Tax Collectors, Zealots, and Flower Guys

Saturday, August 26, 2006

24/74 We're All the Same

When I talk about the Church being united, I can hear all three of the people who read this collectively sigh, "So true." The average age of you who are reading is probably around, oh say, 24, and you all throw your fist into the air and say, "Yes! Here's to unity!" We all feel the same pain, the same persecution inflicted on us by the older generation who has stifled our worship and our freedom in Christ with their oldschool views on doctrine and Christian living. They are the ones who have created disunity rather than unity, and they are the embarrassments to Christ. They have ruined the name of the Church by sitting on the back pew with their arms crossed judging the boy with the long hair or the girl with the tattoo or the hippie who has walked in the door looking for Christ. Thanks a lot old people for all you've done to our precious Church!!
Well, friends, I guess it is up to us to bring back unity. First of all, let's either rid ourselves of the elderly or just persist in doing things our way until they shut up. I mean, it's all for the sake of unity, right? Together we will unite, and finally represent the Body of Christ as it should be: connected. That is to say, if we can just discconnect from everyone who does not see things exactly our way.


I beg you....


Pick up on the sarcasm. I'm talking to my generation when I talk about unity far more than I am talking to my parents' or grandparents' generation. I'm talking about more than disagreeing over doctrine or worship styles, but I am talking about how we love one another on a day to day basis. The beauty of a unified community is one who can revolutionize itself, transform, receive the previous generation's torch, and not be...butts.
There was a man who visited one of my ministry classes at Johnson Bible College, and he said, "Just because you are a rebel, doesn't mean you are a revolutionary." I think that is so true. My age group is definitely at fault for all the times we have judged the elderly for, we assume, judging us thus we created a rift between us.
You know what, give me the elderly lady who is crossed up for her worship style being changed and who wants people to still dress their best for Jesus on Sunday morning. I may not agree with her, but I can try to understand her. Give me her (who has been with the Church through think and thin) over a green Bible college graduate ready to cause rifts in order to make the Church more relevant (not to mention his whining over side issues). Jesus and the New Testament writers call us much more to unity than they do to relevancy. See, if we can all get on the same page and work together, then and only then will we best show the world Christ. We don't display Him at our best through relevant music, preaching, dressing, programming, reading, talking, or joking. We display Him best when we are unified. That means unity between the bitter 74 year old lady and you, my selfish generation.


Disclaimer: I freakin' love old people. Really.

Disclaimer #2: I'm a whiny Bible college graduate.

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/1998/11/photoessay/oldlady@altar.TIF.JPG

6 Comments:

  • At 7:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    That's great man! I've been guilty of saying, "well, there just gonna have to deal with change."

    You should preach...or something.

     
  • At 7:10 PM, Blogger palmer said…

    Good blog Taylor. Writing suits you well.
    I was more concerned about this issue a few years ago. As I've travelled around I've come to see that in many instances the church IS relevant for the majority of Christians that attend church.
    The biggest problem to me with this issue is that younger Christians believe the church needs to be more hip to meet their needs, while the older generations tend to seek biblical feeding and the songs that have meant so much to them through their Christian journey.
    Ministries aimed at young adults are virtually nonexistent, and it seems that this has caused their hunger for worship and community to go unfulfilled leading to resentment and animosity toward the community.
    Sorry, this was so long, I tend to ramble.
    jpg

     
  • At 2:45 AM, Blogger Clinton said…

    you have a way with words...there may have been a point in the beginning when i nearly shat my shelf but i kept reading, laughed and saw the good point. writing it may be something you're gifted in.

    I've often wondered about the "model" of church we do. I haven't any real answers, wish I did; but i've found myself on a journey to seeking a more authentic form of church. honestly i don't know what any of my questions mean at this point but i feel a hesitance when we begin conversations about having young-adult ministries, and the style of "worship," there just seems to be better questions out there we could be asking. like how many people around me hurt, or are we truly living life and what does that look like to live life to the fullest?

    it seems church is simply a community of people that share in common their Faith in Christ and live that out together and it is through this community that the members of the Kingdom of God find the ability to live by different standards than the kingdom around them. what do you think?

    the bible has served to remind some thinks in the past few generations of the people our congregations can, and sadly a lot of times do, neglect-the poor, the vulnerable, the left behind. these are the true revolutionaries-those who love.

    The bible challenges narrow national, ethnic, economic, or cultural self-interest, reminding us of a much wider world and the creative human diversity of all those made in the image of the creator. i wonder if we are to be a community of people who exist to love others and love our God. after all it is by our love that the world will know we are one with the Heavenly Father.

    damn-it taylor what do we do...its a good thing we're not alone and still have some good advice from prophets and inspired writers.

     
  • At 10:32 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hello Friend...
    I appreciate your view on the issue of unity. So many times I have seen my friends try to "change" a church, but without respect and love for every member, you only bring problems. Here is my advice for everyone who starts a new ministry (a single missionary woman who served in the Philippians for over 25 years told me this), for the first year of your new ministry: Don't have an opinion. That can be hard to handle when you just got your BS in something. But, if you think about it...we are here to serve. And, when you start waving around your opinions about this and that and how this way is better and that ways stinks...you lose so much of what is going on there. You stop seeing God work, and insist on your work. I see it all the time :) This may not be good for everyone, but believe it or not...you don't know everything.
    I appreciate you friend. And, I miss your wisdom and slightly homeless looking face. :) eheh You be good and keep doing your best. -Elisabeth Johnson

     
  • At 1:48 PM, Blogger Taylor said…

    Yes.

    I think all this is correct and true and good. It's so simple, isn't it? I hear you guys saying, "Let's get refocused off of ourselves, our opinions, and our needs, onto God and His children.
    Sure, go ahead and talk about young adult programs and Church models and campaigns, but keep it relational. I don't know if I have a problem with different techniques of reaching people as long as it all promotes unity. Carlos Gupton, my professor at JBC, said that whatever ambition we have for the Church or whatever dream or revolution we want to start must be aligned with Christ's call to unity. If it is not, than it is not within God's plan for the Church. I promise you, if it does not promote unity, then it is not an idea from God.
    Clint gave a good definition of the Church:
    "I wonder if we are to be a community of people who exist to love others and love our God."
    I'm pretty sure Jesus said that same sentence verbatim when He summed up all the commandments into simply loving God and others.
    Elizabeth had a good point about not expressing opinions for one whole year into the ministry. I think this is key, and it is a good discipline to keep focused on PEOPLE rather than ideas. The Chuch is not an idea, but it is an organism. Breathing and living.
    Thanks for commenting guys. Love you all.

     
  • At 9:14 PM, Blogger Bethany Zumba said…

    i hate to break up the seriousness of the preceding blogs, but i'm afraid i'm going to just do it anyway. thanks for the anti-xanga comments, even though i actually have kept that up a little instead of actually writing a SECOND post on this blog.
    also, i saw rachel the other day on campus and she was beautiful as always. and i'm glad she's keeping you up to date on your ex-girlfriend's life as well. it's great working at B&BW w/ her friends:)
    take care.

     

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