"On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or as I suspect, does not one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning." - Annie Dillard
resources
- Matthew 16:24-28
- taking risks
share your thoughts
- There is no such thing as a risk-free faith. What risks are stopping you?
- Every decision we are faced with becomes a crossroads of sorts.
- Do we need to give up something good to experience something great?
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I thought I was playing it safe by taking a break of this book study, but I can't escape my need to share and maybe even to be understood. However, when I hear another comment about how we got it wrong in worship design or how IMPACT is not focused on the right thing or why talking about postmodernism is ridiculous, it makes me want to run away from Peace, the ELCA and organized religion. Then I am reminded of our mission statement, to love one another and I realize how really difficult that is, how much work that requires. Is it worth it?
I like the quote from Annie Dillard because I think we are taking huge risks all the time being part of this community of Peace and most of the time we don't even realize it. Is it worth it?
I think so because it is only within a community that we can really make a difference in our reality. We need community to support us, teach us, reprimand us, and keep us on track because we've got an important, risky mission in front of us.
I think Mark also gives us good clues about where to start:
"We need to stop criticizing culture and start creating it. Instead of complaining about the current state of affairs, we need to offer better alternatives. We need to make better movies and better music. We need to write better books. We need to start better schools and better businesses."
Kim,
I empathize with you, more than you know. in fact, I think more than a few of us have been in a funk.
I miss the Spirit once felt among us -- at least some of us -- the unbridled optimism and enthusiasm. My perception is that Peace is in the midst of transition, struggling within itself for identity and purpose.
On balance, I don't think that we've changed all that much as some imagine -- the small amount of change we've made is magnified out of all proportion by a few disonant drummers.
It is not Peace, the ELCA, or organized religion that stifles the Spirit of Peace. It is scared people who worship a little God -- and I know exactly how harsh that sounds.
Our God is not little. He is bigger than ginormous, with a heart deeper and vaster than the universe. He is not bound by small-minded bean-counters, worrywarts, or Chicken Littles.
I placed a quote from Marcus Borg on the "other" Blog, which bears repeating here: "In my judgment, the single most important practice is to be part of a congregation that nourishes you even as it stretches you."
My response: "Now that would be a fantastic vision of what Peace could be about, eh?"
We can help one another by taking the time to nourish and support one another.
I once bought into the argument of recognizing that we are all on a path, none of us is all there (nor ever will be), and being sensitive to the diversity of faith experience. Indeed, how can be serious about going out among the unchurched and bring people to know that God loves them, without being so?
It's a fine line between being sensitive to everyone, and providing aid and comfort to the antagonists. Love the sinner, hate the sin.
Within our walls I have witnessed the most incidious cynicism, pessimism, narcissism, sexism, elitism and bigotry I've ever seen outside of church. Forget the mean streets... no wonder people outside the church throw darts at Christianity.
At the same time, I've experienced (far more often) the most genuine love, grace, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, generosity, joy, humility, perseverence, temperence, patience... no wonder we are compelled to gather to celebrate and praise together, pray together, learn together, serve together.
In fact, Kim, you've opened the door to share those moments, and I'll do so shortly...
Welcome back, good friend.
"Keep the faith."
Peace.
--eric
Not sure where else to put this piece, extracted from Lifestyle Discipleship by Jim Petersen:
IMPERFECT PEOPLE HELPING IMPERFECT PEOPLE
We are called to be insiders in whatever station of life we find ourselves, but we cannot discharge this calling all by ourselves. We need to be teamed with brothers and sisters who can compensate for what we lack. This truth gets us past a major obstacle on this road we’re on: our personal limitations.
Too many Christians of our generation are basically sitting out the game in the bleachers. Some will help with the in-house chores around the church, but when the action moves toward the unbeliever, they slip back into the stands. Paul describes Epaphroditus as his brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier. We have many brothers and sisters, and a few fellow workers. But fellow soldiers are very scarce indeed! Why is this the case?
Many of us feel so inadequate and unprepared that we simply consider ourselves to be unqualified. We say, “I have nothing to offer. My own life is in disarray. My marriage is in trouble. I’m worried about my kids. Financially we’re barely making ends meet. I’ve got to retrain to hold my job. I’m fighting a losing battle against calories. My relationship with Christ isn’t exactly transforming my own life. What do I have that anyone else would even want? Besides, I’m so busy I can’t even think about taking on more.”
It is true that many Christians live lives that seem to be unmarked by Christ’s presence. It is possible to belong to Christ but remain a spiritual infant. Paul asked the Corinthians, “Are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” Mere men! This seems to imply that a mature believer is something more than a mere mortal.
But it is also true that many Christians who consider themselves unfit and feel they have nothing to offer have, in fact, great potential for ministering to others. True, they are still in the thick of it with their personal battles. They can’t refer to their struggles in the past tense because they lost a round just yesterday. “How can I,” they ask, “help others in areas where I am still fighting losing battles?”
There is a big difference between these people and the others we described. The chronic infant has made peace with the enemy, while this second group is seeking to come to grips with their problems and to be delivered from them. They are looking to the Spirit of God for help, and trying to live by biblical truth. They pray their way through their struggles. They don’t have many answers to their prayers to show others, and there aren’t many final victories to talk about. But the significant thing about these people is that they are battling. They are fighting the very same battles their “mere men” brothers and sisters have written off as unwinnable. More significant, they are fighting against the same issues that are victimizing their unbelieving family and friends. People can identify with them.
Most all of us, Christian or not, must cope with broken relationships that marked us in childhood, job insecurity, children who are being enticed into destructive behavior, and days that have only twenty-four hours.
We do live in a stressful, chaotic world. The only people who seem to deny it are the Christians who still insist that “every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.” I know I have had some very bad days in the forty years I have been following Him. So has every other Christian I know. It’s just hard for us to come clean and admit it. We’re afraid that if we tell it like it is, we’ll ruin our testimony. What we fail to understand is that our refusal to bring to light what we really are, to be honest about our sins, fears, and struggles, leaves us with no testimony at all.
I have a Christian friend who fought a losing battle with several personal habits and unholy values for years. Finally he decided to get serious about dealing with them. Part of his solution was to become transparent according to James 5:16 — ”Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Neither he nor anyone else anticipated the response. People seek him out day and night. He is one of the most fruitful people I know.
Why do broken people seek him out, and why is he so successful at helping them get to know God? First of all, people with problems know he understands. They know that at the very least they’ll get a compassionate ear, not a condescending pat on the head from someone whose life appears to have been sanitized. But second, they also know he’s making progress, even though it’s slow, in overcoming his problems. He has hope, and he’s getting somewhere. Hope is a rare commodity in our world, and if you have it, people want to know where you got it. People want to know what you’re doing right, or where you’re getting help.
When strugglers call him, my friend lets them know he’s a fellow struggler. He listens, cares, and doesn’t fill them with advice. Instead, he just tells them what he’s doing and what he knows so far about what God is doing with him. They draw their own conclusions. He’ll stay up late to just talk, pray, or study the Bible with someone if that will help. But he refuses to become anyone’s guru. Believers and unbelievers alike go to him. Some know the Bible far better than he does, but he has something they do not: the freedom that comes from honesty.
***
Thanks, Kim, for your honesty.
Ditto, fellow lion chasers.
--eric
Playing it safe is risky.. that is key.. for we can't go back.. and I'm pretty sure no one wants to do that.. but.. it seems we haven't been able to move forward either.. like Kelly f said.. when the Spirit gets involved, it's messy.
I miss you guys. It seems our abilility to hear God and move positively forward and together was directly correlated to how often we grouped together. I have a sense that we are being pulled apart.
I've been cranky and irritable with my brothers and sisters (some) and however much I'd like to say it is because of their actions and words.. truth is.. I'm irritable and cranky with myself and projecting. I'm cranky because I sense a growing resistance in church to not only worship styles, not only to leadership styles, but to the Spirit-guided relationship building.. the foundation of God's mission as well as a growing rigidity that I don't know how to address. I'm irritable because I hate feeling stymied. HATE it.
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