The Church as Alternative Community

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Mick Turner

If we truly desire to see positive change in the world, not just cosmetic window dressing which does little to alleviate the causes of social ills such as crime, violence, and crippling poverty, then that positive change must first be seen in the Body of Christ. The kingdom of God is not a reality to be discussed, but instead, is a body of principles that are to be lived. Just as Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk and his cohorts aboard the Enterprise had a “Prime Directive,” so we, as Christ-followers, have an overriding directive from our Master. As Christians, our prime directive is to give flesh to grace.

The church is meant to be an alternative community, a place where new principles, values, and interpersonal ethics are lived out in healthy, balanced social relationships. Gandhi nailed it when he said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” If we are faithful to living by kingdom principles, people will take notice and naturally be drawn to the peace, justice, and grace they see being lived out in this alternative society. It was this very reality that led to the widespread success of the early church. People were drawn to the fledgling Christian communities because they lived the prime directive – they gave flesh to grace. Jim Wallis, long-time Christian activist and founder of Sojourners, speaks to this aspect of kingdom living, where the church:

…………is meant to be an alternative community living a new way of life, visibly demonstrating the values of Jesus and the kingdom of God. That necessarily will create a countercultural community living by different values than the surrounding society and providing a real evangelistic model of the healthier and more human way of life that the gospel offers.

Or, in the very succinct words of John Howard Yoder:

The church is called now what the world is called to be ultimately.

On a practical level, what this means is that the church, although intimately in contact with the surrounding culture and in fact deeply embedded within that culture, must not take on the core values of that culture. Although some within the Emerging Movement might take issue with this idea, I think that as a Christian community, we are called to a different reality. Throughout its history, when the church has been at its best and most influential, it has been a counter-cultural force – often a revolutionary alternative community. Jim Wallis describes the church’s position this way:

…….the Christian presence in the world is a perpetually revolutionary posture. This is not, however, another call to violent insurrection; it is much deeper and more “revolutionary” than that. . . . . . .The kingdom of God literally brings a great reversal to the values, assumptions, and norms of the world as we have known them. This is why Christianity in defense of the established order – “Christendom,” “Christian civilization,” “Christian nation,” “Christian empire,” and the rest – has never made sense.

With these counter-cultural realities in mind, exactly how does this play out in the context of our contemporary socio-economic and cultural values? If the church is to be a model of alternative community, what are some of the guiding kingdom principles that must be both visible and defining? Without a doubt, the Christian socio-economic ethic of justice and equality take center stage. As followers of the Master Jesus, we must model and ethic built upon the principles of fairness, equal opportunity, and yes, even more equitable distribution of wealth.

 As Christians we are to be guided by the principles of the Sermon on the Mount in general and Matthew 25:31-46 in particular. Perhaps this flies in the face of the current status quo and especially runs counter to those Christians who have become joined at the hip to one political party for years. Personally, as Christians, I firmly believe that it is detrimental to our witness to publically declare allegiance to or agreement with any political party. Instead, I believe we should do all that we can to work toward eradicating the causes of such rampant, systemic poverty in this nation while, at the same time, working toward helping people become more self-sufficient. In this sense, we are to all become maladjusted.

I love the following words by Dr. Martin Luther King. In my mind, they encapsulate in a highly cogent manner the Christian principle of being in the world, but not of the world.

But there are some things in our social system to which I am proud to be maladjusted and to which I suggest that you too ought to be maladjusted. I never intend to adjust myself to the viciousness of mob-rule. I never intend to adjust myself to the evils of segregation and the crippling effects of discrimination. I never intend to adjust myself to the tragic inequalities of an economic system which takes necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes. I never intend to become adjusted to the madness of militarism and the self-defeating method of physical violence. I call upon you to be maladjusted. . . . The world is in desperate need of such maladjustment. Through such maladjustment we will be able to emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of man’s inhumanity to man into the bright and glittering daybreak of freedom and justice.

In this present age of social and cultural transition it is especially important for people in general and the church in particular to be maladjusted. For it is only through such concerted, unified, and purposeful non-conformity that a new social reality can emerge – a rejuvenated, vital, and equitable social order, built upon principles of economic justice and true Christian love. A significantly positive sign is the emergence of a new generation of Christians that is catching fire with an enthusiasm that has not been seen for decades in the organized church. These young firebrands may well represent the spark that sets off a conflagration of renewal passion and purpose in the Christian faith, something that is currently lacking and sorely needed. Jim Wallis describes these committed believers this way:

The greatest sign of hope…..is the emergence of a new generation of Christians eager and ready to take their faith into the world. The Christianity of private piety, affluent conformity and “God Bless (only) America” has compromised the witness of the church while putting a new generation of Christians to sleep. Defining faith by the things you won’t do doesn’t create a compelling style of life. And young people are hungry for an agenda worthy of their commitment, their energy, and their gifts. . . . . . . . . . . .This new generation of believers are waking up and catching fire with the gospel again. Theirs in an emerging Christianity that could change the face of American religion and politics. Their vision cannot easily be put into categories of liberal and conservative, left and right, but rather has the capacity to challenge the categories themselves. I’ve met these new Christians across the country and have worked with an extraordinary group of them at Sojourners. Their faith is intended to change this world, not just prepare them for the next. God is again doing something new.

Although it is hard to pin down exactly what form and what direction this new and vital force within the Christian faith will take, one thing is certain: we can no longer afford to march along in lock-step with the status quo and grant blind approval to a system which systematically fattens the pockets of the privileged few while increasing numbers of hard-working, decent people are pushed below the poverty line.

 If such an economic and social ethic is the norm, and in this country that seems to be the case, then I am proud to be a maladjusted discontent. I refuse to be contented with an economic system riddled with injustice and that keeps a boot on the throat of the last, the littlest, and the least. It is not the way of compassion and it surely is not the way of Christ.

© L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

Arise! Your Time Has Come…

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Mick Turner

If we take an honest and thorough look around us at this current juncture in the history of the Christian faith, I believe it is safe to say that we are at a critical crossroads. In America, people are leaving the church in droves and the term “Christian” has come to be viewed as a derogatory label rather than indicating a positive, constructive force in contemporary society. Recent research also shows that even those remaining loyal to the faith increasingly view the organized church with a marked level of suspicion and distrust.

With this negative backdrop, it may seem surprising that I want to briefly speak a few encouraging and motivating words regarding where we, as individual Christians, go from here. Yet that is precisely what I want to do. With the faith at such a crisis point, it is more vital than ever that a new, passionate, and creative cadre of Christian evangelists step forward and blaze fresh and attractive pathways not only into the faith, but into authentic Christian discipleship. Following the lead of the Master, Paul and the early apostles envisioned and preached a faith that was vibrant, service-oriented, and above all, transformational. Given the contemporary cultural milieu and the general disrepute into which Christianity has fallen, we cannot afford to settle for anything less.

 I am convinced that God is moving in this world in new and exciting ways. Some of these movements are perhaps unfamiliar but soundly biblical in nature. For example, as the church undergoes the negative trends mentioned above, there may well be a sublime, positive purpose undergirding this entire process. Perhaps God is in fact dismantling aspects of the faith’s superstructure that have become time-worn and outmoded. Like anything else, there has to be an emptying before there can be a fresh filling. It is difficult to predict the exact forms this new in-filling will take except to say they will be different than what many long-standing Christians are used to. It is imperative that we understand that as uncomfortable and confusing as this process might be, it is absolutely necessary.

I am also convinced that God is calling many among us to be a part of this positive vanguard of Christ-followers who are stepping to the front and leading the way in these challenging but exciting waters. God is looking for faithful, open-minded, and creative sons and daughters to take the point in this vital endeavor – brothers and sisters who understand that Christianity is an approach to life, not just something we do on Sundays or at mid-week potlucks. Two interrelated words describe the kind of passionate followers Christ is calling out at this crucial period in cultural history: consecrated and committed. Both these terms refer to people who are willing to sacrifice, surrender, and get their hands dirty as they go about the task of laying a firm foundation for the Master’s kingdom. Noted Christian sociological researcher George Barna describes these consecrated, committed believers this way:

The United States is home to an increasing number of Revolutionaries. These people are devout followers of Jesus Christ who are serious about their faith, who are constantly worshipping and interacting with God, and whose lives are centered on their belief in Christ. Some of them are aligned with a congregational church, but many of them are not. The key to understanding Revolutionaries is not what church they attend. Instead, it’s their complete dedication to being thoroughly Christian by viewing every moment of life through a spiritual lens and making every decision in light of biblical principles. These are individuals who are determined to glorify God every day through every though, word, and deed in their lives.

 The Master is calling those among us, perhaps you, who are willing to make the commitment to take up his mantle and reawaken his church. I am convinced he is looking for living epistles who are shining examples of what it really means to be a radical, revolutionary Christ-follower. More than ever this world needs his salt and light and the Master openly seeks those willing to step forward – those willing to shake and shine.

I am reminded of the call issued in the 60^th chapter of Isaiah and feel this precise time in the history of the Christian faith is ripe for such a high calling. Listen closely as the Spirit speaks through the prophet:

Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (Isaiah 60:1-3)

I feel this calling directly upon my heart and it is my sincere hope that more and more of you do as well. It is not that I expect kings and nations to come to me, but perhaps other people who are floundering in darkness, despair, and confusion. It is, indeed, like my personal “dawn.” No doubt darkness covers the earth and there is a thick darkness over its peoples, and I think this may be especially true regarding the church.

I first became clear about this calling in my life several years ago when the Spirit moved deeply in my heart during my early morning reflective meditations on scripture. I had slowly been working my way through several sections of Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Proverbs. When the call came it was in relation to Isaiah 60: 1-3 as quoted above. As time passed, this calling became more and more obvious in my life in ways both large and small. The LifeBrook blog, which I started in early 2008, was a part of my response to that calling. In addition, I composed a highly personal affirmative prayer that I used on a daily basis over the next two years. The prayer, which became an integral part of my daily devotional life, continues to be something I use to remind myself of why I am here and what the Master expects of me. The prayer is:

Lord, I indeed arise and thank you that my light has come and that your glory has risen upon me.

Although darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people, Lord you have risen upon me and placed the light of your glory over me. Because of the brightness of this new dawn over me, others can witness your love and glory through my thoughts, words, and deeds. I thank you for the blessing of your presence and your light, the light that lights everyone who comes into the world, within me.

Lord, I thank you for this blessing and this opportunity to serve you in this dark and desperate, yet exciting and challenging age. May all that I think, say, and do bring honor to your cause and to your name.

In Jesus name, Amen.

 

It is my heartfelt hope and fervent prayer that at least in some small way this short article has stirred your spirit. I encourage you to prayerfully spend some quality time with the Master, in whatever way works best for you, and seek clarification on what the Lord is calling you to do. If you are genuinely serious about your faith and you desire to create a lifestyle that is Christ-centered, Christ-honoring, and spiritually significant, then rest assured that he is indeed calling you. In ways both great and small, each of us has something to contribute – some talent and some task that we can perform that brings both honor and glory to the Master and the kingdom.

As stated several times already, we are fortunate to live in such a challenging and opportunity-filled time. What is happening in the church only seems negative when viewed from a superficial perspective. Those of us who are, as Barna calls us, “revolutionaries,” take a deeper angle on all this. We realize that the dismantling of the old is necessary in order for a new, fresh, infilling to occur.

Each of us has a role to play in that infilling. Spend time communing with the Sacred Light that shines within you and I am assured that you will find clarity on exactly what it is you are to do. God gave you talent, ability, and multiple skills. Two things are thus certain: there is someone right now who needs exactly what you have to offer and secondly, for you to carry your talents and gifts to your grave unused would be a tragedy of immeasurable proportion.

Think about it.

© L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

Spiritual Maturity: Sensitivity to God’s Ways and Wisdom (Part Two)

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Mick Turner

(continued from Part One)

As we come to a state where we are more sensitive to the leadings of the Spirit, it is also imperative that we understand that we have an important choice to make. Since the beginning of time it seems humanity has been faced with this choice and, in fact, scripture tells us that it was because the first couple made the wrong decision that many of today’s problems first entered the world. And what is that important choice?

We must choose to either rely on our own knowledge or the wisdom of God.

 

When we make a choice between following our own wisdom or the wisdom of God it is important that we understand that we are choosing between two approaches to life. Just as there were two trees in the Garden, there are two ways we can go about living out our lives on a day to day basis. When we choose to live by our own decisions, we are basically choosing to establish our own standards of conduct and truth. This is basically the choice the serpent put before Eve, but he did all he could to deceive her by stacking the deck in favor of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. “You will be like God,” said the Father of Lies and Eve made her choice. Leonard and Viola explain the situation, the choice, and the consequences this way:

The fall of humanity was all about women and men assuming the posture that they don’t need anyone to tell them what to do. They would decide for themselves what’s good and what’s bad. They would be self-sufficient and self determining.

 

When we choose the opposite, to eat of the Tree of Life, we basically choose to live as Jesus lived. We become the optimal version of who and what we are by living according to the leadings and the directions of the Indwelling Christ. Indeed, since his ascension the Master has become the tree of life. He is the “way, the truth, and the light,” and as we remain connected to him, he is the true vine, giving us light and sustenance. In essence, he enables us to live as he lived. Our task in the process is to “abide in him.”

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5 NRSV).

 

In case his listeners fail to understand the dynamics of how their relationship with him is supposed to work, Jesus drives the point home in unmistakable fashion. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Earlier in John, the Master describes his relationship with the Father in exactly the same way:

Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself  (John 5:19).

 

I can myself do nothing (John 5:30).

 

Jesus did not act, speak, teach, preach or do anything else that did not come from the Father, with whom he shared a relationship of indescribable intimacy. In the same way, we are not to act, speak, teach, preach, or do anything else that does not come from the Indwelling Christ. It also goes without saying that the Master expects that now, as a result of his successful mission on earth, that we can share the same kind of intimacy with him that he shared with the Father. In terms of relationships of divine intimacy, the torch has indeed been passed: from the Father to the Son, and from the Son to us.

As a result of this divine intimacy we now have at our disposal a new guidance center. With Christ living in us and through us, we no longer have to fall back on our old way of dealing with life, which was fueled by dependence on human wisdom. Now we have a new heart and a new moral compass. The Indwelling Christ becomes our North Star and as we grow more accustomed to this new way of approaching life, we find that it becomes easier to discern the leanings and promptings of the divine energy within us. More importantly, we find that it becomes easier to yield to these leanings and promptings.

Before moving on to explore the dichotomy that exists between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, it is important to briefly touch on a pair of related themes: the unpredictability of God and the dangers of bibliolatry.

 

It is difficult to write and teach on these issues because both the view of God and the view of the Bible are “sacred cows” in the system of faith that has come to be called “Christianity.”

It is imperative that we understand that God did not create people to be a part of a “religion.” Instead, he created people for relationship. Religion has evolved as a way of seeking to regain intimacy with God – intimacy that was lost when humanity made the choice to live by the precepts of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. When humanity became their own gods, they lost divine intimacy with the Creator.

The paradox in all this is that humankind knew – they could sense that something vital was missing and religion was one way to fill that void. Or so they thought. In fact, religion has become a major impediment to finding intimacy with God and this was clearly exemplified by the Master’s ongoing conflict with the religious leaders of his time. The fact is, the Hebrew religion had devolved to the point where it was little more than an attempt to control and domesticate God. And whether we care to admit it or not, Christianity has devolved to the same point. The church has made and still makes repeated attempts to domesticate, emasculate, and sissify Jesus to the point that he bears little resemblance to the firebrand radical that we encounter in the New Testament.

to be continued…….

(C) L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

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• Spiritual Maturity: Sensitivity to God’s Ways and Wisdom (Part One) (lifebrook.wordpress.com)
• Spiritual Maturity: Sensitivity to God’s Ways and Wisdom (lifebrook.wordpress.com)
• The Moral Benefits of Wisdom (mythoughtsonscripture.wordpress.com)

Spiritual Maturity: Sensitivity to God’s Ways and Wisdom (Part One)

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Mick Turner

*** This article is an expansion and continuation of an original piece published on LifeBrook back in November, 2010. Parts Two and Three are to follow during early March.

As we deepen our spiritual practice, one of the most accurate ways to gauge our progress is to measure our sensitivity to our surroundings. Are we becoming more mindful? Are we able to discern patterns, themes, and the presence of the Divine in ways that we couldn’t before? Are we generally more alert to what is coming in through our senses? Especially, are we better able to see the genuine needs of others and respond in ways that are both effective and empowering? The ways in which we answer these kinds of questions will reveal much in terms of our overall progress on the spiritual journey. Wayne Teasdale, in his book A Monk in the World tells us:

 The person with a contemplative attitude, whose life is shaped by its demanding discipline, shows a wonderful sensitivity to everyone and everything. It is a sensitivity born out of an awakened capacity for union with God. Everything, every person and situation, becomes an occasion for communion with the mystery in the silence of the heart. Alert, attentive, receptive and responsive, the contemplative person is awake to the possibility of communion with the source in every action.

 Alert – attentive – receptive – responsive – these descriptive terms used by Wayne Teasdale accurately portray the presence of a mindful, spiritually mature human being. In essence, as we mature we are becoming increasingly aware of the ways and wisdom of God. Moreover, we are better able to accept, internalize, and manifest that wisdom in our daily lives. If we are not becoming beings that consistently exhibit these holy characteristics, something is amiss in our spiritual journey and it is important to discover the problem and rectify it.

 I have found that Christian meditative practices in general and the varied methods of contemplative prayer to be excellent tools, enabling an individual to come to a receptive, open state which allows one to hear or feel the leadings of the Holy Spirit. The more sensitive and discerning we become in these matters, and the more skilled we become at finding and resting in the Sacred Silence, the more clarity we can possess when it comes to recognizing the communication and wisdom of the Indwelling Christ.

 When the Master walked the earth he did not do so as an autonomous agent. Instead, he spoke, taught, and acted only as directed by the voice of his Father, stating clearly that “I can of myself do nothing” (John 5:30). Repeatedly, Jesus spoke to his disciples on this theme of divine dependence. Over and over he emphasized that his life was not his own. Instead, his life was a clear vessel through which his Father lived.

 Whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19)

 I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5:30)

 I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (John 8:28)

 In relation to his teachings, Jesus was very direct regarding the source of his message. He even went so far as to say that the Father not only told him what to say, but how to say it!

 For I do not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. (John 12:29)

 Although some theologians have lofty speculations as to the nature of the intimate nature of the relationship between the triune aspects of God, in my mind this remains a mystery. The fact that it is a mystery, however, in no way makes it any less true or significant. What is important is for us to realize that it is precisely this kind of divine intimacy that Jesus now expects to have with us. Just as he was intimate with the Father and spoke only as directed by the Father, Jesus now indwells us and wants to live through is just as the Father of Lights lived through him. Whenever I contemplate these mysteries, I am reminded of the Master’s words in the great prayer of John 17:

  I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you who sent me (John 17:20-21 NLT).

 After praying that all disciples throughout the ages be blessed with the same kind of intimacy that exists between himself and the Father, in the next verse Jesus speaks clearly about how this is to be manifested:

 I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me.

 In these verses scripture reveals that we now are related to Christ in a way that he was related to the Father. “I am in them and you are in me.” Putting this together with what we discussed earlier about how Christ lived his life on earth as an open channel through which the Father could live, the implications for our lives should be clear.

 We should live our lives as open channels through which Christ may live on earth. When Paul talks about the church being the “Body of Christ,” he is not speaking symbolically. In a very real way each of us, as believers, serve as a body for Christ. It is not enough that we strive to imitate Christ or ask ourselves what Jesus would do. We need to become open, receptive, and willing vehicles that the energy of Christ can use to establish his kingdom right here on earth, right now.

 For the first disciples there was a special moment when everything changed in terms of their relationship with both Christ and the Father. And subsequently, it was an equally special moment for all believers that followed. Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola provide a vivid description of this moment in their book, Jesus Manifesto:

 The glory of the gospel is that we who are fallen, tarnished, and marred have been invited to live our lives in the exact same way that Jesus lived His life: by an indwelling Lord.

 Let’s go back to resurrection day. It is evening. Jesus appears to ten fearful men in a sealed room. He penetrates the door and stands before them.

The Lord bids them peace, and then He takes a deep breath. As a resurrected, life-giving Spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ breathes into these men the wind of God’s own life.

 Behold we show you a mystery: Just as God the Father lived in Jesus, so now God the Son will begin to live in these ten men. The “only begotten” has now become “the firstborn among many brethren,” and God is now the Father of these disciples.

 Leonard and Viola make the point that from that moment on things underwent a powerful transformation in the lives of the disciples. Whereas before Jesus breathed this divine life into them they were operating under their own power, afterwards they lived in the same manner that Jesus lived – “by the power of an indwelling Lord.” In other words, just as we discussed above, these early disciples became living vessels through which the Master continued to live. The authors then state the clear point of all this:

 What the Father was to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is to you. He’s your indwelling Lord. When the veil of the temple was ripped from top to bottom, He got out and we got in……………Because all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell in Christ, the Father and the Spirit are also pleased to dwell in you. As amazing as it sounds, the entire Trinitarian community has taken up residence inside of you……You, then, are the victim of a divine conspiracy. You have become the habitat of the living God.

 The Living God now has his residence in each and every one of his children. Our job is to arrange our lives in such a way that we can become more aware of and sensitive to the voice of the Lord as he speaks to us in whatever way he chooses. I have found that the Master speaks in myriad ways – sometimes I discern his presence while resting in the Sacred Silence while at other times he might speak to me through holy scripture or the work of spiritual writers. There are times he speaks through the actions and words of others and I have also found that some of his clearest messages come through the media of the natural world.

To be continued……..

(c) L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

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Full Service Christianity: A Prophetic Call

Imagine for a moment that you are one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and you, your band of rag tag friends, and the Master arrive at the Upper Room after a long, tedious, dusty day going about your business. You sit for a moment to catch your breath and unwind a few moments before you go wash up for the evening meal. You close your eyes for a few minutes, only to feel something or someone taking off your sandals. And to your utter disbelief, kneeling in front of you is the Master Jesus with a basin and a towel.

 Never a supporter of lukewarm spirituality, Jesus taught his disciples a clear and concise example of the essence of spirituality: selfless service with a heart of humility. If only more of us, especially those who claim to be followers of Jesus, would take this lesson to heart, our world would have much less pain.

Incarnational Christianity is a faith with a heart of compassion and eyes of discernment, which are able to empathize with those in distress and see a vital need where others see nothing. It is an incarnational Christianity that Jesus described in the 25^th chapter of Matthew, in that moving section where he describes the judgment seat and the separation of the sheep and the goats. As followers of the Master, we should always keep these words inscribed on the tablets of our hearts:

 Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me. (Matthew 25: 40)

 I mention all of this because last night I saw an example of a Christian woman going about the business of being the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus. Her name is Margaret and she is now in her 80’s. Last night, one of the local news programs had a short feature on Margaret and the work she is doing. Unheralded and unknown, this octogenarian is an example of what incarnational faith is all about and is surely what the Apostle Paul called a “living epistle.”

 

Each Friday and Saturday Margaret does what quite a few folks in this part of the country do: she gets up at the crack of dawn and drives around the area visiting yard sales. Here in the South, yard sales, garage sales, and the like are very common and great bargains can be found, if you know where to look and how to negotiate. Margaret spends about four hours each Friday and Saturday shopping for the best bargains she can find.

 The items Margaret buys, however, are not for her.

 Instead, this spry lady in her 80’s shops for school supplies, backpacks, and clothing for underprivileged children in the local community. She has been doing this for over 40 years and says she has no intention of stopping. Her efforts are even more remarkable, considering the last two years have not been kind to Margaret. She has watched her husband and two children die slow, agonizing deaths from terminal illnesses.

 Margaret’s efforts on behalf of the poor children in her community have gone largely unnoticed, except for the families that receive her help. According to her pastor, even most members of the congregation where she attends church are unaware of her activities.

 Margaret is an example of what Christ was talking about when he gave that teaching about “doing it to the least of these.” This elderly lady is an inspiration and a blessing to those honored to know her and she is what incarnational Christianity is all about.

 Incarnational Christianity is what James was talking about when he defined religion that was pure and undefiled. What did he say? Something about visiting widows and orphans, I think. Incarnational Christianity is what the prophet Isaiah, centuries before Jesus walked with us in the flesh, describes when he said:

 Is this not the fast which I chose,

To loosen the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the bands of the yoke,

And let the oppressed go free

And break every yoke?

 

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry,

And bring the homeless poor in the house;

When you see the naked, to cover him;

And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

 

Then your light will break out like the dawn,

And your recovery will speedily spring forth;

And your righteousness will go before you;

The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

 

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

You will cry, and he will say, “Here I am.”

If you remove the yoke from your midst,

The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

And if you give yourself to the hungry,

And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

Then your light will rise in the darkness

And your gloom will become like mid-day.

 

And the Lord will continually guide you,

And satisfy your desire in scorched places,

And give strength to your bones;

 

And you will be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

 

And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;

You will raise up the age-old foundations;

And you will be called the repairer of the breach,

The restorer of streets in which to dwell.

 (Isa. 58: 6-12 NAS)

 As I look around the globe these days, whether it be a few blocks from my home here in Tennessee or halfway around the world in China, where my wife is from, I see one glaring similarity. We need more people like Margaret – people with a heart of compassion and eyes of discernment. We need more people with a proactive commitment to live the teachings of Jesus, rather than pay lip service to the faith by warming a pew with their overly ample rear ends once a week. We need a genuine faith of service and compassion, a faith that is, in the final analysis, obedient to the call of Jesus. Our world and our churches can no longer afford a counterfeit Christianity that blows a lot of hot air about social, hot-button issues while two kids down the street go without breakfast and sleep with rats the size of Dachshunds. At the end of the day, my friends, we need a faith that is authentic. Larry Crabb, in his foreword to Siang-Yang Tan’s excellent book Full Service, makes the following cogent remarks about Christian servanthood:

 True servanthood, the opposite of self-serve Christianity, grows out of a human spirit filled with God’s Spirit…..Self-serve Christianity, our pervasive perversion of the real thing, not only accommodates the flesh, it attempts to socialize it with external goodness and then pass it off as spiritual maturity. Beneath so much of what looks like good Christian living is the stubborn attitude that thinks God really exists to serve us. His pleasure isn’t the point. Ours is. And we think there’s a more direct and immediate way to secure our well-being than to live for his glory. Our felt desires now fill the spotlight. Our needs have assumed greater priority than his pleasure.

 As I look around the world, including the church, and look into people’s hearts, including mine, I see no worse evil than self-obsession. It’s the root of every other expression of evil…And I see no greater battle in the regenerate human soul than the too often hidden conflict between self-obsession and God-obsession. It shows up in every relationship, every conversation, every sentence. And I believe that the only path to real victory in this fierce battle is to become true servants.

 Crabb’s words are perhaps hard to take, but they are true and they are prophetic. And it is this very kind of prophetic voice we in the Body of Christ need now, more than ever. We need to be called back to the important business of the church. We need to be called back to Christian servanthood in the manner and model of the Savior himself. In essence, we need today’s prophetic voices to consistently call us back to our kingdom mission. And what is that mission? The answer is simple, really, and there is no need to complicate it with theological nitpicking or rhetorical cleverness. Why don’t we, following the example of the Master we profess to serve, state our mission just as he did?

 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

 

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

 (Isa. 61: 1-3 NKJV)

 One of the most encouraging signs of life in the church is the large number of younger Christians that are embracing a wider social agenda. Whereas issues like family values and pro-life issues remain highly important, these energetic believers have a less myopic view of our society and the long-standing problems that just won’t go away. What we are witnessing, and again it is very encouraging and vivifying for the Church as a whole, is nothing less that a rekindling of the social consciousness of a faith tradition that was born out of the compassion that God felt for his fallen and rebellious creation. I use the word “rekindling” because this tradition of selfless service is nothing new to Christianity. It is, as Michael Gerson said in an article in Newsweek way back in November, 2006:

 A politically progressive evangelicalism is not an innovation, it is a revival; not a fresh track in the snow, but a rutted path of American history.

 I pray daily for those front-line workers who are on the streets and in the fields, everywhere giving flesh to the compassionate grace that this faith calls them to. May they be blessed in every way as they, like their Master, carry forward the tradition of the towel and the basin.

 © L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved

The Substitutionary Atonement: Is It An Insult To God?

Mick Turner

What I am about to say may alarm some people, disgust others, and even enrage a few. In spite of these potential negative consequences, I feel I must at least mention an issue that rarely is discussed in civilized company. Getting right to the point, I am not talking about drugs, sex, or rock and roll.

 

Instead, I want to talk about a doctrine that has been a part of the church for many centuries and is rarely called into question by those who ardently state that they are “true believers.” I want to talk a bit about one of the church’s most sacred cows: the doctrine of the “Substitutionary Atonement.”

 

The reason I have decided to go ahead and post this article relates to something I felt compelled to do this afternoon. I left a comment on another blog, where an article was posted talking about the centrality of the Cross and the atonement for sins in the Christian gospel. Lest one think I was disrespectful, I will include my comment immediately below. Chances are if the comment makes you apoplectic  and causes frothy spittle to start gathering at the corner of your mouth, you might not want to read any farther. My comment was:

I have always had a major issue with the substitutionary atonement because I think it paints a picture of God that is highly inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus. Unlike many, when I saw Mel Gibson’s “The Passion,” I didn’t respond with a deeper sense of what Jesus had done, but instead, found myself wondering, “What kind of God would require such a thing? Surely not one I would wish to follow.”

It seems to me that when you really look at it, God is asking us to do something that He could not do. Jesus taught us to love with a selfless “agape” love, that requires no selfish return for ourselves. Further, he taught us to forgive without price, which is the essence of grace….to do this even 70 x 7 if necessary. I think this is part of the heart of Jesus’ teaching and I feel it is also at the heart of Christianity.

Yet if you look at the big picture, if you believe Jesus was God, and I do, it would seem that God the Father is not capable of doing what God the Son says we should do. We are to forgive and love without requiring anything from the object of our love and forgiveness. We are commanded to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, etc. These are wonderful, though difficult, teachings.

Yet God either would not or could not do this. In order for our sins to be forgiven and for us to be acceptable in his sight, something had to die. Blood had to be shed. And in this case, his own Son had to die. Now this is not the love nor the forgiveness that Jesus said is required of us. Instead, it is love and forgiveness that is dependent upon two things ….something or someone has to die and we have to believe and confess that Jesus in fact did this on our behalf, which again, is not the kind of love and forgiveness we are told to exhibit in our lives. In essence, we are required to do something that God the Father either could not or would not do.

It is for this reason that I find the “Christ died for our sins” to be untenable as the center of our faith. I believe the issue of Christ’s resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit is more central and less inconsistent. The whole atonement for sin theme comes primarily, although not exclusively, from Hebrews. Perhaps a First Century Jew would grasp its significance, but to the Gentiles, it would be a folly. Paul said as much, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a folly.

 

I concluded with a paragraph that basically stated that I truly meant no disrespect by my comment and that I only wanted to get the author’s perspective on the whole atonement issue in hopes of finding some palatable way of getting my mind and heart around the issue.

 

I firmly believe that it is our duty as thinking, rational Christians to examine and explore all things related to our world view, whether or not the particular subject is considered too sacred to question. If we fail to look at any aspect of our faith with a discerning eye, we open ourselves up to the possibility of error. If this sort of thing happens, and particularly if the mistaken issue impacts a large number of people, significant problems can emerge. Large numbers of otherwise nice, intelligent people can wind up spending a significant portion of their lives orbiting around a lie.

More than a few years ago, dark humorist author Kurt Vonnegut published a great little book entitled, Wampeters, Foma, and Grand Falloons. These three phenomena, to briefly and only roughly paraphrase Vonnegut, basically constituted a typology of falsehoods in which people often believed. Vonnegut explains the title in the introduction:

Dear Reader: The title of this book is composed of three words from my novel Cat’s Cradle. A “wampeter” is an object around which the lives of many otherwise unrelated people may revolve. The Holy Grail would be a case in point. “Foma” are harmless untruths, intended to comfort simple souls. An example: “Prosperity is just around the corner.” A “granfalloon” is a proud and meaningless association of human beings. Taken together, the words form as good an umbrella as any for this collection of some of the reviews and essays I’ve written, a few of the speeches I made.

 

Given this definition, is it indeed possible that the doctrine of the Substitutionary Atonement is, at best, a foma and at worst an abstraction resulting in a grand falloon?

 

Let’s take a look and see what we discover.

 

I have mentioned before on this site that I have major problems coming to terms with the whole “he died for our sins” theory. Granted, the Bible states this on several occasions, but then, the inerrancy of scripture and the infallibility of the Bible is another sacred cow I do not hold with. The whole idea of God sending Jesus down here to get arrested, flogged, scourged, taunted, ridiculed, and nailed to a cross is beyond the scope of even a paper-thin capacity to reason.

 

On other sites, I have also described my reaction to the Mel Gibson film detailing “The Passion.” As I said before, I found this movie the most visually disturbing film I have ever seen. The scenes of the crucifixion were both graphic and horrid and, to Gibson’s credit, lent realism to the Easter story rarely witnessed. Still, as I walked out of the theater I found that my response to the film was a bit different than most folks. I overheard many people saying that the movie made them realize the true depth of the sacrifice Jesus had made for their sins. All others could do was mourn through tears, “Poor Jesus. He suffered so much for me.”

As for me, I came away asking myself and the universe, “What kind of God would require something like this in order to make his own creation acceptable to him?” I say this with profound respect: “I would never want to worship such a God.”

Gibson’s film, which I saw shortly after returning from my five-plus year stay in China, created somewhat of a spiritual crisis in my life and forced me to ask some very pertinent questions regarding the content of my world view in general and my understanding of God in particular.

 

My eventual solution to this quandary came in an unexpected direction. I came to believe deep in my heart that God would not require such a hideous thing and further, to insist that he did was an insult to his character. Over the next year I came to even deeper clarity on the issue.

 

When one really thinks the whole Substitutionary Atonement through to its logical conclusion one makes an interesting and paradoxical discovery: there is no logical conclusion because the entire thing is illogical!

 

Think about it. If a person holds to the doctrine of the Substitutionary Atonement, he or she is basically saying that God is not only unfair, but that he is also not omnipotent and, in addition, he is a blood thirsty child abuser.

 

Look at it like this. Jesus repeatedly talked about how important it was for us to forgive others. Teachings such as turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, forgiving our enemies and loving our enemies, and overlooking the wrongs done to us seventy times seven, all point to how if we are to be forgiven, we have to forgive as God forgives.

 

But wait! We are not asked to forgive as God forgives. You see, God evidently requires a price be paid before he forgives. In this case, before he was willing to forgive us, his Son had to be killed. The scripture tells us he (Christ) paid a ransom for many. Before God would forgive us and accept us, blood had to be spilt. No matter how fancy your theological footwork, you can’t get around this. The entire Substitutionary Atonement doctrine is saying that God, through Jesus, is asking us to forgive others in a manner that even God cannot do. Jesus doesn’t tell us someone has to die before we can forgive them. Yet for God, according to this doctrine, somebody has to ante up.

 

When discussing this with a good friend, she pointed out that Jesus’ death on the cross ended the need for sacrifice, so God no longer requires someone to die. Well, that sounds great, but it is a theological bucket full of leaks.

In response, I asked my friend the following,

“So, what if Jesus did not die on the cross? Suppose he wasn’t even crucified. Would I still be forgiven, living some 2,000 years later?”

 

“No, you wouldn’t be forgiven,” she answered.

 

So, according to the doctrine, even though Christ died way before I ever sinned, his death was still required to cover my sins now and any one else’s sin until the end time. So you see, someone still has to pay the piper. God still requires that one final sacrifice, and now it happens every time someone professes their faith in him.

 

Confronted with all this, I faced several decisions. I could jettison my faith, say it was absurd, and become a heathen, pagan, whatever. Or I could put all this on the theological back burner and “pray for insight.” That’s what I did at first. And guess what? The insight eventually came that I was correct in this thinking. The whole Atonement for Sin doctrine was, indeed, a Grand Falloon of the worst kind. Even more so, it is an even higher insult to God than the whole notion that he required Christ’s death in the first place. What this misguided doctrine is saying is that we Christians are to do something (forgive others) in a way that God Himself cannot do (forgive without a ransom being paid).

 

Now I know some fundamentalist or staunch evangelical readers, if they are still reading by now, are frothing at the mouth and Catholics are busy making the sign of the Cross. I can’t say as I blame them. If someone played around with one of my sacred cows, I would probably become a bit rabid myself.

 

I don’t write all this just to upset people. I have written these things because they describe the path I took to get to my beliefs. I feel that as Christians we are to take many things by faith. However, I also feel we are called to examine all things and, if we find something that is highly suspect and especially if we discover something that is insulting to God, then we are to settle it in our own mind and let others know what we have found.

 

One final note here…I hope as a reader you don’t just write me off as some liberal believer who has just gone too far down the pike. I am the first to admit that I am not a fundamentalist or conservative. However, unlike most liberals, I do believe in the deity of Christ, and I believe in his resurrection as well. I also firmly believe that we, as Christians, are called by Christ to spread his teachings to the corners of the earth. I don’t, however, believe in the whole infallible Bible lunacy, or in the Substitutionary Atonement. I suspect that should be clear by now.

 

© L.D. Turner 2009/ All Rights Reserved

The Core Problem: Self – Cherishing

Mick Turner

“I have always tried to live my life by one important principle,” said Palmer as he sat in the chair next to my desk. “I am the Captain of my own ship and the master of my own destiny.”

 

Palmer was partially right, at least on one count. As an airline Captain, he was the man in charge of the big jets he flew for a living. As for the rest of his life and his claim to be the master of his own destiny, those items were up for serious debate.

 

“Well, let’s you and I take a look at all this,” I responded. “If you are indeed, the Captain of your own ship, I think we both could say that, without a doubt, you have run it aground. As for being the master of your own destiny, I suspect it is that kind of thinking that landed you in that chair and gave you the chance to meet me.”

 

Allow me to relate a few historical facts to this story that will help you understand the brief discussion between Palmer and I described above. Palmer Davidson (not his real name) was an airline Captain for one of the major players in the airline industry. Now in his 25^th year with the company, Palmer had been a Captain for four years. Working his way up the pilot’s professional ladder, he had moved from third-seat navigator, to right-seat Co-Pilot, and on up. Now, as a Captain, his sights were set on becoming Chief Pilot.

 

The only fly in the ointment of Palmer Davidson’s professional plan was the fact that he was an alcoholic. Always a hard drinker, Palmer’s consumption escalated rapidly during his years as an Air Force fighter pilot in Viet Nam. Landing a job with the airline shortly after his discharge, his drinking generally remained somewhat controlled, at least as far as his work was concerned. His home life, however, started to unravel ten years ago and resulted in a nasty divorce four years back. Since then, Palmer was rapidly descending the slippery slope of progressive alcoholism.

 

To make a long story short, everything blew apart five days ago during an extended layover in San Francisco. Already half in the bag when he arrived at a company party celebrating the retirement of a company vice-president, Palmer kept drinking and went into a blackout. According to those who witnessed the episode, Palmer eventually committed the following sequence of behaviors that were deemed unacceptable for a man of his station and also brought attention to his increasing problem with alcohol:

 

He made a pass at the Chief Pilot’s wife.

 

He groped a flight attendant, who happened to be the daughter of the retiring V.P.

 

He threw up on the Chief Pilot and tried to clean it up with his own pants, which he had just removed.

He passed out cold on the bed where the guest’s coats were stored. (I should mention that before passing out, Palmer did manage to throw up again, this time on the coats.

 

Needless to say, Palmer’s superiors were less than amused with his actions. As a result, he was mandated into treatment and placed in the Pilots Recovery Program. Once he sobered up a bit, Palmer was less than thrilled at this turn of events and also explains my comments to him as he sat in my office that day.

 

For many years I worked in the field of Alcoholism/Addiction Treatment and Prevention. Many of those years I worked in a hospital based program in Miami that dealt with professionals with addiction problems, including pilots. This explains how Palmer and I met.

 

Palmer’s problem, aside from his addiction, reveals a trait that is seen all across the spectrum of humankind and is not just limited to those suffering from this terrible disease. The “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous states that this problem is the root of the addicted person’s problems and the Bible is laced with descriptions of this malady, both direct and subtle, from Genesis to Revelation. Buddha also targeted this issue as being central to the basic illusion we all operate under as human beings.

 

I am talking about self-centeredness.

 

An overblown and uncalled for self-absorption lies at the core of our existence. It is seen in all cultures, in all age groups, and has reared its head across the pages of recorded history. From all evidence, it is safe to assume that this marked tendency toward self-reference existed long before anyone ever thought to record history in the first place. In some cultures, including contemporary Western society, this phenomenon has become so pronounced that it has bordered on self-deification – the strange notion that we are, indeed, God. We can see this tendency in just about all aspects of our culture. For example, have you ever heard the advice to, “Look out for Number One?”

 

Great thinkers down through the ages have identified this tendency toward self-centeredness to account for the major problems that have plagued humankind since time began. St. Augustine, a profoundly significant figure in the history of Christianity, wrote that self-centeredness, also known as pride, was the core component of original sin and it is this tendency that is passed on to every human being. Although other spiritual traditions do not include the doctrine of original sin, almost all of them pinpoint self-centeredness as the core issue in the spiritual malaise of humankind.

 

I thought it might be interesting to take an ever so brief look at how this issue of self-absorption plays out in our spiritual lives, especially our prayer lives. If we can identify the problem, then we can work with the Holy Spirit to address and change it.

 

Let’s begin with a great and wise quotation from mystic master Evelyn Underhill:

 

“We mostly spend our lives conjugating three verbs: to want, to have and to do. Craving, clutching, and fussing, we are kept in perpetual unrest.”

 

I don’t know about you, but for way too many years these two sentences by Underhill pretty much describe my prayer life. I was focused primarily on what I wanted to have and what I wanted God to do. Of course, every now and then I would toss off an “if it be thy will” or two. These were, to be honest, more window dressing than substance. Now don’t get me wrong. I did sincerely want to know God’s will; so long as it wasn’t too inconvenient and didn’t get in my way.

 

Most of our problems, great and small, can be traced back to what I call “self-cherishing.” We just seem to have this inborn tendency to see ourselves as the center of the universe and beyond that, its de facto monarch.  We tend to become overly agitated when others, caught in their own dramas and delusions, refuse to recognize our royal status. This tendency toward self-coronation impacts not only our personal relationships, but also our prayer lives. Listen as Catholic spiritual teacher Jan Johnson explains how this plays out in our relationship with God:

 

…my spiritual life is about me and what I want. It is not centered upon God and what God wants. We understand prayer to be mostly about asking God for things, and when God doesn’t seem to answer, we are wounded, disappointed, and eventually hardened toward God. Why didn’t God play fair?

 

In the Christian tradition, Christ identified our preoccupation with our own issues as the major obstacle to spiritual peace and also spoke directly to our only solution to the problems associated with self-cherishing. Christ spoke directly, saying:

 

 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. [Luke 9: 23-24]

 

These words are not so difficult to understand, even if they seem paradoxical. What Jesus is basically saying to us here is that we need to understand the spiritual importance of self-discipline and, yes, self-denial. He is telling us that we often must sacrifice our lower desires in order to attain to our higher order needs. The whole of the spiritual path is centered on dying and rising – dying to our lower, ego-driven being and rising into a more sublime, universal, and spiritual identity. No matter how we may go about complicating the spiritual journey, it is really this simple: take up you cross and follow.

 

Follow what, you ask? Follow the way that Jesus clearly demonstrated: die to self and be reborn from above. Many people, especially those of the Christian tradition, miss the significance of the way to spiritual life that Jesus professed. The term “born again” has almost come to have a negative connotation in the minds of many of us here in the West, largely due to the actions of those people who claim to be “born again.” What is amazing is the Greek word used in the Gospel of John for “born again” is more accurately translated as “born from above.” This is further verified in the context in which those words were uttered. Christ goes on to say that a person needs to be “born of water and of the Spirit.”

 

Christ is telling us here that we must be born from above or, put another way, we must undergo a spiritual rebirth. The necessary prerequisite of this spiritual rebirth is the death of the former self. In the words of St. Paul, “Behold, the new has come, the old has passed away.”

 

The problem is that no one really likes to make sacrifices or undergo discipline. The unstated motto of our post-modern culture is “I want what I want when I want it.” Sometimes this infantile approach to life is given a nice, spiritual, New Age wrapping. We hear many people say we should “follow our bliss,” which is just another way of saying “I want what I want when I want it.” The great mythologist Joseph Campbell, who coined the phrase, never intended it to be used in the ways in which it is.

 

Our culture is not one that treasures concepts of self-control, personal discipline, delayed gratification, and other similar themes. Instead, we are encouraged to do our own thing, go for the gusto, indulge our wildest cravings, and follow our bliss. As a popular commercial told us a few years ago, “You only go around once, so grab for the gusto.” Notions like self-discipline, personal values, integrity, and self-control are alien concepts in a culture that loudly screams, “If it feels good, do it!”

 

What we fail to realize when we live according to these self-obsessed slogans is: A river without banks becomes a swamp.

 

Think about it.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Why I Am A Christian Optimist

Mick Turner

I am often asked why I believe so strongly that Christians should be among the world’s most ardent optimists. I normally respond by saying that it is, more than anything else, due to the nature and the character of the God I worship. Most folks leave it at that. On occasion, however, an inquirer might want a bit more detail.

 

The reasons that I have adopted Christian optimism as my foundational philosophy of life are too many to mention in any short conversation and certainly within the framework of this article. Suffice it to say that once I began to take my walk with Christ seriously and put into practice as best I could a sincere desire to live according to his teachings, the Holy Spirit gradually revealed to me why optimism was the Christian’s inherent approach to life.

 

As I began to explore scripture through this frame of reference, it is as if the Bible became a living organism, consistently revealing its truths in relation to the nature and character of God. These revelations of God’s love, his faithfulness, and his integrity brought about a positive response in my being and this response flowered into an optimistic approach to life. Over time I came to understand that the optimal way to live is as a Christian optimist. Even our language reflects this reality as optimal and optimism have the same prefix and the same root.

 

As I said earlier, the confines of this article does not allow for a detailed list of the reasons why I am a Christian optimist. I do, however, want to list a few of the reasons below. Should you desire a more in depth study of the subject, I suggest that you study the Bible, focusing of the nature and character of the Father as revealed in scripture in general and in the persons of Christ and the Holy Spirit in particular.

 

I am a Christian optimist because:

 

The Biblical God is a God of love. Further, he loves me.

 

The God of Scripture loves me with a proactive love, not a passive, indifferent, and conditional type of love. The Bible reveals that God loves me enough to send his only Son to die for me so that I might have life to the fullest and, on top of that, have life eternally.

 

The God of the Bible further exhibits his proactive love by pursuing me. He chased me down when I ran from him. Consistently acting as the “Hound of Heaven,” the God I worship continues to come and find me when I have strayed from the sheepfold and, wonder of wonders, loves me still.

 

If ever there was a prodigal on this earth, it is I. Still, my God not only accepts me back after I wander here and there, he comes out on the path to meet me and, in spite of my faithlessness, he celebrates my return. Even though I am undeserving of his love and his grace, he gives it freely.

 

My God is a God of mercy, not justice. I shudder to think what life would be if I got what I actually deserve.

 

The Biblical God gave up a part of himself so that I might be forgiven; and he sent another part of himself so that I might live the kind of life he wants me to live. I am optimistic because I am forgiven and I am empowered.

 

God allows me to partake of his divine nature.

 

The Christian God has already blessed me with all that I need to live a holy life and has further blessed me by indwelling me with the power to make that life manifest on a daily basis.

 

The Biblical God has placed within me the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

 

The God I worship has made me a New Creation and has promised that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

My God has said that he has prepared even greater things for me in the next world.

 

The God revealed in Scripture has told me that Christ will, indeed, come again.

 

Obviously, I could go on and on here but by now I hope you get the picture. As a Christian I have every right to be an optimist. In fact, I could be nothing other than an optimist. Sure, life has problems and will always have problems. The Christian life is not a pleasure cruise. Far from it. Yet in spite of this, I am an optimist because I know that I have the power within me to handle any situation that may arise. God has promised me that he will never make me face more than I can handle.

 

I am a Christian optimist because he that is within me is greater than he who is in the world.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Have You Never Heard?

The following passage from Isaiah is one of my all time favorite scriptures. In times of depression, despondency, and especially episodes of confusion, reflecting on this passage, praying it in an affirmative manner, and just being quiet in the Sacred Silence and allowing the words to speak to me – all have been highly fruitful exercises.

Have You Never Heard?

 

Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

And young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

 

 

I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying,

“You are my servant. I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

 

        Isaiah 40:28-31; 41:9-10 [NLT]

Encouragement and Prophecy: Divine Compatibility (Corninthians in Context #2)

Mick Turner

During a recent quiet time during which I was praying about and reflecting on the book of 1 Corinthians, the Holy Spirit brought the following verse to my attention, along with an insight that I believe was significant.

 

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them and comforts them. (1 Corinthians 14:3)

 

Paul makes this statement in the context of a discussion about the spiritual gifts in general and about the problems associated with undue preference for the gift of tongues. What the Apostle is telling us here is that prophesy, as a spiritual gift, is intimately connected with the gift of encouragement and brings both encouragement and comfort to the individual and to the church. The Greek word Paul uses here for encouragement is paraklesis, of the same root as Paraclete, the word most often used for the Holy Spirit. So in this one short verse, we see a divine triad consisting of the Holy Spirit, the gift of prophecy, and the gift of encouragement.

 

All of this may seem obvious to some of you and wonder what the big deal is and why I am writing about it. My reasons are also simple. When I read 1 Corinthians 14:3 that morning, it was the first time I had the insight of how the pairing of the gifts of prophecy and encouragement could work together. Perhaps due to the dullness of my mind I had not made this vital connection before and this fact may also explain why this new insight was such an epiphany moment for me.

 

The gift of encouragement seems to be one of my primary gifts. Both personal experiences over the years as well as multiple versions of spiritual gifts tests bear this out. The novelty of that morning’s insight was the pairing of this gift with prophecy. I had previously understood how the gift of encouragement connected will with my other primary areas of gifting from the Holy Spirit, principally teaching and wisdom. Armed with this new revelation, I was able to look at the issue of gifting by the Holy Spirit in a new perspective.

 

If you think about it, a person gifted with prophecy either needs to be additionally gifted with encouragement or, if that is not the case, have a partner who is a master of encouragement. Why? The answer is simple. If the prophet has a powerful word for the church or an individual, and especially if that word is either confrontational or requires much work from the recipient, without encouragement the church or individual is going to hear the word and feel overwhelmed and defeated. Unless there is a healthy dose of encouragement to go along with the word, the recipient may wind up in a worse situation than before receiving the word. Worse still, if the person receiving the word of prophecy is left without direction or an uplifting message that change is possible, said person may end up feeling quite hopeless.

 

When I think of these issues, I am reminded of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. I worked for many years in the field of Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency, right in the middle of Dade County, Florida, an area noted for drug and alcohol abuse. The 12 Step Program was the most effective paradigm in dealing with problems of addiction and I believe there are three primary reasons for its success. First, the program has a spiritual heart. In fact, spirituality is the very cornerstone of recovery. Second, the 12 Step Program, like the Christian walk of faith, cannot be walked in isolation. Instead, it is group based and group facilitated. Finally, and this is most pertinent to the topic of discussion here, the program begins by defining the problem and then goes on to offer a solution. If the addicted person admits the problem but has no access to the solution, there is no hope.

 

The same is true with prophecy. Without encouragement the recipient of prophecy is in a dark place, indeed. So, where does all this lead us?

 

From a personal perspective, I have come to believe that if you have the give of prophecy you need to do one of two things. You can pray for the gift of encouragement and earnestly ask the Holy Spirit to gift you in this vital area. Having the gift of encouragement is a perfect counterbalance to your gift of prophecy. By having both gifts, you are in a position to offer a healthy word of prophecy to an individual, a group, a church or whatever and, at the same time, offer encouragement that a solution is also possible.

 

Secondly, if you resist this gifting of encouragement or if you find that God does not want to gift you in this area, then I believe it is vital to partner with someone who operates primarily out of the gift of encouragement. I think you can see why this is important based on what has been said in the preceding paragraphs.

 

I have additionally looked at the other Gifts of the Spirit and have discovered that most spiritual gifts exist in a harmonic partnership with at least one gift. If you have an interest in studying the topic of spiritual gifting, I encourage you to read the relevant portions of scripture and pray for insight into how these symbiotic relationships of spiritual gifting might operate. I trust you will find such an endeavor quite enlightening and well worth the time spent.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved