Month: October 2009

Myth #4: The Good Christian

Rob Woodrum3 Comments

John Doe had heard the sermon, and it had cut him to the quick.  The preacher had leaned over the pulpit in order to make his point, and projected his voice like an opera singer swelling to the finale.

“You must get to the place where your first instinct is faith and not fear when troubles come!”

John knew very well that he was not at that place.  Rumors were snowballing at his job, all the signs were there that the plant was going to close…and his first response was not faith, it was icy terror.  His first thoughts were of his family, and how he would provide for them.  His first instinct was to scramble around looking for more information, so he could better take on the task of fixing his problems.  The preacher’s words echoed through his thoughts and began pushing him into a corner.  “How can I expect God to take care of me or help me when I still don’t do this right?” he thought.  “When am I going to get to the place when I have this together, when I don’t mess up so quickly.”

The sense that he’d already failed the test pressed down on him, and he thought about the preacher who had uttered that challenging sermon.  He thought about how faithful he was, how obviously capable he was of trusting God and resisting temptation.  From there, his thoughts drifted over the other people in his church who clearly had their “spiritual lives” together, who clearly had a walk with God that far exceeded his own.  They could trust God in the worst of times but he fell into fear because of  a rumor.  The thoughts began to bear down on him…he realized he had failed his test, and the only relief available was to push all of this from his mind for now.

“Later.  I messed up…I can’t even pray about this right now.  I’ll get my act together later.  I’ll do this better next time.”

Thus John Doe was discouraged into paralysis by a MYTH.

This Sunday we’ll be looking at the myth of the good Christian.  This will get a little more personal…so be warned.

Is Christianity supposed to be a sin-management plan?  Is the life of following Christ about adhering as closely as possible to an elusive standard of good Christian living?  Is there a place we get to where we have this thing wired, where we have achieved the title of being a good Christian?  If you are answering “no” to these questions, then conversely, what role does holiness and the perfection Jesus called us to have in our lives?  How do we reconcile our struggles with faith and temptation with the Bible’s call to right living?

To prepare…read Paul’s thoughts in Romans 7:15-8:2…and I’ve linked it to the Message because its such a clarifying take on it…but check it in other translations as well.  Ponder it…meditate on what Paul is saying…Paul, the prince of apostles, the great spiritual force of the New Testament writings…consider his confession and resolution.

Don’t be afraid of straw men.  Don’t bet stuck chasing myths and missing the path.

Myth #3, The Clergy – Laity Divide

Rob Woodrum3 Comments

Sorry about Wonderwhat being down last week.  Technical issues which have now been rectified were to blame.

vestmentsI have received a lot of invitations over the years, invitations that you have NOT received.  Do you know why?  They were invitations to honor the clergy among us, of which I am perceived to be.  You didn’t get the invite to be honored (or fed or given a plaque or ride on a plane) because YOU are perceived to be laity.  Of course…if the one doing the inviting were to interrogate me first…do a little research beyond the fact that I’m listed as a pastor in a church…they would probably rescind the offer.  As soon as it was discovered that I didn’t attend a seminary or a Bible college, I would be promptly demoted to the position of “lay minister”, because, of course, I didn’t receive official training for my status.   That’s the way it works, you see.  I have a friend who was informed by someone who was inquiring about Eastgate that we aren’t an actual church, because the pastor hasn’t been officially ordained and lacks the proper training.

Hey…I’ll be the first in line to complain about the lead pastor at Eastgate, and his lack of skills (bow-hunting and nun-chuck skills come readily to mind).  BUT…is it really a Biblical mandate that a specific class of people receive official training for a “spiritual vocation”?  Is there really a distinction between a “clergy class” and a “laity”?

The word “clergy” comes from the Greek word “kleros“…it means first and foremost, an alloted portion, or we could say “an inheritance”.  It’s used in 1 Pet 5:3, Pete encourages leaders not to “lord over” “those entrusted to them”.  The word he used for “those entrusted” is “kleros”.  Break it down…who is Peter calling “clergy” in this verse?

Col 1:12 is another passage where this word kleros shows up.  There, it’s translated as “inheritance”.  So…substitute the word “clergy” for the word “inheritance” as you read it.  Who is the clergy in this passage?

We’ll unpack this on Sunday morning as we take on the myth of the clergy/laity divide…and we may also consider the concept of “secular and spiritual” along with it.

See you then.

CORRECTION: Just to qualify, based on Mike’s comment…I want to clarify that I in no way mean to denigrate those who have paid the cost of formal training, nor do I mean to imply that there is no value in being educated to the best of our ability to do so.  My issue is with what essentially a class distinction between those who occupy supposed offices and the general community of the church.  There is no premium on ignorance…but does that entitle a person to elevated status among the saints?

MythBusting the Church, part 2: The Ten Percent Rule

Rob Woodrum3 Comments

71014_MoneyHappiness_vl-vertical“If you don’t pay God His tithe, the blessings will be cut off in your life!”  Ever hear anything like that?  Is that really accurate?  Why do I picture a mob-boss in connection with that statement more than the God of the Bible?  Does God really have to resort to extortion in order to motivate His children to be generous?

The arguments are many and varied, but all of them point back to the Old Testament law, and the requirement of the 10% tithe (tithe means ten percent). This Sunday we’ll look at the myth that’s been propagated by many churches  for about 1500 years…the myth that says New Testament Christians, redeemed by grace, are obligated to give 10% of their monetary income to the church, in order to be blessed by God.

Seriously…go read Col 2:10-17, and think about what Paul says the Old Testament law was…and what our obligations are to it as those in Christ.

We’ll also look at 2 Corinthians 9 to find out what principles should guide New Testament generosity.  Ever read that passage in the Message?  It’s awesome!  While the actual context is a relief offering for the famine ravaged church in Jerusalem, the principle can be a guide to all the practical, fiscal matters that touch the church community.  There’s nothing overly mystical about it…no condemnation, no demand to meet an obligation, in fact, just the opposite.

Come hang out with us this Sunday as we MythBust the 10% tithe for the Christian!

Mythbusting the Church!

Rob Woodrum9 Comments

mythbusting

“That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion…”

This Sunday we will take a short diversion into the world of topical teaching.  We are going to start a new series on issues that confront Christians on a regular basis. 

I’m sure you’re familiar with the show Mythbusters, right?  Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage take on the urban myths that we are always hearing and passing on as actual facts, and they put them to the test, to see if there is any feasible way those tales could be true.  Well…we’re going to start looking at some of the things that we have always been told and have taken as “gospel” truth when it comes to the church and issues that touch the Christian life. 

We are going to be MYTHBUSTING THE CHURCH!!!  Let’s put on our wrestling shoes and grapple with some of the common church myths!  Some of this will be a refresher for many of us…some of us may find these things new, and even troubling…either way, its time to crack our knuckles take these concepts to the mats!

Is church something we go to?  Is a membership roll required to be a member of the church?  Is a Christian commanded to tithe 10% of his or her income to the church?  Is a church/pastor/denomination supposed to be “a covering” for a Christian?  Is the church divided into two groups of people, the clergy and the laity?  If a Christian sins, does he/she have to ask for forgiveness in order to get right with God?  Are Christians supposed to obey the 10 commandments?  Is Christianity really about giving up sin and getting into heaven (or at least avoiding hell)?  Is the threat of hell really the message of the gospel? 

These are just some of the topics that we’ve been confronting for years.  We may not cover all these issues, but we will wrestle with the most pressing ones.  Which of these questions interests you the most?  Any other suggestions for topics?

This oughtta’ be fun!