I haven’t seen “The Help”, it really didn’t seem that interesting to me. But I like what Ed Stetzer says in this blog post and offer the link for your edification. Legalism is dangerous and inhibits spiritual growth.
Ed Stetzer – Legalism, “The Help,” and a “Woman’s Place”.
A few days ago I read a story about a man with 100,000 Twitter followers who took his own life. I know nothing about his history or the reasons behind the suicide. But I am struck by sadness that none of the 100,000 “friends” was close enough to prevent this tragedy.
I often hear that social media is intended to build a sense of community. I suppose it does to a limited extent. I read certain blogs and have some knowledge of the writers. We can comment on each other’s blogs. In a very limited fashion, we could call that community.
Yet isn’t a real community supposed to prevent tragedies like suicide? Shouldn’t a following of 100,000 people have at least a few that would be close enough to know when something is terribly wrong?
Because of my interest in blogging and the church, I find articles which present social media as a platform for church growth. But as this tragedy illustrates, social media connection may not equate to real growth.
The church is a community and fellowship of the redeemed. We are a bunch of imperfect people who are brought into relationship with each other because of our individual relationships with Jesus Christ. We bring dysfunction and ignorance and God uses the community to work these problems out of us.
Social media can be a tool to build community, but let’s not think that a large on-line following is a real community. We still need to worship together, break bread together, study together, perhaps even argue with each other if we want to be a real community. Real community can be a messy business because there are times when each of us is a mess.
The church should be a place where flawed people feel accepted and air their struggles. Each member should feel valued and have a sense that the community suffers when one member is suffering. We should know each other well enough to know when something is wrong.
This type of community may not prevent tragedies like the suicide mentioned above, but it should minimize their occurrence. Real community provides real help to those who seek it.
Let’s focus on being a real community and not be satisfied with a sham based on follower counts.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17–18 NASB)
Having grown up in the church, I do not have the personal perspective of one who was outside and is now inside the circle of fellowship. I can, however, read articles and editorial comments as to how many perceive the church.
Many perceive the church as a gathering of folks who think themselves better than others because of their good behavior. Even people who might want to check out church are put off by the fact that their current lifestyle may not be acceptable and that they would have to clean up their act before coming to a worship service.
Contrast this with what we see in the Gospels. Jesus had sinners all around him. They seemed to enjoy his presence and did not feel condemned. In fact, to the woman caught in adultery Jesus explicitly told her that he did not condemn her (John 8:11).
Why then do “sinners” feel put off by the church, the gathering of people who are seeking to imitate the Jesus that sinners loved?
I’m under no delusions that if the church was perfect, that everyone would hold her in high opinion. Many willfully misrepresented or misunderstood what Jesus said when he was walking this planet; this same willfulness is in operation today.
The fact that some will not listen, does not relieve us of the duty of fulfilling our mission. Paul tells us in the verses quoted above that because we, as believers, have been reconciled to God, we have the ministry of reconciliation. God chooses to allow us to participate in the reconciliation of others to himself.
When visitors come to your church do they immediately apprehend that you are a group of the reconciled, looking to bring others into that same reconciliation that you’ve experienced? Do they feel loved and accepted? Do they perceive that reconciliation offers a way out of the struggles that they are currently experiencing?
Or, do they feel unworthy, unclean and irreconcilable when they visit? Do they feel that because of their clothing or piercings or tattoos or substance abuse or . . . that they are never to be included in the fellowship?
I’m not writing this as one who has this all straight. I can be just as comfortable doing church as the next person. I can settle into a routine and be cranky about somebody messing it up. Yet, I am convicted that there is a large chunk of our society that has no knowledge of Jesus and unless I am willing to get uncomfortable, they will remain ignorant.
I sometimes wonder if we, as the church, took our mission of reconciliation seriously if our society would not be a lot different than it is. Before we place blame for the condition of our social and political systems, we need to take a hard look in the mirror of Scripture and confess the areas where we fall short.
It is time for the church to be a fellowship of the reconciled, bringing others into the same reconciliation. We and our world will be different as a result.
I am convinced that for a Christian to be spiritually healthy and effective, there must be a balance between prayer and Bible reading. If one or the other is over emphasized, or if one or the other is neglected, that person or church group will stray from the mission that God has given the church.
A group which emphasizes prayer at the expense of Bible reading will be lively but can get into error such as the so-called “Toronto Blessing” movement. A group which emphasizes Bible study at the expense of prayer will have a cold, dead orthodoxy which does a better job of keeping people away than attracting them.
To illustrate the extremes, I will borrow from the original Star Trek television series.
The overemphasis of Bible reading, or the neglect of prayer, I label “Spock Christianity.” Spock was the character that was from the planet Vulcan where there were no emotions. Emotion was considered irrational and life was to be guided by logic alone.
Spock Christians seek to be guided by Scripture. They know their Bibles and have good understanding of Biblical precepts and how the Bible should impact the world around them. This is all praiseworthy.
The problem with Spock Christianity is that it morphs the group or individual into a strong believer that tends to be cold and unloving. It is through prayer that we become honest before God about our own shortcomings. Without prayer it is easy to fall into the trap of doctrinal litmus tests to see who is in and who is not.
Bones was the doctor on the Enterprise. He had a tendency to react emotionally, having frequent outbursts which annoyed Spock, the logician.
Bones Christians are very tuned into prayer and supernatural manifestations. They are looking for the Spirit’s leading and want very much to follow that leading.
The problem with Bones Christians is that neglect of Bible reading and study allows them to be lead astray by ascribing to the Holy Spirit things that are clearly not Biblical. The Apostle Paul directly addressed Bones Christians in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. Bones Christians can be loving and inclusive but the danger is that what is included may not be Biblical.
In Philippians 4:9, the Apostle Paul tells his readers, “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do.” Paul was confident that his example is one that is safe to follow.
The Apostle makes frequent references to his prayers on behalf of believers. Paul writes to the Corinthians that he prayed in tongues “more than you all” (1 Corinthians 14:18). Paul was an intimate of Jesus Christ th.rough prayer. Paul was of the opinion that prayer is an important part of the Christian experience
Yet, the Apostle knew when and how to call out those who were entertaining doctrinal error. Paul confronted those whose teaching strayed from Scripture. Paul also praised those who were diligent in comparing his teaching to Scripture. Paul also presented Scripture as the guide for belief and practice.
Without Bible study there is no basis for confrontation of error. Without prayer, the confrontation will be cold and unloving. For the church (which is made up of individual believers) to be effective in her mission, there must be a balance like we see in the Apostle Paul.
It is possible to be emotionally engaged and right.
