Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Stages?
MMI reprints (mostly) a Rick Warren column from Christian Post in which Warren threatens a "new reformation." In what I consider a bit of rhetorical slight of hand, Warren then goes on to discuss "5 stages of renewal" - which is a very different thing than "reformation."
Having picked that nit, there is some value to this. Warren discusses how this change happens in stages. He begins with this:
Personal piety is where it all begins. But then he blows it with the whole relational thing. Relationship is the means by which the personal piety is spread. It's not about gossip and being buds, it's about accountability and depth and discipleship.
The other five steps Warren presents go on to discuss the church. Here is the problem with the hierarchy here presented - it is about the church, but the church exists to serve, we do not exist to serve the church. In fact, that confusion is what lead to the Reformation to begin with!
Personal renewal is the highest thing that the church can aspire to. The church is a tool to achieve that end, one blessed soul at a time. The church is built only as people are built.
It is not as if we are building a building and the people are the bricks. Rather, we are building bricks and the church is the brick factory. Then the product, the bricks go out and build other things, chief amongst them, other brick factories. But even when they build something other than a brick factory, they build it out of bricks which makes it better than any other competitive thing made of lesser material.
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Having picked that nit, there is some value to this. Warren discusses how this change happens in stages. He begins with this:
1. Personal Renewal: It starts with the heart. If God is going to renew your church, he’ll begin it with you – and then it has to continue with the rest of your church. You might call it rededicating your life, being filled with the Spirit, or the “deeper life.” I don’t care what you call it. Just get it! Pastor, the bottom line is this – you need to fall in love with Jesus again. Do that and all of a sudden it’s not about religion and rituals; it’s about a relationship with Jesus. You realize that Jesus doesn’t just love you, but he likes you.So close - so close.
2. Relational Renewal: After you get right with God, you’ve got to get right with others. Jesus told us this. He told us to love God with all of our heart and then love others as ourselves. When you have relational renewal in your church, the gossip goes down and the joy goes up.
How do you know when a church has been through relational renewal? People hang around longer after the service. They want to spend time together. If people don’t want to hang around after your services, you have a performance not a church. The church is more than content; it’s a community.
Personal piety is where it all begins. But then he blows it with the whole relational thing. Relationship is the means by which the personal piety is spread. It's not about gossip and being buds, it's about accountability and depth and discipleship.
The other five steps Warren presents go on to discuss the church. Here is the problem with the hierarchy here presented - it is about the church, but the church exists to serve, we do not exist to serve the church. In fact, that confusion is what lead to the Reformation to begin with!
Personal renewal is the highest thing that the church can aspire to. The church is a tool to achieve that end, one blessed soul at a time. The church is built only as people are built.
It is not as if we are building a building and the people are the bricks. Rather, we are building bricks and the church is the brick factory. Then the product, the bricks go out and build other things, chief amongst them, other brick factories. But even when they build something other than a brick factory, they build it out of bricks which makes it better than any other competitive thing made of lesser material.
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