Christian Subculture

Culture is an interesting phenomenon. For many people, the word culture refers to the arts including the visual, culinary and performing.  More academically stated, culture has to do with values and behavior in society and is typically defined by three parameters:

1. Language, including slang, speech style, accents and words used;
2. Symbols, including verbal and nonverbal, written and unwritten;
3. Borders, sometimes defined by rivers, oceans and mountain ranges, but often as simply as a neighborhood or even a building.

In the movie “Scent of a Woman,” Colonel Frank Slade, played by Al Pacino, is blind and hires Charlie Simms, played by Chris O’Donnell, to escort and accompany him on a busy weekend trip to New York and a number of different locations.  In one scene, Charlie and Colonel Slade walk into a building and the Colonel asks his young assistant, “What are we doing in a church?” Charlie hadn’t told the Colonel it was a church, but Frank Slade, while blind, could tell just by a number of cultural clues, such as the hushed talking, the distinctive echo of the building and the smell of the candles.

Christian subcultures are very interesting and can be just as pervasive in our modern nondenominational churches as they once were within our more traditional denominational churches. The advantage of a subculture is that it persistently and powerfully reinforces some values that the group embraces. Like an invisible hand, it arranges the language and symbols to fortify the culture. The disadvantage of a pervasive subculture is that it often communicates to people outside the group the wrong message and delivers an obvious barrier to entry.

Here in the west, many of our churches have been sensitive to the impact of overtly Christian cultural symbols and have eliminated to a great extent the most obvious barriers to entry. Most new churches and church campuses start in public school buildings, storefronts and are nondescript. New church buildings are often more about function and usage than about ornamentation. Signs, chairs and functional auditoriums have largely replaced crosses, pews and traditional sanctuaries.

However, all of these contemporary, nondenominational churches and traditional churches still have to beware of the subculture that easily develops around the language that we use as well as the patterns and rituals that very easily define our behavior when we gather together.  Diversity or the lack of it is one of the major identifiers of culture.  Diversity includes the young and old, rich and poor, as well as the more easily identifiable racial, ethnic and gender differences. Many churches have come a long way, but most of us can still learn about diversity from organizations like Disney, Marriott and McDonalds.

The use of words that are more branded than descriptive can easily become a barrier to people that are outside of the subculture. Modern churches often don’t have altars, but we often invite people to come upfront to the altar. Communion is offered in our churches sometimes weekly or much less frequently, but always needs to be described rather than performed.  Activities, including children and student instructions, new-member orientation and volunteer appreciation are often clouded by our language and need descriptive sentences that help acculturate visitors. Brand-new attendees need neutral language and descriptions that help them understand and hopefully respond to what is being communicated. In addition, all too often, ‘insider jokes’ are a part of sermons, weekly announcements and even written communication. These anecdotes and mini-narratives are intended to be good-natured and often are, but they also communicate clearly that you are outside of the group if you don’t get the joke.

The best way to eliminate the barriers of entry that a Christian subculture may unintentional create is to intentionally extend the borders. Borders are the third defining element of culture after language and symbols. Borders, however, shouldn’t define the church. The Great Commission is about taking the Gospel to the people, and the true definition of the church is a people that are called-out. Buildings, auditoriums and comfortable chairs are great, but the kingdom of God grows when the people of God become the church and reach all people, subgroups and subcultures.

Reprinted from ChurchExecutive.com, June 2012 

Gates of Hell

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus told the Apostle Peter, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it"

As we look at our local churches, it's pretty easy to see that some are growing and others have been in decline for years.   

What makes the difference and is how is it related to the promise that Jesus made to Peter that the 'gates of hell will not prevail against it'?

This word 'hell' that is translated in most of our modern translations is actually the Greek word, "hades" and was the temporary place for both the good and the evil.  Jesus referred to this place when he taught about the rich man and Lazarus. 

The transition into hades or the gates of hades is accomplished only by dying.   Jesus tells us that true life only comes through dying.  In the Gospel of Luke Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."   Jesus often talks about death of self and denying 

Both physical death and 'death of self' have advanced the Kingdom of God or the Church since its inception.  The ancient Church as well as the Church in many dangerous places in the world today is advanced by the death of Her saints.  We read of the early martyrs of the church who were witnesses and evidence of this verse in Luke.   Strongs word G3144 "martus" is the same word as 'witness'.

When we 'die to self' we transfer our leadership and right to control the local church to the true head which is Jesus. He is the one that is building the Church.  The Church is not a building or a denomination or even a non-denominational church.  It is the living, breathing, and growing Ecclesia. 

What's Your Story?

One of the things I used to teach my clients when I was in investment banking is that one of the best ways of promoting your business to a potential investor or client is to tell the story!   I used to have my clients practice their ‘elevator story’, which was a way of getting to the point of the story in the amount of time you would have to talk with someone on an elevator.   

Similarly, one of the best ways to reach a neighbor, friend or co-worker for Christ is your personal testimony. You personal testimony is a story; it is not theology but simply how your human condition was changed when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. 

We just need to tell the story.  We likely don’t have all the answers. Telling the story doesn’t mean you have perfect recall of theology.  Consider the women at the well who said, "I don’t know. Come and see. You tell me.. Is he the Christ?" (John 4:29)  Consider also the blind man who was miraculously touched by Jesus. The religious establishment who were the supposed experts in theology was grilling him.  The once-blind man just gave a simple response: "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25, NIV).

If you note, while the Apostle Paul was extremely gifted in Hebrew and Greek and understood the wonderful theology that today has become our New Testament often he simply used his personal testimony when sharing the Gospel. You would think that this anointed and special Apostle,  a scholar who understood the scriptures would use logic and theology when sharing the gospel.  However, over and over again, before Roman governors and Jewish leaders, the Apostle Paul often would simply tell the story of how he came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.

Note that Paul always talked about his condition BEFORE, the impact of a crucified and risen Jesus Christ and his life AFTER.

Paul gives a simple summation of this process in 1 Timothy 1:12-15:

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.  Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.  This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life."

What is your story?  Learn to be able to relate the sinner that you were, the condition that all men and women are in when they don’t know Christ.  The realization of the power of the Cross to forgive, redeem and restore and the impact that Jesus has had on your life.

Spiritual Entrepreneurs

I have a number of friends that are entrepreneurs.     Entrepreneurs run in our family and that is likely why I have an appreciation for people of like mind.  While we often think of entrepreneurs as people that risk capital to start their own businesses, there are other types of entrepreneurs that are looking to transform people, not just their personal economic conditions.

We need more people to consider becoming spiritual entrepreneurs. Spiritual entrepreneurs desire to be personally involved in the fulfillment of both the Great Commandment (love one another) and the Great Commission (make disciples). This has been the general charge given not to an institution called the church but the people that are followers of Christ.

Entrepreneurs are not satisfied with the status quo; they have an emotional desire to innovate, to change, to challenge. They are also highly resourceful, finding innovative ways to do more with less; they create enterprise, they build teams and organizations and grow-grow-grow!

In the 1950s a number of great men came on the scene and began a revolution within the church. Bob Pierce started World Vision; Bill Bright started Campus Crusade; James Rayburn started Young Life; and Billy Graham began his crusades. They were all entrepreneurs. Under-resourced and passionate, they were driven to change not only a nation but the world. They succeeded beyond what others could have even hoped. They operated outside of the traditional denominational walls and created a movement.

Today, when a pastor decides to start a church from scratch, or a church announces a new campus and appoints a campus pastor, an entrepreneur fills the role.  These small, struggling and modest beginnings are not only led by entrepreneurs but also need individuals, couples and families to join them as spiritual entrepreneurs. These pastors need people that can come alongside them, sometimes even pick up and move their residence and find creative ways to do ministry and to challenge the status quo.  Our communities are full of people that don’t know they desperately need God, don’t know there is so much more to life than what they are experiencing, don’t know that there are only two options that are available to them: life and death.

It’s likely more comfortable to fit in to growing churches, to follow well-established pathways and rely on contemporary but still conventional growth strategies.  The spiritual entrepreneur, however, will find great satisfaction in challenging conventional thinking and will need to rely on the power, wisdom and strength of God.

Reprint from Church Executive May 2012   www.churchexecutive.com 

Forever Home

My wife and I are fans of rescue shelters.  In particular, we are fans of dog rescue shelters.  We have had the opportunity to adopt a number of dogs over the past fifteen to twenty years and enjoy being able to give a perfectly good dog a pretty good home.

What is interesting to me when I get a chance to talk with these rescue people is how passionate they are about the rescue process.   The term they use pretty universally for their ultimate goal for these neglected, sometimes abused and often suffering dogs is that they are in search of their "forever home".

I love that term as it explains the contrast between the typical story of the dog's life to date and the opportunity that is included in this package called a 'forever home'.

Just like these dogs-in-need, we are all in need of being rescued.  Our story is not unlike some of these dogs.    None of these dogs really have the ability to go-it-on-their-own.  They are all in need of someone to care for them, to love them and to protect them.   In the same way, the Bible says we will never be 'good enough', we all have a need to be rescued.  For us, being rescued is being lifted up and out of our human condition and being placed, or rescued, in a new home.  A home that is filled with unconditional love by a God that is kind and just and far greater than we are.

Ultimately, all of us will find our forever home.  For many of us it will be heaven.  Just like these real homes that are available for a number of dogs, heaven is a real place.  Unlike what is often portrayed, the Bible doesn't describe heaven as a swing or permanent perch on some cumulus cloud in the sky.  The Bible says that Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, Paul was caught up to the third heaven and the Apostle John saw a door standing open in heaven and a throne and heavenly beings with crowns.   Jesus promised before He went to the cross that He would prepare a place for us, a forever home.

For some of us our forever home may not be heaven.  While it is unfortunate that all dogs are not rescued, all of us have the opportunity to find the eternal place of kindness and unconditional love.   Fortunately for us, the price has been paid, we need only to believe.   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)

What's Your Legacy?

This week, our men's group finished our last session and also finished Coach Tony Dungy's Quiet Strength study with the lesson, "What is Your Legacy?"

Our group consists of seven, sometimes as many as nine men, who have been meeting for the past four months.   One of the things we do on a regular basis is find out if there are anything we can pray about and one of the prayers requested a few times was from our friend Bruce who asked that we pray for his son Devin who was recently deployed to Afghanistan.

Before our lesson started this week, Bruce was excited to show us this picture.  We had heard that President Obama had flown to Afghanistan and Bruce was earnestly watching CNN to see if he could possibly catch a glimpse of his son in the crowd.   To his surprise and delight, Bruce saw his son, Tech Sergeant Devin, standing with the President (Devin is the young man directly to the left of the President in the picture).

It was a great start to our last lesson on leaving a legacy.  Tony Dungy said that "everything we do adds an element to the story we leave behind".  Bruce (the father) served in the Police Department  for 41 years.   He has left a legacy of service. His oldest son served in the NYFD.  His daughter, Danielle, worked as a 911 operator for the Suffolk County Police Department, and his younger son, Darren also serves in the United States Air Force.

The legacy we leave behind is not about money. It's all about the values, faith, character and integrity.   When we have faith, when we know that we are in need of a Savior and we embrace Jesus, we have the opportunity to leave behind the greatest legacy of all.

Coach Dungy is correct; everything we do adds an element to the story we leave behind.  What are you leaving behind?   If you know Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives in you there is a great hope.  The Apostle Paul writes about this legacy in his letter to the Galatians, " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:23)

More Bullying

Bullying has been in the news lately.

No one likes a bully.   We have learned as well that the results of persistent bullying can be very dangerous.   Studies have shown that there is a strong link between bullying and suicide particularly among high school students. As a result, many schools and activists are trying to stamp out bullying

So why is it that bullying Christians seems to be in vogue?  Recently at an “Anti-bullying” event, the speaker decided to go on a rant against the Bible.  When he used an expletive to describe the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality a number of Christian students walked out.

Not comfortable with their decent or departure, he decided to call them ‘pansies’, much to the delight of the remaining students in the audience.

Unfortunately this is becoming all too frequent, particularly in our educational institutions.  Our schools aren’t just about education anymore; they are social change laboratories.  Students are taught what is thought to be socially acceptable and tolerable.  The tolerance that they are taught however is a fragile tolerance for the only thing that seems to be intolerable among these ‘anti-bullying’ activists is strong religious convictions.

The Bible tells us that we are to be careful and watchful of this social engineering.  The Apostle Paul tells us, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Col 2:8)

This antagonism against the Word of God and substituting human understand for true wisdom has been around since the days of the ancient philosophers. The early Greeks admired purity, extolled loyalty and self-sacrifice but like the Romans, a decline in morals among the rich and the most educated led to immoral and promiscuous behavior.  Ultimately, a total disregard for human life resulted in the awe and worship of gladiators who fought like savages in the arena.   Clarke’s commentary on the Bible says that an examination of the doctrine, wisdom and teachings of the most famed philosophers of antiquity from any nation shows that they were “darkened in their mind and irregular in their conduct.”

The wisdom of these empty philosophies stood in stark contrast to the genius and true wisdom of the Bible.   Students espousing a Biblical viewpoint are often ridiculed by their teachers.  We should all be able to stand a little ridicule, a little disrespect and even some persecution.  In the end however,we are to keep our minds on things that are noble, right, pure, lovely and worthy of praise.