Some popular writers may lead us astray …
Just a little deviance of an inch or two and an archer will fail to hit his mark as his arrow falls short of the bulls eye.
And a little deviance with the Word of God will cause us to fall short spiritually as well.
That’s my concern as I read the writings of some Christian writers who are becoming popular voices in addressing the ills of the church.
Many of these writers capture attention by giving eloquent voice to the frustrations many of us have about what’s wrong in the church. Let’s face it, the church is not all it should be today, not even close. So these writers gain attention by bringing to light some of the problems within the church.
However, there seems to be a trend of these writers pointing their fingers at the conservative, the conventional, the traditional, and sometimes the cultural Christian. But rarely ever do they include liberal Christians as being among those who contribute to the problems in the church. There also seems to be an inordinate concern about what today’s media sources think about the church.
Next, these writers set about to prescribe solutions for the church. Going back to the mission of the church and focusing on reaching the lost for Christ often is not part of the prescribed solution. Instead, a major focus on pursuing social justice, increasing involvement in the community, having better relations with the media, embracing culture, placing an emphasis on art, youth and beauty, and becoming more social services oriented are chief among the solutions they offer.
I appreciate the fact that some of these writers have highlighted some key issues that need to be addressed in the church. But only some. And some of their answers for change in the church are right on the mark, but others are far more culturally sourced than biblically based.
The danger to all this is, a little deviance with the Word of God results in a whole lot of failure.
Instead of putting aside political or social views and looking directly to God’s Word as the guide for the church, we often get something more or something less. They add to, or leave out. What seems to be a consistent theme is that if the church really follows what scripture teaches the church should be, the world will hate us … just as it hated Christ. Because no matter how much we may truly care, and serve, and love, and give, and help, and do our best at being the body of Christ on earth to a lost world, this world will still reject us.
But these writers seem to be angling for a formula where we can be the church and be loved by the world. After reading their books, you would think they long (lust?) after hearing the media say, “Well done, good and tolerant, watered down, non-biblical church.”
It seems the church often responds like a pendulum, swinging too far one direction, then in an attempt to correct, it swings back too far in the other direction.
In my lifetime, I’ve never known a time so crucial for the people of God to open their Bibles and look directly to scripture for definition of, and guidance for, the church. The church belongs to Jesus Christ, it’s His and not ours. He has defined it, He has Commissioned it, and He has given us great clarity in His Word about what the church should be, and how we should be the church.
While there can be value in reading all the books coming out about the church, maybe we need a renewed focus on opening God’s Book and re-reading what He has to say about the church. And then apply what He says. That is likely the safest way for us to come close to hitting the target with regard to being the church.
Scotty
March 29, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Well said, Scotty. I am focusing on just one area, building Biblical Men out of the boy's society produces, but fighting the popular views of the church causes major conflicts for me. Even something as simple as complementary roles of the sexes can be turned into me hating women by feminists. It's important for us to remember that Jesus told us we would be hated by culture for following Him. Why do so many think we need to conform to it?
March 29, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Thanks for sharing Paul, I can understand the challenges you face in your ministry as you strive to serve from a biblical position. I think there are a few reasons why there's such a wrestle about this, including 1) the church is biblically illiterate … we tend to live our lives based on what we think the Bible says, rather than what it actually says, 2) the church is overrun with culture … Christians have a hard time separating political views from biblical ones, or from thinking the "great American dream" is what it means to be Christian, and 3) who doesn't want to be loved? Who wants to be hated? I think it's a natural thing to shrink from scorn and dislike.
I do think the church has often failed to engage culture, or how it has responded to culture. Often we've been judgmental and unloving — which means un-Christlike — and because of that have received a backlash. But the answer isn't to over-correct and become lost in culture.
I think we can accomplish what Christ calls us to if we follow His example, heed His Word, and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a way to love, serve, and truly care for unbelievers that can achieve what God really wants to achieve through us, but even then, "the world" will still respond to us as it responded to Christ.