Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Cathedral Building
Pseudo-Polymath has called a Christian Round-up of posts on "Cathedral Building." He posted the first round-up yesterday and will offer another on Thursday. Here's the call:
I am not sure that the middle age cathedrals were such a good idea either. I have visited many. (I'll post about some of those visits later this week) They are indeed works of art, but that is the purpose most serve in this day an age. Many do not even attempt to act as a house of worship anymore and those that do...well, despite the great beauty to be experienced in them, one is forced to wonder if the congregants are there to worship, or just to admire.
That said, I think that the great vision that Mark seems to be seeking in his call for the round-up is something that the church should have. So what does Christ have to say about that vision?
What is my long term vision? It is that you, and you, and you, and you, and...can know the glory of God. It is that every man woman and child on the planet can come to understand the beauty, grace, and love of God Almighty. Sounds hard doesn't it?
Dern tootin' it's hard. And I think that is why we build mega-barns instead, cause that by comparision is easy. We can point to the building and yell, "Look, see what I have done? I built this to glorify God," we feel satisfied and we pat ourselves on the back, and we count the donations.
We can't really do that when we work to build a disciple. See even in our state of grace, we screw up, so that which is built will always disappoint. And more importantly, we cannot really take credit for building a disciple. That is something that is generally between the disciple and God, we pretty much are just on-lookers with a few comments.
Yeah, we need a vision, but I think it is a humble one, a small one. Have a vision to introduce one other person to Jesus Christ today. It is the toughest, grandest assignment you will ever have.
In the early to late middle ages, Christians built magnificent cathedrals. These magnificent architectural wonders took generations to build. The community constructing these architectural marvels had to hold fixed, in heart and mind across the generations, one vision of what they wished to build. America in the 1960's had a goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. That vision drove the cathedral builders and American engineers to achieve majestic technological marvels. A pilot steering a ship must have a goal in mind before he sets out or he will just wander.I am not entirely sure about this premise. I am fairly certain that if you asked any mega-barn pastor out there he would tell you "cathedral building" is exactly what he is doing. Not sure I'd agree with him, but I know a few and I am fairly certain that is what they would say.
Today's church is divided, but worse than that we are lost and wandering. We are not building Cathedrals.
I am not sure that the middle age cathedrals were such a good idea either. I have visited many. (I'll post about some of those visits later this week) They are indeed works of art, but that is the purpose most serve in this day an age. Many do not even attempt to act as a house of worship anymore and those that do...well, despite the great beauty to be experienced in them, one is forced to wonder if the congregants are there to worship, or just to admire.
That said, I think that the great vision that Mark seems to be seeking in his call for the round-up is something that the church should have. So what does Christ have to say about that vision?
Matthew 16:18Jesus said that He would build His church on a person and He commissioned us to make people into disciples.
"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.
Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
What is my long term vision? It is that you, and you, and you, and you, and...can know the glory of God. It is that every man woman and child on the planet can come to understand the beauty, grace, and love of God Almighty. Sounds hard doesn't it?
Dern tootin' it's hard. And I think that is why we build mega-barns instead, cause that by comparision is easy. We can point to the building and yell, "Look, see what I have done? I built this to glorify God," we feel satisfied and we pat ourselves on the back, and we count the donations.
We can't really do that when we work to build a disciple. See even in our state of grace, we screw up, so that which is built will always disappoint. And more importantly, we cannot really take credit for building a disciple. That is something that is generally between the disciple and God, we pretty much are just on-lookers with a few comments.
Yeah, we need a vision, but I think it is a humble one, a small one. Have a vision to introduce one other person to Jesus Christ today. It is the toughest, grandest assignment you will ever have.
