What Lent disciplines do we need to embrace?
One of the constant temptations of evangelicalism is to determine that we have all the answers and so do not need to heed very carefully to what others say. A parallel temptation is to have the same attitude to God. He has revealed himself in Scripture and has made his will evident—so surely nosotros just need to go on with it? Ironically, this attitude is potentially made worse by recent research on church growth. The Middle for Church Growth in Durham has identified fundamental strategies and practices that atomic number 82 to growth—and then surely all we need to go on an implement them, don't we?
This attitude is evidenced in 4 tendencies:
Individualism Evangelicals are not unique in this, but we have often valued stiff leaders and heroic individuals. If there is a sense that God has raised up a 'charismatic' (in terms of personality) leader, so evangelical culture oftentimes makes it hard to ask appropriate questions, and shared leadership doesn't appear to come naturally.
Modernist rationalism. Evangelical commitment to doctrinal expressions of faith can be very helpful in clarifying problems and positions. But information technology can as well be a sign that the underlying philosophical assumptions are highly rationalist, and assume that the autonomy of the sensing field of study at the centre of the process of acquiring cognition. This rationalist approach can likewise marker some evangelical approaches to the interpretation of Scripture. As long equally we have mastered the text, and have the appropriate techniques of interpretation, then nosotros can take complete certainty about what texts might mean in new contexts. In this approach, there is piddling room for ambivalence or dubiousness.
Resistance to the work of the Holy Spirit. Whilst many evangelicals take been shaped by the charismatic renewal movements that have influenced western churches since the 1960s, others remain highly suspicious. This can be the result of a healthy skepticism nigh the latest spiritual 'fad', or a positive decision to reflect critically on teaching which is non rooted in Scripture. But information technology can also be an expression of a reluctance to relinquish control, including a reluctance to live in active dependence on the action of God.
Shallow spirituality—or at least the perception of such. Derek Tidball expresses this perception well in Who Are the Evangelicals?:
Many would…question whether evangelicals have much to offer by way of spirituality. Evangelicalism appears to be such an activist religion that the essential characteristics of spirituality tin can besides hands appear to be squeezed out (p 196).
When told someone was giving a talk on evangelical spirituality, Michael Dark-green (former principal of St John's Nottingham and rector of St Aldate's, Oxford) responded 'That will be a curt talk then!'. Gerard Hegarty explains why this might be the case:
Roman Catholic usage has come to associate 'spirituality' with the 'inner life', or the 'interior life', thus making the connection with the mystical tradition…It is not difficult to meet how this sits ill at ease with the evangelical emphasis upon practical devotion having a direct influence on grapheme and 'skillful works'.
And however if evangelical leaders lose their vital connection with the life of God, the outward focus of evangelical action becomes a hollow shell and loses the vital impact of grace. David Watson's constant struggle, recorded honestly in his terminal, biographical book Fear No Evil, was to honey God more than loving the things of God. The 'proficient news' from which evangelicals get their name is not so much a thing as an act of personal communication from the Creator to his creatures. To understand and communicate this message requires a constant deepening of understanding the person who has sent information technology.
A good way to reverberate on our engagement with God is by because some of the classic spiritual disciplines.
1. Sabbath
The discipline of keeping Sabbath is 1 of the oldest spiritual disciplines of God's people, given as part of the pattern of their life in desert and promised land following the exodus from slavery in Egypt. Over the centuries it became one of the virtually distinctive characteristics of the Jewish people, and in the Second Temple period fix them apart from other peoples in the Roman Empire. Despite the advent of Sunday trading, it is still a pregnant part of Western culture.
For church leaders, there is no small irony in the fact that Sundays can never be a 24-hour interval of rest. To have a design of i day a week away from work or ministry therefore requires a act of subject area, a decision to set up a solar day aside. I one time remember a conversation with a colleague who said (with some pride) 'Oh I haven't had a twenty-four hours off in years.' The problem with this goes back to the origins of the Sabbath command: in an agrarian subsistence lifestyle, to refrain from work is an explicit act of trust in God'southward provision. If nosotros refuse to take time off, we are communicating that our ministry belongs to us, and depends on our ain power and effectiveness, rather than depending on God to give the growth ('I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth' 1 Cor 3.vi).
On noticeboards, website and newssheets, proclaiming loudly 'Thursday is my twenty-four hours off!' might non exist the first affair to communicate. But it does demonstrate a delivery to this field of study. What about members of our congregations? With audio systems to man, welcome desks to staff, java to be made and chairs to be moved, 'every member ministry' tin can hands become 'every member busyness.' We need to reclaim Sabbath rest equally office of our communal inheritance in the body of Christ.
2. Fasting
Fasting has been a classic evangelical spiritual discipline. John Wesley would not ordain anyone who was not in the habit of fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. Fasting continues to be a regular subject for some evangelicals, but it has become marginalized, and is discussed much less often in evangelical congregations. And strangely, where it is talked about, the blueprint of fasting is ordinarily that found in the Former Testament—of occasional, intensive fasting related to detail issues or occasions.
In fact, Jesus appears to have expected his followers to fast, and to fast often. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus warns confronting doing our 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, as a way of parading our spirituality. And what does he mention every bit these regular, frequent spiritual habits? Giving, praying…and fasting. If we read the gospels carefully, we tin meet that the disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted 'ofttimes' (Luke v.33), and Luke even goes on to tell united states exactly how often: 'twice a week' (Luke 18.12). (This regular fasting would unremarkably accept been from afterwards breakfast until a lite evening meal.) Nosotros need to wait outside the gospels, to the early Christian document The Didache, to find out on which days: Mondays and Thursdays. The document (whose name means 'Teaching') goes on to specify how followers of Jesus should distinguish themselves from these Jewish 'hypocrites': by fasting instead on Wednesdays and Fridays!
The change in pattern of fasting from Former Testament to New was linked with the growth in expectation of God's deliverance of his people, peradventure by means of an 'anointed' leader. This link with messianic expectation is confirmed past Jesus' response to the question about fasting:
How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that solar day they volition fast. (Marking two.19–20)
In other words, Jesus associates fasting with expectation of the coming of messiah, the benedict, either for the beginning time, or on his return. In the aboriginal globe, eating signified date with the world, and ascetic practices like going without food signified detachment from the world. Regular, intermittent fasting then signifies both an attachment with this globe simply a longing for the globe to come—it is a tangible, dietary fashion of being 'in the globe, but not of the globe' (John 17.16).
By a wonderful providential coincidence, this pattern of fasting is the kind proposed by Michael Mosley in The Fast Diet. Information technology has concrete benefits—but most of all it keeps u.s. rooted in the 'now' and 'not yet' of the kingdom of God. It is a practical style to 'hunger and thirst for righteousness' (Matt five.6).
3. Silence
InA Passage to India, E Yard Forster describes how one graphic symbol, Mrs Moore, enters a cave and hears all the echoes that her sounds make. She realises that this is how she feels well-nigh 'poor little talkative Christianity'—that is consists of a constant echoing of the same sounds once again and over again. If Christianity is talkative, then evangelicalism is, perhaps, the most talkative diverseness. At one level, this arises from a delivery to the value of words. But, like money supply in the economy, if there are too many of them, their value diminishes.
Practising the discipline of keeping silence before others volition develop our ability to listen well, to offering hospitable space to the views of others. It will help us to larn that, in a world of social media connectivity, it isn't actually necessary to correct every wrong view that is out there.
Practising the discipline of keeping silence before God will develop our power to mind to what the Spirit is saying to the churches, and take u.s.a. away from prayer as a shopping list of requests.
four. Mutuality
'Mutuality' might sound foreign as a spiritual discipline, but information technology is vital to connected personal spiritual health. One thing that is very striking about Paul's ministry is that (contrary to Mr Incredible!) he never worked alone. In his 'missionary journeys' he always worked with at least one partner. The ane exception to this was his time in Athens (Acts 17)—which is notable by the small effect it had compared with his ministry in other places. Many of Paul's messages are co-authored (ane Corinthians with Sosthenes, Colossians and Philippians with Timothy, one and 2 Thessalonians with Silas and Timothy), and Romans 16 offers the states a long parade of Paul's co-workers and partners in mission. There is little evidence of monarchical leadership in Pauline churches; the more typical pattern is of shared leadership similar that in Antioch (Acts xiii.1).
For some, a small cell group of people who trained together in leadership offers a robust context for mutual accountability and back up where the depth of friendship grows over the years. For others, having a 'spiritual director' or mentor, who is outside the immediate context of ministry, offers something similar. For others still, long-term friendships can provide this kind of mutuality.
Mutuality in ministry building needs to extend not merely to peers in leadership but also within congregations. I am not certain Paul, who was 'in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed' in the Galatian Christians (Gal 4.19) would recognize the clergy/lay divide expressed in the idea that 'You cannot make friends with members of your congregation.'
These four disciplines of Sabbath, fasting, silence and mutuality are the spiritual antitoxin to workaholism, autonomy, talkativeness and individualism which are the frequent failings of evangelical leadership. Instead of pushing power, ideas and language out from the leader, they create a hospitable space of welcome for both the other and The Other to exist received.
Questions for reflection
Personal: how far have you embraced these spiritual disciplines? Practise yous have a mature and developing 'dominion of life', a blueprint of spiritual disciplines which attend your own discipleship and your life in God? Practice you requite space to God, and not only to the things of God?
Communal: is in that location an awareness inside the community you lead of the Christian life having shape and texture through a shared sense of spirituality? Is coming to faith seen as induction into communal spiritual disciplines?
Programme: what opportunities are at that place within your community for people to develop their ministry, and share in leadership? Where exercise you explore spiritual disciplines together?
Follow me on Twitter @psephizo.Like my page on Facebook.
Much of my work is done on a freelance basis. If you have valued this post, would yous considerdonating £one.twenty a month to support the production of this blog?
If you enjoyed this, practice share it on social media (Facebook or Twitter) using the buttons on the left. Follow me on Twitter @psephizo. Like my page on Facebook.
Much of my work is done on a freelance basis. If you take valued this post, y'all tin can make a single or repeat donation through PayPal:
Comments policy: Adept comments that engage with the content of the post, and share in respectful fence, can add real value. Seek starting time to understand, then to be understood. Make the most charitable construal of the views of others and seek to learn from their perspectives. Don't view fence as a conflict to win; address the statement rather than tackling the person.
Source: https://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/what-lent-disciplines-do-we-need-to-embrace/
0 Response to "What Lent disciplines do we need to embrace?"
Post a Comment