Venting One’s Spleen
We are on a much appreciated break this week. Whew. So I have just a little while to think and reflect. Here are a few random thoughts:
On our Christian subculture: I suppose it is inevitable to have one, but have we ever had such a developed and simultaneously detached-from-the-rest-of-culture (how’s that for poetic license) community as seen in American Christianity? We have Christian mints called “Testamints.” We have Christian perfume. I have seen Christian soap (I think the cross eventually washes away). How do we know it is “Christian”? It costs more and doesn’t work as well. Seems to me our subculture should spend more time trying to impact the rest of culture and less time trying to be the most cheesy in history (just check out the sayings on church signs–that will bless you).
On the arts: our minister of worship and drama at the church where my family worships has noted that much of “Christian art” simply refers to ripping something off crom culture and sticking a cross in the middle of it. Can we develop a mindset that can recognize art at its best and see the beauty in it, even if it does not always explicitly give the gospel or some other Christian message? And regarding music: it has fascinated me that a businessman or policeman or schoolteacher can be a Christian and serve Christ through their particular vocation, but if a Christian wants to be a musician or song writer but does not sing exclusively “Christian” lyrics, that person is considered by some believers to be a sell out. Seems to me when you do not honor Christ in your daily life by your work ethic, your words, and your character, you are a sell out, whether you are a songwriter or a bricklayer.
On tradition: I love what Jarislav Pelikan wrote: “tradition is the living faith of those now dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of those now living.” We need to preserve a heritage, a tradition of the timeless and of those things that were timely for a given time in history. But sometimes we act live museums more than a movement. Check this out:
Choir robes, choirs, special music, organs, piano, drums
Business meetings monthly, graded Sunday school, church council, brotherhood breakfast
Youth group, childrens choir, midweek prayer meetings
Coat and tie, church buildings, pews
All these things named above have been helpful in the life of the church. They are not evil at all. But the church has also had many wonderful, lengthy times in her history where she did just fine without any of them. I did not name the preaching of the word, the regular gathering for corporate worship, and other essentials. But so many think of the things above as vital. Have we become like the Alamo–first a mission, then a battlefield, and finally a museum?
Neighbors: I read this week from Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor, where he said in part, “if the saving our our neighbors. . .be our duty, up and be doing!” I wonder whether there are more believers in America today who do not know their neighbors names than there are those who are burdened about reaching them for Christ?
So I resolve, after finishing this post of course, to whine less and to spend more time on living a life set on honoring Christ.
October 5th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Where did the church in America go wrong? Just yesterday I read a missionary update from East Asia during our mid-week Bible study. The missionary led a man to Christ in a village that had never heard about Jesus. This man was born again and before the day was over, his whole family and most of the small village had heard the gospel from this changed man. The irony is that no more than 30 minutes before I read this update, a gentleman from our church asked when we were going to begin “Share Jesus Without Fear” because he needed to learn how to share his faith. Why is there such a disconnect with American Christianity that it no longer is real to us, but something almost that is seemingly “other” and not something that is a real part of our life? Why do we have to learn how to share our faith? Why is it like pulling teeth to get people to share love, Divine love?
Ray
October 5th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I believe it is because we have replaced a movement for an institution in the US. I am telling my students to strip away the stuff and look again at Acts. Good news–some of them are!
That is why we have to approach US cities as an international mission field–because 1) they are and 2) we certainly aren’t reaching them the way we are going now!
Praying for a movement to stir His church!
October 5th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Oh and I also believe it would have been an odd thing to teach witnessing in the first century, so much a part of their culture it was. I am trying to work myself out of a job, hoping the SBC will become so vibrantly evangelistic I can go start a church or something.
October 5th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
I hear you on the Christian subculture paraphernalia! Having worked for a time at a Christian bookstore I saw all manner of ripoff and knockoff material. The t-shirts are perhaps the most blatantly obvious, but some of the books and music are too! I think one can “find God” in just about any subject one chooses (without regard for His omnipresence) and write a book about it. And I know that whoever publishes this stuff will join together with other Christian publishers/distributors to effectively “kill the golden goose” through market saturation.
Perhaps I’ll write a book about it sometime. Anyway, good venting and I completely agree. I’ve heard Jerry Falwell say “If it’s Christian it ought to be better.” That is a statement with which I heartily agree. I don’t hate Christian media, but I just hate the fact that it’s so cheesy and poorly done. If we’re putting the name of our savior on it we should do a good job.
October 5th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
The standard of excellence has definitely been given a back seat in most churches today. Thankfully that is a problem that can be easily remedied if we focus on Christ as the WOG calls us to.
October 16th, 2006 at 6:52 am
I think one reason the church has become a subculture is because we make too many assumptions about those who are outside of it.
God literally forced me out of my church culture. Where we live now, there’s no subculture to be a part of. Most of our friends and acquaintances are not believers.
Being here has stripped away all the excuses I had for not building relationships outside my Christian circles.
Lost people DO want to hear about Christ. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Universalists WILL accept an invitation to dinner. They want and appreciate friendship as much as anyone else.
All people need love, respect and connection. Those things are universal.
I have begun to realize the ugliness under my church “armor.” It’s easier to hang out with Christians than it is to put myself in a position of discomfort, or truly serve another person selflessly.
It’s also easy to be arrogant about my salvation. The temptation is to see myself as “special” because I have understood the gospel and believed.
But that could not be farther from the truth. It is not my personal merit, but the absolute love and mercy of my God who has allowed me to be saved. And that should put me on my face in abject humility and gratitude.
If my well-groomed shell of faux humility were peeled back, it would reveal a heart that is often puffed up with my own self importance, and rather indifferent to the souls around me.
How callous, heartless and unloving!!! I should be broken for those imprisoned by the darkness, and have my face to the ground pleading for them to know the truth!!!
If I truly believe that my Holy God is who His Word says he is, then I will fall prostrate in absolute humility and thankfulness. Why did He allow a wretch like ME to hear the truth???!!! Thank you, Lord for your infinite mercy!!!
And yet so often I am like the whitewashed tomb. I convince myself that my self-righteous deeds, attendance in church meetings, theological discussions, and righteous facade have me in good standing with my Lord. I compare myself to others and determine that I must be a valuable asset to my God.
How nauseating!!! I often must break His heart.
God has given me a new desire.
I want so much to have a “heart like His heart” and a passion that keeps me interceding and pursuing those who don’t know Him until my last breath.
I’m learning it’s a very lonely, tough and uncomfortable road.
But what choice do I really have? Either God is God, or He is not. HIS desire is for every nation, tribe and tongue to bow and worship Him.
“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” –C.H. Spurgeon
October 16th, 2006 at 10:58 am
I am with you Kiki, and think of these things daily. And I just used the Spurgeon quote in class on Friday. We are better than no one–we have received a gift. And so can they!