BLOG 7/13/18. CHURCHES IMMUNIZED TO THEIR MESSAGE AND MISSION

BLOG 7/13/18. THE CONTRADICTION OF CHURCHES IMMUNIZED TO THE MESSAGE AND MISSION THAT JESUS GAVE THEM

If this kind of situation were not so tragic it would be humorous, i.e., that landscape is filled with ostensible churches who are totally sterile and non-reproductive. Jesus taught us that we are to be branches of a grapevine (which grapevine is his own life and power), and that it is to be expected that the branches would bear fruit. OK? But what happens when a branch does not bear fruit? What does the keeper of the vineyard do? Simple, he prunes the branch off so that it does not continue to sap the of its intended purpose, which is simply to bear fruit. And the pruned branches are then cast into the fire and burned.

So, then, how does one account for all of those communities purporting themselves to be Christ’s churches that seem totally immune to the obligations of discipleship in knowing the teaching of Jesus and the mission of Jesus, which he committed to his followers? Happily, this is not true of a great host of alive, growing, thriving Christian communities globally, … but it is pathology that needs to be diagnosed and dealt with in all-too-many. Living churches created disciple, which disciples are informed of the message, and engaged in the mission, i.e., disciples make disciples. But when one is somehow immunized to the message and mission, one suspects the subtle wiles of the devil at work. One of the fruits of having been engaged in the church’s leadership, for as long as I have, is to have to observed such subtle subversions take place, and to wonder why?

To that end, let me give you one ‘for-instance’. I had been the pastor of a fairly traditional Presbyterian church for several years. I was well received. We engaged in all the expected functions that churches are to perform. It was a comfortable and congenial company of church members. We had a well-thought-out membership class for those seeking admission into its membership. With that background, I had the bright idea of allowing the congregation to participate in the sermon with me. I was to preach, that Sunday, on the text from I Peter 3 in which Peter tells those of that community (which evidently was living in a very hostile environment) that they should, first of all, live out the lives as illustrations of God’s new creation in Christ, even if it subjected them to harassment and persecution. But, also, they should be ready, peradventure someone one asked them for the reason for their hope (like: “What give with you guys?”), with a thoughtful answer for that hope, and to do it with gentleness and sensitivity.

With that in mind, I proposed to my congregation that as an exercise of that teaching that we take a few minutes, and for them to turn to the person next to them, and to share with them the reason for their hope, their belief in Jesus Christ, the joy of their faith. The response? I could observe that some picked right up on that and happily engaged in such sharing. But then there was also some obvious dismay and embarrassment among all too many. Alas! After the service, one of the prominent first ladies of the church approached me, eyes flashing with anger, and said: “Bob, don’t you ever do that to us again,” and stormed off.

How to explain one so prominent in the community, and yet so immunized to the gospel and its mission? At the end of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells those folks to be strong in the Lord and to beware of the wiles of the enemy, i.e. Satan’s subtle schemes to render them immunized to the gospel and to be less than contagious with it in fulfilling his mission. They are to be irresistibly reproductive. And when this is not so in a congregation, then our yellow-lights should blink on. True disciples make disciples. That is the work of the Spirit that enables us to bear much fruit, even in the most unlikely circumstances, … and it is every believer’s responsibility. It is the life of Christ at work in our very human lives. Got it?

[http://wipfandstock.com/subversive-jesus-radical-grace.html]

About rthenderson

Sixty years a pastor-teacher within the Presbyterian Church. Author of several books, the latest of which are a trilogy on missional ecclesiology: ENCHANTED COMMUNITY: JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH, then, REFOUNDING THE CHURCH FROM THE UNDERSIDE, then THE CHURCH AND THE RELENTLESS DARKNESS. Previous to this trilogy was A DOOR OF HOPE: SPIRITUAL CONFLICT IN PASTORAL MINISTRY, and SUBVERSIVE JESUS, RADICAL FAITH. I am a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, a graduate of Davidson College, then of Columbia and Westminster Theological Seminaries.
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