THE POSITIVE SIDE OF DENOMINATIONS

In  modern discussions about the Christian church, one of the most criticized aspects of Christianity has been the existence of denominations. Much of this criticism is well deserved. Denominations are often formed over silly, useless disagreements that have very little to do with Jesus or His message. In addition, denominational boundaries have often caused division, hostility, and discord in the church. Finally, denominations have often led people to focus on a legalistic set of man-made rules rather than the message of Jesus Christ.

So, there is much reason to be cautious about the subject of denominations. However, I think we must be equally cautious of abandoning them altogether. In fact, there are some positive and necessary aspects of denominations that are often overlooked:

1) Denominations provide structure: No matter how great or influential a church body is, it requires some form of organization. While many independent, nondenominational churches exist (like the one I, myself, work for) they still require a form of church governance and a form of accountability. Even if a church is independent, their church government is generally influenced by some denominational system of organization and most partner with other organizations or ministries in order to obtain more accountability & organization. 

Furthermore, the church body needs to be networked with other churches. The New Testament churches did not operate in isolation, they were networked with each other through an elaborate system of pastors, elders, and missionaries. I find this to be something that is lacking in most independent churches--a network of similar communities of faith who are able to share, fellowship, and encourage one another beyond the church walls. 

2) Denominations provide shared resources: Ministry is hard work and requires a team effort. The demands on pastors and members of church leadership are often overwhelming and time consuming. In addition, the cost of running a church is becoming more and more expensive as the government becomes less and less cooperative with nonprofits. For this reason, a denominational set up allows churches to share resources, opportunities, and finances. 

I experience this first hand as a youth pastor in an independent church. It has been much more difficult for me to connect with new materials, resources, and training opportunities than it was when I was working in a denominational church. My list of fellow leaders with whom I can bounce ideas off of have become much more limited and my ability to plug into regular training sessions and opportunities requires more research and time than they ever did before--because in the past, the denomination I was with provided most of the training and conference sessions that I needed. Even something as simple as choosing a camp for my students to attend during the summer is more difficult because I now have to decide which of the surrounding camps are most similar to the beliefs of our congregational teachings. When I was a part of a denomination, that denomination had its own set of camps in the area that I knew I could connect my students to that I also knew shared the values of our church.

I don't say any of this as a form of complaining because I LOVE the job and the CHURCH that God has called me to at the moment. I am simply demonstrating that such tasks are more difficult without a denomination. 

3) Denominations provide theological identity: Theology is a term no one likes to talk about anymore. The new idea is theology doesn't matter as long as you believe in Jesus and desire to serve Him. While I agree that Salvation is not based on one's theology--we cannot pretend that it's irrelevant. Whether we like it or not--ALL of us are theologians. Every part of our Christian is life is based on some form of theology. Theology is nothing more than our view and interpretation of scripture. So, the way you pray, the way you worship, the way you give to the needy, the way you understand the Bible, the way you live out your faith--all of it is based on a specific view of the Bible and thus becomes your theology.

SO, all of us have a theology...and we cannot be so blind that we can't admit that not all theology is the same. There are some major differences between how some groups understand the Bible and how others understand it. This doesn't mean that we should allow those differences to overwhelm us, but it does mean that it is difficult to find unity in worship, prayer, Bible study, etc. if people are coming from completely different perspectives.

Therefore, denominations provide a theological identity. For example, in my life and studies of the Bible, so far I have found that the Wesleyan Church provides the best identity to my own theological perspective. This doesn't mean that I find them to be any better than any other church or denomination, it simply means that their perspective of living the Christian life and interpreting scripture most resembles what I find revealed in scripture.

Often, independent and nondenominational churches are afraid or hesitant to identify themselves with a certain theological perspective. While in many ways this is a positive thing--it allows multiple views to exist side by side and allows each person to grow stronger from discussions of difference--it can also be very negative. If someone is a new believer or young in the faith, for example, and they hear one teacher say that they have to be baptized to remain saved and another teacher saying they don't have to be--that creates confusion and makes it very difficult for the believer to develop his or her theological understanding.

CONCLUSION

In the end, denominations can be abused, misunderstood, and can lead to unnecessary splits in the church. However, I think it would be a detriment to remove them altogether. I agree that there will be no denominational lines in Heaven and I agree that in God's kingdom such things are of little importance, but we are indeed humans. As such, we need a level of structure, we need a way to share resources and opportunities among fellow churches, and we need a way to form a theological identity. I cannot see a better model for this than through the various denominations we have. 

I will agree that we have many more denominations than we need and many of them would be better off if they merged together; I will also agree that many denominations have been overwhelmed by corruption and false traditions that have led them to embrace legalism or humanism over God. However, in the end, I believe most denominations have pure intentions are doing the best work they can to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ the world. 

The Weight of the World: A Christmas Message

As I have spent time reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, the account of Christ's birth this week, there is one passage that has stood out to me profoundly. The prophet Isaiah said something extremely interesting in reference to the future Messiah (Jesus). He said:

"For unto us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"

-Isaiah 9:6

When I read this passage, the phrase "and the government shall be upon His shoulder" jumped off the page at me. 

The message of Christmas is not just about the fact that Jesus came to forgive us of our sins and to bring us into relationship with God. He was also establishing a new kingdom--a new dominion. In other words, our human governments are of no comparison to the greatness of Christ's kingdom.

As we prepare for the end of another year and are preparing for a new one we are aware of exactly how unsteady and insecure the governments of the world are. From the inhumane atrocities we see in places like Syria to our own country's political division, we know that our governments are useless and frail. 

On the other hand, God's kingdom surpasses those uncertainties. We have no reason to be worried about our country's or world's affairs. We have no reason to feel without hope--because the future of the world is safe in His hands. He brings us security when the world can barely find it. He provides us with stability while the rest of the world is falling to pieces.

In fact, the next verse goes on to say:

Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,

-Isaiah 9:7a

So, God's kingdom is increasing--His will is expanding among the nations of the Earth and His dominion will never end. 

All of this should leave us with a sense of joy and hope. When Christ was born--God came near and dwelt among us--but more than that He brought the kingdom of God to us. So don't be bothered by the weight of the world, because the government is on His shoulders not ours!!

My top 5 Christian books I've Read This Year-- 2013

Here are the 5 books that have influenced my faith the most this year:

1. "Red Letter Revolution" by Tony Campolo & Shane Claiborne

This book deals with some of the most controversial issues in the church today and discusses how a follower of Jesus should respond to those issues. It is a very challenging book that asks the question--what would our world be like if we actually took the words of Jesus literally.

2. "Walking With God" by John Eldredge

In this book, John Eldredge teaches his reader how to have a powerful relationship with God. He teaches us you how to really hear from God and how to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is full of his own real life stories and examples. 

3. "Whose Bible is it?" by Jaroslav Pelikin

This is a very intellectual book which focuses on how the Bible has developed through out history. Pelikin traces the roots of the scriptures from their earliest oral traditions until modern times to reveal how the view of scripture has changed with each new group of believers.

4. "Christ of the Celts" By J. Phillip Newell

This book provides a fascinating look at the teachings of the Jesus through the eyes of the ancient Celts. While I had some issues with the theology of the book toward the end, I found the perspective Newell provides intriguing and it definitely brought me to a new level of Spiritual understanding. 

5. "Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith"

By Rob Bell

This book challenges much of the traditional perspective on the Bible and God. Bell presents a view of the Bible and Christianity that is dynamic and along with it he redefines what being a Christian really means. Again, some of the theology in the book requires much caution but overall I found it to be a fascinating and Spiritually refreshing read.

HOPE--The heartbeat of the Christian faith

In our modern world, it seems as if negativity, apathy, and being cynical have become the norm. Unfortunately, those thoughts and emotions have also entered into our churches. I must confess that I, too, have found myself thinking negatively or being cynical about something. However, I firmly believe that this is NOT the type of people God created us to be.

If nothing else, the Bible is a story of hope. It is a story of life in the midst of death--of healing in the midst of brokenness--of peace in the midst of chaos. As we study the people that God used in the Bible, we find that their world and their lives were just as harsh and cruel as ours--and I might say they were even worse--YET they chose hope. They chose to trust that the God they served was bigger and more powerful than the world around them. They believed that God would use the bad to bring about good. 

Paul was a New Testament leader of the church who was stoned, beaten, bitten by a snake, shipwrecked three times, and was imprisoned multiple times--but after all of this Paul says that he and his fellow believers were STILL rejoicing (2 Cor. 6 & 11).

Unfortunately, the modern church does not respond to our world with nearly as much hope and joy. The church gets worked up and angry over political matters; we try to create man-made ways of dealing with social problems and when something we don't like happens we are critical and negative.

There is no reason for a true child of God to criticize and make personal attacks against their political leaders. There is no reason for a child of God to feel hopeless and cynical about life--have we forgotten that the power that raised Christ from the dead is dwelling in every believer? (Romans 8:11)

How much change could we bring to our community, our churches, and our world if we as believers chose to trust in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ? The people around us are bombarded with negativity from the news, from their jobs, and from their own thoughts--BUT we are called to be the voice of HOPE in the world. IF WE CAN DO THAT--it would be the biggest form of evangelism we've seen. SO if you are a believer in Christ--make the choice to become a positive, optimistic believer who can see the good in every situation and in every person. Make the choice to choose hope--because this world is starving for it! 

Dealing with sheep and wolves

This past week a friend of mine who is another brother in Christ made a facebook post about a popular pastor/writer. He claimed that because this pastor had announced that he supported something my friend disagreed with that this pastor's ministry was false. To support his claim, he utilized an article he found which contained miniature quotes from an interview someone had conducted with this pastor combined with a handful of verses.

I cringed as soon as I saw the post. I cringed first of all because I have seen so many brothers and sisters fall into this trap--and second I cringed because I know the person who made the post truly loves God and was operating in what he felt was a Biblical way--I mean after all, doesn't the Bible tell us to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing? 

BUT...Let's think about this a little deeper. Let's start with what we know...

1. God loves people--not just some people--ALL people. There is not a single person that God is not passionately in love with.

2. God is sovereign--God is in charge of His kingdom and He can use anything and anyone He chooses to accomplish the mission He has.

3. All of us (including pastors) are imperfect. If we were honest with ourselves, we would all admit that there are beliefs and actions that we have that are not perfect. When we read the Bible, these imperfect beliefs and actions affect us.

OK...so then what do we do when we hear a pastor or Christian say something that we feel is in violation to the word of God. 

FIRST--We have to recognize that just because they may have an error in one piece of their doctrine--that does not mean that their entire ministry is false--if that were the case, there would be no true ministries anywhere. 

SECOND--We have to remember that ministry is a deeply, personal calling by God. When we have a problem with something a pastor says, we must be careful not to immediately dismiss his/her calling. Only God has the ability to choose the called--not us! 

THIRD--We must acknowledge that God loves that pastor--we must make sure that while we may disagree with his/her teaching that we respond to them with the heart and love of Christ.

We must approach these topics humbly. We must ask ourselves whether or not we are motivated out of a genuine heart of love or out of our own personal agendas. If we are truly operating out of love we are not going to tear down a leader on facebook or bash their name in public.

If you TRULY do believe a pastor is outside the will of God in his/her teaching--you pray for them. You fall on your face in love on their behalf. You pray for their followers and listeners that they will discern God's message through this person's teachings. Finally, you ask God to reveal the truth of the issue to yourself. You ask Him to purge you of any self righteous judgment.

There is no reason to turn it into a public spectacle because this confuses those who do not understand. Not everyone in the church is on the same level of Spiritual maturity and to bash another pastor over some random issue spawns confusion and when there is confusion Satan will create division. 

...and so I implore all of my brothers and sisters in the faith to think twice before you are tempted to tear down a pastor or teacher. Unless you know that individual personally and can speak to them directly about the matter you have no right to make judgments on his/her ministry. 

 

The truth about "Communion"

Communion or Eucharist or The Lord's Supper has been a traditional part of Christian ritual for centuries. However, recently I have been researching the origin of communion and its meaning and have been astonished to discover that the modern day concept of 'communion' is actually not Biblical at all--and sadly much of meaning is misunderstood. 

To understand what was really going on at the Lord's Supper we have to look at Jewish culture and tradition. For the average Jewish family living in Biblical times, everyday life centered around the family meal. Families would spend hours sharing, laughing, and just being with each other around the table. They didn't have TV or video games to distract them from what was most important--so for them much of their lives was fellowship with their friends and family.

The Jewish meal always began with a custom known as Challa or "breaking the bread". During this time, the leader of the house would say a blessing over the time of fellowship, break the bread, and then pass it around inviting everyone to partake. Wine was often served at meals as well and was used during special occasions to sanctify the meal. 

Now...let's jump to the Upper Room. Jesus is sitting with His disciples during the Passover meal. At the opening of this meal he says something interesting...He picks up the Challa, blesses it and says, "Take, eat: this is my body"--the bread is then passed around. Next, Jesus picks up the cup of wine and says, "Drink of it all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

So...what was Jesus saying? He was in essence saying that His sacrifice and death on the cross was the beginning of celebration. The start is gory and painful and agonizing, but once it is accomplished there is reason to rejoice! The brokenness caused by the fall of man is being restored. Jesus' blood has sanctified and redeemed us. The work has already been done--it is finished!

We are then told, "As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me"

Well, for a good Jewish audience, they would have "broken the bread" every day. So it would have been a daily reminder of what Jesus had done. Every time they gathered together with their family and friends to eat and fellowship they would have broke the bread and they would have remembered Jesus' words. 

Jesus was not starting something new--he was fulfilling something that was already present in their culture.

What does this mean for us? This means that every time we gather in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ we are to remember that the work has been done. Church should be a place of great joy and celebration not of dead, somber worship! The communion table should be a place that reminds us to rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Yet, so often we turn it into something so solemn and depressing.

The message of the Lord's Supper goes beyond a few hours on a Sunday morning. It should be present everywhere you are. In your family, in your work, in your school--joy! Divine joy because the feast can begin because the sacrifice has been made; the bread has been broken; the blood has sanctified us.

...and as Christians we need to share that with everyone around us. Because we can choose to focus on what was dead and rotten--sin OR we can choose to celebrate what has been resurrected and been made new. The choice is yours :-) 

I pledge Allegiance to...??

The other day I was teaching at a school during the pledge of allegiance and suddenly I felt wrong. As I began to recite the pledge like I have done hundreds of times in my life, the words began to stick out to me and I realized that I could not continue to say it.

For many of my fellow Americans and evangelical brothers and sisters this may seem crazy and unpatriotic--but let me explain.

The opening lines of the pledge read I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands...

This opening portion is in essence saying that I will devote my life and give everything I have for the cause of my country and its political system....BUT as a Christian I have made the choice to devote my life and give everything I have for the Kingdom of God...and as Jesus said clearly, "You cannot serve two masters, either you will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24, paraphrased)

I think that is one of the problems in the American church....we have pledged our allegiance to America's ideas rather than God's. That's why so many Christians are willing to support an unnecessary war in the middle east but struggle to give a few dollars to a homeless guy on the street. 

...and as for our republic...there is no doubt that I love democracy. I think democracy is one of the most beautiful and powerful forces on Earth. However, we cannot pledge ourselves to the voice of the people. Let us not forget: It was the voice of the people that put Jesus on the cross; it was the voice of the people that allowed slavery to continue so long in this country; it was the voice of the people that allowed an entire Native American population to be wiped out and dominated.

I believe the people should have a voice....but I certainly cannot give everything I have to such a thing.

The next part of the pledge reads as follows: one nation under God, indivisible...

In this part of the pledge I am insinuating that my country is in submission to God and represents God's will on Earth. This is not the case at all. How can I say that my nation is "under God" when we so easily kill our own people through abortion and the death penalty? How can I say my nation is "under God" when there are more missionaries sent to our country than any other? No...we do not live in a nation under God. My nation is very far from the heart of God....so I cannot make this declaration.

The pledge then ends with the phrase with liberty and justice for all

Again....this is a false statement. America does not defend justice for all. America is connected to an economic system which allows the few to prosper and the majority to struggle and suffer. America is a nation that has allowed other countries to be stripped of their resources and left in poverty while we sit in our wealth. The socioeconomic gap in our nation is one of the largest in the western world. 

We are a nation that is far from the ideals of liberty and justice for all.

***
The early Christian church lived in an empire where they had to give offerings to pagan gods or be killed. They lived in a world where they had to declare that Caesar is Lord and bow before his image....and they were martyred for their refusal to do so. To me, I see the pledge of allegiance as America's way of saying "Caesar is Lord...bow to the empire"--BUT I cannot bow....the people around me may criticize, ridicule, and be angry with me...but I my allegiance is to the one, true and risen Lord...not America.
***

SO then what do I pledge my allegiance to? I pledge allegiance to a God that embraces humanity in all its forms. I pledge allegiance to the fact that no matter how strong evil is, love and compassion are always stronger. I pledge allegiance to a God that brings life in the midst of death and who calls me to live for nothing more or less than to love recklessly.

Because of the that, I cannot pledge my allegiance to America....no matter how much I love my country. 

...but that is just the humble conviction of an everyday radical. :-)