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IMonk posted a very interesting message concerning God’s will and knowing it. See it here.
My tiny contribution there is this:
This post is a more eloquent description of one of the reasons why I reject most if not all of evangelicism.
God is not some big vending machine in the sky so that if we deposit enough coin (faith, tithes, obedience, etc.) then push button B and 6 God is obligated to give us our Twinkies (put your own desires in here).
God is sovereign.
The only clue I have as to His will are the very simple things that are told us in scripture.
To paraphrase Jesus, be nice to each other and worship God above all others.
To paraphrase Paul, go tell other people.
I won’t be putting out any fleeces or any of the other gyrations to know God’s mind. I can’t know it.
I can trust God’s mind.
So I am free to live and move within that mind of God without the constant struggle to make sure I’m making all the steps 1 through 12a to live.
Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty free at last.
Strangely, thinking about this has led me to at least the beginnings of another answer in my life.
I don’t want to be a Roman Catholic.
I am certainly attracted to the beauty, tradition and majesty of the Roman church.
But, believing as I have stated above, how can I be apart of a fellowship that teaches that if I confess to a priest and say 10 Hail Mary’s then my sin of lusting after a new guitar is expiated?
I realize that is an unfair simplification but it is what it is.
This leaves me with rejecting both orthodoxy in most forms and absolutely rejecting the evangelical church.
What’s a fellow to do?
Constructive comments welcome.
This past Easter weekend two of my dearest friends were formally taken into the fellowship of the Catholic Church.
This in and of itself is a little amazing but not shocking given that many evangelicals and former evangelicals are moving towards Orthodoxy in one form or another.
There are, however, a few things that I believe make this extraordinary at least for me.
Bryn and Sandra befriended my wife and me many years ago when we were perhaps not newly minted Christians but were certainly not deep in the faith.
Bryn in particular was and is a mentor to me as well as my friend.
I want you to imagine that person or one of those people that were there for you and helped guide you through the early days of your walk with Christ or “the Christ” as Bryn is fond of saying, becoming Roman Catholics. Think of it.
Those of you who are regular readers of the internetmonk have watched and in some detached way seen what Michael Spencer, an ordained Southern Baptist minister and educator has gone through during his wife’s conversion the Roman church.
Bryn was one of three older men who mentored and were spiritual guides for me.
Bryn and another dear and departed friend lead my brother and me to a men’s spiritual retreat and training that I still look back upon with deep appreciation for the many lessons learned.
Both of the other men have now gone on to be with the Lord.
Bryn and Sandra also opened their home to us and several other couples for a home bible study/worship service that to this day has not been equaled in my experience for its depth and warmth.
These are not flighty church jumpers.
Bryn is a 71 year old semi-retired architect and Sandra has raised two beautiful daughters as well as put up with Bryn for a long, long time.
Sandra, being clearly much younger, could possibly be looked upon as doing something out of the impetuosity of youth. Bryn has no such excuse.
I spoke to both of them at some length last week and the single question I had was this.
Why?
Both talked at some length about things that they liked or didn’t like about the churches from their past and their new church home.
They both talked to some degree about the theology and apologetics.
When it finally got down to the basic truth they both were looking for authenticity in their worship experience.
This is a reason that reverberates with me.
This is reason I understand I believe many evangelicals can identify with.
Our churches and the worship experience have turned into extravaganzas and circuses meant to attract the “unchurched” and entertain the masses.
I wish my friends all of the happiness and blessing possible in their new spiritual home.
They may soon be joined.
John Dennis has written one of his typically astute posts on his “If” blog.
This one is concerning bibliomancy (Notice the other superstitious and occult references on the same page in the online dictionary).
See it here : JohnDennis on “If I Could Just Find The Right Verse”.
While he deals in a pointed and hilarious way with this superstition I would like to add my own 2 cents. (That and $6 will get you a cup of coffee.)
How many times have you sat through a sermon or teaching while the speaker was lifting bits of scripture here and there to make a topical point?
I have no real beef with topical preaching/teaching but I do insist that if you are going to take this hodge-podge method that it:
1. Support a solid biblical concept/truth.
2. That the lifted scripture not be out of the context of where it is in the narrative of the bible.
The bible is not magic.
God is not the big Make-A-Wish-Foundation in the sky. (Wonderful organization here on Earth.)
Study your bible. Read it like a book not a dictionary or as an unrelated bunch of quotations.
John 3:16 makes a statement alone that is consistent with the overall message.
Be careful that you don’t apply the magic method to Matthew 27:5.
I have a confession to make.
I do not attend any organized form of worship service on a regular or even a very irregular basis.
Willoh’s recent post on negativity and Jeofurry’s sermon on Romans 14 have taken some of the fire out of my one man protest against the modern church.
I of course go to funerals and weddings and have occasionally gone to a local megachurch to hear my nephew sing.
My inclination is to blame this all on the churches and the people who run them. You can see from the last post of imonk that I put up links to here and in other postings of his and the comments that there is plenty of wrong to go around.
The real problem is me.
I wrote to a famous blogger asking what are we to do as far as finding a church in response to a provocative blog about the ills of evangelical churches. His response was that if I couldn’t find some kind of group to worship with amongst all of the myriad possibilities out there than there is something wrong with me.
He is right.
I do have many issues with churches. It is the reason I started this blog. I’m not talking about the groups that deny the deity of Christ or His Supremacy. They are not my concern in general except as fellow humans who may need to be presented with the gospel.
No my issues are with the evangelicals. One thing is I have been surprised by how many groups take on that appellation.
I once, in my distant youth, even wanted to be a bible teacher or pastor. I did succeed for a while in leading a large group in bible study (40-60 a week) but I betrayed the trust of that group and eventually even blamed that on others.
I am by nature a weird combination of both a cynical skeptic and a hopeful dreamer. Not a great combination if you are looking for something inspiring in others. Looking for some evidence of the Divine in the people around me that claim brotherhood with the Risen Christ.
As noted above, I am chief among those who have disappointed others. Deeply disappointed. Ruined families. Deeply damaged my own family. Hurt and confused younger brothers and sisters in Christ.
Yet with all of this I presume to set myself up as an arbiter of what is right and wrong with the church both local and universal.
Talk about a hypocrite.
I know none of us is worthy and I may be slightly more honest than others may be willing or able to be at this time but that does not excuse my behaviour.
I’m not sure I have the guts to push the button and actually post this. We will see later.
So I guess you could say that guilt is a big part of why I don’t go to church.
There are other better reasons that would certainly be more palatable to others but they don’t seem to matter very much right now.
I know where I need to be and who I need to be with. I just don’t have the stomach for the worshiptainment and circus nonsense that goes on at most of the groups I would consider aligning with theologically.
I have even flirted with Catholicism but there are just a few points that I can’t seem to get past. (There’s some of my line in there Mr. Bell).
I don’t need or desire anyone’s sympathy or even deserve it. If you want to pray for me then pray. Don’t tell me about it. God will know.
I suppose for the time being I will suspend my series on why tithing isn’t new testament biblical or there is no model for a professional clergy. That we don’t need these giant stadiums complete with coffee shops and indoor gymnasiums. I could go on.
All of these things I feel strongly about but do not believe I am qualified to comment.
A dear friend of mine once told me that he thought I had the gift of prophecy, the telling it like it is variety not the world is coming to an end type, and that Satan had sabotaged my life to make me ineffective.
That is flattering but I am sure it makes me out to be be way more important than I am.
So, there you go. It’s me.
What’s next?
My Prediction:The Coming Evangelical Collapse part 1
The Coming Evangelical Collapse: What Will Be Left? part 2
The Coming Evangelical Collapse: Good or Bad? part 3
A lot to digest and think about.
One of the comments said the following,”…However, I would argue that to the extent that the decline reflects reality, the decline has already happened. You say you see a future of Moralistic-Therapeutic-Deism, but that is exactly where the American church is now.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Yesterday my friend at WILLOHROOTS posted an article called Close the Church of Christian Criticism.
Basically, the post asks why must we be so negative and in attack mode so much?
Here is an excerpt:
In the past I could ignore those groups of people who say they are Christian, and may well be, yet practice something I find disturbing, like snake handling, or legalism. Now I am exposed to things I formerly was able to ignore. At the top of my personal Ignorance list was the existence of a cottage industry full of vehemence and bile, that group of people who say they are Christian and spend their lives criticizing everything that happens in a building with a cross on the roof. Don’t get me wrong, there are some loose wingnuts on the wheels of modern Christianity, and pointing out the insanity is healthy! I am not talking about those of us [me] who desire to point out wackos and frauds; I mean people who take on whole denominations, entire -faith-groups of mainstream believers, or really well known figureheads of the faith.
My first response, as is my nature, was to become defensive and justify my own vitriol that is often pointed at part of the Body of Christ.
In the comments section there was a statement by Jeofurry which led me to his site and from there to First Baptist Church of Langdon, ND and eventually to Mr. Musgrave’s sermon on Romans 14.
My take from that sermon is don’t sweat the small stuff and almost everything is small stuff. That’s kind of trivializing the sermon and it is certainly deeper and more compicated than that but you get the idea. Listen to the sermon.
I have< for example, on this site been very critical of Contemporary Christian Music. It’s not my taste but why should I attack this music that is enjoyed and edifying to millions of others? (In fact since that post one responder pointed me to some really good CCM, Waterdeep and Don Chaffer, excellent.)
I’m a big critic of the mega-churches. I will continue to be one but I needn’t be so harsh about it.
In other words my criticism and statements were not made in love but rather in anger and bitterness.
I would ask anyone whom I have offended to please forgive me.
I feel strongly about many aspects of the modern church and will continue to speak out about those things.
I will continue to point out the silly and absurd.
It is very easy to be hot under the collar when you have the anonymity of the internet. We (I) say things in a way that we would never do to someone’s face. It is cowardly and I am sorry.
But, with the help of friends like Willoh and Jeofurry I will with the grace of God endeavor to cut down on the negativity, anger and sarcasm (a form of angry comment).
Thank you Will and Jeff.
I wanted to be on board with the new president but infanticide is more than I can stomach.
I thought about showing graphic baby murders but my sense of decency won out which is more than I can say for the murdering abortionists.
The kicker is that its not even ideological for them. It’s all about the money.
The Vatican reacts here.
First a disclaimer.
I am not a fan of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music). I do not read very much Christian fiction. I have read “The Shack” that’s about it.
I am a curmudgeonly baby-boomer.
My tastes are not the final arbiter of what is good or not. Listen to or read whatever you like.
OK.
Newsweek reported last July that Christian entertainment (music, books, tv and movies) has become a billion dollar industry.
CCM alone accounted for $747 million in sales or 7% of the entire American music industry and it’s growing.
Since I don’t listen to this music or buy these books I suppose it’s possible that some good music and writing has crept in. Actually, I don’t listen to music on the radio at all because radio in 2009 radio is horrible with just a few exceptions of roots based music.
So what is my problem?
First, the music is just not very good. I realize that the level of writing and musicianship has improved but it is still generally sub-par. I think that most CCM artists really want to be mainstream bands or singers. This is a broad stroke of the brush but I think that the music and the record speaks for itself.
Second, I detest the “Jesus is my best freind/boyfriend” genre. Jesus is Lord of the Universe, the Great I AM, The Word, the Alpha/Omega. You get the point.
Third, the chanting reminds me of my hippie days when we would hang out with the Krishnas while they chanted the same phrase over and over until they were in some kind of mindless bliss. Is this what we want as believers?
Alright, I know that when Charles Wesley and others were writing that the music was probably viewed as too far out and hip for the day. I get that. but, at least these hymns had some theological weight to them.
Just look to something that you might consider lightweight like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”.
Hark! the herald angels sing, -
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’ angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”Christ, by highest heav’n adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the favored one.
Veil’d in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, th’incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”Hail! the heav’n-born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sone of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
The Incarnation, The Trinity, Salvation. Wow!
The literature I will leave for another day.
If any of you think you can turn me on to somebody who not only has something to say but in a compelling piece of music then by all means please do so.
Chrisitan entertainment has become BIG business. Just like the churches that support it. I’m sure they would have loved it in Laodicea.
The Internetmonk is one of my favorite sites.
He often writes extremely insightful blogs about the state of the Church.
He is especially interesting to me when he takes on the vacuous state of many preachers, pastors, teachers etc.
Here is an example:
Salvation: Is It So What? or Whatever?
Take a look.
Please take a look at this very moving tribute to Fr. Neuhaus.
A Grief Observed: Richard John Neuhaus, 1936-2009 by Rev. Paul T. McCain
Also, just in case you don’t go there this statement from Fr. Neuhaus is especially meaningful:
“When I come before the judgment throne, I will plead the promise of God in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I will not plead any work that I have done, although I will thank God that he has enabled me to do some good. I will plead no merits other than the merits of Christ, knowing that the merits of Mary and the saints are all from him; and for their company, their example, and their prayers throughout my earthly life I will give everlasting thanks. I will not plead that I had faith, for sometimes I was unsure of my faith, and in any event that would be to turn faith into a meritorious work of my won. I will not plead that I held the correct understanding of “justification by faith alone,” although I will thank God that he led me to know ever more fully the great truth that much misunderstood formulation was intended to protect. Whatever little growth in holiness I have experienced, whatever strength I have received from the company of the saints, whatever understanding I have attained of God and his ways – these and all other gifts received I will bring gratefully to the throne. But in seeking entry to that heavenly kingdom, I will…look to Christ and Christ alone.”
-Richard John Neuhaus. Death on a Friday Afternoon. New York: Basic Books, 2000) p. 70.
“I will not plead that I had faith, for sometimes I was unsure of my faith, and in any event that would be to turn faith into a meritorious work of my won. “
We have a tendancy to claim faith only but we even turn that into a work. Fr. Neuhaus saw this clearly.
Another really good tribute from The Dallas Morning News.
