As my work schedule is in transition, I've been able to do some extra reading which has been nice. I just finished Randy Frazee's Making Room for Life and will wait to make a few posts on my take-aways from that read. But now I'm into a book by Rick McKinley, This Beautiful Mess. Rick is the pastor of Imago Dei church out in Portland, OR where some great Kingdom variety things seem to be happening. Donald Miller is from that community which made the connection for me.
But the thing that jumps out at me from the first half of this little book is a corrective angle which Rick offers regarding how we talk about the Kingdom of God. Jesus began his ministry with two simple words...repent & Kingdom. He spoke of the Kingdom being a present reality. Obviously the original Jewish audience turned out to be a bit disappointed in Jesus' version of the Kingdom. But I think we sometimes arrogantly think that 2000 years later we've got it all figured out. I think we're still missing the Kingdom almost as badly as it was missed when Jesus first announced it.
Here's what I mean...how many times have I heard (or even said myself) that we're "building the Kingdom?" Or that we play some part in "advancing" the Kingdom of God? There's a subtle but dangerous theology hidden in this language...and it's one of pride and control. It's also connected to a brand of Christianity or spirituality which is based on achievement, doing, and 'leveling up' spiritually. In reality, the Kingdom is not something to be built (it's not a pile of wood and God's the big foreman in the sky saying 'come on, help me put this thing together.') The Kingdom is a whole new dimension into which we're transferred. It's a way of being, not something to be done.
And it's messy...it's an already, but not yet Kingdom...there's a lot of tension. And most Christians don't deal well with the tension. Too many churches present some polished and clean franchised faith which doesn't allow for someone to say "Why the hell is this happening? Where's God? Why doesn't He ______ ?" I believe that's why there's such a disconnect between our culture and church experience...because for the most part, the church is living in la-la land and not providing an environment where people can be authentic, messy, and "not yet."
2 comments:
Well said! Even in a nondenominational, charismatic church, my husband and I get appalled looks when we live in reality...ie when we don't say life is always perfect and things are always grand. I taught a lesson to the youth a few weeks ago and made the comment that "when life sucks, worship can pull us back into God's arms and heal us and give us strength to go on." I got in trouble for saying that life can actually suck sometimes even as a Christian (not by the youth leaders, but by some parents).
I believe in real Christianity. Take it or leave it.
Thanks for the encouragement and prayers, by the way. I would pray for your wife on the sleep, kid issue if I had any great revolutionary prayers to pray. As it stand I am at a loss too right now, so tell her I'll just be praying for strength for the two of you.
chris - excellent post. have you read "the secret message of Jesus" by brian mclaren. i am presently reading it for the second time - the thoughts he shares regarding the kingdom of God are excellent (imho)!
Post a Comment