by Mike Chong Perkinson
We live in a confused, somewhat dark and oppressive time. The apparent corners of our foundation have been seriously challenged in the past 18 months. Our equity has been severely diminished (for many completely gone), for many their homes have been foreclosed upon, for countless millions jobs have gone by the wayside, and our retirement plans have been blown away by the winds of economic decline.
On top of that, we are still dealing with the effects of the earthquake of postmodernity, leaving us in a quandary of how to think, perceive and function in our lives as pastors and leaders of the church. The theological landscape is still a confused mess. The arguments for and against postmodernity have already filled enough pages of a myriad of books and articles; another one by the Praxis guys is not necessary. However, I am concerned that the times we live in have only led to further confusion about who we are in Christ and how we are to live as His community. Unlike the men of Issachar, who had understanding about the times (I Chronicles 12:32); we find ourselves more sophisticated than ever, technologically savvy and stellar in creating ambience for our gatherings and yet, without any clearer sense of who we are as sons and daughters of the Most High and how we are to love and live together as a community.
Oh sure, we have continued to do what the church is so proficient at, polarizing between so-called ideologies which are still theological and methodological processes that are all too often, devoid of developing the 3 relationships: Relationship with God, relationship with self and relationship with others. The polarization between the house church movement and the traditional/temple church is a reaction to something that is missing in our current church practices by and large. Even with the challenge of postmodernity, we still tend to look to something (a methodology – a new wineskin) rather than looking to someone (the Father and His people). All this tells us is that the “how” of doing church is still the issue.
How do we overcome this dilemma and live and love as Jesus did? Well, let’s turn to Jesus to see if He can help us.
Jesus frequently used the personal and intimate designation of God as “My Father”. Unlike so many in our day and age, Jesus defined Himself in relationship with His Father. We tend to define ourselves by our theological persuasions, our methodological prowess, our roles, our mission, etc. If you took away your ministry, your role, your mission, would have anything left that could be called the self? I realize that human beings have “to do” something in order to be human – our humanity is expressed in and through our doing. This is not my question or issue. Maybe the better question is, if you gave away the Gift of Presence – the Gift of Self to another, what would that look like without your role or missional function? What does it mean, in your life, to incarnate the Gospel in the lives of others?
Jesus often says, “My Father” - this is the key and source of His life and ministry. He is in relationship with the Father. He is not submitted first to a mission, a cause, a methodology, but to His Father. It is this relationship that releases Him to the mission, the Father’s cause and the methodology by which He will do it.
It is also of interest that the Father’s validation of Jesus, at His baptism, was on who the Son is, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). I find it striking that the Father defines Jesus by His relationship to Himself and not by what Jesus came to do.
This relationship defines who Jesus is, what He will do and how He will do it. In the same way, our relationship with the Father allows us to discover who we are in Christ and how He has made us for His Kingdom pleasure and purpose. It is only then that we truly are able to do only what we see the Father doing. Maybe it actually frees us to see what the Father is doing since we are no longer looking at our theological paradigms or methodological processes first, but sensing the direction of the Father’s leading and where He is already at work.
Navigating this confusing time or any confusing time is best done by looking to our relationship with our Father. After all, isn’t that how Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father”?
I say all that to simply ask, are you growing in your love for God and for His people? Do you find your heart moved by the tender mercies of God, overcome by His love and unable to stop the love of Christ from flowing from your life towards others? Do you find your devotions extend to the whole day rather than just 15-30 minutes? Have you discovered your love for family is deepening and your presence with your spouse is more pronounced? In the midst of this economic decline, have you noticed more peace and hope than ever before, even though all that seems to bring it is passing away? How can that be? Maybe, that is the question the world should be asking us who live such a reality.
The revolution that Tom and I believe our Father is birthing is not one that is based in a new ideology or a cause or methodology, but in a relationship with God. It is only those who walk in such simplicity that will be able to navigate this tumultuous time with grace and success, as they do what they see their Father doing.
And so, what are you defined by? What defines you is what you will give away.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Church Without The Props
by Tom Johnston
So, how did Jesus minister the Gospel to the 5,000 without the appropriate background music? I mean, come on, how did He set the mood for the moving of the Spirit on people hearts and minds without a worship leader and team backing Him up? Everyone knows that you need a serious kickin’ sound system to do live events outdoors! It’s surprising that people would come such a meeting without proper seating, or donkey parking, or childcare. I wonder what the disciples did for Children’s Church? How was He able to do leadership meetings with His disciples without PowerPoint? How was He able to build community with them without e-mail, Facebook or Twitter? How did Jesus do church without all the props?
I think the key to why His ministry was so effective can be found in this passage from John 6:66-69:
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus had life, the life of the Father in Him, and that life was that which drew people to Him. Jesus didn’t need the props because He had content – eternal life from the Father. And not eternal life as a concept, or a future destination, but as a vital current reality. People experienced the life of the eternal Father when they encountered Jesus. Peter’s statement related the fact that they had been so impacted by this life that they could not leave Jesus. If Christ was so impacting us today – and others through us, we would see the churches full to overflowing. So, the question becomes, why do we need the props to “do church?”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think we should use all the technology, etc. in our ministry environments. There are many practical things we need to put in place to facilitate ministry well, and all ministry should be done with excellence. But very often we prop our ministry up on the props, because we don’t have the vital life of Jesus flowing in us or our churches. Ouch. I know, it hurts to embrace that, like a crown of thorns, or nails in the hands, or a spear in the side. But we have to embrace this truth – it is part of our going to the Cross, part of our dying daily, part of our sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
We often use the analogy of Starbucks coffee in a paper cup – we go to Starbucks for the good coffee (and pay way too much) and not the paper cup. The cup is essential, but is not what we spend the ridiculous amount of money. It’s the content. The life of the Father brought to us by the Holy Spirit through Jesus the Son is the content we need. As we like to say, we need some serious Jesus on tap, because you can’t give away what you don’t already have.
So, what are you doing to add the content of the life of Christ to your life? How are you going deep with Jesus, personally? How are you going to add His life to your Church? Are you relying on the props to get you through, both personally and as a church?
Recently, I learned of a local Episcopal church here in New England which had one of the walls collapse of its stone building – it fell on the pastor’s car. The building inspector condemned the ancient stone building – they can never use it again. Believe it or not, the congregation was revitalized by the challenge of being flexible for worship, sharing space with other churches, being in temporary digs. They lost one of their props, but found the dynamic life of Christ. Amazing. What would you and your congregation do in a similar situation? What would happen if you lost some of the props supporting your ministry? Maybe it’s time to kick out some of the props and see if the life of Christ alone will support your ministry. Let’s see if they are coming because of His life, or the convenient donkey parking.
May your life and ministry have the true life of Jesus in abundance and may it be more than just a propped up house of cards.
So, how did Jesus minister the Gospel to the 5,000 without the appropriate background music? I mean, come on, how did He set the mood for the moving of the Spirit on people hearts and minds without a worship leader and team backing Him up? Everyone knows that you need a serious kickin’ sound system to do live events outdoors! It’s surprising that people would come such a meeting without proper seating, or donkey parking, or childcare. I wonder what the disciples did for Children’s Church? How was He able to do leadership meetings with His disciples without PowerPoint? How was He able to build community with them without e-mail, Facebook or Twitter? How did Jesus do church without all the props?
I think the key to why His ministry was so effective can be found in this passage from John 6:66-69:
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus had life, the life of the Father in Him, and that life was that which drew people to Him. Jesus didn’t need the props because He had content – eternal life from the Father. And not eternal life as a concept, or a future destination, but as a vital current reality. People experienced the life of the eternal Father when they encountered Jesus. Peter’s statement related the fact that they had been so impacted by this life that they could not leave Jesus. If Christ was so impacting us today – and others through us, we would see the churches full to overflowing. So, the question becomes, why do we need the props to “do church?”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think we should use all the technology, etc. in our ministry environments. There are many practical things we need to put in place to facilitate ministry well, and all ministry should be done with excellence. But very often we prop our ministry up on the props, because we don’t have the vital life of Jesus flowing in us or our churches. Ouch. I know, it hurts to embrace that, like a crown of thorns, or nails in the hands, or a spear in the side. But we have to embrace this truth – it is part of our going to the Cross, part of our dying daily, part of our sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
We often use the analogy of Starbucks coffee in a paper cup – we go to Starbucks for the good coffee (and pay way too much) and not the paper cup. The cup is essential, but is not what we spend the ridiculous amount of money. It’s the content. The life of the Father brought to us by the Holy Spirit through Jesus the Son is the content we need. As we like to say, we need some serious Jesus on tap, because you can’t give away what you don’t already have.
So, what are you doing to add the content of the life of Christ to your life? How are you going deep with Jesus, personally? How are you going to add His life to your Church? Are you relying on the props to get you through, both personally and as a church?
Recently, I learned of a local Episcopal church here in New England which had one of the walls collapse of its stone building – it fell on the pastor’s car. The building inspector condemned the ancient stone building – they can never use it again. Believe it or not, the congregation was revitalized by the challenge of being flexible for worship, sharing space with other churches, being in temporary digs. They lost one of their props, but found the dynamic life of Christ. Amazing. What would you and your congregation do in a similar situation? What would happen if you lost some of the props supporting your ministry? Maybe it’s time to kick out some of the props and see if the life of Christ alone will support your ministry. Let’s see if they are coming because of His life, or the convenient donkey parking.
May your life and ministry have the true life of Jesus in abundance and may it be more than just a propped up house of cards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)