Part 3: Ancient-Future Church

Contenti n’andremo se un poco
Noie lo podessemo tocare
Lo podessemo toccar
E pero te nepregamo
Quanto noie, Siam pastori
De poco affare

Comments? Anyone? Anyone?

Bueller?

If you know what that little poem means, good for you. All I know is that they’re the Latin lyrics for a choral piece called (in English) the Shepherd’s Chorus.

It harkens us to an era when citizens were more or less coerced to come to mass on Sunday mornings and listen to songs and readings in Latin, which was completely foreign to them. Talk about irrelevant. We don’t know the meaning of the word anymore. On top of that, you might even describe the Medieval Europe religious experience with the words “malicious irrelevance.” The popes and bishops of the day preferred to have a corner on the scripture-knowledge market, just like any power broker. Thus, people like Wycliffe, who produced a huge chunk of what would later be known as the King James Bible, were promptly knocked off for putting Scripture within reach of the bourgeoisie.

Fond memories, eh?

I don’t accuse anyone of trying to take us back to it. But I do want to provide some perspective for those who foster a nostalgia for the time when western religion was sacred and mysterious. My phraseology should provide a hint as to what that perspective is… because I choose the words “western religion” carefully. I have no doubt that there was a certain number of true Christ-followers among the herds of Medieval clergy and laity. But the system as a whole, in my opinion, did not represent Christ at all.

Some will argue that today’s church establishment doesn’t, either. I would be tempted to agree, with caveats. But that’s a blog for another day.

My point is about the “Ancient-Future” movement, which has gone by many other names. If you refer to my recent post on Post-Modernism, you will understand the post-modern penchant for that which is Retro, Vintage. I personally think it’s great. So go ahead and sing the old hymns with a drum machine in the background! Go ahead and re-occupy some abandoned Victorian church house and breathe new life into it! These things are all fine, and there are many more. So don’t let me discourage anyone from finding and implementing the long-gone ideas that still hold value.

But just as Modernism proclaims, “If it’s new, it’s good!” it is tempting for those in the Ancient-Future movement to herald the opposite view. Old and mysterious and spooky—that’s where it’s at.

Congratulations to those who have seen through the veil of formulaic faith; the veil that claims that you, too, can have God all figured out and if you do x, y, and z then you’ll be His best buddy; the veil that conceals the majesty and mystery of Yahweh. But presented here is yet another opportunity to swing wide, sweet pendulum, and once again miss the point entirely.

Spectrum Discipleship

Preface: After some thought, I’ve decided that I will continue the series I began on current trends of the church. However, I won’t continue them back-to-back. I want to wait to learn more about each trend before writing on it. Here at The Core Blog, we insist on quality.

Disclaimer: Before I give my shpiel (sp?) on Evangelism and Discipleship, I am going to head off a few criticisms at the pass. In my Post-Modernism post, I express an opinion of labels, that they tend to contain and limit the things they represent. When you call someone “mom” you don’t tend to think of her role as a colleague to someone, a daughter to someone, or a lover to someone (especially not that one.)

So here I am, about to assign some labels. But I want to justify it by a) warning you, dear reader, not to use these labels on a day-to-day basis, putting different colored stickers on everybody’s foreheads, and b) pointing out that everyone labels everyone else anyway, and that at least the labels I am about to explain represent a broader range, and a more accurate interpretation of real people.

By now, you must be absolutely dying to know what these labels are. I am reminded of a certain scene in Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail where the narrator begins to ramble and an army of mercenaries shouts from a hilltop,

“GET ON WITH IT!!!” Fine.

Actual Post: Here are the labels we Christians are in the habit of assigning to those around us. SAVED. UNSAVED. Or perhaps, CHRISTIAN. PRE-CHRISTIAN. (that’s one I’m sure they love to be called. What if someone called you a Pre-Libertarian, or something?) Occasionally they’ll throw in other, sub-labels such as BABY CHRISTIAN or SEEKER to indicate salvation in the recent past, or anticipated in the near future.

When given so few labels to work with, the result shouldn’t surprise anybody. If you’ve only got two labels, then the only way to change is to go from one to the other. And the only people that can be credited with Real Ministry are those who cause people to make that shift.

I will name names here: like him or not (you’re free to pick,) Dr. D. James Kennedy made me angry when he dramatically inquired of his congregation and all those listening on radio or TV how many of them had led EVEN ONE person to Christ, ever. He condescendingly predicted that there were few who had. He’s referring to the privilege of overseeing the moment when someone sheds the UNSAVED label and takes the other one.

I suppose when one’s view is so bi-polar, so “us and them,” one can’t help but put all one’s eggs in the “conversion” basket. The resulting consequences are twofold:

1) God has clearly given His children various gifts, which do not all include the knack for converting people. These “have-nots” are portrayed as falling short, and develop either a permanent inferiority complex, or a determination to become someone that God never meant them to be.

2) If people are done changing once they’re saved, you’re bound to have a bunch of “Baby Christians” hanging around, failing to realize their true calling and power and identity in Christ. “Discipleship” is reduced to the process of knowledge-gathering, and true growth never happens.

It is not original for me to suggest that Evangelism and Discipleship are not two sides of a coin, but rather occur along a spectrum. I wish I know whose idea it was, but I don’t.

So here is how I have chosen to think about the process:

ATTACKER ~ RESISTER ~ LISTENER ~ EXPLORER ~ SEEKER * STUDENT ~ PARTNER ~ MENTOR ~ TEACHER ~ SAGE

That’s my Discipleship Spectrum. And there is a reason why I don’t call it an Evangelism-Discipleship Spectrum. I am redefining Discipleship to refer to any growth that occurs along this continuum. In other words, if you are helping anyone move from left to right, and a Resister becomes a Listener, or a Partner becomes a Mentor, then you are in the process of Making Disciples.

If you are a Christian, God has given you a gift that helps you relate better to some people along this scale than others. It behooves each of us to figure out what that gift is, and whether we are to use it directly or indirectly. Search your heart to make sure that you’re not copping out when it comes time to proclaim the name of Christ, but don’t try to pattern your gift for Discipleship after someone else. Every effort that helps move people up the scale is equally vital.

Let me finish by offering a definition of each label. If you can think of better words, or better definitions than these, let me know. Keep in mind, I am focusing more on individuals’ attitude toward Christ than toward Christianity.

ATTACKER: One who seeks opportunities to discredit the message and identity of Christ
RESISTER: One who avoids that message, and blocks efforts of others to share it.
LISTENER: One who feels neutral, and will listen politely but takes no real interest.
EXPLORER: One who is intrigued by Christ, but also by other forms of spirituality.
SEEKER: One who suspects that the message is true, and is willingly moving towards belief.

STUDENT: One who is now a follower of Christ, and is working to understand the basics of that relationship.
PARTNER: One who grasps the fundamentals of Christ’s message and identity, and can fully work and worship among the larger body of believers.
MENTOR: One who has advanced in understanding and has the ability and responsibility to guide a new believer in growth.
TEACHER: One who has experience in mentoring, and whose faith makes them a role-model for the body at large. (Note: this does not necessarily involve “teaching” in the professorial sense.)
SAGE: One whose faith has run the gamut over many years, and has deep understandings that can only be gained through myriad trials and blessings.

I recommend scrolling up at this point to read my “label disclaimer” again, before responding.

I also recommend Brian McLaren’s book on this topic, “More Ready Than You Realize.”