Should the Church Abandon the church? Part 5

As we continue talking about the church and all it's foibles, let's look at this from another perspective.

Here's the Story... Of a Lovely Lady...
I grew up with the Brady Bunch. The picture perfect example of a blended family. Decades ahead of it's time. Their seeming bliss only occasionally interrupted by a frustrated "Marcia! Marcia!! Marcia!!!"
If only life could imitate art. (Not that the Brady Bunch is really art...)
Imagine with me a family today. A 21st Century family.
Mom and Dad are happily married. Mostly. They have their issues. They fight sometimes. Raise their voices. Disrespect each other. But, that's mostly because they each bring some "history" to the marriage.
This is Dad's 2nd marriage. He and his first wife divorced several years ago after the birth of their third strapping young lad, and the discovery of his wife's multiple affairs. Dad, obviously, has trust issues as a result.
Mom is a widower. Her three girls with hair of gold (the youngest one in curls), watched her 1st husband slowly succumb to an agonizing death of pancreatic cancer. Mom has abandonment issues.
Dad and his 1st wife have shared custody of the three boys. Things are pretty structured at Dad's house, but when the boys are with their mom, things are a little... well... messy. Her endless parade of boyfriends has not slowed down, nor does she expect much or enforce much discipline in dealing with her sons. Dad does his best to respect his 1st wife in front of their boys. But, honestly, she doesn't give him much to work with. This past weekend, she didn't show up at all. Still now sure where she's at.
While Mom doesn't have an Ex to share custody with, she does have a LOAD of bills from his painful and extended illness. Her oldest daughter is just entering High School, and is starting to smile again (soft, and kinda shy). The scars on her arms seem to be healing. The middle one doesn't talk much, but LOVES to play pranks. The youngest however, just kind of seems stuck. It's been 3 years. She really hasn't recovered. Her grades are not good.
The oldest boy is on the football team, has a pretty girlfriend, and came home reeking of beer last night. The middle boy is no longer in the closet, not that this admission surprised any one. Dad is trying to balance loving and supporting his son with the judgement his church teaches about homosexuality. The youngest boy is just a nut. Ornery, and happy. He almost seems unscathed.
Mom and Dad desperately love each other. Try to schedule regular dates, but sometimes (well, all the time) the money is a little thin. Last Friday night, they went to McDonald's together and sat drinking $1 fountain drinks and laughing at the old couple across the room.
They've been trying to "do right" by their creditors, but the pile seems to grow rather than receed. So, they're considering bankruptcy, and, they may lose their house.
Oh, and Mom is a week late for her "cycle." She hasn't told Dad. Not sure how to feel about that. Too much going on.


Is this how it was supposed to be?
God made Adam. God spent time with Adam. God decided that although it was cool for Adam to spend time with Him. Adam really needed someone else. So, selflessly, God made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, and not ashamed. (I love that part...)
When God decided to make Eve to come alongside Adam. When He set them as an example (obviously not a perfect example with the whole eating the fruit thing), but an example for future couples. Do you think God thought, "I can't wait for people to have to deal with divorce and infidelity, shame and guilt!"
Obviously, the family we described above is not perfect. None of us are.
Does that mean the family should split? Does that mean, since their foundation is blemished, they have no future?
Okay, without regard to who is at fault, it's safe to say that the perfect plan has not worked so perfectly for Mom and Dad. But, this is the real world. Where real people really screw up, and really hurt each other. This is a world where innocence is stolen, yet justice is still fought for. This is a world where it's safer to isolate yourself, yet people still choose to love.
This is our fallen world. Imperfect and glorious.


All the things we've said about the family above are true also of the church, messy as it is. True, we live in a fallen world. Things are not perfect. We haven't made the right decisions. We do things out of hurt, anger, selfishness, and fear. But, God can use us still.


The Scandal Ridden Ministry of Jesus
Jesus was in the temple, and was announcing the start of His ministry,

When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD's favor has come. " He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day!" - Luk 4:16-21 NLT

The scripture He's reading from here we find in Isaiah 61, let's read it as it continues past the part Jesus was quoting...

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. - Isa 61:1-3 NLT

In Isaiah's day, a man in deepest mourning would rub ashes over himself. Isaiah is saying that God trades our ashes for a crown of beauty. A joyful blessing for our morning. Crazy praise in exchange for our despair. God is all about redeeming (purchasing back, repurposing) broken things. Even if that broken thing is me.


The Most Commonly Skipped Passage in Scripture

Stay with me here, I'm getting to a point.
When I was a kid, we called them "The Begats". The 1st Chapter of the 1st book of the New Testament starts off with a flop. If you've ever struggled through it in the King James Version, you are one of the few. To "begat" someone means to have a kid. So, my Father, Russell, begat Chris (that's me).
All of this lineage stuff is leading towards the birth of Jesus as Matthew opens the New Testament. Betwixt all the 'begats', this guy had this son, that guy had that son, etc., etc., there are 4 women who are mentioned. In Jewish culture at the time of the writing, it was almost sacrilege for Matthew to include women in a lineage, but he broke with their tradition. The 4 women he chose to mention tell us something about the nature of God.


Matthew's 4 Women
(That sounds inappropriate when I read it, but it's not like that.)

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. - Mat 1:1-3 NLT

Woman #1
Tamar. If you think the bible is all butterflies and lollipops, you should read the story of Tamar. Desperate Housewives could learn a thing or two from her.
Now, I'm going to paraphase here, but you can look it up. All of this is really there.
Jacob (who became Israel after he wrestled with God) has a BUNCH of kids. One's name is Judah. Judah decides that he's going to find a wife for his son Er (nice name, right?). He finds Tamar, and Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom, they get married. Well, Er is a real piece of poop, and God doesn't like him, so God kills him. (Sorry if that's harsh, read it for yourself in Genesis 38). So, Tamar's now a widow. But Judah, wants the family name to carry on. One of the way's they did this in those days was borrowing "seed" from a brother. You just can't make this stuff up. If your brother dies, it becomes your responsibility to give a child to your brother's wife. I don't mean give her one of the kids you already have. I mean... impregnate her. The old fashioned way.
So, Judah goes to sone #2, Onan (not much better for a name), and says, listen, your brother is dead. Go, marry his wife Tamar, and give your brother a son.
I'm not even going to try to explain the next part. You can read it for yourself.

Then Judah said to Er's brother Onan, "Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother." But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother. But the LORD considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the LORD took Onan's life, too. - Gen 38:8-10 NLT

Please don't make me explain that to you.
Well, Er's dead. Onan's dead. And Judah says, "Listen Tamar, I've got another son, Shelah, but he's just a boy. Go back home, and when he's grown, you can have him for a husband." So, Tamar moves home with her parents.
Some time later, she finds out that her Father-in-law is going to be in town, so she takes off her widows garments, dresses up like a "lady of the evening," and goes to a public place where Judah is going to be. She see's Judah there, with Shelah, who is now grown (and not married to Tamar). Here's where things get hairy. Judah sees the fine looking prostitute, and propositions her, not realizing that it's his daughter in law. She bargains with him, because Judah has already lied to her about Shelah. She agrees to sleep with him, if he will give her... you know, never mind. Just read this, I promise you won't be bored.

Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow's clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. So he stopped and propositioned her. "Let me have sex with you," he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law. "How much will you pay to have sex with me?" Tamar asked. "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," Judah promised. "But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?" she asked. "What kind of guarantee do you want?" he replied. She answered, "Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying." So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothing as usual. Later Judah asked his friend Hirah the Adullamite to take the young goat to the woman and to pick up the things he had given her as his guarantee. But Hirah couldn't find her. So he asked the men who lived there, "Where can I find the shrine prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to Enaim?" "We've never had a shrine prostitute here," they replied. So Hirah returned to Judah and told him, "I couldn't find her anywhere, and the men of the village claim they've never had a shrine prostitute there." "Then let her keep the things I gave her," Judah said. "I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn't find her. We'd be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her." About three months later, Judah was told, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she's pregnant." "Bring her out, and let her be burned!" Judah demanded. But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?" Judah recognized them immediately and said, "She is more righteous than I am, because I didn't arrange for her to marry my son Shelah." And Judah never slept with Tamar again. When the time came for Tamar to give birth, it was discovered that she was carrying twins. While she was in labor, one of the babies reached out his hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a scarlet string around the child's wrist, announcing, "This one came out first." But then he pulled back his hand, and out came his brother! "What!" the midwife exclaimed. "How did you break out first?" So he was named Perez. Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah. - Gen 38:14-30 NLT

And there it is, the first woman mentioned in the lineage of Jesus...

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. - Mat 1:3 NLT

If it was up to me, and I was recording the lineage of the Savior of all mankind, I'd leave that kind of crap out. But Matthew goes against the grain to purposefully point it out. Mentioning a women in this lineage is like a Super-Duty-Neon-Highlighter saying "HEY! PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!" Why, with all the wonderful women he could have mentioned, does he point out the girl who poses as a prostitute, and has twins by her Father-in-law?

Why? Because God is a redeemer of broken things. Even if that broken thing is me. Even if that broken thing is the Church.

Coming up next, the other Women

Should the Church Abandon the church? Part 4

The Reformer
It is October 31st 1517, Martin Luther has nailed his 95 Thesis's to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It is neither the beginning, nor the end of what will eventually become a broad sweeping change known as the Christian Reformation.
A Dominican priest, by the name of Johann Tetzel, had been commissioned by the Archbishop of Mainz and Pope Leo X to raise money for the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
As any properly demented and thoroughly soiled church leader can tell you, the easiest way for the church to raise money is by directly connecting people's financial giving to their fear of the afterlife-unknown. Better yet, if you can also magically work it out that their giving absolves them of the need for repentance, you've got a true win-win situation!!!
It is with this often-used technique that Johann Tetzel promotes the idea of Papal Indulgences.


What is an Indulgence?
Get ready for this one...
The current official doctrine of the Roman Catholic church is that Jesus, Mary, and the various assundry Saints lived such exemplary lives, and did so very many good works, that there is left over a super-abundance of "merit". This extra "merit" is owned and held in reserve by the Roman Catholic church, and can be distributed by said Roman Catholic church as it deems fit in it's exercise of "the power of the keys."
With me so far?
The doctrine further states that when God forgives sins, there are some sins that He only grants remission from the "eternal" punishment of the sins, while the "temporal" debt of punishment for the sin remains in effect. If the punishment of the sin is not endured in this lifetime, than it remains to be paid after death in purgatory.
Through the giving of indulgences, the Roman Catholic church can shorten or eliminate this "temporal" punishment, be it here on earth, or after death in purgatory.


Johann Tetzel Plays on the Ignorant
The Joe Six-Pack, regular-day everyman European Roman Catholic believer in the early 1500's was kept in great ignorance and lived a life of superstition-run-wild. Dimly explained doctrines such as purgatory were excellent tools to keep the people controlled by fears and ignorance.
Feeding on these superstitions, it was easy enough for Johann Tetzel to present a desperate picture of a dearly departed wife, or beloved child burning in the fires of purgatory. With your painful and generous contribution, your loved one could be instantly released from this torture. Tetzel's famous claim, "So wie das Geld im Kasten klingt; die Seele aus dem Fegfeuer springt" [As soon as the coin in the casket rings, the rescued soul to heaven springs] resonates like a demented nursery rhyme.


"...And I can't stands no more!"
Into this environment, Martin Luther's 95 Thesis's (which he intended as a continuation of his scholarly objection to the detestable practice) brought clarity, focus, and illumination to the plight of the average believer under the purposeful deceiving machinations of church leadership.
One of Luther's other major problems was with the issue of "Sacerdotalis".


Sacerdotalis
I know... with the flick of a dragon-heartstringed elm wand, it could almost be a Harry Potter spell.
It is an ancient latin word referring to the priesthood. Sacerdotalism teaches that the priesthood is a special class of churchman, and is a necessary part of worship. People cannot approach God on their own, but must come through the ministry of a priest, whether through the confession of sin, taking communion, or receiving grace. And divine blessing comes only through the church, and that only through the Church's ordained priesthood.


The More Things Change, The More they Stay the Same
At Luther's point in history, it's almost 1500 years after the finished work of Christ. 1500 years after Christ fulfilled and superseeded the need for and responsibility of the priest. 1500 years after the termination of the High Priest's lineage. 1500 years after the destruction of the temple. And, yet again, the Priesthood reigns supreme as the mediator between man and God. No one comes to the Father except through them.


Luther argued that not only was there no distinction between leadership and laity. Not only was there no difference between priest and participant. But, Luther championed the scriptural understanding of the priesthood of ALL believers.
In Luther's Open Letter to the German Nobility he talked about how the Roman Catholic church divided people into the "spiritual" and "temporal" estate. The "spiritual estate" consisted of those who went into the church and chose a holy vocation, while the "temporal estate" were the vast majority (i.e. everybody else). There were two kinds of people, clergy and laity. Ordination served as a kind of 2nd baptism, that lifted the clergy into a higher state of Christiandom while the laity struggled on in normalcy.


Is it really any different today?
Have things really changed? The Christian church was born out of Judaism. The protestant churches were born out of the Catholic church during the Reformation. But, even today, 2000 years later, are things that different?
Look at the big positions at your church. I'm not talking about the "lowly" positions like the guy who scrubs toilets. Or, the family who teaches children. I'm talking about the Big Money spots. The "Pulpit Ministry". The Go To Guys. The face of the ministry. Are they clergy, or are they laity. Do they work only in the church, seperate from the real world? Or, do they slave in a steel mill alongside their fellow church workers? Are they "Professional Christians"?


What does Scripture have to say about this?

Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel." - Exd 19:5-6 NLT

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. - 1Pe 2:5 NLT

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. - 1Pe 2:9 NLT

This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. - Rev 1:4-6 NLT

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth." - Rev 5:6-10 NLT

Over and over again, not priests over a kingdom, but an entire Kingdom, made up of Priests. And, there is only one High Priest who reigns over us all.

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity--the man Christ Jesus. - 1Ti 2:5 NLT

There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people's sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever. - Hbr 7:23-28 NLT

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. - Hbr 4:14-15 NLT

Hold ON a Second!
Thank God for Stacy. My beautiful wife ROCKS! There's nothing like having someone in your life who can encourage you and tell you you're being an idiot at the same time. Stacy is my Ideal Reader, and proofreads everything I write before I post. If it passes the Stacy litmus test, then it's good enough by me. I sent her everything I had written so far in Part 4 (I'm travelling for work this week), and she replied back with an "I-love-you-but-you're-an-idiot"...

"What about all the Pastors who are working themselves to death? The ones with pure hearts? They deserve respect. Don't forget that the heart of your writing needs to be Love and Grace."

Realizing how harsh all this sounds. Let me clarify my feelings and thoughts.


In Honor and Respect for the Selfless Shepherds
A very dear friend and mentor of mine (that I would never want to disrespect) had worked in Church ministry for many years. He worked as the Minister of Music for a large, respected, and progressive church. Through some time in prayer, and internal searching, he became convinced that God had laid it upon his heart to go in a different direction, to birth a church. And so, in his desire to be obedient to the plans Father had for him, he left his comfortable church salary with the comfortable benefits, and he, his wife, and their 5 kids struck out on their own. I don't know if you've ever tried that. But, when there aren't people in the church yet. There ain't no money. Kids still need to eat (and so do adults, by the way), and so this excellent man took on lots of roles to make ends meet. He worked odd jobs. He did construction. He did consulting. He did technical work. He did management and leadership training. He taught music lessons. All while slowly building a congregation, and developing a ministry. Years later, this ministry is now well established, handed off to an internally developed leader, and my friend is on to the next "church plant." My dear friend is an excellent, Godly, compassionate, compotent, and wonderful man. I have no doubt that his efforts deserve a "well done, thou good and faithful servent."
That is just an example. There are many, many people across the globe who have selflessly devoted themselves to the work of the ministry. Worked tons of hours. Baptized babies. Held friends hands as they died. Protected rape victims. Feed and clothed the homeless. Told the truth. Loved their spouses. Raised their kids right. Studied till all hours of the night. Endured budget meetings. And, put up with whiny people like me who point out faults without taking a moment to recognize just how much these men and women have given.
I honor you.
I respect you.
The world is not worthy of you.


Next up, Part 5, where do we go from here?