| January 31
Providence, Rhode Island - January 31, 2010
Since this is the “state of the union” week I thought about the “state of our church.” After last week’s 30 minute annual meeting, that’s as good as it gets, right? But I noticed something far more profound than the brevity of a business meeting. The overall good spirit, cooperation not competition, the ability to laugh at ourselves “Now you may kiss the bride!” Quip of the year so far! I can think of worse to say about a church than they’re too stuffy to laugh anymore! The early church was identified this way: “See how they love one another?” (John 13:35). I think that’s the best thing about the current state of our church in the year 2010.
There are so many other good things to say about this historical place: our leadership and the laity are on the same page; pulling together, not apart. The generosity seen in our financial support; we pledged the budget. And the on-going upkeep of this aging structure, which is shaping up quite nicely to be as old as it is. I realize that anything I say can be corroborated, especially by those who’ve been around awhile and have something to compare it to. So you know if I’m “feeding you a line.” But if my reading of the positive state of our church is accurate, I’d rather leave “who gets the credit” to posterity, because I’m more committed to church health than church growth.
I firmly believe our church is healthy, if not big. No church has it all. To be sure we lack many of the tangible things the experts say you have-to-have to be a successful church. Like our country, any organization that’s been around as long as ours has will have its up tics and down times. But we have a lot going for us in terms of intangibles. One is, folks like to come here, because they come back. But the main thing is our resilience. There’s something to be said, for a church that’s survived for so long, not just centuries but millenniums.
What do we make of that? The Church has weathered evil dictators, majestic empires rise and fall, the planet cools and warms, politicians are here today, gone tomorrow. Somehow we survive ‘em all. What keeps it going? There will always be those with a low tolerance level for the church’s imperfections: “When the saints go marching out!” But I thank God for those who have more “ecclesiastical stamina,” and a more realistic understanding that the church relies on people and the best we can expect is varying degrees of imperfection. But that’s OK too because growth is acceptable with God.
Job’s friends in the Bible’s oldest book, made the charge that we hear often: (15:4): "But you are doing away with the fear of God." Another translator interprets Eliphaz' accusation: "See you are destroying religion!" Undeserved tragedies always raise questions, like in Haiti, with voodoo and the devil stuff. Just so, Job’s suffering caused him to doubt the contemptible creed of “divine retribution,” so there was more than a little concern that he was about to do away with the underpinnings of its limited theology.
Now religious people can wax very religious about their brand of religion. And their impulse to persuade others is never stronger than when they have to first persuade themselves. So! Job is about to destroy religion. And the archaic creed he questioned, that “God curses us when we’re bad” is long gone. But religion is not! There are things you can destroy. Cars wear out, houses deteriorate, clothes are patched, jobs come and go. Beauty doesn’t lasts forever. Nothing stays won. Whoever wins the Super Bowl will have to repeat. Churches are planted and thrive; and some die off. But God is still around.
You hear the echo of Job’s friends most often when controversy arises. "If you quit using the traditional hymnal, you'll destroy this church." Or "You’ll split the church if you try to welcome gays to worship!" I’ve seen churches polarized over trivial things like women’s ordination, flags, a soup kitchen, and even who should take communion or be baptized. But the church goes on. Thank God, this church isn’t petty like that. You can indeed destroy this local church, God forbid! But nobody can destroy the Church universal. That is not within our ability to accomplish.
My experience in churches all across this country has taught me that they’re always changing and they’re always here. I’ve never been any place where there are no churches. So the church is not only resilient, it is persistent and it is evolving. And that’s true of our church. One of the finest aspects of our church is its staying power. I think that’s as important as our unique heritage. It’s still here. And it’s been around longer than any other Baptist church in this country! You can't freeze it in one particular era, because anything worth belonging to is bound to change. Only those in the graveyard are static.
Something else can’t be gotten rid of is music. Our church choir has excellent music because when hearts are in-tune so is the music. Music has been around for a long time. It has changed–from Bach to the Beatles; Bob Seeger’s ol’ time rock and roll, Ronnie Milsap’s country, and Gaither-gospel. It’s all music, and whether it fits your taste or not, you can't get rid of it. Even God-hep-us Hip-hop! Music is resilient, but it is constantly changing. So is marriage. People have been getting in and out of marriages for ages. Some marriages are wonderful and fulfilling; others exacerbating and debilitating. You can destroy A marriage, but marriage is here to stay. These things are like language. Languages have ceased, but communication goes on. What’s true historically is also true personally. Who hasn’t known the same experience of Eliphaz? Haven’t you ever felt like somebody was destroying something of value to you? You hear it most often when we don’t get our way or we lose.
When I enrolled in college campus, I was a budding young preacher with all the answers. But my views began to be challenged and I used Eliphaz' words so often that the religious faculty didn’t call me "Eliphaz.” But because I resisted what I was hearing so much, I wanted to call down "fire from heaven on their collective heads!" They called me Elijah! I can sympathize with Job's friends. In one year of honest inquiry, intellectual integrity demanded that I give up biblical inerrancy, premillenialism, racism, sexism, and an old fashioned approach to Church. All I've got to say is, "Thank God I changed!" And that's what's wrong in our higher education today, too many get their diplomas without changing. They come out the same way they went in: "That is what destroys religion." Or education. Or stability in society.
What keeps the church alive? You do. This church wouldn't be here without you. Your commitment to this congregation, the love you have for its ministries, your time, your involvement--that keeps this church going. In fact, a church is only as alive as its membership. This church is vital today because of a lot of support that has gone on before us; but it's also because of what we’re doing now. And the degree to which it stays alive, depends on the commitment you render in the future. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of our importance.
At the end of the church year I like to observe Recommitment Sunday. Because I’ve seen the amazing power harnessed by those willing to make commitments to high ideals; who dare to set challenging goals, and are mindful of their own personal standards of excellence. Visitors are amazed at our low numbers; our small attendance. But I see lots of things to counteract that, like energy and faithfulness and acceptance of diversity, an openness to biblical instruction and a seriousness about the Christian mission, both locally and internationally. Things those who show up every now and then don’t see. But God sees.
What keeps the church alive? God does. Something greater than ourselves is among us or it wouldn't be here. Jesus set the pattern in the New Testament. Remember his conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi and Peter confessed him as the Christ? This is one of only two times Jesus mentioned the word “church.” Peter’s confession laid the foundation of his church. But he quickly went from being the cornerstone to a stumblingblock. Peter wasn’t the kind to exhibit the flawless character like Barnabas, or the intellectual depth of the Apostle Paul, or the spiritual sophistication of Dr. Luke, but I'm really glad he got the “keys to heaven's gates.” Because somebody like him can understand somebody like me! And because blessedness is less about perfection than willingness. He’s still “God’s rock,” whether he’s a cornerstone or stumblingblock.
Realizing that we’re all kin to Peter and whether we get it right or wrong, at least when we try, then we too are “chips off the old block.” When Jesus brought up the crucifixion, Peter pitched a hissy-fit! Yeah, you can even kill him, but in three days he’ll pop back up! Resilience. God passed that adaptability on to the church because the defeats of goodness are stronger than the victories of evil. And there is a power greater than ourselves that has hold of us.
We are not naïve. Our local church can be destroyed by the same thing that destroys anything noble. How do you destroy a garden? It can be done actively or passively. You can drown it with water, or burn it with fertilizer. You can pull it up by hand, or just leave it alone and let the weeds and bugs do it for you. A garden is destroyed by ignoring it. The best way to destroy a local church is apathy. To put this church into a decline, just live as if it doesn't exist. Don't participate in its activities. Don't come around unless you want to get married or buried. Don’t drop anything in the offering plate. It really doesn’t take much to kill some things, just neglect. Dry rot will destroy a home, a marriage, a vocation, your health, your local church. So we always hold out the possibility that this church could die. But if it did, God would still be in business someplace else.
John the Baptist said to the people of God who thought their religion was invincible, "Don’t presume to say to yourselves, `Abraham is our ancestor,' for God can raise up children of Abraham from these stones!" You can destroy a local church by your lack of interest, but not the ongoing work of God. God can “raise up stones” anywhere. But this church will continue to thrive as long as God wants us to be here. Evidences abound among us that it is so.
As it was in Job's day, all our theologies change. But our Christian faith continues to rise up within the spirit of men and women and say with Job, "As the Lord God lives...!" That not only kept Job going, but it also keeps the Church alive and gives it the resilience it needs for continued well-being. And against that, even “the gates of hell” cannot prevail.
Providence Prayers: (1-31-10)
Here in this house of prayer, where we can only learn to pray by praying, we pray for ourselves, as unfinished as we are -- we pray for those among us and the world around us -- especially those who bring with them a brokenness too deep for telling; some trying to sustain the image of a self that no longer exists; others jaded from battling one too many social wrongs; we long to have our imbalances corrected. So conscious of what we lack, awaken us to the worth of what we have: a savior to redeem us; the scriptures to enlighten us; the allegiance of millions; union with the church universal and faith even the speck of a mustard seed can move mountains.
Minister now to our several needs and infuse us with the good nature to smile, even on our worst days, the stamina to persevere when things don’t go our way, the courage to resume life alone when parted from a friend of many years, the grace to take responsibility for our actions and the humility to accept Thy forgiveness. Anxious as we are to take the long view, help us to just take the step immediately before us, knowing that of such the story of our lives is written.
Bless this congregation here on a hill that cannot be hid, and may we continue to raise a consistent, costly, contagious witness to the truth that sets men free...all of which we pray with thanksgiving thru Christ our Lord... |
