BLOG 12.06.12: THE CHURCH AUTHENTIC, OR “ALMOST?”

In my last blog, I was quoting from Jacques Ellul’s classic work: The Subversion of Christianity, which is such a devastating critique of the church that it is usually shelved. Let me “un-shelf” it and recommend it. In that he does the unusual, and uses the word Christianity as a description of the distortion, or subversion of the New Testament message of Jesus Christ by some subtle addition to it, or some elision of a critical piece, etc. He (humorously?) speaks of the church that is “almost” Christian.

I am often asked what my description of an authentic church would be. That might be another way of asking whether the particular church community was evangelized, or only partially so. I would insist on beginning with the individuals who constitute that community by asking: Are the particular members of the community authentic? Are they formed by the teachings of the New Testament? Authenticity begins at the grassroots of the community. If the particular members are not significantly formed by the word of Christ, and contagious with it, and reproductive of the next generation of disciples … then I would question the authenticity of that church (though it may have many good attributes, and be “almost” Christian).

For myself, I have discerned within the New Testament eight essentials, which I call: Signs of Authenticity. (I spell these out in detail in a recent book of mine: Refounding the Church From the Underside.) I make these a daily check list in my own spiritual disciplines.

Here they are (they are interanimating, and all are equally critical … all are priorities):

1. Doxological. The Christian person (and community) must be focused heart and mind on the glory of the Triune God. This is the purpose of our calling. We are to be the incarnation of the divine nature, which is given to us (II Peter 1:4).
2. The Dynamic Presence of the Holy Spirit. Our calling is not to human religion, but to New Creation, and is humanly impossible without the dynamic presence of the Spirit. Gordon Fee says it beautifully: We do not even begin to understand the New Testament message (discipleship, church, etc.) apart from the dynamic working of the Spirit.
3. The Centrality and Glory of Jesus, the Lamb of God. The Father glorifies the Son. The Spirit glorifies the Son. So Jesus is to be our passion. His life, ministry, teachings, death, resurrection and triumph over the destructive powers of darkness must always be our focus.
4. The Word of Christ Dwelling Richly in and among us. Authenticity is the life of Christ’s followers, individually and corporately being not only knowledgeable of, but formed and transformed by the teachings of Jesus. This is to be a living reality for all of us who are Christ’s followers.
5. A Priority on the Ministry of Prayer. This is our dynamic communion with the God who has called us. Note that the New Testament church didn’t have huge organization, or worship services, etc. They knew that they could not do what they were called to do without constant communion with the God who called. They prayed without ceasing.
6. One Another Love. “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples in that you love one another.
7. The Radical and Subversive Thinking and Living of God’s Kingdom People. The teachings of Jesus (Sermon on the Mount, et al) are not optional, or safe, but rather counter-cultural and disruptive of the present order of things.
8. The Mission of God. “This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the earth …” The authentic Christian person (and community) is reproductive and creates ineluctably the next generation of disciples who are authentic.