How will Christians react to the real threats and assaults on Christian spirituality in our area, our society, our nation, and our international world? How will we defend ourselves from our paranoia that thinks everybody is against us? How will we move toward a balance that sees reality but does not exaggerate danger? Where is that balance? Who determines balance?
These days it seems that many Christians and many congregations struggle between two issues: (1) seeing threats to Christian spiritual existence, AND (2) a paranoid thinking that sees threats that either do not exist or at best are speculations. Christians do not wish to ignore reality. They do not wish to be paranoid. They wish to live a balanced lifestyle that in everything trusts Gods values.
The issue: how do Christians find and cling to Gods balance? If Christians ignore real dangers, they invite unnecessary suffering. If Christians exaggerate dangers, they become blind to genuine opportunities. If either happens, Christians will not fulfill their mission in Christ. They will increasingly turn inward and increasingly become spiritually ineffective.
Thus, balance should be determined by spiritually mature people. Congregations are blessed when led by spiritually mature men who understand the balance produced by spiritual maturity, who see that balance, and who point the congregation in the direction of that balance.
This balance is not necessarily seen by the spiritually immature. It is often rejected by the paranoid who are controlled by terror. It is commonly derided by those who have a lot of knowledge, but who do not grasp Gods values. It is typically opposed by those who refuse to exist by faith in Christ. There is always a threat that some in the congregation will not see what spiritually mature, qualified leadership sees.
Often, in a very real way, the Christians who compose a congregation are the victims of todays American lifestyle. We have lived well and lived with ease. Because of our prosperity, we have and use things many in the world would not know existed if we did not have them. Most of us are not accustomed to a daily struggle caused by being deprived. Most of us thought future generations in our families would live better than we do. We have not known economic privation. We have not known being denied an education. We have not known a life without discretionary funds. There always could be progress if the individual just applied himself or herself. Opportunities were so abundant that the question facing many people was, Which opportunity do I accept?
Now that is not the situation. We are reminded by many circumstances that things could worsen long before they get better. How will we adjust? What does all this mean to congregations? Can good spiritual circumstances abound only if an excellent lifestyle is available? Does being spiritual depend on material convenience?
There are basically two approaches to a perceived threatening environment. The first is an isolation approach. It might be referred to as a close the castle or defend the fort mentality. This view focuses on all that we do not wish to happen. The focus may be on our children that we do not wish to abandon the church. The focus may be on those people that we do not want in our congregation. The focus may be on problems we do not wish to address. The focus may be on lifestyles and habits we reject.
The focus can be on many different concerns. However, the answer is typically the same: Keep the concern out there. Isolate the congregation from the problem. If anyone in here has the problem, get rid of themthere is no place in the congregation for such people. Thus, all in the congregation must see the world in the same way, must define right and wrong in the same way, must believe that isolation is always the answer, and must defend our thinking/values at all costs.
The second approach is to refuse to see the church as a castle or fort. Isolation is not the solution, but sharing Jesus light is the solution. Rather than a defense mentality, there is a sharing mentality. Too few hours are spent in church buildings wherein Christians are the majority. Exposure to the population of our society is unavoidable. Being a part of a childs world with involvement in education and being a part of an adults world with job involvement will expose everyonechild or adultto society and its values. Christianity is not a way to avoid evil but a way to triumph over evil.
Choices cannot be eliminated and temptation cannot be destroyed by isolation. The problem of evil is not merely out there, but it is a problem within people as well. Being a Christian is a chosen way to live by faith in Jesus Christ, not a way to hide from evil. Jesus had no desire to remove his disciples from the world. He just had no desire for them to define life by that which opposes God. See John 17:15-21. It is impossible to be Jesus light as his followers and have no contact with darkness. See Matthew 5:14-16.
Obviously, both views can be exaggerated. A congregation needs leadership that avoids unnecessary spiritual danger, yet challenges Christians to function as spiritual light in all aspects of life. The question is not what we want. The question is what does God through Jesus Christ want. The Christian focus is not on our human desires, but on Gods objectives in Jesus Christ. Congregations need the leadership of spiritually mature men who understand Gods objectives.
Discussion Questions
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 4