a God thing.  Individuals and particular churches may fail but God’s church will win in the end.  God is at work and we need to have a verbal and active witness in our world.  God is not dead nor does he slumber!

So do you see open doors or closed walls?  Do you see obstacles or opportunities?

Blessings,
Derik

When We Don’t Talk about YOU KNOW WHAT!

I’ve written in various places about dealing with tough issues.  If a church isn’t willing to talk about tough issues it will miss the point.  The point being that the church must be relevant in our world.  A church that pretends that tough issues do not exist or fails to deal with them will lose credibility and opportunity in our world today.

The biggest ‘you know what’ tends to be in the area of sexuality.  Yet the issues of the day are greater than sex.  I believe that Christian ethics is often neglected in the contemporary church and this is to our own loss.

The two extremes we see are obvious.  On one hand there are those who ignore or refuse to even mention ‘hot topics.’  On the other hand are those who regularly do so but in sound bites and controversial statements.  Somewhere we need to meet in the middle.

Sermons are not the best place to deal with the hottest topics.   As a pastor I realize that the sermon is often one sided.  I get to present the topic and there is no room for all views to be shared.  The best place would be a format that allows conversation/dialogue.  Yet a church that is willing to tackle tough issues in such a way is opening itself up for possible conflict.  Much church health must be established for a church to be able and willing to talk rationally about tough issues.

The reality is not every issue can be faced by every church.  Yet there are always ‘hot topics’ churches are ready to discuss.

And the truth is that behind the obvious- abortion, homosexuality, war, capital punishment, etc we need to deal with the theological issues that are expressed in those outward issues.  Orthopraxy flows from orthodoxy.  What we do flows fromwhat we believe.  So what do we believe about holiness, life, justice, spirituality, faith, humanity, etc?  Those will shape how we live in our world and the ‘hot issues’ of our day.

Christian ethics is not for the faint at heart.  But I would argue that we will deal with hot topics whether we want to or not.  Usually it happens when an issue bubbles to the service in the life and work of the church.  Wouldn’t it be better to deal with it long before that?

Blessings,
Derik

When We Don’t Get Along

Another way the Christian church ‘misses the point’ is when we don’t get along. Christian unity is a tough topic for the church today. What is unity? Does it mean we have to all agree? Does it mean we can’t have conversation/debate? Not at all! Unity is possible even when we don’t agree. Unity is possible even in the midst of healthy debate. Unity is possible even when we are diverse.

How many churches exist in your community? Name them if you can. Count up the number of denominations represented. The typical town has Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Disciples, Pentecostal, Independent and non-denominational plus others all in one town. I have even left some denominations off because the list can grow so long as we all know. Within each tradition there is diversity. Not ever Baptist is the same. Methodists vary. We simply are too diverse to be clones. So how can unity be a reality?

The truth is that the church has to learn to have a united witness. Not all of us will speak in tongues. Not all of us baptize infants. Not all worship in the same ways. Some of our differences are not minor but we have one common connection- Jesus Christ. The core of the faith is Jesus Christ. If we hold that core in common than the other things may be small or big but they need not break our core unity.

So what can the Christian church do to show unity?

We can come together on common ground. Lenten services in many communities usually involve joint worship services with local churches across denominational lines. Habitat for Humanity and other mission projects break down those barriers. Ecumenical works does exist and is quite helpful to show the world we are one in Christ.

We can and should have conversations on issues that separate us. There is nothing wrong with conversation but that means talking and listening. It also means showing the spirit of Christ in our conversations. Through forums, books, and other events we can discuss issues of faith and practice and this need not display a fracture or broken witness. I was fortunate to attend a Disciples seminary for my doctorate of ministry studies that promoted an ecumenical spirit. The president of the seminary was Baptist and half the student body did not belong to the denomination that carried the seminary name. I found that to be refreshing and helpful.

We can and should have conversations on the issues of the day. There are many hot buttons and I’ve written about them in this blog. We should not ignore them but we still need to somehow agree that we may not agree on our conclusions but we will hold our witness as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Having said all this one warning must be given. Unity is not possible when one violates truth. We can not keep the peace by selling out who we are. Jesus Christ is our core and if we cease to be Christ people then we are not truly united. The only real unity we have is in Christ. Therefore there are groups that do teach heresies about Christ. We must be clear about what we believe and yet we can speak the truth in love. We do not resort to hate and we do not attack others.

The same is said about those minor and major issues we do not agree with our fellow Christians. Sometimes we will realize that while we agree about the core we can not come to agreement about doctrinal, practical, or ethical issues. Still we can agree to disagree and not hate one another. We can come together to build a Habitat house or to feed the poor or worship at a community service even in our disagreements.

The church was never in full agreement. Just read the New Testament! But we do our best. In our local bodies of faith we join churches that fit the best where we are in faith. In our local churches we will have issues we disagree but if they do not violate our faith we can disagree. Still what a local church does is a bit different than in an ecumenical setting. Each individual must decide that the issues of disagreement in their church are not major enough to leave. If that is the case then work together and make the diversity be a part of your church that is good and enriching. But if the differences are too great you may leave your local church for another but do so with grace and compassion and not in sinful behaviors. And remember as you go that you will not find any church that all members agree as you do. Find the heritage of faith and the local body of faith that best fits where you are and enables you to serve God best.

This isn’t easy but it is our calling. We are God’s children. The world needs the message we proclaim!

A Thought About John Piper

Next week my blog is entitled “When We Don’t Get Along.“  Therefore I need to be careful as I write this!  I do believe the Christian community needs to strive to work together on common ground and not destroy our common witness by our own disagreements. Yet we do need to wrestle with tough issues and have intelligent and yet peaceful conversations about issues.  Having said that (I’m working on the sermon related to that blog as we speak) I do want to address one troubling issue at least for me.

Some of you reading this will ask, “Who in the world is John Piper?“  Others will write angry emails to me because you are a fan.  Others know who he is and say, “So what?”  I want to quickly respond.  It seems that as I read blogs, Facebooks and see articles from younger evangelicals in ministry I’m seeing a return of Calvinism and a fan club mentality toward those who hold this view.  Conservative Baptists of the Al Mohler/Southern Seminary route seem to have fallen in love with this particular doctrinal system.  Baptists historically were Calvinist and were historically non-Calvinist.  For 400 years we’ve had both in our fold.  Here in the 21st century there seems to be a new fervor by some for this doctrinal system.  I do not hold such fascination or love myself.

First Calvinism in a quick summary. John Calvin is the man who was a brilliant reformer during the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago whose writings and followers developed this system of thinking.  Not all reformers would agree and some have disagreed strongly with his views.  Today the whole system is nicely described in a handy format called TULIP.

T-  Total Depravity.

This view stresses that each person is born enslaved to sin.  We are totally evil and can not seek God on our own.  We are unable to seek salvation and lost hopelessly.

U- Unconditional Election

God chooses from eternity those who will be saved by his mercy alone.  We are getting into the issue of predestination.  Some are predestined to be saved before creation.  What about those not saved?  Not all but some Calvinists stress ‘double predestination’ which means some are chosen and some are destined to be lost.  No hope for those!

L- Limited Atonement

Christ atones only those who are elect.  God could have saved all but choose not.  This atonement is limited because it is only for some and not all.

I- Irresistible Grace

When God calls you to salvation you can’t reject.  His grace can not be turned down therefore the elect accept.

P- Perseverance of the Saints

Once you are saved you can not “not be saved.”  You are once and for saved and can not lose or reject your salvaton.

Christians who accept Calvinism struggle with some of the concepts and some are more hard core than others. Some are uncomfortable with saying people have no hope and can’t be saved.  I’ve heard some say there are 2 pt or 3 pt Cavlinists and don’t accept all 5.  I’ve heard some that are so strong that they call themselves “Hyper Calvinists.”   I hesitate in defining all the categories of Calvinism because at times it is splitting hairs to describe exactly how strong this view of who God chooses and who God doesn’t and why this is so.

Now to John Piper. Piper has become a poster boy for this movement and I see his books and quotes on the web and in newsletters and cringe.  Why?  Because Piper is a major Calvinist.  I could sum him up but follow the link below on his own site and read what he says.  He believes in double predestination.  He believes that God chooses some and damns others from the beginning of time.  Read it for yourself.

After you read it think about this.  What does this say about God’s love? I personally do not accept that there are those who God created that have no hope.   What do I believe?  I believe God loves us all.  I believe Jesus died for all of us and all can be saved.  I do believe that the call is given to us and we can accept or reject.  I’m not a universalist.  Not all are saved.  But it is our choice and I do accept free will.  Those who never heard is another issue.  For those who have heard the choice is up to us.

Why is this popular? Bandwagon mentality and fads explain why some younger preachers jump on board.  Popular books help push ideas.  Schools like SBTS in Louisville pump out preachers who accept this view.  But I also think that in a world that seems out of control it would be nice to accept a view where everything is in control down to each tiny dot.  So in such a world you would have to have a salvation plan such as this.  This sounds like a game of RISK where God is moving the pieces around but for some that is comfort.  For others the acceptance of such a view probably comes from an extreme conservative system of belief.  If a person believes that the Bible is so exact that each word is literally from God (as if the person was controlled by God in such a way that each dash was straight from God) then that God is still doing this in the world.  On a positive note the view seems to come from a focus on the majesty of God (which I accept without accepting Calvinism–I accept God is majestic and awesome).

Some would say non-Calvinists view God in a weak fashion and are in danger of a liberal slipper slope.  Others think we are too works focused.  I don’t believe I can save myself.  I do believe the Bible is holy and sacred but do not see myself as a literalist.  I believe God gave us free will.  I believe God can do all things but chooses not too for reasons I don’t understand (problem of evil).  I do believe we have work to do but not to be saved but as a result of salvation.  The only ‘work’ we have is to accept a free gift of salvation.  Call that works if you will.

Read the link.  Write a response if you like.  I’m sure some will google “John Piper” and not like this blog.  That’s OK!!! I’m still your brother in Christ and see you as such!!  Read my blog next week and you’ll see that.  But as brother to brother/and sister I do want to share a thought.

LINK ONE:

http://w ww.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1418_What_does_Piper_mean_when_he_says_hes_a_sevenpoint_Calvinist/

LINK TWO (A FULLER ARTICLE ON HIS VIEWS BY PIPER HIMSELF)

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/1985/1487_What_We_Believe_About_the_Five_Points_of_Calvinism/

When Church Stops at the Front Door

The church often misses the point and it can cost us.  God called us to go and share the good news (Great Commission).  We are called to go and minister to others.  Read the words of Jesus and you will see we are not meant to sit around but to go and work.  In Acts 1 they were told to stop looking at the sky after Jesus left.  The time is to work.  We have much to do!

Yet many churches stop at the front door.  What they do on Sunday does not impact Monday.  Do we exist to meet, smile, be inspired, go home and forget?  What’s the point?  Why do we go to church? Why do we serve on committees, tithes, pray, sing, etc?  Why?

If what we are doing isn’t changing what we do every day we’ve missed out.  The church is not the goal but the way to get to the goal.  The goal isn’t to get people to come to church!  The goal is to get them to come to Christ.  We invite them to church to bring them to Christ and a better walk with Christ.

Yet many churches just go through the motions every week.  Some have forgotten their purpose and reason and have lost their way.  This is why many churches are dying.  Many are hurting.  They even bemoan their death and wish to figure out a way to survive as a church.  The reality is that if they only want to survive so their building and programs can go on then maybe they should go ahead and call the funeral!  Because that isn’t why the church should seek to survive.  The concern should be, “If we die and close then people will not hear the gospel! We need to live so that they might hear!”  Churches rightly are concerned about their budgets but why? Why do they need to meet budget? To pay the bills? Why?  What are the bills for?  We become an institution that exists to maintain the institution.  It would be like running a restaurant that only the waitresses and cooks eat at.  We aren’t making enough to keep it up and try and figure out a way to keep it up yet no costumers are coming!  The reason for a restuarant is to sell food.  If it seeks to meet that reason it should close.  The reason for the church is to share Jesus.  If we fail to do that then we should close.

Harsh words?  Perhaps.  But true.  The church must reclaim it’s reason.  Bob Dale wrote a great book years ago, “To Dream Again.”  He talked about the life cycle of a church and if left alone they do die.  But if a church can dream again then new life comes.  The dreaming again takes you back to the beginning.  When a new church started they had passion and mission but often lose their way. Dream again!  And do this over and over again.  The world is changing and we must meet those changes.

Blessings,
Derik

When We Use the Bible as a Weapon!

The Bible is God’s Word.  Don’t get me wrong!  I believe the Bible is holy and sacred.  As a Baptist we are called “people of the book” because we do not use creeds and say that our only creed is the Bible.  This is a little easier said than done because the Bible is not always easy to come to agreement on and therefore you have more Baptists then you have fast food chains.

I love the Bible. I love the stories of the Bible.  There are passages from the Bible that are simply beautiful and sheer poetry.  The Bible is rich and wonderful and a guide to life.  The Bible gives us insight and is not ‘just another book.’

I realize that we don’t all agree on how to interpret the Bible.  Fundamentalists/literalists and more liberal Christians go to war over many issues within the text.  Some of us try to go somewhere between those camps.

I mentioned in my preview that I’m preaching on times when the church ‘misses the point.’  One area that we miss the point and fail to be the church is when the Bible is used as a weapon.   Here are three ways I see this happening.

*When we misread the Bible.

Sometimes we are wrong.  We think we are basing our views on Scripture but they are based on culture, opinion, or wish.  There was a time when churches in the South banned dancing, cards, and movies.  They were wrong.  They were concerned with gambling, sex, and such but they threw the baby out with the bathwater.  They used the Bible but really the Bible had nothing to say about their issues.  Religious leaders in Jesus’ day twisted the Sabbath laws and others in ways the Scripture did not support.  This is not new.

*When we misuse the Bible.

Sometimes we are right but we go about it the wrong way.  Premarital sex is a sin.  Yet if a couple is living together outside of marriage, visits the church, and we sternly attack them what did we win?  We can speak the truth–with love.  We can meet people where they are.  Jesus did this. Read John 8 and the woman in adultery.  He wasn’t saying, “Go and sin!”  He said “Go and sin no more.” But he gave her a second chance. And he pointed out the hypocrisy of those who condemned her.

*When we major on the minors.

Christians use the Bible as a weapon not just with non-Christians but with one another! We spend a lot of time fighting each other!  We often do this over minor issues (not unimportant but not major).  Views of church government, how the world will end, how the world was created, etc may be important but they are not make/break issues.  I may disagree with my fellow Christians who baptize by sprinkling but this is not an issue to beat one another up.  If we can have helpful, honest conversation great! But let’s not fight about it!  This gives a negative and dangerous image to the world.

So as we continue this conversation about ‘missing the point’ let each of us be honest.  Our goal is not to win an argument but to win people to Christ.  We may win the debate but if they walk away what did we win?

Blessings,

Derik

When We Miss the Point

Sometimes the church misses the point.  Sometimes we fail to be who we need to be.  There are opportunities missed and times of ministry lost because we get caught up in the wrong things or wrong ways.  I want to explore a few of those in the weeks ahead with you.  I am in the midst of a sermon series on this subject so I will attempt to do just that in this blog!  Ready or not here we go!!