The New Adventures of an Old Preacher

God willing, I leave early in the morning on my way to the Pepperdine Lectures. Traveling with me will be a small crew from Gateway. Please say a prayer for our journey.

This will be my second trip to their gorgeous campus in Malibu. It is a little out of my traditional geographic circle and therefore I recognize fewer people but it is a terrific gathering in the churches of Christ.

The lectureship has many familiar names on it and like most events of its kind will have some outstanding messages as well as some not quite so. I will seek out the practical- lessons that offer some help for local ministry. I will also seek out messages based in biblical texts. These are always enriching.

Of course I will check out the classes of my blog buddies Bobby Valentine and John Dobbs. I will also support Jim Miller who is a presenter from Gateway as he discusses singles ministry.

I doubt I will have the chance to post until I return.

Thanks for sharing my adventures so far. Your input and wisdom has blessed me.

It happened again. A good friend contacted me recently to share his decision to begin his faith journey with a different church. No- not another Church of Christ in his town- but another faith family altogether. He explained his reasons and I empathized. He is devout man whom I love and respect deeply, but still I felt my heart sink.

Too often his story is repeated.

Many who leave are victims of the damage we have done to ourselves. They have been swept away by the tide of dissension and splintering. Others feel suffocated by inflexible tradition with no outlet to freely express themselves without condemnation. Others feel betrayed because this tradition is no longer honored. Some are just sick of the distracting issues and are simply seeking peace.

While I understand this- it doesn’t lessen the loss. This talent drain only weakens us. With all of my heart I wish there was another way.

I wish there was open dialog among us- from all perspectives- to build bridges and not dead-end roads. I wish we would all lay our differences at the foot of the cross to see how insignificant they often are. I wish the Greatest Commandments truly governed our churches. I wish our pride was swallowed up in humility. I wish our fears would be erased in faith. I wish the church was what it should be to everyone.

But I know it isn’t and I know it can’t be. I know it will disappoint me. I know it will frustrate me. I know it may even hurt me. I know it because I contribute to it. The church is made up of the imperfect, flawed and fallen.

But I love it anyway. I so much want to see it flourish and grow. I want to see the Bride in full adornment shining brightly! I want to see the body healthy and fully functioning. I want to see it a belonging place nurturing and encouraging to everyone.

In no way am I passing judgment on anyone who has left us. Nor do I believe that in order to embrace heaven one must worship in a building with a sign that says, “Church of Christ”. To believe that is to be arrogant and uniformed.

But I have to wonder. Is the grass greener elsewhere?

I have given my life to ministry within the Church of Christ and still even believe in the validity of our early restoration roots. It is the pasture that has nourished me. Is the grass really that much sweeter across the fence?

That the 21st century church is being rocked is evident. Who among us does not know of a once strong church on the brink of nonexistence. Fingers of blame can be pointed in various directions.

Most certainly we have done injury to ourselves. We have continued steadfast in presenting a message in terms no longer understood by the masses around us. We have turned inward and failed to acknowledge must less anticipate the cultural shift represented by post-modernism. We have gone to war with each other over often insignificant issues. We have witnessed the rise and success of other churches with bewilderment.

So what’s next? Our past methods currently don’t deliver. Gospel Meetings have long since stopped being an evangelistic tool. The days of the door-to-door campaign being effective are behind us. Just what can we do to reconnect to our culture with the good news of Christ?

Someone said it is all about being relevant. I agree.

Any ideas?

This is a follow-up blog to the previous one on the DaVinci Code. If you read any of the posted comments you noticed a mention of post-modernism. This may or may not mean anything to you, but it is the term coined in an attempt to identify our current cultural mind set.

I do not know a textbook definition of post-modernism, but I do recognize it when I see it. It is a skepticism that questions basically everything and views truth as a subjective choice rather than any kind of moral absolute. “Is” (if you recall the words of our former president) can have another meaning and the truth about God can just as easily be found in a book about a code as in a book called the Bible. In fact it is not necessarily a truth that brings fulfillment, it is the search for that truth and it is the knowledge acquired along the way that elevates- hence the shades of gnosticism that many have noticed.

At first glance post-modernism may see to be truly a horrific evil. Anything that questions the validity of Scripture cannot seem to be a good thing. But in reality there is an element of post-modern thinking that can be good- not only is the truth taught by Scripture challenged, but so too is the “truth” of Darwinism or the “truth” of other sciences and philosophy. Nothing is sacred, but nothing is necessarily dismissed either and in this environment the Christian message can make major inroads.

But don’t take my word for it- there is a precedent- back in the first century. The more I learn about first century culture the more I am convinced that 21st century culture mirrors it in numerous ways. The societal climate of the first century was multi-cultural, poly-theistic and- can I say it- post-modern. Go back to Mar’s Hill and Paul’s exchange with the Greek philosophers. There were a plurality of “truths” represented on that hill yet Paul had some success with his presentation of the gospel. They didn’t enthusiastically embrace it, but they didn’t totally discount it either. They were open to discussing it further. I see the same opportunities now.

We have to be wise however. “Churchy” talk usually doesn’t connect to post-moderns. We have to educate ourselves to speak in their language- like Paul did on Mar’s Hill. This takes us back full circle. Maybe we do need to read the DaVinci Code. Paul was well versed in the philosophers of his time.

Post-modernism is here to stay- for a while anyway- but instead of despairing let’s take God’s truth through the door it is opening and see what happens. I believe God’s Word is up to the challenge.

I would greatly enjoy your thoughts on this topic.

The DaVinci Code is everywhere these days and I will admit I am somewhat behind the curve on it. I remember the hubbub when the book came out, but honestly I never read it. Now the movie with Tom Hanks is about to splash onto the scene bringing along with it a continuing controversy.

I have recently been reading with interest the rebuttals against the book, movie and the man behind it all, Dan Brown. The web is loaded with anti DaVinci sites offering help in telling fact from fiction. It is all a very big deal.

Now I am playing catch-up and asking myself should I be alarmed? Is this book and movie a heresy or is it just a work of clever fiction? Is it leading believers and seekers away from God or is it just giving those opposed to Christ more ammunition? I honestly do not know.

Nor do I know exactly how to react personally. Do I preach against it and advise others to not support it? To be honest it has not generated much buzz around me personally. Folks here are not talking about it all that much. And the people with whom I have discussed it all understand clearly that it is a work of pure fiction and do not feel threatened by it.

What do you think? I would be most interested in hearing your thoughts.