The Church Leaves the Building

Day 188: Ezekiel 45-48

Ezekiel 45:9: "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have gone far enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right."

That last sentence strikes me as powerful. How often do we oppress people? Historically, we have oppressed blacks, Jews, women, poor people, and numerous others. At our best moments, churches lead the fight to stop this oppression. Many of the first and most well-known abolitionists were Christians. Churches respond to calls for help when earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis come. We take in orphans. We run homes for children without any parents.

But we also oppress people. In our hearts. In our actions. We do it. And woe to us. God wants us to do what is "just and right." He wants justice. He wants righteousness. He wants morality. May this verse percolate on your mind today as you seek to do what is just and right.

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Ezekiel 47 is a meaningful passage to me. When Shane and I were church planting, one of our friends led a "lectio divino" over it. This ancient spiritual practice involves reading a passage of scripture aloud with other people and then reflecting on it three different times. The first read through you listen for one thing, the next read something else, and the third time something else.

Out of all the passages that I have done this practice with, this one is my favorite. This chapter talks about a river leading out of the temple. As the river flows from the temple, it gets wider and deeper, produces more fruit, and has more beautiful trees. The water becomes fresh the further it goes, and swarms of living creatures abide there.

What a beautiful metaphor for how we as Christians are called to live our lives. We are to go to the temple, for that is where we go to get fed, purified, refreshed--the throne of the Lord. Then, we leave the temple, or church, and we go out into the world and share with others what we know. The trees outside the temple bear much fruit, and we, through our relationships with others, do the same.

When I was a church planter, this passage indicated to me the importance of being out in the world for it is in the world that the fruit trees live. I was excited about this, and I did it with zest and passion. Now that I am back in the world of organizational churches, this passage still means the same, except that I also understand the difficulty that comes with leaving the temple. It's comfortable to be around people we know, in a familiar place. It's a lot harder to leave.

But we must. We must go out; we must follow the river out from the temple to the places that God leads us so that we can bear the kind of fruit he has already prepared to grow. Last week, our church participated in a "Prayer Walk" as part of our month-long Season of Prayer. We walked the neighborhoods of our small town. We prayed in front of houses. We learned more about the history of our city and the people living in it. But we left the building. That is the first step in a journey of becoming more and more the people God has called us to be. May you leave the building this week and venture out into unknown and unfamiliar places along this river.

Boasting in the Lord

Day 164: Jeremiah 9

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: "Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord have spoken!"

When I was growing up, I was taught not to boast. We were instructed not to boast about our gifts, our talents, our accomplishments, and our strengths. We were to be humble about what the Lord had given us.

Over the years, though, we were also introduced to the idea of spiritual gifts--attributes or talents we had that were given to us by God. A few weeks ago, we had an event for women at our church. We get together monthly to spend time together, and the woman who planned it for this month planned hers around this idea of gifts. What were our talents? What were our gifts? We even went around the table and shared what we thought our gifts were. Some women, perhaps surprisingly, responded that they had no gifts. Many others claimed that they didn't know what their gifts were. A small few were able to tell their gifts, but even they looked bashful and embarrased about saying it out loud--out of fear of boasting or seeming prideful.

This response about spiritual gifts is probably very common in church circles. We don't want to boast. We don't want people to view us as bragging or having too much confidence in ourselves. However, it is a worthwhile endeavor to figure out what gifts we have so that we can use them for the Lord, and when we do figure out what our gifts are, we can boast about knowing God. We can brag to our friends and loved ones about God's goodness, glory, sacrifice, and love. Then, we can delight in God and the gifts he has given us. God is holy, and he made us. And because he made us and loves us, we can boast about who we are because we know him and are loved by him.

Praise the Lord.

Songs as Formational Tools

Day 123: Psalm 95-100

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Psalm 95:1-5

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7a

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

Do you recognize these words? If you've been in church or listened to Christian radio in the last fifteen years, most likely you do. They have become songs we sing in our churches and in our cars. These words are familiar to us. We like singing them and hearing them. They resonate with us. We remember them. I can still remember many of the songs that I learned as a child. While I don't remember many (if any) sermons I heard, I do remember the songs I sang and the music I listened to. Many of those songs are still meaningful to me now.

Songs form us in ways that I don't think we're always cognizant of (I know that I just ended two sentences with a preposition, which is a major faux pax for an English professor, but oh well.). That's why I think it's important to be aware of the songs we sing--to really listen to them and understand what they are communicating. Are they healthy songs? Do they communicate the same gospel that we ourselves understand and live out? Or might the songs not communicate the same message that we want to be communicating--just look at my last blog post as an example of unhealthy and healthy ways of communicating the message of Jesus Christ.

The next time you hear a praise song or a hymn or any other type of Christian theme, I challenge you to truly listen to the words of the song. Do you agree with what you are saying on a theological level? On a spiritual level? On a biblical level? Or are you just singing the song because you have known it and sung it since you were a kid and, hey, it has a catchy tune? I hope we will all become more aware of the words we sing because we are being formed, and we are also forming others with the songs that we choose to sing.

A Temple Parallel

Day 87: Ezra 1-4

The Israelites are in captivity in Babylon, and the book of Ezra opens with the Babylonian King Cyrus making plans to build a temple in Jerusalem. We read at the end of 2 Chronicles that Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple, too, and my first thought is, "Why is this king going to rebuild the temple?" Does he worship God? And, yes, I soon find out that he worships God and he will allow the Israelites and all those who worship God to have a role in rebuilding the temple.

Listen to this passage about the reaction of the Israelites as they are rebuilding the temple:
"And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away" (vv. 11b-13).

Isn't the reaction of the older people interesting? That as they see the foundation of the new temple of God being laid, they weep. The second to last sentence suggests that they are weeping from sadness. Sadness over the former temple and its glory. Sadness over the time when they were free from exile and captivity. Sadness over the fact that this new temple will not be meticulously-made by Solomon like the other one. Sadness. Regret. Nostalgia.

Regardless, these elderly people are sad. Over my lifetime, I've attended church with many, many "old" people (notably, my definition of "old" has gotten older and older as I have gotten older and older!). But how often do we wonder what emotions they feel about church today? Things have got to be extremely different from when they were young--and when what they thought and what they believed and how they worshiped was a certain way. Even when they thought they were "right." Today, all this has changed has changed for them. They no longer look on these times as "the good old days." Those days have long past and some (if not most) of them tend to gripe and complain about the way things are. In many churches, the elderly are the most vocal because it seems that they have the most to lose with change. 

You've probably heard an elderly person talk about how too many churches are just about entertainment" or how "young people today are _______" (fill in the blank with a negative word), or how this world is going to hell in a handbasket. They view today's society as worse than when they were growing up (I admit this is a major stereotype), and they are resistant to these changes.

Whether they are right or wrong is not the point; rather, what I want to point out here is that they have emotions--real, true emotions--and they do not often get to express them. Either we don't listen to them--or we don't want to hear them--or we dismiss them as irrelevant to church business. This attitude of young people towards old people can, I imagine, be disheartening. Here you have people who have spent their lives giving to churches only to see the temple they helped build destroyed. And while young people are rejoicing that a new temple is being built, we must still remember to grieve with the elderly people who are sad about former times, times that appear lost to them--destroyed. Times when they were secure in their identity, in church, and in what they believed.

A Temple Meeting

Day 79: II Chronicles 1-5

Once again, the story of building the temple is re-told. David didn’t like living in a house of cedar while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent, so he made plans to build a temple to house the Ark and other items for the Lord. When David (through Nathan) asked God if he could build the temple, God told him that David would not be allowed to build the temple because he had been too violent during his lifetime. At the same time, however, God told David that He would build a house for David instead—a house in which the Lord would dwell forever. So Solomon was the one who built the temple.

When Solomon decides to build the temple, this is what he says, “The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?” (II Chronicles 2:5-6a)

The whole idea about building a temple is interesting. The Israelites wanted to honor God and to give him a holy place, even though they knew that He couldn't be contained in a building. They knew that the earthly building they created would not be near enough for the Lord, yet they wanted a place for their holy items and a place where people could go to feel closer to God. A special place. A holy place. A place that held history inside. A place that cost a lot of money but that was worth it because God was worth it.

Today, we, too, construct temples to the Lord. We have houses of worship where we go to meet God, to be closer to God, to worship God. We have churches where we meet together and commune with others and with Gods. Some of these buildings are elaborate and ornate, while others are simple and bare. Whatever level of the spectrum these churches may fall in terms of decoration, they all are filled with hope that in these places we will meet God. Although we can meet God in many different places, settings, and venues, there's just something special about meeting Him in a church building. God still cannot be contained in a building; He is too big for our roofs, yet we can still meet him there. How wonderful is that.

While we may not always agree about how to build our churches, how they should be used, or even how much money should be spent on them, we can all agree that when we enter there and gather in Jesus' name, we hope to experience the Holy Spirit, the sweet nature of Jesus, and the loving kindness of the Father. May you meet the Lord God as you enter into the doors of your temple.

Confessions of a Distant Descendant

Day 44: Joshua 22-24

I have to confess something. I have been reading the Bible for several weeks now and although I have learned a lot about God--his nature and character--I don't feel that I have grown closer to Him. I don't quite understand why not because of how much I have learned about this, and I find this rather frustrating.

My reading so far has taught me a lot about several things: the church, values of God, God's commands and His will, the stories of God's people, sin, obedience, and discipline. However, I'm struck by how our modern notion of "a personal relationship with God" was not evident--or realized--with the vast majority of Israelites. Moses and Aaron had a relationship with God. Joshua and Caleb did, too. Adam and Eve. Cain. Jacob. Joseph. And a few others here and there.

In spite of these few mentioned "personal" relationships with God, the majority of Israelites are not reported to know God in this same way--personally. Rather, they knew him as a group. Israel was God's people. God knew Israel, and "Israel"--not individuals--knew God.

This concept is extremely different from today's widespread views that Christians can and should have a personal relationship with God and that Christians are saved individually through salvation and not as a whole. While I have some thoughts on both of those topics (which I'll save for later when we get to the NT), I mostly want to point out this difference.

I'm not sure from where the contrast originates, but I have a few ideas. It could be a difference between the old law and the new law--the old law that Moses handed to the Israelites and the new law that Jesus instigated. Or it could be a difference between cultures--the Israelite culture and an American culture that emphasizes the individual.

Regardless, the fact that I do not feel I have grown in "my personal relationship with God"--despite reading scripture every day and learning a lot about God in general--troubles me. I'm not sure where the answer lies or when in the Bible this concept of individual/personal relationship with God originates (or if it's in there at all or more the result of church tradition). But I am going to be watching out for it as I continue to read. I'm going to pay special attention to the contact that humans do have with God--in the OT and the NT--so that I can learn more about what this means and grow deeper in my relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Growing closer to God is one of the reasons I'm doing this. I don't just want to know about God; I want to know Him, and I want Him to know me. I pray that God will continue to show me how to use my imagination to envision a different relationship with God than I have now and to see the possibilities that exist when what now seems distant comes nearer.

The Great Giveaway

Day 36: Deuteronomy 11-15

The idea of tithing, where one is expected to give 10% of all earnings to the Lord, is an interesting biblical concept that finds both supporters and critics. Today, some people follow this 10% Judaic practice and give this amount or more to their church (or other worthy endeavors), all in the name of the Lord. There are also some who don’t follow this ancient law. They may view this law as one that God gave to the Israelites and not to Christians, so they don’t need to abide by it. Others view Jesus’ comments on tithing to go beyond a meager 10% and give 100% of everything—all that we have, our whole heart—which goes beyond monetary giving. Others don’t follow this law because 10% is too much to give to the Lord when we can’t even feed and clothe our families.

Regardless of what you believe or what you practice, the idea of tithing stems from the notion of giving something to the Lord. In the Old Testament, people presented animals as sacrifices to the Lord. Sometimes they burnt these animals. Sometimes they ate these animals. Sometimes they gave the animals away to people in need. However they gave, though, they rejoiced and praised the Lord as they presented their sacrifices, and they showed reverence to the Lord.

What’s more is that the Israelites could even exchange their tithe for silver, go out with their household to the place the Lord chooses for them, and then eat there in the presence of the Lord and rejoice. This counted as their tithe. Here, the tithe would be a family meal in which the household reflected on God and praised Him for all he has done. See Deut. 15:25-26. Other tithes given by the Israelites were stored and given to the Levites (who were the priests and had no money of their own), the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows. These people could come eat and be satisfied. Through the practice of tithing, these people were taken care of.

Isn’t this how money is still distributed in churches? We give money to “the Lord” (or the church), and the church distributes this money in various ways. They give money to the ministers (aka, the Levites), immigrants, orphans, and widows. Churches are still continuing the Lord’s work, and the Lord continues to take care of His people through the tithes and offerings given by individuals.

At times, though, I have questioned what it means to give money to the Lord. How much should I give? Why do I have to sacrifice so much to give money to God? Where does the money I give go? Will it be spent recklessly and carelessly? Will it be used in the best way that will further the kingdom of God?

I don’t know. But as a preacher’s wife, I find myself in an interesting position when it comes to giving money to God: the money I give to my church indirectly comes back to me. That is, since my husband is a preacher and supported by a church that collects such money from its people, when individuals give money to our church, some of this money pays for Shane’s salary, our financial well-being. Is that right? Yes, we are doing the Lord’s work, but the money isn’t really going to the Lord; it’s going to a person (or a family).

Some people don’t think ministers should get paid, and that’s a different discussion that I’m not going to get into now. For now, I’m interested in the idea of how God commands the Israelites to distribute their tithes to people—to people who don’t have much money and who are in need of it. Here, God seems to call for the distribution of wealth to those who don’t have.

In our economy today, we have all had to make cutbacks. But how often have we thought about those people who didn’t have anything to cut back? Who didn’t have anything to begin with and are in desperate situations now? What have their lives been like during this economic depression? Deuteronomy 15 says, “If anyone is poor among your people in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need….Give generously [to the needy among your people] and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”

We already give a lot of our money to the poor through the taxes we pay. Perhaps you feel that the taxes you pay sufficiently provide for these people. Perhaps you have even complained about all the taxes you pay and the burden that poor people put on our system—on you. However, while you may want things differently, God views it as our responsibility—the church’s responsibility—to take care of these people. To give to them by giving to the Lord.

I want to encourage you to reflect on your attitudes about giving to the Lord. I also want to encourage churches to remember that a large part of the money collected should go towards those listed in Deuteronomy 15. When we give generously and do so without a resentful heart, God will bless us. So, go and give away.

Symbolism, God, and the Church

Day 22: Leviticus 8 to 11

Over the past two years, I have come to appreciate symbolism, artwork, and beauty in places of worship.

I grew up in a church tradition (Church of Christ) that did not have such symbolism in its places of worship (even the Lord's Supper table was used for functional purposes). No artwork was hung on the walls. No candles were scattered around to set the tone for worship and thus there were no aromas to engage our sense of smell. Windows did not typically have stained glass. No banners, crosses, or tapestries could be seen. The building--the "auditorium" as we called it then--was bare. White walls. Flourescent lights. A podium up front. The building was purely functional; it wasn't at all symbolic.

And this was purposefully so. The people who founded our churches, for whatever reason, wanted simplicity and functionality above all else. Perhaps they didn't have the money to purchase such items. Or maybe they wanted the focus to be on God and not on the human artwork on the wall. Or maybe they didn't want to be like other denominations that they didn't agree with who used such items in their buildings. I'm not really sure.

This tradition was all I knew, so I didn't think too much about it at the time. When I went to college, though, I began visiting a great variety of churches--all in my religious tradition--and noticed that some of the churches had artwork on the walls. Some even had drama and drawings during the worship service. It felt a bit odd to me at the time because these practices were so different than I was accustomed to, but I still didn't consider these practices in a critical manner.

Over the past two years, though, I have thought much more about the place of symbolism, ritual, and ceremony in places of worship. In our church plant, for instance, the order of our Life Groups went like this: First, we met together for worship, prayer, Bible study, and discussion. We then moved on to communion where everyone participated. Finally, we ended our night with dinner.

This may seem pretty typical of a lot of house churches and small groups, but what made this especially important to us was the symbolism of the practice of communion. We broke bread together as a group in Life Group, and then we moved that communion bread and cup over to the dinner tables where we broke bread again through a meal. We loved this association between communion and sitting together with others around a table--just like Jesus did in the Bible.

That is just one example of the many ways in which Shane implemented symbolism into our worship. Through this experience with the church plant, I have come to see just how important it is to me as I worship. And what strikes me from the reading today is how much symbolism and ceremony goes into everything that God does in the Old Testament. When Aaron becomes the high priest of Israel, for instance, God gives explicit instructions about the ceremony and ritual that must go into his appointment. Over and over again God institutes ceremony, ritual, and symbolism. If God thinks ceremony, ritual, and symbolism are important, shouldn't we think so, too?

Reasons I Like Symbolism in Churches:
1. God is the ultimate creative one, and including artwork, symbols, crosses, color, and the like shows how God has passed this creativity on to human beings. We can praise God for the creativity he has bestowed on human artists.

2. It helps focus our minds on worship. When we look at the beauty adorning the walls or the royal colors draped over a cross hanging on the wall, we remember that we are in the presence of God.

3. It engages more of our senses than just aurality. It also engages the visual sense, a sense that today's society makes more and more use of when we process our environments.

4. Symbolism in our churches connects us to the rituals and ceremonies of God. You don't have to read through the Bible long to see how.

5. God is worthy of beautiful things. Even though our symbols may cost money--money that we might rather spend somewhere else--God is worthy of this money being spent on Him. Just think about Jesus and the woman who sat at Jesus' feet and poured expensive perfume on him. Jesus said that she had chosen what was better.

6. It is meaningful. Symbolism brings meaning to us by making connections between our lives, the life of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the life of the church. Symbols mean something to people. 

I hope you will consider where and how you can find symbolism in the place you worship and try to make it meaningful to you.