Faith as Entrepreneurial Belief

If Jesus implored us to be anxious for nothing (Matthew 6:25-34), then why do so many of us build our cathedralled lives around our drives for personal comfort? The whole of the Sermon on the Mount is that his people are a lighted city set on a hill squarely in the midst of dark depravity. It seems the whole of our experiences with church are efforts to turn out our lights so that those depraved zombies “out there” don’t find their way in here. Before long PTSD (Preferential Treatment  because of Salvation Disorder) sets in … and we hold even our own at arm’s length for fear they will cause us some measure of discomfort. We take up the Prophet’s mantle, “Thus says the Lord Ego, ‘Thou art a distraction and a disturbance.’”

Fear happens to the be one of the best of Paul’s disciples, for it crosses the trench lines of denomination and styles of “worship,” drawing us all into unity (See I Corinthians 1-3) … yeah, a unity of anxious wafes. Oh, that we of the faithful would venture out as Fear has so fearlessly accomplished!

Several years ago I witnessed an amazing phenomenon. The youth of one particular city were drawn more to a traditional Baptist church. Even the “hip” and “cool” and “contemporary” music of the “spirit-filled” atmosphere could not compete with them. Yet, the traditions of my Southern Methodist denomination have been pillars of cooked spaghetti, unable to support a temple of worship for our youth. If tradition was the problem spawning church decline, then the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Churches would have died out a long time ago. In traditional and “out of the box” church groups we find churches who are driven by fear and churches who celebrate Scriptural faith. Usually there is some combination of the two groups in every church.

My wife is out of town for several days for a business trip, which means our two kids are “in town” with me. I do love my kids, but I have to admit that I like being around one more than the other. In fact I have dreaded this time … again not because I don’t love my kids … God knows I do. I have dreaded this time because one of them is simply inconsolable at times … no matter what. Last night was not fun … to say the least. This morning was even less fun. I asked for prayer for myself yesterday at church … humbly admitting that I have quite a difficult time with that particular kid. I didn’t ask God to make the time pleasant for me, but to change my heart so that I can better deal with “that” kid.

I think I may have unnerved a few people. How dare I say such a thing about my kids! I am the preacher!!! However, one lady got it, exclaiming, “Now, we’re having church!” That was the point … to have “church” in such a way that we can bring our fears and faults to one another and lifting them up as incense before our Creator who desires to re-create us. Yet, I believe it is anxiety that prevents us from opening up our hearts of wormy-manna. “What will they think if I share this?” I unwittingly played the shock-jock again by calmly telling them that I didn’t care what any of them thought of me … all I knew was that I need God.

I also believe it may be anxiety which prevents us from entering the heart-worlds of those around us to help them pull out their worms. It is certainly not pleasant to catch the overflow of pain from hearts. If we’re not careful, that overflow may become a rip-current dragging us into their cesspools.

I have officially resigned from my position as pastor of my two churches in order to pursue specifically youth and family ministry. Though I have around 20 resumes in circulation currently (more are to flow forth), I do not have any job prospects. The normal procedure for our denomination is to announce a resignation during April, for the churches hold their votes of confidence in their pastors at the end of April. I announced my resignation in January.

With a very secure job (my people truly love me and I truly love them … more than they will ever know) … with a very secure job in a very insecure economy why did I resign? Why did I resign so early … the end of July (moving time) is quite a distance from January?

Faith. In our churchy culture faith is the same as belief. We celebrate the faith once delivered to the apostles … or misunderstand it. Faith is not the same thing as belief. I believe it was James that quipped, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe– and shudder!” (2:19; ESV). One “faith” group had as their tag-line “faith in action.” As well-meaning as that is, ”faith in action” is a redundant statement. Faith is belief that is driven to action for a purpose. That is the faith which was once delivered to the apostles.

Out of my belief that I need to be working with youth and families more directly I resigned. That is faith. Out of my belief that I need to love and respect my people entrusted to my care I told them early … so that we can work together through this transition … so that they would not have been left hanging … so that our relationship can be nurtured. That is faith.

There are those among us chanting the mantra “avoid the politics of fear.” A whole presidential campaign was fueled by the drive to avoid the politics of fear. That campaign won. Now that President is attempting to swoon the populous into accepting his “stimulus” package … because if we don’t then catastrophe will strike … the likes of which Chicken Little never dreamed. So much for avoiding the politics of fear. Yes, faith is the conquering management of anxiety, but faith is not the squashing of wisdom. No, by urging us as Christians to avoid the theology of anxiety, I’m not aborting the process of critical analysis birthed by sound wisdom.

Rather I’m asking us to re-examine our “faith.” Why do we do some things and not others at church? Why do we consider some things proper or improper? Why do we speak to some but avoid others? How about asking ourselves those questions about our lives “outside” church? What beliefs and emotions are driving our vehicles of worship and ministry? Are we driven by fear or do we run by faith?

Is it possible we need an oil change from the Spirit of God? Our vehicles would certainly run smoother … and might just run at all. Having fresh oil from the Spirit would once again fuel our city to light up a dark and bloody world. Yet, like I’ve been told about oil changes in vehicles, if you don’t change the filter along with the old oil, the new oil will only get gunky quickly. The Spirit can send fresh oil, but unless we change our emotional process filters (or allow him to do it) then whatever revival he sends will merely turn gunky (or trashy) rather quickly.

Remember the Parable of the Talents? Who did the master praise? Who did the master condemn … as wicked? At first glance it seems really pious for that lowly servant to bury his one talent out of fear of his master. What would happen if he lost it? It’s the only one he has. However, in order for those two who received by twice what they risked, chances are they risked everything they were entrusted. Again, they risked everything they were entrusted.

That parable teaches us that the problem is not in taking risks … it’s in not taking risks. May the Lord of the Harvest raise up risk takers. I don’t need to pray that he would send them out, because by their very nature of being risk takers, they will go out and do so passionately. May the Lord of the Harvest transform us, so that we might possess a faith made of entrepreneurial belief.

Revival: Part Three-”Expectations and Results”

We are planning for our revival, but how do we know revival is occurring or has occurred? Does simply hanging a sign outside of a tent automatically assume revival?

In one sense, yes, it does … according to our culture’s definition of revival. A revival in this understanding is simply a planned set of special services that involves an out-of-the-ordinary preacher delivering heart-stirring sermons. If one’s heart is stirred, then one is said to have experienced a good revival. Yet, regardless of the quality of the speaker, revival is experienced. It could be a good experience or a bad experience.

Another understanding of revival comes from Jim Wallis, a leader in the evangelical leftist movement. In a sermon delivered at Asbury Seminary a couple of years ago, Wallis asked us not to call the Billy Graham movement a revival. To his credit he did not speak against what Graham did. He in essence said that though Graham lead many to the altar at his crusades, this was not revival. Revival, according to Wallis, is measure on how deeply Christian people respond to the Gospel call to minister to the physical needs of the “least of these.” Yet, according to Wallis, this is only one facet of revival. True revival will happen when the people of God, respond to the evangelical call of God, take the Gospel to the streets in message and physical ministry … and … this is the kicker … the poor have their justice secured for them. According to Wallis … at least on that day … justice for the poor is the result of there being no more poor people. To Wallis’s credit, he does not simply offer a pure, 20th Century Social Gospel. He underscores the need for both message and ministry … sort of.

I think both of these examples miss an estimation of true revival.

In the first point, offered by my adopted tradition, the ability to plan for revival is underscored. This is certainly good. Whatever we call our series of meetings, we certainly miss the heart of God, if we never plan and never expect God to show up with something personally for us. However, this first example falls far short of the Scripturally robust picture of revival. My people expect to little of God in this picture, by merely expecting what amounts to a private, heart-stirring and heart-warming message for each individual. The mark of Christian faith is not what facts I believe in my head. Rather the mark of Christian faith is what I do with my beliefs for other people inside the church and inside the world.

In the second example Wallis emphasizes the need for revival to result in deep involvement outside the church walls. That is good. Wallis emphasizes that revival is more than a private heart-warming and heart-stirring message. That is good. Wallis said quite pointedly, “Christianity may be personal, but is never private.” To often in my tradition, we have abdicated our place of influence in the world, because we have only emphasized a come-to-the-altar-and-wait-on-heaven Christianity.

However, Wallis emphasizes that revival is only true revival when the poor are no more. This is akin to saying that evangelism is only true evangelism when there are no more lost people. And somehow the whole of the responsibility lies with us and our selfishness.

Thomas Sowell emphasizes in his book, The Vision of the Anointed: Self-congratulation as Social Policy, that results are not the proper target of social policy with regard to justice. For no person or special committee of people is so infallible and so omniscient as to lay out policies which will take into account all of the minute details involved in applying different but fair standards of policy that secure just results. The Almighty, in his estimation, is the only one who is capable of doing such an extensive job. Rather it is a far more appropriate goal, given our limitations (selfish human nature, human mental fallibility, etc.) to focus on securing just social processes … despite whether the results secure mathematically just (equal) results.

Similarly, I think Wallis is wrong in making the end of poverty the marker of true revival. Rather, I think a better understanding of true revival is deep and intense Christian involvement in society with the full-Gospel … without using results as the true measure. I’m not saying we should pay attention to results, for certainly our ministry methods can in many places be alterred and improved, depending on the culture in which we’re working.

Yet at some point “perfect results” are out of our hands. For there are two other players in our revival scenario. There is God, the one who ultimately builds his church. There is also the people we are targeting for robust Gospel ministry (which most certainly includes evangelism). If we take total responsibility concerning God, we deny him his power and claim it for our own. If we take total responsibility concerning the people we are targeting, we end up taking personal responsibility away from them and enabling bad behavior to continue. Thus, Wallis’s poverty-ending-result-oriented definition of revival is self-destructive.

Revival: Part Two–”One’s Appetite”

Appetite is a fancy word that concerns hunger. However, more items than food can be “eaten.” As buyers in our contemporary market economy, we are referred to as “consumers.” We “eat” goods and services out in the world. At one time consumption referred to a nasty disease that … well … consumed a person’s total health until death consumed life.

Yet, consuming is not exactly a pretty term. If you were to invite me over, and you heard the rumor that I will consume my share of food … a bit of anxiety would gobble you up. Similarly in the church world appetite and consumption are far from neutral. Mention the word appetite in the same sentence as “preacher.”  Immediately a picture of a large sweaty man in a tie-less dress shirt, circling the local buffet for his 6th trip … following his sermon, condemning the lustful appetite of the world … comes to mind … no … devours my attention.

Unfortunately in my current denomination, we love to condemn the contemporary church for their supposedly “entertainment-oriented” approach to church services. Yet, I humbly request my fellow traditionalists to search their own hearts. Are we any different when we come to church simply to hear some dude run his mouth in fits of zeal and emotion? Are we truly any less oriented towards filling our spiritual bellies with entertainment?

In approaching this season of “revival” there is the spiritual aroma of something cooking at the altar. Let’s make sure its our own selves, being roasted upon our own crosses. Yes, let’s come with a hearty appetite during this season of revival. Let’s hunger and thirst for more of the Holy Spirit in our lives … and for more opportunity to be vessels for him out in a world that is ravaged by the insatiable hunger of Sin.

Revival: Part One

Several of us are now planning for a series of meetings that are affectionately called “revival.” Simply the mention of the word brings up very familiar and warm memories back home of getting out of church “late” and playing wall ball or football in the church yard at night. Church at night … in the dark … what a change in routine!!! And oh the little sandwich finger foods!!! You can’t beat church food.

Yet, does revival mean anything more to “mature” adults than it did when I was eight? Perhaps that is not the best question, though??? The better question is not is it meaningful. For playing football in the dark meant a lot to me … and simply listening to a different speaker run his mouth and run up the emotions might well mean a lot to many … with equal depth of sentiment.

Rather a better question is a definitional in nature. Does our “revival” mean the same thing to the Holy Spirit as it does to many of us?