Pathway or Process?
My last post was about my friend Bernie and the idea of "in or out" theology. I went to his funeral on Wednesday. The assembled crowd was well over 500 people of every type of background and faith walk. It was obvious he had a grand and profoundly positive impact on those who knew him. For the short time I knew him, that was the case. His brothers gave funny, loving and emotional tributes to him. The priest gave a wonderful message on the use of the gifts of The Holy Spirit (interesting for Roman Catholicism) to build the Kingdom and bring Jesus to the world.
Today, I attended the funeral of another well-loved man. A couple of hundred of us gathered in a beautiful chapel to honor Willis. Unlike Bernie, he lived a long life. He was an icon to many young pastors and officers twenty years ago as he moved toward his retirement. His family was and is a group of people who stand strong in their faith. His impact on my life was meaningful in the early days of ministry. He was a people person. He was not known as a process person. He was well-loved and got things done. The mark he made on a wide range of people was unmistakable.
As I heard the tributes to Willis today, I looked at Janet and said, "They don't make 'em like that anymore." He was a man with few peers in his day.
The tributes were stirring and fell in line with the message of the day. Things are black and white in faith. You are in or out. There was also a strong message of service given. Serving people, God and country were stressed. I was touched today on several levels.
Both of the funerals were dripping in symbolism. There were incredible symbols of faith and Church tradition. Interestingly, both funerals featured the singing of the old hymn "How Great Thou Art." The presence of God was evident at both funerals. There were tears and laughter. Both funerals mentioned these men in legendary ways. Both officiants indicated that people were probably going to tell a few stories and make a few up. That is the way it goes.
Here is what I was left with after the two events; legacy is important. Both were caring men. Both were men who loved. Both were men who gave much for others.
Neither intended to build legacy. They did by living what they believed and by influencing so many people in different ways for good and for the Kingdom.
I believe I will see both in heaven. They may take different routes there. They both went by way of grace and faith. One claimed to have a crisis of faith that brought him to his belief. Another, quietly, but intentionally walked his faith and seemed to grow into it; much as a child grows into a new pair of pants that are too big when mom buys them.
I know our theology. I know our practice and honor it. I believe my experience was one of crisis. Yet, I have known others who have grown into their faith and are more Christian than those of us who think we might have a theological lock on faith.
One man took a path, another a process. I believe both will receive their eternal reward.
Do we necessarily need the crisis and sinner's prayer? Can we grow into faith and experience redemption without some of the parameters we put on it theologically?
I am processing this today.
What do you think?
Today, I attended the funeral of another well-loved man. A couple of hundred of us gathered in a beautiful chapel to honor Willis. Unlike Bernie, he lived a long life. He was an icon to many young pastors and officers twenty years ago as he moved toward his retirement. His family was and is a group of people who stand strong in their faith. His impact on my life was meaningful in the early days of ministry. He was a people person. He was not known as a process person. He was well-loved and got things done. The mark he made on a wide range of people was unmistakable.
As I heard the tributes to Willis today, I looked at Janet and said, "They don't make 'em like that anymore." He was a man with few peers in his day.
The tributes were stirring and fell in line with the message of the day. Things are black and white in faith. You are in or out. There was also a strong message of service given. Serving people, God and country were stressed. I was touched today on several levels.
Both of the funerals were dripping in symbolism. There were incredible symbols of faith and Church tradition. Interestingly, both funerals featured the singing of the old hymn "How Great Thou Art." The presence of God was evident at both funerals. There were tears and laughter. Both funerals mentioned these men in legendary ways. Both officiants indicated that people were probably going to tell a few stories and make a few up. That is the way it goes.
Here is what I was left with after the two events; legacy is important. Both were caring men. Both were men who loved. Both were men who gave much for others.
Neither intended to build legacy. They did by living what they believed and by influencing so many people in different ways for good and for the Kingdom.
I believe I will see both in heaven. They may take different routes there. They both went by way of grace and faith. One claimed to have a crisis of faith that brought him to his belief. Another, quietly, but intentionally walked his faith and seemed to grow into it; much as a child grows into a new pair of pants that are too big when mom buys them.
I know our theology. I know our practice and honor it. I believe my experience was one of crisis. Yet, I have known others who have grown into their faith and are more Christian than those of us who think we might have a theological lock on faith.
One man took a path, another a process. I believe both will receive their eternal reward.
Do we necessarily need the crisis and sinner's prayer? Can we grow into faith and experience redemption without some of the parameters we put on it theologically?
I am processing this today.
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 4:20 PM
5 Comments:
People came to Jesus in many ways, most without a 'sinner's prayer.' I take solace in that.
I know people who have come to Jesus in the same way as the two men you've mentioned. I find comfort in the the end result... They both knew Jesus and lived for him.
Really Larry....sing it with me...Knowing you Jesus...Knowing you.. ;)
This comment has been removed by the author.
I find "the sinners prayer" to be nothing more than a guide. Like so many of our church hymns and creeds, it's a way of acknowledging and possibly passing on our doctrine of salvation. That said, and as you know, I believe that our modern day doctrine of salvation falls a bit short of what Jesus spoke of when he "preached good news". "The sinners prayer" seems to only deal with the question of eternity, but it fails to address the "here and now", at least in the area of social justice.
In some ways I hate to type that. The last thing I want to do is to be guilty of making "salvation" more difficult than it really is. That is not what I intend to do here. What I do mean to suggest is that "the good news" was meant to offer solutions to the problems of this world, not just the problem of eternity.
In the end, we need to be aiming for "discipleship" rather than just "conversion". The sinner's prayer cannot offer that alone.
A person's growth in faith shows through in their lifestyle, in the choices they use to communicate, love and discern. I do believe that even within a process of faith, there is a point where a person acknowledges that they are lost without God. The Bible is clear about God's grace and the need for our repentance. There is a starting point, there is always a starting point. Whether it is defineable from childhood or adulthood, from the birth of a child or the death of a parent, we are all afforded an opportunity to examine our lives.
Sometimes this happens from reading an author and identifying an "aha" moment about life/death/love/God. Or from accepting the responsibility of adulthood. This can be either a very public matter or a very private one. Shared with many or only with an intimate few.
I do not think that path and process are exclusively opposite, but describing an intrinsically linked spiritual journey, which God displays to us.
Living out the love of God is a beautiful thing...should we really question it? More appropriate, I feel, is to recognize and embrace it.
Post a Comment
<< Home