FINALLY, IT IS ALL ABOUT…CONSUMING?

The reality is this thought runs through everything I have said. Consumerism. Who has the best product? Who is going to feed me what I need to get me through the week?

In reality we tried to be a fellowship devoid of denominational ties focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus as we tried to love our neighbors. Just a little something for you, most of your neighbors probably love themselves enough for the both of you.

Stuff. The President after September 11 informed the world that what we needed most was more consumption. Again, people come by it honestly. The problem is it won’t fix the problems in our lives or make anything better. Jesus was highly non-consumable. God went so far as to throw covetousness into a rather short list.

How does a church with a Head who didn’t have a home get to this place? A leader who didn’t have a paying job? One whom depended on the kindness of others? How does the church that carries his name come to a point where it is all about consuming? Where we shop for church like we look for a TV?

I really don’t know but I know it is true. I know it is true from the phone calls. I know that it is true from the feedback I have received. Jesus said die to self and at some point we turned it on its head and said what is in it for me.

When modern Christians were asked why the were a part of a church do you know what didn’t make the list? I am a part of a church because of how it loves others. No one even mentioned it. The list was filled with what they could consume.

Why backtrack? Because I want to be at a place that if you want to attend, you have to know it isn’t about what you consume. No flash, no show, no loud rock music. People trying to love like Jesus.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” Matthew 23:15

Do you recognize that Jesus is not mad because they are seeking to make followers who are too dedicated? Do you realize he is angry because they are seeking to make hypocrites like themselves? People who acknowledge God with their lips but have hearts far from Him?

Do you fear that much of the current evangelism in America would fall into this category? Seeker sensitive? How about consumer sensitive? My final “all about” and maybe you can see. I left because I wanted to bring people to Jesus. I return because I’m not sure the American Church is doing much better than the Pharisees of Matthew 23.

IT’S ALL ABOUT… THE MARKETING?

At some point I realized for many the first century was, well, very first century. The early church makes for a good read, well maybe not even a good read, but that might be it. Inspirational, I think so, but influential? Depends on what you mean.

At some point you recognize modern marketing has replaced, no not the best way to state that. At some point you recognize modern marketing IS the guiding principle for many when it comes to how you do church. Well even the idea of doing church is influenced by modern marketing.

At some point some church went around and marketed themselves in such a way that they grew really, really big and since then everyone has tried to either copy or improve on church marketing. Oh I know. Not marketing is a form of marketing. Trust me I know all of the arguments.

My point is not about marketing as much as what motivates and guides the church today. I agree that we are “marketing” the message of Jesus. I just think we should get past using modern American marketing for ideas because it isn’t really working.

Some marketing I have seen? How about giving away a home? Why not have Miss America come by for Easter in case Jesus isn’t enough to get them in the door? Preach the message that Jesus saves while wrapped in modern marketing and see what we get.

At some point I came to understand that trying to be the first century church isn’t on a lot of people’s minds. Trying to be the kingdom and find what that means from scripture? It makes a lot of sense to me but in my experience in Christian America not an idea that has much traction. Felt needs? Sure. First century? What are you talking about.

In fact when I said I didn’t see a reason to use modern marketing and expressed the idea that we should just look to scripture for our motivation I was often met with blank stares. As if I was speaking a foreign language. I mean let’s get practical. That was the first century and this is now. We have to use what works in our culture. They obviously used what worked in there culture, right?

That is the driving influence in the American church today but is it true? I’m trying to picture the church in Rome putting on kinder and gentler gladiator games. I’m trying to imagine that bringing growth to the church. Chariot races in the church parking lot at 6:00.

The irony is that Paul was often trying to keep the early church FROM copying the practices of the culture. From turning sacred events into nothing more than pagan rituals.

It took me some time to recognize that the love of the first century church and the desire to learn from it was influenced by my Church of Christ upbringing. Again I know I am overgeneralizing. Again I understand my experience isn’t everyone’s. I just know that for seven years I tried to put that vision forward but for the majority it never really stuck.

I backtrack to a group that, while broken and flawed, at least understands the importance of the first century model. You may never know how refreshing and comforting for me that truly is.

IT IS ALL ABOUT… THE PHARISEES?

Recently I ran across a conversation on Facebook on a certain preacher page about Pharisees. I have been reading some books on first century Jewish history, one in particular has been very helpful. Meet the Rabbis by Brad H. Young. The book has great information about the Pharisees.

I found the extra-biblical information to be very helpful. The writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls did not like the Pharisees because of their lenient rulings and a desire to interpret the Torah in a way that made it easier to observe (Meet the Rabbi’s pg. 7). In fact they were not the only ones. The Qumran community made the same observations.

Those are consistent with what Jesus had to say. Jesus referred to them as whitewashed tombs who tried to look good on the outside while being full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean (Matthew 23:27). In fact he questions their reasons for giving and fasting and just about everything they do as Jews because he knows they do it for show.

My point? Often times people see the Pharisees as legalistic but in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. In our modern times people who dress up on Sunday to look good or go to church for social reasons because it helps their business have much more in common with the Pharisees than believers seeking to strictly follow God’s word.

I would say that the issue with Pharisees is neither legalism nor liberalism. It is that they are fakes and frauds. Years ago I read Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship and his emphasis on cheap grace. At the time I couldn’t relate. Today I can say I understand very well.

Why return to the Churches of Christ? There is an appreciation of obedience. What have I found in my time in the Christian world? An emphasis on grace that is so hyper that any call to obedience is met with resistance. That any call to obey is attacked as legalistic.

Am I still concerned with people adding commands to God’s word? Yes without question. Creating commands that don’t exist no matter what you believe is inferred is wrong, but only if you try to judge and bind those on others. In reality if you believe something dishonors God you SHOULDN’T do it. It is also wrong if you believed your salvation was guaranteed because you follow these created commands, but that doesn’t mean obedience doesn’t matter. In fact in reality the opposite of legalism is not necessarily grace, it is too often lawlessness and that isn’t good.

But please, Jesus beef with the Pharisees wasn’t because they added laws, it was that they didn’t really seek to keep any of them. The country club attitude of I’m saved by grace so it doesn’t matter has much more in common with the Pharisee than any person seeking to be obedient to their understanding of the Bible.

IS IT ALL ABOUT… THE PASTOR?

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

I was reading this chapter with the kids recently and I was reminded. I was reminded of what always fascinates me about the American Church experience. The churches with the greatest amount of resources are usually the ones doing the least with them. To put it in the context of the passage the churches with the greatest number of priests pay the largest number of people to be priests for them.

The New Testament points to the church as a body with many parts. A body that can not function unless each part is seeking the will of God. In Ephesians 4:11 Paul says that it is Christ himself who gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the people for works of service. Notice that the job of those various positions is to equip the people to get work done.

People wanting to see the church grow? Sure, grow so we can hire more staff to do stuff for us. People giving money to the church? Sure, money so that we can hire someone so we don’t have to do the work anymore.

I don’t know how it goes for others but in my world few people had any interest the priesthood of believers or finding what part of the body they are. Show them scripture and it didn’t matter. Message series? A lost cause. That is the Pastor’s job. We pay you to do the works of service for us. People leaving saying they were going to look for a more biblical church, this one only seems interested in getting us to serve.

I appreciate that in my Church of Christ upbringing these ideas were stressed. We come here to equip you to be the hands and feet of Jesus out there. The majority of people serving in our church? You guessed it, those with Church of Christ or Restoration church backgrounds. The people focused on making church about serving us? Those from other Christian strains.

At a certain point you think maybe it is the system. Something about the Church of Christ system that in my experience helps people understand service. Struggles with legalism? Sure, but an understanding that everyone should be involved? Yes and for me, at some point absolutely refreshing.

IS IT ALL ABOUT…DENOMINATIONS?

The call to simple Christianity. The call to unity. The call to take the Lord’s Supper once a quarter? There was irony the first time someone questioned why we didn’t show more respect for the Lord’s Supper. A pinch of cracker and a swig of juice stuck in the service between singing and the sermon.

Why don’t we make the entire service about the Lord’s Supper? Why don’t you make it a meal? If you did it once a year or once a quarter that would show proper respect for something so special.

One of many questions that came when you think you are trying to be non-denominational in the Christian world. Maybe we should have called ourselves multi-denominational or un-denominational. Like so many terms this one is loaded or at least loaded where we were located.

Not that long ago we had a woman who started coming. Came for several weeks. Loved what we were doing trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Wanted to get involved. Asked what she could do to help. Then one day she called me at the office. Is your church a charismatic church?

Over seven years the question has come time and time again. My response? We believe that the Holy Spirit is just as active today as it was in the first century. That it is still working to do miracles and that all the gifts are still possible, but that is not the focus of our church. Our focus is on being the hands and feet of Jesus. Our desire is to show people love. We do not use the gifts and more specifically speaking in tongues as a test of fellowship. We do not believe they have any bearing on ones salvation or standing in the Kingdom.

I have not seen her since. She isn’t the first. In fact she joins a long line of Spirit-filled believers who were never satisfied. We were never enough for them. They aren’t the only ones.

People looking for a simple church focused on loving people like Jesus? No. The questions always came and people always tried to determine how much we were like their denomination. How much the experience felt like home.

Here is the thing. When I have talked to people within Churches of Christ about our goals and what we were trying to accomplish I almost always received a positive response. People who loved what we were trying to do. When I talk to people from various denominations do you know what I received? Confusion. Derision. Contempt? Trying to hold a church together with Jesus as the foundation and loving like him the focus? The world I lived in was a denominational world.

Recently a new couple who has been coming to the church shared that our fellowship felt like a Baptist Church. Well accept for the Lord’s Supper each Sunday. The fit is close enough.

IS IT ALL ABOUT… ENTERTAINMENT?

People who brand themselves conservative among Churches of Christ often point to entertainment when discussing instruments in worship. While I disagree that the Bible teaches that they can not be used, I agree with them on entertainment. In my experience the use of instruments became about entertainment.

The first time you go to a church that has a fog machine and strobe lights I would think some part of you has to say this is all for entertainment. I know, move the people, help get them closer to God. Say what you want, it is all about keeping them entertained so they keep coming so we can pay the electric bills to cover the costs of the smoke machines and strobe lights. A vicious circle indeed.

For me it was about taking down barriers that keep people from Jesus. From those who I came into contact with it seemed to always come down to being entertained.

At times it was like dealing with countless Goldilocks each with their own set of entertainment standards. The drums are too loud or they are too soft. The songs are too fast or they are too slow. The blend of old and new just isn’t right. You realize that Goldilocks is totally self-consumed? She certainly isn’t giving any thought to her neighbor.

Then you had issues with the children’s ministry because they needed to be properly entertained and that entertainment need to coincide with the adult entertainment or this church will never succeed. That is what I was told. Being the hands and feet of Jesus? Not enough. People have to be entertained.

A certain frustration takes over when the Christian life is boiled down to a one hour worship experience each week. I loved to tell people that we get you in here to help you live out there. For many it was about them being entertained in here so they didn’t have to think about living out there.

In the end it became clear to me that if you entertained the people well enough they might just give you some of their time during the week to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Still no guarantee. But only if they were entertained enough.

Obviously this is an over simplification. Many people came and were involved without it being about entertainment. But guess what, they typically had a Church of Christ background. One couple who is very active in our fellowship had to look past our instruments because of what we do to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

For everyone else it always came down to entertainment and when people found better entertainment that was it. Are they focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus? Who cares as long as I am being entertained.

I can not backtrack any faster from Christianity that is about entertainment.