It’s been a while since my last post. Just a few more weeks of assignments and, by God’s grace, I’ll enter into the great post-grad transition…
While trying to remain breathing on the treadmill tonight, I was listening to Eugene Peterson’s audiobook, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, on Dee’s iPod (which I borrowed since it’s a no-bigger-than-a-quarter “iPod Shuffle”). I have to admit, the reader of the book is not one of my favorites; however, after a few minutes of focusing on the material, I was quite intrigued.
Peterson discusses what he refers to as Spiritual Theology. It is his way at getting at the propensity in Christian circles to drift to one of two extremes – either we are so enamored with the mental calisthenics involved in the various disciplines of the academy (biblical, systematic, practical, historical), or we throw theological conversation out the window, as if we could know how to live faithfully for God without healthy (sound) doctrinal reflection.
Granted, many folks are somewhere in between these generally defined extremes. But what kept gnawing at my mind was the question of where I am as it relates to such reflection. I love studying & discussing the Scriptures; and I have access to enough books to keep me busy for quite some time. Yet in what ways am I embodying the Gospel message? Of course, we seek to properly understand God (and rightly so); there is no doubt that we need to maintain sound (healthy) doctrine in the local assembly. But is right doctrine “right” if it isn’t manifested in a transformed life that reaches out to others with Jesus’ love? I don’t think so…
This led me to think about how we “do” church. The Scriptural witness speaks of a very personal God who desires such personal intimacy with creation. In like manner, the relationships between persons in the church should reflect the loving communion, hospitality and grace that exist in God. But do they? Are our gathering times conducive to such strong bonds of brother/sisterhood? Might there be other ways of viewing church than the traditional services that we have grown to expect?
Thinking outloud…
Shannon
p.s. Click on post title (Closing the Gap) to access page with embedded video in top right corner. Blessings
Facebook
Twitter
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Shannon,
You have hit upon a subject of which I am particularly passionate. I do not believe that our critical thinking should be surrendered when we decide to put our faith in God. Instead, in studying of God, we should be able to draw closer to him. However, this is not apart from the community of faith — that community is what grounds our “theology.”
Also, the video you put with this post is wonderful.
If we could all begin to desire our lives and churches to look more like the kingdom of God (a heterogeneous environment with all different kinds of people) then I think we would be able to reach those people in our community who feel like God really doesn’t love them. Such a needed topic — unity in the middle of a diverse constituency.
Dee Dee Mimbs(Quote)
Great post.
I have often wondered why we, as a church, cannot recognize what is hindering us from seeing a true manifestation of Christ.
Why do we not realize that until we can come together in one mind and one accord, casting down every imagination that tries to exalt itself above God, we will not see the changes we ‘seek’. We have trouble putting our brother or sister in Christ above ourself, how will we ever put some non-believer’s need before ours?
It has always amazed me that so many of our “church functions” are spent discussing everything but God. If those christians on the pew next to me prefer to talk about anything but Jesus, how will we draw the needy?
If we could look at others and their needs instead of our reflection and how everything affects us, we may be on a path that God prefers. I do not want to be a mind christian and just know it, I want to be a heart christian so I can feel it and a contagious christian so I can spread it.
Love and hugs Tammy(Quote)
Hey Shannon great to see you back!!! Enjoyed this blog and agree with you completely i’ve been guilty of building facts without actions too, even though i try not to. Alot of times its when i find myself in distress that i suddenly remember something i should have been doing OR not doing. Tammy I have to question your comment since Sonny sits on one side of you and I sit on the other! Love yall–see you Wednesday. John(Quote)
Dee – I too think that such diversity better reflects the image of God. And unless we embrace such diversity, we stifle the Spirit of Christ who desires persons from every nation, tribe, people and language (Rev. 7.9) to constitute the worshipping community.
Tammy – Thanks for your comments.
One of the major points of my paper which I’m trying to finish concerns just what you have mentioned. If we are reconciled to God through Christ in and by the Spirit, then such reconciliation directly impacts our perception and embrace of “the other” (whomever the “other” may be). And in light of Jesus’ story of the “Good Samaritan,” I think we would agree that the Kingdom expands through relationships laced with Jesus’ love; and such emphasis of reaching out to others is the direction that the Spirit takes us, which stands in opposition to the self-centeredness that characterizes the worldly system. In light of this, the church that becomes inwardly focused, in many ways, stifles the called-for mission of the Spirit and dampens the witness of Christ in the community.
John – Thanks for your response.
I think your comment highlights the importance of introspection, solitude and remembrance along our spiritual journey. Many times, in the press of life, as you mention – we need to remember (or take notice of) the impact of our actions so that we can change course (by God’s grace). Shannon Mimbs(Quote)
Shannon,
This subject is close to my heart and it would take me all day to say how I feel about it. I am a people person. I love people, especially those who are hurting or lost, because I have been there and know what it feels like. I love people of all races and religions. I love to share my story of how God delivered me. I love to hear other’s stories so I can let them know that they are not only loved by God, but by his people; and how their lives can be drastically changed. We have to give Him away so we can keep Him.
When we minister to someone about God, we have a responsibility to not let that person fall through the cracks. They need to be made part of the family. We can not do that by just sitting on a pew thinking, “Yeah I’m saved and I goin’ to heaven”. I would probably not be here today if someone had just told me how Jesus could save me and left it at that. There were, and still are, Christians who ministered to me, prayed for me when I couldn’t pray for myself, and made me feel a part of the family of Christ. I was INCLUDED. I felt “a part of” rather than “apart from” for the first time in years. If we as Christians can all treat people in that way, the Kingdom will undoubtly keep growing as it should.
As I posted on “A Sonny Disposition Today”, I have been kicking around and idea for a ministry to minister to women who are battling addiction. I have been hesitant about taking the first step, and this blog is the second little push in that direction that I have gotten today. Thanks.
Peace and Love,
Connie Connie(Quote)
Thanks Shannon for making my comment sound so eloquent.
You and Dee Dee have such a gift of edification. You have been
so instrumental in building Sonny up and lifting us up in prayer.
John, we all know that the ones on either side of me do not mind a little spiritual combat or gospel debate. However, I do know many other Christians that have no desire and actually avoid talking about God “stuff”. I hope they realize what they are missing.
Love and hugs Tammy(Quote)
This is a subject that I have struggled with in the past. I do believe that the gospel is something that should be received and shared with others, but unlike Connie I am not naturally a ‘people’ person. This is something that God and my friends have been working on for years. I have come a long way but I still find myself wondering after I have talked to an old friend or even finished a call with customer did I show Christ. The past few years God has placed me in different classes teaching and I know that I was learning more than I was teaching. I do find now that I want to be around people who talk about Christ and our roles and anything else to do with God.
I guess this kind of reminds me of the times I have heard parents tell their kids “Do as I say not as I Do”. There are so many Christians that do that. The Church says that we should be faithful to God, our spouses and people that God places in our lives and Divorce runs rampant. God says we should give, money time, resources among other things and all we care about is what is in it for me. Then we wonder why the lost is not drawn to the Church. It is this gap between our head knowledge of God and our actions that really shows who we are in Christ. That is why we have to surround our selves with the things and people of God. That is why the word says that this is a daily walk.
Love you Guys Laura(Quote)
{ 1 trackback }