When exposed, some play the victim by seeking sympathy for the consequences of their hidden sins on them …
But never openly confess, repent or ask forgiveness for the consequences of their sin on others.
If so, they remain a danger to all.
You will never experience viable organic, simple, participatory church …
If you fall prey to books, blogs and seminars promoting “how to” by those who “don’t do”.
Seriously, when it comes to “itinerant” authors like Frank Viola, Milt Rodriquez, Jon Zens and other self-styled “apostolic workers” who promote themselves as “church planters” …
You can’t learn to be the church from those who consistently fail to make it work in their own lives, home towns and elsewhere.
Break free of their extraneous existential agendas; their disdain for the plenary authority of Scripture; their cookie-cutter “deeper life” visions; their post-modern “beyond” ideologies; and their history of abuse, sexual predation, infidelity and cover up.
Because you’ll never learn to authentically be and do what we see in the New Testament …
Until you leave phony behind.
It’s easy to have simple church, community, mission and discipleship all figured out …
And tell others “how to” through books, blogs, seminars and online posts …
For those not distracted by actually doing it.
We need more people humbly living it and making it work in their own lives and home towns …
And fewer peddling it everywhere else instead.
God’s saving grace is freely offered, but costs everything to fully accept.
Forget this, and we pervert the Gospel.
Unless you understand Nietzsche, you will fail to understand Trump …
The misogyny, the boasts, the narcissism, the arrogance, the immorality, the lack of consistent convictions, the fascination with totalitarian dictators, the opportunism.
And unless you understand where Nietzsche’s ideology has led other nations …
You will fail to understand why discerning Christians are pleading with those who profess Christ to affirm your faith and turn from Trump while there’s still time.
Evil seduces many with the rationale of expediency.
Thinking the Great Commission says come find Christ in my new church …
Seldom produces real disciples or real community.
Go express Christ in existing community, however …
And real disciples and real church often happen.
In authentic church, there’s no single ministry or leader around whom everything is organized.
Instead, Scripture says that God bestows diverse gifts and callings among His people.
That’s why His mission for me should look very different than His mission for you …
And why there’s no mono-church in the New Testament.
To get roses …
You gotta work with thorns.
God is covenantal:
He doesn’t force His rule on anyone.
But neither has He surrendered His sovereignty to anyone …
In any aspect of life, culture or history.
Until we understand:
That the Gospel preached by Jesus is the good news of His Kingdom;
That “Christ” isn’t His last name but means “the anointed King“;
That “church” in the New Testament means the local representative assembly of His Kingdom in each community; and
That He never surrendered His authority in any sphere of life or culture …
Then we will not understand His command to make disciples of all who choose the blessings of His rule – including not just individuals, but also nations.
Some cast the nets, some build the boats.
In God’s Kingdom, no one person or calling is more essential than another.
Convenient silence – or willful ignorance – over exploitation and abuse of others by an inspiring church leader …
Is a damnable form of idolatry.
It sacrifices innocent lives on the altar of personal ease and misplaced loyalties.
God will not hold us innocent.
Moses warned Israel that possessing God’s promises meant slaying giants.
Some things never change.
We all want the milk and honey, but not the battle.
Love without truth is just as corrosive …
As truth without love.
Faith that’s not relevant to all of life …
Is relevant to none of life.
SPIRITUAL NARCISSISM
Sorry, but when your personal “revelation” of Jesus looks a lot like you, I’m just not impressed.
And when “deeper life” is merely a projection of your own postmodern proclivities and sensibilities, I’m likewise not impressed.
Radical? Hardly.
Really, didn’t you get the memo? Existential angst just ain’t that counter-cultural anymore.
So I guess you’re gonna need some new shtick …
Because spiritual narcissism in search of meaning inevitably leads to dead ends.
Scripture doesn’t address everything, nor does God choose to explain all things comprehensively.
That’s His right.
The plenary authority of Scripture, therefore, means not claiming more from Scripture than it actually says.
But make no mistake:
What Scripture does, in fact, actually say is ultimately authoritative …
On its own terms and contexts, not our’s.
MAKING DISCIPLES
The Great Commission is less about folks “coming” to find Christ at a meeting with me and my friends …
And more about “going” to dynamically establish Christ among others and their friends.
Christ in me, if authentic, should look different than Christ in you.
After all, there are no cookie-cutter disciples in the New Testament.
That’s why mono-churches, which revolve around one gifted man and his own calling …
Are an abomination to church as the New Testament actually commands it.
So stop trying to subjugate yourself to someone else’s measure of Christ, which is rooted in God’s unique gifts, callings and motivations for them …
Rather than His different gifts, callings and motivations for you.
Instead, let’s learn once again to function as the multi-part, multi-gifted and multi-functional Body of Christ.
Only there, as we learn to minister to one another can we mutually build up each other as commanded in the New Testament …
Through vibrant diversity in Christ rather than stifling dependency under some particular “leader’s” own abilities, vision and ministry.
Scriptural clarity begins with scriptural authority.
Those who dismiss the latter end up stuck with themselves …
And never seem to find the former.
WISE COUNSEL OR FRAUD?
It seems the only people claiming these days to have “church,” “mission” and “discipleship” all figured out …
Are those selling it but not doing it.
Be discerning, ask and verify.
Are their books, blogs and seminars actually working in their own lives and home towns …
Or are they peddling spiritual fraud at your expense?
It’s easier for a walking concordance to know God’s heart …
Than an existentialist to know His mind.
As Moses learned, it’s easier to take the slave out of Egypt …
Than Egypt out of the slave.
Sometimes God uses our frailties and afflictions …
As sacraments of His grace.
Those who embrace a so-called “Christocentric” hermeneutic join Adam and Eve in presuming the moral autonomy to decide right and wrong …
With the further hubris of presuming to then impose it on Christ Himself.
They’re still eating of the tree …
Plumbline Faith 