Unity or Uniformity?

A friend of mine recently asked me a very good question. He inquired as to whether or not I was confusing unity with uniformity. This stems from both blog and Facebook posts of mine that call for church reform (specifically the following of the biblical model for church life).

My simple answer to my friend is "No." I'm not confusing the two. I strongly believe that all Christians should seek unity. It's not as if our Lord made this an option. His prayer in John 17 confirms this. We are one body that must strive to live out this reality. The sometimes tricky part is determining what this looks like. We need to be careful to understand that we are united in a person as opposed to united in specific practices. Jesus Christ is the heartbeat of our unity. We can and should agree because of the power he provides us. We ultimately come together in Christ.

We must believe the gospel message; in this there ought to be uniformity. However, we do not have to be uniform in everything we believe and do. Specifically related to what is modeled for us in the bible, we may choose to emulate it or not. It is the commands we must obey. I do not believe we are required to be uniform in what the bible describes.

That said, I do believe it is the wise and better course of action to simply ask what the scriptures show us about church life. When something is approved, let's do it. Why would we want to do a bunch of things that the bible says nothing about? How can we know God approves of these things?

Let's take a concrete example - church gatherings. I do not think these must be uniform in nature. However, why depart from what we've been shown in the bible? We know God approves of simple gatherings in which mutual edification is the purpose. God likes it when we come together to eat. Around the table Christ is glorified through reciprocal interaction. Each member is doing his or her part. As for the common/traditional manner of church meetings (worship services), we really have no idea what God thinks of them. Religious ceremonies, monologue preaching/lecturing, orders of worship, altar calls, etc. are foreign to the pages of the New Testament. Should Christians be satisfied in not knowing whether or not God looks approvingly at the way they gather?

To sum up, unity is no option. We must strive for unity in our head - Jesus.

Uniformity, however, is not required. We do have some amount of Christian freedom. Despite this, the scriptures provide us with enough information to know what God approves. When we follow both what is commanded and what is modeled, we will find that many of our practices are very similar.

What do you think? Where does unity end and uniformity begin? What do these concepts look like in your life and church family?

70

I worked seventy hours again this week. Because of that, I'm simply too tired to blog much. Despite this, I still think about Jesus Christ and his church quite a bit. Ten simple truths come to mind right now:

1. The church belongs to Jesus Christ.

2. Jesus Christ is the one and only head of his church.

3. Christ has shown us in scripture what he demands and desires his church to be.

4. The Holy Spirit testifies to these truths revealed in scripture.

5. The church's greatest characteristic must be selfless love.

6. The church must live as the holy people we are.

7. The church must be united.

8. The church is on a mission to the ends of the earth.

9. The church needs every member.

10. Servanthood is the path that pleases Christ.

Please feel free to add to this list.  It is hardly comprehensive.

Love and Nonresistance: God's Plan for the Church

I've been thinking a lot lately about our responsibility to live peacefully in a sinful world. Thinking biblically, what should this look like?

I recently read a helpful little book entitled Love and Nonresistance: God's Plan for the Church. The author, John Coblentz, looks at Old Testament foundations and New Testament principles that must guide our decision making. Using scripture as his basis of authority, he deals with issues such as warfare in the OT, nonresistance in both the OT and NT, and the separation of church and state.

The most helpful chapter for me focuses on the difference between nonresistance and pacifism. The author writes that pacifism is actually nonviolent resistance. This is significantly different from nonresistance. I had never thought about the difference before. Coblentz suggests that the bible models and teaches a life of nonresistance on the part of the Christian.

I'm still working through these issues. This book was helpful in this path I'm walking. I recommend it highly. You can order it here or here. Enjoy.

Guns, Guns, Guns

Jesus Christ was a man of peace.

Jesus expects his followers to be people of peace.

In light of this, what are God's people to do about guns?

Like most things in life, guns can be used for both good and bad. Good examples include hunting for food and defending family. Examples of the bad include much of what we see in the news: murder, burglary, etc. Because of their very nature, guns tend to cause extreme reactions. I admit that I'm troubled by the tendency of so many Christians to fall in line with conservative (Republican) politics. The right to bear arms is not exactly critical to the mission of the church. And yet, some Christians seem to get more riled up about keeping their guns than they do about evangelizing the lost.

On the flip side, other Christians are looking to government to curb crime through gun control. Two problems exist with this line of thought. First, more government in general almost always causes more problems than solutions. Second, gun control in particular takes the guns out of the hands of the good guys, but leaves them with the bad guys (look at Chicago to see what happens).

What are Christians to do? This is not an easy answer.

A few suggestions:

1. Pray fervently about what to do.

2. When in doubt, fault on the side of peace.

3. Remember that gun rights are not a gospel issue.

4. Guns should be used in a very limited, controlled capacity.

5. Guns should be a last resort in self-defense or other-defense.

6. Let's avoid more governmental regulation on any side of the issue.

7. Let's avoid entanglement with secular lobbying groups.

As with many other topics in the Christian life, this is not a simple issue. However, there can be no doubt that Jesus Christ was a man of peace.

In Matthew 10:34 Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." In this verse he is referring to spiritual issues, in particular the gospel. This has nothing to do with peace/violence toward another person.

As Jesus' disciples we should be people of peace who fault on the side of peace. In light of this, we must be cautious and careful in how we choose to talk about and use guns. Christ's church must stand out as different from the world. We cannot afford to sound like the NRA or some anti-gun group. Instead, let's think biblically.

We must be people of peace.

Limited Pacifism Anyone?

The more I read about Jesus Christ, the more I see a God-Man of peace. Jesus came to earth to die for his church, but he also came to show us how to live. While we certainly cannot live a perfect life or walk on water, we can emulate much of what he did.

For much of my life I've seen Jesus through "Republican Party lenses." I thought of Jesus as caring for the unborn, but not caring much for the poor. I saw Jesus condemning sexual sin, but didn't see his warnings to the wealthy. I understood Jesus to be in favor of self-defense, but didn't think much of his teachings about peace.

I'm slowly learning that Jesus was and is far too complex and interesting to be claimed by any one political party. One way that Jesus is un-American (and neither Republican or Democratic) is that he cares a great deal about peace. His teachings all point toward loving service of others, whether they be his followers or not. He never suggests that we use violence to solve problems. My desire is that I become more like this.

I've reached a point of what I'll call limited pacifism. In my dealings with the world in general I plan on living peacefully. I'll not take up arms for any sort of political reason; I could never serve in the military.

The one place I'd still use limited violence is in defending others (especially family). My hope is that I'm never placed in this situation. I'll exhaust all other options before resorting to any sort of force.

I encourage you to look at this issue with me. I'm new to it. If you have thought about these issues in depth, then I cherish your input.

As we look at the life of Christ, we must understand that there are certain things he did to fulfill the OT law. For example, he kept the Sabbath and celebrated the festivals. These are not things we need to do. However, Jesus also gave us many examples to live by that meld with his teachings. One of these is his emphasis on peace.

In Matthew 5:9, toward the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Let us be people of peace.

Feeling Like an Unpersecuted Anabaptist

The more I study the Anabaptists the more I like them. When I look back at the time of the Reformation, it is the Anabaptists who seem to have tried to follow biblical teachings more than any other group. Several characteristics stand out:

First, the Anabaptists believed in and lived out a simple church life. They met as the church did in scripture.

Second, the Anabaptists encouraged the priesthood of all believers. No clergy existed.

Third, the Anabaptists held to a true separation of church and state. Because of this, many of them were slaughtered.

Fourth, the Anabaptists were pacifists. This was a reason they were relatively easy to kill.

I've agreed with the first three above characteristics for quite a while. It is the fourth that is beginning to both intrigue and attract me more and more. When I look at the life of Jesus Christ I see a man of peace. Jesus cared for others, took care of their needs, and proclaimed a message of love. When attacked He did not respond in kind. He prayed for those who crucified him.

I want to be like Jesus. Since he was a man of peace, I desire to be the same. I have a long way to go to get there. The Anabaptists provide us with Christians in history who exemplified peaceful living. I'm thankful for this.

One big difference, of course, is that even if I try to live like the Anabaptists (to some extent) I'll never face the persecution they did during the 1500's. I'm not complaining. Persecution is not exactly something I crave.

I'm increasingly feeling like an unpersecuted Anabaptist. I don't know where this will lead, but I'm glad it's happening.

Visiting the Dunker Church Building at Antietam National Battlefield

Our family recently visited the Antietam National Battlefield near Sharpsburg, MD. The battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day of the American Civil War. One of the primary landmarks at the battlefield is the Dunker Church building (that's me above standing in the doorway).

The Dunkers fascinate me. Their name stems from their mode of baptism: immersion. It was likely a derogatory term thrust upon them by other Christian groups. According to the Antietam website, "The Dunker movement began in Germany in the early eighteenth century. The peace treaty that ended the Thirty Years War (1618 –1648) recognized three state churches. Dissenters were persecuted and forced to meet in communities where some degree of tolerance prevailed. In 1708 the denomination was formed with the baptism of eight believers by full immersion. The name Dunker derives from this method of baptism. However they were more commonly known as the German Baptist Brethren. In 1908 the official name became Church of the Brethren."

The Dunkers intrigue me in large part because they stem from the Anabaptist heritage. I'm increasingly drawn to the simplicity and nonconformity of the churches that follow in the Anabaptist tradition. The website goes on to say of the Dunkers, "(They) practiced modesty in their dress and general lifestyle. Other Christian principles which the Dunkers stress are: pacifism, members both North and South refused military service; the brotherhood of man, including opposition to slavery; and temperance, total abstinence from alcohol. A typical Dunker church service supported their beliefs in simplicity. Hymns were sung with no musical accompaniment from organ, piano or other instruments. The congregation was divided with men seated on one side and women on the other. The churches were simple with no stained glass windows, steeple or crosses."

We can all learn a great deal from believers who came before us. The Dunkers, who happened to live in an area that suffered through one terrible day, had many positive characteristics. I'd like to live a little more like they did.

The Most Interesting Theologians in the World

Click here.

Let's Pray for a Another Reformation!

The church is in desperate need of reform. It had one in the 1500's. It needs another.

We all have a part to play in this needed reform movement, beginning with ourselves. Even though it may be unpleasant, we all have areas of our lives that cry out for change. Much of this is related to repentance for various sins that we try not to think about (such as complacency, selfishness, bitterness, pride, etc).

Let's pray for God to show us where we need reform in our own lives. Then let's do it.

Reform does not generally occur in large groups. Rather, it happens person-by-person. As we strive for reform in our own lives, we can and should help others do the same. We can most effectively accomplish this in the context of close personal relationships. As we help others reform in their own lives, they will likely do the same for us. This is mutual edification at its best.

Let's pray for God to show us others we can help.

As I discuss much on this blog, various common church structures need great reform. One of those is how church gatherings generally occur. Currently, the vast majority of church meetings do not follow the biblical model, and therefore do not bring about mutual edification of the body. This requires reform. We can help a little with this, but for large-scale reform to happen God will have to do it in the hearts of his people.

Let's pray for God to show more and more of his people the need for reform within church structures.

The way most churches are set up today, the pastors have a great deal of both power and influence. They believe certain things are very important such as worship services, church buildings, budgets, and tithes. They are especially convinced that their preaching of sermons is critical to the life of the church. I know this in part because I used to think this way. I know many pastors who think this way. I've read many pastors who think this way. Nothing we say or write is going to influence the hearts of these men. Only God will bring the change. I know it can happen because God did it to me.

Let's pray for God to show pastors the reform he wants in his church.

Finally, God has commissioned us as his church to take the gospel to all corners of the earth. No matter what it takes on our part, the task must be completed. No sacrifice is too big. Despite this, the church in this country seems somewhat inoculated against the Great Commission. We've heard so much about it that our ears are sort of dulled to it. We need reform in how we think about the Great Commission. Instead of thinking of it as optional, we need to think of it as our duty. Instead of thinking of it as something professional missionary-experts do, we need to realize that we all have a key part to play. Instead of shoving the responsibility off on someone else, we must grasp that we are a part of it.

Let's pray for God to bring about a zeal in the hearts of his church to carry the gospel to all unreached peoples.

The church is indeed in great need of reform. Let us turn first to God, crying out to him to make this reform happen. Then, when he tells us as individuals to change we need to be ready to obey.

Church Unity and World Missions

Christ has granted his church the privilege and duty of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We will only accomplish this great task if we are united in doing it. Below is the series of posts I recently wrote on this topic:

Church Unity and World Missions
Unity and Missions: United in One Mission
Unity and Missions: United in One Gospel
Unity and Missions: United as One People and for One People
Unity and Missions: United in One Practice
Unity and Missions: United in One Person

A Secondary Pearl of Great Price

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45-46 (NKJV)

I love Jesus Christ's parables. They provide us with a clear view of God's upside-down (by the world's standards) expectations for his people.

The pearl of great price is one of my favorites. Jesus tells us that being a part of his kingdom is of greater worth than everything else we have combined. It is a short and succinct parable of profound truth. Living with and for Christ is the most important thing by far in this life. All else is chaff in comparison to knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. While some in scripture understood this (such as Paul), others did not (the rich young ruler).

I like to think of the church as a secondary pearl of great price. When we are part of the kingdom, we are also a part of the church. The two are not the same, but are closely related. The life we can have in fellowship with other believers is of great value.

Over the past several years I feel as if I've stumbled upon a secondary pearl of great price. While I used to think of church as institutional programs, I now see that God's plan for his church is one based in true fellowship. This pearl I've unexpectedly come upon is one that many of you have discovered as well. We didn't look for it, but God in his grace revealed it.

This pearl is one that we want to share with others. The difficulty is that many other believers are not yet ready to hear about it. My suggestion is telling them about it bit by bit as God gives the opportunity. Additionally, we can show other Christians what it is like by simply inviting them over for a meal and fellowship.

A biblical view of church life is a pearl of great price. Let's thank God that he's let us be a part of it. Let's show others grace who have never thought about it. Let's pray for opportunities to tell others about it. Let's understand that it will at times be a lonely walk. It's worth it because the pearl is of such great value.

Why I Wear a Shirt at the Lake

This week our family is relaxing at my uncle's cabin at Seneca Lake in central New York State. The best parts of being at the lake are swimming in the water and hanging out on the dock. As long as the weather cooperates, we spend the majority of the time outside.

I wear a shirt whenever I'm outside. While almost all men in this situation take off their shirts, I keep mine on. This flies in the face of what is considered normal, but it's something I realized that I need to do.

A few years ago I posted something on Facebook about not thinking that Christian women should wear bikinis (I still believe this). I received wide-ranging responses. Some FB friends were thrilled that I would speak up for modesty. Others told me that I was being legalistic. However, one response stuck with me. One woman asked me whether or not I took my shirt off when going in a pool or going to the beach. I said I did. She then told me that I was being inconsistent.

At first I rejected her assertion. The more I thought about it, the more I came to agree with her. I was being inconsistent. How could I say that women should refrain from wearing bikinis when I myself took my shirt off in public? I realize that the two are not exactly the same, but there is quite a bit of similarity. My claim that women should avoid bikinis is based on the idea that it can cause males to stumble into the sin of lust. The lady on Facebook said that shirtless males cause the same problem for women. I had never pondered this before. Instead of thinking all the way through the issue, I had simply bought into cultural norms for what males should wear.

In order to be consistent I decided to begin wearing shirts when I used to take them off in public. I don't foist this idea on anyone else, but I'm glad to be consistent.

I wonder how many other places in life I'm still inconsistent. Probably quite a few.

Have you noticed any places in your life where inconsistency was pointed out? What did you do?

What Do You Put On for Church?

How many times have you gotten dressed up for church? For most of my life Sunday mornings were at least semi-hectic because I was looking for something nice to wear. Then, as a pastor, I had to wear a suit.

I've heard it said on multiple occasions that we should give God our best on Sundays, and this includes our clothes. This may sound nice, but the reality is that is has no biblical basis. God doesn't care what we put on (concerning clothing) when we get together as long as we are appropriately modest. That said, does God care at all what we put on? Yes, in fact, he does. As we gather as the body, and any time for that matter, God's desire is the following:

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:12-14

These verses describe not only God's desire for us but also his expectation. We truly should look different from the world. The look described here is not one of physical appearance but rather attitude and action. We are to treat one another with great grace. When we do, body meetings are a blessed occasion. When we live out these verses in front of the world, the world takes notice. This may earn us an ear for a gospel presentation.

God cares what we put on. Ultimately what we put on is a heart issue. Only a life lived for Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit can look like what Paul describes above. Let's all put on the things that God cares about.

Don't Expect Them to Understand (But Hope That They Will)

I've finally concluded that most other Christians we know have no idea why we think what we think about the church. This is no fault of theirs. It's just the way it is.

My wife and I have had numerous conversations with other believers about the church. Some have been good discussions, while other have been less so. We try to avoid arguments at all costs. In the end, we hope that others will at least understand where we are coming from. Some do while others don't.

In general we do not try to change other people's minds about church. All believers have been called to be witnesses to Christ, not to a particular form of church. We are to make disciples, not make converts to simple church life. That said, we do wish that most believers we talk with could at least understand why we believe what we do.

The difficulty (and this may be your experience as well) is that many Christians have not ever given much thought to the issue. They have simply lived out institutional church life as they have been taught. Again, I'm faulting no one in this. It is just the way it is.

We should not expect other Christians to understand us. The reason for this is that most believers have no framework in which to place these discussions. Since they've never thought about it, it makes almost no sense to them. They see no problems with the way they live church life. Rather, they probably think things are going along swimmingly where they attend. Because of this, we should not expect them to gain a firm grasp of why we don't "go to church," why we meet in homes, why we don't have a pastor, why we eat together each week, why we don't listen to sermons, why we sit is small groups, etc.

Despite this, we can and should hope that they will eventually understand. Through many conversations it is quite possible, even likely, that they will begin to comprehend why we believe what we do. This will take grace, patience, and understanding on our part. We did not come to our conclusions about church overnight.

This is all secondary to gospel issues of course. And yet, it sure would be nice if those closest to us knew why we do what we do. Let's hope to bring about fruitful dialogue that will lead to their understanding. This is not with the goal of changing their minds (although it would be fine if they did). Rather, it is so that they will understand and respect the conclusions we've come to.

They may not understand, but I hope they will.

Tithing After the Cross

Does the tithe apply to Christians today? This is a significant question that needs an answer based in scripture as opposed to man's traditions. David Croteau provides us with that answer.

In Tithing After the Cross, Croteau systematically explains numerous traditional arguments in favor of the tithe, and then shows why each of the arguments fails. The author deals with arguments from the Old Testament, from the New Testament, from systematic theology, from church history, and from pragmatics.

The book concludes with a chapter on how Christians should give today. I appreciate that Croteau provides various principles for giving based in scripture, but refrains from suggesting any sort of formula or dollar amount.

The only negative is that the author says it's important to remember that the local church has bills to pay and that the pastoral staff has financial needs. Unlike the remainder of the book, he doesn't root these statements solidly in scripture. But hey, no book is perfect.

I recommend this book for two reasons. First, it focuses on a key topic in the Christian life: giving. Second, the author deals biblically and concisely with a wide range of issues related to the tithe.

It's a quick read (only about seventy pages) and is inexpensive. You'll enjoy it.

"What Do You With the Verse that Says...?"

I don't wear on my sleeve what I believe about the church. I doubt that you do either. However, if you think outside the institutional box about what the church should be, you will eventually get some questions. Some of these questions are legitimate, while others are just designed to cause/win an argument.

I have zero desire to engage in any more theological and/or ecclesiological debates. My years in seminary sort of inoculated me against that. I encourage you to avoid these types of arguments as well.

No matter how hard I try, I still run into Christians who want to argue with me about the church. These folks are not angry, but at the same time they definitely want to win an argument. Not long into the conversation they unfailingly begin with the proof text verses. It will sound like this, "What do you do with the verse that says..........?"

In my experience these verses are yanked out of context about 98% of the time (no exaggeration). Not surprisingly, most of the verses apply to O.T. Israel as opposed to the church. Regardless, the verses are forced out of their original paragraphs and into isolation. Standing alone, the verses almost sound like evidence for the institutional practices that these folks are defending.

I've decided what my answer is going to be from now on when I hear, "What do you do with the verse that says............?"

My answer will be, "I look at the context."

God's Not Dead

During the July 4th holiday I actually purchased and began reading a book. Amazingly, I found a good one as I was looking around a Barnes and Noble. My wife and I went there to get coffee. As I was trolling for something to look at I came upon God's Not Dead.

The book's subtitle explains well what it is all about, "Evidence for God in an age of uncertainty." The author, Rice Broocks, penned this excellent book in apologetics. He argues in a straightforward manner for the existence of God based on a number of reasons including life having meaning, the reality of good and evil, the fine tuning of the universe, the start of the universe, Jesus' resurrection, the witness of scripture, and the change in the lives of Jesus' followers.

This book has enough depth to make it worth the time, but is it not heavy or boring. Broocks includes numerous personal anecdotes that make it fairly easy to read. I highly recommend God's Not Dead for all Christians and anyone wondering about Jesus Christ.

Don't Feel Guilty for Wanting More

Many of us spent numerous years in the institutional church setting. At a point along the way we realized that something was very wrong. Although we loved many of the people (and were loved by them), we still wanted much more out of church life. After a long, frustrating struggle we decided to leave the institution. It was not an easy decision, but was one that had to be made.

If the above applies to you, my encouragement to you is that you don't have to feel guilty about your decision. You may be thinking, "I don't feel any guilt at all." Good. I hope so. However, if you do feel guilt at some level I'd like to tell you that you don't need to.

Please remember that you didn't leave the church of God's creating. Instead, you departed from a man-made veil that has been foisted upon the church through the centuries. You simply removed the veil in order to see Christ more clearly. What you are yearning for is likely the positives you've read about the N.T. church.

You may go through many years of longing and wandering. This can be frustrating. However, you should not feel any guilt because of it. On the contrary, I believe that desiring something more from church life is actually honoring to God. Why is this? The answer is that you are longing for the church that God designed.

I hope you find it.

Islam and Homosexuality: Two Great Gospel Challenges

As I look at the world today, many challenges stand in the way of the spread of the gospel. Various belief systems and/or lifestyles are at odds with the good news of Jesus Christ. They are too many to list here. However, when I think about the big picture of missions, two great challenges in particular come to mind: Islam and homosexuality. Both are worldviews. Both are lifestyle choices. Both are directly at odds with the gospel of Christ.

My purpose is not to equate Islam and homosexuality. They have some obvious differences. Islam is a world religion that is hundreds of years old. It has set beliefs and practices. Muslims is general are very much against homosexuality.

Homosexuality is more a lifestyle choice than an organized religion. Its adherents are generally more focused upon embracing specific sexual behaviors than they are on specific beliefs about God. Some homosexuals even claim to be Christians (I'll leave that one for another blog post).

Despite their differences, Islam and homosexuality have one thing in common: they are at odds with Christianity. Specifically, both Muslims and homosexuals have a heart problem - a spiritual heart problem. That problem is the most significant problem anyone can have. Their heart problem is that they do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thus, their hearts are still far from God.

What are we, therefore, to do?

First, let's avoid the trap of letting politics confuse us. I'm determined to steer clear of any sort of Republican vs. Democrat fighting on these topics. I have no interest in fighting foreign wars in Muslim nations or in fighting culture wars against homosexuals here in the USA.

The important war is in the spiritual realm. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ultimately, the gospel is a war that God has already won over Satan.

Our duty, then, is to endlessly love and pray for both Muslims and homosexuals. Let's develop relationships with them. Let's lovingly and truthfully tell them all about Jesus Christ. Let's treat them with respect as humans made in God's image. Let's love them even if they hate us.

Muslims and homosexuals need Jesus Christ just like everyone else. Only Jesus is powerful enough to break their chains of sin. He did it for us. Let us literally pray that he does it for them as well.

A Simple Solution for Many Church Problems

The solution: sell the church building and give the proceeds to international missions work.