Evangelicals desperately need spiritual and moral renewal—on that everyone agrees. But what do we do about it?
Mark Galli | posted 10/02/2009 10:20AM
A couple of years ago, I received a flier in the mail:
A new flavor of church is in town! Whether you prefer church with a more traditional blend or a robust contemporary flavor, at [church name], we have ...
I just spent some time reading other comments. I'm amazed that so many people missed, what I thought, was the main point of the article. The hope of Christianity is not focusing on the "horizontal"; things we do for God (even good things) or ways to change ourselves to be more pleasing to God, rather being properly connected to the work of the Cross first, the "vertical"; the miraculous work done within us that transforms us into Christlike ones. As a result of being transformed by grace into Christlike ones, we will be able to do all the needed things God desires and the world needs.
Jim Johnson
Posted: October 12, 2009 6:29 AM
I loved your article. It clearly reveals that, in our zeal for God we often place the cart before the horse. We try to "do and be" ourselves. First we need inward transformation through the power of God's grace. Then we will naturally live out the things we know God desires us to be and do. For those interested, I have a book available through Amazon.com called, "Transforming Grace: God's Path to Life and Inward Change". May we all experience the power of God's Transforming Grace which will change us and empower us to live the way God desires.
Cheryl Berto
Posted: October 09, 2009 12:14 PM
What a great article. I think that Mark nailed it. I will be sharing this article with people in my church. One aspect that caused me to be cautious was the exhortation at the end to get connected to the Word. I think that many of us evangelicals are so prone to "Bibliolatry" that we think that more Bible study will set us free whereas, more of the healing presence of God is what is required. However, connecting with the God that is calling us into relationship (the Word) through the written word, is still paramount. Well, well done!!!
Dan
Posted: October 09, 2009 7:04 AM
seemingly endless and its verbosity is matched only by its vapidity. horizontal, vertical, do something, don't do something concluding, finally, with a watered down version of, "go to church. hear God's Word, believe God's Word, do God's Word". or was it "don't do?'. i'm unsure. hahaha. evangelicals cannot make any real assessment of themselves, so how can they comment on society or churchianity? oh, right, the preacher will do it each and every Sunday where we are being wonderously and magically renewed. like, i'm sure. i couldn't live in the big old scary fragmented world w/out your collective insights and religious big shots pointing me to where real hope lies which, conveniently, gets them into my head and wallet on a self-serving, politically motivated basis. guess I always have some sort of "pastor" to fall back on as the final authority- the bigger, the better. whew! what a relief! sure beats thinking and personal responsibility. victimization is much wiser.
Ryder C
Posted: October 07, 2009 5:16 PM
The most important thing is glorifying God. Being satisfied in Him and relying on the Holy Spirit. God will do the rest.
Jay Phelan
Posted: October 07, 2009 3:45 PM
It strikes me as disingenuous for you to claim you did not mention Soong-Chan Rah's book out of respect when you had no difficulty citing other books and authors. It would have been a greater mark of respect to mention the author and the book and to give people a chance to decide for themselves whether his work is accurately described and evaluated. Leaving him out renders him invisible--a state very familiar to persons of color in the Evangelical world. Thus Dr. Rah's book.
corpuschristioutreachministries
Posted: October 07, 2009 5:57 AM
Good article, think you could have possibly covered any more angles? As Evangelicals we somtimes suffer from the 'how is our movement doing' critque,I mean as believers we are already connected to the great tradtions of the church [you know, the ancient future thing] we are part of 'the organic church, simple church, etc.' though I agree the term Pagan went too far. We love the spiritual disciplines, but at times they can become to introspective, the monastic movment prodcued some good things, but it also isolated Gods leaders [some lived in deserts, others on poles!] Iliked the overall article, but it does reveal the multitudes of division/individualism in the church.
Granny Fran
Posted: October 07, 2009 12:53 AM
Thank you for printing this article. It shows me why I am feeling overwhelmed. I do need to stop doing, or guilting, or shoulding, and just sit with the Lord for a while. I need to be a pipeline, not a stagnant river with no fresh living water replenishing me moment by moment. It is the Spirit who needs to move thru me, I cannot keep moving without the constant inflow of the Spirit. Instead of driving myself, I need to let the Spirit move me. It's that simple, and yet, I keep forgetting it.
Eric Orozco
Posted: October 06, 2009 9:55 PM
We see a constant horizontal temptation because that is the prodding of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit knows "We" and seems to employ it to great effect. The question we need to be asking is "Where are we not seeing horizontal temptations?" Contrary perhaps to the phenomenological gnosticism of C.S.Lewis, the movement of the Kingdom, methinks, is less inward...and further outward.
Scott
Posted: October 06, 2009 9:09 PM
You have turned it to a den of theives!Never mind subjective morality,excuse the the logos as well.Many shall come in my name and I shall say depart from me you workers of iniquity.How vile must the wrath of God be poured!A generation of VIPERS?
Oscar
Posted: October 06, 2009 4:05 PM
My goodness! Who can possibly keep up with all the different Protestant religions?! What is it now? 30,000 sects and counting? I'll stay with the Faith once delivered onto the saints, thank you very much. I'll stick with Rome.
JOE V PENTACOSTAL
Posted: October 06, 2009 1:36 PM
MARC INDEED....
SOME OF YOUR RESPONSER (LIKE THE AUDIENCE OF PROCLOMATION OF JESUS PUBLIC MINISTRY WOULD DECRY ISN'T (A ETHNIC GROUP- JOSEPHS SON...) KEEP IN MIND READERS JESUS PUBLIC MINISTRY TOOK PLACE NOT ONLY WHERE MANY RACES WERE- BUT SLAVES, SERVANTS AND AN OPPRESSIVE REPUBLIC, WE ARE ONLY HERE TO BE REVEALED AT THE CROSS ALL OTHER INCIDENTAL FLAVORS WE HAPPEN TO BE ARE ONLY FOR THIS TEMPERAL SOJOURN ARE NOT RELEVANT BEFORE THE THRONE.... LOOK UP FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NEIGH.....
chris like
Posted: October 06, 2009 1:28 PM
Mark's article marks an interesting "pushback" from the traditional Conservative Evangelical Stripe, but his critique seems to be more of a stubborn grasping-at-straws to justify Modern Gnosticism. Dividing the entirety of Evangelicalism into two dimensions is also an unfortunate and restrictive framework. I do not agree with his reasoning behind leaving Rev. Soong-Chan's name out of his article. It appears more of an intentional slight (to allow myself some cynicism given the nature of Mark's criticism) and regardless of what C.S. Lewis wrote, the format is inappropriate to the medium.
jonathan choe
Posted: October 06, 2009 12:43 PM
As a journalist, i was deeply disappointed to see the lack of fair and accurate coverage/criticism of Soong-Chan Rah's "The Next Evangelicalism" by one of the most influential Christian media voices.
But as a Christian, I see this as an opportunity for the columnist to actively engage and discuss with Rah why Sunday mornings at church still remain one of the most segregated hours in America. For this reason, maybe, just maybe, multi ethnicity is something God wants his church to actively consider?
Ironically, theologian John Perkins says Rah is part of a new wave of Christian leaders in America, shaping the future face of the church. Yes of course God is running the show. I'm not giving credit to any man. But the question is, will the dominant culture ever acknowledge this? It would be a good start if Christian columnists acknowledged the name of the person and book they are criticizing. It's called attribution...adds more credibility.
jonathan choe
Posted: October 06, 2009 12:26 PM
for more perspective on Soong-Chan Rah's "The Next Evangelicalism," check out these interviews with African American theologian John Perkins and Native American pastor Richard Twiss. You'll also find an interview with Moody Radio's Roy Patterson of Urban Praise. It's fair to say, Patterson loves the book. They offer a fair and balanced perspective.
http://www.youtube.com/profrah
http://www.profrah.com
Brent Vermillion
Posted: October 06, 2009 11:41 AM
The fact is that many churches are week, spiritually feeble and sick. Why? Because the teaching of the pure unadulterated Word of God brings life and spiritual health to a church, a family and an individual. Let's face it. Many churches no longer teach solid biblical doctrine. Many Christians have almost zero discernment regarding true biblical teaching and error. We need to change.
Mark Galli
Posted: October 06, 2009 10:48 AM
Thank you all for the comments--affirming and critical. This is always helpful for an author. Let me respond to the concerns of the friends of Professor Rah, who seem particularly upset. I did not name him or his book precisely because I respect his ministry (the careful reader will see how I did this at various points in the article with other prominent people in our movement). I did not want to suggest that I am hostile to Professor Rah or his book as such, only certain ideas therein. This is a style of disagreement I've learned from C.S. Lewis (see his Abolition of Man, for example), and I think it charitable way to express disagreement--focus on ideas and put personalities in the background. Naturally, if I were to do a full review of the book, that would be different. That being said, it was indeed an oversight that his book was not mentioned at the end of the piece, and we'll correct that asap. It is a book that expresses well his ideas, and readers should be aware of it.
In everything, Grace
Posted: October 06, 2009 9:32 AM
With what do we reach the unchurched? To what do the "most committed" commit? Maybe the scandal is when we communicate (to unchurched/each other) that after BECOMING God's child through all Jesus is,has done&does, the way to CONTINUE to be God's child is by learning/applying things to ourselves & ministries. (Even well-intentioned, good things). When our focus is on what we need to do to continue to be God's child, divisiveness happens (one person follows one teacher; another a different teacher). Personal achievement and fulfillment easily takes hold. Maybe the real scandal is when the Cross of Christ is overshadowed by these other things. God has redeemed me; I have been His for a long time. I fall short in so many ways - my transformation and restoration is still in process. I want each step of the way to happen at the foot of the Cross, where He reveals His absolute holiness, my desperate need, HIS grace - then the way to move forward. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
JP Paulus
Posted: October 06, 2009 8:35 AM
Part 3 of 3
The author also seems to have completely missed the support for the ideas. It’s easy to attack an unnamed author. How about Moody Radio? They did a 5 part conversation with Prof. Rah. They didn’t mock his ideas but rather open a conversation for their audience.
Another unbiblical thing is that it seems apparent is Mr. Galli seems to have never actually talked with Prof. Rah. It should be noted that Soong Chan Rah is in Chicago (CT is based in Wheaton, correct?). I would highly recommend a face to face meeting. If Mr. Galli is too busy to do so, surely he can spare a few minutes in his commute home to talk to Prof. Rah by phone.
I truly hope Mr. Galli addresses these and other issues in a future article.
JP Paulus
Posted: October 06, 2009 8:34 AM
part 2 of 3
“As if blacks, Asians, and Native Americans are not themselves captive to entrenched cultural ideologies”. Valid point, but are there not books that address precisely those issues? (And if not, maybe Mark could write one?) Just as there were specific epistles to individual groups with unique cultural issues (Ephesians, Philippians, Corinthians, Titus), is it really incredulous that there would be books for specific groups?
There is a lot of name dropping in the article, to make Mr.Galli seem like he connects with people like John Perkins and Rudy Carrasco (a quick Google search showed more of a connection with Prof. Rah than Mr. Galli) But yet he won’t even mention Soong Chan Rah’s name in the article? I don’t understand that. And though the book and ideas are referenced in a significant part of the article, it’s missing form the bibliography. Why is that? (I see many others have made this observation as well)
JP Paulus
Posted: October 06, 2009 8:33 AM
Part 1 of 3
Mr. Galli has made some good points, but they have been completely undermined by what i would daresay call unbiblical on so many levels.
“As if the flourishing of church depends on our ability to make it diverse. “
The author seems to be ignorant of the installation of the deacons in Acts 6. The issue had to deal with justice with minorities. The solution: putting people in charge who, from my understanding, all (or at last the majority) of those deacons were FROM that ethnic minority. However, their charge was for ALL Christians.
Also, the great potential schism of the church in Acts 15 was a BIBLICAL example of Galli’s mocking sentence. There was the very debate of making “minorities” submit to the cultural captivity of the “majority”. Acts 13 even shows the diversity, and it was from THAT church that the “experts” like Peter had to repent and move forward in a new direction.
Jerry
Posted: October 05, 2009 6:53 PM
Being a Christian means simply that one is a follower of Christ... it can mean nothing more; it could mean nothing less.
Grace first
Posted: October 05, 2009 1:49 PM
We have to start by clinging to the cross, for a long time so that we can then be salt and light regarding social justice, racial equality and sexual morality. We cannot expect to legislate for those outside of the ambit of the cross and expect them to comply with laws without grace. After all we know our history and how the law has done nothing but criticize people and it is grace which saves and which moves the savior. We cannot work on an ethos that assumes we have Christendom in our hands. As far as the world is concerned all we have is pierced hands and the blood of Christ. Then together we who have Christ have no race, no selfishly held possessions and no lusts that pervert us. But the poor world cannot cope and cries out for light. We have to be in a possession/position to give that light out of our selves, having received it from Jesus.
Scott Parker
Posted: October 05, 2009 10:44 AM
I agree more arguments for action need to be rooted in Christ and Him crucified. THis might be one of the most important discussion the church could be having right now. However, there is a lot of non-specific, but you know who you are kind of criticism in this article i.e. "a leading asian evangelical" that seems to discourage discussion rather than promote it. It makes me wonder should Christian editorials just throw criticisms out there in public before consulting with each other the first? I wonder if the author called any of the people he criticized in this article to ask them to comment on his observations before publishingt? Doesn't throwing a jab at people in print with no opportunity for discussion contribute to the "babel" as well? If we can't communicate what Christ and Him crucified have to do with social justice, racial equality, sexual morality then aren't we failing to truly preach the gospel to this generation?
Emmanuel M.Omeagu
Posted: October 05, 2009 7:33 AM
I agree with Mark.Just yesterday we discussed about the rescinding spirituality of the present day Church.The message of the cross is getting highly devalued with the issues of rights and social justice or even call it "Prosperity extravaganza".It has become about "Confess it,Claim it and Carry it".Pastors,Evangelists are being swept away in a whirlepool of Modernism.As was discussing with Dr.I.O.Walker at Assemblies of God V.I.Worship Center,in Lagos,Nigeria,if we needed another Martin Luther but he retorted by asking "for what?!" And he said we are already involved in preaching and teaching the true gospel message and the next is to live according our gospel.He asked as Reverend and minister of the gospel of how many times I've preached about "honor" and I replied that I've preached about "honor" but not as a title of the message but "honor" was seriously talked of then.I believed that"Rights,Justice and every other thing good for the human race is embedded in the true gospel.
Mosala
Posted: October 05, 2009 7:30 AM
Great article! When Mr Galli quoted GK Chesterton and saying that the greatest problem is 'me'; it came totally unexpectedly and had an effect of a gracious slap on my face. It is amazing how one can read such a graced article and still have a mental posture of wanting to blame something or someone else for the terrible mess we are in. Thanks for focussing us at the right place ( the cross).
Ephrem Hagos
Posted: October 05, 2009 2:20 AM
Without the cross of Christ, as the "tree of life" (or source of self-sufficient life), the fate of so-called evangelicals and Christianity can only go from bad to worst!
yashwah needs support
Posted: October 04, 2009 7:49 PM
To some persons evangelical means Jesus is not messiah and or a experimenting minister.It is end of world times.Churches is usaully asking for money.And it is common for people to use church for socializing. It is so hurtful to see an adult frame real christians for questioning their evil.And their kids grow up to try to hurt true christian like they did. End times.Cults inside churches is common.Be ready.Please create great christian m-art movies.This place is mean so not a lot of active workers.Psa99:9-outside pray. Also create christian security teams cause gov is self centered and may not help.A lot of Proneed help. Rom 12:2 .G people at church sometimes not help.God asked for our hands. Thousands said no to prophet because of bullys and abusive neighbors. Huh? Ninaveh, Noah and the ark! Where is the national christian business.Chicka Fil. Unchristian majority.Be careful. Praise God. You could dedicate your life. rev 12:9 -And fools us.Choose righteousness. Faith in holines
John C
Posted: October 04, 2009 1:53 PM
I write from the UK and recognise the different types of "Evangelical" movements and issues here also. Mark has been addressing these issues in several previous articles, this one is a summary, as I see it, diagnosing the problems and stating the solution of "evangelicalism's" ills.
I am glad that CT is serving the Body Of Christ with articles such as this and those that are to follow. Mark is a prophetic gift to us all, who writes humbly and wisely. We will do well to read and ponder this article, and increase our own vertical relationship with God.
RLC
Posted: October 04, 2009 10:42 AM
It appears that Mr. Galli has set up a straw man to bolster his argument. EITHER/OR appears to be the framework that many of my "white evangelical brothers" choose to make their arguments. So--should we pick free will OR God's sovereignty?" Should we feed people OR preach the gospel. This is another argument based upon a false dichotomy. For instance--should we have had the civil rights movement or, according to Galli--maybe we should just pray about it and keep it vertical. Galli says we SHOULD get away from SHOULD'S. So he tells us we SHOULD be Vertical and get away from the horizontal. The Asian writer he mentioned--not using his name or even mentioning his book--seems to validate that writers argument that we are still being held captive by a "white evangelicalism"--OR.......?
Onorio Chaparro
Posted: October 04, 2009 9:52 AM
More time should have been spent demonstrating how these three movements - spiritual formation, social justice and "cultural captivity" are themselves JUDGEMENTS (whether reactionary or inspired by the Holy Spirit) against a people who should have known better. And I too find Mark's "cultural captivity" very evident in not referencing Soong-Chan Rah's name and book title. What is with that my brother? And the end of this article leaves us right where we are; will we wait on Jesus together or seperately waiting for the "Jesus" of our own "cultural captivity"? John 6:28-29 reads, "Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
- We must together re-examine what we believe, why believe and in Whom we believe - to the fundamentals and understand this One Jesus the Christ and be transformed together to be salt and light. Blessings.....
the next evangelicalism
Posted: October 03, 2009 5:54 PM
the next evangelicalism should be sound doctrine and the best place to look for it is in eastern orthodox theology rather than each individual reinventing the wheel. Modern western theology has no idea about proper doctrine, spirituality, morals or holiness. The lie that we can pick up a bible out of context and then save ourselves and our families through prayer is an evil lie; after all who teaches us and coaches us to pray and meet the holy spirit other than the church and its tradition? The evangelical "pioneer" mentality which forces each individual believer to construct a tradition, doctrine and catechism and creed by himself leaves every poor soul having to continually reinvent the wheel. We need tradition and the tradition which is the soundest and holiest and closest to the cross is the best tradition and having searched for 19 years with God I found the Precious Pearl in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Read it and believe, along with your wonderful God-given bible.
Carl H Nelson
Posted: October 03, 2009 5:11 PM
I enjoyed the article overall, but think that Mark Galli misinterpreted Soong-Chan Rah's reasons for why the church needs to listen to the stories of Black, Asian, Latino and other Christians outside of the dominant white church.
His name or book title wasn't referenced, but I would encourage readers to check out "The Next Evangelicalism" by Soong-Chan Rah for themselves. http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3360.
David Hardy
Posted: October 03, 2009 4:46 PM
Interesting article... The condition is as old as mankind and can be summarized in Mat 14:25-31 where Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus and begins to sink. Another symptom is that hero worship is alive and well, like in 1Corinthians 1:12-13.. Mr Galli's article is filled with book references as are several of the comments. I believe that in order to go verticle we need to read the Bible and depend upon the Holy Spirit to assist us in interpretation. Remember what they said about the disciples?. Acts 4:13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. And also.. Hebrews 8: 11 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the Lord.'. It is my conviction that the greatest problem that the Ekklesia historically faces is second-hand spiritualty.
Paul
Posted: October 03, 2009 3:23 PM
I appreciate Mark Galli's perspective on the vertical needing to come before the horizontal--a needed corrective. Yet, I am surprised that the article references Soong-Chan Rah's book, The Next Evangelicalism, without naming Soong-Chan Rah nor listing the book among the other "books mentioned in this essay." I know this must have been an oversight because CT is usually more careful than this. I would also say that Galli's perspective creates a false dichotomy between the vertical and horizontal. I don't know about him, but I first learned about the Gospel from the people around me and I believe that is God's intention in establishing the church as the body of Christ. Yes, we run into problems when we compare ourselves to others. Yet we can learn from others. This truly is the message of Soong-Chan Rah's book--for the predominantly white Evangelical church to learn from other Evangelicals, especially those from other cultures.
Anonymous
Posted: October 03, 2009 2:50 PM
Right on the mark!
MP
Posted: October 03, 2009 2:33 PM
A superb article. Galli gets right to the heart of the matter. Evangelicalism has become so enamored with the horizontal that it has forgotten God. What ever happened to God? In my own tradition, John Wesley referred to this as "practical atheism," that is, Christians who try to be Christian without the initiative and involvement of God in their lives. God is only secondary, a "useful" tool, as is everything else in the world, including the church, faith, worship, preaching, the Bible, evangelism, ministry, etc. What if evangelicals were to turn their attention to God? What if they were to love God simply for God's own sake, rather than what God do for them or help them accomplish? Wesley wrote often that the "means of grace" - that is, the things we do - are for the purpose of knowing and loving God, and they are grounded in the merit of Christ and the efficacy of the Spirit. Sounds like a massive need for renewal, reform, and transformation that is too big for us alone.
A Pastor
Posted: October 03, 2009 12:32 PM
This is a very timely article if people are willing to read it. What does God require? But to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD'S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deu 10:12-13 NASB) It is not about method or style, it is about repentance, confession and obedience to God. It has been about God all along, not how comfortable we feel in church or how entertained we are or how rebellious against tradition we might be. I plead with the readers of this article to think on the things of God. To obey is better than sacrifice.
Basil
Posted: October 03, 2009 11:21 AM
9 pages of conviction. I by no means wasted my time or His by reading it and thinking about it. Perhaps one of our problems as Evangelicals is a very human one. We want to be loved and accepted. Maybe this drive has been too powerful and has worked to become our undoing as we aim to be more culturally acceptable. We have become frogs in the kettle.
Sherwood MacRae
Posted: October 03, 2009 9:53 AM
I read through the article and I noted all of those who find something wrong with the "church" as we know it, but I wind up - as usual, with the feeling I have wasted more of my time, excuse me, more of His time.
For you see, "I have been cricified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." The Apostle Paul spoke these words in his letter to the church at Galatia and they were real to him - otherwise, he would never have been able to live the life that he lived. They became a part of my life some 35+ years ago, after having lived the first almost 45 years, in church.
My confession is simple: it is better to live - in Christ, than it is to attempt to live - in church.
A Hermit
Posted: October 03, 2009 9:30 AM
A well-written article with many valid insights to ponder and pray. Ultimately religion is not about definations, beliefs, words and dogmas but the Living Reality to which they point and should help us connect.
Jody Fernando, The Link Between
Posted: October 03, 2009 7:48 AM
While I agree with Galli that we must not lose the 'vertical' component of our faith, I was quite disappointed in his dismissive treatment of the global church in regards to how we (read: white American evangelicals) might learn this from each other. I have read and reviewed Soong-Chan Rah's book "The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the church from white cultural captivity" (not listed in the book resources above), and feel Galli's comments demonstrate Rah's premise perfectly: that the western white church (read: we) has long dismissed the value of the perspectives of the global church by asserting that 'we' have the corner on truth. In this sense, it seems that Galli's assumption is that our vertical and horizontal relationships exist in isolation from each other, and that we do not connect more to God when we connect more to each other.
pete Benson, editor UNITYINCHRIST.COM
Posted: October 03, 2009 6:31 AM
"A renewal in faith and obedience", Mark pointed out, is what's needed in God's people, a proper combination of seeking the vertical and horizontal, and let Jesus give us the proper perspective for all the other items like social justice, proper regard for ethnicity, pursuit of proclamation of the Gospel (evangelism) will all fall into place. All the items in this article will fall into proper place when the Evangelical churches concentrate on "getting back to basics" in their personal lives, "faith and obedience". And James said our faith is not faith at all without works, one proves the other, faith and obedience, but an obedience that is God inspired, God-fueled, via renewal of the vertical. The very terms of the new covenant, both in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:6-13 shows us it is a work of the vertical, God actively writing his laws in our hearts and minds. Go vertical, then horizontal will fall in place. The diverse evangelical movements will unite if they do this first.
B.W.
Posted: October 03, 2009 12:33 AM
Thanks Mark We needed that. Unless I missed something, though, I am surprised that among the other dangers that face us today, no mention was made of the super sexualized nature of our culture and its invasion into the church. I was reminded of this on reading a piece by A.W. Tozer in his book "Born After Midnight" written some fifty years ago, "The Erotic vs. the Spiritual". I quote the first paragraph, "The period in which we now live may well go down in history as the Erotic Age. Sex love has been exalted into a cult. Eros has more worshipers today any other god. For millions the erotic has completely displaced the spiritual." Tozer was called a "20th century prophet. What would he say today? I presume though that you will have further observations regarding the cure for our spiritual deadness, not the least of which is the death to self as stated in Gal. 2:20. I recommend the classic book "Born Crucified" by L.E. Maxwell founder of Prairie Bible College back in the 40's.
Mark M
Posted: October 02, 2009 9:50 PM
Thank you for this reminder that it is the gospel that has the power to transform.
T
Posted: October 02, 2009 7:33 PM
wonderful essay and worth all of its 9 pages. The point worth taking away and meditating on is that "our" religion (yes mine too) is weightless. It is insubstantial. And has been even when a senior churchman. I was on committees and a teacher but when Jesus started his vertical relationship with me he said that for all my status I was still in spiritual kindergarten. It takes years of clinging to the cross like a child to graduate.
Cary T
Posted: October 02, 2009 7:12 PM
Thank you for your insightful article. I love your correct emphasis on the vertical, not just the horizontal.
I agree with Doug that our churches of today need great expositional preaching. Where that is lacking is where churches go wrong.
Too many preachers today think that by reading a verse, we automatically understand what the writer meant to say. And by reading another (related) verse, that the hearers automatically understand what the second author meant to say and how it automatically illuminates the first passage. I would challenge preachers to take one (short) passage of Scripture and help their congregation to understand what the original author meant to say to the original readers and to translate that meaning to their audience today, without using any so-called parallel texts. Struggle to really understand that passage of Scripture and share your struggles with your congregation.
Mary C
Posted: October 02, 2009 6:48 PM
Once again you have put your finger on so many things and challenged us (me) in so many needed ways. But the most powerful thing is that you point us to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Thank you so much, Mark Galli! I sorely needed this today!
Doug
Posted: October 02, 2009 5:52 PM
1) Stress good expositional preaching where every text must be dealt with. 2) Stress what it means to live in covenant relationship with God under the NEW Covenant. 3) Stress Lord's Prayer as prioritizing our Christian experience. The first three requests are about God's priorities; not ours. 4) Read very few Christian books. Be very very selective. Most (95%) aren't worth the money and only confuse people more than help. I take Ecclesiastes very serious on this point.
doc
Posted: October 02, 2009 5:18 PM
In the end, what matters is not what we want, but what God wants. If a person "joins" a church because it pleases him, but it is not what pleases God, he is still lost, and is just wasting time. Jesus said, "And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say (Luke 6:46)?" Therefore, if we are altering the Scriptures and what They say in order to attract people, we are still condemning them to eternal torment, and they will not be in Heaven.
Brad
Posted: October 02, 2009 4:31 PM
Isaiah first looked up, then he looked in, then he looked out. That is the process the church has longed to follow. But there is more that is being recovered as well - it is the He is was, and is, and is to come. This focus on grabbing hold of our rich heritage, being aware of how God is working now, and having our eyes ahead at what is coming is so vital. We must as a church begin to recognize God is working in every place, in every way, with whatever we give Him to establish His kingdom and purify His bride. All these words focused on us is actually to God's credit a realization that God is most glorified as His will is accomplished in the earth. So we find ourselves focused on being who God made us to be and doing what God made us to do. But even more, we find ourselves - outnumbered and outgunned and limited in what we can do - so that our eyes look back to the many voices that come from what is described as "Babel" and recognize we need each other desperately.
Kim
Posted: October 02, 2009 3:49 PM
Boy, this was a long one! For me, a revitalization is occuring. I've been emptied of the need to "do" and am being filled with the desire to "be" who I am meant to be in Christ. Basically that meand that I am looking at the book of John, in depth. John, in his infinite wisdom, tells us who Jesus is. As we grow to know Him more intimately, we change, we can't help it. He alone is the transformer of lives. A life transformed will speak for itself, even as the transformation occurs. We see that repeatedly in the New Testament. It is one account after another of personal transformation when one encounters the Living God. Taking our eyes off the movement and putting them on the Mover. That's the way to go!
Chas
Posted: October 02, 2009 2:22 PM
Mark,
Your challenge for us to repent of our horizontal addiction is needed. We are indeed "prone to wander" and self-deceit. I will hold you to your promise to address the next step in a forthcoming issue:-) May God save us, and restore to his Church a fresh vision of his glory.
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