MAINTAINING FORMS

While reading II Kings 22 this morning, I observed something that had previously gone unnoticed.

But before we go there, let’s review what’s going on in this chapter:

·         Amon only reigned in Judah for two years. He was an evil king like his father, Manasseh.

·         Amon’s son, Josiah, became king at the age of eight [639-609 B.C. It is likely that he was advised by the priests.] He was a good king and lived as his ancestor David had lived. (v.2)

·         After ten years as king, he instructed one of his leaders to go to the Temple and have him empty out the money the gatekeepers had gathered from the people. (v.4)  [Although a figure is not reported, there was apparently a significant amount there to buy timber and cut stone to repair the Temple. (v.6)]

·         As this work was begun, “Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the royal secretary, “I’ve found the Book of the Teachings in the Temple of the LORD. He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan…went to the king and…read from the book to the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Teachings, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was.” (portions of vs. 8-10).

·         This initiated a massive restoration of order and the purging of all the evil that had become part of Judah’s practice! “There was no king like Josiah before or after him. He obeyed the LORD with all his heart, soul, and strength, following all the Teachings of Moses.” (23:25)

I find it interesting that although Judah had become very evil and had actually misplaced the book of the Law – the people still visited the Temple and paid the gatekeepers to do so!

It was SO BAD that the high priest had lost the Book of the Teachings!  😳

We discover (chapter 23:4) that they had filled the Temple of the LORD with idols made for Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky! The kings of Judah had chosen priests for these gods. These priests burned incense in the places where the gods were worshipped in the cities of Judah and the towns around Jerusalem. (v.5) 

Josiah had all of this dismantled and destroyed! He purged the land of all these objects and practices!

No one – not even the king or the high priest – had realized that anything was wrong!

___________________________________________________

The Temple was still there! 

They still had a high priest!

People still visited the Temple!

They paid the gatekeepers!

Then they went out and did whatever they wanted to do! 

This reminds me of a verse I discovered way back when I was a college student. I was reading Psalm 106. At that time, I was still reading the King James Version, but here is the passage from the New Century Version:

Then the people believed what the LORD said, and they sang praises to him.

But they quickly forgot what he had done; they did not wait for his advice. They became greedy for food in the desert, and they tested God there. So he gave them what they wanted, but he also sent a terrible disease among them.  (vs.12-15)

 The KJV stated it a bit more abruptly:

…He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

_____________________________________________

I frequently get the sense that we [the American Church] have become good at maintaining forms but have lost our direct connection to God through His Holy Spirit! 

Are there those who give God a couple of hours on Sunday morning and then go out and live the rest of the week as though He doesn’t exist?

Are His priorities our priorities? Do we care about the spiritually lost – which was Jesus’ highest priority?

Have we lost our Bibles? Is His Word really a ‘lamp unto our feet’?

Is our only prayer when we recite ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ on Sunday morning? Or the occasional “Oh, God!” when crisis interrupts our lives?

Are our pastors and worship leaders using spiritual discernment as they plan our Sunday mornings? Is liturgy our guide or the Holy Spirit?  Is consideration given as to how HE might want to direct our time together?

Do we faithfully give of our finances to the Lord without the joy or hilarity that the scripture references? Do we really live as though it ALL is HIS and we are just stewards of the resources HE has made available to us?

_________________________________________________

During our years in China, we worshipped most Sundays with an International Church that met in an ‘approved Chinese church’. We were unhindered in the expression of our worship, but Chinese people were not allowed to attend.

Usually there were from 40-100 people who came from many nations. We had a pastor who – like all of us – was in China for some reason. The worship was alive and genuine!  Every Sunday, those from African countries would plead with us to pray for their home countries!  Prayer requests were shared and prayed over. The singing was jubilant – sometimes hearing a number of different languages being used! We were NOT a homogenous looking group! Testimonies interrupted the services frequently! Appeals for urgent prayer were also common!

The bond we experienced was not because of ethnic commonality, shared national allegiance, language, vocational connections, or regional familiarity. The bond that brought us together was our love for God and the connection we had with Him through His Holy Spirit! AND IT WAS WONDERFUL!

 

ALMIGHTY GOD: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

May we see these same dynamics at work in our churches here in America! FOR YOUR KINGDOM’S SAKE.

AMEN

A DEBT OF GRATITUDE

We continue to commemorate the post-resurrection days of our Lord Jesus.  If you count off forty days, you identify Ascension Day [May 29^th this year - Thursday].  Traditionally, we count off ten more days to arrive at Pentecost Sunday [June 8^th this year]. These ten days approximate the period of time that the [reportedly] 120 followers gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem waiting for the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise.

The Church has traditionally recognized Pentecost as the close of the Easter season and the beginning of the longest liturgical season of the year – ending in November when the Advent Season restarts the church year!  It is frequently referred to as ‘Ordinary Time’ and encourages the Church to focus on the life and teachings of Jesus. 

So, you see, today we continue to celebrate the most holy season of the year as we anticipate the birth of the New Testament Church on Pentecost Sunday!

All of the above is – of course – a pattern given to us by the tradition of the church over many years of observation and practice!  Nowhere are these practices laid out for us in scripture.  Many churches do not give any recognition to these liturgical elements. 

_____________________________________________________

It does, however, merit our attention to reflect on the massive work done by the apostles and church leaders during those first three hundred years. They did not have the benefit of years of reflection and practice to draw upon!  In the earliest years there was surely some floundering for understanding and queries about how to move forward. 

The Christological debates were clearly foremost in their minds.  How did this happen? How did God come down to earth? How could Jesus have been God?  The traditions that we consider as resolute had to be thought through thoroughly with much debate and long-term consideration before they became accepted as authoritative guidance for the Church! 

Things that we consider orthodox had to be distilled.  Things like the virgin birth had to be discerned, debated and declared as official doctrine.  There was a strong counter-belief that Jesus was a man that God ‘adopted’ to be the ‘Son of God’.  They debated among themselves when this ‘adoption’ took place.

o   Was it when Jesus was baptized – clearly a special moment when God spoke from the heavens?

o   Or was it when He took Peter, James and John up the mountain of transfiguration – another special moment graced by Moses and Elijah as well as the spoke words of God?

The Church nearly divided over a debate that argued that Jesus was not eternal as the Father was. Just the observation of a triune God had to be thought through and accepted!  This was one of the primary reasons for the next major conference – the Council of Nicea [in 325 A.D.].

The Council of Nicaea was the first council in the history of the Christian church that was intended to address the entire body of believers. It was convened by the emperor Constantine to resolve the controversy of Arianism, a doctrine that held that Christ was not divine but was a created being. The council deemed Arianism a heresy and enshrined the divinity of Christ by invoking the term homoousios (Greek: “of one substance”) in a statement of faith known as the Creed of Nicaea.

 

The Council of Chalcedon was called by the emperor Marcion and met in modern-day Turkey [451 A.D.].  It was well-attended and exceptionally well documented. It approved the earlier Nicean Creed and created its own creedal statement – known as the Chalcedonian Creed.  It determined that:

“We all teach harmoniously [that he is] the same perfect in godhead, the same perfect in manhood, truly God and truly man, the same of a reasonable soul and body; homoousios with the Father in godhead, and the same homoousios with us in manhood ... acknowledged in two natures without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” 

 We may scoff at these ideas and wonder about their naiveté in considering such proposals, however, we have the benefit of their deliberations at our disposal. All consequent generations benefit from the painful, deep, theological ruminations that took place in these first three hundred years! 

__________________________________

Gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Some of us have never appropriately thanked You for the spiritual leaders who worked so diligently to understand the deep workings that You initiated with the Incarnation! 

Surely You were vigorously at work to protect the Truth and expose erroneous thinking.

This guiding work persisted through three full centuries before the Church finally discerned the Truth that we now hold as precious and dear! 

However, even today there are attempts to undermine the fundamental truths of our faith!  Continue to raise up apologists to respond to these challenges to our spiritual/biblical foundations!     

Protect Your Church!

Guide Your Church!

Embolden Your Church!

Stir in Your followers a similar desire to expand Your Kingdom to the ends of the earth!

FOR YOUR KINGDOM’S SAKE!

AMEN!

WHY I'M AMBIVALENT ABOUT LITURGY - PART 2

 What I love about liturgy:

• Using ancient prayers and readings that connect us to our roots.
• Ceremonial services such as Holy Communion or the Marriage Service that have been largely unchanged through the centuries.
• A well-chosen Call to Worship from scripture;  or even sung, such as "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty;  early in the morning, our song shall rise to Thee..."  or "Come, now is the time to worship, Come, now is the time to give your heart;  Come, just as you are to worship, Come, just as you are before your God - Come."
• The participation factor of a responsive reading based on scripture!
• The recitation (or reading) of the Apostle's Creed on special occasions.
• Prayers of confession that allow time for us to reflect on our sinfulness and then hear words of absolution.

What I don't like about liturgy:

• When leaders fail to creatively use the resources or use them poorly.
• When liturgy never changes and is presented ad infinitum (ad nauseam).
• I personally don't think the Lord's Prayer was ever meant to be prayed in unison as a part of worship.  I believe it was a MODEL for how our Lord wants us to pray.  
• When our liturgy becomes the hanger for our entire worship experience.
• If not structured by a spiritually sensitive, creative, designer, it runs a high risk of being downright boring.
• When it doesn't bow to the sovereign leadership of the Holy Spirit!

I mentioned in Part 1, that I worshiped at the Noon Mass on the campus of Franciscan University in Steubenville several days a week for two years.  Occasionally, the mass was even led by a young priest who was a classmate.  I fairly quickly learned that, rather than be an obstruction to the flow of traffic for the Eucharist, I could also go forward and just request a 'blessing' from the priest.  [Obviously, I respected their belief that the Eucharist is just for Catholics.]  

It didn't take long to notice that the ritual was consistent although scriptures and prayers would occasionally change.  But, I was particularly moved by the high drama of Catholic worship!  Later, in New Middletown, I would sometimes attend St. Paul's Saturday evening mass.  It was pleasant for me to worship and have no responsibility for the service!  :-)  

One day, at Noon Mass, something very uncharacteristic happened that marked me deeply!  The service progressed with joyful singing.  Being an energetic campus, the sanctuary was almost always crammed full of students, staff and faculty.  As we progressed toward the Eucharist, the priest lifted up the cup and said (as always), "This is the body and blood of Christ!"  [At this point a bell rings and the moment of transubstantiation occurs.]  

This particular day, I was shocked at the people's response!  Everyone simultaneously hit their feet and began praying, singing in the Spirit or speaking in tongues!  It had never happened before and never happened again while I was there.  It went on for about two minutes.  My classmate, Deanna, was singing beautifully in English in the Spirit!  I soon joined the congregation in lifting prayers of praise to God.  It was a SACRED MOMENT that took me by complete surprise!  I asked my classmates about it after the mass;  they seemed to barely recognize that something unusual had happened.  I, on the other hand, was awestruck!  

___________________________________

If you've read both Part 1 and 2, you're beginning to sense the tension that I have with liturgy.

First, I would say that liturgy must always sublimate to the desires and work of the Holy Spirit!

Second, liturgy needs to be crafted and creatively used by spiritually sensitive leaders!

Third, a wise worship planner/leader will look for liturgy that engages and involves the worshipper!

Finally, those of us who love and use liturgy should NEVER look down on those who practice a style of worship that is less liturgical or non-liturgical!  

__________________________________

For my last four or five years at the Oakland Church in East Liverpool, I had a Youth Pastor, Raeanne Thompson.  She was (is) amazing!  Our kids (my kids) LOVED her!  She filled the youth room on Wednesday nights.  She carted kids in from the projects.  She talked many of them into coming on Sunday mornings.  To be honest, she caused me (and our church) a ton of problems!  The kids were in-and-out of worship on Sundays.  Older people were disturbed by their behavior.  She also reached younger kids who attended our Wednesday programs.  Many were unruly and disrespectful.  We brought Alma Kelly into our office.  She was a highly respected principle at an elementary school two blocks from our church.  Unruly kids were taken to the 'Principle's Office'!  :-)  Alma worked patiently and sacrificially with them there until the hour ended!

Raeanne and I worked on worship together.  We had a guiding scripture:  [Psalm 122:1 - a David Psalm]  I was glad when they said to me:  Let us go to the House of the Lord.

We tried repeatedly to plan worship in such a way that people (including the youth) would go home saying the same thing!  During those years (the late 80's and early 90's) that meant using simple worship choruses as well as hymns.  Of course, we had David Kelly at the grand piano - so he was a HUGE blessing to our worship efforts.  It meant keeping our messages simple and understandable [Raeanne preached once a month].  It also meant using drama and humor to appeal to people's interests.  [I later wrote frequent dramas to illustrate messages while serving at New Middletown.]  By the way, during the latter years, the Oakland (and New Middletown) congregation blew through the 200 barrier and we saw scores of decisions for Christ!  

Well, I know some of you are waiting for this part and plan to share your thoughts.  Let the discussion (or roasting) begin!  I deliver these posts with sincerity and love!  Love for Jesus and His Church!  

WHY I’M AMBIVALENT ABOUT LITURGY - Part 1

Part 1 implies that there will be a Part 2.  Be sure to check in tomorrow to hear a contesting of my own thoughts and seek some resolution to the issues raised here today. 

__________________________________________

First, some background.  I was raised in the Free Methodist Church during the fifties and sixties.  No worship teams – unless the pianist, organist and song leader counts as one.  We enjoyed the ‘song service’ and then came the preaching and invitation.  It was simple;  freestyle.

I attended Asbury Theological Seminary for three years (1973-76 but did not graduate).  It was dominated by United Methodists (although they had a Free Methodist president for a spell).  I began to become acquainted with a more liturgical form of worship.  It was ‘comfortable’ and ‘reasonable’.  I enjoyed it and found that it had potential to add meaning and value to worship.

After a few years in the ministry, I saw the need to complete my seminary education.  Going back to ATS with my family was not a viable option.  Instead, I enrolled at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and attended for the next eight years completing my Master of Divinity degree.  These years the seminary was definitively split between four theological perspectives:  feminist theology (my classes usually had more females than males), liberation theology, process theology and Calvinistic theology.  It was like being in a free-fall before opening one’s parachute.  I told my superintendent at the time not to let just any FM candidate attend this liberal school. 

I encountered a newer level of liturgy in worship at PTS.  I experimented with it in the FM church I was leading at that time.  I found no strong backlash – people generally accepted the forms as I offered them. 

From 1990 – 1992, I attended the Franciscan University of Steubenville where I attained my M.A. Counseling.  Liturgy took a new leap in this charismatic Catholic environment!  I worshiped in this community every day that I attended classes (Noon Mass).  I became comfortable with the scriptures, responses and prayers.  My classmates seemed to enjoy seeing my responses to a different way of doing things. 

In 1997, through a turn of events too complicated to explain here, I ended up on staff at the Cornerstone Church (formerly FM) in Akron, OH.  This congregation was growing extremely fast under new (female leadership).  She estimated that 75% of the congregants were first-time-believers;  UNHEARD OF!  I would describe it as respectful chaos.  These people were new to church life and didn’t know how they were supposed to behave and respond.  Baptisms were met with hoots and hollering and exuberant applause and shouts.  People stepped into the aisles during the worship time to move to the music and express their joy!  Pastor Brenda Young’s messages were riveting and instructional!  Liturgy was not a word that anyone there would recognize.  It was COMMON. 

I deliberately tried to replicate this when I went to the New Middletown FMC.  The church grew and prospered with very little liturgy – although I did use some (especially regarding Holy Communion).  Worship was vibrant;  the church was nearly always full;  new converts were coming to faith! 

To finish the story, I’m now worshiping in an Evangelical Presbyterian congregation.  Sunday worship is TOTALLY predictable!  It reminds me of going to my daughter's new church in Connecticut.  As we took our seats and the worship team went to the front, my grandson leaned toward me and said:  “Poppy, there’ll be three songs, a prayer, the offering and announcements and the message.”  He nailed it!

There’s a creative gene somewhere in my DNA.  I like to keep people guessing.  I love to change things up.  There were a number of times that I opened the service of worship by preaching and then brought the worship team up to lead us.  Back in the days of Sunday night services, Martha Anderson once said to me:  “You know what I like about you, pastor?  When we come to church on Sunday nights, we never know where you’re going to have us meet!” 

I just read an incredible story in Jim Cymbala’s book, FRESH FAITH:  What Happens when Real Faith Ignites God’s People, (chapter five).  He speaks of enjoying the ministry of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, when suddenly he felt an impulse to get up and give his message.  He thought:  “…maybe I’m just getting a little emotional.  Or maybe Satan was tempting me into some kind of weird behavior.”  “Then I thought, my goodness we haven’t even taken the offering yet!  This isn’t the time to preach and give an invitation;  that comes at the end of a meeting, not this early.” 

Shortly after, he states:  “ I felt that if I did not respond I would be grieving the Holy Spirit.  I silently prayed, ‘God, I don’t want to fail You by not doing Your will.  I’m going up there at the end of this song.  Somehow stop me if I’m wrong.”

The choir and director (his wife, Carol) were obviously surprised when he stepped into the pulpit.  He gave a ten minute message and an invitation.  Dozens responded from across the auditorium.  The sound of weeping could be heard as people repented of their sins and embraced Christ.  After they prayed with every person, they simply resumed their worship where it had been interrupted. 

That week, a man called the church office asking for sheet music for a song the choir had sung on Sunday.  After a discussion with Jim’s daughter, he asked her to give Jim a message:

My family and I were just on a visit to New York for the weekend.  We have a nineteen-year-old son who has totally hardened to the things of the Lord.  We brought him up to be a Christian, but he has drifted away…

On this trip, we invited him to come with us.  I promised him we would enjoy the city together, but our real plan was to bring him to your church in hopes that God would somehow reach him.

On Sunday, as we took a cab to your church for the afternoon service, I checked our tickets and realized I’d made a terrible mistake.  We wouldn’t be able to stay for the whole thing.

But then early in the service your dad walked up to the platform and started to share the gospel.  Suddenly my son was standing up with the others and heading for the altar!  He broke down before the Lord, calling out to God for forgiveness.  When he came back to his seat, he was a different person.

This has been the most incredible transformation that you could ever imagine.

I know;  this could have just as easily happened in a liturgical church.  I get that.  But, I feel it would be less likely to occur in a liturgical church.  The liturgy tends to dominate.  We depend on it instead of the Holy Spirit to direct us to God. 

Don’t get me wrong;  I’m not anti-liturgical.  I’ve tried to clarify that above.  Given my personality, my love for creativity and my affection for unpredictability – I get bored pretty quickly with the same old format repeated  every week. 

OK, now let’s talk about something else – like saying the Lord’s Prayer together in worship.  😉   No, no, no, you’ve had enough of my opinions for one day…

A WONDERFULLY UNCOMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE

Since Debbie was away overnight, I got up early and attended an Episcopal worship service at 8:00 AM in a nearby town.  I frequently attend two (or more) worship experiences when we travel.  I enjoy discovering different worship settings and environments.

Let me say right off that attending a new church is an intimidating experience!  As a pastor, I was always sensitive to the fear that newcomers faced when they attended churches that I led.  One of the churches I served had its main entrance in front of the church, however most of the parking area was behind the church.  There were significant physical obstacles to be overcome to get guests to the sanctuary.  These barriers can usually be overcome with excellent signage and the appropriate placement of greeters.

This morning, I found the parking area quickly and entered a 'side door'.  Fortunately, two women greeted me and handed me a worship folder.  Then, excellent signage led me through a maze of hallways and stairways that eventually brought me into the 'front' of the sanctuary.  Unfortunately -through my inadequate guess at travel time - I was only a couple of minutes early.  Consequently, I didn't have adequate time to review the worship folder.

The sanctuary was very large and quite beautiful!  It is an old church with elegant wooden pews and ornate features - even without the many Christmas decorations.  I had a sense of awe as I gazed at my surroundings.  It was quickly apparent that the gathering of about thirty worshippers were sitting exclusively at the far side of the sanctuary.  I joined them, feeling quite conspicuous.

Within moments the priest called us to worship.  Her voice was crisp and clear and she used a microphone that helped some.  [Hearing is a huge problem for me in worship!  We only attend services that provide hearing devices - otherwise the experience is purely frustrating for me.]  I was immediately lost!  We were clearly using a liturgy, but I had difficulty finding my place in the folder [which included an abbreviated order for the 8:00 AM service and an expanded order for the 10:00 AM service}.

Shortly, a gentleman sitting behind me noticed my situation and handed me the Book of Common Prayer opened to the appropriate page.  What a wonderful act of kindness!  I was warmed by his sensitivity.  For much of the liturgy I was able to stay connected.  Many of the words were very familiar to me from my past experiences and readings.  However, I was repeatedly caught off guard by not knowing when to stand and when to stay seated [later, I realized that these notes were included in the bulletin order].  It's embarrassing to suddenly realize that you're the only person still standing.

The congregation was largely made up of very elderly people.  During the passing of the peace I was greeted warmly by all those sitting nearby.  The priest made her way around the congregation greeting every worshipper.

I was deeply moved by the ancient words, prayers and scriptures that were shared by the priest and various readers!  Liturgy can be very welcoming and meaningful when you are familiar with it.  Earlier in my life I used the Book of Common Prayer regularly in my personal worship.

The pastor's message was short and relevant.  She spoke of Mary and her experience of bearing the Son of God.  She noticed that Mary went from being a young, common girl to being a theologian through the delivery of the Magnificat.  I was interested and intrigued by her observations.  She left us with a challenge to overcome the things that occur to us in life by dedicating them to God and allowing Him to guide us through them.

Then there was the passing of the peace and announcements.  It was a welcome relief for me and an opportunity to get my bearings.  Next, we entered into the observation of the Eucharist.  The beauty of the environment deepened our experience of this most precious act.  I responded with the other worshippers by taking my place at the altar.  The priest came with a broken wafer which I accepted and immediately consumed.  Then a lay-helper approached me with the cup.  That's when I realized that I was supposed to dip my wafer into the wine.  [Blush!]  I passed on the wine!  I was obviously VERY embarrassed and wondered how many noticed my faux pas.

Upon returning to my seat I wanted to pack up and leave before I made any more mistakes!  But, I remained for the closing prayers and scriptures and the final benediction.

I tried not to hurry away [not being sure I would even be able to find my way out].  As I left the sanctuary, I exchanged a few words with the priest.  She led the service with grace, authority and meaning.  I appreciated her and felt that I would love to sit and talk with her.  She was intrigued to find that I was a retired Methodist pastor and shared that her father-in-law and husband were pastors in that tradition.

I must confess that I was greatly relieved to get into my car and drive away.  Curiously, I would be willing to return.  If I do, I will be sure to arrive allowing myself appropriate time to get acquainted with the order for worship.  I would likely return for the 10:00 AM service to see what the fuller experience might be like.  It was odd to encounter a worship service that included no music whatsoever.

I arrived at our church well in advance of our service giving me ample time to get familiar with the order for worship!  :-)