Is “Jerusalem” Still Relevant?

We live in what most theologians consider a “pluralistic” society. In other words, religion has almost a free-market feel to it, vying for the attention of its customers. In fact, the last time Western culture was this spiritually open was around the time of Jesus. Up until that point, Christians normally assume that the Bible consists of a religously homogenous environment. That’s not necessarily true, particularly after the division of Israel into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. I was reading in 1 Kings the other day and something got my attention.

Around Chapter 12, the nation splits after the rule of Solomon and Jeroboahm, the ruler of the Northern Kingdom, decided to essentially replace Jerusalem as the center of worship with two other cities: Dan and Bethel. One in the far south and the other in the extreme north. Jerusalem remained in the Southern Kingdom, available to those willing to make the journey. Of course, the echo of the golden calves and the wilderness narrative are too obvious to ignore as well.

After reading this, I stopped. I’m not one for allegorical interpretations of scripture, but the similarities between this time in Israel’s history and our postmodern religious milieu interested me. Other religious alternatives were now available to the people of both nations, both supported by the kings of their region. Even though Dan and Bethel were available, anyone could still make the trek to Jerusalem to worship God if they desired. The key was that the presence of God available at the Temple cult in Jerusalem had to be more attractive than the easily accessible sites in the Northern Kingdom.

We live in a time where the right to worship at the “Dans” and “Bethels” of the religious landscape are very much available. Yet, anyone can still go to “Jerusalem” – what I recognize as Christianity. But more than ever before, “Jerusalem” has to be appealing, innovative, transformative, and (above all) must rival the experiential elements found among the spiritual alternatives. It must be relevant and powerful in an practical level or else seekers will continue to look for something they can “feel.” Many critics have come and gone decrying the superficiality and triteness of seeking “signs” or “feelings” but honestly, the time for that is over in our pluralistic culture. It’s not enough to state that you are the best religious choice in some authoritative manner. There has to be more available: “proof” of experience and lasting transformation. Of course, as a charismatic, I welcome this environment – experience is important to me. Those who negate spiritual experience have plenty of reasons to be concerned.

The reality is that more than ever before, spiritual seekers have religious options, all maintaining their own validity and authority. The appropriate response to this environment is to responds quickly and assertively by asking this question: what does “Jerusalem” have to experientially give that others do not? That question…and that one alone…determines who goes to “Dan” or “Bethel” and who makes the journey to “Jerusalem.”

Our First Family Church Service

We had our first family church service a few days ago at the insistence of our four year old. She said she wanted to “preach.” So, we all gathered up in a room and sat down to listen. This is the point where things deviated slightly from the norm…

Claire Grace decided that we should dance as a part of worship before delivering the homily. So she went to get the radio player out her room. We all stood up and got ready to dance. Claire Grace turned on the radio and “Hot for Teacher” by Van Halen came screaming across the airwaves. Of course, Claire Grace and Annagale thought this song was perfectly conducive to practicing ballet, so we all began to do pirouettes to Eddie’s shreddin’ guitar solo.

Next, Claire Grace asked the congregation to do cartwheels for Jesus. The girls performed one each while Mom and Dad declined.

Finally, it was time for the delivering of God’s holy Word. At this point Claire Grace decided she’d had all the church she could stand and stepped down from her ecclesiastical role. Annagale happily took over. Annagale provided us with sound doctrine, stating that Jesus was very strong and that he lived in a castle.

Annagale then said she had a surprise for all the faithful attendants that evening. She held her hands out communion style and walked forward to Beth. “Oh, are we taking communion?” Beth asked as she reached forward and grabbed a pretend piece of bread and ate it. Annagale said, “NO! It’s a baby cat! Don’t eat it!!”

Seeing no other reason to continue out church service (with the cat-eating and guitar shreddin’ and all…) we adjorned for a time of personal spiritual reflection and a Digiorno’s pizza.

Methodism: The Extreme Center

We held a new members class the other day at church where we showed a short video by a Methodist pastor in St. Louis. In the midst of his talk about the Methodist faith, he said something that caught my attention. Describing Methodism, he said that our denomination was an example of Christians choosing to live in the “extreme center.” Now, that doesn’t mean lukewarm or unopinionated. Far from it. He was describing the willingness of Methodism as a movement to embrace both polarities of the Christain faith. Reason and enthusiam, grace and works, a spiritual gospel and a social gospel. Each of those examples lead to unbalance when not coupled with the other. It’s the process of holding all of them in tension that creates a healthy spirituality. And that’s what Methodism attempts to do.

Our staff is a good example. Our senior minister is a female. The other four ministers are male. Out of those four, two remain unordained by the Methodist church, but have extensive theological training. Of the other two, one is ordained Baptist while, though ordained, I choose to remain unaffiliated with any particular denomination. Yet, we all get along (amazingly!). And we all embrace the basic tenents of the Methodist church and work to foster relationship between our parishioners and the Holy Spirit. On a theological and a practical level, we have an ecumenical staff.

Another good example is found in our worship services. We have a distinctly separate contemporary service in a state-of-the-art building for at least half our congregation. We sing the latest Passion songs. People lift their hands in worship. Others don’t. You can respond how you’d like and everyone’s cool with it. We also have a formal service in a beautiful sanctuary where we sing the Gloria Patri. And here’s what’s amazing: as the contemporary service underwent significant growth, the tradional service grew as well. That’s unheard of, people. And both services mix with each other effortlessly in Sunday School, small groups, and at church night suppers.

The extreme center. People passionate about the same God while giving space for their differences.

I wrote a post a while back about how, througout the gospels, Jesus embraced both polarities of life as well. Depending on the situation, he sided with the extreme left and other times, went with the extreme right. The only way he could do this was to maintain an open stance to deal with each scenario as it occured. This allowed him to act in the best interest of the Father’s heart, regardless of religious, political, or social affiliation. He defied labelling. Though considered liberal in some respects (though that doesn’t always affect the local church), the Methodist church does this better than any other denominational group, I think. Within the Methodist camp, there’s actually room to question, grow, and rethink issues. There’s room to breathe.

Todd Bentley: A Case in Fundamental Attribution Error

For a while now, social psychology has been concerned with something called the attribution theory. It’s main emphasis is on the role of personal character over against environment. At the core of this theory is something called the fundamental attribution error (FAE). The FAE describes the tendency of people to attribute another’s mistakes or moral failures to a lack of personal character and integrity. In other words, FAE occurs when we overestimate the internal traits of a person and underestimate the environmental factors that lead someone to behave in a certain way. A more popular form of this theory is found in the idea that we judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions. The reason we do this is because we are aware of our own circumstances that make us behave in a way that is inappropriate. But rarely do we see the same external circumstance in judging the actions of others unless we really attempt to “walk in their shoes.” Unfortunately, that takes more effort than many people want to exert.

Why am I talking about this where fallen revivalist Todd Bentley is concerned? Because it’s a perfect case study. Granted, psychology is not known for its religious outlook on life. But, here, I think psychology can teach Christians something. The FAE occurs in practically every criticism of Bentley I see. He is lambasted for his lack of moral character and unwillingness to stand firm when temptation presents itself. All of these criticisms are overestimations  of Todd’s internal makeup. When we criticize him, we assume that these internal traits alone will keep him above moral failure. But the same critics underestimate external circumstances in Bentley’s demise. That’s not being very fair, is it?

The truth is somewhere in the middle. When criticizing Bentley, we commit the FAE the moment we refuse to acknowledge that other factors outside of Bentley himself contributed to his present predicament. This idea drives conservatives of every sort. William Bennett’s Book of Virtues should be all we need to live a moral life – or so we are taught. But that’s for people who don’t live in the real world. Other factors contribute to our well-being and our demise – including our spiritual life. That doesn’t negate the importance of strong moral resolve and personal integrity. It’s simply a recognition of the fact that oftentimes in life, when the rules of the game change, our behavior follows.

Though it’s a psychologcal term, the fundamental attribution error (at least for Christians) is an error of pride. Those who engage in it forget the basics of life. When Todd Bentley confessed his mistakes, those who dealt with the situation through the FAE only saw doctrinal error, moral depravity, or some type of “sin sickness” in Bentley’s soul. Bentley’s failure is a moral one – something internal. But a balanced and humble approach would realize that external factors like extreme public exposure, time away from family, lack of Christian support, and very small doses of “down time” also contributed to his woes. Those who commit the FAE will always villanize the person by saying, “I knew something was wrong with that guy.” Those who can step outside the trappings of the fundamental attribution error recognize that there’s more to people’s mistakes than original sin. They are more than happy to say, ”That could’ve been me if I was placed in a similar situation.”

I Guess Todd Bentley Proved Everyone Right…

Hold up there, champ.  Read this excellent take on Todd Bentley’s marital separation. Heck, I’ll just copy it over for you to save time: 

“For those of you who have been following the healing revival going on in Lakeland, you have, no doubt, heard that Todd Bentley and his wife are separating. If not, read this.

It was only a few hours after this announcement that I began to see several “I told you so” articles. Some who had been outspoken against the revival all along relished in the news as further proof of its illegitimacy are openly hoping this news puts the final nail in the coffin of the revival. Others who have stayed silent on the issue are now, with new (convenient) confidence, saying that we should’ve known all along. An example can be found here.

Didn’t take us Christians long to kick our wounded did it?

Ok, lets see if we can sort this out. Here are the facts as we know them: Todd Bentley and his wife are separating. And here is what this means to the body of Christ: Todd Bentley and his wife are separating.

Here is what this news doesn’t mean: 1) The revival was a fraud 2) Todd is a bad guy 3) Those guys that spoke out against Todd should be lifted up and praised (isn’t that what they thought was happening with Todd?) 4) Tattoos and black shirts are scary 5) Jesus slipped and fell of His throne.

Bottom line: Todd and his wife are separating. Thats it. No other information. It doesn’t effect you. We don’t even know why at this point. Why assume the worst? Why consider some grandiose conspiracy theory? Why seek this out as a way to prove yourself right? A man’s marriage is quite possibly falling apart and all we can think about is ourselves!

Why do Christians do this to each other? Simple – we don’t believe the Bible. Oh sure, we know the verses that prove our belief system. We know how to disprove someone else’s theology. We have those memorized. We can talk down the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses when they ring our bell. We can tell you all the stuff that’s supposedly going to happen before Jesus comes back. But what about love (1 Cor 13)? What about preferring others better than ourselves (Phil 2:3)? What about not believing accusations against those who have given their lives in ministry (1 Tim 5:19)? We don’t really believe those. If we did, we’d practice them. We’d hold them in as high esteem as the verses that say Jesus is the only way to the Father. Same book, same author. Yet, we treat those commands regarding how to treat others as secondary.

Yes, I personally have had some concerns about the revival. Yes, if there is infidelity or other agregious sin that lead to the seperation, Todd should step down and get restored. But let’s not hope for the worst in an effort to prop oursleves up as being right.

“I told you so” cannot be said in love.“

 

Christians, we need to treat people better. I think I said something about that here…

Does God “Need” Jesus to Forgive?

Okay, if you were raised in the church like I was, you got a steady diet of forgiveness talk, usually centering around the cross. Of course, there are plenty of atonement theories to wade through in all your spare time – I talk about those here and here. In most people’s minds, forgiveness is not really a God-like trait, but more of a Christ-like trait. After all, basic evangelicalism teaches us that the cross was necessary in order for God to forgive humanity. Though no one ever says it, we were taught that forgiveness couldn’t happen without the cross. In order for that to be true, any references to God’s forgiveness without Jesus should be absent from other parts of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. But that’s not the case. Curious? Are you squirming in your seat yet? Read on, my friend…

 Here are two verses (there are plenty of others) from the OT that express God’s forgiveness outside of the work of Jesus.

Numbers 14:20-22:

“Then the Lord said, ‘I will pardon them as you have requested. But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land.’”

This passage is early on in God’s relationship with Israel and though we assume that Deuteronomic covenant conditions dictate God’s forgivess/pardon of the Hebrews, in this case, it doesn’t. What is the deciding factor? Moses’s request for God to reconsider destroying the Hebrews. And what does Moses use as a foundation for the Hebrews pardon in vv. 17-19? God’s song. And based on his loyal character, God reconsiders and forgives. At the same time, in this passage, God does not lift the consequences of the Hebrews’ sin. But check out this verse…

Micah 7:18-20:

Where is another God like you,
      who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
      overlooking the sins of his special people?
      You will not stay angry with your people forever,
      because you delight in showing unfailing love.
 Once again you will have compassion on us.
      You will trample our sins under your feet
      and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
      as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. 

As God’s involvement with Israel continues over the centuries, his loyalty alwaysoutlasts the failings of the people. By the time of the prophet Micah, God’s “delight in showing unfailing love” moves him to a place of forgiveness. God (pre-incarnation) forgives without the cross specifically mentioned. Now, Christians love to read this passage as a future understanding of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus. But that’s not really what Micah was saying, is it? If we take this part of the Bible seriously, we must accept the beautiful reality that God has always had the ability to forgive sin. God never treats sin in a casual manner, but he does forgive it before the historical event of the atonement occurs.

How is that possible? Well, what’s really at issue here is God’s unfailing loyalty. Forgiveness is merely an outworking of that deeper divine character. Unfailing love breeds forgiveness. Jesus basically gives us the same scenario as the prophets when he describes the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed or not, but the term forgiveness, one Christians are obsessive about when talking of Jesus, is nowhere to be found in that story. Yet, there’s no doubt that forgiveness was on the mind of the father as he bounded up the road to hug and kiss his estranged child. That forgiveness is buried within the actions of an unconditionally loving father. It never has to be said. It’s just part of the deal.

So does God “need” Jesus to forgive? No. But God, after expressing that loyalty through other avenues like the prophets, finally chose to express that forgives through the sacrifice of Jesus so that we can grasp the incredible love of the Father. The intention was that though he may be misunderstood in the writings of the prophets and his dealings with Israel, the cross can never be misunderstood. All three persons of the Trinity we in co-mission at the cross, enabling, standing beside, and creating the greatest event in human history. Yet, somehow we still don’t get it – we create scenarios and a priori arguments of God necessitating the sacrifice of another to appease his wrath. And if you’re looking to placate and angry view of God, then the cross certainly works. But what about the verses above? They don’t diminish the beauty of Christ’s work on the cross…but they do emphasize the unfailing loyalty of the Father that has always existed – even before the cross. It seems God has been forgiving all along.

When Do You Say, “I Love You?”

I was thinking about this the other day (still thinking, just not writing as much…but wait ’till tomorrow ). Most parents tell their children they love them at a few particular times a day. Dropping off to school, ending a phone call, or bedtime routines come to mind. But these events all have something in common: they are departure points for interaction. Huh? In other words, we only say “I love you” when we’re leaving someone we care about.

Isn’t that kinda silly? Think about it – we only say we love others when we leave them. Maybe that’s fine for adults, but it’s possible that we send kids a mixed signal when we say that. I think kids walk away from that scenario unconsciously recognizing, “they love me but they are removing themselves from me.” Does that mean I shouldn’t tell my kids I love them as I dop them off at preschool? No, silly person. But if I never think to tell them I love them at other times, then “I love you” can become the same as “I’m leaving you.”

One of the greatest joys of life is catching your children by surprise with the words “I love you.” It’s great to watch that smile creep across their face as they realize you said it for no other reason than you meant it. And that’s a great feeling for adults too. The other day, I leaned over my four-year-old and told her I loved her. She looked at me with great irritation and said, “I already know that!!” Now that is a beautiful thing to hear…

The Dark Night of the Soul

I have all kinds of search engine hits that lead to various posts on this blog. Some are what you would expect. But probably some of the most common have to do with “the Bible and purging” as in eating disorders and such. Another group of angst-ridden internet searchers are looking for a way to “purge their soul” from sin or something like that. Common searches read something like “spiritual purging” or  ”purge my spirit.” Of course my blog title is meant to be slightly humorous. But these folks are serious. So, I thought that I might give some constructive thought about these searches between times when I have something specific to say.

First off, for all you bulimia nervosa folks, I’m really not qualified to speak to your condition. But I don’t believe that the Bible condones that behavior. Searches like that remind me of my nephew (and some counseling sessions I’ve done). He asks if something is okay usually when he’s already determined that it’s suspicious behavior at best. He already knows the answer – he just wants to hear you say it. And here’s your answer: God wants you to be healthy in every way, including physically. I know God can heal those who have struggled with those issues and been unable to overcome them through conventional therapy. Remember, God loves you and wants you to have the same image of yourself that he has about you: one of complete acceptance and unconditional love. Okay, I’ve said enough about that – certainly more than I’m qualified to say.

When I read the search terms for all the “soul purgers” out there, I’m reminded of a misinterpretation I commonly hear about the “dark night of the soul.” Ever heard of it? It’s part of the mystical process that found it’s full development in the High Middle Ages. And, no, the “dark night” has nothing to do with the movie.

Contemporary pastors commonly describe his stage to help individuals cope with loss or tragedy, usually insinuating that God is allowing this “dark night” to teach lessons of character and patience. I read a devotional email by Chuck Colson that said this exact thing a few years back – I think he used St. John of the Cross. So, it’s a common assumption, even among the best of contemporary Bible teachers. Although this can help people cope with loss by attempting find spiritual meaning in suffering, it really has nothing to with the original mystical use.

The mystic “way” is generally composed of five steps: 1) awakening, 2) purgation, 3) Illumination, 4) “the Dark Night of the Soul”, and 5) union with God. The “dark night” stage follows a stage of illumination where the mystic has experienced the presence of God in an intense, up-close, and life altering way – through vision or ecstatic trance or the like. They often describe some beautiful experience that makes them feel like God was just breathing on the back of their neck. The “dark night” is the time that occurs after that experience has ceased and the mystic must push on in faith towards union without the experience to accompany him or her.

When mystics have written about the grief associated with the “dark night of the soul,” it has nothing to do with external circumstances of loss or tragedy but rather the fact that God’s presence was so close they could feel it. For mystical seekers, nothing could be worse than tasting the presence of God and having it removed for a period of time. Their are distraught over God’s closeness, not his distance.

Now that is way different than having a pastor tell you that unfortunate circumstances in life have some spiritual meaning while God stands off in the distance as you learn life’s lessons. Don’t buy it. The mystics thought the opposite. They wrote from the perspective of one who had felt the closeness of God’s presence in a significant way. Their distress came from the prospect of not being able to saturate themselves in that presence on a daily basis. The “dark night” stage of mysticism echoes the cry of David in Psalm 51, “Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.” After being so close to God, mystics feel they might die without him.

I feel that way sometimes. When I’m in the presence of God worshipping him, I think, “This is home.” But sometimes I go several days before I return to that place of intimate fellowship. How do I know I’m overdue for some serious worship? My heart aches for it. To me, on a much smaller scale, that’s every Christians’ “dark night.” The beautiful thing is, I can jump right back in God’s presence – Jesus made sure of that. Though the mystical understanding of the “dark night of the soul” exists, it doesn’t have to last.

A Humbling Realization…

This week, I discovered a hangover from staying at home full time that I didn’t expect. In fact, I thought the opposite was the case.

Stay at home life is very different from the corporate world. Not worse or better – just different. Though it has it’s own tremendous obstacles to overcome, stay at home life does move slower than the office. No doubt about it. At home, I had time to be more deliberate with my actions and attitudes, particularly where the girls were concerned. To me, that’s almost by design. Time moves a little slower at home so that best choice can be made for your kids as each question you answer shapes their worldview. Thank God for that extra time. Like I’ve said before, that’s what makes stay at home parenting such a sweet gig. Of course, it’s a catch-22 – I’ve talked about boredom at home in this post.

My realization this week? I can’t remember everything. It’s not that I am forgetting everything. I remember plenty of details. The problem is that the information comes too fast. I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around the sheer number of details, dates, and names of being the family minister at a 1200 member church. I’m sure I’ll adapt over time and begin to unconsciuously filter the information by level  of importance/relevance. But right now it’s a little overwhelming. I also have a newfound respect for those working parents who can “downshift” with ease when they walk in the back door of their homes. That, my friends, is a learned art.

After this realization the first thing I thought about was my corporate executive wife. She had to deal with this almost three years ago and I had no idea how to help her. But more recently, I got to thinking about how many times I’ve forgotten details that she had told me previously while at home that completely flew right past me. Or, better yet, when I asked her for the same information three times over. Geez. At that time, she was going 80 mph while I was going 40. I have a feeling that I may have dropped the ball a good bit. She never told me if I did though.

How’s that for a good wife?