UNITY

[DISCLAIMER: As you’re reading this, do not take the word church to mean FBC, as I’m referring to the body of Christ at large (unless I specifically mention FBC – which I might). And, when I mention (and I might) theology theorists and methodology rhetoric, do not take that to mean any group or person that may have splintered from FBC. My focus is much broader. I’m not sayin’ I’m right – this is just my opinion. Feel free to have and share yours as well. Just keep it clean, as I’ve given my 12-year old son permission to read from this site. Keep your 4-letter words to yourself.]

The current movement that espouses Christians needing radically transformational lives is interesting to me. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have radically transformational lives, I just don’t agree with the assertion that we don’t already and can’t within the confines of institutional religion.

And it’s those constant references to institutional religion by new wave (radical?) thinkers I find particularly intriguing. The logic is lost on me.

The Institution of Religion

When does religion become an institution? Is it the size of the church that matters? Rules? Bylaws? Leadership? Traditions? What exactly are the determining factors? And is an institution really such a bad thing?

Institution: 1: an organization founded and united for a specific purpose 2: a custom that for a long time has been an important feature of some group or society 3: the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new (Websters Online)

It’s fascinating that in the definition of institution we find references to both perpetuating the old and beginning the new. That should make it a scorned word to both the radical and the traditionalist. And yet it’s typically the radical that breathes the word with disdain and contempt.

So, the radical starts something new because he doesn’t agree with the institution (rage against the machine! down with the man! and all that). And before he knows it, he’s created a new institution – a place for a different radical to rally against in years to come. The cycle is vicious and counterproductive, and it’s really nothing new.

Take the Baptists for example. Did you know that the first known Baptist congregation was formed by a number of fleeing separatists in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1608? As they saw it at that time, it was important to 'reconstitute' and not just 'reform' the Church. What a bunch of radicals!

Some like to point to Jesus and call him a radical revolutionary. It’s really not that far of a stretch when you think about it. Closer to the truth, however, He was very much the traditionalist. When He turned over the tables at the temple and drove out the buyers and sellers, he wasn’t trying to institute a radical new set of ideas or laws. On the contrary, He was pointing the people back to scripture – BACK to where they should have been in the first place. Here is the Word of God:

12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'" – Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV)

Revolutionary? Hardly. Unless you believe guiding the church back to its roots is revolutionary (making a full circle back to a point of origin is, by definition, revolutionary, so I’ll concede the point). The fact is the Bible is rife with instances of Jesus pointing us BACK to scripture and BACK to our roots.

In verse 14 of Matthew 21 we clearly see God’s view of the church: The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

They came, and He healed them! Do you see it? People come and meet Christ in the church and are healed! My family and I did. Can I get an Amen?

New ideas? New methodologies? Do they have their place in the modern church? Yes! But, both the radical and the traditional are better served when they work together in unity (assuming the new idea does not go against the Word of God). Working against each other not only perpetuates our counterproductive cycle of one institution replacing another, it also goes against the Word of God.

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 4:1-6

We are one body. To have a faction of the body working against the body is a bit like kicking ourselves repeatedly in the shin. Number one, it hurts; and number two, it will eventually cripple us.

This is not to say that every new thought or idea will fit neatly inside the box that is traditional church. Many will be called out of the traditional church to begin a new venture designed to reach the lost. And when this happens, the traditional church should remain supportive of its brothers in Christ as they set out for His glory (assuming what they’re advocating lines up with the Word of God).

At the same time, those who are called to go should remain supportive of the traditional church. Their very survival depends on it. In numbers we find strength through physical and spiritual resources (logistic, strategic, and tactical support for the Army of God). When the body functions in unity, the strength of the larger body can be shared with the smaller parts who are following God’s will – through things like missionary support, financial support, material support, prayers, etc.

Ode to My Radically Transformational Life

The assertion mainstream Christians don’t have radically transformational lives doesn’t make sense to me. When I walk with Christ in my daily life, it’s near impossible not to affect those around me. Sometimes I know it and can bear witness to it. More often, I will never even know how my life affects others. And that’s radical. That’s God.

If I’m on my way to church, should I feel guilty that my neighbor doesn’t have a relationship with Christ? I don’t think so. Should I demonstrate a life with Christ in my daily walk and in my relationships with the unsaved? You bet! God will choose the time and place my neighbor will accept Him into his heart, not me. I am merely a facilitator.

My heart is for missions and aches for the lost. I believe it’s our responsibility to reach out in any manner possible short of sin to save those who don’t yet believe. This concept is not lost on me. But, I don’t believe that my desire to save the lost somehow overrides God’s work in the church. One does not cancel out the other.

In the Air Force, I led people to Christ right in my office. We established small-group Bible studies and fellowship before the duty day began. We exampled to others a life with Christ and sought to change the hearts of unbelievers around us. And many of those who were saved would not have come to church in the traditional sense. They needed something different, so we provided it.

Even in my new professional life, there are none who I work with that don’t know I’m a Christian. I speak with boldness and seek the opportunities God presents to witness throughout my day. And He’s allowed me to make steady inroads to the unsaved people I work with.

I say this not to brag, but to demonstrate that the idea of a radically transformational life can coexist with a healthy church life. It’s not one way or the other. Yes, we can hang out at the mall or with unsaved friends on Sunday in an effort to establish relationships that might lead someone to Christ.

But, who would teach my Bible study class? Who would feed the people who come looking for spiritual food? Who would lead others in worship or preach the Word of God to them? Who would provide the financial resources to missionaries around the world?

There has to be somewhere a person can just walk to off of the street to find Christ. That’s the role of the traditional church that’s irreplaceable. In addition to feeding believers en mass and glorifying the Father through worship and praise, the church provides refuge for those who are seeking and don’t know where to turn.

Oh, Woes Me

I reread the Seven Woes (Matthew 23:1-39) over and over looking for Christ to say institutional religion in itself was bad. He didn’t. It was the people (leaders) and their hypocritical ways He was berating. In fact, throughout the scriptures, I couldn’t find one verse where Christ advocated closing the temples.

To be sure, there are many in churches today who should take serious heed of Christ’s warnings (well…all of us should). We must constantly examine ourselves to ensure we don’t become the hypocrites Christ spoke of. Traditional church should not become a haven for the saved to protect them from the world. Instead, I believe it should be the training ground for sending Christ’s soldiers back into the world.

The traditional church should breathe in on Sunday, sucking in the lost and those who are seeking. And it should breathe out the rest of the week, sending its trained and prepared messengers back into the streets to find and help save the non-believers.

It’s important to recognize Christ’s mandate in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). He makes it clear we are to go. Likewise, our local church should reflect this command. Go into the community (or farther if need be) to establish life changing relationships. This should be our adopted church culture.

The newly saved will then need somewhere to go in order to learn more about the Word and to develop their relationship with Christ. For many, that will mean traditional church. For others, that will look completely different. And that’s okay, as long as the hungry are being fed.

The Bottom Line

If we’re truly about reaching out to save an entire planet, it will mean a unified effort to accomplish the mission at hand. Our traditional churches must adopt a go versus come mentality while the radical (visionary?) thinkers should stop fighting against the church. Instead, they should join forces with traditional believers and recognize the importance of an institution that will stand the test of time.

Here’s how Jesus prayed for all believers:

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. – John 17:22-23

A penny for your thoughts? Well, I’m not actually going to pay you for your thoughts. But, I do like to hear the different viewpoints and welcome your comments.