A friend passed along a sermon by Greg Boyd who was on an indefinite leave of absence from pastoring a large church. He expresses his crisis of faith:
My present crisis was precipitated precisely because the clearer I¹ve gotten about the profound significance of the kingdom, the foggier I¹ve gotten about the relationship that exists between it and the church.
To be more specific, I¹ve discovered it¹s not terribly hard to build and run a mega church. Anyone with the right set of skills can do it. But it¹s not clear that building a church in and of itself has any kingdom value. One could just be constructing another religious carnival to entertain American religious thrill seekers. One could be feeding the beast of the American consumer mindset that wants more than anything else to use Jesus as a means of improving our already overly-privileged lives. The question I am presently wrestling with, therefore, is how can we ³do church² in a way that cuts through all this American religious excrement and actually advances the kingdom of God. That is a much more difficult question to answer than how to build and run a church!
Greg hits the nail on the head here. He goes on to say that we must be very clear about what the kingdom of God is lest we confuse it with our own cultural conditioning. "We then delude ourselves into thinking we¹re advancing the kingdom of God when, in fact, we¹re only advancing ourselves."
So how do we become clear about what the Kingdom actually is? Greg says it well: "Jesus is depicted as the perfect embodiment, the incarnation of the kingdom of God."
Only to the extent that we act as Jesus acted, dying for those who despised him, are we authentically his body. Only to the extent that we sacrifice our lives for others, whether they be enemies or friends, can we claim that the kingdom is present in us. Only to the extent that we replicate the sacrificial love of Calvary for the homeless, the sick, the rejected, the oppressed and for prisoners, do we belong to the kingdom of God, as Jesus taught (Mt 25).
From the distinct perspective of the kingdom of God, all the profound knowledge we might ever acquire and dispense to others is nothing more than a ³clanging cymbal² if it isn¹t motivated by and doesn¹t result in communicating Calvary-quality love (I Cor. 13:1-4). All the ³true doctrines² we might believe, all the pious talk and religious activity we might ever engage in, all the theological debates we might ever win and all the great revivals we might ever hold are altogether worthless, devoid of any kingdom significance, if they aren¹t motivated by and don¹t result in love defined as Jesus Christ dying on the cross.
Only to the extent that we bleed out of love for others in what we do does anything we do manifest the dome in which God is king. This is as simple as it is challenging. It is as obvious as it is obviously absent from the Church.
In short, the true kingdom life is one that lives and breathes "Calvary-like love."
Sadly, Greg points out, that although this kind of love is the litmus test of our Christian life, few Christians exemplify this. HOWEVER, his own personal challenge is to NOT look at others but simply determine to personally live that Calvary-quality love moment by moment. In other words, the kingdom life begins by pointing at ourself, not others.
Will I live in love, as Christ loved me and gave himself for me? Am I willing to bleed for others? Will I wash the feet of prostitutes and even more challenging for me personally, the feet of Pharisees?
Awesome thoughts… yet Greg surprised me by saying that he decided to go back to pastoring a mega-church in order to live the kingdom life out within that context. It’s not up to me to judge the decision of another, but I do want to use this entire context to pose an important question:
Can we live out Calvary-like love within systems and cultures that are, by nature, unloving? Perhaps the reason that so few Christians live lives of kingdom love is because we are so heavily committed to church systems that are so dysfunctional that love finds it difficult, if not nearly impossible, to break through.
I want to be careful here because, like people, no church systems will ever be perfect. Nevertheless, in the context of living out lives of Calvary-like love, when we look at the mega-organizational structures that are sustained through business principles (and even small churches are set up this way)… and when we see the way these systems themselves defy the very essence of love… I simply want to ask… Can’t we do better? Doesn’t it matter that the systems and organizations we are committed to make living kingdom-love so, dog-gone difficult?
Didn’t Greg make a very important point back at the beginning when he said, "Can we ‘do church’ in a way that cuts through all this American religious excrement and actually advances the kingdom of God?"
God, I hope to some degree we can!!!
Comments
16 responses to “That Which Has True Kingdom Value… Love”
I believe there are better ways to live lives of Kingdom love than the institutional churches (IC). I’ve seen it, lived it and others have lived it in front of me. However, I think it is very difficult to go into the IC and do this. Mostly because of the way the IC is set up and run. So much is tradition, so much is religion, so much is unquestioned, so much is assumed, so much is forgotten, so much is missed that when one (or several) bring this type of thing into the IC it is often mistaken for being radical (in a negative sense), or frightening or something like that. I can’t quite put it into words right now, but it is not well received by most, primarily because it is different. I would say primarily because it makes those who claim to be spiritually mature look bad because they are not doing this and therefore, they are threatened and move into a defensive posture.
There are most definately better ways. In my recent stint in the IC, very clear was the huge gap between real kingdom significance and the IC. It is troubling, to say the least. I’m grateful to be moving out of that and into something I believe to be more inline with Kingdom values.
His peace to you.
Whether in a traditional church or house church, how does one learn to love like Jesus to advance the kingdom? Isn’t the Pastor (Greg Boyd) called to teach his “flock”? Maybe it’s just me, but his writing reminds me of all the past sermons I’ve heard in the traditional churches about how we’re not doing it right (our Christian walk)without ever showing us how…and where did this “religious excrement” come from anyway?
How encouraging to read of Greg’s experience and openness to share it. I am sure that many of us have been there, and are working out in reality what it means to “do church in a new way”.
I’ve heard it said, and I am sure that you have too, that the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting a different result. It is very interesting that Greg asks all the right questions and goes back to the same thing. Locally there is a pastor who had to resign from his church because of stress. His doctor advised him to do this. He was the last person I thought would be on his way to burn out. Interestingly he and his wife decided that they will not attend there for the next three months in order to let the other pastor settle in. This does not make sense to me. At a time where this fellow needs love and encouragement and tenderness…. is the very time he is separating himself from the brothers and sisters he was asked to lead.
I’d like to make one thing clear…. this is what I wrote a couple of years back….
I’d like to talk about what a house church can or cannot do. First what it cannot do: It cannot build character, it cannot cause you to love, it cannot give you joy, it cannot bring unity, it cannot produce compassion for the poor, it cannot produce kindness, it cannot work miracles, it cannot create a sense of family, it cannot produce peace, it cannot solve your depression…….. or a hundred other things. The house church cannot do what is the Holy Spirit’s job to do and only His job to do. Please take this to heart. Most certainly a new house church can get the feeling that all things are great in the first few month, but as the newness wears off many house churches struggle. We still carry the McDonald’s mindset around……ie God will wave His magic wand and we’ll be perfect or have a perfect church..
Then, what can a house church do? House church is simply a wineskin that causes the wine to flow more freely. The wine is simply Jesus and His kingdom.
If kingdom love is the key doesn’t it make sense to focus in on people rather than programs. Why develop a form of church that necessitates our serving it instead of the people who are in it. Winston Churchill once said, “We create our buildings and then our building creates us.” We could easily say “We create our forms and then our forms create us.” The church is totally identified by its building and its form….. just going from IC to house church will not change a thing unless we know why we have changed…. I have so much more to say but this is already too long.
Would it be possible for you to email me the sermon? I can’t seem to find anything on the net. Thanks.
During a conversation I had with a friend of mine a while back, we were discussing the whole house church, small group, cell group, and other things along the same lines. I had just finished reading Wolfgang Simson’s, “Houses That Change The World,” and our conversation revolved around the book as well. I agree with most of what the book has to offer, but there was still one thing lacking and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. So my friend suggested that a new model of how to do church isn’t necessarily what we should be pursuing. Instead, “relational christianity” should be our goal.
Regardless of what type of church we’re involved in, relationships are the key. Granted some forms of church are easier to do this in, different models will most likely produce/facilitate different opportunities…but what it all boils down to is relationships; Our relationship(s) with God, our relationships with each other and how we invest in them.
His peace to you all.
I’ve been thinking about Kingdom Values all day. I have been trying to formulate my thoughts around “Calvary-like” love. Tonight st.valdez’s comments helped me put together what I had been thinking about.
I have come to realize that true kingdom love happens one person at a time.
If I start thinking about the “group” or the “gathering” I take the focus off the individual. I walk right by people who are hurting and say to the group “We should get out there and help people”.
This has really challenged me to reach out to people to love them. I don’t need to wait for a “percieved” need I just need to reach out. Too often I wait until I find a need that I know how to fix before I get involved. I wait until it’s safe. Love might not be safe but it can be real.
I have come to see in my own life I have no ability to love nor is there anything good in me. I have learned and am still learning to say a simple prayer. Each day it goes something like this.
“Lord I humble myself before thee knowing there is nothing good in me. I pray Lord that you would empty this poor earthen vessel, cleansing me and purging me of sin and breaking my outer flesh and the hold it has on me, so that by your mercy your pure and precious life may fill this lowly jar of clay thus sanctifying me with your pure and Holy life. May your heavenly life flow out of me, so that your love may be seen and your light may shine before men. I pray that your Holy name would glorify itself in my poverty that what is seen is something impossible with men but possible with you. And in this life yielded up to you I pray that your resurrection life would go forth out into this world from you the fountain of all life, so that men may praise you and know of your good works and of your great love for them.” Amen.
The pureness of heart we see in our brothers in church life shortly after pentecost came only after the Holy Spirit filled them and lived out His own life through them. Our journey I believe must always be inward as the word says outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Our precious Lord is the great pearl, the hidden treasure, but the cost is great to lay hold of Him. It will cost us everything, it is the laying of our very life on th altar, for in death we find life and here and only here can we truly find church life. This is what hinders us as a church, the cost is too great for us. We are constantly looking outward for the mechanism and the right people and right format because we are not broken enough yet to see that it lies inside of us trapped and hindered. I know because I’ve lived it and am still seeing how deep these roots that are called self still go. Self produces a powerful delusion in us, we cannot discern the will of God for we are choked by the roots of self. We must come to see this monster for what it is and offer it up to the cross to be severed for Good. Then the precious fragrance of Christ will be released in us, and the world around us will know of His love and the end result will be the pure expression of His kingdom life will be lived out with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. He will do this through us, Praise God!!! May we only see it and humble ourself before him.
Whoa! Great comments, great subject. i’m especially down with Frank D. Right on! I also love st.Valdez stuff about “…so much is assumed, so much is forgotten, so much is missed…” and why the IC feels threatened by stuff like house church. Of course they should, they’re an institution! It is the INSTITUTION that is threatened. Christianity is not an institution, that is what men have made it, for their own profit.(the true church is us, the “living stones” Peter describes) House church itself is not the “it”, as st.Valdez described in response to Wolfgang Simson’s book. The “it” is a person and a relationship with Him is the way and through that way, we experience real life as God would have us live. Great Blog! Roger, you better get in on this.
Just for clarity’s sake…when I said, “when one (or several) bring this type of thing into the IC,” I wasn’t talking about house church per say. I was talking more about Kingdom-love, being relationally oriented, as opposed to being program or traditionally oriented…that is the type of thing that causes most in the IC to feel threatened and become defensive.
During this past year, working at the IC, I never even brought up house church stuff with the leadership…but I did challenge the way the church (this church specifically) did things…things such as outreach, missions, ministry, service, discipleship, even their traditions or traditional views of certain things. But while challenging their way of doing things, I also strived to live out a more relational way, a more “Kingdom-love” way, and that was the rub. That is the primary thing that caused my time there to differ and stand out to those who were watching.
When something…anything Kingdom based is being fleshed out in front of others, it is always going to be different, scary, not “safe” or controlled, but it is always good, just as our Savior is…to quote C.S. Lewis, “He is not safe, but He is good.”
His peace to you.
My apologies st.valdez, you were talking about kingdom love and not specifically house church. I agree and it is very difficult to live out kingdom love in an IC because of the reasons you describe. I also think house churches will be treated in the same way, as threatening, because the of the nature of institutions, which are bent on self-preservation, self-promotion, self-prosperity, etc., which are essentially man’s way and not God’s.
Wow… You guys have been having a party while I was out of town over the weekend.
Great comments! I’m still getting back in the saddle, but I’m enjoying what’s been shared here.
I will forward the entire sermon to Denny and anyone else who requests it.
More later… Roger
A few addtional thoughts in speaking of living the Kingdom Life: as I pondered the difficulty of doing this in the IC and how the IC design basically undermines true relational/community living, I realized that the house churches or other ’emergent churches’ may also fall into the trap of institutionalizing church – (see Frank D.’s comments). This Kingdom Living flows from the breath of God, we can’t make it happen.
I think that if we strive to find any model or structure and brand it as “the” way to live this Kingdom love it will ultimately end with the same result as the IC has, for the most part. In any model or structure good can abound, unless we lose focus and take a different path than what the Lord has directed us to. The problem I see in the IC (no pun intended) is that it has been branded as “the” way of doing church for the past how many hundred years, by how many different forerunners of our “Christian” history. And now that this fairly new concept of “being the church” has emerged, as opposed to “going to church” it is viewed as a threat to the established version of Christianity, because our Christian sub-culture is so far emersed in the latter.
Relationships, regardless of where or what kind of structure we are in is the key to making any kind of life transformation in those around us. Again, some models may facilitate better or more opportunities for this, but the model should not be our goal.
In the IC I just resigned from (a few weeks ago), there are those who have been transformed, and some who are still being transformed by the fleshing out of this relational concept of being a Christ follower. They are a handful in comparison to the whole gathering of that church, but they are transformed nonetheless. I think overall that was the mission for my time there, to be Proverbs 27:17, fleshed out for that group of people who are genuinely desiring to follow Christ.
And that is the mission, wherever we are, fleshing out the Good News, the Gospel, not some form of Christianity, but Christ. Christ is Savior, not Christianity.
His peace to you.
I really resonate with the comments posted here. I believe that Christ reaches people in the place where they live. For some, this may be inside an IC, for others it may be in a house church, and for still others it will be on a street corner or in a crowded bar.
The reality is that everyone has a different part to play in this big picture that God has in His mind. If we stop looking at ourselves as if we are the whole recipe and start looking at ourselves as if we are just an ingredient, we may do better.
I used to think that I had to carry every person along to the end, but I have come to realize that there is no end, there is only a very long series of impact events.
In my mind, this is essentially what a relational theology is.
Man this site is refreshing…everything God has been dealing with me on…I stepped out in faith here recently and left the Church I was apart of for almost 4 years because what God was showing me about it and other churches was what you express here….I am beginning a House Church in my home as the Lord has directed me. Well the Lord bless this site, Amen