Lulled Straight to Apostasy

I’ve noticed that there is a spirit that has gradually crept into the church, a spirit not of God. It comes from our enemy via culture and it has the potential to destroy the church. It is evident in the conversation around “criticism.”

Have you been around a critical person in the church? Have you ever said or even thought to yourself, “That person has a critical spirit?” Or maybe you think, “He is so dark.” You know the type of person I’m talking about. They are the ones that always manage to see what is wrong or what is broken and needs to be fixed. And it’s not enough to see it. They feel compelled to tell others, maybe even demanding that changes be made. And you’re thinking, “Why doesn’t she just meditate on Philippians 4:4-8?”

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. Philippians 4:4-8

Well, sorry to step on your toes (maybe not – maybe it’s the way to startle you out of the spell you’re under), but this is a total misapplication of this passage based upon a misunderstanding. The admonition to focus on good things does not mean to ignore the things that are not good. This is not a passage that can be whipped out of your back pocket any time someone is pointing out a perceived problem in the church. In context, it is clear that Paul is saying that your sense of peace should be based upon the Lord, His sovereignty and His provision, not by denying what is not good. Granted, there are complainers in every church, but I’m not speaking of those folks. I’m talking about the ones who are God’s special gift to you.

Don’t believe that God gives churches people with such a message? Well then you probably have a really hard time dealing with all of the prophetic voices of judgment that are found in Scripture, maybe even the very words of Christ. You see, there is a call running throughout the Bible, a call to return to the Lord or there will be serious consequences. And that call includes a clear description of the spiritual condition of God’s people. I’ll admit that sometimes when I read those passages I wonder, “Isn’t God or the prophet exaggerating this a bit, using hyperbole to make a point?” And there’s no doubt that hyperbole is used in the Bible. However, predominately the Lord is revealing an accurate picture of the hearts of His people during prophetic pronouncements.

So, what happens to the prophetic voice today? Well, the prophet isn’t sawn in two or thrown in a cistern (maybe figuratively but not actually, though some might like to). More likely the prophet is discounted as being negative or critical or dark. He is told to look at all the good things that are happening. In extreme cases, he is told that good things will happen if you just visualize them and speak them into existence. And the question that should be on everyone’s mind should be: If the Lord has given the church the gift of prophets so that we might remain faithful and true to Him and His calling (Ephesians 4:11-13), what will be the consequence for those who reject the prophet and his message? Looking at the totality of Scripture, I’d say that the future looks bleak for those communities.

But it’s too easy to generalize this and make it about “the church.” How about your local faith community? How about your church or your small group? What are you doing with God’s gift to you, the prophet?

Offense or Defense (Warning: Long post)

I admit it. I love watching soccer. Yes, football is another favorite sport. So the fall is a time of the year that offers lots of distractions. But some “distractions” are actually beneficial. You see, I tend to see things strategically. That’s just how I’m wired. When I look at the soccer field, I see areas of vulnerability. If they belong to my team, there’s an urgency to shore them up. If they are in the opponent’s defenses, I want to exploit them.

Beyond that, I’d say that there is one strategy that drives me nuts when I see it being played out. I call it the “Don’t Lose Strategy.” Hopefully you know what I’m talking about. It’s the driving strategy behind the soccer team that is up by two goals and all of a sudden they stop attacking the opposing goal and they lock down their defenses. Or, the football team that has been riding the quarterback’s arm and taking advantage of weak defensive backs decides to run the ball to burn the clock. Maybe they even run a Prevent Defense where they willingly give up shorter passes to defend against the deep threat and easy touchdown. Either way, it’s a denial of what earned you the advantage and a crippling fear of losing. And there’s nothing more encouraging to an opponent who has no defenses against serious attack than to see the fear and insecurity of this sort of shift in strategy.

How do you view the church? Is the church designed to be stronger offensively or defensively? (There’s tremendous temptation to make a pun here using the word “offensive” to describe churches that just don’t understand the gospel, but I’ll restrain myself, sorta.) Well, when God created man, He commanded him to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). And Jesus indicated that His church would be a people who are assaulting the very gates of Hell (Matthew 16:18). Certainly, there are instructions to leaders to watch over the flock and to protect it from wolves, but they are passages that speak more about the heart of the leader than to the nature of the church. Actually, it’s a good thing that they are stated explicitly since wars are usually fought by Attila the Hun, not Mother Teresa.

So, why is the church functioning under a Don’t Lose Strategy? Frankly, that was not the strategy of the first 300 years of church history, a time when the world saw the explosion of Christian faith sweep across Europe, northern Africa and into the Orient. Ours was a bold, aggressive thrust at the heart of darkness in the world and it changed the very fabric of civilization. Yes, the cost was high and many gave up their lives for the cause of Christ, but they did it with courage and confidence, trusting in the One who had sent them.

But that is not what the American church looks like today, not even remotely. The end of summer doesn’t only mark the time when my favorite sports swing into high gear. It’s also the time when students go back to school. And for some families, maybe they are sending their son or daughter off to college. They have closed one chapter of their life and are entering another. We know lots of people in this category since our oldest daughter graduated high school last spring. And overwhelmingly these parents are concerned that their kids are going to be overcome by a Christ-less world. Is that reasonable fear? Yes! The facts indicate that most of those young people will fall away from the faith during their post-HS season of life. The question is “Why?”

I believe it is a failure of the church concerning children and youth, frankly, concerning families in general. Churches, eager to attract families and keep them happy, throw tremendous resources at Children and Youth programming. They communicate indirectly that parents should not be concerned with the spiritual development of their children because the hired professionals will do that. Rather than to equip parents to raise their children in the faith, they feed into a culture that offers parents lots of surrogate options (teachers, coaches, even entire villages). And the sad truth is that most Children and Youth programming does little to disciple young people. Either the ministries are designed to entertain or, if they do instruct, they don’t partner with parents and build in continuous reinforcement of biblical truth (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). And, tragically, most High School programming has no hint of development in it. Freshmen and seniors experience exactly the same forms, maybe even content. Instead of graduating fully-formed Christians who have been prepared to disciple others, they leave their relevant music, fun activities, and relational atmosphere and are told that they are ready to join their parents and grandparents in a radically different environment. There’s reason to fear for their faith if they are headed into secular academia.

So, what’s the solution? Well, you could send your youth to Christian college and then it just becomes a task of picking the one that matches your flavor of Christianity. Or, the church could start taking discipleship seriously and not be so worried about making everyone feel good so they will stay in the church. There are certainly lots of ways to do that, but let me describe one that I just experienced.

Shawna and I visited a church that has no Children and Youth programming. Families attend service together and children engage the content at the level they are able. The pastor opens the pulpit to the congregation so that they can reflect and expand upon the content of the sermon. This allows those who communicate well with children the opportunity to share the subject material at age-appropriate level for the young. It also models for the parents how you can train up children in the great truths of the faith. Then, the church also has a robust groups approach to living out faith which includes entire families. The big question is not “Who will watch the kids while we focus on Scripture?” Rather, the question is “How can we continue what was begun on Sunday morning and then implement it in ways that further the education of all of us, parents and young alike?” In this church, we saw intentionality toward significant engagement with the Word of God which was highly participatory and gifts-based so as to strategically disciple all generations of the church family.

And the results? Well, that church was sending two young people into the mission field. They gathered around and laid hands on them, praying that they would have a tremendous impact on their mission assignment, that they would be beacons of truth and grace as they went off to college. But the ceremony had to be postponed until the end of the service. Why? Because the young man who was being commissioned as a missionary to his college in Worcester, MA had finished leading us in worship and had left the building. You see, during worship, the Lord had spoken to his heart and had told him to go buy a single pink rose for Carol, one of the congregants. This older gal had shown up that morning with a very short haircut. When asked about it, she shared that she had donated her hair to Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org/mission.html). And in obedience to the leading of the Lord, this young man left Sunday fellowship and teaching, found a single, long stem, pink rose and returned to present it to this dear saint who had sacrificed so much out of love for the hurting.

So, tell me, parents. Is that how you want to send your kids off to college or would you rather huddle in fear for the four years that they will be in harm’s way? It’s time to take discipleship in the church seriously. It’s time that the church went back on the offensive. It’s time our enemy returned to hopeless fear because we’re advancing with reckless boldness.

Foreseeing the Future

Back in April (seems like a whole other lifetime now), I blogged about the content of Alan Hirsch’s book, The Forgotten Ways. I had indicated that Hirsch argues that we have a Leadership problem in the church, and that comes from a wrong understanding of the “gifts” that Christ has given to us for faithfully leading His church to fulfill her purpose (Read that specific post here: http://tinyurl.com/3mekyk2). I also indicated there that I had taken Hirsch’s assessment. Yes, I tested with strengths predominantly in the A.P.E. categories, the very gift for the church that is usually rejected, ultimately leading to its demise.

So, when I read a book that speaks of the current state of the church, its strengths and weaknesses, its opportunities and threats, my gifting shifts into high gear. That’s at the heart of my “affair” with Hirsch right now. There are lots of prophetic voices out there, but his is the one that aligns almost perfectly with the vision that the Lord has given me concerning His church. Does that language scare you? It’s the language of Leadership, but sadly it is something you rarely hear outside of “Charismatic” circles. And in case you’re wondering, I do not consider myself a Charismatic. But that’s another posting…

I recently finished reading On the Verge by Hirsch and Dave Ferguson. While a lot of the initial material was an overview of information from The Forgotten Ways, the addition of Ferguson to the discussion brought the practical aspect of the active practitioner to the table. And the approach to rescuing the church in North America was not a throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater strategy! The problems in the church were clearly outlined and then a step-by-step process of shifting the church was discussed in great detail. In fact, the book was authored with an understanding and appreciation of the different styles of the writers, Hirsch’s theoretical musings balanced against Ferguson’s strategic implementation and vice versa. For that aspect alone, this book is an indispensible addition to the library of anyone who is passionate about the church being faithful to her calling.

So, do you want to know what the future of the church is? Well, it’s not certain; it depends a lot on what we do here and now. You see, there are two courses before us:

We can maintain the course we’ve pursued for the last 400-1,700 years (depending on which aspects of church you’re looking at). If we do, we have a clear picture of where we will be in the next 30 years. Just look at the church in Europe, dead or dying, irrelevant, impotent and an abomination. Or,

We can take a serious look at where we have failed, especially in the category of making the wrong things priorities in the church. We could learn a lot from honestly analyzing every aspect of our institutionalized faith to see what has been added due to cultural influences (syncretism). We can choose to repent and return to the Lord’s clearly-outlined instructions to His people. And we can see the return of faithfulness. But this path requires faith in the Lord.

The question is, when we see the Lord, face-to-face, will He find faith in His people (Luke 18:8)? How about in you? Who did He create you to be for Him, His Kingdom, and His church? What is He asking of you?

Dismal Report Card

So, what is the purpose of the church? The Bible says that it is to glorify God. Ephesians 3:10-11 says “(God’s) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And concerning those who call themselves “Christian”, Peter writes, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). And the church glorifies God the same way that Christ glorified the Father, by fulfilling the mission that was given to Him (John 17:4). The mission of the church was given at Christ’s ascension, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20). And the manner in which the church is to complete her mission is found in the Great Commandment, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (Matthew 22:37-40).

OK, so much for ecclesiological review. Truth is that many who just read that paragraph where bored stiff. Some probably said, “Yeah, we already know that. So what?” But do we really know that? Do we know that at the level of it forming our ministries? Does any of that doctrine actually come into reality when we look at the organizations that we have created and called “church”? If we’re honest for even a moment, I think we have to confess that we have built something very different from what the Lord intended. And then we encourage everyone within the abomination, telling them that the Lord will surely protect His church.

Is that too harsh? Maybe a little. Let’s just call it hyperbole, exaggeration to make a point. But the reality is that most church leaders are more concerned with keeping the congregation placated by giving them what they want regardless of whether it is what they need. After all, if the people don’t feel good, the money will stop flowing. And most church staff is more interested in making sure the payroll is made than in actually being faithful to the Lord’s high calling. (Now, that’s harsh!)

So, how is your church doing? I have consulted to dozens of churches regarding these things and I’ll tell you that you can tell a lot about how you’re doing just by looking at your budget. Does the lion’s share of your money go toward fulfilling the mission of the church to reach those who don’t know the Lord and to making them, not just converts, but disciples? But money is not the only measure (though it’s a good one). How about your systems? Are you seeing human resources also dedicated to reaching the lost and helping them to grow into faithful followers of Jesus? Are you seeing life transformation as the Spirit of God works through the gospel, freeing captives from the clutches of sin and Satan?

Face it. We forget the reason we exist as a church. We are arrogant enough to believe that “church” is for us, not for Him. We even believe that He exists for us rather than vice versa. And isn’t that the argument of the atheists, that we have created God? Perhaps there’s more truth in that than we care to admit. Doesn’t Scripture repeatedly remind us of the human tendency to do exactly that? Paul describes our sinful nature all too well, writing,

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-- His eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-- who is forever praised. Romans 1:18-25

Oh, did you think that passage referred only to “those filthy nasty homosexuals”? Sorry to burst your bubble. It describes all of humanity. Yep, you and me and everyone you know. Paul uses the specific example of sexual impurity to tell us all who we are in our corrupted essence. But the Lord is longsuffering and He says, “Repent and return to Me and I will wash you clean as snow.” And if you think that none of this applies to you because it’s the responsibility of “leadership” to set the course for church faithfulness, I can’t find that “out” in the Word. Repent and rise up into faithfulness, before it’s too late. Trust in the Lord and act in faith. Today would be about right…..

Until Then, Dear Friend

Today, I got news that has been anticipated for a while, but it was still shocking enough when it came. A member of our small group passed away this morning. And with his passing, I'm witness to the emotions of people who knew him, those who knew him well and those who were just acquainted. While none of us should have been surprised at the news, there's something about death that is so final to us. And the death of someone we know always reminds us of the brevity of life, even our own. Maybe, especially our own.

Chuck and Nancy joined our group in September of 2009. And it didn't take long for us all to realize that the Lord matches people who are often extremely different than one another. You see, Nancy is a sweet, sincere Godly woman. And Chuck? Well, he wasn't a woman! And Chuck was a character. He could certainly connect at a very deep level with our biblical discussions, sharing freely about his life, even the stuff that most of us like to hide from others. But you could usually count on Chuck to throw in a joke somewhere along the journey. Sometimes, it was an off-color joke. OK, usually it was an off-color joke. But everyone knew Chuck's heart and his deep love for the God who had rescued him from darkness, and his steadfast devotion to the woman who rescued him from loneliness.

You see, Chuck was part of the glue that bound our group together as redemptive community. We are so much more than a bunch of people who have added another church obligation to our calendars. Rather, we are a bunch of broken vessels brought together by the cross of Christ and for His glory. And in His manifold wisdom, He chose to give us Chuck and Nancy, for our edification and for His Kingdom name.

For about a year, the group has tried to deal with Chuck's gradual decline. And we weren’t always the best example of Spirit-empowered community. Honestly, it's difficult to deal with death, even the death of someone whom you know is going into the presence of the King. It's even harder to minister to his wife; death is real and it carries real lose. But I saw glimpses of a true family when some or all of us would get together with Chuck and Nancy on the occasions when he couldn't make it to group.

But today, I had the honor of ministering to the gal who was cutting my hair, someone who had difficulty breathing over the news. And I can see that my wife, the rock, is on the verge of meltdown, empathizing with her friend, Nancy. And I'm sure that there will be other places to minister the Word of Life as the days move forward, for Chuck suffered and died well, a good and faithful servant.

The death of someone we know and love is a time when we should reflect on our own mortality. Should the Lord tarry, and there's every indication that He will, we will all have a last breath like Chuck. He knew that he was dying. But do the rest of us really understand that we all have a similar prognosis? Our days are numbered. Tomorrow, there will be one less, if we even make it to tomorrow. Are we each living as though this could be our last year, month, day, or hour? What will last are not things, but relationships. And I'm not saying that you should spend more time with your family. That's a given. I'm talking about laying up for yourself treasures in Heaven. Do you really believe that we all need a Savior and He is Christ the Lord? Then, who are you telling about Him? And is your sharing done with a true heart of compassion and mercy for those who are perishing?

"Goodbye, dear friend." Or rather, "Until then... And thank you for helping me to grow in faithfulness even as I tried to help you. Tell Jesus I'm following after you and I'm doing all I can to bring some with me." s