Living Spirituality: The Church

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 8

This is the last chapter of John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading. Next week I’ll post his Conclusion.

What impact will Christianity have in today’s pluralistic culture and how will it fare? The terms salt and light are prominent in Matthew 5:13-16:

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Stott builds off this passage and highlights the relevance of the metaphors salt and light for the living church.

First, Christians are and should be ‘radically’ different from non-Christians. Be holy, as God is holy.

Second, Christians are to be involved in the world. Salt is to be seen as an active agent to preserve the truth in a world that has rejected God. Light is to be tasted as it shines in the darkness of the world, which has gone its own way.

Third, Christians can possibly bring change to the world. Salt and light make a difference to the environments they enter. Social evils are to be addressed and confronted and Christians have a role and responsibility in this formidable task. As we await the final redemption of societies and the world we are to have an impact for Gods’ love and justice. Question: Where is the salt and light today and do see and taste them in your context? Christians, says Stott, have six ways of contributing to social change.

1) prayer

2) mission

3) example

4) argument

5) action

6) suffering

Question: Can you think of others?

Fourth, Christians are to hold on to Christian convictions. Salt must continue to remain salt and light must continue to shine in the darkness. Being salt and light refers to a greater righteousness, a broader love, and the ambition of following God’s rule. ‘So let us offer ourselves to God as agents of change.’

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 7

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

This chapter brings Stott’s to a crucial, yet often ignored dimension of church: giving. The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians, saw giving as an extention of having received grace. Stott draws out ten principles from this letter at chapters 8&9.

First, Christians are to give as an expression of God’s grace. Paul starts with the generousity of God and goes from there. The Macedonian Christians gave themselves to Christ and then to the apostles; they gave as they were able and even beyond what they could afford.

Question: Where is this happening in the Western church today and do you see any signs of this attitude?

Second, Christian giving can be a gift of the Spirit. All Christians, says Stott, are called to be generous, but some may have the special grace of giving to others.

Third, Christian giving is connected to the cross. As Christ gave so much so that we might be rich, in turn giving to others is a reflection on the cross.

Fourth, Christian giving is to be proportionate giving, while at particular time as in the case of the Macedonians, it may go beyond that. The norm, however, Stott underlines, is to be proportionate giving.

Fifth, Christian giving is a move towards equality. Affluence and need meet on the cross. Stott quickly points out that this equality is not sameness, but embraces creational relation and distinction.

Sixth, Christian giving is to be supervised and 2 Corinthians 8: 16-24 is a good example of this. We need to be accountable here and to take care of giving and receiving in a propwer manner before the Lord.

Seventh, Christian giving may be stimulated by noting the generousity of others. To know that our brothers and sisters are committed to giving money for people and projects can be an encouragement to give ourselves.

Eighth, Christian giving is like a harvest in 2 Corinthians 9:6-11a. Sowing and reaping are two metaphors that Paul uses. In giving generously with a joyful heart we will reap God’s grace to meet our needs so that we might continue in sowing (giving).

Ninth, Christian giving is of symbolic importance. It expresses solidarity with others and has theological (a commitment to God’s salvation in the gospel) and economic (an effort to improve the lives of those in need) dimensions.

Tenth, Christian giving promotes being thankful to God. Paul stresses four times in 2 Corinthians 9: 11b-15 that the Corinthians’ giving will give rise to thanks to God.

‘What an awesome privilege we have in helping others right across the world to give glory to God.

Releasing more of the money which he has entrusted to us as stewards will end in this. And to increase thanksgiving to God for the sake of his own glory is surely our highest goal.’ p. 136.

Question: Would you agree with Stott?

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 6

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

This chapter deals with preaching. Preaching, says Stott, is not considered to be ‘in’ today, but he still wants to encourage it as essential to the living church. He proposes a number of characteristics of ‘authentic’ Christian preaching that complement each other and that should be held in tension.

First, authentic Christian preaching is biblical and contemporary. This is shaped by an exposition of Scripture that resonates with today’s world. We need to listen to both. Be careful here, says Stott, not to make a false polarization between being biblical and contemporary. This is one of the great liberal – evangelical divides.

Second, authentic Christian preaching is authoritative and tentative. Good hermeneutical work and a central focus on Scripture are necessary – Scripture says, not I say – while at the same time it is essential to admit and embrace that God has not revealed everything. Not all in Scripture is equally clear or made known. I would call what Stott is aiming for: confidence and humility. Good preaching should lead people into the Scripture so that they learn to read and live it for themselves.

Third, authentic Christian preaching is prophetic and pastoral. Everyone in church is to be both of these. Prophetic in giving testimony to God’s word in the midst of those who may be deaf and pastoral in helping them to hear. Being firm and gentle, says Stott, is the tension.

Fourth, authentic Christian preaching needs a preacher. Who? One who is ‘called, equipped and anointed by God.’ And these three have to be built up and nourished through study and prayer.

Fifth, authentic Christian preaching is thoughtful and passionate. Both mind and emotions are to be involved. Exposition and appeal are traits of good preaching.

Authentic Christian preaching is to be found in these five ‘unresolved paradoxes.’

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 5

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

Fellowship is a term that is overused, yet misunderstood. Taking fellowship as much more than a pleasant tea-time together, a re-definition is appearing today. Stott underlines that there are biblical (people are not to be alone), historical, (small groups can have an impact), and pastoral (all Christians are to be involved in caring for others) reasons for this development.

Koinonia – fellowship is something shared in common. There are three things that are shared.

First, koinonia is not a feeling of togetherness. Stott says it is an ‘objective fact expressing what we share together.’ We have received grace from the same God, Lord, and the same Spirit. We participate in community with God and have a ‘common inheritance.’

Second, koinonia is not only receiving, but giving. Grace is to be passed on to others.

Third, koinonia is a ‘partnership’ of giving and receiving love. Questions: Do we really love one another and does it show? Have you been loved by the church and seen the impact and expression of koinonia?

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 4

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

Stott’s next chapter is on ministry. He looks to Luke’s narrative in Acts and highlights the Holy Spirit and the work of Satan (see Acts 5). The latter he says is out to persecute, corrupt, and distract. Stott draws our attention to Acts 6:1-7 to focus on the tactic of distraction:

1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

The point Stott wants to make here is that there are different ministries for different people in the church. No one should or can do everything, and this is crucial, because all Christians are called to a variety of ministries.

After having made this important point, Stott turns to explore the pastoral ministry. We have either elevated or regulated pastors, and both these orientations create problems. Pastors are to have oversight in teaching and participate in shared leadership. Those who pastor are to value people, deeply care for them, and show them increasing love as they are part of God’s church, not the pastor’s.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 3

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

This chapter is on Evangelism. Stott points out three types of evangelism: personal, mass, and local church, which he sees as the most ‘normal, natural, and productive.’ In order for the local church to follow through on its task it has to meet four conditions:

First, the church must understand itself. Stott begins with theology. Church today has two false images: a religious club that is status orientated and ingrown or a secular mission. Stott prefers a third option: a church that is called out of the world and sent back into it. He refers to this as a God given double identity.

Second, the church must organize itself. Structure must reflect theology and the double identity. There is plenty more here for the interested reader. Good stuff!

Third, the church must express itself. This is to be done through sharing the evangel, ‘the essence of the gospel is Jesus Christ himself.’ Stott see two poles to avoid in our day of pluralism. ‘Total fixity’ where the gospel is packaged like cheap soap, or ‘total fluidity’ when situations and contexts take control of the message. There is a place for preservation and being aware of the need to contextualize, but they must be in dialogue with each other and not opposed.

Fourth, the church must be itself. The church is, Stott notes, ‘God’s new society.’ The challenge is to live like it and to be a sign of the inbreaking Kingdom of God. Church is to make the invisible God visible through acts of transformed love.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 2

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

Stott now takes up worship. This, he says, is the church’s primary obligation. But what is worship? Four points:

First, true worship is a ‘response to revelation.’ Public Scripture reading and study therefore are central to worship.

Second, true worship is in community. Granted, there is a place for individual worship, but the biblical focus is most often on the corporate.

Third, true worship is ‘spiritual worship’ and spiritual worship is connected to Scripture, the Eucharist, and praise and prayer.

Fourth, true worship is moral. Living Christ like lives both in our hearts and relations is to practice holiness.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Living Church - Chapter 1

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting on John Stott’s excellent new book: The Living Church. Stott is a writer, pastor, and teacher who is well worth reading.

This chapter sets out what Stott calls God’s vision for the church. Question: What would you see as necessary marks or traits of God’s church? Stott is a person who is about church through and through. His vocabulary for the church is ‘God’s new community.’ Stott argues that all believers should be committed to church, its mission, and its renewal because God is committed to these. Each of the three are essential.

But what is a living church and God’s vision of church? Stott offers us a picture from Acts 2:42-47:

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

‘The early church,’ Stott states, ‘was radically stirred by the Holy Spirit.’ In following Luke’s recounting we notice four marks of this Pentecost event, which will help us in shaping the church today.

First, a living church is a learning church. ‘Devoted to the apostolic teaching,’ according to Stott, didn’t mean that people left their intellects behind in exchange for a mystical experience or that because the Holy Spirit had arrived they no longer needed a teacher. True, says Stott, the New Testament apostles are no longer with us, but we do have in the New Testament their teaching and witness.

Second, a living church is a caring church. ‘Fellowship’ is to be taken seriously and we’re to make a difference in extending generosity wherever possible.

Third, a living church is a worshipping church. Joy and reverence are to be combined in a mixture of both formal and informal structures.

Fourth, a living church is an evangelistic church. Mission and outreach are to identify the people of God.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Reflection for the Week - March 10th

In Revelation 3:14-22 Christ wishes that the Christians in Laodicea were either hot or cold. It is often assumed that hot means ‘on fire for the Lord’ or a full commitment, while cold means, ‘no fire for the Lord’ or no commitment. If this is the case, the question we’re faced with is why Christ would approve of no commitment at all? This doesn’t make sense. Hot and cold are not to be taken as positive and negative descriptions, but both are positive in regard to what the church’s actions should be. Problem is being lukewarm, which seems to identify all too many churches. We, as the Laodiceans, proclaim we’re rich, but Christ says we’re impoverished. True riches are spiritual, not found in material possessions, but in Christ himself.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Church Epitaph 1

Long ago love had been lost
Won over so easily
By the ever changing winds of fortune
Swept away by spending more than any cost

Rocky shores prevented ships from docking
To bring cherished cargo
New resources to those starving in safe
White buildings with blinking crosses

Navigating sovereign thickets
Never’d, till it didn’t matter anymore
Truth blocked and sealed the doors and windows

Spellbound hiding in warping blindness
Blood dripped from dead dogs eyes
Follow me, I’ll lead you heavenward
What ever your dreams conceive in clean
White buildings with blinking crosses

Sterile laws beckon
To those seeking cleansing here
Baptized in shame and guilt pervading
Loosen the dam and let freedom flow
Streaming from a cross neglected
Buried under hearts of stone

Soliciting alms while
Prostitutes, vagrants, strangers assailing
A losing trick to keep from finding escape
Suffocating inside the walls of fated
White buildings with blinking crosses

Grace untold, the secret kept
To those forgetting where it
Blossoms from created
Earthen hollowed trees and
Spacious fields of vine and branch

Pierced illusions never fading promoted
Oh deathly sacramental longings betrayed
On the register of time exploding
White buildings with blinking crosses

Like a death wish
But to the funeral no one came for only
To cease from experiencing a moment’s charade
Was too much to ask of those
Slain in wonder, praise and glory

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Kenya Crisis

Bill Kinnon is so right on here. I have read and watched, but not posted. Please check out his recent posts on glimmers of shinning light, in spite of the darkness of the devastating tragedies taking place in Kenya.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Renewing Church

Woe to churches and those that lead them into distorting Christ’s truth in word and deed.

Woe to churches and to those who lead them in refusing to forgive, in playing God and in seeking to condemn, rather than offer Christ’s redemption to others.

Woe to churches and those that lead them in putting money before God.

Woe to churches and those who lead them into being ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Woe to churches and those who lead them into rejecting strangers and to only accepting those just like them.

Woe to churches and those that lead them into shaming others.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into God’s truth.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them in repentance.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them in following Christ and the way of love.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into mission for the sake of Christ.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them in showing hospitality to all in need.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into redemption and forgiveness.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into the journey of living spirituality.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into humility.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them into serving others.

Blessed are churches and those who lead them to love God, each other and all people.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Peddling the Gospel

Cunning words and clever speech has the powerful capacity to divert our attention from what is most central to us: sincere devotion to Christ. Whatever happened to the church proclaiming Christ, instead of a being a parody of cultural consumerism rooted in the art of rhetoric, which aims to give the consumer what they want and to reap the financial windfall connected to it? How much should and does one have to pay to have the true gospel preached to them?

To receive someone’s words is a continual challenge of discernment and we want to be alert and aware in order to receive with caution and clarity. The discernment of diversion necessitates fine balance between trust and suspicion. Who shall we trust? And, who shall we be suspicious of? When preaching Jesus becomes self-centered, when there’s a spirit of pride, and when this supposed gospel counters that of the crucified Christ, we know the answer. Peddlers of this gospel, which cannot be the true gospel, will have the end that such actions deserve.

(Please read this related post on Bill Kinnon's blog)

Monday, August 27, 2007

The Shroud of Secrecy

Did you ever notice the high level of secrets in the lives of Christians? Keep this quiet. Don’t tell anyone. Here’s what I mean. This shroud of secrecy seems to be especially in place when it comes to the problems, doubts and questions that people have with their faith. Any of these important issues, it is thought, must be safely hidden away. There are so many unanswered questions about Christian belief, but everyone pretends it’s all okay – no worries, so by all means keep these secret.

Myriads of Christians are caught in the shroud of secrecy. They’re deeply struggling with their faith and are convinced they mustn’t say anything about it. Fear, pride, or doubt may all be factors in their assumption that they have to hide and can’t be honest. But let’s face it, most of the time the shroud of secrecy is highly promoted by pastors, churches, parents and friends who won’t and don’t understand. Would never dare tell them what the doubts, questions or problems are, without facing a barrage of condemnation. Trusting others has been blown apart and deeply severed. Keeping the secret becomes more important than keeping the faith. Right?

What happens next is these people drift away. Not being able to be honest about serious doubts or questions that deserve to be heard, leads them to despair. Drifting into and being covered by the shroud of secrecy, however, is a covert operation that has nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Everyone who finds themselves in the shroud of secrecy is to be encouraged to break through. They should be welcomed, and responded to in grace, patience and love. Instead, the reverse happens, and they’re taught to keep it all a secret. Our lack of openness here is lamentable, tragic, and perverse. As followers of the crucified and risen One we should do all we can to blow the shroud apart. If you have the opportunity, support those with questions. God may be on their side. Give them honest answers; seek to be credible and to meet them where they are. And while you’re at it, be sure to ask yourself some questions about your own faith. Let’s work together to diminish the shroud of secrecy that tends to define and debilitate so many Christians.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

The ZigZag Café

We will be convening here at the ZigZag café, Suisse, on Thursdays for conversation and dialogue.

I invite you to stop by every Thursday for the question of the day. Your thoughts and participation are most welcome. Pull up a stool, avec un café, un thé, ou un chocolat chaud, et un croissant, and join in here on Thursday at the ZZ café.

For today:

What do you see as pros and cons of the Emerging church?

Friday, June 22, 2007

A Spirit of Fear?

Why does the economy of exchange reign over superabundance in so many of our churches and relationships? Are we afraid of something? Does a spirit of fear control too much of our lives? Fear sweeps over us like pelting sheets of driving rain and what “I” fear becomes the most important question in life. Do you think there are better questions we might be asking ourselves? What are your thoughts?

Friday, June 15, 2007

Shaming in the Church

Tombstones adorn the church inside and out. Release us, oh God, from this graveyard of tears.

Melody recently sent me an e-mail asking how to cope with the shaming that goes on in her more traditionally minded church. Why do you think there is so much shaming in some churches? Every time Melody says something about the teaching in her church she’s made to feel sub-human, yet she has excellent points to make. Now experiencing a deep sense of shame in even asking questions, Melody is suffering from an idiotic ignorance concerning her gifts and spiritual starvation. Here’s what makes it more difficult:

She has nowhere to turn. Family and friends attend this church, and therefore Melody thinks she has to stay. What’s your advice?

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