The Gimpy Church

Recently while listening to a lecture of Dr. George Grant's on 'the Rise of Byzantine and the Fall of Rome' his words struck me deeply and caused me to look at some things in a new light. 

"It is only when the church fails to uphold justice, mercy, and humble faith that the onslaughts of the enemies of justice and mercy have the opportunity to prevail. Only when the church is not the church do we have to fear." Dr. Grant

The church today is not what it was three hundred years ago. In fact, it is not often occurring in history that the church has done what God intended for it.

Grant made a point on government vs. church. He said we should not be concerned with our Nero's and Caligula's (presidents in our day and corruption in the government) until we have first shown concern for the church and how well it's doing upholding what it's supposed to biblically.

"The church has become the spurned and neglected step-child of the modern era. We have given up on the church and looked for other things to satisfy our deepest spiritual longings." Dr. Grant

He gives the example of youth groups, Sunday schools, and all the programs the modern church is so wrapped up in; the original, heart-felt goal is soon left behind and replaced with having fun and impressing and drawing in people through entertainment. I am by no means criticizing those who participate in these activities but merely challenging you to think for a moment about this. This example is just one of the many areas the church has failed to fulfill their biblical mandate.

Branching off a little but still on the same lines...David Platt discusses people's interpretation of the church in his book 'Radical'.

"If you were to ask the average Christian to summarize the message of Christianity, you would most likely hear something like this..." The message of Christianity is that God loves me enough to send his Son, Jesus, to die for me." As wonderful as this sentiment sounds, is it biblical? Isn't it incomplete, based on what we have seen in the Bible? God loves me is not the essence of biblical Christianity. Because if that sentence is the message of Christianity, then who is the object of Christianity? 

God loves me. 

Me. 

Christianity's object is me. 

Therefore, when I look for a church, I look for the music that best fits me and the programs that best cater to me and my family...I will chose according to what is best for me. This is the version of Christianity that largely prevails in our culture. But it is not biblical Christianity.
The message is now "God loves me, period." as if we were the object of our own faith. The message biblically is "God loves me so that I might make him-his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness- known among all nations." To make disciples of the nations."

From my view, it seems that the church is the way it is, because it has catered to the 'wants' of the people. As it was in Samuel, the Israelites wanted a king, despite the warnings of Samuel. God warned the people through Samuel saying if kings were to rule over them they would take everything of worth to them, enslave their households, and take a portion of their livelihood. It's true today with the church and the government. We insist on getting our desires, getting our king. We don't heed the Samuels of our day, and of God himself who warned us two thousand years ago what happens when our selfish desires are fulfilled.

 The lame church, the way we define Christianity, our want for rulers, it all leads to one reason and one fault. Ours.

So what is to be done? Well, perhaps we should start where God told us to. Obeying Him.

Honor of Generations

Grandparents. I love that name. I love their presence. When they walk into a room it's as if the atmosphere feels a little more special. Their calm and steady nature is reassuring.

Grandfathers smile when little people cling to their legs and beg to be held. Their life-carved wrinkles deepen as they laugh at questions of the five year old such as " Why can't I just wash my hands for one time a day?"

They coo at the newborn child, stroke the soft black hair, and their pride at a new blessing spills forth.

Grandfathers think of what would bring pleasure to their little generation. My grandfather spent half an hour in the floor playing with my siblings and willingly answered every question asked. He invests in our lives. He cares about who we become. And he doesn't know it but he's shaping our character.

I love my grandmothers. I can't imagine life without them. Grandmothers were given to us to fill us up with delicious (and not so nutritious) yummies. To rock us to sleep when we're young. To make everything brighter with their comforting presence. To share their knowledge with us about arts of the past. I can still remember my Granna rocking and singing to me as a toddler. Now I watch as she does the same with my siblings.

“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:32

Grandparents don't care how many they have in their laps. There's always room for more. And they are always helping make memories. My Poppy one night took all us children outside with a quilt and we lay down and watched meteorites stream across the sky. Poppy told us about the stars; he explained about light years and constellations. He made another impression on my character.

"The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old." Proverbs 20:29
My great grandmother is getting to witness her third generation. She's still getting to hold little hands that clasp around the worn ones. Still seeing the fruit of her labor.

May we all give honor to the generations that deserved to be treasured.

May we be willing to listen to the wisdom they have to bestow.