From The Naked Church by Wayne Jacobsen:
From Webster 1828 dictionary:
1. Titular; existing in name only; as , a nominal distinction or difference is a difference in name and not in reality.
2. Pertaining to a name or names; consisting in names.
I was speaking to a believer a few months ago, asking the person why they didn't seek the things of the Lord in a greater degree, and, in a moment of frustration, told the individual that they are a nominal believer. I look back on this statement and feel that maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh. The Father is leading us each according to what he knows we are capable of understanding and the direction He wants our lives to go. I feel like believers should desire to want to know the Father better and to be more like Christ - but - even that desire itself isn't coming from us, but the spirit/Spirit within is moving us to want more of Christ's life.
So, who am I to judge something like this? I have been blessed and given great grace to want the Father and Son the way that I do. Should I hold this as a badge of honor and see everyone else as less than me because they don't feel the same way? It may be that He has given me this hunger for Him so that I can be a source of encouragement for others whom He is in the process of enlightening. I don't know. Yashshua Himself didn't act 'better than' despite being surrounded by so many (evveryone!) who were spiritually blind and spiritually immature.
And it's not like I know a great deal about Who the Father is, What this Life is about, and Who I am in this Life (the mantra I quote to my children about walking in reality and not the vanity of our minds and the illusive, deceitfulness of the world system).
But I WANT to know the Father better! I WANT to be conformed to the image of the Son!
When I read this section of Wayne Jacobson's book today, I was like 'Yes, that's right brother!" The institutional setting of what the world calls 'church' had become so artificial feeling to me that it was almost physically painful to sit through a 'service'. There was no true community. No real 'knowing' of one another and seeking to grasp the Father's mind in one another's lives. No, 'what's the Father saying to you' 'Here's how he's been dealing with me'.
" Such people are too carnal to discover the depth of relationships which Jesus wants to build
between believers."
Oh my spirit groans as the reality of what he is saying is painful but true. The Sunday (or Saturday/Sabbath) service is the epitome of what it means to be a believer to very, very many of God's people. Their relationship with the Father is measured on church attendance and being involved in its various programs. And you're REALLY considered to be moving up in your faith/relationship with God if you are 'over' a 'ministry'. Let's not even mention if you've been 'led' to start building your own ministry - you have truly arrived!
Yet, even saying these things, I believe the Father can and will work with individuals who feel that this is how you grow in your relationship with Him. I was in the institutional setting for many, many years and yet, here I am now on the outside and looking back in with, what I believe, are clearer eyes to see how far short this flurry of activity is to walking in a moment by moment relationship with the Father.
I still have lots to learn. No stones being cast; just thankful to read of others who have seen what I am now seeing. What this former 'pastor in an institutional setting' has come to realize about that type of setting is what I am coming to see as well. It was a 'schoolmaster' to prepare me for real life in Christ.
Hold my hand Lord as we journey together.
I’ve worked around one simple point in this entire chapter:"The reason community is so elusive is because most church program is geared to people who only nominally want to serve God."
Community can only happen among disciples—people desiring
to be changed by Christ into his image. The reason that community
is so elusive is because most church program is geared
to people who only nominally want to serve God. They desire
less to grow in relationship with him than they do to escape the
agony of hell.
There’s nothing wrong with the church having meetings where
this kind of people can be touched, but to pass it off as the life
of the church is grossly inaccurate. Such people are too carnal to
discover the depth of relationships which Jesus wants to build
between believers.
From Webster 1828 dictionary:
NOMINAL, a.
I was speaking to a believer a few months ago, asking the person why they didn't seek the things of the Lord in a greater degree, and, in a moment of frustration, told the individual that they are a nominal believer. I look back on this statement and feel that maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh. The Father is leading us each according to what he knows we are capable of understanding and the direction He wants our lives to go. I feel like believers should desire to want to know the Father better and to be more like Christ - but - even that desire itself isn't coming from us, but the spirit/Spirit within is moving us to want more of Christ's life.
So, who am I to judge something like this? I have been blessed and given great grace to want the Father and Son the way that I do. Should I hold this as a badge of honor and see everyone else as less than me because they don't feel the same way? It may be that He has given me this hunger for Him so that I can be a source of encouragement for others whom He is in the process of enlightening. I don't know. Yashshua Himself didn't act 'better than' despite being surrounded by so many (evveryone!) who were spiritually blind and spiritually immature.
And it's not like I know a great deal about Who the Father is, What this Life is about, and Who I am in this Life (the mantra I quote to my children about walking in reality and not the vanity of our minds and the illusive, deceitfulness of the world system).
But I WANT to know the Father better! I WANT to be conformed to the image of the Son!
When I read this section of Wayne Jacobson's book today, I was like 'Yes, that's right brother!" The institutional setting of what the world calls 'church' had become so artificial feeling to me that it was almost physically painful to sit through a 'service'. There was no true community. No real 'knowing' of one another and seeking to grasp the Father's mind in one another's lives. No, 'what's the Father saying to you' 'Here's how he's been dealing with me'.
" Such people are too carnal to discover the depth of relationships which Jesus wants to build
between believers."
Oh my spirit groans as the reality of what he is saying is painful but true. The Sunday (or Saturday/Sabbath) service is the epitome of what it means to be a believer to very, very many of God's people. Their relationship with the Father is measured on church attendance and being involved in its various programs. And you're REALLY considered to be moving up in your faith/relationship with God if you are 'over' a 'ministry'. Let's not even mention if you've been 'led' to start building your own ministry - you have truly arrived!
Yet, even saying these things, I believe the Father can and will work with individuals who feel that this is how you grow in your relationship with Him. I was in the institutional setting for many, many years and yet, here I am now on the outside and looking back in with, what I believe, are clearer eyes to see how far short this flurry of activity is to walking in a moment by moment relationship with the Father.
I still have lots to learn. No stones being cast; just thankful to read of others who have seen what I am now seeing. What this former 'pastor in an institutional setting' has come to realize about that type of setting is what I am coming to see as well. It was a 'schoolmaster' to prepare me for real life in Christ.
Hold my hand Lord as we journey together.
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