Stephen W. Hiemstra's Blog, page 63
July 4, 2023
Noll Tells Protestant History
Mark A. Noll. 2002. The Work We Have to Do: A History of Protestants in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra
We live stories.
When I worked as a chaplain intern, I discovered that I had a special connection with the drunks that came in and were strapped in gurneys to dry out. From their gurneys they would rage—often in Spanish—and many of the interns were intimidated. I talked with them; cried with them; and defended them in group. My affinity with these men was a mystery—I had never been drunk and strapped in a gurney. Much later, I realized that although the gurney treatment was not a personal experience, my emotions had long been bounded and gagged—too dangerous to be expressed the omnipresent, polite company—for most of my life. My affinity with the plight of the gurney men was a metaphorical story, not a life experience story.
We live stories. Stories give life meaning. This is why history is so important. We find meaning in the stories that we tell and those that we cannot express.
Introduction
Mark Noll starts The Work We Have to Do with the story of David Brainard. Brainard, a young man infected with tuberculosis, got into trouble:
“In 1742 he was expelled from Yale College when he claimed that one of his teachers did not have any more of God’s grace than a wooden chair” (ix).
Expelled from college for a private conversation, Brainard could not be ordained so he embarked on a career as a missionary to the Indians in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. A man of great passion, Brainard died at the age of 29. In the end, he was a friend of Jonathan Edwards and was at the time of his death engaged to marry Edwards’ daughter, Jeusha (ix-x). Edwards, of course, went on to inspire a revival known as the Great Awakening; it was Brainard who inspired Edwards. Brainard also inspired the founding of Princeton University and, in the nineteenth century, a generation of missionaries.
Noll’s title, “the work we have to do”, is taken from Edwards’ eulogy over David Brainard (14). Noll focuses on providing a short overview of the role of protestants in American history. He writes:
“Even if Protestant beliefs and practices have often worked at odds with each other, there can be no mistaking the importance of Protestant religion for the national history. Although a short book on a big subject can hit only high points it is able to suggest some of the depth, drama, dynamism, and diversity in this story.” (xi)
Organization
Noll writes in 7 chapters, preceded by a preface and followed by an appendix, chronology, reading list, and index. These chapters are:
Who are the Protestants?
Where do Protestants Come From?
Protestants in Colonial American, 1607-1789.
Protestants in Charge, 1790-1865.
Times of Trial and Renewal, 1866-1918.
Protestants in Modern America.
Noll was (1979-2006) professor of history at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, a school famous for its one-time student, Billy Graham. He is now the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at Notre Dame University [1].
One of the histories which I was not familiar with was the story of Methodist Francis Asbury. Noll writes:
“In 1771 Wesley asked for volunteers to go to America, and Asbury responded eagerly [at age 13]. Before he died, Asbury traveled nearly 3000,000 miles, mostly on horseback, into all the former thirteen colonies and the new states of Tennessee and Kentucky” .
Asbury himself wrote about his daily schedule as:
“My present mode of conduct is…to read about 100 pages a day; to preach in the open air every other day; and to lecture in prayer meeting every evening.”
Noll notes:
“When he arrived in America there were 4 Methodist ministers looking after about 300 laypeople. By the time of his death in 1816, there were 2,000 ministers and more than 200,000 members of Methodist congregations.”
How many pastors today can make a claim like that? (52-53)
Noll is in a clear position to opine about what it means to be protestant today. He writes:
“In some sense Protestantism in America began with Puritans battling with the English state church over questions of innovation, experimental spirituality, and adaptation of worship to the people.” (116)
Does that sound familiar? Noll sees the strengths of Protestantism as:
“[There are] twin, but often competing strengths of Protestantism. There strengths are a connection with the historic Christian faith and a drive to express that faith in an up-to-date, contemporary manner.” (116-117)
Do you feel the tension in this statement? Sounds like the theme for a new book!
Assessment
Mark Noll’s The Work We Have to Do is a good summer read. Clearly, he is writing for an introductory college course in church history, but his accessible style makes it a book that just about anyone can enjoy.
Footnotes
[1] http://history.nd.edu/faculty/directo...
Bothersome Gaps: Life in Tension (http://wp.me/p3Xeut-OT).
Noll Tells the History of Protestants in America Briefly
Also see:
Books, Films, and Ministry
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Noll Tells Protestant History appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
Noll Tells the History of Protestants
Mark A. Noll. 2002. The Work We Have to Do: A History of Protestants in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra
We live stories.
When I worked as a chaplain intern, I discovered that I had a special connection with the drunks that came in and were strapped in gurneys to dry out. From their gurneys they would rage—often in Spanish—and many of the interns were intimidated. I talked with them; cried with them; and defended them in group. My affinity with these men was a mystery—I had never been drunk and strapped in a gurney. Much later, I realized that although the gurney treatment was not a personal experience, my emotions had long been bounded and gagged—too dangerous to be expressed the omnipresent, polite company—for most of my life. My affinity with the plight of the gurney men was a metaphorical story, not a life experience story.
We live stories. Stories give life meaning. This is why history is so important. We find meaning in the stories that we tell and those that we cannot express.
Introduction
Mark Noll starts The Work We Have to Do with the story of David Brainard. Brainard, a young man infected with tuberculosis, got into trouble:
“In 1742 he was expelled from Yale College when he claimed that one of his teachers did not have any more of God’s grace than a wooden chair” (ix).
Expelled from college for a private conversation, Brainard could not be ordained so he embarked on a career as a missionary to the Indians in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. A man of great passion, Brainard died at the age of 29. In the end, he was a friend of Jonathan Edwards and was at the time of his death engaged to marry Edwards’ daughter, Jeusha (ix-x). Edwards, of course, went on to inspire a revival known as the Great Awakening; it was Brainard who inspired Edwards. Brainard also inspired the founding of Princeton University and, in the nineteenth century, a generation of missionaries.
Noll’s title, “the work we have to do”, is taken from Edwards’ eulogy over David Brainard (14). Noll focuses on providing a short overview of the role of protestants in American history. He writes:
“Even if Protestant beliefs and practices have often worked at odds with each other, there can be no mistaking the importance of Protestant religion for the national history. Although a short book on a big subject can hit only high points it is able to suggest some of the depth, drama, dynamism, and diversity in this story.” (xi)
Organization
Noll writes in 7 chapters, preceded by a preface and followed by an appendix, chronology, reading list, and index. These chapters are:
Who are the Protestants?
Where do Protestants Come From?
Protestants in Colonial American, 1607-1789.
Protestants in Charge, 1790-1865.
Times of Trial and Renewal, 1866-1918.
Protestants in Modern America.
Noll was (1979-2006) professor of history at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, a school famous for its one-time student, Billy Graham. He is now the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at Notre Dame University [1].
One of the histories which I was not familiar with was the story of Methodist Francis Asbury. Noll writes:
“In 1771 Wesley asked for volunteers to go to America, and Asbury responded eagerly [at age 13]. Before he died, Asbury traveled nearly 3000,000 miles, mostly on horseback, into all the former thirteen colonies and the new states of Tennessee and Kentucky” .
Asbury himself wrote about his daily schedule as:
“My present mode of conduct is…to read about 100 pages a day; to preach in the open air every other day; and to lecture in prayer meeting every evening.”
Noll notes:
“When he arrived in America there were 4 Methodist ministers looking after about 300 laypeople. By the time of his death in 1816, there were 2,000 ministers and more than 200,000 members of Methodist congregations.”
How many pastors today can make a claim like that? (52-53)
Noll is in a clear position to opine about what it means to be protestant today. He writes:
“In some sense Protestantism in America began with Puritans battling with the English state church over questions of innovation, experimental spirituality, and adaptation of worship to the people.” (116)
Does that sound familiar? Noll sees the strengths of Protestantism as:
“[There are] twin, but often competing strengths of Protestantism. There strengths are a connection with the historic Christian faith and a drive to express that faith in an up-to-date, contemporary manner.” (116-117)
Do you feel the tension in this statement? Sounds like the theme for a new book!
Assessment
Mark Noll’s The Work We Have to Do is a good summer read. Clearly, he is writing for an introductory college course in church history, but his accessible style makes it a book that just about anyone can enjoy.
Footnotes
[1] http://history.nd.edu/faculty/directo...
Bothersome Gaps: Life in Tension (http://wp.me/p3Xeut-OT).
Noll Tells the History of Protestants in America Briefly
Also see:
Books, Films, and Ministry
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Noll Tells the History of Protestants appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
July 3, 2023
Definition of the Church: Monday Monologues (podcast), July 3, 2023
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
This morning I will share a prayer and reflect on Defining the Church. After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).
To listen, click on this link.
Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!
Definition of the Church: Monday Monologues (podcast), July 3, 2023
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Definition of the Church: Monday Monologues (podcast), July 3, 2023 appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
July 2, 2023
Petition for the Church
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
Blessed Lord Jesus,
All glory and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours because you have walked among us, called us to be a people, and promised to be our God (Exod 6:7; Lev 26:12; Jer 1:4). May we all always hear your voice (Jer 7:23).
Forgive us, Lord, for amplifying our own voice and covering our ears when you speak to us. May we all always listen to your words.
Thank you for the blessings of Christian friendship, comfort of family, and the many tangible things that you have placed in our lives. May we always harken to your voice.
In the power of your Holy Spirit, draw us to yourself. Open our hearts, illuminate our thoughts, and strengthen our hands in your service. Set our hair on fire for your church. In Jesus’ previous name, Amen.
Petition for the Churc
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Petition for the Church appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 30, 2023
Defining the Church
For where two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I among them.
(Matt. 18:20)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
The church is not easily defined. The Apostle Paul’s term ecclesia (ἐκκλησίᾳ; 1 Cor 1:2) remains helpful because it describes an organic institution the called out ones defined primarily by its call.
Being defined by its call (or mission), not by its institutional structure, means that the church’s origins lie in the one calling it out. On Pentecost when the church was born, the defining characteristic of those called was the tongues of fire (Acts 2:3) that rested on their head. At seminary we used to describe those truly tuned into their work as having “their hair on fire for the Lord,” an obvious allusion to Pentecost experience.
The Old Testament description of a church, kahal (קָהַל, BDB 8447), means assembly, convocation, congregation. In Deuteronomy, we read: Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words (Deut 4:10). The context here offers a purpose—hear my words—and a particular time suggesting the ecclesia is even here not a random group or group defined by a particular place as in a temple. This purpose highlights the role of worship in the church.
While this is obviously not a comprehensive review of the Old Testament-New Testament contrast in view of the church, it highlights the contrast between the footloose and embodied interpretations of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church.
The Question of Mission
As a practical matter, church leaders often struggle to articulate their corporate mission, especially as they approach the calling of pastors. The usual strategy is to plan a leadership retreat and brainstorm a mission statement that ends up plastered on business cards, stationary, and miscellaneous swag. The problem with the MBA approach to discerning a church call is it focuses on group process rather than observing movement of the spirit within the life of the church.
In my work as a hospital chaplain I met a troubled woman—a paraplegic—in the emergency department. When I asked her about scripture or perhaps a Bible story that she enjoyed, she talked about the story of Joseph, whose brothers threw him in a pit and later sold him as a slave (Gen 37). As a paraplegic, this woman had been abused by her family even as they lived off of her government transfer payments. This woman’s life story was a direct analogy to the story of Joseph, which for her was a rehearsal story, a story from the past with current significance (Savage 1996, 84-89).
The story of the paraplegic highlights one method for discerning God’s call on a particular church. What passage of scripture best describes significant work or events in the life of the church? A campus church might mirror the mentoring work, for example, of Barnabas who encouraged the Apostle Paul (Acts 4:36; 9:27). An inner-city church might relate to the story of the woman at the well (John 4). A house church in China might find the story of Abigail who saved her foolish husband’s life by offering hospitality to David (1 Samuel 25). Understanding a parallel biblical story can suggest additional elements that would be helpful in the current context.
Because churches often combine a collection of ministries, each of the ministries may have its own unique calling much like a vegetable stand in a farmer’s market. The call of the wider church may lie in helping these ministries define their mission and resourcing their work.
Signs of the Times
Two historical trends in the church more widely have come together in recent years to complicate arriving at a proper definition of the church (and a proper sense of Christian identity) in the U.S. context. The first has to do with the separation of church and state. The second is the demise of Christendom.
Separation of church and state became a political reality in the Protestant Reformation. After Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany in 1517, the Protestant Reformation spun off a number of Protestant denominations that in the American context competed for members, authority, and influence. Bradley Longfield (2013, 95) writes that in “The 1830s the Presbyterian General Assembly rivaled the federal government for popular influence and esteem.” What was political expedient in the nineteenth century, is today no longer relevant with major moral issues like abortion, divorce, and homosexuality now decided through legislation and court decisions, not biblical warrant. The separation of church and state that allowed for freedom of religious affiliation—no official church—now effectively mandates a state religion without a church.
Christendom arose in the fourth century when Emperor Constantine (272-337 AD) adopted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire (after 313 AD). When Christianity became an official religion, many new converts came into the church for reasons not necessarily related to faith. The need to define what it meant to be a Christian thus became a high priority. The Nicene Creed (325-381 AD), Apostle Creed (340 AD), and the Bible itself (367 AD) all date from this period. The demise of Christendom as an informal institution in this generation has reignited the identity question that had previously been a settled issue for roughly fifteen hundred years.
While some argue that Christendom’s demise was a long overdue, its absence reverberates throughout the church and complicates any attempt to define the church and its mission in this time and place. Likewise, the collapse of the separation of church and state means that the three signs of the true church (right preaching, right administration of sacraments, and church discipline) can no longer be assured (PCUSA 1999, 3.18) because of boundary-management incongruities. While the cause of these changes can certainly be argued, the existence of these changes is not really subject to question.
Return to a Biblical Church
While there is no one biblical institution called the church, the primary example of a church in the New Testament is the house church served by bivocational clergy. The New Testament gives no examples of professional clergy. The Apostle Paul worked as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3), which served as an interesting double-entendre. Paul made tents during the day and worked at night as an evangelist building the tabernacle (tent) of God. Would that we could do the same.
References
Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius (BDB). 1905. Hebrew-English Lexicon, unabridged.
Longfield, Bradley J. 2013. Presbyterians and American Culture: A History. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PC USA). 1999. The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)—Part I: Book of Confession. Louisville, KY: Office of the General Assembly.
Savage, John. 1996. Listening and Caring Skills: A Guide for Groups and Leaders. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Defining the Church
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Defining the Church appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 27, 2023
Kinnaman: An Unfiltered View of the Church, Part 2
David Kinnaman with Gabe Lyons. 2007. UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity…and Why It Matters. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks. (Goto Part 1)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
For most of my life, certainly before I entered seminary, I was very self-conscious about sharing my faith even in church. Part of the issue was that I did not feel good enough to be a Christian and that my trials and tribulations somehow disqualified me from being one of those “more perfect” Christians. I felt “judged” as a Christian but what I did not realize is that I was projecting my own insecurities on other people. And my doubts were—by no means—original. It was not until I was encouraged to teach Sunday school that I started to realize how unoriginal my doubts and insecurities really were.
A very helpful tool that David Kinnamen uses in UnChristian is to set his 6 unflattering perceptions of Christians in opposition to aspirational perceptions that would be more helpful. Below is the list.
“Perception: Christians say one thing but live something entirely different.
New perception: Christians are transparent about their flaws and act first, talk second” (41).
“Perception: Christians are insincere and concerned only with converting others.
New perception: Christians cultivate relationships and environments where others can be deeply transformed by God” (67).
“Perception: Christians show contempt for gays and lesbians.
New perception: Christians show compassion and love to all people, regardless of their lifestyles” (91).
“Perception: Christians are boring, unintelligent, old-fashioned, and out of touch with reality.
New perception: Christians are engaged, informed, and offer sophisticated responses to the issues people face” (121).
“Perception: Christians are primarily motivated by a political agenda and promote right-wing politics.
New Perception: Christians are characterized by respecting people, thinking biblically, and finding solutions to complex issues” (153)
“Perception: Christians are prideful and quick to find faults in others.
New Perception: Christians show grace by finding the good in others and seeing their potential to be Christ followers” (181).
While it is hard to argue with these suggestions, such ideas are often quickly transformed into a new job description for pastors who are, in effect, competing with the best that Hollywood and Madison Avenue have to offer in crafting sophisticated brands, complete with state-of-the-art music and videos. Think of the insecurities that might arise in comparing oneself, not with the guy in the next pew as I did, but with the talents of a television evangelist or musician.
Let me look a minute at Kinnaman’s big 3 complaints—Christians are homophobic, judgmental, and hypocritical.
Homophobic. Kinnaman agrees that Christians have not practiced what they preach when it comes to homosexuality. They have not hated the sin and loved the sinner. The perception outside the church is that God hates homosexuals (110).
Kinnaman makes a very interesting observation. In the second and third centuries, Christianity made great inroads in the Roman empire because during the outbreak of epidemics, they stayed to care for the sick at the risk of their own lives. Early in the AIDS epidemic (1970-80s), the majority of Christians refused to be involved and, in fact, proclaimed God’s judgment on homosexuals. This is not a trivial image problem—people still remember (110). Its like Christians have discarded their cross [2].
In this context, Kinnaman’s new perception—“Christians show compassion and love to all people, regardless of their lifestyles” (91)—was a fairly radical assertion in 2007 when this book was published and still remains controversial among many Christian groups. He was not, however, excusing homosexuality; he was only advocating that it be treated on par with other hard sins, like alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual addition, divorce, abortion, and so on.
Judgmental. Kinnaman asks: “Are we perceived to be a loving group of people?” Here we see strong diversity of opinion which seems to be scaled by the intensity of involvement in the life of the church. The percentage of those believing that the church is a loving community are: pastor (76 percent), born-again Christians (47 percent), churchgoers (41 percent), and outsiders (20 percent) (185). Ouch!
Kinnaman’s discussion of judgment errors is insightful. He cites 4 errors in judgment:
Coming to the wrong conclusion. For example, judging people by their outward appearance.
Having the right judgment but at the wrong time.
Having the wrong motivation—we should be motivated by love.
Expressing favoritism (187-189).
Kinnaman offers these suggestions:
Listen more, talk less.
Do not label people.
Don’t pretend to know all the answers.
Walk in the other person’s shoes.
Be genuine.
Offer friendship without an agenda (194-195).
A lot more could be said here.
Hypocritical. It is indeed ironic that Christians should be considered hypocritical because Jesus was the first one to use the word, hypocrite, to mean two-faced [3]. A hypocrite in the Greek was an actor. Kinnaman makes the point that young people are cynical in general and expect us to be hypocritical just like everyone else. The problem arise is that Christians are perceived to be self-righteous about their hypocrisy (49). Consequently, Kinnaman’s advice to be transparent about your flaws and “act first, talk second” takes the edge off of this criticism (41).
David Kinnaman’s UnChristian is an insightful and interesting read. Pastors, lay leaders, and seminarians will find his research helpful. On a more cautionary note, I hope that the results do not encourage Christians to despair of engaging people for fear of offense. A common concern among pastors, for example, is that they live in a glass house and never have any down time.
Insecurities are still a challenge for me. Even thought I am a pastor and talk about my faith all the time, my insecurities still show up when I am tired or when I need to share my faith in Spanish. My tendency to over-prepare for talks is, in part, because of these insecurities.
Question: Are you shy about sharing your faith? Are there particular situations that are more difficult? What would help you get over your reluctance to share?
This is reality that is hard to avoid. For about 10 years, my mother-in-law, who spoke only Parsi, lived with us. She was an angel and I miss her greatly—she taught me most of the Parsi that I know. What was her favorite show on Sunday morning? Joel Osteen (www.JoelOsteen.com). She loved the music.
[2] “Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24 ESV)
[3] The need to practice holiness stands behind this criticism. The famous words of Jesus are taken from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matt 7:1-5 ESV)
Also see:
Books, Films, and Ministry
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Kinnaman: An Unfiltered View of the Church, Part 2 appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 26, 2023
Unity: Monday Monologues (podcast), June 26, 2023
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
This morning I will share a prayer and reflect on Analyzing the Data. After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).
To listen, click on this link.
Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!
Unity: Monday Monologues (podcast), June 26, 2023
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Unity: Monday Monologues (podcast), June 26, 2023 appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 25, 2023
Petition for Unity
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
Loving Father,
All praise and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours because you brought us together and called us to be a people, your people. Unify us in Christ.
Forgive our inattention, our complacency, our lethargy in the face of challenges. Unify us in Christ.
Thank you for the many blessings in this life: health, family, homes, and medical plans. Unify us in you, not these other things.
In the power of your Holy Spirit, open our eyes and unstop our ears as the fire of self-destruction approaches. May we feel the heat before we are burned and all that is precious to us is swept away.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Petition for Unity
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Petition for Unity appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 23, 2023
Analyzing the Data
If you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say,
You sit here in a good place, while you say to the poor man,
You stand over there, or, Sit down at my feet,
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil thoughts?
(Jas 2:3-4)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
The North—South distinction in missions highlights the problem in the church with social and economic distance.
Social Distance Challenge
The problem of social distance in ministry and missions is no secret. The Pentecostal revival dates back to the Azuza Street (Los Angles, California) revival:
“On the evening of April 9, 1906, Seymour and seven other men were waiting before the Lord when suddenly, as though hit by a bolt of lightning, they were knocked from their chairs to the floor. The seven men with Seymour began to speak in diverse kinds of tongues magnifying God. The shouts were so fervent and loud that news spread quickly of the unusual events on Bonnie Brae Street. A few days later Seymour finally received the Holy Spirit.” (PCG 2020, 87)
William Joseph Seymour (1870-1922) was African-American.
From the beginning, the Pentecostal movement was multicultural, focused on the working classes, admitted anyone with a call to minister, preach, and evangelize. By contrast, Presbyterians are majority white, focus on professionals, and limit ministry primarily to those seminary trained.
Pentecostals and Social Distance
The Pentecostal movement spread quickly in the Global South, in part, because Pentecostals shared the same social position as those they evangelized. This is an important point in Africa because Muslim missionaries depicted Christianity was a “white man’s religion.” This slander is actually ironic because many of the early Christian theologians, such as Augustine, were African until Islam swept through North Africa in the seventh century. Nevertheless, husband-wife African American and Hispanic Pentecostal missionary teams could easily dismiss such arguments while missionaries from mainline protestant denominations found such criticism more challenging.
Social Distance and Fervor
The challenge of social distance is a problem primarily when combined with a decline in religious fervor. Ministry across economic and social classes is not just a problem in overseas missions. It is a factor in virtually all ministry outreach efforts where such differences exist.
The Biblical answer to the problem of social and economic distance is to treat the church as an extended family (Hellerman 2001, 2). The Apostle Paul writes:
“In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith . . .There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Gal 3:26-29)
As sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ, the New Testament refers to fellow Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ who are recipients of the promises that God made to Abraham.
Social distance becomes an issue of fervor because we are obligated to support family members in need. Whose needs will we meet and to what extent? It is easier to ignore poverty when it is hidden from view, which is hard to do when a poor brother or sister is a member of your church or a mission partner.
An Illustration of Social Distance
When I was in seminary several years ago, my parents, who attended a Presbyterian Church (USA) church, hosted two pastors from Kenya who were mission partners of their church. Over dinner several awkward moments arose. When asked about their journey of faith, one said that when he came to Christ he stopped beating his wife. When asked where they attended seminary, a deathly silence followed. When the subject of homosexuality came up, we learned that their Presbytery had broken communion with ours that week in spite of being financially supported.
Obviously, many factors come to play in exacerbating social distance.
Factors Influencing Social Distance
Social and economic distance is more than a hypothetical issue for Christians. Declining religious fervor in the Global North, the flip side of secularization of the church, has recently been compounded by the declines in standards of living, fertility, and life expectancy among the majority of Americans. Increasing Christianization of the Global South has been accompanied by rapid urbanization and the consequent loss of community suffered by many people, a situation analogous to the situation of many first century Christians.
The contrast between the Global North and Global South provides an interesting mirror for self-reflection. Because urbanization has run its course in the Global North, part of the problem with secularization may be simply being too settled and not feeling a need to reach out to others. This might seem to be an ironic observation as standards of living fall in the Global North (an unsettling development), but spiritual lethargy is also evident in greater drug use, inattention to educational opportunities, and political polarization.
If we are one in Christ, what are we when we ignore Christ?
References
Hellerman, Joseph H. 2001. The Ancient Church as Family. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
Pentecostal Church of God (PCG). 2020. General Bylaws 2020. International Missions Center. Bedford, Texas. Online: https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/.
Analyzing the Data
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Analyzing the Data appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
June 20, 2023
Kinnaman: An Unfiltered View of the Church, Part 1
David Kinnaman with Gabe Lyons. 2007. UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity…and Why It Matters. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks. (Goto Part 2)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
Birthing stories are often prophetic.
My home church first met in a multipurpose room in the back of a local golf club. The hallway leading to this room was long and narrow passing right in front of the bar. When my wife, Maryam, and I walked down the hall, the folks sitting at the bar turned around and glared at us as we passed. Ours was not a unique experience. The country club threw our congregation out after the first week—not everyone was happy to see us on Sunday morning!
“Christianity has an image problem” (11) according to David Kinnaman in his book, UnChristian. The title here,
“unchristian, reflects outsiders’ most common reaction to the faith: They think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what it is supposed to be.” (15)
Observations
Kinnaman starts by making 5 observations:
The term, outsiders, “includes atheists, agnostics, those affiliated with a faith other than Christianity (such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Mormonism, and so on), and other unchurched adults who are not born-again.” Kinnaman focuses on 2 primary generations: “Mosaics (born between 1984 and 2002) and Busters (born between 1965 and 1983).”
God wants us to pay attention to outsiders because he cares for them (2 Peter 3:9; Luke 15:11-32)
Christianity’s image problem is both outside and inside the church among young people.
People are upset about the Christian faith because of its real and perceived influence on culture. And
This book is something of a mirror for each of us as Christians (17-19)
Kinnaman notes that “Our task is to be effective agents of spiritual transformation in people’s lives” (19). Spirituality is important to young people, but “many consider it just one element of a successful, eclectic life” and fewer than 1 in 10 mention faith as their top priority (23). Clearly, as Christians we have work to do.
Themes
Kinnaman cites 6 themes in skepticism about Christians:
We say one thing and do another.
Christians are: “too focused on getting converts.”
“Christians are bigoted and show distain for gays and lesbians.”
Christians are: ”old-fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality”.
Too political. Christians: “promote and represent politically conservative interests and issues.”
People doubt that “we really love people as we say we do.” (29-30)
The big 3 complaints are homophobic (91 percent of young outsiders), judgmental (87 percent), and hypocritical (85 percent). Kinnaman observes that many of these same negative perceptions are shared by young people who have remained in the church.
Conclusions
Kinnaman (36) concludes that:
“The real problem comes when we recognize God’s holiness but fail to articulate the other side of his character: grace. Jesus represents truth plus grace. (see John 1:14)”
He sees these perceptions as helpful in understanding how people respond to us, in becoming more objective in our own assessments, in changing the attitudes, and in understanding how their stories have influenced their views (37-38).
David Kinnaman’s UnChristian is written in 9 chapters, 6 of which reflect the 6 criticisms cited above. The foreword is written by George Barna and the afterword is written by Gabe Lyons. All three are researchers with the Barna Group of Ventura, California which focuses on market research on issues of faith.
Assessment
Kinnaman’s UnChristian is a market study of young adults outside the church based on interviews and survey work done by the Barna Group. It should therefore be read as consisting of observations, analysis, and recommendations. Because many books are based primarily on personal observations and experience, this book provides much needed objective research to complement other sources of information. As such, pastors, lay leaders, and seminarians will want to be aware of its conclusions.
Part 1 of this post has provided an overview of Kinnaman’s work. Part 2 will drill into some of the concerns articulated.
My home church, which started by being tossed out of a local country club, sends out more pastors and missionaries than most other local churches and remains salt and light both to the community and to our denomination. And the gawkers are still glaring…as the spotlight is on us, do we point them to God or simply to ourselves?
Question
Do you think the church remains faithful to the call of God? If so, why? If not, why not?
Footnote
Kinnaman: An Unfiltered View of the Church, Part 1
Also see:
Books, Films, and Ministry
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarkT_June23 , Signup
The post Kinnaman: An Unfiltered View of the Church, Part 1 appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
