I'm all for theology. I feel I have a firm grasp on what I believe the Bible teaches. But if I'm gonna be honest, that's where it ends for me. I don't try and wrap theology around every aspect of my life. Don't get me wrong, my theology touches everything I do - I'm just saying I don't attempt to analyze everything in life theologically. I'm cleaning my pool today. I don't have to have a theological approach to that! People who do drive me crazy!
I subscribe to a weekly blog called Monday Morning Insight. It weekly features snippets of information that pastors might find interesting. Today, they included a blog-excerpt from a guy who was arguing against the idea of pastors using video venues to expand their ministries. Now I have no problem with someone having an opinion about something. Lord knows I have my share of opinions. But this guy literally wrote about the 'theological and ecclesiological considerations' of having a video venue. Really? Are you serious? How can there be a theological position on this?
I guess what I really want to know is why people feel like they always have to be right and everyone else has to be wrong? Is it possible there is a number of ways of accomplishing the same thing and that the way I choose might be different than the way you choose but that's okay? Where I stand on the issue of eternal security or the deity of Christ must be established by a fundamental understanding of scripture. Whether I use a satellite feed to accomplish multi-site church ministry is a personal preference that I seriously doubt John Calvin would be that concerned with!
Great stuff Jeff-- hilarious and true all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI think many more than just pastors could stand to wrap their minds and thought processes around this one. If we are supposed to spiritualize and bring theology into every single action of our day then we may as well throw out our brains and common sense and become robots waiting on God to say "ok you can now wash the dishes in the sink" (Alan Posey)
ReplyDeleteI agree totally. And I would want to think twice as a small church pastor before I blasted all the more successful pastors who are incorporating media. Paul said it best:
ReplyDelete"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in EVERY WAY, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." (Phil. 1:18)
Keep on truckin', Bro. Jeff!
I totally agree.. I guess he was against "seeker friendly" churches too... Gee, so we should shun the seeker?
ReplyDelete"I like what Crossroads International Church of The Hague says in the preamble to their Creed: It is our desire to focus on the basics of the faith and not get entangled in secondary matters that draw energy and time away from our central task of "preaching Christ and Him crucified" (I Corinthians 2:2). In the essential beliefs we have unity. We are one body, born of the same Spirit, and we have one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of us all (Ephesians 4:4-6). In the non-essential beliefs we have diversity. There are a variety of gifts and there may be a variety of ways we do things, but it is the same God who works in all of us (I Cor 12:4-6)."
ReplyDeleteWell, you know....Jesus never used BLOGS either...
ReplyDelete(of COURSE I'm kidding here)
(Scott Green)
Why people feel they have to be right or wrong, well probably because it is automatic in their spirit either the wide or the narrow, good or bad and seeking a deeper walk with God will bring us there and the more you know the Father the more you will understand people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for weighing in Kim. The point I was raising in my blog entry was that there are some things in life that neither fit in the category of right or wrong from a moral stand point. However, people like to try and make them an issue of right or wrong so they can claim to have a monopoly on doing things the right way. When this happens in ministry, it's very frustrating to those of us that are trying our best to use our gifts and talents to bring as many people to Christ as we can. A good example would be using a choir in church instead of doing music they way we do at Crossroads. It doesn't have to be one way or another. It just comes down to preference and what works best for you!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am amazed that God did not speak to you through the cleaning of your pool.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I agree that it's a matter of preference ... as long as the Truth is being presented and people's lives are being changed. One person can't say that using a video venue is not effective when people are coming to Christ every week. I'd love to know what Scripture this person had to back up their idea that it is theologically wrong. Puh-lease.
FYI: My word verification word is "holdout." I wonder what God's trying to speak to me through that word. (Surely, you know this statement is a joke in reference to your post.)
Yeah, I agree. It's kinda like thinking that capitalism is inspired by God.
ReplyDeleteHey Ken I'm not sure if I follow you. Do believe God played no part in the idea of Capitalism? I've always had the conviction that America wasn't just a good idea, it was a God idea. That includes our capitalist form of enterprise. Money invested and earned that benefits the individual and not the state has to have some divine inspiration. The notion that individuals have the right to own private property is a Biblically inspired idea. Capitalism allows an individual to prosper like no other form of enterprise in the world, making room for all sorts of charity and benevolence. There's no doubt the medium has been abused and people have turned it into an opportunity for greed and selfishness, but that doesn't mean it wasn't God-inspired. (Kind of like what we've done with the gift of sexuality.) I'd love to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteHey Pastor Jeff, thanks for taking the time to discuss this with me. I appreciate that. I do think that America and its political and economic systems (including capitalism) are a good idea. But personally, I draw the line right there. I hope I'm not splitting hairs over semantics here, but to me, to say that America is a "God idea" or that it's "God-inspired," and thus put it in the same category as Holy Scripture, is going a little too far. When I read the Bible, it appears to indicate that all the political systems of the world are under the influence of Satan ("the prince of this world"), and that they work in opposition to the ways of God's Kingdom. This includes American democracy and capitalism, as well as every other political system that has been or will be, until Jesus ushers in the true Kingdom of God when he returns. But I do think it's quite okay for Christians to differ in their political philosophies. But you sometimes seem to teach otherwise, i.e., that there's only 1 truly Biblical way to do politics, and that any Christian who disagrees with you simply isn't reading their Bibles the right way. As much as I appreciate your willingness to stand firm in your convictions, I simply disagree that your particular views on government are the only Biblical option.
ReplyDeleteKen you make a great point here and one that will allow me to steer the conversation back to video venues. I believe the american way of governance and enterprise was a divinely inspired idea, but not on the same level as scripture. (I believe Free Enterprise, Republic forms of government and Democracy are as good as they are because the founders looked to scripture for guidance in creating them.) However, like the video venue they aren't the only way of doing things and it doesn't always come down to right and wrong. I personally don't know of a form of government that has facilitated the ideas of Christianity better than ours. Government is important (read Romans 13) and it may be more necessary to wrap our minds around theologically than video venues or cleaning my swimming pool!
ReplyDeleteOkay, that makes sense. It was a stretch to compare forms of government with video venues, I admit. And if you're saying that Capitalism and Democracy aren't the only way, and that it's simply your opinion that they are the best way, then I've misinterpreted your words in the past. I appreciate the clarification.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you said, "I personally don't know of a form of government that has facilitated the ideas of Christianity better than ours." I'm not sure how you can say that. Didn't Christianity go from being a small sect of Judaism to a world-wide movement under the "auspices" of the Roman Empire?
Also, I'm curious, would you also say that pre-American and non-American democracies are also God-inspired, such as those of ancient Greece or modern India?
I'm neither a History major nor a Political Science major, but from my understanding of history, Christianity thrived despite the Roman Government not because of it, at least early on. Later emperors facilitated the growth of Christianity as a religion, but no Government that I know has been a greater facilitator than the U.S. of what you and I would deem 'true" Christian faith practiced not merely as a religion but as a relationship with God through Christ - an interpretation of Scripture protected by our constitution rather than a state-sanctioned form of Christianity enforced by a government.
ReplyDeleteOther forms of democracies are certainly better than their Communist, Imperialist, Socialist and Fascists counterparts. As to their inspiration I'm not sure. My conviction is that the republican form of government our founding fathers gave us was divinely inspired in that they looked to Biblical law to establish governance. As a republic we are governed by laws and those laws were intended to mirror God's law. You've heard me say many times we're a far cry from those early ideals we were founded upon, but we do have a history of recognizing God's sovereignty over State affairs.
Hey wouldn't this conversation be better served over one of those Grande Caramel Lattes your so famous far there at the cafe?
Yeah man, I'm always down with a good conversation and good coffee. Just let me know when.
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