The Temptation To Do Nothing

This past year or two, as evidenced by my posts, I have become rather cynical of the current form that the Western church has taken on. However, I have seen some of these frames of mind that so anger me creep into my own life, without necessarily realizing it at the time. I am talking about the temptation to slip into a life of passivity, choosing to take the path of least resistance.

I found myself slipping into this mindset with regards to my practicum at the Mustard Seed this past year at school. Its not that I hated my practicum by any means; its just that those 5 hours every Sunday (just shows how it doesn't take much to desire the easier path) spent in service there often in my mind would have been more enjoyable spent relaxing with friends. However, I always enjoyed myself once I got to my practicum, as it was very rare that I wouldn't see God using me to reach out to those in need. But I did do my share of complaining about all the time requirements of my practicum when I was away from it.

It was during one of these times that my youth pastor said something that really hit home. He said that those of us in Bible school are there because we are pursuing a career in ministry, and that the small amount of time committed to our respective practicums is insignificant compared to the demands of being a pastor or missionary. He also said that going to a Christian school, practicum is often our only interaction with non-believers; without this vital interaction, we fail to carry out Jesus' ministry on this earth, as He came to seek and to save the lost. This really put things into perspective for me. Here I am so upset with churches whose members shy away from stepping out and taking risks, when committing a mere 5 hours a week to ministry seemed like a daunting task. I wish I could say that I no longer have these begrudging feelings towards my upcoming practicum, but I do. Perhaps its our fallen human nature to always be pulled towards the path of least resistance, or maybe I'm just lazy. However, at least now I shall attempt to keep things in perspective, as life really is the most exciting and rewarding when you are stepping out in accordance to God's leading.

Something to Think About

I just thought I would post some thoughts on a question that I have been pondering these last couple of months. Since it is looking increasingly likely that I will become a pastor, I believe this question is particularly relevant. My question is simply regarding the role and effectiveness of the so-called super/mega churches. While I have little to no experiences with these huge churches, I feel that with such large congregations, the people easily become just another number on the attendance sheets, rather than a unique individual with unique spiritual needs.

To me one of the essential features of a healthy church is the relational aspect among the congregation. The body of Christ is meant to strengthen and encourage each other, to support each other in all situations, to hold each other accountable, all the while enabling and equipping each person to carry on the ministry of Christ. I feel that in such a large church many people are alienated, and it becomes extremely difficult to establish these much needed Christian relationships.

Here is where my questioning comes in. Would it not be more effective for these large churches rather to break off into several smaller churches, better equipped to handle individual needs? By dividing into smaller localized churches, the church has a far greater reaching influence. People are more likely to wander into a church if it is in their section of the city rather than located a 30+ minute drive away. Also, different areas have different needs, and localized churches can respond specifically to the needs of their community. I know if/when I become a pastor, I wish to serve in a church where I can know a majority of the people by name, actually investing in them, as opposed to simply delivering a sermon every Sunday and that being the sum of my ministry.

Many people will argue that the mega churches are able to generate a far greater revenue from tithes and offerings, thus enabling them to support more missionaries, help more charities, etc. While this is all good in and of itself, this should not be the only reason a church exists. So often churches attempt to assimilate into the current culture that our churches end up more closely resembling shopping malls than places of worship. For example, one of the large churches in Calgary invested in a giant waterfall for their foyer; what I would like to know, is in what way does a giant waterfall further the Kingdom of God? Could not the money have been put to better use than to make the church building more physically attractive to the outsider? The church is not a business and should not attempt to function like one; the church is a living organism, the current manifestation of Christ on earth. Many times money simply isn't the answer; volunteering your time and energy to help someone is often a far greater witness than simply throwing money at a problem and hoping it goes away.

Maybe I'm overly cynical and biased when it comes to the idea of these mega-churches, but these are simply some of my thoughts on the issue.

Back in the Saddle Again...

I decided it was time to try this blogging thing again, as I finally have some thoughts to write about. I have began rereading Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew, and once again it is causing me to think about Jesus from a whole new perspective.

Today I read the chapter describing the Christmas story as it actually happened, which runs completely counter to our popular Western opinion of the story. Jesus birth was not the pleasant, happy event depicted on Christmas cards and in most churches during the holiday season. Jesus was born into a world of constant turmoil and strife; conditions under the tyrant Herod were likely comparable to those in Stalin's Russia. Not only was this a tough time to be a Jew historically, but on a more personal level Jesus was born in disgrace. Not only would the close-knit Jewish community have shunned Joseph and Mary for having a seemingly illegitimate child, but Jesus would have been rejected as well. Jesus entered our world through the humblest of births. Yancey writes that this was the first time in history that humble was ever conveyed as a trait of deity.

All of this got me to thinking. It is widely known that Jesus was and is a 'friend of sinners', but I believe we too often attribute this solely as an act of compassion for His fallen creation. While the truth of this statement is undisputed, I believe there is much more too it. I believe that a big reason Jesus chose to associate with the downtrodden and outcast in society was because He was one of them (not in the sense of being a sinner, however). Because of this maybe Jesus simply felt more comfortable around the down and out. Shame and disgrace were all too familiar to Him long before the cross, a fact I think we all too often forget. From an earthly perpective, most of us in Canada are born a couple steps ahead of Jesus, brom a economic and societal perspective. Our culture is far removed from that of first-century Israel.

Yancey quotes Malcolm Muggeridge when he writes, "It is...extremely improbably, under existing conditions, that Jesus would have been permitted to be born at all. Mary's pregnancy, in poor circumstances, and with the father unknown, would have been an obvious case for an abortion; and her talk of having conceived as a result of the intervention of the Holy Spirit would have pointed to the need for psychiatric treatment, and made the case for terminating her pregnancy even stronger. Thus our generation, needing a Savior more, perhaps, than any that has ever existed, would be too humane to allow one to be born."

At this point it is getting late and my thoughts aren't as clear as I'd like, but I shall attempt to tie this all together as best I can. Based on our relative wealth and life of ease, it is difficult, if not impossible, to fully comprehend the love it took for God to humble Himself to such an extent, becoming fully human. I imagine it to be somewhat like the potter taking on the form of one of his pots. Such a humbling I cannot imagine.

However, our inability to comprehend something does not give us the right to remain passive and inactive. Jesus' mission to the downtrodden has been passed down to us and continues today. Simply giving money to charities, homeless shelters, etc. often is simply not enough. Affecting life change in others requires complete submission, not simply the submission of tithes and gifts. Money cannot sit and listen to a person's life story, nor can it offer up prayers on the behalf of others. Jesus Himself said that to those whom much has been given, much will be demanded. I don't believe He was referring strictly to monetary matters. The life of the Christian is a life of service, following Christ's example. Which poses the question: Who are you a servant to through the love of Christ? Coworkers? Family? Friends? Your enemies? That beggar on the street corner? If your answer is one or a couple of those groups listed, it is not good enough. Jesus calls us to be a servant to ALL.

Hopefully this all kind of makes sense, and is more than just my late night ramblings.

One Less Thing To Do Before I Die...

Where to begin? Last night I one of my biggest dreams was fulfilled, one which up until recently I had thought would never happen. If you hadn't guessed, last night I got to see Eric Clapton perform live!!! He clearly is one of the most talented musicians around today.

The whole atmosphere at this concert was unlike any I have ever attended...the majority of the audience was middle-aged, with many a former hippy. It was not one of those wildly energetic shows, but one where you simply sit back in awe of all the talent assembled onstage.

The Robert Cray Band opened the show. Normally, I am rather skeptical of opening bands, as usually I get bored and frustrated waiting for the main show. Tonight was not one of those nights. Robert Cray is an extremely talented blues musician, and I was completely drawn into the music. In addition, he can solo with the best of them (Clapton excluded). I was actually saddened when he finished his 40 minute opening set. There is something about fine blues music that just draws you in until you are completely absorbed in the music. The crowd was appreciative of his talent as well, as the applause and cheering grew louder with each successive song (many of them probably had never heard of the Robert Cray Band). Under normal circumstances, this act would have been a tough one to follow due to the sheer amount of musical talent.

I do not even know where to begin to describe the main event of the night. I did not know it was possible to assemble so much talent in a single band. In addition to Clapton, there was another guitarist, a drummer, an organist, a pianist, a bassist, and two female background vocalists, all with considerable talent. More time was spent soloing than singing by a wide margin, which to me is a sign of a good show. One song lasted for about 15 minutes, as almost everyone in the band was given extensive solos. The organ and piano solos were especially amazing, although the highlight for me was of course the bass solo. For the most part, I did not recognize too many songs, but that was of no consequence. In the middle of his preformance, Clapton did a 'sit-down' set, where he played his hollow-body electric and acoustic guitars, playing some softer traditional blues. He then went on to play about 5 more songs, finishing the night off with 'Layla'.

For the encore, he returned to the stage and played absolutely captivating versions of 'Cocaine' and 'Crossroads'. For 'Crossroads', Robert Cray returned to the stage to share vocals and guitar solos with Clapton for an incredible performance. What a night!

When I stood up to leave after the show ended, I was immediately light-headed and dizzy. At first I thought maybe it was the fact that our seats were so high up, but then I realized it probably had more to do with the thick cloud of marijuana smoke in our area. But other than that, it was the concert event of a lifetime.