Monday, January 08, 2007
Hitting Bottom?
One of the more liberal bloggers in the PC(USA) ring of which I am a member "A Church for Starving Artists" has writtena fascinating piece on addictions within the church.
(Disclaimer: I do not know the person that writes the blog I have just quoted. Anything that departs from her post from this point on is in no way aimed personally at her, or anybody else)
What are we addicted to? I would answer OURSELVES. So many of the examples she cites are so right on - people protecting their little fiefdoms in the congregation, protecting themselves. But I think this addiction to self runs a little deeper than just church job-security issues.
When such things do change, it can get very ugly and very divisive, and so often its just silly matters of taste. Ever been in a fight over what will be served for food at a church function? Oh dear Lord! The fatties vs. the skinnies - talk about championship wrestling. And in the end, it's the fat people not wanting to be tempted by too many calories (Me- GUILTY!) and the skinny people looking for an excuse at indulgence. God generally fails to put in a showing.
Too often in such conflict we all admit WE have hit bottom. We talk about not playing fair, and getting along better - but the confession is merely coporate and does not address the central issue. The central issue is the ME focus on both sides and the confession addresses how we fight, not how we let go of ourselves.
When, I wonder, will be hit the real rock bottom? When will we stop trying to fight fair and just let go? When will we give up our desires for our fellows? When will we follow the example of Christ?
Related Tags: church, fight, addiction, rock bottom, self-sacrifice
We are addicted to customs that have lost their lustre: The Men?s Bible Study that attracts only two longtime members every Saturday morning. The Annual Strawberry Festival run for the past 30 years by Miss Dotty which is supposed to raise a little money for the church library (also run by Miss Dotty).I do not agree with all of her conclusions and asides, but the central concept is an excellent one. Our church is dying because we are addicted to unhealthy stuff - the question is really "What?"
We are addicted to appointing the same people to the same positions: The elder who has chaired the same committee since Eisenhower was president. The church treasurer who won?t let anybody else touch the checkbook. The volunteer who considers the bulletin-folding job her particular domain and yet complains constantly about giving up her Friday mornings to serve the LORD in the church office.
We are addicted to long-term habits so familiar that somebody thinks they?re Biblically prescribed: You can?t teach Sunday School if you are under the age of 30. You can?t serve communion unless the bread is cut into tiny cubes of Wonder Bread. You can't preach the sermon from pew-level. For that matter . . . you've got to keep all the pews even if it means there will never be room for other instruments up in the chancel. For that matter . . . you've got to have pews at all.
(Disclaimer: I do not know the person that writes the blog I have just quoted. Anything that departs from her post from this point on is in no way aimed personally at her, or anybody else)
What are we addicted to? I would answer OURSELVES. So many of the examples she cites are so right on - people protecting their little fiefdoms in the congregation, protecting themselves. But I think this addiction to self runs a little deeper than just church job-security issues.
When such things do change, it can get very ugly and very divisive, and so often its just silly matters of taste. Ever been in a fight over what will be served for food at a church function? Oh dear Lord! The fatties vs. the skinnies - talk about championship wrestling. And in the end, it's the fat people not wanting to be tempted by too many calories (Me- GUILTY!) and the skinny people looking for an excuse at indulgence. God generally fails to put in a showing.
Too often in such conflict we all admit WE have hit bottom. We talk about not playing fair, and getting along better - but the confession is merely coporate and does not address the central issue. The central issue is the ME focus on both sides and the confession addresses how we fight, not how we let go of ourselves.
When, I wonder, will be hit the real rock bottom? When will we stop trying to fight fair and just let go? When will we give up our desires for our fellows? When will we follow the example of Christ?
Related Tags: church, fight, addiction, rock bottom, self-sacrifice
