Cars, Preachers, and Historical-cultural Context
We finished changing out the motor yesterday! It has a bad oil leak, but otherwise it seems to run pretty well. I don't know if I'd want to drive it to Nashville, but I think it will work nicely to get the Shaman to and from work.
Did I mention he's working at the movie theater? I guess telling you that is really his job. I'll leave it to him to blog about.
I just finished my Saba report. Sending off thank-you letters should be a piece of cake, now!
We had a guest speaker at church this morning. Everything he said was hard-core CoC, and for the most part correct, but there were a few things that really grated on my nerves. I think the biggest one (I'm not exaggerating the wording, here) was that God would fling anyone into hell who tried to change one iota of His law. That meant ideas like rejecting the 6-step plan, worshipping with musical instruments, and trying to cross sectarian barriers. While the bible is pretty clear what a serious offense it is to alter His word, there's a big difference between trying to change the word of God and developing an understanding of the word of God that is different from somebody else's. I guess it's the Modernisitic assumption that "we've got it all figured out, and if you don't see it our way, your evil and perverse." After all, the bible lays out a clear, culture-neutral plan for how God wants his people to do church, right? All we have to do is follow the obvious blueprint, right? And look here: we did that and we got the American Churches of Christ.
I'm bothered that people can actually believe we sprang out of nothing like that. That is, if you took the bible and plopped it down in any culture and let rational people look at the "blueprint" that you'd get churches that look just like ours. WE HAVE A HERITAGE! We came from somewhere. A history. We used to BE the denominations we rail against now, and that has shaped the way we practice Christianity. We definitely do not practice it the same way the Christians did in the first century. I'm not even sure if we could or should. I believe that we cannot extract ourselves from our surrounding culture, geography, and history. It shapes us, and there's nothing we can do about it. That said, I am grateful that we've tried to take a fresh look at our practices in light of God's word, I just hope we never get to the point that we feel we've perfected our understanding. That causes us pride and hinders us from loving those who are also seeking God's will, but do not have the same mindset we do.
I guess I'm rambling at this point. Don't get me wrong about this brother. He has done a LOT for the church, and he had some very edifying things to say to us. The comments I disagreed with really just provide a spring-board for me to rant in this blog, which is a thing I haven't gotten to do for a while. It's good to get stuff like that out.
posted by The Gourd @ 5/15/2005 07:59:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
my two cents... *plink plink*
yeah, the speaker man was...interesting. while he did make some very good points, he turned me off a little. while it's sometimes needed to hear about fire and brimstone every once and again, we shouldn't scare the audience to death. so we're going to hell if we use music, eh?
what i think we need more of is the Gospel. we get tons of sermons and lectures and messages of how to be good Christians and love Jesus and such...but what about our roots, as you said? what about Jesus in the first place? how do we becomefollowers of Christ in the first place? how easily i forget where i come from. how easily i forget what my Savior has done for me. how easily i just try to be a good person, and forget why i'm really doing it and how i got there in the first place.
whew. okay, done. :) thanks for the insightful post, kemosabe.
btw....you sure those letters aren't a piece of ...waitforit....BOOBCAKE?!
HAHAHAHAHAHHA
You are true with everything that you have said. People take for granted the things that have been given to them. The bible does give a blue print for the church, but people have different experiences, different perceptions, and teaching, etc etc etc and they will always make things out of nothing, and will try to change the wording to fit what they believe. People want to try and put God in a box rather than let God have control of their lives, which everyone has done at one point or another. Also you have to keep in mind, alot of the traditional and old ways are beginning to die out. Alot of people don't want to know where they have come from since it won't help them in the future. What's done is done and there is no use in remembering your roots (blah). Since Christ died on the cross and gave us salvation, that is enough for people. Alot of people think that once they are saved that is it, but its not. You live for so much more. Look at what all of the disciples have done, alot can be learned.
And yes you will always find narrowed minded people, which stinks, but you will also find open minded people as well. And people like you will change the world for good with your curiosity for new ideas and wanting to see every side of every idea and argument. It's a great quality that more people need to have. Plus you have a strong solid foundation and faith. ^_^
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