For the Critics in the Pew

I love the Church. I love the theology that for Church to happen we need Preaching of the Bible, practicing of the Sacraments, proper, biblical leadership structure with Jesus Christ as the Senior Pastor, I love that God has called us to be the Church and I am grateful to be in the Church. And yes I am talking about the institutional and organized Church, which I am blessed to be a part of.

Recently I have been reading one of the most refreshing books I have ever read called “Why We Love the Church” written by two guys named Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. Why this book is so refreshing, is they don’t waste their breath, self righteously confessing the sins of other people, but are in the trenches trying to, by God’s grace, point people to Christ.

There are no apologies for mistakes made in History, nor do they play the referee of the Church. What is a referee you ask?
Well as a gospel warrior named Matt Chandler (Lead Pastor of The Village Church…check him out www.thevillagechurch.net) puts it this way;

Critics, “they're like referees. They don't score any points, they don't sweat, they don't play, they know nothing of the highs and lows of the game. They just run around blowing their whistle, and pointing out others mistakes. And when they retire no one cares."

Kevin and Ted take the approach that says; “No, we are not perfect, yeah there have been mistakes made and there will be more mistakes in the future. But by God’s grace, we (the Church) can be used for His glory. We can be the hope of the world through Christ Jesus, and see some come to know Jesus as their Savior.

What seems to be very popular these days is to apologize for mistakes made by the Church in the past. What is funny about this is some think this is a new thing, and such a good thing. That the impact of us not looking in the mirror and seeing our own sin, but making sure everyone knows we are not like the sinners before us is having a tremendous impact for the Kingdom…right.

CS Lewis wrote an article called “The Dangers of National Repentance” in which his main point is that we need to be cautious when we are making apologies for things we distain in other people. DeYoung puts it this way; “In confessing the sins of the church we have everything to gain and nothing to mortify.”

As a 27 year old, I feel that it really isn’t my job to apologize for things that happened generations ago. Yes we (the Church) have gotten something’s terribly wrong, we still do get things wrong (I am speaking as a current Pastor in a church), but as my coach/mentor/friend Ryan Willison would always say to me; “Mac, you can only control what you can control.” I take this wisdom and put it into this conversation and it makes me realize, the first thing I need to repent of, is my own sin.

I do believe there are leaders out there who make apologies and in doing so are truly repentant. Meaning they change direction, have a new way of thinking, and are learning, by God’s grace, not just from everyone else mistakes but their own.

Kevin DeYoung so loving puts it this way to the critics, and to those that love the Church; “I see a willful ignorance to the church’s history, a simplistic understanding of its past errors, and a childish impatience for her current struggles…But let us never for get that the first errors to confess are no those sins belonging to our grandparents or the crusaders, but our own.”

Acts 20:28-32 says this;
“Acts 20:28-32 (English Standard Version)
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

I haven’t met a person who likes divorce or sees the benefit to the brutal pain of separation. In our wedding vows Ariane and I made a covenant between God and each other to love one another…”In sickness and health…till death due us part”.
As a husband I am called to love my wife as Christ loved the Church, Christ died for the Church. We are called to exemplify this, to love the Church visible and invisible.

Personally I find those that stand up to apologize on behalf of something they know little about to be cowards, annoying and usually have no dirt under their nails or calluses on their hands. I remain alert and aware of these individuals because as Paul has warned us; “…fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

I see the “Sorry Critics” as just this, wolves, speaking twisted things looking to draw away from what God has called us to.

I love the Church. I love the theology that for Church to happen we need Preaching of the Bible, practicing of the Sacraments, proper leadership structure with Jesus Christ as the Senior Pastor, I love that God has called us to be the Church and I am grateful to be in the Church. And yes, I am talking about the institutional and organized Church, which I am blessed to be a part of.

With love, For His Glory and Our Joy
Tim