Finally, a short post on the church! (At least I think it is going to be short…)
Here is a powerful phrase from Francis Shaeffer via Deep Church, with a slight detour through John Stott.
John Stott (to the left) said evangelicals have a pathological tendency to fragment.
Francis Shaeffer described it as failing at the final apologetic -- which is to love one another (John 13:34-35).
Almost always we do this in the name of truth, or our interpretation of truth. Correct doctrine as the "I" define it means "I" am excused from loving you if you disagree with me. And so we separate and splinter - endlessly.
I wonder if "some" House Churches, in "some" cases, are just the latest example of our failure at the final apologetic. We have so little ability to be in relationship with those we don't like, with those who think differently, that we just leave them. And we move into increasingly smaller communities which are extremely homogeneous in makeup.
Disagreements on doctrine...
Whether it is the Calvinist-Arminian debate, or the Baptist-Pentecostal debate, or the Modern - Postmodern debate... we will always have doctrine and interpretation to divide us. It is an enormous wall of dividing (Ephesians 2:14).
Or even worse...
Not being satisfied when my needs aren't being met…
Can there be any greater, final failure of the love apologetic... I no longer want to be with the church, with church people, because my needs are not being met?
And then there is...
Feeling personally wounded by other followers of Christ... they have hurt me, disappointed me, and so I remove myself from them. Another "final failure" for love above all, begs us to consider the needs of the other as more important than our own, to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to carry a cross, to sacrifice for the sake of the other...
Hard things to be sure!
These are our justification for our failure in the final apologetic to love one another.
I know the issue of truth and love and unity around both is a messy, murky matter, but I think it is quite clear that many times we failure in this final apologetic very prematurely.
Let's at least pretend to wrestle with Jesus' command on this:
I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven… If you love those who love you, (big deal, anyone can do that) . . . [slight paraphrase of last phrase]
Matthew 5:44-46
Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com