http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru_tC4fv6FE
These are two videos that have been posted all over facebook. The first one, "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus," has gone viral with over 15 million views. The second one, "Why I Love Religion, And Love Jesus," is newer and beginning to make the rounds.
Ultimately, I think both of these videos are trying to make the same point, though they seem to be arguing from opposite ends. Jefferson Bethke, the spoken word artist and writer for the first video, notes that this poem is to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. Unfortunately, despite the line confessing that he does not hate the Church, the video still comes across suggesting that all religion is bad because it gets in the way of following Jesus. Fr. Pontifex, the lyricist (and I believe performer) for the second video, comes back to argue that religion is most often the vehicle for following Jesus and the oft-needed framework and structure.
It seems like these days a lot of people have been burned by a church, thus making them "spiritual, but not religious." There are two main ways we can respond to this:
1) Turn our frustrations against certain aspects and people of the Church and reject the whole thing entirely.
2) Recognize the broken and weak parts and work to redeem the Church as the Bride of Christ.
It seems to me that God is in the redemption business, so maybe with His help we can straighten some of this stuff out.
I want to commend both Jefferson Bethke and Fr. Pontifex for making creative and inspiring videos charging people to follow Jesus more whole-heartedly and not get caught up in empty actions and promises. Their work is valuable and important. However, it is important that we define our terms in this type of discussion (what do we mean by "religion"?). I also encourage everyone to spend less time discussing what is right and wrong, so they have more time to simply be obedient to Christ and live out their convictions. I'll close with this response by Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Luke 10:25-29:
"We have literally no time to sit down and ask ourselves whether so-and-so is our neighbour or not. We must get into action and obey - we must behave like a neighbour to him. But perhaps this shocks you. Perhaps you still think you ought to think out beforehand and know what you ought to do. To that there is only one answer. You can only know and think about it by actually doing it. You can only learn what obedience is by obeying. It is no use asking questions; for it is only through obedience that you come to learn the truth."
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Tentmaker's Dilemma and Joy
This is the first time I have tried the tentmaking approach to ministry. I love the fact that it gives me the ability to volunteer in various ways, instead of being a financial burden on those I wish to serve. However, there are times when work and ministry conflict, at which point I must decide whether to go be the hands and feet of Jesus, or whether to stay back and earn some money that will later enable me to be His hands and feet. It is an interesting balance I have never had to maintain before, which has given me increased respect for everyone working in "the secular world" and also striving for that balance. Erring to either side can be costly as one sets up work and money as an idol, and the other side fails to be a careful steward of the opportunities and resources provided by the Lord.
Being a tentmaker has also taught me to be more grateful for work and opportunities to earn an income when they come my way. Growing up I always thought of work as "that annoying thing that gets in the way of having fun." After working at a camp for a number of years, I came to learn how much fun work can be. And now I'm also learning that work can enable fun and service later. Every hour of work is one more opportunity to take someone out to lunch, another bit of gas to drive a friend to the airport, or maybe just the money to pay rent and stay one more month in this beautiful city God has placed me in.
So I take my hat off to all of you who have been balancing earning an income and serving others for years now. And I also want to encourage you as you plug in one more hour at the office, one more late night waiting tables, or however you currently find yourself employed. Remember that every dollar into your pocket is another dollar you can use to bless someone. Get creative in what that looks like, and you might find that grueling job to be a little more enjoyable when it is a means to someone else's happiness.
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" - Matthew 25:37-40
Being a tentmaker has also taught me to be more grateful for work and opportunities to earn an income when they come my way. Growing up I always thought of work as "that annoying thing that gets in the way of having fun." After working at a camp for a number of years, I came to learn how much fun work can be. And now I'm also learning that work can enable fun and service later. Every hour of work is one more opportunity to take someone out to lunch, another bit of gas to drive a friend to the airport, or maybe just the money to pay rent and stay one more month in this beautiful city God has placed me in.
So I take my hat off to all of you who have been balancing earning an income and serving others for years now. And I also want to encourage you as you plug in one more hour at the office, one more late night waiting tables, or however you currently find yourself employed. Remember that every dollar into your pocket is another dollar you can use to bless someone. Get creative in what that looks like, and you might find that grueling job to be a little more enjoyable when it is a means to someone else's happiness.
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" - Matthew 25:37-40
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Year's Resolution Bitterness
As we find ourselves at a time of the year where people are focused on New Year's resolutions and how things will be different in 2012, I confess that I find myself resistant to join the tradition of resolutions.
Perhaps it's the fact that I've never successfully kept a New Year's resolution through to the end of January, but I seem to be in good company on that one. I think it has more to do with the fact that people are resolving to be different based on the time of the year, rather than a true desire to change. As a procrastinator myself, I recognize the down falls of planning a later resolution instead of just beginning your new resolution. If you want to make a change, why not begin immediately on December 29th instead of waiting until January 1st? Then when January 17th comes and the old routines have taken over again and you struggle to remember what you had even resolved to do, you give up, saying how you've already blown it for this year, but maybe next year you'll do better. If one were truly resolved, failure would not be the end, but merely a starting over.
It's not the resolution I am opposed to, merely the fact that it is a New Year's resolution. It is a wonderful desire to grow, change, evolve, and improve yourself. I'm just concerned that there is a toxicity in linking this desire to a time of year that can delay and/or cut short the hard work and process of personal growth.
My encouragement to everyone making resolutions, New Year's or not, is to be full of patience and grace toward yourself. Growth takes time, as we see in the parable of the sower. When the seed fell on rocky places, it grew very quickly, but it could not last because it didn't have any roots. So take the time to grow deep roots. Be "like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit." (Jer. 17:8) We see how patient God constantly is with us ("But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.... Give your strength to your servant" Ps. 86:15-16); why should we treat ourselves any differently? So go ahead and make a resolution, but don't wait until tomorrow to start it. And when you fail, don't give up. The fight isn't over. Pray to God to give you strength and keep working at it. You don't have to wait until next year to try again.
Perhaps it's the fact that I've never successfully kept a New Year's resolution through to the end of January, but I seem to be in good company on that one. I think it has more to do with the fact that people are resolving to be different based on the time of the year, rather than a true desire to change. As a procrastinator myself, I recognize the down falls of planning a later resolution instead of just beginning your new resolution. If you want to make a change, why not begin immediately on December 29th instead of waiting until January 1st? Then when January 17th comes and the old routines have taken over again and you struggle to remember what you had even resolved to do, you give up, saying how you've already blown it for this year, but maybe next year you'll do better. If one were truly resolved, failure would not be the end, but merely a starting over.
It's not the resolution I am opposed to, merely the fact that it is a New Year's resolution. It is a wonderful desire to grow, change, evolve, and improve yourself. I'm just concerned that there is a toxicity in linking this desire to a time of year that can delay and/or cut short the hard work and process of personal growth.
My encouragement to everyone making resolutions, New Year's or not, is to be full of patience and grace toward yourself. Growth takes time, as we see in the parable of the sower. When the seed fell on rocky places, it grew very quickly, but it could not last because it didn't have any roots. So take the time to grow deep roots. Be "like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit." (Jer. 17:8) We see how patient God constantly is with us ("But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.... Give your strength to your servant" Ps. 86:15-16); why should we treat ourselves any differently? So go ahead and make a resolution, but don't wait until tomorrow to start it. And when you fail, don't give up. The fight isn't over. Pray to God to give you strength and keep working at it. You don't have to wait until next year to try again.
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