If you read what I wrote on Feb 29, you might, as I have been, scratch your head and wonder what the implications might be for church budgets and giving, etc. I am getting more brave now, so I am going to put out a suggestion to which I welcome response (and, where necessary, correction).
Recommendation 1: If churches insist on teaching tithing, then they ought to start appropriating those 'tithes' in ways that are clearly consistent with the use of the tithe in the scriptures they quote. That will mean that, since we no longer offer grain, livestock, and cooking oil, the money will go to support those who cannot support themselves (this could justifiably include paid staff, local and global missionaries, and people who are unable to provide for themselves, such as some senior citizens, the unemployable, etc.) and to throw parties.
Recommendation 2: If churches insist on having additional conveniences such as buildings, flashy brochures, etc., such expenses would be afforded by uncoerced 'non-religionized' giving that is beyond the 'tithe'. This would prevent churches from neglecting those in need in the name of 'church-growth'.
Is Water's Edge going to do this? I don't know. I hope we will be courageous enough to recognize the extent to which the American church (in general) has neglected those who cannot provide for themselves because they have been handcuffed to the American dream of the pursuit of happiness (or property, as I think the author intended). I am not saying that churches should not own buildings or spend money on shiny brochures. What I am saying is that we should not have such things at the expense of neglecting our responsibility to those who are truly in need.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Scarcity and Abundance
I was recently talking with a couple about how relationships remain healthy when this simple clarity was given to me. I realized that many of the self-centered, destructive behaviors we exhibit often result from a mindset of scarcity or lack. Love, however, is possible only from a mindset of abundance. The thought basically developed like this:
Humanity was intended to operate in a mentality of abundance. This is to live in and by the awareness that '...I lack nothing that I need.' Of course, for those who trust in Yahweh, the possibility of such an awareness is located in the reality that Yahweh is our shepherd. The picture at either end of the Scriptures (the innocent humanity of Genesis 1-2, and the restored humanity of Revelation 21-22) is of abundance. Indeed, even in the Crisis between those images, when humanity operates in harmony with Yahweh there is an awareness of abundance (i.e., Israel finding manna and quail in the wilderness, Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, Jesus at the well in Sychar [Jn 4:32], and Paul in his letter to the Philippians).
To operate in a mentality of scarcity, however, is to be less than humanity as it is intended to be. It is to put oneself in a mentality similar to animals. In general, animals operate out of a mentality of scarcity. Some might inform me otherwise. Humans hoard on a level that no animal in the world even approaches! But have you ever reached toward the food dish of a hungry dog? Maybe this comparison and contrast with animals needs some more thinking through, but the point is that when we operate from a mentality of scarcity, we are prevented from reflecting the image of Yahweh to creation and to one another. The examples in human history show the results: violence, murder, strife, war, starvation, rape, theft, exploitation--and that's just from the Scriptures!
Scarcity thinking prevents sharing and promotes hoarding. Scarcity thinking prevents love and promotes lust. The results are nothing short of disastrous.
Being the people of God means that we live according to the order of the world under the reign of our generous King Yahweh. To live in this way means that we live from a mindset of abundance. We can truly be free from anxiety about what we will eat or what we will wear--Yahweh is our shepherd, we lack nothing that we need. That is why we can generously share what we have been generously given--we're not afraid of coming up short.
I was recently talking with a couple about how relationships remain healthy when this simple clarity was given to me. I realized that many of the self-centered, destructive behaviors we exhibit often result from a mindset of scarcity or lack. Love, however, is possible only from a mindset of abundance. The thought basically developed like this:
Humanity was intended to operate in a mentality of abundance. This is to live in and by the awareness that '...I lack nothing that I need.' Of course, for those who trust in Yahweh, the possibility of such an awareness is located in the reality that Yahweh is our shepherd. The picture at either end of the Scriptures (the innocent humanity of Genesis 1-2, and the restored humanity of Revelation 21-22) is of abundance. Indeed, even in the Crisis between those images, when humanity operates in harmony with Yahweh there is an awareness of abundance (i.e., Israel finding manna and quail in the wilderness, Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, Jesus at the well in Sychar [Jn 4:32], and Paul in his letter to the Philippians).
To operate in a mentality of scarcity, however, is to be less than humanity as it is intended to be. It is to put oneself in a mentality similar to animals. In general, animals operate out of a mentality of scarcity. Some might inform me otherwise. Humans hoard on a level that no animal in the world even approaches! But have you ever reached toward the food dish of a hungry dog? Maybe this comparison and contrast with animals needs some more thinking through, but the point is that when we operate from a mentality of scarcity, we are prevented from reflecting the image of Yahweh to creation and to one another. The examples in human history show the results: violence, murder, strife, war, starvation, rape, theft, exploitation--and that's just from the Scriptures!
Scarcity thinking prevents sharing and promotes hoarding. Scarcity thinking prevents love and promotes lust. The results are nothing short of disastrous.
Being the people of God means that we live according to the order of the world under the reign of our generous King Yahweh. To live in this way means that we live from a mindset of abundance. We can truly be free from anxiety about what we will eat or what we will wear--Yahweh is our shepherd, we lack nothing that we need. That is why we can generously share what we have been generously given--we're not afraid of coming up short.
Post-Protestant... really?
Brian McLaren has been using that phrase for a while now, but it was today I came to better realize a bit of what that can look like in real life...
We had a gathering of a small handful of area youth pastors, and we met at the one local catholic church. We had lunch together, talked about the Passion, and then... we walked through the Stations of the Cross together. Three protestant guys and one catholic female all experiencing the Stations together. Amazing.
Apart from it being a powerful experience, I was reminded of Jesus prayer that we are all one as He is one. And, I think the emerging church has the ability to take the lead on this... to unite the church in ways it hasn't experienced since the reformation.
What if we are ( & become ) more serious about the unity of the church than our catholic or protestant traditions have been in the past? PAUSE --- ponder that for a moment.
What are the implications of a church that is increasingly united under the rule and reign of God rather than dividing over issues of right-ness? I feel a fresh wind blowing...
Brian McLaren has been using that phrase for a while now, but it was today I came to better realize a bit of what that can look like in real life...
We had a gathering of a small handful of area youth pastors, and we met at the one local catholic church. We had lunch together, talked about the Passion, and then... we walked through the Stations of the Cross together. Three protestant guys and one catholic female all experiencing the Stations together. Amazing.
Apart from it being a powerful experience, I was reminded of Jesus prayer that we are all one as He is one. And, I think the emerging church has the ability to take the lead on this... to unite the church in ways it hasn't experienced since the reformation.
What if we are ( & become ) more serious about the unity of the church than our catholic or protestant traditions have been in the past? PAUSE --- ponder that for a moment.
What are the implications of a church that is increasingly united under the rule and reign of God rather than dividing over issues of right-ness? I feel a fresh wind blowing...
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Stop ‘Selling’ the Gospel
The American consumer mentality has taken a strong foothold in many churches. This is a fact, but not one that should surprise us. Consider the way we talk about the gospel. It is largely explained in terms of its benefits and privileges for the individual. ‘Just believe in Jesus and you can have assurance that when you die, you can go to heaven.’ ‘Free coffee and eternal life. Membership does have its privileges!’
We often think of the gospel as something we need to sell to people. Many people are uncomfortable with ‘witnessing’ because they feel like less-than-competent salespeople. We don’t feel like we have enough of a handle on the ‘product’ to be able to ‘close the deal.’ Nor, if we were honest, do many of us think we have much of a ‘product’ to offer. (Stop and think about that one a minute.)
If the gospel is something that needs to be marketed, packaged, and sold, then the solution is to find the right slogan, design shiny, consumer-friendly pamphlets, and train people in the art of ‘closing-the-deal.’ Well, pardon me, but what is being wrapped up and displayed in the storefront—I mean, the church-front window—is not the good news of the kingdom of God--at least not the whole thing. The gospel is not something you market and sell. It is a dynamic reality in which you die to self-interest and the desire for advantage.
“Take up your cross and follow me” is not a fantastic marketing slogan. It promises persecution and suffering, not ‘a-perfect-life-where-all-my-troubles-go-away.’ The gospel is not the good news of ‘felt needs being met’. It is nothing less than a call to join God’s mission of the healing of the world.
I don’t think we need a better marketing plan, a more clever slogan, or shinier brochures with smiling people advertising a well-appointed life. I think we need to stop ‘selling’ the gospel and to start living it together in a way that shows its inherent attractiveness.
We need to stop thinking so much in terms of capitalist economics--not an easy thing to do in the premier capitalist culture in the world. Everyone is trying to sell something, and many people think mostly in economic terms. Most of our relationships are economic: ‘how can this person benefit me?’
Many of us know something is wrong with this because we feel the tension of relating to people with 1) the suspicion that they are trying to sell us something (i.e., gain some advantage from us), and 2) the tainted hope that we, too, might be able to profit from the relationship. This has left us largely unable to relate to other people in ways that are other than that of the capitalist economic.
When Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to demonstrate the presence of the kingdom by healing the sick and casting out demons, he told them to leave their money-collection bags behind. The invitation to enter into and to welcome the ruling and reigning (the kingdom) of God was an invitation to join up with what God was doing; namely, the business of bringing healing and wholeness to all people and all creation. This gospel is not about ’what-is-in-it-for-me?’, but about ‘who-is-in-it-for-the-good-of-the-whole-world?’.
The American consumer mentality has taken a strong foothold in many churches. This is a fact, but not one that should surprise us. Consider the way we talk about the gospel. It is largely explained in terms of its benefits and privileges for the individual. ‘Just believe in Jesus and you can have assurance that when you die, you can go to heaven.’ ‘Free coffee and eternal life. Membership does have its privileges!’
We often think of the gospel as something we need to sell to people. Many people are uncomfortable with ‘witnessing’ because they feel like less-than-competent salespeople. We don’t feel like we have enough of a handle on the ‘product’ to be able to ‘close the deal.’ Nor, if we were honest, do many of us think we have much of a ‘product’ to offer. (Stop and think about that one a minute.)
If the gospel is something that needs to be marketed, packaged, and sold, then the solution is to find the right slogan, design shiny, consumer-friendly pamphlets, and train people in the art of ‘closing-the-deal.’ Well, pardon me, but what is being wrapped up and displayed in the storefront—I mean, the church-front window—is not the good news of the kingdom of God--at least not the whole thing. The gospel is not something you market and sell. It is a dynamic reality in which you die to self-interest and the desire for advantage.
“Take up your cross and follow me” is not a fantastic marketing slogan. It promises persecution and suffering, not ‘a-perfect-life-where-all-my-troubles-go-away.’ The gospel is not the good news of ‘felt needs being met’. It is nothing less than a call to join God’s mission of the healing of the world.
I don’t think we need a better marketing plan, a more clever slogan, or shinier brochures with smiling people advertising a well-appointed life. I think we need to stop ‘selling’ the gospel and to start living it together in a way that shows its inherent attractiveness.
We need to stop thinking so much in terms of capitalist economics--not an easy thing to do in the premier capitalist culture in the world. Everyone is trying to sell something, and many people think mostly in economic terms. Most of our relationships are economic: ‘how can this person benefit me?’
Many of us know something is wrong with this because we feel the tension of relating to people with 1) the suspicion that they are trying to sell us something (i.e., gain some advantage from us), and 2) the tainted hope that we, too, might be able to profit from the relationship. This has left us largely unable to relate to other people in ways that are other than that of the capitalist economic.
When Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to demonstrate the presence of the kingdom by healing the sick and casting out demons, he told them to leave their money-collection bags behind. The invitation to enter into and to welcome the ruling and reigning (the kingdom) of God was an invitation to join up with what God was doing; namely, the business of bringing healing and wholeness to all people and all creation. This gospel is not about ’what-is-in-it-for-me?’, but about ‘who-is-in-it-for-the-good-of-the-whole-world?’.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Monday, March 08, 2004
Walking in Step with Reality: a few thoughts on truth
In our day, many people will say that they do not believe in absolute truth. What some people mean by this is simply that they are uncomfortable with any ideas that they do not choose to accept—they want to determine for themselves what is ‘true for them’. Certainly, they are free to do that, but it does not guarantee that what they think is ‘true for them’ corresponds to the way things really are or even coheres in a way that sufficiently addresses the human situation (i.e., questions of meaning, purpose, justice, etc.). You are free to think that gravity is not true for you, but that does not mean you can float through the air.
There are many claims to truth around us today (including one that claims there is no truth), and very few, if any, are original propositions. That is to say that to hold to a truth means to trust someone else’s account (or the accounts of several ‘someones’ ) of what Reality is and how to live in harmony with Reality. Any claim to truth is an invitation to trust.
We define ourselves as people who trust that Jesus taught people how to live in harmony with the Ultimate Reality—God. Our trust in Jesus’ truth is expressed, not just in our words, but in how we live our lives. The Apostle John wrote, “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn 2:4). Truth, then, involves walking in step with reality.
If you suggest that idea to someone who believes only in what is ‘true for them,’ they may ask you, “How can we ever know if how we are living is in step with Reality?” You might respond by asking them how their ’truth’ is working for them?
But as for you, be concerned with living in the truth of Jesus. As John wrote, “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 Jn 2:5-6)
A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the idea that we Christians have absolute truth. This emphasis arose in reaction to the claims of modernity--via science and philosophy (claims which seemed to call into question many teachings of the church). The reaction by some Christians was that we had to get together our own explanation (eventually using scientific claims to prove our point) and show the world that we were right all along. The problem with this whole project is that it has made us think that truth had more to do with propositions and ideas and less to do with how we actually lived our day to day lives as students of Jesus.
Jesus once said to some Jews who believed him, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). It seems to me that knowing the truth is more than just ‘having the facts’—it involves living according to a particular Way. It matters little if you ‘have all the facts’ but are not walking in step with Reality.
In our day, many people will say that they do not believe in absolute truth. What some people mean by this is simply that they are uncomfortable with any ideas that they do not choose to accept—they want to determine for themselves what is ‘true for them’. Certainly, they are free to do that, but it does not guarantee that what they think is ‘true for them’ corresponds to the way things really are or even coheres in a way that sufficiently addresses the human situation (i.e., questions of meaning, purpose, justice, etc.). You are free to think that gravity is not true for you, but that does not mean you can float through the air.
There are many claims to truth around us today (including one that claims there is no truth), and very few, if any, are original propositions. That is to say that to hold to a truth means to trust someone else’s account (or the accounts of several ‘someones’ ) of what Reality is and how to live in harmony with Reality. Any claim to truth is an invitation to trust.
We define ourselves as people who trust that Jesus taught people how to live in harmony with the Ultimate Reality—God. Our trust in Jesus’ truth is expressed, not just in our words, but in how we live our lives. The Apostle John wrote, “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn 2:4). Truth, then, involves walking in step with reality.
If you suggest that idea to someone who believes only in what is ‘true for them,’ they may ask you, “How can we ever know if how we are living is in step with Reality?” You might respond by asking them how their ’truth’ is working for them?
But as for you, be concerned with living in the truth of Jesus. As John wrote, “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 Jn 2:5-6)
A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the idea that we Christians have absolute truth. This emphasis arose in reaction to the claims of modernity--via science and philosophy (claims which seemed to call into question many teachings of the church). The reaction by some Christians was that we had to get together our own explanation (eventually using scientific claims to prove our point) and show the world that we were right all along. The problem with this whole project is that it has made us think that truth had more to do with propositions and ideas and less to do with how we actually lived our day to day lives as students of Jesus.
Jesus once said to some Jews who believed him, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). It seems to me that knowing the truth is more than just ‘having the facts’—it involves living according to a particular Way. It matters little if you ‘have all the facts’ but are not walking in step with Reality.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
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