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ADD TO THE BOTTOM 03/27/2010 |
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Mystery
Worshippers Return to the page director Most of us are aware that many retail outlets employ " secret shoppers" to come into their establishments pretending to be ordinary shoppers to check out how well they are treated, the ambience and other things related to the "shopping experience." All of this is designed to make shipping more appealing and productive for the company. This practice has been going on for years. Virtually every facet of the retail market, from airlines to zodiac retailers are involved. But, are we ready for "mystery worshippers?"An increasing number of "secret shopper" organizations, here and abroad, are now offering "mystery worshippers" to do exactly the same thing for churches. Pretending to be a first-time visitor, the "mystery worshipper" secretly rates everything from how warmly and frequently they are initially greeted, how warm other members of the congregation are to the cleanliness of the bathrooms and the effectiveness of the sermon. Interestingly, one of the pioneer companies doing this "service" is called the Ship of Fools (hum that’s prophetic) that plies its trade world-wide. The list of U.S. churches they have visited is impressive. Another up and coming "consultant" is one Thomas Harrison, a former Assemblies of God "pastor" from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Evidently, he’s found this line of work more profitable than that of a "pastor." Some of the imperfections he has noted were, weeds growing in the parking lot, loose lighting fixtures and a fuse box missing its lid, cobwebs, and leaking ceiling panels. He’s noted stray plastic buckets under sinks and sullen greeters. Surely, these are as close to "mortal sins" as one can get. Founder and Lead Pastor of South Hills Church in Corona, California and President of Real Church Solutions of Corona contends that first-time guest, "don’t come with mercy, they come with judgment. They’re looking for a reason to leave." The article continues, "Churches eager to adopt cutting-edge business practices have emerged as the latest market willing to pay for blunt advice. The cost can range from around $150 for a one-time visit to between $1,500 and $2,500 for multiple visits and a detailed report. Now that’s a bargain in anybody’s book. Think how that will translate into increased tithes and offerings to say nothing about "growing the church" and, thus, a rationalization for expanded building projects. Isn’t that wonderful, "spiritual consumerism giving us what we want when we want it!" The point of it all is to make "church" less threatening, more attractive and appealing to guests.How we react to the idea of "mystery worshippers" coming in and "objectively" evaluating our facilities will likely be determined by what we expect to find and what we expect when we go to church. It will probably depend on what purpose drives our church, to paraphrase Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Church. Is that purpose praying to, worshipping and praising the Lord God? Is it attending to one another, studying and learning in order to improve our lives and help others find salvation? Or is it the opulence of our facilities, the Starbucks coffee served in the cafeteria, or the pseudo-sincerity of the "glad-hand" we receive as we enter (gloves are a dead giveaway)? The question we must ask is "if it works (i.e. bring people into church and back again) is it okay?" it’s easy to excuse pleasing the crowds by saying that our purpose is meeting "felt needs." In truth, aren’t we really making our purpose His rather than the other way around? What this innovative approach to "church marketing" shows is just how far we have strayed from the model of ekklesia. We find ourselves applauding the entertainment supplied by the band and/or orchestra, choir and soloist, appreciating the "make us feel good motivational, psycho-social" sermon instead of praising God for His wondrously merciful works and treasuring the life and sacrifice of His son. "Church members" have become a passive audience instead of an involved, giving congregation. We applaud the "pastor’s" speaking ability, his facility with word, instead of his care and protection in defending his flock They have become officers, managers, CEO’s. Instead of ministering, they are ministered to; masters, instead of servants.And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon the all. Acts 4:32-33
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Communion On The Run The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 10:16Return to the page directory What if, on the day set aside in these United States as World Communion Day, the "pastor" of a Christian "church" invited the congregation to partake of communion on the way out of the service if they so desired because of the busy program schedule? Would we be justified in questioning that "pastor’s" commitment to and understanding of the true meaning of communion? Understandably, his "flock" would not be expected to understand what it stood for. What would that say about the regard he had for the Lord’s Supper? Paul scolded the congregation at Corinth for the way they were observing the Lord’s Supper. He warned them, For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. Just imagine what he might have said upon seeing people strolling out of church and casually picking up the elements as they headed for the parking lot. It actually happened.The real culprits here are not just the senior pastor, but also the members of the pastoral staff and the congregation. Surely they should have known better and resisted regardless of the presumed excuses put forward to justify such an affront to our Lord and Savior. Everyone involved should have known that Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, isn’t just some ordinary, meaningless ritual to be thoughtlessly performed and mindlessly received. At least, it shouldn’t be. Although those assembled could have, and probably should have refused, how would they know it was wrong if the pastoral staff didn’t? To so administer and receive the "Sacrament" in such a manner suggest there is something seriously wrong with the level of sanctification of that staff as well as the congregation.What should they have know about the Lord’s Supper that might have dissuaded them from taking it on the run? To start with, a little background. There is no word for "sacrament in the NT. It wasn’t until the 2nd or 3rd century that Christianity began to use the word for those things "believed to have been ordained by Christ and are held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality." Secondly, they are are considered sacred. They are set apart for the worship of the Christ. They are worthy of veneration; holy, entitled to reverence and respect. Today, the Roman Catholic Church recognizes seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. Most Protestant denominations identify two: Baptism and Communion. The sacredness, not the number is important. There is a final aspect of Holy Communion that cannot be overlooked. In many ways, it is central. In a letter to the saints at Corinth, Paul wrote, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Appropriately, most of the rest of the time "communion" is translated as "fellowship." When we take Communion, not only are we remembering the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, we are also supposed to be remembering that He told us, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. This was after Jesus had washed the feet of His disciples at the Feast of the Passover.The Lord’s Supper signifies, "association, community, sharing what one has, participation, fellowship, intimacy, the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship, the embodiment and proof of fellowship" Nothing should characterize Christianity more than solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ – it is so commanded. That was true of the congregations in the First Century, it should be just as true of the church today. Nothing symbolizes that solidarity more than the sharing of communion. It is a symbol of fellowship. Offering "communion" at the door for those who choose to partake of it on their way to the parking lot clearly does not recognize its meaning or intent. We can’t have fellowship with Christ while ignoring others. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup
of devils: Return to the page directory |
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No, “magnificat” is not a misspelling. It is from the Latin Vulgate’s translation meaning “glorifies.” And, as many will recognize, it is the opening line of what is called “Mary’s Song” which is (as the footnotes say) one of four hymns found in Luke’s Gospel. It was occasioned by her visit to Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. But, it is more than a canticle to be used in Christian liturgy or as an expression of her joy over the pending birth of Jesus. It is these things, and so much more. In its opening stanza, her song illustrates how each of us should react to Him – to praise and glorify Him in every thought and deed. Why? She tells us, For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (v.48). Perhaps, in saying “the low estate of his handmaiden,’ she was referring to her poverty and the meager status she had within her family. Just as well she could have meant her sinful nature – possibly both. The Greek from which we derive the word estate, Tapeinosis, found in the Magnificat can mean “spiritual abasement, leading one to perceive and lament his (moral) littleness and guilt” as much as material wealth. There is generally the misconception that those who are wealthy have an abundance of material things (money, homes, automobiles and the like) while the impoverished are lacking such. Not so, true wealth is salvation and our inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who would be inclined to trade worldly wealth in exchange for these is not very wise at all. There is so much wisdom wrapped up in these few lines of poetry. It is a prophetic summary of His earthly ministry. Unlike Mary’s often our prayers are as though we were praying to a Santa Claus. They are filled with “give-me this and give-me that and remember so and so. Bless my family, my house, my garden, bless the yard and the sidewalk. Bless local, state, and Federal governments, and everyone who holds office or ever will. Bless the Armed forces serving at home and overseas and on and on.” Bless, bless, bless. One would think the god we were praying to didn’t know our every thought and wish even before we spoke them. Or, that he is so dull-witted that we have to provide everything in excruciating detail. The only way a listener can tell it isn’t Santa is the frequent use of His name that is interspersed so liberally, so profusely throughout the prayer. With the repeated use of His name one might think Him forgetful or inattentive. Better, one would think, to follow the Scriptural pattern of Mary’s Song than fill an album with vain repetitions. Let us, in this coming year, begin to offer up prayers of praise and thanksgiving for all He has given rather than all we think we want. How often do we remember why Jesus died on the Cross? He had nothing to personally gain from doing so since He is the master of everything. Indeed the lesson we have to remember began years before His death on that tree. Actually, it was at the annunciation when God revealed His plan for Mary to bear the Saviour of the world. It is the beginning of His human nature. My, such unbelievable humiliation; from the unimaginable splendors of Heaven to the humiliation of assuming human form. And His life, full of rejection and scorn from those He loved – even His family. The Son of God rejected by those whose salvation was the only purpose that drove His life, not riches, fame nor power. Oh Lord, may we fill this year and the rest of our lives with expressions of gratitude for the copious sacrifices you make for us. May we never overlook, not even for a moment the humiliation, the beatings and the humiliating death You suffered with only our salvation in mind so, at the end of our days, we will hear You say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” as we enter into the joy of our Lord. As we begin this New Year, we will attempt to be molded by your will, not our desires and selfish ambitions. We will strive to make our lives such that others can see we are your disciples. With Your help, our intent will be even more to resist the enticements and things of the kingdoms of the world. We will endeavor to bring glory and praise to You and He who sent You to rescue us; not for the honor of the struggle or our inevitable victory, but to honor Thee. We will work to remember that riches and fame are deceivers that distract, not the goals of righteous people that we are not of the world, but your disciples. Help us to remember that pleasing the world is not the way to please You and that pleasing you is the highest ambition to which one can aspire. Our Father, thank you for adopting us into Your family; hallowed be Thy Name. Amen.
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated
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On preaching, Paul tells Titus to be sure the doctrine he preaches is morally pure, free from error, heresy and human points of view. Sound speech, as he calls it, cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. In other words, almost the opposite of what the scribes and Pharisees were doing. In so doing he, Titus, would be above reproach and beyond criticism. Isn’t this advice just as good today as it was then? What if today’s preachers avoided the hazards of venturing into the social and prosperity theologies that are so popular today? What if they avoided all of those "denominational icebergs" that destroy Christian unity? If that were to happen, as Paul told Titus, their critics would be embarrassed because they had nothing to criticize. Wow, talk about peace on earth. Accordingly, if preachers taught what was Biblical, what the Holy Spirit led them to say instead of sermons designed to appease their congregations, they wouldn’t have critics. If they stuck with the Word, the Truth, instead of deluding their congregations, they wouldn’t have to defend themselves or justify what they said. At least that’s what Paul wrote. In discussing Titus 2:8, Gill observes, "In the public ministry, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus should be used, and the doctrines of the Gospel be expressed, as near as can be, in the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth." It’s interesting that Paul also had to write to Timothy about pretty much the same thing – not to teach doctrines other than the Gospel of Jesus the Christ especially not what he termed fables and endless genealogies which would have been of and about other gods, practices and beliefs. In the KJV the reason he says not to is because they "minister questions." Other renditions translate minister questions as "causing arguments," "empty speculations," divert people to speculating instead of doing God's work, cause disputes, lead to controversy and the like. Please observe how the one translation says that teaching other than the Gospel of Christ "diverts people to speculating instead of doing God’s work." It seems straying from the Word is about as old as the "church." It seems the end product is predictable. Notice how easily controversies, arguments and quarrels can be avoided. Notice what produces them – false doctrines. Might it be fair to say that one way to discern preachers of false doctrines is the amount of criticism they generate? Maybe more to the point is how they respond to such criticism. That would prevent such retorts as one Pastor aimed at his critics, "Too many immature Christians spend all their time taking pot-shots, belittling, and criticizing other believers" or "In contrast, prideful self-righteousness builds walls of fear, refuses to love, or even get to know those who believe differently, and then hurls accusations against those of us who do what Jesus commanded." If this seems a little strong to you just remember this preacher was really stung and hurt by his critics. Perhaps the end-all was one preacher telling his staff, "We’re watching you and if we catch you saying anything against this ministry, you will be fired." If that isn’t paranoia what is? Other pastors react to critics, by misapplying Galatians 5:20 in which Paul equates strife with idolatry, witchcraft and the like. But, Paul is writing about self aggrandizement, more than divisions over religious matters involving heresies. Behind insistence upon unity and solidarity often lurks the snake of heresy. That so-called "pastors" should act in such a manner is not surprising, look who Jesus found the deceivers and hypocrites to be and notice what their reaction was to His criticism – they crucified Him! In his first letter to the saints at Thessalonica, Paul offers a prayer and an admonition that is well applied today. In the 5th Chapter he challenges them to pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. He also urges them to quench not the Spirit nor despise prophesying. He concludes his admonition telling them to prove all things and abstain from all appearance of evil. Then he begins a simple and short prayer (could that we would learn just this one lesson). He asked that God would sanctify them and that they would be found blameless – "so that there is no cause for censure." He concludes saying, I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. "Holy" means "sacred, consecrated to the deity, pertaining to God, undefiled by sin, free from wickedness." Shouldn’t such be the heart’s ambition of any who put themselves forth as His representatives – men of the cloth as it were? Not that they could achieve such lofty goals but, shouldn’t they at least aspire to them, strive for them rather than being a self centered narcissistic person? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels . Mark 8:38
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The clarion call from preachers and missionaries to non-Christians is that "you must be born again." As Nicodemus learned from the Master, this is a spiritual rather than a corporeal rebirth. It is a change of direction, a transition, from corruption toward righteousness. It is realigning ourselves to the Lord of the universe, the one true God and forsaking all that is worldly and ungodly. It isn’t so much that we "need" to be born again as it is that our rebirth is the consequence of recognizing His love, His sovereignty over our lives. No other incentive than the deepest felt gratitude is sufficient for such a metamorphosis to take place. When, we recognize the full significance of Jesus’ crucifixion, we will be born again. It is the result of realizing what He has done. There is nothing in the entire universe that can persuade us without our recognizing the Love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ made for us. It is not when we come up out of the waters of baptism that we are reborn. It is when Jesus becomes the center and the focus of our lives that we are born again. That is where He belongs, the focal point of everything we do and say individually and collectively. Most often the Greek word anothen which is translated in John 3:3 and in verse 7 as "again" is also translated as "from above." Therefore, these two verses from John could be read "unless one is born from above" or "Ye must be born from above." Another closely related word is Ouranothen. Found twice in the KJNT, both in the Book of Acts, it is translated, "from heaven." Either term would make it easier to understand that our rebirth comes from above – from heaven. The implication is that we have little if anything to do with the process. Doesn’t it also seem appropriate in our declarations to non-believers to tell them "you must accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior," because that is what they must do in order to be saved? That is the absolute Truth in spite of protestations to the contrary arising from the Emerging Church movement that there is no such thing. What is being risked by members of this movement by insisting that Christianity, in order to be relevant, must become relative? Truth arrived at through "conversational consensus" is clearly fleeting and transitory depending upon the composition of the group at any given time in any particular place. Thus, this heresy is not a rebirth of Christianity. To the contrary, it is a complete full-term abortion of all that is sacred that will, left alone to fester. Destroy all that is holy. Like a ship without a rudder, its adherents will go down into an eternal boiling caldron.Some preachers do not utter such religiously sounding phrases as "you must be born again," for fear of offending non-believers (seekers) who might have strayed into church. Such sterilizing will only result in the seeker being deluded into thinking Christianity is a subsidiary of Starbucks. One cannot remain true to the Word while at the same time sanitizing it so as to not to offend anyone. If, because of the cheap coffee, the good entertainment these misguided seekers decide to be "baptized," what is it they are being baptized into? If they don’t know one doctrinal statement of the Christian faith, can they rightly be called by His name? Have they gained admission into the heavenly kingdom or are they as lost and misguided as they were before they ever set foot in "church?" What they may have been seeking in their foray into church they have not found. Other preachers are deceptively leading their flocks into temptation and delivering them unto to evil. How can one be born again into the same circumstances they supposedly just left. How is it possible to embrace those carnal and corrupt things in our rebirth that cluttered our first birth? That isn’t beginning a "new life." It’s approving and confirming the old. A re-birth signifies a completely new nature governed by new principle and new goals, not a glossing over of the old life. Preaching that wealth, power and good health are rewards that devout Christians are entitled to in this life is nothing more than materialism pretending to be Christianity. Jesus said, new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. Conforming to the world is hardly doing that. As long as our focus and attention is on things of this world, we will never discover the fullness of the Gospel and its blessings. One might rightly say mixing the two is a deadly combination.Before we begin teaching the nations and baptizing the nations, perhaps our churches need to undergo a rebirth as badly as any individual. And for those who might take offense at the suggestion, there is a fitting passage from Matthew saying, Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. About this passage, Matthew Henry writes, "nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we should not be troubled at it." He continues, "a weak head doubts concerning any word of Christ, an upright heart and a willing mind seek for instruction."He that cometh
from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, |
