The Death of the Church

The American Heritage Dictionary defines death as, "The act of dying; the termination of life; extinction". Death is not a word for polite dinner conversation nor is it a word that we in the church like to talk much about. And that's too bad. Who better to talk of death than the followers of the One who himself experienced death and was raised to new life? Who better to talk of death than those in the church who confess that Jesus did not stay dead?

 So why do we tremble with dread and fear when we hear the words "death" and "church" used in the same sentence? I think the church has been descending toward death for a very long time now:  Not just over the last 30 years with attendance decline, but since about 325 CE when Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the Empire.

 In her book, The Great Emergence, Phyllis Tickle puts it another way.

"Arguably, one of the most potentially destructive things that can happen to a faith is for it to become the accepted and established religion of the political, cultural, and social unit in which its adherents live" (p.161).

 
My take on this?  Religion is the cancer of faith.  The moment faith became institutionalized, it ceased to be a verb and instead became a proper noun; “the church”.  People of “The Way” were now called “Christians”.  People of faith now became people of church whose vision no longer extended to the coming of God’s Kingdom but instead to the parochial preservation of a structure.   Over time, the church had to be preserved and God had to be controlled at all costs.  Hence, centuries of crusades and bloodshed followed.

Do we really think for a moment that Jesus intended to start a new religion?  The word “Christian” never once came out of this Jewish man’s mouth and in fact didn’t come about until the late first/early second century. (a good 70 to 100 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection).

 A long time ago, some of the very first followers of the crucified and resurrected Jesus gathered together on a daily basis and “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers" (Acts 2:42). And as if that were not enough time together, they gathered at other times throughout the week in peoples’ homes breaking bread and eating food “with glad and generous hearts, praising God” (Acts 2:46-7)  Not only did these early followers of Jesus have all things in common, but “they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:45). 

This is all we’re told about the earliest gathering of Jesus’ followers.  Maybe that’s all we need to know.  Maybe following Jesus has less to do with preserving institutions and more to do with nourishing relationships.  Maybe following Jesus has nothing to do with religion where I seek to control God and instead has everything to do with faith:  trusting that Jesus will lead me into right relationships of love and peace with God and the world.

As a follower of Jesus named and claimed by God in the waters of Baptism, I will not be seduced by the Church or any institution claiming to have God in its back pocket and demanding my allegiance to it.   But I will follow Jesus into the places of deepest darkness. I will follow Jesus into the neighborhoods of profound brokenness.  I will even follow Jesus into the valley of the shadow of death.  But not before I gather with you in prayer, praising God, breaking bread and sharing all things in common with glad and generous hearts.  Breaking bread, praising God, sharing all things in common?  I’ll do that with you any day of the week.

 

Peace and Love,

Pastor Doug

Not a Fan of Jesus

I'm not a fan of Jesus.  There, I said it.  Now before you grab the nearest pitchfork and torch, let me explain.

I'm not a fan, but I am a follower.  Or at least I try to follow.  (Though more often than not, I think I do a pretty sucky job of it).  Let's face it, it's a lot easier being a fan than a follower.  Fans can watch from a distance without having to exert much energy.  Fans are entertained by somebody else's actions.  Fans talk and talk about the game without ever having to play it.  Fans can be armchair Christians deluding themselves into thinking they have insider information about Jesus and the will of God.  Finally, fans can change team loyalties anytime.  Whenever I'm sick of cheering a team of losers, I can switch jerseys and root for whoever is winning. 

In a recent Huffington Post blog, Mark Sandlin writes  that "when we are fans of Jesus rather than followers of Jesus, our focus is inward turned".  He goes on to write that in this self-centered fandom, it's easy to "forget there is a world of hurting people who we are not only called to stand with but who we are to recognize as equally created in the image of God."

I think he may be on to something here.  Jesus doesn't tell me things I want to hear.  Sure I love when he tells me that he is the Shepherd and I am his sheep.  I love when I read that God so loved the world he gave his only son. I'm a fan of that!   But there's a whole bunch of other things that I'd prefer to leave behind if truth be told.  I'm not sure that I can be a fan of someone who tells me to love my enemies and to do good to those who hate me.  I know I'm not comfortable blessing those who curse me and praying for those who abuse me.  And who does this Jesus think he is telling me not to judge lest I myself be judged?  And what's up with that "new commandment" to love one another just as Christ has loved us?  Christ poured out his life for us.  Am I really supposed to do that for the guy down the street I don't know or even like?

Fans pick and choose what they like without risk of any personal investment.  Followers.... well followers actually walk into the same crappy places Jesus goes breaking down barriers and giving up their lives.  Getting down and dirty with the broken and hurting world around us is what following Jesus is all about.  It's neither fun nor entertaining and it's sure as hell not easy.

In Philippians, the Apostle Paul exhorts those who would follow Jesus to "look not to your own interests but to the interests of others letting the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus who...emptied himself taking the form of a slave...and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:4-8).

I don't know anybody who's a fan of emptying oneself and taking the form of a slave, nor do I know many people (myself included) who are fans of looking to the interests of others.  But that is the call that Jesus issues not just to you and me but to the whole church.  Maybe the church's purpose then is not to entertain or be entertained, nor is it to talk about God.  Maybe the church's purpose is to follow Jesus into the broken world helping those who wish to follow Jesus do so in ways that are faithful and authentic.  Maybe the church's job is to change lives.  And why not?  Changed lives change the world.  And maybe - just maybe - changing the world is what following Jesus is all about.

Peace and Love,
Pastor Doug

A Letter to our RAIHN Guests

Dear Dawn and Wanda,

The doors of our church were opened to you this week as we invited you and your families to make our church building your home.  We do this four weeks a year:  Opening our building to those in need of a home through the RAIHN program.  Yet this evening as we gathered for bible study like we always do, something was different.  Tonight, our small group of Incarnate Word folk were not simply meeting in a building at 597 East Avenue, we were meeting in your home.  And in your home this evening, "host" became "guest" and "guest" became "host" right before my very eyes.

Coming to our bible study you shared your stories of faith:  Of what following Jesus means to you.  Of how in the midst of adversities that I cannot even begin to comprehend, your faith in God's faithfulness has sustained you.  I thought we were hosting you and as it turns out, your witness to God's greatness and love made you my host:  Offering me a safe place for my own faith struggles:  A safe place to share my own moments of faith poverty:  A safe place for me to confide my occasional bouts of faith amnesia, when I get so caught up in life, that I forget all about a great and faithful God who loves me despite my many and egregious imperfections.

A long time ago, the writer of Hebrews wrote of entertaining angels and not even knowing it.  I saw that for myself this evening in your graciousness and in your proclamation of God's transforming and abundant love.  Tonight in the church where I function as pastor, your grace and faith preached to the preacher.  It turns out that in the place I have called home for nearly nine years, I was your guest and you were my host.  Tonight, my journey with Jesus was profoundly nourished by your grace and love and for that I cannot begin to thank you enough.  I cannot begin to thank God enough.

Our God is indeed an awesome God!  I know this because of your journey with us this evening.  You are indeed angels:  Messengers of an incredible God whose love and mercy knows no end.

Amen.  And again I say Amen!

Peace and Love,
Pastor Doug