Butler Newsletter for February - March

February-March_2010a_MTKQMNRV.pdf

Christian, how disappointed with “Church” are you?

 

Church is a primary, if not the primary, way God plans to extend Divine rule and Shalom throughout the world - if the New Testament is to be believed. We are to pray for that, and work to that end. We pray, “…Thy Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven.”

 

Trouble is, at one point or another, Church can become deeply disappointing for us, who work in its ranks. “Thy Kingdom come on earth…? Don’t we have days when we bitterly wish God’s Kingdom would just come into the Church?

 

We find such a gulf between Church as we see it to be, and Church as we know it SHOULD be, that we wonder about the Church’s ability to reveal Divine ways to anyone. Indeed, it seems that it does the opposite; with its self-absorption, hide-bound tradition, lack of sacrifice and indifference to the suffering and lost of the world, Church too often seems to make God’s Kingdom less visible in the world instead of more so.

 

And frankly, we hate ourselves because we get sucked into meeting Mr. and Mrs. or Mz. pew-sitter’s unhealthy expectations, instead of training folks to be real disciples who love God and neighbor above all else, and who themselves joyfully make other disciples.

 

Dallas Willard is quoted: (Cutting Edge magazine, Winter, 2001)

Churches that took seriously the kingdom of God would look a lot like training centers—training centers for life, a life interactive with God. Churches would be deeply immersed in giving every bit of their resources to doing good, to blessing their communities. It is pathetic, for example, that you cannot get people to give a tithe. If the Christians in this country tithed, the church would be awash in money and there would not be a single legitimate social need that couldn’t be met, at least in financial terms.

 

I know we become disappointed at how hard sometimes “Church” is. A few drop out in disgust. Others mark time and become inwardly cynical. Or like Jonah, we become angry with God. Some of us find our own faith in God scarily shaky.

 

 Can we remember that purifying the church is God’s business? Do we get up each day and remember that staying faithful to our actual calling is the business God gives us? Will we remind ourselves every single day whom it is that we serve? (Hint: it is NOT, finally, the people in the pews and all their ideas about what we should be doing and how we should do it. It is our living Lord, who sends us to instruct God’s own in living live His way!)

 

Will we have the courage of our convictions? Will we FIRST be disciples ourselves and courageously call the congregation’s attention to the Way that Jesus demonstrated?

 

If you don't have a teacher you can't have a disciple. That’s another Dallas Willard quote, and it hits us right between the eyes with the only question that matters for us leaders: Is Jesus our own teacher and focus?

 

Pray to stay the course, friends, and pray for me as I pray for you. Seeds fall on stony ground, weedy soil, hard earth – but some always grows abundantly. Keep sowing!

 

Dean