These days I’m re-thinking church.
Lines like that make some people shoot milk from the nostrils and raise fists in the air.
Someone probably even spit on the ground and whispered “Harlot of Rob Bell,” under his breath.
I’m not getting emergent, post-modern, heretical, anti-sematic or whatever crazy buzz-word of the time describes people who attempt to think about change and rationally engage the culture of our time and take it too far until they lose the truth.
I find myself caught between multiple denominations these days. As my theology develops, or as we can say in English, study of God, I find myself realizing how far I have to go in knowledge and wisdom and depth.
Yet I still hold to many standard beliefs, such as rolling on the ground like you are on fire is still strange looking. I mean, it’s not normal at least, regardless of whether or not its right.
I still tend to be a dispensational baptist. Old School, right? I'm changing though in how much I engage other churches. In how rude and arrogant I've been to them.
I’m re-thinking church because I am so judgmental.
I can sit in the back and cross my arms, tilt my head sideways, and whisper cruel pharisaical things to those around me. I can say “You fools with your sign gifts!” or “You fools with your dead faith!”
I’ve been guilty of it so many times before. I’ve been guilty of being an enemy of a denomination, set against the very people of God because I disagreed with some theological points.
Don’t get me wrong.
Change the gospel buddy, be accursed.
That’s straight real talk from Paul Diddy. A pox on you and your family and what-not. Read Galatians because it makes it pretty clear that changing the essentials of the gospel of Jesus and His grace is more than dangerous. If the fear of bears is the beginning of not getting devoured in a forest. How much MORE the fear of God the beginning of wisdom? Don’t mess with that. If we stood between the very sun and the glory of God, how much more would the brilliance of His majesty blind us?
But really, I have to humbly confess, my attitude toward churches when I lived overseas was selfish, judgmental, angry, and often awful.
Sometimes it still is. It wells up in my heart and I forget that the church is so much more than an institution.
It’s people.
I’m not quoting Soylent Green by the way.
Really though, I look at the pastor, the message on Sunday, the worship music, the flavor flav of a church, and say… that is second Baptist of no dance! That is Assemblies of Odd! That is… whatever name that church is…
My mind associates a handful of men in front and an hour-long talk-sing session with the summation a whole body of believers.
That’s so wrong.
In other words, Church is so much more than a building and a pastor.
Sometimes an outsider to faith comes up to me and says, “I would follow God, but look at Christians, they are stupid hypocrites. The church has hurt me.”
I always counter with something along the lines of, “Yeah, but they aren’t following Christ then. Christ and the bible are the important things and we seek to follow Him. Don’t judge the leader by the people who get His message wrong. Don’t judge all the other Christians because a handful of people do something different.”
Then I would walk into a new church. Hear something a little different, turn my nose, wipe the dust off my sandals and in my heart say “This whole flock is mislead and vile.”
Hypocrite! White-washed Tomb! I become a mere bone-riddled grave, painted over oh-so nice.
So nice.
Jesus came and fought to get rid of that religious fog I find myself producing!
Am I not the world when I do that? Am I not the exact same person, judging Christ by the few false imitators? When I don’t take the time to love the people of God because they are different.
It’s disunifying and deadly!
It’s Tribalism.
Tribalism. Marc Driscoll said it so well in his sermon on tribalism. We follow men and sub-divide like little Amoeba. In the name of doctrine and theology we have pushed brother away from brother.
And that thinking is so destructive. I would look at churches as Sunday and Wednesday meeting groups. Common people living out some idea of good works and telling others the gospel. And think hopefully they agree with how I would run things. Hopefully they don’t have spirit seizures.
Yet…
Church is a body. Organic, living, breathing. It is sometimes healthy and sometimes about to blow chunks. It is sometimes a harlot that ignores Christ, the one true love. It is sometimes the most faithful bride on this Earth.
The other day I was in tears just thinking of all the people I have brushed off because of some insignificant factor.
I have a billion stories. Probably more like 93. This last journey has had me traveling from Seattle to Dallas to Florida meeting new faces and falling deeper in love with the church. I’ve seen so much in so little time. I’ve walked the line between Baptist, Charismatic, and Reform. Whatever flavor of church you have.
And I’ve been convicted. Broken. Smashed. Or like World Racers tend to say, wrecked.
Doctrine and theology are incredibly important. That can’t be ignored. That’s not what I’m saying by any means.
Yet, I found myself in Kirkland at my home church, a place of community and love that is finding it’s own flavor and place in this generation, one of those churches where Sunday is a small blip in a week filled with being around each other. It’s more than a service, it’s a community.
I found myself in Dallas watching Rock-A-Billy worshippers scream out to Jesus.
I found myself at a church run by charismatic followers seeking sign gifts but on fire with a passion to revive and change Dallas.
I found myself in a Christian Commune that lived and operated like a 1st century church, where food was shared, worship spontaneous, and rules just developing.
I found myself at a church in Tampa that engages the faith in a historically mind-blowing way while being filled with great music and hipsters.
Then I found myself in my old stomping grounds, Word of Life Florida, overwhelmed by the love and grace of a community who just wants so badly to see this world changed for God.
We are all so different. Sooooo different.
Yet everywhere I went, the gospel was being sown. Lives changed. The poor fed. In a world like this, that is astounding! That people would fight independence and sacrifice for each other! It didn’t matter what church, they all were beautiful pictures of Christ. Sometimes they were not as clear as each other. Yet they all showed Jesus is alive and He’s living in us today.
Normally I don’t ask much of my blog readers and followers. I ain’t a big bully shaking people for change. Be it spiritual or my mission funds, because I really do need 10,000$ and I don’t always have it hehe… Yet I really ask one thing,
That little video up there… yes the Derek Webb one. Look it up, close your eyes, and listen. Maybe it’s cheesy sounding. Maybe it needs more screams. I found myself weeping and repentant when I thought about it… Are you judgmental? Do you hate “Church,” or “The Church,” or “Haven’t found the right one?” Do you see the value in community and other believers? Or just hurt, pain, and a dislike of it?
Listen to that song. Close your eyes, ignore the telly and the tweets, and just listen.
….
DO IT NOW. Ok or later, but think about it…
How would you feel if someone made fun of your husband or wife? How would you feel if the most beautiful and beloved person in your life was targeted, torn down, dismissed, and accused? How do you think Jesus feels? This is His bride. The body of Christ. All the little faces and hands and hearts. He died for the Bride. Yet we so often tear it apart, like a teenage girl refusing to eat and mourning over imperfections in the mirror. We look at the body of Christ with eyes of hate and judgment. We tear down the bride of Christ.
Man… I had to repent and still am of my cruel judgments toward other believers. My unjust statements. My pious desire to be right more than be Christ. My lack of love, even though I thought I was loving. I could be so harsh and cruel. Praise God for Him calling me out on judgmental tendencies and changing my heart toward my dearly loved church family.
The church is an institution, local, universal, it’s many sterile terms we call it. That’s true.
The church though?
This is Jesus’s lover, His baby, His precious one. Ephesians calls it the bride. The church. The church is beautiful, she is lovely, she is valuable. She is made of up children of God. The very followers of Christ, new creations, unstained by the world and declared righteous, good, and worthy.
It’s so beautiful! It’s gorgeous! It’s wonderful! It is this organic, living, and breathing creature that brings the message of Christ to the whole earth. It feeds orphans and widows. It is united and filled with the spirit of God.
Pray for her! Fight for her! Unify over the beautiful message of the gospel. That this group of people has been loved by a God so wonderful He would give His very life for her. That is the body of Christ. The people around us. The communities that gather. Unify over that and get involved. Run with it. Show up on days that aren’t required, dive in, and support the local body of believers. Reach out to other believers and thank them for what they do. Honor them. Love them.
I’m so grateful to work for a place that values the church. That loves it. We need to love the church.
I have come with one purpose
to capture for myself a bride
by my life she is lovely
by my death she’s justified
I have always been her husband
though many lovers she has known
so with water i will wash her
and by my word alone
So when you hear the sound of the water
you will know you’re not alone
Chorus:
‘Cause i haven’t come for only you
but for my people to pursue
you cannot care for me with no regard for her
if you love me you will love the church
I have long pursued her
as a harlot and a whore
but she will feast upon me
she will drink and thirst no more
So when you taste my flesh and my blood
you will know you’re not alone
Chorus:
There is none that can replace her
though there are many who will try
and though some may be her bridesmaids
they can never be my bride
