Recently, I was in a gospel conversation with a woman in my city. She was cordial and I extended an invitation to an upcoming event at our church…and then proceeded to ask her about her religious background. She confidently shared with me that she was a committed Jehovah’s Witness. I went on to ask her if this was a faith she was introduced to as a child or if she had embraced it later in life. Her response should be convicting and illuminating for all who lead worship in the local church.
She said that she was raised in the Baptist church. As a
child she attended regularly and was frequent even into her adult years, but something was missing. She described her
church experience as one of emotionalism. “We would sing a lot…and there was
always a lot of shouting,” she explained. But I had questions. In her
evaluation, the church of her childhood failed to equip her with answers for
life.
At a point in her journey, she began to wrestle with purpose
and meaning. Then came the questions around death. She asked her grandmother, a
fixture in the church, about these things who simply told her that dying was
our purpose and then we go to be with Jesus. That’s it. The answers failed to
satisfy and the question marks in her mind made her a willing listener for
anyone with a coherent explanation. Then she was introduced to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
These nice evangelists gave her answers that made sense, were logical, seemed
plausible and even made her feel better. The woman began to study her new found
religion and became versed in its tenets and fairly adept (if I may say so) in
telling her story in a winsome way.
As I probed further, I found that she has had numerous
encounters with Christians, mainly Baptists, whom she always talked with but
with little more success at discovering answers to life’s questions. I went on
to present the gospel but this woman was not remotely interested. Of course, I
left a wide door for future conversations, but left the encounter frustrated.
Here’s why:
Christians have the market cornered on life’s purpose, on
answers about things like death, suffering, and the afterlife. In fact, no
non-Christian source can speak holistically and authoritatively about these
things. Here is a woman who was in a church from childhood and was not properly
equipped to think rightly about them. Instead, her church, and specifically the
pastor as lead worshipper,
substituted clichés and emotional appeals, dancing and shouting… for the pure
Word of God. Now some may push back on this and tell me that only the Holy
Spirit gives understanding. Forgive my direct response: That is a cop out. Yes, the Holy Spirit DOES give understanding;
however, the pastor is required to set the table, make the food palatable, and
insure there is a balanced diet for consumption. Some may argue that the human
instrument (the preacher) is insignificant, to which I would ask, “Why then
must an overseer (pastor) be able to teach?” (1 Timothy 3:2).
As pastors, we have incredible influence among our flock.
They trust us to feed them. If we serve up a steady diet of cotton candy,
they’ll know no different. If we teach on some cerebral level that fails to
connect with the heart, they will simply not care. But if we do our job…then we
will be able to stand and give an account for our ministries. So, what must we
do? I would suggest five things. I’ll only mention them for sake of time, but
may expand in a follow-up article.
Make the
Word a priority. Study it diligently and present it clearly.
Measure
often. If you think you’re doing a faithful work but your people cannot
articulate and apply basic doctrines, you’re not fulfilling the task.
Teach
doctrine. As a professor once said to a group of preachers, “Preaching
doctrine is not a sin. Being dull and boring is a sin. Teach doctrine but don’t
be boring.”
Demonstrate
dependence on the Scriptures. If you’re citing the latest book on the best
seller’s list or never stray far from Calvin’s Institutes, you’re doing it
wrong. If John Calvin himself discovered you were citing him more than the
apostles, the prophets or the Lord Himself, he’d flog you.
Own it.
A shepherd knows well the condition of his flock. They are a reflection of your
leadership, your investment, and your teaching. If they get bored unless
there’s dancing parades or purple flags waving, then you’ve taught them to love
the wrong things. If this persists across generational lines, you’ve made the
devil’s job easy.
Now I am a pastor. I am not mad at anyone. I love pastors
and respect the calling. I know of the many draws on a pastor’s calendar and
the multiplied agendas seeking “just a quick minute” on Sunday morning during
the service. You must guard that time, minimize the distractions and expose the
people to the self-revelation of God through His Word.
I wonder, had the pastors in the case of the woman I spoke
with done differently…had they equipped the people with the Word…would she have
defected to a false religion and become an evangelist for the Jehovah’s
Witnesses? May that not be true of us and may we be able to say before the
throne of God, “I am innocent of the blood of all men for I did not shrink back
from declaring to you the whole counsel of Scripture.”
There it was. Another graphic on social media about the Bible. It looked like a flow-chart or a recipe you might find in grandma’s kitchen. “If you need peace…turn to (bible verse). If you’re discouraged…turn to (bible verse). And on. And on. And on.
Lists or guides like this are not bad in themselves. I have a similar reference tool that I use sometimes when counseling. But what stirred my heart was this: “Have we (in our information-saturated society) reduced the Bible to another information outlet merely to be mined for tidbits of information that we think we need?
Imagine with me for a moment. What if my interactions with Jodi (my wife of more than thirty years) were only for such “transactional purposes?” I speak to her when I need laundry. I call her when I want to schedule dinner. She gets a text from me when I have a question about the activities. If this represented the backbone of my marriage communication…how would you evaluate the relationship? You might say, “What relationship? You simply treat your wife like a commodity or a human ATM machine…where you push a few buttons to get what you want out of her!” You’d be right.
The problem is…this is often the relationship we foster with
God through Scripture. We hear a sermon on five or six verses. Then, again the
next week…same pattern. We look up information on children, divorce, money, or
a host of other subjects…only to push the Bible aside afterwards until the next
occasion when we want it to speak to a specific need we have. But where is the
relationship? Where is the time spent listening to God tell us a story about
what’s on His heart? Where is the deep consideration of otherwise random
nuggets of wisdom, poetic pictures of God’s creative work, or stories of His
interactions with a wandering people over thousands of years?
God’s people need
to know Him. We cannot do so without a firm resolve to spend time…without
agenda…just listening to the Lord speak to us…through His Word. An unhurried
encounter with the Divine. A listening ear and a longing heart…simply to know
Him more deeply. This is what the people of God must have!
Consequently, this is why, at Englewood (the church I am privileged to serve), we encourage everyone to be part of a Connect Group, so there is time to reflect on and share about those relational encounters with friends. This is why we use a curriculum structure which walks us through the entire Bible over three years…story by story, not just the stories we think we need or have piqued our curiosity.
If you’re not investing in this…in spending time in the
Lord’s living room listening to His stories and hearing His heart…why not start
today? You don’t know what you might be missing.
I recently saw the movie Unplanned, a testimonial of Abby Johnson about the evils of abortion and her time with Planned Parenthood. While I found the movie disturbing in so many ways and difficult to watch in several scenes, I think it is helpful on a number of levels. I have spent many days now trying to sort and organize my thoughts on the movie. It struck deeply in a number of areas and awakened many thoughts in my heart. Of course, I could write for days on all of the lessons, but I have been impressed for several days to zero in on one thought: I am the abortionist.
It is easy in the Christian sub-culture to form and us/them
mindset. Those people…out there…in the culture…they need saving! While that’s
not untrue…it is incomplete. We can, at times, forget that THEY are US. Stick
with me for a few short statements…then let me draw a conclusion or two.
The abortionist is no more lost or evil than any other unforgiven sinner.
We were all, at one time, unforgiven sinners.
Some, in fact many of our neighbors, friends, family members, and people in our community are still unforgiven sinners.
Abby Johnson is a great picture of God’s grace.
The actions of the Christians portrayed “at the fence” should be instructive for each of us.
I think, as believers, we can lose touch with who we were
before Christ saved us. We can forget that we could not save ourselves. We did
not clean ourselves up and present ourselves to God. He picked us up and
covered our sin. We added nothing to God’s salvation work. We simply responded
to His invitation and took His hand.
The fact that we can create an us/them dichotomy in our
minds is evidence of those parts of our nature that still require God’s
sanctifying touch. After all, we were all THEM to Christ.
It is high time that we learn to “love at the fence.” We must,
if we are to be faithful to God in worshipful obedience, stop looking at people
as “them” and invite them to walk with us toward Him. We are no better than the
most accomplished of all blasphemers…or the one who takes innocent lives. The
only thing that separates US from THEM is the shed blood of God’s perfect Son
who came…that THEY could become WE.
I am the abortionist…saved by God’s substitutionary sacrifice and called to live under His grace…as a bond-servant on mission. Completely free…yet indebted to my neighbors who are in active rebellion against a magnificent and glorious God!
If God can save Abby Johnson…if God can save me…then I must love at the fence, build bridges in humility before God and my neighbors and lead my neighbors to a “fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins.” Because, “sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
(P.S. If you have not seen this movie or want to view a trailer on it, there is one at THIS LINK.)
I find, like you, that many professing Christ-followers often opine on matters beyond their immediate sphere of life. An actor in a distant state does something, and a Christian who disagrees may offer an opinion condemning the action. A government official in another state acts contrary to God’s revealed Word and a Christian offers a word of rebuke. [Full disclosure, I just offered an opinion on the actions of Governor Cuomo of New York on his horrific and destructive advocacy of expanded pro-abortion legislation. In my opinion, I suggested that if his church, the Roman Catholic Church, truly desired to demonstrate love toward the Governor and simultaneously clarify their position, they should seek his repentance through the process of church discipline.] Now, I am not part of the Governor’s church nor do I live in the state that he represents. My opinion, however informed or otherwise, is simply that. It is an opinion. I do not believe it is in any way unbiblical to share this opinion, since the Governor trumpets his faith, is a public figure, and is acting in a manner clearly at odds with Holy Scripture and the authority of the Catholic church.
What if, however, the Governor had been a member of a church that I attended…or led? Should his actions come under scrutiny by the congregation and should the church seek to assert any authoritative role in the conduct of the church member? My answer is…Yes. While that may shock or even provoke opposition from some, please allow me to briefly state my reasons.
To be a member of a church is to affirm agreement with the doctrinal positions of that church. The only (so called) church I know of that doesn’t require adherence to a doctrinal covenant is the Unitarian Universalist church, which is utterly inclusive. They are quite dogmatic about refusing to elevate one doctrine over another. [But this is, in itself, also a doctrinal assertion…and if you joined such an organization and sought to change it, you would likely have to separate from fellowship.]
For a Christian, there are no walls of separation between your faith, your personal life, and your professional life. One cannot separate faith from all other areas of life without becoming unfaithful. For instance, I once had the opportunity to open a gambling business and was promised an obscene amount of money to do so. The business was at odds with the faith position of my church (which I shared). To have aligned with the business would have placed me necessarily at odds with my church and my faith. In my free-choice, I chose to affirm my faith and forego the lucrative income.
The church has an obligation to act biblically and faithfully toward its membership. When a person joins a faith community, a covenant relationship is affirmed. There is a mutual obligation. The faith community MUST love its membership and be faithful to its covenant obligation in rescuing members who stray into sin…in both word and deed. If I believe or act contrary to closely-held doctrinal views, the only loving act the church can exercise is to seek my repentance and reconciliation (Matthew 18:15-20; Galatians 6:1-2, et.al.).
Not all doctrines are primary or essential to fellowship; therefore, there must be room for honest biblical disagreement within a church community. At the church I serve, we hold some doctrines as essential. In these matters, there must be unreserved agreement as a condition of the community. If a person, for instance, wished to join our church without agreeing that Jesus is the unique Son of God and that Salvation is only available through Jesus by grace through faith, and that this is true in every place and among every people at all times, their formal connection to the church would necessarily be refused, since this is a closely held and essential doctrine. At the same time, there may be disagreement on some biblical teachings (what we might refer to as secondary or tertiary doctrines), and membership NOT be refused. These doctrines may be recognized as being sufficiently mysterious, requiring more liberty within the fellowship.
Finally, if a member acts in a manner contrary to his faith assertion (actual or implied due to association with his church) all loving efforts should be employed to reconcile the dissonance and restore the member to a position of harmony with the doctrinal position of the church. To ignore the incompatibility is to demonstrate an unbiblical and unloving rejection of the member. Stated differently, to allow the disagreement to persist is to demonstrate that either the member or the church does not believe the doctrine to be essential to the faith.
I would suggest that it is time for communities of faith to act like communities. Church members deserve accountable communities that provide guidance and oversight, consistent with agreed upon doctrines, in their member’s lives. Churches deserve to have members that desire to live a consistent witness of the community’s doctrine and mission. This is the Lord’s desire and design for the church.
Much discussion occurs today on the “relevance” of the church. I think that the relevance of a like-minded and like-missioned community is self-evident. Therefore, every activity: personal, professional, or otherwise is connected to the community and should seek to further the community’s (church’s) mission and witness to its neighbors and the nations.
“There’s no way, pastor, that you can convince me that I should be taken advantage of.”
While I “hear” this occasionally, the sentiment resides in the hearts of far more people than actually speak it. NOTHING within us desires to look foolish. Nothing within us desires to have someone walk over us or take advantage of us. After all, where do “they” get the right to do that?
As I have been thinking about this very idea today in my reflections on the Word…I’ll confess that this is an area I have to grow in. After all, I am an American and as an American, I have a right to defend myself, my property, and my dignity. I have the right to fly a flag above the ground of my heart that declares, “Don’t tread on me!
That said, should I draw from the wellspring of my “Americanism,” or from the wellspring of Christ’s Kingdom?
Question: When Jesus said these things, do we think he was being hyperbolic, ironic, or rhetorical? Was He just making a point or do you think He meant for us to take this literally? Listen:
Luke 6:27–30 (NASB95)
27“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29“Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
30“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
Jesus would have made a horrible American! He would! He was so bad at it, that He actually said that this prescribed manner of living He speaks of would lead to a greater reward than protecting ourselves from those who might take advantage of us! Listen again:
Luke 6:31–36 (NASB95)
31“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33“If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34“If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
35“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
36“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Honestly, this seems like too large of an order many days. Perhaps you’re thinking that right now! What if though, it was possible?
What if Jesus had in mind that He was playing chess while we were playing checkers? What if He was working something for good in the life of a thief or a swindler or a boastful bozo who insisted on trampling your rights?
As I am reflecting on this very truth, I am aware of the poverty of my resources to live consistently as this passage indicates. But then again, isn’t that precisely where God desires for me to be…so that He becomes my supply and grace becomes my heart cry…and obedience becomes my all-encompassing life mission?
Go and do likewise.
As always, if you think I may be missing it and you have a more comfortable conclusion based on the Word of God…I’m all ears.
Alright. The title expresses my perspective entering the fray on this debacle of a confirmation process. In fact, I have pushed back from wading in because as soon as you say something, someone is offended. No matter what position you take. So, I was going to just drive on by and voice my frustration from the comfort of my recliner in front of my own television, in my own home, in the hearing of my own wife. Then…it happened. I started reading comments from some of my Christian friends…and my jaw dropped. I am shocked. Embarrassed. Frustrated.
So, in light of that, I think you ought to know a couple of things…otherwise, you may go on saying things that display ignorance, tarnish the name of our Savior, and become a stumbling block to the cause of Christ.
Who am I speaking to? I will leave it to your conscience and the Holy Spirit to apply this individually. Here, though, is who I am not speaking to: OUTSIDERS. If you are not a follower of Christ, please scroll on by as I speak to the people of God. I am sorry you stopped to read this much and I am not aiming any of this to you for consideration since you cannot draw on the source of wisdom I am pointing to as our AUTHORITY.
To my Christian friends, it seems to me that these ten things are true and if you disagree, you can do so privately with me, or on this forum. I opened the door.
If you are “absolutely certain” of who is telling the truth (Judge Kavanaugh or Dr. Ford)- you’re a partisan hack with an agenda that was settled in your mind before you ever heard one word of testimony. Only God and the aforementioned parties know exactly who is telling the truth. (Prov 18:13).
If you can speak disrespectfully in a meme, a tweet, a post, a status update, or in a water cooler conversation about either of these people based on what you read, heard, or sensed in your intuition, you are not sensitive to the Spirit of God; furthermore, you should pause long enough to examine if you are even His! How can you destroy with your words ONE who God loves? If you can make light of drunkenness and carousing, or sexual assault as if it were nothing more than a punch line in your political diatribe…you have completely lost touch with God’s view of sin and His heart toward brokenness. (James 3:8-12).
If you think that there is “her truth” as several Senators referenced yesterday and “his truth”…and that they both exist in contradiction and at the same time…you have a worldview issue. There is one truth…and we may know it, or we may not. But “he did it” and “he did not do it” cannot both be true at the same time.
If your heart is not broken for Dr. Ford, you lack the compassion of Christ. Read Luke 10:30ff, and learn something from the Samaritan because you have mastered the role of priest and Levite.
If your heart is not broken for Judge Kavanaugh, you lack the compassion of Christ. Read Luke 10:30ff, and learn something from the Samaritan because you have mastered the role of priest and Levite.
If you think everyone, who says anything, ever, about anything, is to be believed simply because they seem very sincere…I’d challenge you to see if you are consistent with that worldview in other areas of your life. Do you believe your 3-year-old when he says he has not eaten a cookie when you see crumbs on his shirt and chocolate in his teeth? What if he swears and says he has never eaten cookies or says he is 100% certain that he didn’t eat the cookie? Does that make it true?(Prov 14:15)
If you think a man speaking passionately in response to weeks of attacks in the hearing of his mother, his wife, his children makes him too passionate to be an effective jurist…you’ve never had to look at the pain endured by your family while other simply unleashed venom. By the way…have you read Luke 19:41, 45? Do you think that Jesus is an impotent Judge because he wept or because flipped tables? Apparently some things are worthy of passionate response!
If you think “the resistance” or as I like to refer to it, “toddlering” is anything courageous, good, or honoring to God…you’ve completely missed the tone and counsel of Scripture. (too many to cite)
If you have an expectation that people living apart from Christ would act any other way than what I am describing, you’ve misunderstood the work of the Holy Spirit; and, if you think Christians can honor God by acting like what I have described, you have misunderstood the work of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 6:43-45, Matt 7:16-18).
Finally, if anything about this confirmation process gives you a sense of pride rather than shame… you have a strange sense of pride. I am embarrassed that US Senators are pursuing “gotcha points” and reading comments in a high school yearbook in a confirmation hearing! I am embarrassed that an uncorroborated allegation from more than three decades ago can be used to destroy a man and his family…simply because a woman said it and it would be seen as cruel or politically unhelpful to say…”it may have happened, but we cannot be sure…and part of that reason is related to the fact that there is no corroboration and the crime was never reported…not to mention the timing is a little suspect.” (Prov 14:34).
It brings me to tears to watch a woman, who is broken and living with the consequences of sin, struggle. (read that carefully before you @ me.) That happens almost every week in my work…not just in SCOTUS confirmation hearings. It also brings me to tears that a man who seems like an accomplished jurist and respected member of his community can be villainized based on an uncorroborated (and at least partially refuted) accusation of a deeply wounded person.
I have seen far too many lives, mostly women, damaged from sexual assault. You have no idea! I have also watched good people destroyed over optics and accusations and watched families, including my own, absorb the pain of a verbal assault by nefarious creatures with darkened hearts, while others sat silently by…watching it happen in fear or apathy…but communicating agreement by their silence.
I am grieved…and frustrated…at the brokenness of the world around me and I find no ultimate hope in the institutions of man, be it social constructs or governing bodies. My only comfort is the sovereignty of God who has already promised that every sin will be judged…every sin. No one is getting away with anything…and He judges by a singular, unappealable, and unimpeachable declaration of what truth is. As a sinful man that terrifies me, but as a man forgiven by God and living under the payment offered by the Son of God Himself, I stand humbled, and thankful…while growing in holiness and in my obedience to His purpose for my life.
“There’s no way, pastor, that you can convince me that I should be taken advantage of.”
Alright. The title expresses my perspective entering the fray on this debacle of a confirmation process. In fact, I have pushed back from wading in because as soon as you say something, someone is offended. No matter what position you take. So, I was going to just drive on by and voice my frustration from the comfort of my recliner in front of my own television, in my own home, in the hearing of my own wife. Then…it happened. I started reading comments from some of my Christian friends…and my jaw dropped. I am shocked. Embarrassed. Frustrated.
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