Friday, November 28, 2008
Are We Slipping Into Another Dark Age?
Although it was a non-fiction movie I watched over thirty years ago, one scene is still fresh in my mind. It is the shocked expression of a man whose abdomen has just been pierced through by a piece of wood, launched by a table saw which had no anti-kickback safety device. I watched the movie during the first week of my high school shop class. Our teachers were attempting to get us to slow down and pay attention.
Carelessness and distraction can have similar effects on our “real life”. It seems that we are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Where are we going so fast? What is life really about? With all our time-saving machines and increased mobility have our lives improved? Is the average person more disciplined, better balanced, kinder and more productive than in years past? Is your life improving? How’s your focus?
In her book Distracted, Maggie Jackson makes this interesting observation: “The seduction of alternative universes, the addictive allure of multitasking people and things, our near-religious allegiance to a constant state of motion: these are markers of a land of distraction, in which our old conceptions of space, time and place have been shattered. This is why we are less and less able to see, hear and comprehend what’s relevant and permanent, why so many of us feel that we can barely keep our heads above water, and our days are marked by perpetual loose ends. What’s more, the waning of our powers of attention is occurring at such a rate and in so many areas of life, that the erosion is reaching critical mass. We are on the verge of losing our capacity as a society for deep, sustained focus. In short, we are slipping toward a new dark age.”
St. Paul foretold a time when mankind would be in a very distressed state. See if you can see any parallels to our society in what he says: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (II Timothy 3:1-5 NLT)
A few verses later he describes these people as “… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7 KJV) Could he be talking about our generation? We live in a print-rich, fact-rich, entertainment-rich world. Ironically, it appears to be a world where people are reading less, remembering less and enjoying less.
I have a suggestion as to how we all might slow down, pay attention and turn the light back on in a dark age. My suggestion is a profoundly simple, time-proven, God-given remedy -- communion with the Creator. Nothing gives focus like old fashioned prayer and Bible reading. Prayer is our chance to talk with God and Bible reading is our chance to hear Him talk back. Try it for a few days; see if any lights come on.
If you are interested in going back to a basic relationship with God, let me recommend a great online Bible at www. Bible Gateway.com, and a great online, self-guided Bible study that explains how to be saved at www.actsii.org/files/OneLordOneFaithOneBaptism.pdf.
Carelessness and distraction can have similar effects on our “real life”. It seems that we are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Where are we going so fast? What is life really about? With all our time-saving machines and increased mobility have our lives improved? Is the average person more disciplined, better balanced, kinder and more productive than in years past? Is your life improving? How’s your focus?
In her book Distracted, Maggie Jackson makes this interesting observation: “The seduction of alternative universes, the addictive allure of multitasking people and things, our near-religious allegiance to a constant state of motion: these are markers of a land of distraction, in which our old conceptions of space, time and place have been shattered. This is why we are less and less able to see, hear and comprehend what’s relevant and permanent, why so many of us feel that we can barely keep our heads above water, and our days are marked by perpetual loose ends. What’s more, the waning of our powers of attention is occurring at such a rate and in so many areas of life, that the erosion is reaching critical mass. We are on the verge of losing our capacity as a society for deep, sustained focus. In short, we are slipping toward a new dark age.”
St. Paul foretold a time when mankind would be in a very distressed state. See if you can see any parallels to our society in what he says: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (II Timothy 3:1-5 NLT)
A few verses later he describes these people as “… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7 KJV) Could he be talking about our generation? We live in a print-rich, fact-rich, entertainment-rich world. Ironically, it appears to be a world where people are reading less, remembering less and enjoying less.
I have a suggestion as to how we all might slow down, pay attention and turn the light back on in a dark age. My suggestion is a profoundly simple, time-proven, God-given remedy -- communion with the Creator. Nothing gives focus like old fashioned prayer and Bible reading. Prayer is our chance to talk with God and Bible reading is our chance to hear Him talk back. Try it for a few days; see if any lights come on.
If you are interested in going back to a basic relationship with God, let me recommend a great online Bible at www. Bible Gateway.com, and a great online, self-guided Bible study that explains how to be saved at www.actsii.org/files/OneLordOneFaithOneBaptism.pdf.
Friday, November 14, 2008
10 Things That Should Still Happen in Church
Service was only half finished, but a visiting couple eased from their pews and quietly slipped out the back door. I’m sure they were great people, but evidently the passionate worship and preaching was too much for them. It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while someone will attend an apostolic church service and discover that they are out of their comfort zone.
This is an understandable reaction since centuries of “religious morphing” has resulted in typical worship services looking and feeling more like a ceremony than a dynamic interaction with the living God. It is really quite surprising to find out how many people become uncomfortable when a church service starts looking like the kind of services Jesus’ own disciples experienced. In such cases, it should be noted that the things that are happening may be out of some people’s comfort zone, but they are not out of the Bible zone.
Since there is such a wide range of opinions as to what church should be like, it might be most honest for us to defer to the Bible and its record of church history when trying to establish what should take place in church. Below you will find a list of things that were recorded to have happened in the first century church. This list is not based on denominational traditions or personal preferences but, rather, on scripture:
1. Powerful times of prayer (Acts 1, 4)
2. Rejoicing, clapping, singing and dancing ( Ephesians 5:17-19, Colossians 3:16)
3. Repentance and public baptisms (Acts 2, 8, 10 & 19)
4. People speaking in “other tongues” (Acts 2, 10, 19; I Corinthians 12)
5. Emotionally overwhelming experiences - to the point of appearing drunk (Acts 2)
6. Emotional and physical healings, and exorcisms (James 5:14-15, Acts 5,8)
7. Visible manifestations of God’s presence (Acts 4)
8. Apostolic words of rebuke and encouragement (Acts 5, 13)
9. Generous giving (Acts 2, II Corinthians 9)
10. Supernatural gifts and the laying on of hands (Acts 13, 21)
A simple review of early church history quickly reveals that going to a church in the first century was an adventure. Early believers had life-changing services -- services that may have been out of many people’s comfort zone. The above 10 things should still be happening in church. I would propose that a good church service is one in which God is so evident that some people squirm in their seats. A church that never challenges or stretches it members is like a gym that never challenges its members to do strenuous workouts. Church should be a divine encounter. If we are too comfortable it is probably evidence that we are not really letting God do his thing.
There is an interesting story in the Old Testament about Moses and his congregation. Moses talked to God face to face and tried to get his parishioners to do the same, but the people didn’t want to – it was too intense. They said, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." (Exodus 20:19) A real encounter with God will be intense. Real church will be intense.
Shouldn’t church still be exciting and unpredictable, like it was for St. Peter and his colleagues? Doesn’t it make sense that God still wants to His power and change lives in a very tangible way? Won’t our services be much more powerful when they are focused on what God wants, rather than on a ceremony that fits into man’s comfort zone? How many people do you suppose have the stomach for that kind of encounter with God?
This is an understandable reaction since centuries of “religious morphing” has resulted in typical worship services looking and feeling more like a ceremony than a dynamic interaction with the living God. It is really quite surprising to find out how many people become uncomfortable when a church service starts looking like the kind of services Jesus’ own disciples experienced. In such cases, it should be noted that the things that are happening may be out of some people’s comfort zone, but they are not out of the Bible zone.
Since there is such a wide range of opinions as to what church should be like, it might be most honest for us to defer to the Bible and its record of church history when trying to establish what should take place in church. Below you will find a list of things that were recorded to have happened in the first century church. This list is not based on denominational traditions or personal preferences but, rather, on scripture:
1. Powerful times of prayer (Acts 1, 4)
2. Rejoicing, clapping, singing and dancing ( Ephesians 5:17-19, Colossians 3:16)
3. Repentance and public baptisms (Acts 2, 8, 10 & 19)
4. People speaking in “other tongues” (Acts 2, 10, 19; I Corinthians 12)
5. Emotionally overwhelming experiences - to the point of appearing drunk (Acts 2)
6. Emotional and physical healings, and exorcisms (James 5:14-15, Acts 5,8)
7. Visible manifestations of God’s presence (Acts 4)
8. Apostolic words of rebuke and encouragement (Acts 5, 13)
9. Generous giving (Acts 2, II Corinthians 9)
10. Supernatural gifts and the laying on of hands (Acts 13, 21)
A simple review of early church history quickly reveals that going to a church in the first century was an adventure. Early believers had life-changing services -- services that may have been out of many people’s comfort zone. The above 10 things should still be happening in church. I would propose that a good church service is one in which God is so evident that some people squirm in their seats. A church that never challenges or stretches it members is like a gym that never challenges its members to do strenuous workouts. Church should be a divine encounter. If we are too comfortable it is probably evidence that we are not really letting God do his thing.
There is an interesting story in the Old Testament about Moses and his congregation. Moses talked to God face to face and tried to get his parishioners to do the same, but the people didn’t want to – it was too intense. They said, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." (Exodus 20:19) A real encounter with God will be intense. Real church will be intense.
Shouldn’t church still be exciting and unpredictable, like it was for St. Peter and his colleagues? Doesn’t it make sense that God still wants to His power and change lives in a very tangible way? Won’t our services be much more powerful when they are focused on what God wants, rather than on a ceremony that fits into man’s comfort zone? How many people do you suppose have the stomach for that kind of encounter with God?
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