30 Days in the Bible, Day 5: 1 Corinthians 1:17-28

Christians are often thought by those in the world to be somewhat simple and foolish. While others chase after what “science” tells them, or search for some new and novel way of thinking, or pursue new combinations of ideas no one else ever thought of, Christians rest in a faith that is thousands of years old. While every generation finds new ways to apply the truths of the Bible to their contemporary lives, and seeks new ways to present the eternal truths of God to those around them, the core elements of the Christian faith do not change.

Or perhaps I should say those truths should not change. There are many who call themselves “Christians” who have abandoned the Word of God, orthodox teaching, and even Jesus Christ as the incarnate Son of God. They prefer the acclaim and appreciation of those in their world to the approval of the God who wrote Scripture. Many would rather follow the current thoughts of a sinful world than be thought of as “narrow-minded” or “old-fashioned” in their faith.

To our world, the truth of God is seen as foolishness. Paul encountered this already when he wrote to the Corinthians about AD 54-55. Christianity was only about 20 years old when it was attacked for its “foolish” teaching about the cross of Christ. To the cultured Greco-Roman world, a dead criminal could hardly be considered any kind of a god, much less the ultimate God above all gods. The wisdom of the Greek philosophers didn’t have any place for a teaching such as this.

Sadly, our own world thinks of Jesus in much the same way. The death of Jesus is accepted, but the Resurrection is not. Thus the cross is just the way a good man and great teacher died. The idea that Jesus was and is truly God is rejected out of hand. The world wants to put Jesus in a box which people can understand, and make him into something with which we are familiar, rather than accepting Him for who He really is.

Even inside of the church, people try to make Jesus acceptable to the world. A recent controversy involving a prominent evangelical college found a professor at the school claiming that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. She overlooked the fact that Muslims reject the divinity of Jesus, and so do not worship Him as God. Sadly, other teachers at the school sided with her, and urged she be kept on the faculty! To them, it was more important to be seen by those outside as tolerant and open-minded than to remain true to Christ.

If we hold fast to the Bible, and to the Savior revealed there, we will be seen by the world in a negative light. Our own intellect and wisdom will be called into question. The questions we must answer is this: are we more interested in pursuing human wisdom, or the wisdom of God? Do we want a Jesus that the world applauds, or one who judges that world? Are we willing to be thought fools by those who think they are wise, so that we might gain the true wisdom that comes through Jesus Christ? The way you answer will show where you believe wisdom lies.

Fad-free Christianity

This week I listened to a podcast from the excellent Theology Network web site called "A Move of God or a Spiritual Fad?". The talk covered ways to determine if a "movement" was truly from the Lord or if it was just some pretty packaging around an idea that wasn't necessarily Biblical. Much of the content was based on Jonathan Edward's Treatise on the Religious Affections, and it was very definitely a helpful guide to using discernment in choosing what popular trends we ought to follow to enhance our walk with God.

What struck me, however, was the list of "spiritual fads" that the audience and the speaker brought up. I remembered many of the trends, having grown up in the church and being active in ministry for much of the time period they could recall. Each of the items mentioned had been prominent to a greater or lesser degree in evangelical Christian circles, and most had caused some controversy and sparked some debate. There were quite a number of these items mentioned.

It wasn't just the list that struck me, however; it was the fact that all of these trends had died out, None of them had a truly lasting impact on the church or the world. While each had probably done some good, and perhaps helped the church deal with some issues that might never have been covered otherwise, they all have gone away, replaced by the next item on the list. These "spiritual fads" may have felt good or at least different for a time, but they left no lasting imprint for the good of the kingdom of Christ.

I suppose one could add many other items to the list of movements that have disappeared without a trace. You could also add a number of hot topics that have left some residual impact on the church, but which themselves no longer exist. I've been around long enough to have gone through quite a number of church growth fads, and while they have indeed brought some valuable insights and practices into the church, it would be rare to find someone in ministry adopting them in whole now.

I think what we really need to develop in our churches is a "fad-free" Christianity. As a student of church history, I find that the basic elements of evangelism, Christian discipleship, and church growth remain fairly stable. There needs to be an application of these elements to the specific cultural situation in which we find ourselves, but that has always been the case. Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 how he adapted to his audiences, and we do the same today. However, the core of our beliefs and practice is the same as it has always been.

I'm not talking about forms here. For example, worship should be done in a way that exalts God, can be done by the entire congregation, engages the spirit, and is theologically and Biblically sound. Whether you do that with a chant, organ, guitar, or voices, the underlying principle is the same. There are some fundamentals that are necessary for the church to remain faithful to its mission as given by Jesus. Maybe the "fads" belong to this realm, the elements that can change without altering the core of belief and practice.

My concern is really for those who simply move from fad to fad uncritically, accepting whatever the latest idea is because its "new" and "fresh" without examining whether or not it is also true and glorifying to God. Staying true to what the Bible teaches and reminding ourselves that we are just a part of a glorious historical and global people of God will be more helpful in the long run than any passing trend.

Work Where You Are Placed

Who decides what each member of a church should do? Who decides who the officers of the church are? Depending on your church and denominational background, we could provide many answers to these questions. For example, I come from a congregational background (specifically Baptist). Therefore, on the surface the answer for my church would seem to be, "The congregation decides." Maybe we hold a business meeting and vote, or delegate the appointment of officers and leaders to the pastor, elders, or deacons.

Yet that would be an incorrect answer. 1 Corinthians 12:19 tells us that "God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided." (HCSB) Ultimately it is God who decides where each of us should serve in the church. The Holy Spirit specifically is the one who gifts us and calls us to minister in the way He determines.

What does this mean for our churches? I believe that in many churches too many people are operating outside of the areas to which God has called them. While in a few cases this may be due to a desire to find a place in which the person receives more attention or admiration than they might in the place God has gifted them for (and after many years in the church I've known a few of these!), it is more often due to people realizing "something has to be done" and doggedly volunteering to do it. After a while, working in an area that does not match their gifts, they may burn out, and not only leave that ministry but stop working for the Lord altogether.

I believe it is imperative that our churches look to fill positions of leadership and service with those the Spirit has called to those ministries. Each of us has gifts to be used to build up the body of Christ, and we need to use those gifts. I also believe that if God calls a church to engage in a specific ministry, He will provide the people to carry out that ministry. If we do not see "ministers" to take on the challenge of a ministry, we need to at least pray and ask God if we should be doing that ministry at this time.

Do you know what God has gifted you to do, and where in the body He has placed you? How are you taking your part in the body of Christ? There are no small gifts and no small people. Sometimes those who get the most attention (as a pastor, I speak especially to my fellow pastors) may be far less significant to the healthy service and growth of a church than many who labor in relative obscurity, and probably also less significant than we often think we are. But all of us are called to serve, to use our gifts for the glory of God and the building up of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

As we seek the Lord's will for our churches, let's help each member find the Lord's will for them in our churches. When we all work together as a body which is put together by God rather than by human wisdom, necessity, or desperation, we will see our churches grow and impact their communities and their world for Jesus.