HOW ABOUT
THE
GREAT COMMISSION?
I'll tell you what turns most people off about Fundamentalist Christianity. It's all wrapped up in what's called "The Great Commission." "Go unto all the world, and preach the Gospel." You know what I mean? Getting the Word out.
Why, one Baptist deacon I know thinks that's the first commandment. When he asked me what was most important, and I said loving God, he had to say, "Well yeah, but besides that." We aren't ALL supposed to be preachers. I don't think we were ever meant to "go after" people. That's where Fundamentalist Christianity gets into trouble.
There are so many examples, I hardly know where to start. We all know the type that thinks an effective ministry is to go around and intrude on the lives of those "minist-rees. " And I still see the occasional person on the street corner selling Jesus something or other. But my favorite is that loving prophet that has a "word from the Lord" for me. That's the kind of rote behavior that comes from misunderstanding, and acceptance of others' word (and approval) about the Bible.
And I mostly find that Rote Christians come at me from the New Testament. And know and care little for the Old. Sounds to me like faulty thinking. If we get stuck in the New Testament, we're ripe candidates for Law-Lock and Love-Lock. New Testament people always seem to spout the same two things. Jesus' love (and the Father's a bit), and Jesus' Commands (and the Father's a bit). That way we wind up loving everybody because it's Right. Or, fighting our way through every minute so we won't slip up and neglect one of the Laws of Christian Life. Because if we do, God'll get us. Neither of those stances, alone, will do us any good. The only thing for which God has promised His Spirit, is Faithing.
And here's a musing. Should we really be worshiping Jesus more than God? Fundamentalist trap? The first Commandment is still in force, I think, but I don't find the Lamb's name anywhere. And, after all, weren't ALL Jesus' acts at the will of the Father? Yes, yes, I know that "no man cometh to the Father but by me." But I also know that that's what God wanted Jesus to say. And it seems very clear to me that our destination is God, and Jesus is our NECESSARY vehicle or channel. It's God's way of keeping His promise of glory to Jesus, and to us for our recognition of Jesus' message of faithing; which affirms to God that we trust Him. It's a faith act to pray OUT LOUD "in Jesus name, so be it." That's what amen means, not, "the end."
I see two main kinds of churches happening, too. They somewhat parallel the individual behavior I just mentioned. They're either, "Woo, woo, woo," or "He loves you." Now along with the "woo, woo, woo," we always have a lot of rules for Christian life. They're the Lawyers. With the other crowd, it looks like a contest to see if they can love more than God. "Love is ALL." For them it's all. But not for those who recognize Faithing as a necessary element in a life for God.
What do we get when we attend the usual church? Well, the Lawyers mostly will have Proper Christian Behavior beneath the words of the sermon. It's the First Church of Behavioral Science. Basically, "If you don't live Right, you'll go to hell." And every now and again a travelling singing group; with a new album. The Lovers usually hear some gripping story of hunger relief, and a plea to adopt a homeless orphan; complete with letters and film at eleven.
What happened to the word of God that says, "Grace and peace will be yours when I put My Spirit in you as you act in Trust of Me?" "Your sins shall be seen as Righteousness?" "I shall NEVER leave you or forsake you?" Or to paraphrase,"Relax, I'm on your side now, and you no longer have to feel guilty?"
Now, I lay my argument right at the door of Bible study. I think that incomplete, out of context, and convenience oriented Bible study is at the root of all the "turn-offs" of fundamentalist Christianity. "What do you mean? We have six different classes going at our church." No doubt. How much watered-down, irrelevant blabbage is taught from outdated, denominational lesson plans? These lessons do little more than tell the superficial story of Bible characters, in the lower grades, and try, in the adult classes, to philosophize over vague passages or titillate with prophesy.
Where's the attitude of Faithing that gave those old heroes their strength? Where's owning our responsibility, recognizing our incapabilities, and gaining deep understanding of Paul's message of Faithing? The message that underpinned the church with such a foundation that the true message of God survived all the centuries of legalistic perversion and profit taking? Is that the kind of stuff they teach in your Sunday (or Saturday) school? I hope so.
What has the church, or almost anybody you talk to, got against teaching God's truths? I always get asked questions about God. But when I start stating some of His truth, I get immediate argument. Truth usually does that, have you noticed? For instance, we've been so blinded by history and prejudice that when the truth of God concerning the Lost Tribes of Israel is put into the conversation, I see an almost instinctual resistance to the concept. You see, when you say Lost Tribes to a person, you're saying, "Chosen People," and the ones who think that there's any chance that they are in the unchosen group get defensive. Then they refuse to think about the subject and miss one of the most relevant, physically and historically provable truths of God. If we had more of God's Truth, more people would accept our "getting the Word out."
I hear things like, "Who cares if we ARE the Lost Tribes? All I need is Jesus. Just love Him, and see His Spirit in everyone around me." Those are the same ones who you'll find trying to cover their act in a crisis; instead of depending on God. You know, we're in training down here, and that means that when we reach a certain level of strength, we move on to something a little more difficult. It's the way God makes us strong for the work on the other side.
What Christian hasn't heard of the "trials" the Lord puts on us? That's one of the sure indicators that we're on the right track. Trials, challenges. If your life has settled down into a nice comfy niche in the fourth pew, and God has "blessed you, and made your life so easy," it's time to get up out of that decaying pew and get to work for God again.
The crises will come, we can be sure of that. And each time we come out the other side, He's already setting up a little bit harder one. Each new challenge not only gives us more strength, more importantly, it gives us more confidence.
ALL Christians hear about trusting God. Nothing new there. And a lot of Christians understand what trusting God means in a practical way. But hearing and understanding don't equate with doing. You can hear about and understand that a certain man can jump over a gorge. You could even see him leap the 36 inches to the other side. None of those things alone will give you the confidence to do it yourself. It has to come from your own experience.
Obviously, Faithing isn't risking your life like that, but it's based on risk. And risk is risk. And were risk is concerned, we like to cover our act if we see a way. In a sense, confidence is the same as courage. We need courage to push circumstance aside, and do something God's way, in the trust that He will provide the cover for our act. It's that old paradox. We get our work done, by doing God's work. He takes care of our needs while we are Faithing. When we stop Faithing, we're on our own. Help!!! On my own is not what I want.
Here's what I know about confidence. The greater the understanding of a concept, the more integrated it becomes in our actions. Did you ever hear Sir Laurence Olivier read Shakespeare? When someone reads even Shakespeare with understanding, the message comes across, in spite of the fact that the printed words don't seem to make much sense. When you understand something, it becomes part of you. And you can talk more confidently about a part of you.
Who wants to listen to anything that's just a well polished recitation? Many a fine truth has been lost to recitation. A meager little tidbit from the heart can mean more than saying the whole first act of MacBeth from memory, a sincere thank you, more than some memorized love poem. The point is, getting the Word out through some pre-rehearsed, ill-grounded speech falls on deaf ears.
Now all this talk of understanding brings us to teaching or telling God's Truth. Only teaching can bring understanding. Telling a person in twelve thousand different ways that Jesus loves them isn't much use in a real crisis, like your house burning down, or to get a little more realistic, in the ongoing obedient acts of giving the tithes and offerings to God.
Only by doing the research necessary, assembling the evidence, and constructing a workable teaching frame, can God's Truth be presented effectively. Again, we're talking about concrete, provable Truth. Like the Lost Tribes. When you can show people the proof of God's faithfulness to His Word in the historical frame instead of little personal experiences, they grow stronger and more confident through understanding. Poof, there goes lack of conviction. Whenever you say something with conviction, people understand that this is something that is part of your life, not something you've been instructed is the right thing to say. People see through insincerity and lack of conviction right away. That's what makes the winoes down on skid row laugh at the prepared speeches of the Weekend Do-Gooders.
Here's the difference between teaching and telling. Teaching promotes understanding, retention, strength, confidence, and effective witness. In any frame. Telling results in misunderstanding, rote memory, doubt, indecision and ineffective witness. Re-telling someone else's story is rarely as effective as presenting a learned idea.
Let's run through those a little slower. Understanding comes through demonstrable physical fact. When riding a bicycle, you use the "feel" of how to ride to govern your balance and steering, etc. And we all know about, "you never forget how to ride a bike." That's the retention part. Once that little insight of how it feels when it works is incorporated into the action of riding, we use that as our ideal, our absolute Truth of riding. You never forget an absolute Truth once you understand it. Even now, after years of not having ridden a bike, I have zero doubts as to my ability to get on the next one I see, and easily ride around the block. You too, right? It's great! Just thinking about such a sure and positive thing in my life make me feel good, more in control, more comfortable; even if it is just bike riding. And all that is conveyed in my communication about riding a bike. And you're more inclined to believe that I could indeed do what I say, and ride around the block.
But, on the other side of the fence, we have the people who never quite mastered bicycle riding. Maybe they fell a few times and fear kept them from a good solid teaching session like some kids get from their fathers. Without the feel of it, they're just going through the mechanics of riding. Probably while they focus eighty percent of their mind on staying up. That's rote to the hilt. Neat phrase. That's also doubt, and indecisive movements. Now, if this non-rider, should ever try to tell anyone MY sure story about riding, they'd be thought a braggart, or worse. People who listen, know when you "adjust" the Truth. You may say, "Aw, that's too much. Things are doing just fine the way they are." Have people stopped pointing out the hypocrisies of Christians? Aren't some Christian groups laughed at for the way they "get the Word out?" Confident, righteous behavior is unassailable on principle. In other words, "If you're doing it right, people can't laugh at the way you're doing it. Sure, they can laugh at the why of your doing it, but not the way. I think the key lies in initiation. God's way is unselfishness. All things flow out from God. I know that in my life, most things flow into me. There's some that goes out, but way more that comes in.
It has to be, logically, that initiation of something proves self interest in the initiator. I know that sounds obvious, but I think it needs saying. When you begin a conversation about salvation, or anything else, it follows that you had a reason. You were the one who brought up the subject. Even though the reason might have been to improve the other person's life somehow, it was still YOUR reason, not theirs. So we see that some of our good intentions turn out to be selfishness.
God doesn't teach this sort of initiation. He teaches that no one can batter His salvation into your head. You have to choose it. He teaches that we have to come to Him for help. He spends all His time trying to present us with evidence that His message is true. But He almost never does today what He did to Paul on the road to Damascus. He's always there, but it isn't His way to initiate the contact. Yes, He sends us constant beckonings through the Holy Spirit, but it's still our choice to act.
Well, shouldn't we take that lesson? Shouldn't we try to do it God's way, and see if we don't get on better?
As I see it, we're to make available to others, our truth of God. Now that's getting the Word out. You make known your dependence on God to those people around you by living example, until they ask you a question. We must learn to wait on the Lord.
If we're straight about God, He'll send folks to us so they can hear our God-Truth. We certainly don't have to walk the streets giving tracts to winoes, and praying on street corners for the city. That one's scary. Those are the very type Jesus singled out as examples of how NOT to pray. Pharisees. The ones that finally killed Him.
OK, what can you do? You could set up a simple little Bible study class, and let people know it's there. You could set up a small, low-income medical clinic, and at the clinic, treat God and Jesus the way you do at home. I just hate being too embarrassed to bring up God when it's appropriate. And again, if you're on the right track, God will back you up, and people will come around. Scripture says, "A man's gift makes room for him."
Now, I have to say a little word for telling, as opposed to teaching. Most times when I'm asked a question, the answer is contained within a larger tapestry of God's Truth. So, a question about the coronation stone in Britain is better understood by filling a person in on the secular and Biblical history available. Well, in the answer to the question, I can lay out a very sizable chunk of God's Truth in a matter of a few sentences. That's a lot of telling, but my learned understanding lends sincerity and conviction to my answer, and folks are more apt to at least listen.
We must really let others come to us. Contact must be initiated by them . I have the idea that God wants us to be prepared for whatever comes our way. And He conducts our training that way. He sends us our daily tasks for getting His message out to the world. If we jump out on our own, we're very apt to run into a problem we're not prepared for. I mean, what if someone asks you a question that's not on the list of "fifty most asked questions by nonbelievers?" You'd have to jump to an answer that you know; which will look like evasion.
God puts a lot of stock in free choice. We must always provide that same right of free choice to everyone. Even in non-God stuff. Giving free choice builds respect and trust. You see, people love being told what's right, but not when to do it. It's hard to respect a teacher who insists that you risk more than you're comfortable with. You can only dislike his lack of respect for your feelings. Even though you admire his scholarship.
And again, teaching isn't really teaching. The very best teachers in the world gather the proper evidence and present it in such a way that the learning takes place through the action of the student. It's like the Socratic method of teaching. Socrates never gave out answers. He just asked another question, the answer to which would be known to the student, and lead him one step closer to understanding. In other words, it's better if we figure it out by ourselves.
I think Faithing is well in order, when it comes to getting the Word out. All we can do is: one, prepare ourselves by continual study of the Bible and related subjects; and two, have the faith that God is in control of our lives and will fit us into His scheme of things where we fit best (not where we think we fit best), and three, keep trying to seek out some new truth of God that can be effectively communicated to someone who needs more than how we feel to go on.
We need to get the Word out God's way. And His ways are right there in the Bible. But ineffective study and rote memorization won't mine them out. Hey, you want to study the Bible?
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