Friends and family...you HAVE to go to this link and read the latest!
No excuses! :-)
Pyromaniacs: A few pithy thoughts on doubt
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Partiality in the Church: Brief Thought
As the title specifies, today's post is a very brief sharing of some thoughts I've had over the years. These thoughts come to me time and time again and today I thought I'd just let them out and see what others think.
Anyhow, in my church we are studying through the book of James on Sunday morning and our pastor is doing a really good job. I missed out on his messages regarding chapter two but I plan on going back and listening to them since they can be found online (see here). Our pastor has asked us to read through James every week while we study the book so I have been doing so and every time I read a specific passage I come back to those thoughts that refuse to leave me alone. Here goes:
"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should some into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?"
- James 2:1-4
Now then, let me begin by saying that these are, of course, my own personal thoughts. It seems to me, however, that these words appear to be among the most ignored words of Scripture! Experience and observation has shown me that most pastors/churches do the very thing this passage warns against. Rarely do I find that the poorer folk are the ones in leadership or the ones with whom the pastors mingle with the most. And yet the people I've come into contact with who show the most sincere faith and desire to learn are often the ones our society would consider poor.
Before I say anything else I want to share one example. I could, in truth, share examples from most of the churches I've been in but this one will suffice: Many years ago while I was going to school we attended a SBC church that was made up of mostly farmers, students, and para-professionals. One day a real live doctor came and began to attend. Within weeks this man and the pastor were golfing buddies, and within the same amount of time this doctor was teaching from the pulpit. Mind you, my experience with this man gave me no reason to expect that the honor of the pulpit should be bestowed upon him, but this was what happened. Now then, is it just me or was this man shown partiality and made to sit in a good place? And why was this? Merely because the title "Dr." was before his name. Guess what? Within six months or so, probably sooner, this doctor was no longer attending our church.
As I said, I could give examples of this from almost all of the churches I've attended. Why is this? Why do servants of the Lord, those to whom the sheep are entrusted, why do they do this? A man with money comes into a church and within weeks is teaching Sunday school, or even worse, he is addressing the congregation from the pulpit! I cannot tell you how much this hurts my heart.
But hey, maybe it's just me. What do you think? Do you see this happening?
God Bless!
Anyhow, in my church we are studying through the book of James on Sunday morning and our pastor is doing a really good job. I missed out on his messages regarding chapter two but I plan on going back and listening to them since they can be found online (see here). Our pastor has asked us to read through James every week while we study the book so I have been doing so and every time I read a specific passage I come back to those thoughts that refuse to leave me alone. Here goes:
"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should some into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?"
- James 2:1-4
Now then, let me begin by saying that these are, of course, my own personal thoughts. It seems to me, however, that these words appear to be among the most ignored words of Scripture! Experience and observation has shown me that most pastors/churches do the very thing this passage warns against. Rarely do I find that the poorer folk are the ones in leadership or the ones with whom the pastors mingle with the most. And yet the people I've come into contact with who show the most sincere faith and desire to learn are often the ones our society would consider poor.
Before I say anything else I want to share one example. I could, in truth, share examples from most of the churches I've been in but this one will suffice: Many years ago while I was going to school we attended a SBC church that was made up of mostly farmers, students, and para-professionals. One day a real live doctor came and began to attend. Within weeks this man and the pastor were golfing buddies, and within the same amount of time this doctor was teaching from the pulpit. Mind you, my experience with this man gave me no reason to expect that the honor of the pulpit should be bestowed upon him, but this was what happened. Now then, is it just me or was this man shown partiality and made to sit in a good place? And why was this? Merely because the title "Dr." was before his name. Guess what? Within six months or so, probably sooner, this doctor was no longer attending our church.
As I said, I could give examples of this from almost all of the churches I've attended. Why is this? Why do servants of the Lord, those to whom the sheep are entrusted, why do they do this? A man with money comes into a church and within weeks is teaching Sunday school, or even worse, he is addressing the congregation from the pulpit! I cannot tell you how much this hurts my heart.
But hey, maybe it's just me. What do you think? Do you see this happening?
God Bless!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Death of a Coworker
"...for what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."
- James 4:14
One of my co-workers passed away last night at the age of 59. He was a good man, a man of character and one difficult to dislike. I must confess that his death has struck me in a very powerful way. You see, only two days ago on Tuesday I worked with him and he was his usual cheerful self, working hard on cleaning the carpets at the library. Then yesterday I greeted him in the morning and thought nothing more of him until later in the day (at around 10:00am) I went to the employee lounge and saw him sitting on the couch breathing heavily and with his head on his hands. Another co-worker was already calling for assistance and so we walked him upstairs to the main level and had him sit in a staff area until emergency personnel could arrive. I sat with him during that time, rubbing his back since he said it hurt, and just talking to him and trying to encourage him. I even joked with him that he'd be back later in the day or the next day and he could finish cleaning up the library. During that time I felt a strong desire to pray with him but I did not respond in obedience to this prompting and prayed silently instead.
This morning we were informed that he'd passed away in the night and I was in total shock. I feel badly for his family, especially his young children. I have been told that he had a son who is about 8 years old and I already knew he had a daughter in her early teens, along with some older children. I pray that all of his chidlren will be comforted by friends and family and, far more importantly, that the Spirit will comfort them and bring salvation into their lives. I myself was about 8 years old when my father passed away and it was a terrible event in my life, it tore a wound in my heart that has never completely healed. It is never easy to lose a parent, of course, but I can't imagine anything more damaging than to lose a parent when still a child, a child old enough to understand. So while my prayers are with all of this family, I feel a particular need to pray that this boy not go through the bitter feelings that I experienced up until my early twenties.
Ultimately, the death of this man has also led me to contemplate eternity. You see, what saddens me the most about this whole situation is that this man died without Christ. He was a good man, but he did not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of his life. And you know what? In the three years I knew this man, not once did I share my faith with him. Oh I spoke about my faith, but I never witnessed to him. I never explained the gospel to him. God wanted obedience from me and I offered sacrifice...what wretched creatures we are who call ourselves Christians and don't proclaim the Good News with boldness! But this is not about me, it is about my co-worker. Please pray for his family my brothers and sisters...pray that his death would be the catalyst by which salvation might come into the lives of his wife and children. Times like these can be so confusing, but nevertheless, our God is a holy and just God.
To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.
- James 4:14
One of my co-workers passed away last night at the age of 59. He was a good man, a man of character and one difficult to dislike. I must confess that his death has struck me in a very powerful way. You see, only two days ago on Tuesday I worked with him and he was his usual cheerful self, working hard on cleaning the carpets at the library. Then yesterday I greeted him in the morning and thought nothing more of him until later in the day (at around 10:00am) I went to the employee lounge and saw him sitting on the couch breathing heavily and with his head on his hands. Another co-worker was already calling for assistance and so we walked him upstairs to the main level and had him sit in a staff area until emergency personnel could arrive. I sat with him during that time, rubbing his back since he said it hurt, and just talking to him and trying to encourage him. I even joked with him that he'd be back later in the day or the next day and he could finish cleaning up the library. During that time I felt a strong desire to pray with him but I did not respond in obedience to this prompting and prayed silently instead.
This morning we were informed that he'd passed away in the night and I was in total shock. I feel badly for his family, especially his young children. I have been told that he had a son who is about 8 years old and I already knew he had a daughter in her early teens, along with some older children. I pray that all of his chidlren will be comforted by friends and family and, far more importantly, that the Spirit will comfort them and bring salvation into their lives. I myself was about 8 years old when my father passed away and it was a terrible event in my life, it tore a wound in my heart that has never completely healed. It is never easy to lose a parent, of course, but I can't imagine anything more damaging than to lose a parent when still a child, a child old enough to understand. So while my prayers are with all of this family, I feel a particular need to pray that this boy not go through the bitter feelings that I experienced up until my early twenties.
Ultimately, the death of this man has also led me to contemplate eternity. You see, what saddens me the most about this whole situation is that this man died without Christ. He was a good man, but he did not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of his life. And you know what? In the three years I knew this man, not once did I share my faith with him. Oh I spoke about my faith, but I never witnessed to him. I never explained the gospel to him. God wanted obedience from me and I offered sacrifice...what wretched creatures we are who call ourselves Christians and don't proclaim the Good News with boldness! But this is not about me, it is about my co-worker. Please pray for his family my brothers and sisters...pray that his death would be the catalyst by which salvation might come into the lives of his wife and children. Times like these can be so confusing, but nevertheless, our God is a holy and just God.
To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Atheists: The Rascals Do Protest Too Much, Methinks!
One of my Facebook friends is fond of putting up atheistic comments and links on his status, which led me to ponder why he is so militantly "evangelistic" with his faith. To be sure, we as Christians are very vocal about proclaiming the Truth, but this is because we believe and because we are commanded to go out into all the world and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19). We have, in other words, a mission.
But the atheist?
I mean, really, I used to have a friend who was of the opinion that man had never truly been to the moon and that it was all some big government hoax. I, naturally, disagreed with him and would good naturedly argue with him at times. But to be honest, his little delusions did not compel me to go out and search all who shared his viewpoint and make them see the error of their way...nor did I take offense at his dearly held belief. Quite frankly, he was wrong.
If, however, I suspected he might be right but was scared by that possibility, then I might try to find ways to rebuke him and offer constant rebuttals to his dangerous views. That's just me. And this is what I think really motivates these militant atheists like my friend. They are bothered by Christianity and Christians not because they think it wrong, but because deep down they suspect we are right, and this truly frightens them. Therefore they MUST attack Christianity and they must find some way to disprove it; otherwise they must face the reality that one day they will face an omnipotent God, not as Savior but as Judge.
Oh if only they would turn to Him now before the hour is past!
But the atheist?
I mean, really, I used to have a friend who was of the opinion that man had never truly been to the moon and that it was all some big government hoax. I, naturally, disagreed with him and would good naturedly argue with him at times. But to be honest, his little delusions did not compel me to go out and search all who shared his viewpoint and make them see the error of their way...nor did I take offense at his dearly held belief. Quite frankly, he was wrong.
If, however, I suspected he might be right but was scared by that possibility, then I might try to find ways to rebuke him and offer constant rebuttals to his dangerous views. That's just me. And this is what I think really motivates these militant atheists like my friend. They are bothered by Christianity and Christians not because they think it wrong, but because deep down they suspect we are right, and this truly frightens them. Therefore they MUST attack Christianity and they must find some way to disprove it; otherwise they must face the reality that one day they will face an omnipotent God, not as Savior but as Judge.
Oh if only they would turn to Him now before the hour is past!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
White House Celebrates Ramadan
I could not believe it when I read a blurb about the White House hosting a celebration dinner for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, but sure enough if you go to the official White House site you can read the official press release!
I wonder if there will be, as others have asked, a special dinner to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ...or one to celebrate His birth? Imagine that, where I work they won't display Christmas decorations because it might offend people, but our own President hosts a special dinner to celebrate a Muslim holiday. God will surely bring judgment upon our nation, and I'm beginning to think it will come in the form of attacks from the radical adherents of the very religion which now, apparently, is the only one that can be celebrated in America without the liberals crying about separation of church and state.
O Lord, come quickly please!
I wonder if there will be, as others have asked, a special dinner to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ...or one to celebrate His birth? Imagine that, where I work they won't display Christmas decorations because it might offend people, but our own President hosts a special dinner to celebrate a Muslim holiday. God will surely bring judgment upon our nation, and I'm beginning to think it will come in the form of attacks from the radical adherents of the very religion which now, apparently, is the only one that can be celebrated in America without the liberals crying about separation of church and state.
O Lord, come quickly please!
"If God Were Real: A Journey Into a Faith That Matters" by John Avant
isbn #978-1-4165-8779-8
I tried really hard to give this book the benefit of the doubt, but the more I read of it the more mortified I became by the content. I thought this would be a book on living holy lives and being doers as well as hearers of the Word, but unfortunately the content consisted of criticisms, complaints and whining about the state of evangelical Christianity. Not that I see anything necessarily wrong with a reasoned critique, but Mr. Avant failed to actually support any of his charges against the church with anything other than unsubstantiated stories and hearsay! What is truly sad is that this is not an attack by the typical critics (i.e., atheists), but by one who is himself a pastor and professed Christian, oh excuse me, a Christ follower!
Sadly, Mr. Avant failed to take advantage of an opportunity to address a serious failure among evangelicals to actually make disciples of the nations. I mean, the title of his book is excellent..."If God Were Real." From such a beginning I would have expected a biblical examination of how we as Christians don't live as if we truly believe what we say we believe, and more importantly, from such a title I would have expected a call to arms, a prophetic word about not walking away from the Scriptures without making the necessary changes we see in our lives (you know, the whole man in the mirror thing!).
Instead we get this:
"I like atheists. I've known many Christians I'd rather not spend time with, but surprisingly, I can't think of a single atheist I've known whom I didn't like...I respect conviction--even if it is the conviction to have no convictions." (from the introduction on pages 4-5)
Really? I don't know about you but I want a shepherd of the people of God to actually love the sheep. Not that all Christians are loveable, far from it. But despite our differences we as Believers are called to love one another, to see one another as brothers and sisters. The atheist? They are the ones to whom we must take the gospel, not respect their convictions which deny and slander our Lord and Savior!
Later on in chapter two of this book (which Avant titles "If God were real...We'd all Give up on Christianity"), we read of five reasons why Avant claims he's given up on Christianity...and why we should too! To be fair, it is apparent that Avant is referring to the religious system known as Christianity and not to Christianity itself...though he seems to have a problem with the term and prefers the emergent Christ "follower." No surprise here since his approach to what he considers true Christianity reeks of emergent ideology. What are his five reasons?
1) Christianity Crucifies Christians
Huh? What does this even mean? Its just words formed together with no real meaning! He is clearly making no connection to Jesus and his command for us to daily take up our cross (see Luke 9:23)! No, instead he takes the silliest examples he can find and pretends they actually represent the majority of Christianity! Speaking about what he thinks is the major problem in the evangelical church online, he says that "heresy hunters are everywhere. Personal attacks abound. Gossip is rampant. Reputations are destroyed...[W]e can slander with no shame as long as we can hide behind our screen names of sounddoctrine777 or truthmonitor888." (page 30)
What is he even talking about? Does he bother to cite examples? No! Do such things happen online from those who call themselves Christians? Sure. But isn't it also slanderous to paint all online ministries with the same brush? Are there not online discussions about actual heresy going on? The question that must be asked is "is it true?" We can't just reject all such things unequivocally!
And then, of course, he has to come out with the usual manner by which such discussions are brought to a close. Jesus said to love one another. Umm...yeah, but did He not also say if you love Him you will keep His commandments (John 14:15)? But anyhow, we come to the end of his first reason and I don't even see a connection between the reason and the content as he tries to explain it!
2) Christianity Demonizes Those God Loves
Here is what he says: "In my days at a missions agency, traveling every week to many churches across the country, I saw it over and over. Most Christians are either so sheltered within the religious shell of their churches that they don't really know any non-Christians, or they are actively working to oppose them. Or both." (page 34)
Ah there we go. Personal experience as proof. Well then he must be right, right? But wait, most of the Christians I know are working regular jobs in their towns, talking to their co-workers about Christ when they can and when they cannot they are witnessing through their lives as much as is humanly possible. Not all of them, but many of them. I don't know of any of my close Christian friends who view the lost around us as the enemy. So based on my experience is Avant wrong? Well obviously I think he is very wrong, but certainly not because of my own personal experience! And guess what? This is all that is offered in this section! Avant even shares the personal experience of a young youth pastor he heard about who ministered in Twin Falls, Idaho. He says that "Ted went to the gangs and other marginalized students in the area and invited them to parties at the church. God began to move in phenomenal ways. Attendance doubled each week. The entire youth culture of Twin Falls began to change. But listen to Lauren's [the man who wrote about this youth pastor's experience] account of what happened next. "Church members despised him for bringing these kids into their midst. During one service, Ted reported to the congregation about a major success the night before, the sort of achievement youth workers dream of: a mass of kids had flushed their entire drug stash down the toilets in the church bathroom. Instead of applauding, a parishioner shouted, 'Do you know what that can do to our plumbing?' and walked out, a line of grumbling dissenters behind him." Unfortunately this is not an aberration." (page 35)
Pardon me if my "I doubt it" radar kicks on, but this is completely laughable! I spent about half an hour looking up this youth minister online and in the 10 pages or so that I found on him, not one mention is made of this event. Obviously this does not mean the event did not happen...but to say, as Avant does, that "this is not an aberration"? I don't know what kind of churches Avant pastors, but I beg to differ! This IS an aberration and such a church should not call itself a church! And this is his second reason? Mr. Avant, surely you can do better?
3) Christianity Doesn't Take God Seriously
Ok...anytime a pastor uses Shane Claiborne as an example of someone who takes God seriously above and beyond others, I have to conclude he's bought completely into the emergent church movement! I mean, come on! Is he seriously talking of the Claiborne whose website declares that "Each of us is created for community, and in the image of community. And yet everything in the world tries to rob us of this Divine gift"? THAT Claiborne? Hmmm....zoned out already! Avant acknowledges that Claiborne is "controversial" (you think!?!?), but he says that "at least Shane is trying to take God seriously" (page 36). Ummm...ok. So what? He is sincerely wrong too! Who cares about whether someone takes God seriously in determining their spiritual life or death? Avant goes on to say in that same paragraph, talking about doctrine or living righteously, that he's "begun to wonder which is more important." What? How can you live a life pleasing to God if your doctrine is off base? How can you serve a God you do not know? What do such comments even mean? In citing the Pharisees he says that Jesus was "dismissive of their doctrine when their lives looked like 'whitewashed tombs'" Well yeah, but their lives looked like whitewashed tombs because their doctrine was incorrect!
4) Christianity Has Become Ridiculous
While I would prefer to phrase it as "many Christians have become ridiculous," I found myself almost agreeing with Avant on this point...until he himself became ridiculous! First off, however, he is indeed right that many Christians focus on silly things, arguing in favor of such ideas as homeschooling being the only true Biblical way to educate your children, or fighting over whether hymns or praise music are appropriate in worship, etc...
I even agree that we as Believers can go to extremes over books such as Harry Potter, BUT come on, to say as he does that the books are little different than the Narnia series is a bit silly. He reaches way too far in his defense of the books and his attacks on those who oppose the books. How about instead granting as much grace to his fellow Christians as he does to Rowling? Christianity ridiculous? No. Can Christians be ridiculous? Of course. Ultimately his spending so much of his energy and angst over people's treatment of poor Rowling make him as ridiuculous as he seems her to think her critics are.
5) Christianity Has Become a Monument; I'm Looking for a Movement
Well good for him, but this comments says much more about his own judgmental attitude than it does about the straw man of Christianity he opposes so much!
Okay, at this point I have only looked at about one third of the book, which is not good news because if this was supposed to be his intro it went on for way too depressingly long of a time. What, however, is his solution?
Well beginning in chapter 3 he proposes the following "three steps towards starting a Jesus Movementg that will help us fulfill the Great Commission..." (page 69) What are the three steps?
1) Face the Awful and Exciting Truth
What is this, tell me (as I shake with eager anticipation) please! "The awful truth is that the vast majority of the churches of Christianity are not going to survive." (page 69)? Ummm...what? That's it? But most of us already know that, and we know it without thinking that these are "churches of Christianity." Most of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives are well aware that most people who profess Christ are not true Believers, and that too many churches stopped being true churches a long time ago!
2) Moving Into Humility
3) The Church Must Learn to Pray Again
Gasp! These last two sound so original and revolutionary...I think Avant is on to something here! O wait, never mind. This is the same thing that most other people giving advice to the church are saying!
To be honest,the rest of the book is just as lacking in original content...the most original part of it being that someone associated with the Southern Baptist Covention can be so dismissive of those in need of a faithful and discerning shepherd. Chapter titles as shocking as "If God were real...the Church Would be Full of Addicts" and "If God Were Real...He Would Believe in Atheists" are nothing more than his attempt to paint the visible church of Christ as uncaring. His call to arms elicits from me little more than a really long yawn because by the time I made it to the latter chapter I was convinced that Avant's intent is to shock people and falsely represent the Body of our Lord.
I will stop here simply because anything more I say will not be helpful. I will simply add that I think this book will be very well received by those who already dislike Christianity and by those professing Christians who like to accuse anyone who takes their faith seriously as legalists and Pharisees. For the rest of you, don't put yourself through what I did...avoid the book! Quite frankly if you like reading critiques of the modern church there are plenty out there that actually do a good job of confronting us with our apathy and actually providing a Biblical basis for recovering our passion for Him.
I tried really hard to give this book the benefit of the doubt, but the more I read of it the more mortified I became by the content. I thought this would be a book on living holy lives and being doers as well as hearers of the Word, but unfortunately the content consisted of criticisms, complaints and whining about the state of evangelical Christianity. Not that I see anything necessarily wrong with a reasoned critique, but Mr. Avant failed to actually support any of his charges against the church with anything other than unsubstantiated stories and hearsay! What is truly sad is that this is not an attack by the typical critics (i.e., atheists), but by one who is himself a pastor and professed Christian, oh excuse me, a Christ follower!
Sadly, Mr. Avant failed to take advantage of an opportunity to address a serious failure among evangelicals to actually make disciples of the nations. I mean, the title of his book is excellent..."If God Were Real." From such a beginning I would have expected a biblical examination of how we as Christians don't live as if we truly believe what we say we believe, and more importantly, from such a title I would have expected a call to arms, a prophetic word about not walking away from the Scriptures without making the necessary changes we see in our lives (you know, the whole man in the mirror thing!).
Instead we get this:
"I like atheists. I've known many Christians I'd rather not spend time with, but surprisingly, I can't think of a single atheist I've known whom I didn't like...I respect conviction--even if it is the conviction to have no convictions." (from the introduction on pages 4-5)
Really? I don't know about you but I want a shepherd of the people of God to actually love the sheep. Not that all Christians are loveable, far from it. But despite our differences we as Believers are called to love one another, to see one another as brothers and sisters. The atheist? They are the ones to whom we must take the gospel, not respect their convictions which deny and slander our Lord and Savior!
Later on in chapter two of this book (which Avant titles "If God were real...We'd all Give up on Christianity"), we read of five reasons why Avant claims he's given up on Christianity...and why we should too! To be fair, it is apparent that Avant is referring to the religious system known as Christianity and not to Christianity itself...though he seems to have a problem with the term and prefers the emergent Christ "follower." No surprise here since his approach to what he considers true Christianity reeks of emergent ideology. What are his five reasons?
1) Christianity Crucifies Christians
Huh? What does this even mean? Its just words formed together with no real meaning! He is clearly making no connection to Jesus and his command for us to daily take up our cross (see Luke 9:23)! No, instead he takes the silliest examples he can find and pretends they actually represent the majority of Christianity! Speaking about what he thinks is the major problem in the evangelical church online, he says that "heresy hunters are everywhere. Personal attacks abound. Gossip is rampant. Reputations are destroyed...[W]e can slander with no shame as long as we can hide behind our screen names of sounddoctrine777 or truthmonitor888." (page 30)
What is he even talking about? Does he bother to cite examples? No! Do such things happen online from those who call themselves Christians? Sure. But isn't it also slanderous to paint all online ministries with the same brush? Are there not online discussions about actual heresy going on? The question that must be asked is "is it true?" We can't just reject all such things unequivocally!
And then, of course, he has to come out with the usual manner by which such discussions are brought to a close. Jesus said to love one another. Umm...yeah, but did He not also say if you love Him you will keep His commandments (John 14:15)? But anyhow, we come to the end of his first reason and I don't even see a connection between the reason and the content as he tries to explain it!
2) Christianity Demonizes Those God Loves
Here is what he says: "In my days at a missions agency, traveling every week to many churches across the country, I saw it over and over. Most Christians are either so sheltered within the religious shell of their churches that they don't really know any non-Christians, or they are actively working to oppose them. Or both." (page 34)
Ah there we go. Personal experience as proof. Well then he must be right, right? But wait, most of the Christians I know are working regular jobs in their towns, talking to their co-workers about Christ when they can and when they cannot they are witnessing through their lives as much as is humanly possible. Not all of them, but many of them. I don't know of any of my close Christian friends who view the lost around us as the enemy. So based on my experience is Avant wrong? Well obviously I think he is very wrong, but certainly not because of my own personal experience! And guess what? This is all that is offered in this section! Avant even shares the personal experience of a young youth pastor he heard about who ministered in Twin Falls, Idaho. He says that "Ted went to the gangs and other marginalized students in the area and invited them to parties at the church. God began to move in phenomenal ways. Attendance doubled each week. The entire youth culture of Twin Falls began to change. But listen to Lauren's [the man who wrote about this youth pastor's experience] account of what happened next. "Church members despised him for bringing these kids into their midst. During one service, Ted reported to the congregation about a major success the night before, the sort of achievement youth workers dream of: a mass of kids had flushed their entire drug stash down the toilets in the church bathroom. Instead of applauding, a parishioner shouted, 'Do you know what that can do to our plumbing?' and walked out, a line of grumbling dissenters behind him." Unfortunately this is not an aberration." (page 35)
Pardon me if my "I doubt it" radar kicks on, but this is completely laughable! I spent about half an hour looking up this youth minister online and in the 10 pages or so that I found on him, not one mention is made of this event. Obviously this does not mean the event did not happen...but to say, as Avant does, that "this is not an aberration"? I don't know what kind of churches Avant pastors, but I beg to differ! This IS an aberration and such a church should not call itself a church! And this is his second reason? Mr. Avant, surely you can do better?
3) Christianity Doesn't Take God Seriously
Ok...anytime a pastor uses Shane Claiborne as an example of someone who takes God seriously above and beyond others, I have to conclude he's bought completely into the emergent church movement! I mean, come on! Is he seriously talking of the Claiborne whose website declares that "Each of us is created for community, and in the image of community. And yet everything in the world tries to rob us of this Divine gift"? THAT Claiborne? Hmmm....zoned out already! Avant acknowledges that Claiborne is "controversial" (you think!?!?), but he says that "at least Shane is trying to take God seriously" (page 36). Ummm...ok. So what? He is sincerely wrong too! Who cares about whether someone takes God seriously in determining their spiritual life or death? Avant goes on to say in that same paragraph, talking about doctrine or living righteously, that he's "begun to wonder which is more important." What? How can you live a life pleasing to God if your doctrine is off base? How can you serve a God you do not know? What do such comments even mean? In citing the Pharisees he says that Jesus was "dismissive of their doctrine when their lives looked like 'whitewashed tombs'" Well yeah, but their lives looked like whitewashed tombs because their doctrine was incorrect!
4) Christianity Has Become Ridiculous
While I would prefer to phrase it as "many Christians have become ridiculous," I found myself almost agreeing with Avant on this point...until he himself became ridiculous! First off, however, he is indeed right that many Christians focus on silly things, arguing in favor of such ideas as homeschooling being the only true Biblical way to educate your children, or fighting over whether hymns or praise music are appropriate in worship, etc...
I even agree that we as Believers can go to extremes over books such as Harry Potter, BUT come on, to say as he does that the books are little different than the Narnia series is a bit silly. He reaches way too far in his defense of the books and his attacks on those who oppose the books. How about instead granting as much grace to his fellow Christians as he does to Rowling? Christianity ridiculous? No. Can Christians be ridiculous? Of course. Ultimately his spending so much of his energy and angst over people's treatment of poor Rowling make him as ridiuculous as he seems her to think her critics are.
5) Christianity Has Become a Monument; I'm Looking for a Movement
Well good for him, but this comments says much more about his own judgmental attitude than it does about the straw man of Christianity he opposes so much!
Okay, at this point I have only looked at about one third of the book, which is not good news because if this was supposed to be his intro it went on for way too depressingly long of a time. What, however, is his solution?
Well beginning in chapter 3 he proposes the following "three steps towards starting a Jesus Movementg that will help us fulfill the Great Commission..." (page 69) What are the three steps?
1) Face the Awful and Exciting Truth
What is this, tell me (as I shake with eager anticipation) please! "The awful truth is that the vast majority of the churches of Christianity are not going to survive." (page 69)? Ummm...what? That's it? But most of us already know that, and we know it without thinking that these are "churches of Christianity." Most of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives are well aware that most people who profess Christ are not true Believers, and that too many churches stopped being true churches a long time ago!
2) Moving Into Humility
3) The Church Must Learn to Pray Again
Gasp! These last two sound so original and revolutionary...I think Avant is on to something here! O wait, never mind. This is the same thing that most other people giving advice to the church are saying!
To be honest,the rest of the book is just as lacking in original content...the most original part of it being that someone associated with the Southern Baptist Covention can be so dismissive of those in need of a faithful and discerning shepherd. Chapter titles as shocking as "If God were real...the Church Would be Full of Addicts" and "If God Were Real...He Would Believe in Atheists" are nothing more than his attempt to paint the visible church of Christ as uncaring. His call to arms elicits from me little more than a really long yawn because by the time I made it to the latter chapter I was convinced that Avant's intent is to shock people and falsely represent the Body of our Lord.
I will stop here simply because anything more I say will not be helpful. I will simply add that I think this book will be very well received by those who already dislike Christianity and by those professing Christians who like to accuse anyone who takes their faith seriously as legalists and Pharisees. For the rest of you, don't put yourself through what I did...avoid the book! Quite frankly if you like reading critiques of the modern church there are plenty out there that actually do a good job of confronting us with our apathy and actually providing a Biblical basis for recovering our passion for Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
