Consuming

Christian critiques of consumerism usually focus on the dangers of idolatry—the temptation to make material goods the center of life rather than God. This, however, misses the real threat consumerism poses. My concern is not materialism, strictly speaking, or even the consumption of goods—as contingent beings, we must consume resources to survive. The problem is not consuming to live, but rather living to consume.

We find ourselves in a culture that defines our relationships and actions primarily through a matrix of consumption. As the philosopher Baudrillard explains, "Consumption is a system of meaning." We assign value to ourselves and others based on the goods we purchase. One's identity is now constructed by the clothes you wear, the vehicle you drive, and the music on your iPod.

In short, you are what you consume....

When we approach Christianity as consumers rather than seeing it as a comprehensive way of life, an interpretive set of beliefs and values, Christianity becomes just one more brand we consume along with Gap, Apple, and Starbucks to express identity. And the demotion of Jesus Christ from Lord to label means to live as a Christian no longer carries an expectation of obedience and good works, but rather the perpetual consumption of Christian merchandise and experiences—music, books, t-shirts, conferences, and jewelry.

Skye Jethani

Wrestling

Having just preached two sermons, the content of which I found difficult to understand - and once understood, to apply - this quotation from Mark Twain seemed, well....

Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand. The Scripture which troubles me the most is the Scripture I do understand.

a Kempis 4 BR (before Rick)

We ought every day to renew our resolutions, and to kindle our fervour, as though it were the very beginning of our conversion, and to say - "Assist me, O God, in this my good purpose, and in Thy Holy Service, and grant that this day I may begin perfectly, for that which I have hitherto been able to carry out is as nothing"...
....Our success depends upon the strength of our purpose; and if we would make much progress we must use much diligence...
...always let us have something definite after which we are aiming; and let our resolves turn upon those things which we feel most hinder us.

Chapter 19

Big and small

I'm not against mega-churches (I think the tide is turning against them and an awful lot of posturing and self-righteous criticism is on the way), but I do have a problem with the idea that we should all aspire to be one. I think mega-churches can do things through size and resources that smaller churches cannot. It's a little like the difference between the multi-national corporation and the corner-shop: the biggie can set up systems and get places the little one can't; on the other hand the corner shop knows its community, the local people, and its own customers in a way a huge organisation cannot. It can do things a multi-national cannot. The pressure to be big is often wrong. On that basis, i found this quotation interesting:

I had a chance on a recent trip to attend one of the most successful churches in America. It packs in more than 20,000 people at its weekend services. Its pastor is the author of bestselling books and is a world figure. The church is inspiring, effective, and relevant.

Fortunately, it became impossible to attend there, and instead I was blessed to end up at an irrelevant church. Our family arrived promptly at 10:00 A.M., and we were greeted by a woman who was getting up from pulling a few weeds in front of the church sign. She welcomed us warmly and escorted us into the nearly empty sanctuary. After we were greeted by two other people, as well as the pastor, a handful of people straggled in and worship began.

We were led in music by the weed-puller, who now had a guitar strapped on. She was accompanied by two singers and an overweight man on percussion. They were earnest musicians who, frankly, were sometimes flat or a little stiff, as if they were still trying to learn the music. The service, which included maybe 45 people, bumbled along—that is, by contemporary, professional, "seeker-sensitive" standards. The dress of the congregants suggested that there were some people of substance there, as well as some people on welfare. Some blacks, mostly whites. In front of me sat a woman wearing way too much makeup (at least according to my suburb's refined standards), pouffy hair, and an all-black outfit.

Communion was introduced without the words of institution—a bit of a scandal to my Anglican sensibilities. The pastor took prayer requests, and petitions were made for illnesses, depression, and a safe journey for my family.

It was during the announcements that I began to suspect I was in the midst of the people of God. The pastor sought more donations for the food closet, at which time he noted a new milestone: The church had served 22,000 people with groceries in ten years. Everyone applauded, then settled in to hear a clear and truthful sermon about God's love for us despite our sin.

Afterwards, my family was warmly greeted by another five or six people, one of whom invited us to lunch. It was evident that they really didn't care that we were not coming back. They just wanted to make sure we felt welcomed.

Nothing slick. No studied attempts to be authentic or relevant or cool. Just a small bunch of sinners, of all classes and races, looking to God for guidance and reaching out to the community in love.

This little church will never make the list of the top ten churches in America. It will never be featured in Time or Newsweek or even Christianity Today. Its musicians will not go on to record a cd; its pastor will not be invited to national preaching conferences. The church will not likely grow into the thousands.

I'm sure that had I attended the megachurch, I would have been inspired by the music, moved by the message, impressed with the professionalism and efficiency of the service, and made to feel comfortable sitting next to people who dressed like me, an upper-middle class suburbanite.

But it was a more godly experience to go to that little fellowship, because I believe that for all the good megachurches do, this little fellowship manifested the presence of Jesus in a way that is unique and absolutely necessary in our age.

from Jesus Mean and Wild: The Unexpected Love of an Untamable God by Mark Galli

a Kempis 3

Whenever a man inordinately desires anything, he instantly loses inward peace. The proud and covetous are never at rest, whilst the poor and lowly in spirit pass their life in continual peace.
Chapter 6

a Kempis 2

We are all liable to fall, yet you should be convinced that there is no one more liable to do so than yourself.
Chapter 2

Worship

"We leave our places of worship, and no deep and inexpressible wonder sits upon our faces. We can sing these lilting melodies, and when we go out into the street our faces are one with the faces of those who have left the theater and the music halls. There is nothing about us to suggest that we have been looking at anything stupendous and overwhelming. Far back in my boyhood I remember an old saint telling me that after some services he liked to make his way home alone, by quiet by-ways, so that the hush of the Almighty might remain on his awed and prostrate soul. That is the element we are losing, and its loss is one of the measure of our poverty, and the primary secret of inefficient life and service."
From the biography of John Henry Jowett

Scholarship for scholarship's sake...

But trained men's minds are spread so thin,
They let all sorts of darkness in;
Whatever light man finds, they doubt it;
They love not light, just talk about it.

John Masefield (The Everlasting Mercy)

a Kempis1

Currently slowly reading Imitation, and finding a lot of helpful thoughts and correctives, and some surprisingly contemporary sounding critiques. This one is from chapter 18:
On the Holy Fathers:

They were given for an example to all who are religious, and ought to have more power to provoke us to advance, than many who are lukewarm have to influence us to relax...
[lamenting the gap between their great efforts and ours] Now he is reckoned great who just escapes open sin or bears patiently his lot in life.