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In the
silence surrounding his death, Jesus became the best
possible companion for those whose prayers are not
answered, who would give anything just to hear God call
them by name. Him too. He wanted that too, and he did
not get it.
-- Barbara Brown Taylor
Reforming the
Church
490
years ago (October 31, 1517) Martin Luther nailed his
famous 95 Theses
on the Power of Indulgences to the door -- the local
community bulletin board -- of the Castle
Church at Wittenberg, Germany. That document
launched the Protestant Reformation and specifically railed against the Church's
practice of selling people forgiveness for their
own sins and for the sins of the dead. To buy
such forgiveness was to purchase an
"indulgence." It
raised a lot of money!
Following Luther's outcry, the Church has never been the same. Yet,
it continues to require reformation.
Each generation inculturates the
Church just a little bit more. "Civil religion"
describes Christianity that eventually merges with
culture; no longer a narrow way of Christ-following
but a broad path to social acceptance. It happens
imperceptibly, sometimes over generations, and renders
the Church innocuous. Congregations take that small
but lethal step from "becoming all things to all
men that by all means we might win some
" (1 Corinthians 9:22) to
simply "becoming all things to all
men."
Not every congregation needs the
same kind of
reformation.
The
renowned Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago,
Illinois -- begun in 1975 and now attended by nearly
20,000 people -- recently concluded that for many
years they have failed to encourage the spiritual
formation of their congregational members to the extent
that at least 25% of attenders (as many as 5,000) would
describe themselves as spiritually stagnant and perhaps
ready to leave the church. The church needs reformation,
and now has the vision to see it and the will to address
it.
If I were to write my own 95
Theses,
a few of them (in no particular order)
would read this
way:
Let the Church rediscover its commitment to broad
issues of social justice (poverty, homelessness,
education, health care) not just placarding against abortion
and gay rights. Historically the Church has led the
way with the schools, hospitals, shelters, and
charity that have formed the foundation for Western
civilization.
Let the Church return to its roots
of making disciples not simply converts, understanding that a
raised hand or a signed card is no achievement.
Rather, we call people to transformed lives in a world
hungry for an authentic option to its own plastic
superficiality.
Let the Church be a city of refuge,
a place of grace rather than legalism.
While we genuinely and consistently urge each other
to live lives of selflessness, purity,
and godliness, we forgive unfailingly whenever people
express contrition and
repentance.
Let
the Church constantly affirm its mission to work first
with people not property, to build the Body before
buildings, to focus constantly on ministry ahead of
facilities. Too many congregations have become mired
in debt and distracted by the development of acreage
rather than
hearts.
This Reformation week provides a great opportunity
to look at the state of the Church today, but also the
state of our own lives. While we re-cast a vision for
the Church that honors Christ, let's also be open to the
Spirit of God casting light on areas of our own hearts
that need reformation and
transformation.
May
our prayer be, "Lord, reform your Church ... and start
with
me."
In
HOPE
-
David
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