The Last Laugh on Good Friday

Out of the corner of my eye I saw an older woman quickly stand to reach up and touch the cross as it came crowd-surfing overhead. Everyone wanted a piece of it. To touch it. To do our part, if even for a moment, to keep it lifted, and then pass it forward to the worshippers who stood directly in front of us.  It was the least we could do—dare we say, for Jesus?—who 2000 years ago had carried a much rougher and heavier tree-like cross all the way through the crowd-lined streets of Jerusalem, for heaven’s sake. 

None of us wanted to let the others down.  So we each stood tall, reached up and grabbed the cross as it came surfing overhead, and did our part to keep it surfing on ahead.  I couldn’t help but notice the old woman again, now that I had turned around to receive the cross as it swiftly advanced from the back. I didn’t think she would make it before the cross had passed us by.  But she twisted and strained to quickly move a body that clearly preferred slower movements. And in one last burst of desperation she helped to carry one of the cross-arms for a split second on the tips of her three longest fingers.  Success! 

I stood in awe as I turned back around and watched the cross continue to sail overhead all the way to the front, held up and passed on only by the hands of ordinary people.  People for whom the Jesus who had carried it originally had been later put to death.  For their sake.  To give them a 2^nd chance, and a new lease on life.

The cross was gently laid to rest upon pillows, placed carefully on the marble stone steps of the altar area as if the cross was the body of Jesus himself.  The last three candles were extinguished, except for one.  Then even that one soon disappeared with its bearer down the aisle with the great hall growing darker with each step.  An “earthquake” quickly filled the whole cathedral with a loud, chaotic roar, punctuated by timpani and cymbals.  On and on it rumbled and roared and thundered and crashed until those assembled just wished it would stop!

When the candle was finally returned, the air was filled with the feel of death.  Stuffy.  Quiet.  Dark.  Like the funeral home where I went at age five to visit my grandmother, the first dead person I had ever seen.

We all stood, hesitating… waiting for the next movement in this world drama.  Yes—there would be one final scene.  A subtle moment of joy, and perhaps… humor.  At least I interpreted it that way.  Out of the heavens, above where the cross had been gently laid, tumbled down a waterfall of bright red rose petals.  Dozens of them.  Hundreds of them.  Fluttering down like red butterflies.  A sight to behold!  Like one “last smile” out of  the corner of the Father’s mouth, as a Final Statement to the scene that had just unfolded. A Final Statement that was revealing the deeper truth about what we had just witnessed.  A  foreshadowing of the magnanimous love that was about to awaken the world.  A Final Word by the One who really had the Final Word about this whole ignominy.  In another three days time. 

Renewed at Noon

I made an exception on Ash Wednesday this year because two of my dear Chinese kids invited me to a basketball game as their guests. But I felt strange on the morning of—. Something in my Spirit hungered for the familiar but unsettling words when the ashes are drawn across my forehead, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Is that weird or what?

 

So I searched for a noon service.  Of course--who better to turn to than my Catholic brothers and sisters?  I jumped in my truck and took off for the Basilica, downtown.

 

Already streams of people were flowing in from everywhere—just like going to a game at Target Field.  Lots of young people.  For the next hour I sat among hundreds—at noon!  In a Church.  On a Wednesday.  In the middle of downtown Minneapolis.  Surrounded by rich smells of incense and monastic-like music, dawdling along in an un-hurried pace, in an other-worldly setting.  It was a “perfect storm” that recharged my spiritual batteries.

 

The enormous heights of the ceiling kept drawing my eyes and mind... up.  And there, all around us, were brothers and sisters from centuries gone by looking down on us from their painted faces in the stained glassed windows perched high above our earthly worship. The sweet haunting verses that were chanted from somewhere unseen floated out upon the Assembly and imbued our collective spirit with a touch of the heavenly realm.  Sweet.

 

Words were spoken and read and preached and sung and prayed. Words were used to confess wrongs… things that we wish we could have back to do over again, but can’t.  But then, sweet life – giving words were issued to wash clean those areas where the enemy had once again infiltrated our spirit and stained the spiritual garment in which we had been “clothed with Christ.”

 

Something in my body and spirit becomes aligned when I kneel for prayer and confession rather than sitting or standing. Kneelers invite that posture before God. It’s really something to behold, when you look out and see hundreds of people kneeling in a posture of humility, even in our Madison Avenue 21^st century world of suits and skirts and jeans and sweatshirts. No matter what your stature in the world, all are the same before Christ.  Hmmm.  If only….

 

I remember the young woman who could not kneel on her left leg – a sports injury?  She sat on the aisle so that when it was time, she could kneel on her right leg with her left leg extended out into the aisle.  No excuses I guess.  This was important to her.

 

I faded into one of the human rivers that streamed out of all eight doors in all directions back into the world, feeling full and fed with the Word and the Word-made-flesh that was given up in death—even for my sake.  Amazing… that the God of the ever-expanding, 9 – billion – year – old universe would notice me, hear me when I speak, speak into my life when I hurt or am lost, and even die for me in my place.  Really?  

 

It’s still hard to grasp the reality of that Act on the cross. But … now I’m getting ahead of myself. That Act is still ahead, on Good Friday, still another 39 days ahead on this year’s 40 day journey.

Does the Church Thrive Under Persecution?

"Does the Church Thrive Under Persecution?"  Unfortunately, "no" says theology professor and Dean of Western Seminary in Portland, OR, Marc Cortez. 

Take a look--a well thought out and written article: http://www.christianity.com/Home/Christian%20Living%20Features/11674936/

You might have to check some of your assumtions at the door as you read this.  Takes 5 min. 

I pray for the persecuted church, and for pastors and Christian leaders facing persecution much more frequently than I did even a few years ago.  Maybe because my world perspective has grown wider.  Or, because communication is much better than it was even five years ago, so we know what is going on in nearly every part of the world, almost instantaneously.

My heart goes out to them.   And I'll continue to pray for them, almost all of whom remain nameless to me, except for the few of whom I read about.

Burn a Quaran Day?

A group of Christians in Florida needs the corrective insight of other Christians. Immediately. Maybe you can help.

Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational church in Gainesville, Fla., currently plans an "International Burn A Quran Day" on September 11. Senior Pastor Dr. Terry Jones explained, "We only did it because we felt there needed to be an outcry against Islam, because Islam is presenting itself as a religion of peace."

I’m left scratching my head thinking, “How is this a biblical action rooted in Christian love?”
This action doesn’t exactly square with my reading of the First Letter of the Apostle Peter, (2:12) "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Or when he says a few verses later in 2:17: "Show proper respect to everyone.”

Fortunately the President of the National Association of Evangelicals, Leith Anderson, has responded quickly. He said the book burning would "exacerbate tensions" between the religions. In a statement the NAE said, "It sounds like the proposed Quran burning is rooted in revenge. Yet the Bible says that Christians should 'make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else' (I Thessalonians 5:15)."

Muslims worldwide would be “profoundly” offended by the burning of Qurans, just as Christians would be deeply insulted if another faith group burned Bibles, the NAE stressed.

Orlando-based Pastor Joel Hunter of Northland, A Church Distributed, who is a member of the NAE Board of Directors, commented, “We have to recognize that fighting fire with fire only builds a bigger fire.”

“Love is the water that will eventually quench the destruction,” he said.

I have my own issues with Islam but the way to lead Muslims to the truth is not through vengeful acts, making incendiary pronouncements, or encouraging emotions of fear, distrust and violence on the part of fellow Christians. It’s through love and respect. At least, that was Jesus’ way. Since I’m a follower of Jesus, it’s my way too. By default.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, it’s your way too.

Our brothers and sisters at Dove—well-intentioned, I’m sure, but misguided nevertheless—need to hear from other Christians. Before they do something stupid, of which, all of us who follow Jesus, will bear the shame and grief. And it’s not like we (Christians) have a huge supply of goodwill in the eyes of the world in the first place.

More info at: The Christian Post. Send an email to Dove at: http://www.doveworld.org/contact. Make your voice heard.

Interview With A Vampire--Anne Rice

Well, another one bites the dust… a Christian, that is, who has “had enough” of the church, and organized religion. "The church is just too different from Jesus." That’s their experience, personally, and it’s tough to reconcile that with the Jesus they read about in the Gospels, and with the Jesus they experience personally in prayer.

Anne Rice, author of “Interview with a Vampire,” is the most recent example. In her own words she writes on her blog in the last two days:

For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.  

As I said … I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.

My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, not matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.hristianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.
Anne is not the first person to “leave the church.” She won’t be the last. But she’s part of a growing wave of folks whose numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. I understand—even sympathize with—her experience. I’m praying and thinking... intensely … what’s the answer?...

The Reason for God, part 4

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

What’s really unique about Christianity? Is Christianity just another religion? Is one just as good or helpful as another? If we were born into another culture, wouldn’t we have been brought up in a different religion, and felt faithful to that?

Kellor believes there is a tremendous difference between Christianity, and other “religions.” He writes:

There is a profound and fundamental difference between the way that other religions tell us to seek salvation and the way described in the gospel of Jesus. All other major faiths have founders who are teachers that show the way to salvation. Only Jesus claimed to actually BE the way of salvation himself. The difference is so great that, even though Christianity can certainly be called a religion in the broader sense… we will use the term “religion” … to refer to “salvation through moral effort” and “gospel” to refer to “salvation through grace.”

Religion operates on the principle “I obey—therefore I am accepted by God.” But the operating principle of the gospel is “I am accepted by God through what Christ has done—therefore I obey.”

In Christ I could know I was accepted by grace not only despite my flaws, but because I was willing to admit them. The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself or less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less. I don’t need to notice myself—how I’m doing, how I’m being regarded—so often.

This means that I cannot despise those who do not believe as I do. Since I am not saved by my correct doctrine or practice, then this person before me, even with his or her wrong beliefs, might be morally superior to me in many ways. It also means I do not have to be intimidated by anyone. I am not so insecure that I fear the power of success or talent of people who are different from me. The gospel makes it possible for a person to escape oversensitivity, defensiveness, and the need to criticize others. The Christian’s identity is not based on the need to be perceived as a good person, but on God’s valuing of you in Christ.

What's your take on religion? Worthwhile? Or waste of time?

The Reason for God, part 3

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

Many who are leaving the church have found that they cannot tolerate an institutional culture which comes off as "judgmental, exclusive, homophobic, too political and hypocritical" (Kinnaman, 2007).

Unfortunately, the church has not reflected well the teachings of its Lord, Jesus Christ, in this regard. In fact, Jesus taught and lived (and died) a life that reflected just the opposite. Kellor writes:

One of the paradoxes of history is the relationship between the beliefs and the practices of the early Christians as compared to those of the culture around them

The Greco-Roman world’s religious views were open and seemingly tolerant—everyone had his or her own God. The practices of the culture were quite brutal, however. The Greco-Roman world was highly stratified economically, with a huge distance between the rich and poor. By contract, Christians insisted that there was only one true God, the dying Savior Jesus Christ. Their lives and practices were, however, remarkably welcoming to those that the culture marginalized. The early Christians mixed people from different races and classes in ways that seemed scandalous to those around them. The Greco-Roman world tended to despise the poor, but Christians gave generously not only to their own poor but to those of other faiths.

Why would such an exclusive belief system lead to behavior that was so open to others? It was because Christians had within their belief system the strongest possible resources for practicing sacrificial service, generosity, and peace-making. At the very heart of their view of reality was a man who died for his enemies, praying for their forgiveness. Reflection on this could only lead to a radically different way of dealing with those who were different from them. It meant they could not act in violence and oppression toward their opponents.

If this sounds refreshing to you… welcome to the Christian faith, and to the Jesus who established this New Life and turned upside down the established norms of human culture.

If this sounds foreign to you, or even objectionable… let’s go back and read the Gospels again and discover the roots our church.

Tell us what you think...

The Reason for God, part 2

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

Question: Does the evidence point to a gradual dying out of religion in the West, or it on the rise? Not sure? Seeing signs of both? Kellor writes:

Is skepticism or faith on the ascendancy in the world today? The answer is Yes… Skepticism, fear, and anger toward traditional religion are growing in power and influence. But at the same time, robust, orthodox belief in the traditional faiths is growing as well….

In short, the world is polarizing over religion. It is getting both more religious and less religious at the same time. There was once a confident belief that secular European countries were the harbingers for the rest of the world. Religion, it was thought, would thin out from its more robust, supernaturalist forms or die out altogether. But the theory that technological advancement brings inevitable secularization is now being scrapped or radically rethought….

People are opting instead for a nonreligious life, for a non-institutional, personally constructed spirituality, or for orthodox, high-commitment religious groups that expect members to have a conversion experience.

For those of us in the Church, this has one of two effects: it’s a terribly frightening prospect that threatens our current church-culture.

On the other hand, it’s a terribly liberating prospect that paves a clear way for us to adapt the Christian faith to a new emerging culture that has different needs, different values, different perspectives on the world and new forms of mistrust of institutions, technology, government and “religion.” In other words, it gives the church (if she takes advantage of it) a way “in” to speak the language of this new culture. And learning to speak the language of the culture is always the first and most important task of any missionary that is newly arrived in a foreign culture.

What's your take?

Sad Commentary on Islam

Compass Direct News reports that Islamic militants in Somalia tracked down an underground [Christian] church leader and killed him last week. Islamic extremist al Shabaab rebels shot Madobe Abdi to death on March 15. He had escaped a previous attempt to kidnap him on March 2. Abdi's death adds to a growing number of Christians murdered by Islamic militants.

In another incident, alleged members of the government-aligned Islamic Courts Union last month set fire to the house of an underground church member they suspected of having left Islam. After learning that a Bible and Christian pamphlets were inside, the militants stormed the house in Hamarwien district of Mogadishu as a warning to those who dare possess any Christian literature, sources said. The assailants looted the home before setting it afire.

It’s a pretty sad commentary on Islam when its followers have to resort to persecution, violence, threats, and murder to keep fellow Muslims from reading or owning Christian literature, and to keep any non-Muslim influence out of their territory, and to prevent the free flow of other religious thought, speech and ideas from “infecting” Islamic culture.

It reminds me of the tactics of the old Soviet Union where rule by fear and intimidation was the only way to preserve a weak and ineffective system of government. And we all know how that story turned out with the out-of-the-blue smashing of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent quiet implosion of a nation. My take is that if Islam can’t stand up and offer the world something more valuable than fear, intimidation and violence (something we already have enough of anyway) … it’s only a matter of time before the pages of history preserve more of the Islamic faith than the hearts of living human beings.

Houses That Change the World

So I've been really hitting this thought hard lately... how much do the lives of Western Christians—like me—really reflect the life, heart and presence of Jesus? Or do we just talk a great talk?

The thought hasn’t just come out of thin air. George Barna and others have revealed time and again in their surveys over the last few years that there's no discernable difference between Christians and non-Christians in America. So I’m trying to figure out—why is that? What’s the reason for that?

I was just reading more of Wolfgang Simpson's book, Houses That Change the World. Listen to what he says on p.34 (it's actually his key theme/ proposition of the book):

"The house church is an ideal setting to change values, transfer life and therefore transform lifestyles. An analysis of the western church shows that the congregational model is almost totally ineffective at changing basic values and lifestyles. Many Christians end up with the same lifestyle of people around them, and therefore become indistinguishable from society and lose their prophetic edge. House churches provide a place of radical transformation of values and reordering of life, offering mutual and organic accountability, where redeemed peer pressure is made to function for good, and not for bad."

This resonates with my experience. When I read the New Testament—Paul, Peter, John and others—following Jesus is shown to be more of a way of life, than simply acknowledging certain things or beliefs “to be true.” (The earliest Christians were first called followers of "the Way.") Acknowledging something as “true” (for example, “God exists” or “Jesus is the Christ”) does not have to have any real impact upon one’s life. People can hold certain truths or beliefs “to be true,” but if these truths aren’t embraced as life principles or seen as relevant to living life in the real world, they won’t define who we are deep down in our soul, or shape our character.

The Letter of James reveals that simply “believing that there is one God” in this world is no biggie. He writes, “Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” In other words, even the demons, or any opposing force, can “acknowledge something to be true,” but that doesn’t mean they follow it as a way of life, or embrace it as a life principle. They may believe something is “truth” but they don’t believe IN it.

Maybe this reflects more accurately the condition of Christianity in the West. Instead of being the church, we simply… go to church. It's easier to go to church than to be the church. (It's both, really.) Being the church is harder. In fact, it's impossible really, without being intimately connected to the Source of the church: Jesus himself. Which is why Wolfgang Simpson sees so much value in the house church model, and perhaps why he calls it a "supernatural communal life form" (p. 102).

It may be that the House Church setting provides easier access and intimacy to the “Presence of Jesus” than other forms of church meetings. I like where he's going. I'm wrestling hard on this one.... wondering how this can inform our current western ways of doing church.

A Wedding A Week

Do you like weddings? How about one every week... for a lifetime?

I’ve been reading Wolfgang Simpson’s book, Houses That Change the World, the Return of the House Churches. He compares the weekly Sunday morning gathering in a conventional church to a wedding celebration. Listen to what he writes…

“Life in any culture has two aspects, the private and the public, everyday life and the special events—weddings, festivals, funerals, and traditional events…. Everyday life is usually expressed in the family, the basic cell unit of every society and culture. Families are usually very organic, informal, relational and consist of whatever it takes to share lives. Weddings and other functions are extraordinary events, for which everyone duly prepares; they are usually formal, need much organization and are often highly structured.

“Imagine if you had to attend a wedding every weekend. It follows the same basic pattern, has even the same bridegroom and bride; maybe even the food is the same. After some weeks the excitement would wear down. You would know what to expect, and you would know what’s going to happen next. It would still remain a nice thing, a beautiful tradition, but it would feel odd to have the same type of festival every week.

“We need to be careful not to do this with church. Jesus has shown us not only a way to celebrate, but a way to live…. If we allow church to take on only ‘celebration structures,’ we will start celebrating ‘a wedding a week,’ and our behavior will soon be far removed from real life and cease to make sense to ordinary people. It will become an artificial, weekly performance.”

Does any of this ring true for you? The last two lines especially hit me in the gut: "removed from real life"... "weekly performance." Hmmm. It feels to me like Simpson has hit one out of the park. We hire professionals (I've been one of them) who work each week to organize the weekly “wedding celebration” FOR us. We give a lot of money to make the Celebration flashy, creative, lively and interesting. And yet—

And yet, national research studies have revealed that the lives of those who attend these “weekly wedding celebrations” don’t look much different from those who don’t. So maybe we’ve gotten the celebration part of Jesus’ message down, but we’ve missed the equally important “way to live” part. Anyway you slice it there does appear to be a disconnect between what we do each week in the “weekly Celebration,” and real life.

Looking After a Pedophile

Should a church look after a pedophile? How about for $1,000 a day? Would your church do it?

An Australian Church is doing just that, according to the CourierMail website: "A church group is being paid $1000 a day to look after serial pedophile Dennis Ferguson after he was relocated to an isolated area in Queensland.” Police Minister Judy Spence said the 60-year-old was being housed on the church group-owned property after last week being run out of a remote community.

"A well-respected, Christian-based group has agreed to provide support to Ferguson and keep him settled. The group was being paid $1000 a day to provide support to Ferguson and keep him settled.... This is a group experienced in working with prisoners in general and also prisoners who are sex offenders.” Founder of child advocate group, Bravehearts, Hetty Johnston said she understood people did not want Ferguson in their community.

What would you do if your church was asked to look after a local pedophile for $1000 a day?

(You can read the whole article by clicking HERE.)

Gym-encounter with a young female trainer

Earlier this week at the Converge Alpha Conference in Chicago Dan Kimball told us about a recent time when he went to the gym (a “once-every-two-years-habit”) and got to talking with a young female trainer.

“So… what do you do for a living?” she asked him. Dan hesitated. If he told the truth, would she brush him off? Maybe he should make something up? But what would he say? He was trapped. Finally he just went for it: “I’m a pastor” he said. The lower jaw of the young female trainer literally dropped, she back-peddled a few steps and fell into the weight machine behind her. “Oohhh, that’s creepy” she said.

(Creepy? Since when did pastors become “creepy” characters?)

Kimball talked to her for a few minutes and tried to unpack her less-than-glamorous characterization of his occupation. Well… turns out she didn’t know any Christians, personally. Turns out she’s never been a part of any Christian church. Turns out—not surprisingly—she didn’t even know any “pastors,” personally.

Okay, that makes me feel a little better. After all, THAT’S California. THIS is Minnesota. I haven’t run into that. And my hair doesn’t look as weird as Dan’s (uh… I mean, “as cool” as Dan’s).

But this 22 year-old trainer at the gym is not alone. Kimball said that many young people in his experience would agree with the statement made by one of them: "Jesus is cool, but some of his followers give me the creeps.

So, we might wonder… where did she (and others) get this characterization? Well, probably from the same place that most of the rest of us get our passing impressions of pastors (and Christians). From the media. And Hollywood. And on cable TV when you’re flipping through the channels and you pause just long enough to hear a 10 second snippet of a TV evangelist as he/she stares right at the camera, yelling into a microphone at you, like you’ve done something wrong.

Based on those sources of information, I would agree—pastors (and even some Christians) look creepy. But if that’s true then it’s even more important that, since I'm the only window through which some people will ever look to get an impression of Christianity, I need to change from acting the same as others in the world—but looking different, to looking the same as others in the world—but acting different.

A Growing Interest in Jesus

Yesterday I listened to Dan Kimball speak at the CONVERGE Alpha Conference in Chicago. Dan wrote the recent book, They like Jesus, but not the church. He gave us a GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS scenario about Christianity and the state of the church in the USA, especially among young people (ages 20-35).

The Good news: There's a growing interest in Jesus, especially among young people.

The Bad news: There's a growing disinterest in Christianity and the organized church, especially among young people.

Earlier in the day Nicky Gumbel, author of the Alpha Course talked about a 22 year old woman who attended his most recent Alpha course in London. In one of their conversations she told him that she had never known, met, or interacted with a Christian. Nor had she ever been to a church service or stepped inside a church building, including for weddings or funerals. Ever.

Thirty years ago it would have been difficult to go through 22 years of life without ever having encountered a Christian or the Christian culture in the U.K. It’s not difficult anymore. And that’s the point of the story. Does this 22 year-old signal the “Tipping Point” of the waning influence of the Church upon our life and in our society?

Now, we might be tempted to dismiss this story as an aberration. If, for no other reason, because, of course, that’s London. Right? But—and here’s the rub—we in the U.S. are moving down the very same road. We’re just 10-15 years behind our English friends. Because I don’t sense that the movement toward secularization in the U.S. is slowing down or retreating. Do you? If anything, its rate of speed is ever increasing.

Nicky went on to observe that British culture is moving out even further on the spectrum of secularism, from a post-modern Christian culture, where truth is regarded as relative, (and Christianity is tolerated), to a culture where Christianity is not even tolerated anymore as one among many religions, but is increasingly becoming the focus of direct attacks by atheists and others hostile to Christianity as being "dangerous, untrue, and even abusive," and therefore ought to be banned altogether.

It seems like an oxymoron doesn't it? A growing interest in Jesus... accompanied by a waning influence of "the Church" on society? On some level deep down inside of me this makes sense, but it sure doesn’t look or feel like Kansas anymore.

Imagine There’s No Church (building)

Ok, here’s one for you. Think about this for a moment. Imagine your church. Got it? Ok, now… what does it look like? How would you describe it to a friend?

My guess is that the picture you have of your church is… of the church building. Right?

Now—here’s a really crazy thing—imagine your church… WITHOUT its building. (I’m serious. Try to imagine it.)

Hard to imagine? Sound strange? Okay, I realize it might be weird—but, can you picture it? What does it look like? What would be happening “at church” if there was no building?

It’s not a trick question. Just an honest attempt to get down to the core of what “church” is really all about. And no… I’m not going to give you credit for thinking, “No problem… we’ll just rent some other space and meet there!” No, I’m talking about having NO building, whatsoever. What would the church look like and how would it function if it had NO building?

Here’s some more questions… do you think your church could survive without a building? What would keep people connected? How would the surrounding neighborhood be aware of your church, if there was no building that occupied a physical “space” on one of the city streets? What purpose would your “church-without-a-building” really serve?

Okay, so what’s the point? Just this. That “church” has a lot more to do with being “a body of believers” than it does with having a building.

(read on for part 2)

Imagine There’s No Church (building), Part 2

(continued)
This doesn’t mean that we should run right out and sell off all our buildings, lease temp space, and go “building-less.” It means that how we think of “church” has a lot more to do with BEING the church Monday through Saturday than it does with GOING to church on Sunday. Church-buildings tend to obfuscate the practice of being the church, as the New Testament presents it.

For example, not once does the New Testament refer to “church” as a building. The word “church” (ekklesia) is mentioned 114 times, but in every instance it refers to a body of believers. Not a building. “Church,” and a “church building,” are not at all the same thing in the New Testament.

Here’s the kicker. For over 300 years “the church” survived (actually, it thrived!) without church buildings. The earliest Christians met in their homes for much of the first three centuries. Only as Christianity became an officially “tolerated” religion of the Roman Empire did buildings begin to be constructed for the purpose of having a meeting place for the believers.

Today Christianity is spreading like wildfire in China. And Asia. And Africa. For the most part it’s a House Church Movement, especially in China and Asia. There are very few, if any, official church buildings. Just like in the first three centuries. It’s spreading like wildfire because the believers ARE the church in their towns and villages. Their focus is on BEING the church rather than GOING to church. Here in America we have invested billions of dollars in beautiful church buildings over dozens of decades that we can GO to on Sunday morning. But attendance at “church” continues to decline precipitously all throughout the U.S., and virtually all denominations have lost millions of members over the last 40 years.

So, I’ve been wondering… are we missing something here?

Day 21—Sunday Morning Dissonance

Something’s not right. I can feel a dissonance of sorts. See what you think….

Here we are, living in America, totally free to worship pretty much whenever, whatever, and wherever we please. Right? So… I walked into a worship service this morning where I was with some brothers and sisters in Christ that I hadn’t met before—just visiting. We gathered together to thank and praise the God of all creation… Think of it--the God of all beauty… of all power… of all grace… of all mercy… of all love and life. Can you picture it? The God of the Universe! What could be more awe-inspiring?

We sat within earshot of the Word of God, hearing a message that offers life, healing and second chances. To everyone. No matter what. And yet—. And yet when I casually glanced around (our pew-chairs were arranged in a big square so that we could all see each other) I couldn’t help but notice a choir of yawns breaking out from every corner of the room. Some tried to discretely conceal their actions so as not to offend the person up front. Others—I don’t think—were even cognizant of where they were at the time. (It was almost noon, by the way, so no--it wasn't too early.)

Once, I almost laughed out loud—a guy yawned so wide that I swear I saw his appendix! (Okay, not really… but almost).

Now, I’m not writing this to be critical. In fact, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if this was just a one-shot experience. But—and here’s what’s got me baffled—I’ve been noticing the same thing recently, in several different churches, over several different Sundays, as I’ve attended several different worship services: lots of yawns. Have I just stumbled into some one-off Sundays? Or have I just happened to attend a few of the less dynamic services of worship in my area?

I’m not sure what to make of it. But… somehow, something doesn’t seem right with this picture.

Day 19—Simple Church

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of stuff on the Simple Church/ House Church movement... Christians gathering together in smaller groups in houses rather than in church buildings. The reason, they say, is because they want to connect more fully and deeply with God.

They yearn for a first-hand experience of their faith rather than a pre-digested, programmed experience of it. They don’t want to pay someone to care for the poor, they want to care for the poor, personally. They don’t want to pay someone to organize a committee to serve meals, they just want to cook it and go. They don’t want to hear a 20 minute presentation about how they should love their neighbors as themselves, they want to personally engage in dialogue about how to put this into practice, in real life, tomorrow morning when they go to work. They don’t want to submit a prayer request to a member of the church staff for attention, they want to pray for each others’ needs personally before the meeting even ends and they head back home.

At least, that’s my sense of it. I see similar dynamics at work in the House Church that I’m a part of—people engaged in ministry, first-hand, some for the first time. I’m hopeful that the Simple Church movement can help Christians be the church in more authentic ways, instead of just going to church.

Day 9—Church

I’m in awe. I don’t know how else to describe it. Every two weeks I walk away from our Tuesday night House Church meeting amazed at what God is doing in our midst. In an ordinary house. In an ordinary neighborhood.

Grandmas and emergents laugh together, appreciative of what the other brings to the group. The limping and healthy offer lavish compassion and prayer for one another. Smiles emerge from faces that have seen long days. Small talk provides a sweet appetizer. Tears flow freely, sensing hope within this body of Christ. Plenty of food somehow finds its way onto the table, but always shy of an over-abundance. Worship is led using a karaoke machine (I know, I know… but you have to experience it to believe it!). Scratchy voices mix with baritone voices, sweet voices, and off-key voices, all rising together in an amazing cacophony of sound that is pleasing to God, even if not to a trained audiophile. Scripture, teaching and discussion play together with the spontaneity of children who come to the park on a summer day ready to play but not knowing what the game will be until they get there. And—you might have guessed it—through it all God richly pours out His Spirit upon this gathering that comes to worship Him in the name of Jesus.

This is church. It’s not “going to church” so much as it is “being the church.”

Day 5—Dr. Moritz

Today was the 2nd and last day of the mini-class on the “Theology of House Churches,” with some surprising new insights from the life of Jesus. Thorsten Moritz (New Testament prof from Bethel) taught the course. One of his main themes was that following Jesus has more to do with BEING the church than GOING to church. Jesus spent most of his time living out what he taught rather than teaching it--in a formal way, at least. The 12 disciples who followed Jesus did the same and lived this lifestyle as well. So being a Christian has to do with who you are at any given moment of the day and how you’re living the New Life that you’ve been given by God through Jesus. But too often we’ve reduced the Christian faith to whether we “go” to church on a given Sunday, and if so, "where," rather than focus on living it out 24/7.

So here’s a question I’m thinking about… what holds more potential for life-transformation: going to church on Sunday each week for about an hour or so, or adopting a new lifestyle (following Jesus) that operates 24/7 in your life? (By the way, I’m not suggesting that they’re mutually exclusive, since both are important. Just—which holds the greatest potential for life transformation?)