Ancient Role Models – Learning From Those Who Didn’t Get It Right … At First

Ancient Role Models – Learning From Those Who Didn’t Get It Right … At First Learning from the book of Acts...true and challenging

Justice Revival

Great information on the Justice Revival coming to Dallas in mid-November!! Check out the link below. Justice Revival

The Presence Based Church: The New Order of Levites (Chapter Eight)

 Chapter Eight

See the paragraph on the bottom of page 166 regarding a new generation of Levites and the quote from George Barna, beginning at the bottom of the page.  Your response?

See the quote on page 167 from Let the Nations Be Glad, by John Piper, in regard to the foundational nature of worship.  Your response?

See Teykl's reflection regarding worship understood as a once a week one hour exercise on page 169.  Your response?

"The Holy Spirit inspires praise and can open mouths and hearts to bring forth expressions of love for God.  He can breathe life into liturgy and stimulate creativity.  He pulls back the natural veil to reveal the splendor and wonder of Jesus, the new Ark." (p. 170)

See the first two paragraphs on page 171 describing the relationship of personal worship/praise to the corporate gathering of God's people.  John Wimber's quote follows.

Note the wardrobe of praise, the seven aspects of praise reflected in the Old Testament, page 175.

Note the Matt Redman quote on page 176 regarding the unscripted and unpredictable in worship and the following remarks on Korean Christians use of posture as a mode of worship.

Questions 2-7, p. 182 will be the focus of our time together.

The Presence Based Church: Presence Based Worship (Chapter Seven)

 Presence Based Worship

In chapters five and six Teykl reflects on his theological framework for understanding the presence based church.  He now turns to present day forms of "presence based churches" and describes some characteristics of these churches.

A passion for worship is the foundation on the church.

The primary question is not about attracting people.  It is about the desire to attract the presence of God first and foremost.

It is not so much how we worship but why we worship, according to Teykl.

Three things are central to presence based worship: waiting, praising, prayer, and development of prayer rooms in local churches.  On the concept of waiting see the story of Pine Castle UMC, in Orlando, FL. (p.152).  The best  Pentecostal worship is familiar with "waiting on the Lord" and the traditional early morning gatherings of Korean Christians for their prayer time would seem to reflect this as well.  This is not typically well known in Western mainline denominations, with Pine Castle UMC being an exception to the rule.

On page 153, Teykl gives a good description of how a worship leader functions in this context:  dynamic, fluid, direction based on how God is moving in the service, etc.

On page 154, Teykl describes a church that ceased their usual forms of worship for a time to seek to connect with the God who inhabits the form, which is similar to Pine Castle, that is waiting on the Lord.

Every aspect of church life beginning with worship is understood to be "sitting at the feet of Jesus," which is another way of describing a communities Christology (centered on Jesus, following Jesus, being in the presence of Jesus, etc.)  These churches are Christo-centric and worship centered prior to any understanding of program or even mission.  The church exists where the Holy Trinity is worshiped, the Word of God is preached and the sacraments (baptism, Lord's Table) are administered. 

Production values are clearly secondary to sincerity when it comes to worship.

The questions on page 164 relate well to the discussion of the chapter, especially 2,3,6, & 7.

Living on Purpose: Seeking First the Vocation of the Kingdom (Chapter Seven)

 Seeking First the Vocation of the Kingdom

The subject of this chapter is our "vocation" to be a follower of Jesus in whatever context we are in and to remain especially vigilant to see "calling" as the something every Christian should possess.

"Those of us who claim to be followers of Christ need to recognize that faith isn't just about showing up at church and keeping things rolling.  The call to follow Christ is a call for every believer to commit single-mindedly to a missio0n that calls us beyond ourselves." (p.168)

"We have come to rely on paid 'surrogate servants' to serve in our place.  The problem is that there are not enough paid pastors, youth workers, Christian educators, missionaries, or development workers to deal with these growing needs .  Unless we remember that all disciples are called into active mission, we could miss God's best for us, and many of those in need could miss discovering how much God cares about them." (p. 177)



Below is a statement meant to be "tongue in cheek" but in reality it catches the persona of more than a few pastors, which by the way, probably makes most parents feel much more comfortable with the "vocational call" of their pastor, but this conversation is laughable fantasy as I explain below.

After Jesus has finished his "commencement address" at the university the scene concludes...
 
"Fortunately, our pastor has a much more practical take on this whole business of life after graduation.  He says there is a businessman in the church who could help us really find good paying jobs.  He also knows a dealer who will help us get really good loans. (We can finally get that BMW we always wanted.)  He knows we are committed to God the church and all that stuff.  We assure him that we will show up at church when we can and give when we are able just like our parents. Cool!" (p. 184)

And my take on this...

Actually, these young adults may get the good paying job and the BMW but the take about being committed to God and "all that stuff" and having an interest in "showing up" at church and "giving when we are able" just like our parents reflects a narrow sliver of fantasy out of an "evangelical mind-set."  In reality, "just like their parents" means this: good job/BMW minus all the other faith stuff, if in fact they were ever exposed to "church and all that other stuff," which is highly unlikely at best.  The pastor would never have to help a young adult "get realistic" about the rules of success. They learned that from their parents, their church and their schools from the "get-go" and I must add, also from their pastor, which makes the Sine's attempt at mild cynical humor even more tragically hilarious than they even imagine!

One of the primary reasons the Sine's would give for writing the book is this very issue.  If a church's spiritual formation is typically and easily over run by non-Christian values then something is wrong with how that church understands discipleship or maybe the church really doesn't do discipleship as it has been traditionally understood.

The Presence Based Church Chapter Six: Jesus The New Ark

Chapter Six: Jesus: The New Ark

Teykl will now relate the historic function of the ark to Jesus.

The ark had limited access to the people but Jesus sets up residence in the disciple and we meet with God in the Holy Meal.

The ark was central in the wilderness camp and now Jesus must be central to the Christian.  Currently, what theologians call Christology, our understanding of Jesus and the place he occupies in our community of faith is considered vital for staying on track as a faithful believing community.

Teykl spends the rest of the chapter showing from the New Testament how Jesus reflected the character of God as the ark reflected the character of God.  In Jesus God communicates essential  understandings of Godself.

Shows God's power and authority

Communicated God's will to us

Gives us the victory over "our enemies"

Demonstrates God's favor and delight toward us

Confirmed God's mystery and uniqueness

Atonement for sin

In Jesus the "temple" becomes the Body of Christ, the gathered Christian community

Living on Purpose: Seeking First the Kingdom in Community (Chapter 6)

Chapter Six: Seeking First the Kingdom in Community

A key summary of the central theme of the chapter is:

"We strongly believe that the first call of the gospel isn't to proclamation (though we are committed to evangelism).  Nor do we believe the first call of the gospel is to social action (though we are devoted to helping the poor).  We believe the first call of the gospel of Christ is to incarnation.  Only as we begin to flesh out something of the right-side-up values of the kingdom do we have any basis to speak or to act.  We need to create communities of subversion that enable believers to resist and subvert the seductions of Boom City.  But we also need to create communities of worship, celebration, and service that reflect a very different vision for the good life and a better future." (p. 143)

Actually, a good general statement of what the entire book is trying to articulate.

Tom and Christine take up a theme that has has become increasingly popular over the past 20 years or so.  Namely, criticism of Western societies profoundly individualistic philosophy of life.  They see this cultural value as directly increasing the rate of depression and suicide currently on the rise in our communities.

They also point out that various forms of "community" are marketed as substitutes for what they would understand as true community (Harley Davidson riding clubs as an example and similar consumer related associations, etc.). 

The Sine's see much of the church's "community" as much like the secular versions currently available in our society.  The Sine's quote Mike Riddell (Threshold of the Future) in regard to typical values around which "community" develops in the church, "Christians buy into 'middle class aspirations such as consumerism, individualism, careerism, and security.'" These are the actual values that shape the typical local church, according to the Sines.

The Sine's take on typical church sociology is held by many observers of the church scene in the US.  People go to the church like they might go to the local mall, looking for a program to meet their needs and specifications, etc.  If unavailable continue shopping around.

The upshot is that people who actually come to the church seeking authentic community find it lacking since the church is no more than an imitation of the community found in our consumer society.

The Sine's give their theological take on community by understanding a gathered community of faith as the "new family" of each follower of Jesus rather than a place to come to obtain services for you and yours.  Families don't normally market programs.  They nurture, mentor, care, offer discipline, etc. The first disciples of Jesus and the church in the book of Acts are the first places the Sine's look for images of the "community" of faith.

Some characteristics of a church that is truly faithful in the task of creating community:

More relational and less institutional

Cultivates and lives counter-cultural values.  The community is a place to nurture and maintain these values.

Primarily missional as opposed to meeting own perceived needs.  Not a lot of money is spent to do what is traditionally known as programming.

Centered on vital worship as foundational

Preaching that reflects counter-cultural values

Churches DNA reflects the importance of people actively listening for the voice of God as per life covenant material, etc.  That is, it is understood as what everyone does as part of living their Christian life.  Following Jesus on the road of discipleship is accepted as the reason for the church's existence.

Small group life (not Sunday School) is second only to the value of worship.  Everyone participates in a small group as the second foundation of their spirituality.  Again this is accepted as the bedrock DNA of the church.  Small groups offer the accountability in regard to staying committed to the intentional life outlined in the life covenant.

Referring to churches that attract young adults (people in their 20s and 30s) the Sine's reiterate the persona of these communities of faith: no bureaucracies, no committees, no formal programs and rely on a relational model of being church.