From the iMonk Archive: The “Happy Enough” Protestant

MOD: This discussion has degenerated into the usual “my side v. your side” dirt clod fight. Unfortunately, this shows some of us have missed or forgotten the spirit of the original post. Go back and read it again, folks. I can celebrate my tradition and the good, biblical aspects of it, without having to denigrate yours. Comments are closed.

Today we revisit a classic IM post Michael wrote in March 2008.

Because I’ve been wrestling with Protestant/Catholic issues throughout this past year, I receive a lot of email from those who have moved outside of their lifelong evangelicalism and somewhere within sight of the catholic tradition, if not the Roman Catholic church.

Some of that mail takes me to blogs and the writing of people who are in a tortured state of mind and heart. Some are ministers strongly drawn to Roman Catholicism. They have read Hahn and Howard. They are listening to The Coming Home Network on EWTN. They are tired of evangelicalism’s circus atmosphere, its deficits and its many problems.

The unity, antiquity and beauty of Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy stand in stark contrast to the divisions, innovations and shallowness of evangelicalism. I have no problem understanding this attraction. It seems that Luther made a terrible mistake, and every person who “goes home” can take satisfaction in healing that historically disastrous and unnecessary rift. Continue reading “From the iMonk Archive: The “Happy Enough” Protestant”

Book Review: Welcoming Justice

Today’s review is by Ryan Cordle, Michael Spencer’s son-in-law. Thanks, Ryan!

For two years I have worked at a ministry as a high school teacher. In these couple of years I have seen how God’s movement for reconciling people is real. At our school, we have students from everywhere, quite literally. Our kids come from all over North America, and from Africa, Asia and Europe. The historical significance of what I see on a daily basis is not lost on me. We have African American students who share rooms, meals, and time with their best friends who happen to be white. I have seen Korean students forget their racial prejudices with which they were raised, and act charitably toward their Japanese classmates. There is no explanation as to why this happens except that God is working.

In Welcoming Justice: God’s Movement Toward Beloved Community, Charles Marsh and John Perkins join an impressive list of authors, which includes Stanley Hauerwas, Jean Vanier, Emmanuel Katongole, and Chris Rice, who have written as part of Duke’s Center for Reconciliation book series published by IVP. The goal of the series is to theologically and practically explore reconciliation. Naturally with Marsh and Perkins as authors, Welcoming Justice gives insight into the necessary racial reconciliation that should sit at the top of any American church’s agenda.

Marsh and Perkins alternate chapters in the book, as is the case in the other two books in this series, which seek to give equal time to both an academic and a person doing reconciliation work on the field. Perkins comes across to the reader as nothing short of a sagacious prophet, who is graciously sharing his wisdom with the world. His anecdotes are at once enjoyable, and theologically dynamic.

Marsh summarizes Perkins’ powerful work, “…(Perkins) shows us to read the Bible faithfully is to read the Bible as the comprehensive divine plan of human liberation from the perspective of God’s Kingdom” (106). For Perkins, we must realize that God will move through broken communities in broken places in order to fulfill his divine plan. Therefore, reconciliation must start with brokenness, and it must find its source of power in community through the Holy Spirit.

I pray that the series of books IVP and Duke are producing will become standard reading for pastoral students, and for those with any heart for Christian community. I believe the upcoming generation of (Post-)Evangelicals will do a lot of great things in showing the world that the church can lead by example in the relationship between races. In a world where brokenness is real, the only power the church has is to offer the healing love of Jesus. Perkins and Marsh communicate this clearly, and I can think of no better voices for young Evangelicals to learn from in the field of reconciliation.

UPDATE: Another Look at Visitation

Back during Advent, I put up a post on one of my favorite Gospel words: visit.

I encourage you to go back and read it HERE.

In that post, I made this comment: “I think it is what pastors and Christian people used to do, what they were expected to do. But something changed in the church.”

Over at the Out of Ur blog today, Collin Hansen cites and comments on a recent report that shows just how far we’ve come from those days when visitation, and pastoral visitation in particular, was considered an essential part of ministerial work.

Go read his observations, and then return to comment.

Continue reading “UPDATE: Another Look at Visitation”

I Am the Least of These

I heard it again in church today. Last week, it was in our church bulletin, used to announce a youth mission project. It is the poster passage for all manner of missions and social justice ministries. How can you go wrong with a text that epitomized Mother Teresa, the very Scripture by which she herself defined her own ministry?

You know it. The last day. The final judgment. The Son of Man seated on his throne in judgment. All nations gathered before him. Sheep and goats. Left hand, right hand. Those who inherit the kingdom. Those who hear the most horrifying words, “Depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

What makes the difference?

“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

When did we do this?

“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35-40)

And so, as the pastor exhorted us this morning, Christians must have a “least of these” mindset. Like Jesus, who came to proclaim good news to the poor, release to prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed (Luke 4:18), even so his followers must humble themselves to reach out to the neediest of our neighbors and serve them with the Savior’s love.

This passage is so stirring, so stimulating to the imagination, so sobering in its implications, that one cannot help but pause to take stock of one’s own life in its light.

Except…

Except that I am convinced we have it all wrong.

Continue reading “I Am the Least of These”

Increasing Marriage Age and Its Implications

COMMENTS NOW CLOSED.

Today’s guest post is from IM First Officer Michael Bell.

Moderator Note:

This is Chaplain Mike.  After a couple days of spirited discussion, allow me make a few comments here.

First, thank you to Michael Bell for a thoughtful and provocative topic and presentation.

Second, I’ve allowed this to go on without much moderation or comment because doing so has clearly shown how chaotic the situation is in society and the church with regard to this issue.

Third, I too thought there would be more conservative voices expressing strong views.

Fourth, at least one thing is clear. We are all sexual sinners, and we know it today perhaps better than at any time in history. And those of us who are Christians, who supposedly believe the Bible and are committed to its moral and ethical teachings, are in the unenviable position of trying to figure out what to do after we’ve already let the proverbial horse out of the barn in terms of capitulating to culture. The church needs some profoundly wise and winsome leaders to help us through this mess.

Fifth, another aspect of this whole discussion that has gone untouched is the role  technology plays in the sexualization of our lives and culture. I don’t believe the human heart has changed over the years, but folks, we have been literally inundated by tidal waves of social change simply because of what advances in technology have made possible over the last 30-40 years. Anyone else remember when the only published nudity or graphic sexuality available was hidden behind the counter or shown in some grungy theater in the vice district?

I mean, think about this for a few moments: If you were a kid growing up today, what would you think is “normal” with regard to this subject? And as for solutions, short of taking up Amish or monastic lifestyles, how in the world can we ever hope to fight what has become the very atmosphere in which we live?

Finally, I hope my light hand on this discussion hasn’t given anyone the idea that IM is a free-for-all. It’s not. There are rules, and you can read them here (see faq #10).

Thanks again for your participation. Continue to pray for Michael Spencer. And please pray for me that I will do an adequate job of helping out in his absence.

marriageage

I have read a number of statistical studies over the last several months that all are somewhat related to the same topic, that is, that the increase in marriage age over the last sixty years has serious implications for the church. Primarily among these implications is the increased temptation facing the youth of American Evangelical churches. Let me show you what I have dug up, statistically speaking, about the extent of this temptation and the resulting effects. Continue reading “Increasing Marriage Age and Its Implications”

Sleep on this idea…

Guest post by Chaplain Mike. Yawn…

We don’t have too many big snow storms where I live, in central Indiana. We are usually on the line between rain and snow, and therefore happen to miss both the drastic wind-chills and ginormous snowpiles of our northern neighbors and the early spring warmth and colors of those just to our south. We are ice and slush. Winters tend to be all gray and brown, and they are just long enough to give you cabin fever, just frigid enough to be miserable, just warm enough to make those of us who at other times in our lives dwelt in true north country miss a real blizzard.

However, we’re having a decent storm today, and I stayed home to work, glad I didn’t have to get my windshield squenched by one of our Hoos’yer good ol’ boys who relish the opportunity to show off their 4-wheel drive trucks in a pathetic attempt to scare their timid lower midwestern neighbors into a state of panic. This is a day when many middle fingers will be exposed to the elements.

Today’s weather got me to thinking about an article I read in the New York Times by Graham Robb a couple of years ago, about the way things used to be back in the old countries of Europe, when winter was truly dangerous and difficult.

Apparently, our European ancestors were much smarter than we are. They took the winter off.

Continue reading “Sleep on this idea…”

From the iMonk Archives: When I Am Weak: Why we must embrace our brokenness and never be good Christians

Today Chaplain Mike asks us to reflect on one of his favorite IM posts of all time, originally posted in 2004, one which leads him to suspect that Michael is, at heart, a son of Luther after all.

The voice on the other end of the phone told a story that has become so familiar to me, I could have almost finished it from the third sentence. A respected and admired Christian leader, carrying the secret burden of depression, had finally broken under the crushing load of holding it all together. As prayer networks in our area begin to make calls and send e-mails, the same questions are asked again and again. “How could this happen? How could someone who spoke so confidently of God, someone whose life gave such evidence of Jesus’ presence, come to the point of a complete breakdown? How can someone who has the answers for everyone one moment, have no answers for themselves the next?”

Indeed. Why are we, after all that confident talk of “new life,” “new creation,” “the power of God,” “healing,” “wisdom,” “miracles,” “the power of prayer,” …why are we so weak? Why do so many “good Christian people,” turn out to be just like everyone else? Divorced. Depressed. Broken. Messed up. Full of pain and secrets. Addicted, needy and phony. I thought we were different. Continue reading “From the iMonk Archives: When I Am Weak: Why we must embrace our brokenness and never be good Christians”

How Many Do You Have?

Today’s guest blogger is Pat K. Entering a new year for evangelicals usually brings with it new resolutions to read the Bible more. Pat has some good questions, thoughts, and suggestions about this. This is where the rubber of “sola scriptura” meets the road of what we actually do with the Bible.

The above picture shows my bibles. Not all of them though. This is just what I could dig up in the ten minutes I devoted to taking this photo. It does not include the four or five pocket New Testaments that I know are laying around somewhere or the paperback version of the KJV that I could not find. I’d like to think I am an exceptional case, being obsessed with theology and all, but I suspect I am not. Most of my friends have two or three copies, and several have many more than I do.

How many do you have?

I’ll tell you why I ask. Continue reading “How Many Do You Have?”

From the iMonk Archives: There’s Always A Day Before

path2Today Chaplain Mike revisits a classic IM article from Nov, 2009 about our human finiteness. In the light of iMonk’s own unexpected health problems, this article seems especially prescient and poignant.

The news story is strange and tragic. Three college softball players go for a night time drive in the country. On an unfamiliar road, they take a wrong turn and drive into a pond — and drown.

There was a day before. A day with no thought of drowning. A day with family and friends. Perhaps with no thought of eternity, God or heaven. There was a day when every assumption was that tomorrow would be like today.

(Note: My friend Gary passed on after I wrote this piece.) My friend Gary has been the night dean at our school for more than 20 years. His wife has been in poor health, but he has been a workhorse of health. He’s walked miles every day, eaten a vegetarian diet and always kept the rest of us lifted up with his smile and constant focus on the joy he took in his salvation.

Two weeks ago, the doctor turned to him and said leukemia. Today he stands on the crumbling edge of this earthly shadow, looking at the next world, fighting for his life with all that medicine and prayer can offer. Our prayers for him as a school community have been continuous, because we never thought there would be such a day.

There was a day before he heard “leukemia.” A day of work, chores, bills, hopes of seeing a grandchild, prayers for students, love for Suzi. Not a thought that the journey of life contained such a surprising turn for him.

And on that day, Gary was full of faith, full of a servant’™s heart, ready for many more days or ready for this to be last one before whatever was around the corner.

We all live the days before. We are living them now.

There was a day before 9-11.

There was a day before your child told you she was pregnant.

There was a day before your wife said she’d had enough.

There was a day before your employer said “lay offs.”

We are living our days before. We are living them now.

Some of us are doing, for the last time, what we think we will be doing twenty years from now.

Some of us are on the verge of a much shorter life, or a very different life, or a life turned upside down.

Some of us are preaching our last sermon, making love for the last time, saying “I love you” to our children for the last time in our own home. Some of us are spending our last day without the knowledge of eternal judgment and the reality of God. We are promising tomorrow will be different and tomorrow is not going to give us the chance, because God has a different tomorrow entirely on our schedule. We just don’t know it today.

Who am I on this day before I am compelled to be someone else? What am I living for? How am I living out the deepest expression of who I am and what I believe?

My life is an accumulation of days lived out of what I believe is true every day.

Gary lived every day with the story of Jesus nearby and the joy of the Lord a ready word to share.

When the day came that “leukemia” was the word he had to hear, he was already living a day resting in the victory of Jesus. That word, above all earthly powers, cannot be taken away. It speaks louder and more certainly the more the surprising words of providence and tragedy shout their unexpected turns into our ears.

Live each day as the day that all of the Gospel is true. Live this day and be glad in it. Live this day as the day of laying down sin and taking up the glad and good forgiveness of Jesus. Live this day determined to be useful and joyful in Jesus. Live this day in a way that, should all things change tomorrow, you will know that the Lord is your God and this is the day to be satisfied in him.

Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: “Mere Christianity” Christians

radiomicToday, Chaplain Mike posts this Open Mic question on behalf of iMonk.

“Are the ‘Mere Christianity Christians,’ i.e. Christians who emphasize the smaller, more minimal and broadly efficient vision of C.S. Lewis and some of the early church fathers personified in the Apostles’ Creed, the greatest threat to modern Evangelicalism? More and more apologists are using this term (Beckwith.)

Several voices have used the term ‘Mere Christianity Christians’ as equaling enemies to a justification-centered faith and some even suggest they cannot be Christians.

Is this a real threat, or is it, finally, a coming together across lines to emphasize what is important? What choices does it prefigure or necessitate?”