In the middle of last night we were awakened by a policeman knocking on our door. It seems some gang activity from a neighborhood next to us had, as the policeman put it, "spilled over into ours. There had been some kind of a scuffle and one policeman was hurt. They were looking for witnesses. Needless to say it was an eerie scene as six police vehicles with their lights flashing parked close to our house for several hours.
We live between a very well-to-do neighborhood and a poorer one, perhaps the best place for a Christian to exist as far as economics go? But the spill over happens often.
This got me to thinking this afternoon as I walked into the other neighborhood in order to mail some letters. (That is my favorite post office; people know how to stand around and visit with each other while waiting their turn.) I thought about how, for a Christian, the world is all mixed together, and God puts us where he puts us for a reason. Even in church, light sits beside darkness. And the two important things to remember is that Jesus Christ is the light and His light will overcome the darkness.
That got me to thinking about our Presbytery and all the big and small things going on here. Some things full of light others full of darkness.
I was reading Fair Oaks web site. They are one of the two big churches that just recently voted to leave the PCUSA. One of their pastors, Chris Alford, wrote about the Reformation and Luther and equates it with what is happening now, here, at this time. Some of what he writes in "Messy Reformation" is:
"Actual history, of course, is a bit messier. In stark contrast to the blazing speed that Luther’s theses were posted and distributed, the response of the Roman Catholic Church was painfully slow. First, the local cardinal had Luther’s document examined for heresy, then sent it along to the Pope who, in turn, took three years to respond. Papal theologians and envoys were sent to confront the problem while the Pope himself dismissed Luther as “a drunken German who, when [he’s] sober, will change his mind.” After negotiations and warnings (Luther responded by burning a papal edict) the “drunken German” was excommunicated by the church in early 1521."
Alford goes on to write: "There is a lot we can learn from Luther’s example, but here's perhaps the most helpful piece for our church in these days: Standing for biblical truth will require some patience and time. It won’t all be over with a single act."
At my Church Fremont Presbyterian Church we are having the usual Kirkin’ o’ th’ Tartan Sunday, October 28, 2007. And our Pastor Don Baird has been preaching on the creeds. He, of course, will preach on the Scots Confession on Kirkin O' th' Tartan Sunday. And there will be lots of shortbread and of course bag-pipes.
Recently at my daughter's church, Peace Presbyterian Church, we had a panel discussion about various problems in the PCUSA and our own Presbytery. Of course one of the big discussions is always why are people leaving. The Moderator, several Pastors and Elders, including myself, participated and it was all very amiable. But I am troubled that many will not acknowledge the real problems. And speaking of the real problems:
Davis Community Church on their Web site is advertising a movie at their Church for Nov. 14. The movie is entitled "For the Bible Tells Me So." They are linked to a trailer on U-Tube at [trailer] This is pure propaganda. Scary propaganda since it uses people without explaining who they are. It also uses insinuation since for instance it places Billy Graham preaching from the Bible right after a Nazi leader making a hate speech during the Nazi era. Anyway, I would suggest that others listen to the trailer and then explain to some in our Presbytery why two of our Evangelical Churches are leaving. And why the rest of us shudder
Jesus Christ, the light in our messy world is calling us to faithfuless in the midst of gross darkness. "And Jesus cried out and said,'He who believes in me, does not believe in me but in him who sent me. He who sees me sees the One who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness." (John 12: 44-46)
7 comments:
Viola,
Do we want to talk about insulting evangelicals in presbyteries? Here in Mission Presbytery, we have churches that invite John Spong and John Dominic Crossan TO PREACH!
Talk about insults...but to our Lord and Savior, not just to evangelicals!
Bless you for your fine work.
Of course Toby,
I agree, if it was only insults to the orthodox it wouldn't matter so much. But, of course the two always go together, insults to Jesus Christ, insults to those in union with him. We have several here who do not see Him as the unique Lord, etc.
But remember Jesus asked Paul why he was persecuting Him when it would have seemed to a non-believer that Paul was just persecuting Christians.
Jesus takes it personally when others hurt his Church and I think we should too.
I wonder if Davis would have the gall to be censorious to a "church" that decided to show Birth of a Nation? You know...just to "open dialogue" about racism in our country.
Chris,
I am afraid "The Birth of A Nation" is just the kind of movie, Davis Community Church thinks some of the rest of us want to show in our churches. That is what their movie, "For the Bible Tells Me So" is trying to say about us since we believe that an unrepentent gay lifestyle is sin.
It is funny the perceptions people have - and the perceptions that are deliberately cultivated by propagandist techniques.
Such behavior is utterly unacceptable in a church or church related organization. It has no place in Christianity - and those who defend it should be ashamed of it instead.
I viewed the trailer and am skeptical about the entire movies validity since (it seemed) 95% of the shots of "evangelicals" were Fred Phelp's church protestors. If "they" are using his church as the norm for evangelicals...well, lack of honesty is all I can say.
Yesterday A friend told me that Covenant Network was pushing it on their web page I see it there now. I hadn't noticed it before.
Will,
Yes, there is something utterly vile about Christians who would commend a film using propaganda tricks that makes others look like something they are not in order to get their own way. Its like the early Nazi films that made the Jews look like monsters. Hoefully the film isn't as bad as the trailer but who knows.
I was Just Thinking,
Yes, I wasn't sure if those were Fred Phelps' church protestors, but I don't know of any other group that does that. And Fred Phelps' church is not a actually a conservative church but a family cult. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church who by the way also attacks Billy Graham and hates Bush.
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