Monday, July 18, 2005
Amen and Amen
Pyromaniac wrote one of the better blog posts I have ever read. It's pretty hard to pull just a small money quote, but I will try
Secondly, there are places where the comparison is not apt. During the reformation, there was but one spiritual authority, at least in the west -- the Roman Church. We live in an age of Christian pluralism. Breaking away, forming yet another church, does not in the end accomplish much.
No, in this age, we need to find a way to accomplish true reformation, to remake the existing institutions in a manner that more conforms to God's Word. This is a much harder task.
Those realizing the power available in the church will naturally try to use it to their own ends, which in an age of pluralism will mean many perversions. I think the best we can do right now is to find those that truly do hold Jesus precious in their heart and band with them. Together we can become a shining light on a hill.
I like blogging because I have found more that proclaim a genuine gospel there than I can visiting dozens of local congregations. So, how can those of us in the Christian blogosphere become the source of the "reformation" Pyromaniac calls for? Blogging alone is not enough, but it is a start, much like a certain 95 theses.
Evangelicalism as a movement has bought that lie. That's why we have so many Fad-Driven® Churches and so few where Christ is honored and His Word obeyed. That's why the gospel is not only in eclipse but actually under attack on several fronts within evangelicalism.Just to add some evidence to his thesis, I offer this little tidbit.
We don't need more hype and activity and mass movements. We need the pure light of God's Word?"the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises" (2 Peter 1:19).
The alternative is a postmodern darkness that is shaping up to be worse than the murkiest spiritual gloom of the Dark Ages. We could sure use a new generation of Reformers.
The NBC network, eager for new hits to reverse a ratings slump, said on Friday it has given a mid-season 2005-06 commitment to a new drama titled "The Book of Daniel," depicting Christ as a contemporary confidant to a pill-popping priest.The question in my mind is how do we go about reforming? In the first place, no matter how apt the comparisons to the period of the reformation may be, there is a huge risk in romanticising it and having reformation become more important than the actual reason for reformation. This is frankly what I think is happening in much of the emergent movement.
Secondly, there are places where the comparison is not apt. During the reformation, there was but one spiritual authority, at least in the west -- the Roman Church. We live in an age of Christian pluralism. Breaking away, forming yet another church, does not in the end accomplish much.
No, in this age, we need to find a way to accomplish true reformation, to remake the existing institutions in a manner that more conforms to God's Word. This is a much harder task.
1 Cor 1:22-25 - For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.The first thing we have got to do is quit trying to "succeed." We simply are not going to attract huge numbers -- because the gospel is foolishness to so many.
Those realizing the power available in the church will naturally try to use it to their own ends, which in an age of pluralism will mean many perversions. I think the best we can do right now is to find those that truly do hold Jesus precious in their heart and band with them. Together we can become a shining light on a hill.
I like blogging because I have found more that proclaim a genuine gospel there than I can visiting dozens of local congregations. So, how can those of us in the Christian blogosphere become the source of the "reformation" Pyromaniac calls for? Blogging alone is not enough, but it is a start, much like a certain 95 theses.
