I recently heard a very passionate sermon about evangelism. In essence, its challenge was that the mission God had given us while on this earth was to communicate the gospel to people so that they might be saved and do the same thing. The preacher spent a great deal of time belaboring the so-called "Great Commission" as his primary text. This sermon reminded me of many others I've heard over the years.
Quite frankly, I think it was largely wrong.
Don't misunderstand; I do think communicating the gospel to lost people is part of the Christian's calling. But its much larger. Indeed, If you really examine the great commission, it is not a call to evangelism but to building up the church. Consider the four clauses it contains.
Make disciples (matheteuo) - I'm putting this one first because in the original text it is the key imperative and the others all connect to it. Much has been said about this; many people correctly identify it as a higher call than simple evangelism, but I'd at least propose that the best way to understand it is to look at the two components this verse lists:
Baptizing them (baptizo) - While few evangelicals get it, this is probably the part of discipling which their conception of evangelism falls into. While avoiding precise disputes about sacrament, biblically baptism was clearly a sign of a person's entering the body of Christ in its visible form. Thus, it would be accurate to say that our job in interacting with unbelievers is not simply to "get them saved", but to bring them into the church visible as fellow believers.
Teaching them (didasko) - However, bringing people into the body of Christ is only half of disciple-making. The second half is in teaching them to grow in love for Christ and the holiness which results from this. If this is not going on, then even the most impassioned evangelist is failing to fulfill the call of Scripture.
Go (poreuomai) - Lastly, the command is to go do these things. What is interesting is that, in Greek, this work could perhaps be more accurately translated "continue on your way" or, more roughly "while going on your way". Thus, this isn't simply a call to missions but to be building the church as you go about your life.
Its also worth noting that this command was given to the apostles corporately, not individually. They were expected to pursue this calling together, as part of a community of believers which already exists, rather than alone.
I feel that this is a critical distinction for two reasons. First, it deals a blow to the just-me-and-Jesus thinking which dominates Christianity today. God's call is for us to build the church, not just save individuals.
Secondly, this tends to impact how I process missions. All too often we approach missions with a short-term, soul-winning view rather than the long-term, church-building view the bible demands. In addition, it demonstrates why I think missions should primarily be done by the church. Trying to do it outside of the structure of authority and doctrine which a bible-believing church has established is a very bad idea.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
A question on my heart
Ok, I'm looking for some feedback here. Over the past week or so I've had a question on my heart that I've been unable to answer my self. It's not that deep or anything just something that's been eating at me. so here goes.
As you may or may not know I'm active in University Lutheran Chapel here on campus, my main focuses have been on Worship and out reach through the "Freshman night" Bible studies that we do the first semester of the year. As of late, I've had a strong desire for outreach, Freshman night being a strong way to help affirm believers of their salvation. But the thought has occured to me that I could be much more effective at welcoming people into the family of Christ if I weren't on the Worship team. This is a great struggle for me because I deeply love God and rejoice in every opporunity to worship him. I love being on the worship team because it gladdens my heart to lead and see others in worship of the Lord.
But from being on the Worship team I have been able to look out over the people, and I see those who come in quickly, sit by themselves, and leave as soon as the service is over with. I am filled with a desire to know these people, to reach out as part of the body of Christ. I also feel that I would be more capable of inviting others to come to a service if I didn't have to say, "Oh you want to come? Great! The service is at 10:45, But I can't sit with you or great you when you get there because I've got to be in at 8 for worship team practice."
I want to be there for people so they maybe more willing to encounter God. Yet I don't want to let down my brothers and sisters on the Worship Team. Any thoughts? I'm up to discusion.
As you may or may not know I'm active in University Lutheran Chapel here on campus, my main focuses have been on Worship and out reach through the "Freshman night" Bible studies that we do the first semester of the year. As of late, I've had a strong desire for outreach, Freshman night being a strong way to help affirm believers of their salvation. But the thought has occured to me that I could be much more effective at welcoming people into the family of Christ if I weren't on the Worship team. This is a great struggle for me because I deeply love God and rejoice in every opporunity to worship him. I love being on the worship team because it gladdens my heart to lead and see others in worship of the Lord.
But from being on the Worship team I have been able to look out over the people, and I see those who come in quickly, sit by themselves, and leave as soon as the service is over with. I am filled with a desire to know these people, to reach out as part of the body of Christ. I also feel that I would be more capable of inviting others to come to a service if I didn't have to say, "Oh you want to come? Great! The service is at 10:45, But I can't sit with you or great you when you get there because I've got to be in at 8 for worship team practice."
I want to be there for people so they maybe more willing to encounter God. Yet I don't want to let down my brothers and sisters on the Worship Team. Any thoughts? I'm up to discusion.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
A Thought on Busy-ness
I was listening to a sermon today and was particularly struck by a thought.
"Do you want proof that Christians in America are obsessed with doing? Here's how to tell. Go into a good, bible-teaching church in America and preach a sermon about sexual purity, and they'll say 'Yeah!' Preach a sermon about biblical authority, and they'll say 'Yeah!' But preach a sermon on the Sabbath, and they'll say 'Whoa. Hold on a minute. That sounds an awful lot like legalism.'"
This stopped me in my tracks. It really is amazing that, in circles which constantly hound people to evangelize, give, pray, and study their bibles every day, a command simply to rest, to not do anything, raises this sort of reaction.
"Do you want proof that Christians in America are obsessed with doing? Here's how to tell. Go into a good, bible-teaching church in America and preach a sermon about sexual purity, and they'll say 'Yeah!' Preach a sermon about biblical authority, and they'll say 'Yeah!' But preach a sermon on the Sabbath, and they'll say 'Whoa. Hold on a minute. That sounds an awful lot like legalism.'"
This stopped me in my tracks. It really is amazing that, in circles which constantly hound people to evangelize, give, pray, and study their bibles every day, a command simply to rest, to not do anything, raises this sort of reaction.
Monday, July 17, 2006
In Defense of the Seperation of Church and State
One of the major talking points for the religious right has always been the idea of the "seperation of church and state." The ideas discussed range from perceived discrimination to traditional values to, in some cases, a desire for something tantamount to theocracy. To be quite honest, I think much of the desire to tear down church-state seperation is idiotic.
If anything, I wish that the American church would further distance itself from ties to the national government. The bible is clear that our "citizenship is in heaven," and that while we owe submission to the ruling authorities of the world, our allegiance lies ultimately with God and His kingdom. Indeed, I think that in forgetting this the American church has been guilty in the past of bowing down to the nation as an idol and adopting its ideals as Christendom's. Democracy is not Christian. Neither is capitalism, imperialism or American history. Indeed, we have crippled our interactions with Christians in the rest of the world because we cannot grasp that we are their fellow countrymen before our American peers.
We have profoundly misunderstood God's covenants in the Old Testament because of this. The honest truth is that, unless you are Israel, there is no grounds for taking any biblical promises and applying them to a nation, regardless of your theological bent. God is not obligated to honor a nation because it has a lot of moral people. Heck, as a Christian I would say God is not even going to honor people for being moral, unless they follow him. Sure, I think that there is a benefit to people if they live within the moral grounds set forth in Scripture. But there is no promise that a nation will be blessed because of it. What's more, even these benefits should not be our aim as Christians in the world. Our calling is to make disciples, not heterosexual monogamous pro-life Republican pagans.
Case in point: the ten commandments being posted in courthouses. First of all, claiming that these are the moral rules used to govern our nation is silly. Nations don't forbid murder or theft because God told them to, but because it protects their citizens. This is why essentially the same laws govern lots of different countries with lots of different religious heritages. Its just the way God has designed government to run. Besides which, I don't see (or want to see!) any laws about coveting or keeping the sabbath passed by our nation, and as for bowing down to graven images, Christians get awfully fiesty at the thought of a piece of cloth they swear allegiance to every day in grade school being lit on fire.
However, this is only the surface. The root of the problem is that, in fighting about the public posting of the ten commandments, Christians have only perpetuated misconceptions about what we're about. When the rich young ruler tells Christ he has kept all of these commands, his answer is not "What a great Roman you are," but "go, sell everything to the poor and follow me." By hanging these commandments in the public view as the heart of what we Christians will defend, we are not fighting for the gospel but for moralism.
Another case in point: marriage. I'm not just talking about the gay marriage controversy, although that's the latest manifestation. The church has done itself immeasurable harm by linking the state and religious institutions of marriage. By equating them, we have allowed things like no-fault divorce to creep into the church. The problem is not that the state lets people get divorced, its that we tell people that the state's standards of marriage and divorce are God's. While I have issues with how the Catholic church issues annulments (read: their frequency), they at least have the right idea. Marriage in the state's eyes is a legal status. Marriage in the church's is a union of two people before God. We need to sharply fight to keep them different, rather than let them fuse.
I could go on, but I think I've made my point (and probably several people rather angry). A few caveats before I go. I do think that Christians should be involved in our nation. However, it is not because we owe it our service, but because we are commanded to love our fellow man. It is a worthy calling to pursue justice, care for the downtrodden, and defend the helpless in the halls of government. I also think that, because of the way God has designed the world, a just and equitable state will function better than and injust or corrupt one. However, since the world is fallen, no nation will last forever, no matter the intentions of its founders.
This being said, however, I think that Christianity needs to support a right view of church/state seperation. In the words of Isaac Backus, a Baptist minister in New England in 1773, "[When] church and state are separate, the effects are happy, and they do not at all interfere with each other: but where they have been confounded together, no tongue nor pen can fully describe the mischiefs that have ensued." Tear the flags off the walls and "God Bless America" from the hymnal and pursue the kingdom of God, rather than that of the United States.
If anything, I wish that the American church would further distance itself from ties to the national government. The bible is clear that our "citizenship is in heaven," and that while we owe submission to the ruling authorities of the world, our allegiance lies ultimately with God and His kingdom. Indeed, I think that in forgetting this the American church has been guilty in the past of bowing down to the nation as an idol and adopting its ideals as Christendom's. Democracy is not Christian. Neither is capitalism, imperialism or American history. Indeed, we have crippled our interactions with Christians in the rest of the world because we cannot grasp that we are their fellow countrymen before our American peers.
We have profoundly misunderstood God's covenants in the Old Testament because of this. The honest truth is that, unless you are Israel, there is no grounds for taking any biblical promises and applying them to a nation, regardless of your theological bent. God is not obligated to honor a nation because it has a lot of moral people. Heck, as a Christian I would say God is not even going to honor people for being moral, unless they follow him. Sure, I think that there is a benefit to people if they live within the moral grounds set forth in Scripture. But there is no promise that a nation will be blessed because of it. What's more, even these benefits should not be our aim as Christians in the world. Our calling is to make disciples, not heterosexual monogamous pro-life Republican pagans.
Case in point: the ten commandments being posted in courthouses. First of all, claiming that these are the moral rules used to govern our nation is silly. Nations don't forbid murder or theft because God told them to, but because it protects their citizens. This is why essentially the same laws govern lots of different countries with lots of different religious heritages. Its just the way God has designed government to run. Besides which, I don't see (or want to see!) any laws about coveting or keeping the sabbath passed by our nation, and as for bowing down to graven images, Christians get awfully fiesty at the thought of a piece of cloth they swear allegiance to every day in grade school being lit on fire.
However, this is only the surface. The root of the problem is that, in fighting about the public posting of the ten commandments, Christians have only perpetuated misconceptions about what we're about. When the rich young ruler tells Christ he has kept all of these commands, his answer is not "What a great Roman you are," but "go, sell everything to the poor and follow me." By hanging these commandments in the public view as the heart of what we Christians will defend, we are not fighting for the gospel but for moralism.
Another case in point: marriage. I'm not just talking about the gay marriage controversy, although that's the latest manifestation. The church has done itself immeasurable harm by linking the state and religious institutions of marriage. By equating them, we have allowed things like no-fault divorce to creep into the church. The problem is not that the state lets people get divorced, its that we tell people that the state's standards of marriage and divorce are God's. While I have issues with how the Catholic church issues annulments (read: their frequency), they at least have the right idea. Marriage in the state's eyes is a legal status. Marriage in the church's is a union of two people before God. We need to sharply fight to keep them different, rather than let them fuse.
I could go on, but I think I've made my point (and probably several people rather angry). A few caveats before I go. I do think that Christians should be involved in our nation. However, it is not because we owe it our service, but because we are commanded to love our fellow man. It is a worthy calling to pursue justice, care for the downtrodden, and defend the helpless in the halls of government. I also think that, because of the way God has designed the world, a just and equitable state will function better than and injust or corrupt one. However, since the world is fallen, no nation will last forever, no matter the intentions of its founders.
This being said, however, I think that Christianity needs to support a right view of church/state seperation. In the words of Isaac Backus, a Baptist minister in New England in 1773, "[When] church and state are separate, the effects are happy, and they do not at all interfere with each other: but where they have been confounded together, no tongue nor pen can fully describe the mischiefs that have ensued." Tear the flags off the walls and "God Bless America" from the hymnal and pursue the kingdom of God, rather than that of the United States.
Busy weeks and good music
My life has been a happy, hectic mess these last few days. Lets see...
Thursday after work I traveled with several friends out to Ord, NE to hang out and briefly attend Comstock Rock. The concert was typical for Comstock: Jackyl, a one-hit-wonder band from back in the day, screamed "rock and roll" to a bunch of drunk rural Nebraskans who really believed him when he told them they were the biggest badass rockers in the country. I actually rather enjoyed the show, in a primitive, visceral way. They played Johnny Cash, which wins anyone kudos from me.
Friday was great fun. We rode around on decades-old bikes which I wound call retro except that antique would probably be closer to the truth. That afternoon we went 'tanking', a great example of bucolic western Nebraskan life. Essentially, we floated down a river in a huge plastic drinking trough for cattle which had a picnic table in it. Good times.
Saturday I worked all day, but also made a great discovery for lunch. At 48th and R they just put in a new food joint called "Raising Cane's". Its out of Louisiana, and is essentially a slightly classier version of Chic-Fil-A. However, they serve sweet tea, perhaps my favorite beverage and one of the South's few redeeming features. The food was good; yummy chicken and a good special sauce which is rather hard to describe.
Next week I have to drive up to Ogallala to play for a friend's wedding, which puts me out of commission for Friday and Saturday, and then Sunday evening at my old church in Milford I have to preach. So no rest for the weary, but it should be a lot of fun.
My most recent purchases for music are Jens Lekman's "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog" and the Mountain Goats' "All Hail West Texas." Jens is one of those boyish crooners who wins you over with a naivety which seems to ridiculous to be feigned ("Yeah I got busted/So I used my one phone call/To dedicate a song to you on the radio") He also has a great voice. As usual, I love the Mountain Goats. The songwriting is brilliant, the lo-fi production fits perfectly, Darnielle's voice is delightfully raw, and I find myself yelling along with the lyrics already ("When you punish a person for dreaming his dream/don't expect him to thank or forgive you/the best ever death metal band out of denton/will in time both outpace and outlive you" or "whoa-whoa/whoa whoa/the pirate's life for me"). All in all, both highly recommended albums.
Thursday after work I traveled with several friends out to Ord, NE to hang out and briefly attend Comstock Rock. The concert was typical for Comstock: Jackyl, a one-hit-wonder band from back in the day, screamed "rock and roll" to a bunch of drunk rural Nebraskans who really believed him when he told them they were the biggest badass rockers in the country. I actually rather enjoyed the show, in a primitive, visceral way. They played Johnny Cash, which wins anyone kudos from me.
Friday was great fun. We rode around on decades-old bikes which I wound call retro except that antique would probably be closer to the truth. That afternoon we went 'tanking', a great example of bucolic western Nebraskan life. Essentially, we floated down a river in a huge plastic drinking trough for cattle which had a picnic table in it. Good times.
Saturday I worked all day, but also made a great discovery for lunch. At 48th and R they just put in a new food joint called "Raising Cane's". Its out of Louisiana, and is essentially a slightly classier version of Chic-Fil-A. However, they serve sweet tea, perhaps my favorite beverage and one of the South's few redeeming features. The food was good; yummy chicken and a good special sauce which is rather hard to describe.
Next week I have to drive up to Ogallala to play for a friend's wedding, which puts me out of commission for Friday and Saturday, and then Sunday evening at my old church in Milford I have to preach. So no rest for the weary, but it should be a lot of fun.
My most recent purchases for music are Jens Lekman's "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog" and the Mountain Goats' "All Hail West Texas." Jens is one of those boyish crooners who wins you over with a naivety which seems to ridiculous to be feigned ("Yeah I got busted/So I used my one phone call/To dedicate a song to you on the radio") He also has a great voice. As usual, I love the Mountain Goats. The songwriting is brilliant, the lo-fi production fits perfectly, Darnielle's voice is delightfully raw, and I find myself yelling along with the lyrics already ("When you punish a person for dreaming his dream/don't expect him to thank or forgive you/the best ever death metal band out of denton/will in time both outpace and outlive you" or "whoa-whoa/whoa whoa/the pirate's life for me"). All in all, both highly recommended albums.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Adventure John, signing in!
Perhaps I am just a simple man driven by the primal urges that dwell with in me, but I LOVE camping. I went camping this weekend out by lake Ogalalla. It was just me and my girlfriend. Which, admittedly, is perhaps not the greatest of ideas, but fear not. We've both seen our fair share of horror movies and knew that any misbehaver on our parts would certainly be cut short by the local psychotic axe-wielding murderer. There's just something about being out in nature that allows me to cut loose. It frees my mind and allows my soul to soar. Between hiking, canoeing, swimming, chopping wood, building fires, roasting food over an open flame, and sleeping out under the stars (for all you Wild at Heart fans out there) you can really see that there is something wild about God. It was fantastic to get away from everyone.(nothing against my fellow apartmentateers)
Though this camping trip was a little odd in the fact that on saturday night we drove into town to watch the new Pirates movie. I though it was very entertaining and full of action, though it left off with a HUGE set up for the next movie. Also I was a bit disappointed by some the the Disney style cheesey-ness and how simple it was for the key to be retrived. (i'm attempting to be as vauge as possible to avoid ruining things for thouse who have yet to see it) Overall I feel that it was a worthwhile movie and rather enjoyed it.
Though this camping trip was a little odd in the fact that on saturday night we drove into town to watch the new Pirates movie. I though it was very entertaining and full of action, though it left off with a HUGE set up for the next movie. Also I was a bit disappointed by some the the Disney style cheesey-ness and how simple it was for the key to be retrived. (i'm attempting to be as vauge as possible to avoid ruining things for thouse who have yet to see it) Overall I feel that it was a worthwhile movie and rather enjoyed it.
Christian Patriotism
I found this to be an interesting thought, one which I've long held but never expressed so eloquently.
Sufjan is going on tour, playing a number of his songs reworked symphonically with a group of string and horn players. Anyone interested in driving to St. Louis or Chicago with me to check it out?
And my lunch break nears completion, so I'm off.
Sufjan is going on tour, playing a number of his songs reworked symphonically with a group of string and horn players. Anyone interested in driving to St. Louis or Chicago with me to check it out?
And my lunch break nears completion, so I'm off.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
"Here in this empty house where nothing stays buried"
So I've been out of touch with the blogosphere (I always wanted to use that word) for quite some time; this is largely the result of the fact that our apartment seems to get and lose free wireless access on a random basis. Another contributing factor is probably the fact that I'm now working six days a week. And when I'm not working, I tend to be reading or hanging out with people. Still, I'm going to try to keep things a little more up-to-date in the future.
Tomorrow at 1:00 is the world cup final between Italy and France. Italy has my bet, since France had a shaky start and last game. However, I'm not strongly rooting for either team.
My obsession with the Mountain Goats is continuing to deepen. John Darnielle is a phenomenal songwriter; I wish I could some even close to capturing the way he uses simple symbols and ideas to create huge impact and communicate deep ideas and characters. I've also been listening quite a bit to the Drive-By Truckers and Jens Lekman.
I'll write more later, but now I need to go take a shower.
Tomorrow at 1:00 is the world cup final between Italy and France. Italy has my bet, since France had a shaky start and last game. However, I'm not strongly rooting for either team.
My obsession with the Mountain Goats is continuing to deepen. John Darnielle is a phenomenal songwriter; I wish I could some even close to capturing the way he uses simple symbols and ideas to create huge impact and communicate deep ideas and characters. I've also been listening quite a bit to the Drive-By Truckers and Jens Lekman.
I'll write more later, but now I need to go take a shower.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Heraldings of Another Apartment-Dweller
To bring to end all the questionings and musings of all those who read this blog, No Eric is not the only person that lives in the apartment. The other three persons are really quite real. Apparently they just don't have much to say. But then Eric usually does have plenty of his own to say so perhaps no one else has the need to post. ;) (I'm sure that's the sort of comment that with get me a "Screw you, John" from Eric later)
Well, I was mostly just excited to post something and didn't really have anything to say. So long for now, and may you rest easily knowing that Eric's tyrannical rule over the blog is coming to a swift and timely end. Toodle Pip!
Well, I was mostly just excited to post something and didn't really have anything to say. So long for now, and may you rest easily knowing that Eric's tyrannical rule over the blog is coming to a swift and timely end. Toodle Pip!
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