Contrarian or Confident?
I have been labeled many things. I carry a title in our movement. I am an officer. I am a father and a husband. I am a pastor and a friend. I have also been known to be called a malcontent and whiner. I have also been labeled as a contrarian. In other words I question everything.
I must admit that I kept my contrarian nature under the surface for years. I had questions about faith swirling around in my head. I had questions about our movement simmering that I thought were disrespectful to ask. I probably, in my younger years, would have been disrespectful in my asking.
I now ask hard questions. I have a feeling and have heard that my asking sometimes puts people on edge. They begin to wonder if I am just disgruntled, middle-aged man. I do confess there has become, at times, a deep frustration with practices and people. I need to assure the readers here that I LOVE CHRIST, I LOVE CHRISTIANITY (in its purest form), I LOVE THE BODY OF CHRIST and I LOVE THE MISSION OF OUR MOVEMENT.
As one who has been in the family of Christ from birth, I have seen the best and worst. I have seen how we can, in the name of dividing "business from personal life" (how ridiculous is that statement, because all business comes from personal relationships) make decisions and implement them in a ways that are less than scriptural. I have also seen tough decisions that needed to be made handed down in the harshest ways. There have been times when I have seen the crazy uncle in the family of Christ act out by alienating a young child in a worship service by screaming at him, to behave. These are often the only words that the kid hears from the adult. Then there are the pet sins of my evangelical branch of the family, which have become the objects of our war cry.
Reading all this, you would think I am just a person who just contrary in my spirit. In some ways, I am. It is because I hope for better. I want a pure loving, peace-making, caring church that does not work by management by objective. I want to see an inclusive, gracious, questioning church that wrestles with our slavery to systematic theology (I do believe that theological systems are good, but need to be examined and reviewed as the hermeneutic and context changes.) I want us to hold Christians accountable and become less judgemental of those who are not part of our family.
I think there is a movement afoot. I think there is hope. I am confident. I believe there is a better day coming. I believe, with Doug Pagitt in his book, "A Christianity Worth Believing" that contrarians are people who are hopeful. They just are people who run contrary to what we have swallowed over the years and believe there is something better. The Church can do better and I believe will, as we continue to question why and how. I say this as long as we do not allow the questions to freeze us in place.
Armies require us to be in step. I agree with Paul when he writes in Galatians 5 "If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." That does not necessarily mean we need to be in lock step with each other, in practice or theology. The Spirit calls us in different ways to accomplish the same mission. What cannot be accepted is the status quo and a thought that returning to the past, by adding more rules will get us where we need to be. There need to be standards in the Church, but they need to be flexible and progressive.
I am hopeful. I am hopeful that the Church can once again become nimble. I believe we can become significant in the West. I am not sure that we are. I believe the Spirit can bring this about, if freedom is given to the members of the family to question and move forward as they believe the Spirit leads.
OK, I know I have rambled a bit. I know I might have sounded contrarian. My questions for today are pretty practical. Is being contrarian beneficial or unproductive for the Church? Is a confident person also contrarian? Can we be the change we need to have? Can we be confident that the church will continue to grow into what God wants us to be?
What do you think?
I must admit that I kept my contrarian nature under the surface for years. I had questions about faith swirling around in my head. I had questions about our movement simmering that I thought were disrespectful to ask. I probably, in my younger years, would have been disrespectful in my asking.
I now ask hard questions. I have a feeling and have heard that my asking sometimes puts people on edge. They begin to wonder if I am just disgruntled, middle-aged man. I do confess there has become, at times, a deep frustration with practices and people. I need to assure the readers here that I LOVE CHRIST, I LOVE CHRISTIANITY (in its purest form), I LOVE THE BODY OF CHRIST and I LOVE THE MISSION OF OUR MOVEMENT.
As one who has been in the family of Christ from birth, I have seen the best and worst. I have seen how we can, in the name of dividing "business from personal life" (how ridiculous is that statement, because all business comes from personal relationships) make decisions and implement them in a ways that are less than scriptural. I have also seen tough decisions that needed to be made handed down in the harshest ways. There have been times when I have seen the crazy uncle in the family of Christ act out by alienating a young child in a worship service by screaming at him, to behave. These are often the only words that the kid hears from the adult. Then there are the pet sins of my evangelical branch of the family, which have become the objects of our war cry.
Reading all this, you would think I am just a person who just contrary in my spirit. In some ways, I am. It is because I hope for better. I want a pure loving, peace-making, caring church that does not work by management by objective. I want to see an inclusive, gracious, questioning church that wrestles with our slavery to systematic theology (I do believe that theological systems are good, but need to be examined and reviewed as the hermeneutic and context changes.) I want us to hold Christians accountable and become less judgemental of those who are not part of our family.
I think there is a movement afoot. I think there is hope. I am confident. I believe there is a better day coming. I believe, with Doug Pagitt in his book, "A Christianity Worth Believing" that contrarians are people who are hopeful. They just are people who run contrary to what we have swallowed over the years and believe there is something better. The Church can do better and I believe will, as we continue to question why and how. I say this as long as we do not allow the questions to freeze us in place.
Armies require us to be in step. I agree with Paul when he writes in Galatians 5 "If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." That does not necessarily mean we need to be in lock step with each other, in practice or theology. The Spirit calls us in different ways to accomplish the same mission. What cannot be accepted is the status quo and a thought that returning to the past, by adding more rules will get us where we need to be. There need to be standards in the Church, but they need to be flexible and progressive.
I am hopeful. I am hopeful that the Church can once again become nimble. I believe we can become significant in the West. I am not sure that we are. I believe the Spirit can bring this about, if freedom is given to the members of the family to question and move forward as they believe the Spirit leads.
OK, I know I have rambled a bit. I know I might have sounded contrarian. My questions for today are pretty practical. Is being contrarian beneficial or unproductive for the Church? Is a confident person also contrarian? Can we be the change we need to have? Can we be confident that the church will continue to grow into what God wants us to be?
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 8:47 AM
6 Comments:
great post Larry!
I like the statement that the standards of the church need to be held, but the church needs to be flexible when the hermeneutics and context change.
I want to believe things are changing Larry, that one day we as a body will whole-heartily embrace the man with a dirty shirt, instead of insisting that he change before he comes to the cross.
I'm encouraged by the people I see around me who share this dream. Call us idealistic, but it's a desire tied to our hearts.
Larry!
Of course I would love this post. And of course many will not. The Army is an amazing organization. But needs to become a bit less organized.
"contrarians are people who are hopeful" This is not always true, but in this context is absolutely true. As was(is) Jesus in His admonishment to the Church. I know you get a lot of bad press Larry. I've heard it with my own ears.
It takes courage to stand up for change. Especially in an organization that has such longevity and prestige in the community. Too much I fear. And the Army is different in different parts of the world. In places where leadership is on task, the soldiers flourish, the battle front well defined.
So my friend, not that you would want a poor sinner saved by grace in your corner, I continue to appreciate your position. May God give you His spirit of strength and love to continue. All we are doing is following the lead of the Holy Spirit. I become a bit suspect when that is not recognized by those that should know. It is not popular to be led by Christ. And it is seldom recognized in the established church. But then. He is not here for the healthy(?) or at least those that think themselves so, He is here for the lost and brokenhearted. How He loves us so. And wants us to just submit to His spirit and way.
Bless you.
that is not to say we don't continue to work within the parameters we are given. It is not the Church that changes us. It is Christ through the holy Spirit. We as one are to become the Church God requires. To continue to work along side our brothers and sisters in grace and love and example keeping our eyes on the goal. Many run away without realizing that recognizing the need is to allow ourselves to become what we see we need. To see is to become responsible. We wont be able to change the Church if we don't change as well. People will listen if they see the truth in us.
my last comment.
I comment from my hip. If there is anything not scriptural in what I've said, someone please tell me. It's the only truth I want to express from here on in.
"A certain ammount of opposition is a great help to man or woman. Kites rise against, not with, the wind."
There is only one m in amount.
Post a Comment
<< Home