Had a good discussion with a clergy friend of mine. Discussed my questions about the questions my pastor raised. She too is fearful for the church but not in my spooky "dark will overtake light" scenario. Her fear is that the church will exist but become totally irrelevant. She said her comments do not come from someone on the outside throwing rocks, but from within.
Very interesting, because my fundamental/charismatic/conservative/evangelical journey in life to this point sees relevancy in a totally different way. Irrelevant is not having a contemporary worship service with a band. It is a children's ministry that does not have techno-aided object lessons. Or maybe no flat screen TV screens on the sanctuary walls.
What is relevancy and how can we know if we are, if we never address the tough issues out there? Or if we do, we are like a child with his fingers in his ears, repeating over and over, "I'm not listening" As I sat through that sermon yesterday, I realized I have not come as far as I thought. Some of the questions asked, made me uncomfortable. Subconsciously, because my pastor asked them, I assigned her to a specific side. Good grief - it was just a question. She never committed to either side. She expressed the views of both. What harm comes from just asking why?
When a child asks a question, we don't automatically mark them with a number and assign them to a group. No, we understand that they are inquisitive, seeking to understand. Why as Christians, can we not let each other ask why? How can I say undeniably a theological thought is so, when 5 years ago, I totally disagreed with my present view. Was I wrong 5 years ago? Will what I am saying or standing up for right now, be untrue 5 years hence? Is the problem, not in what I am thinking but in taking the stand. Taking the stand that only I and those I choose to identify with know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
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