Author: Wick

Move over McLaren. Look out Derek Webb. Make room Mr. Barna. Heads up Campolo. Check it out Tony Jones.

You’ve probably noticed it’s popular to be critical of the bride of Christ these days. Some do it well, and lead towards encouragement, growth, and maturity. Some have helped us make great steps towards doing “church” better as the Church. And then…some have just simply slammed the church, and left her beaten in the street….convinced she can’t possibly be the Church.

As it turns out, those doing it currently are echoing sentiments that have been out there for quite sometime. As I mentioned recently, I read “The Grand Inquisitor” last week. As a standalone section in the book, I can understand why people think it’s important. It is quite deep, and can be read over and over again, and lead to some very helpful prayers.

But over the weekend, I continued reading finally. I have to say, I’m disappointed. Disappointed that “The Grand Inquisitor” got all the hype, most likely due to the same reason it’s becoming a fad to diss the church still today. The section immediately following is quite a few pages dedicated to the great monk in the story, Zosima. These pages contain very challenging/encouraging words, and sentences that can pack a lot of seeds for growth. If I had to choose a section of “The Brothers Karamazov” that I could read over and over again, it’d be those pages for sure. I’ll leave you with a brief example:

“He accumulates wealth in solitude, thinking: how strong, how secure I am now; and does not see, madman as he is, that the more he accumulates, the more he sinks into suicidal impotence. For he is accustomed to relying only on himself, he has separated his unit from the whole, he has accustomed his soul to not believing in people’s help, in people or mankind, and now only trembles lest his money and his acquired privileges perish.” Page 303, Brothers Karamazov

“Be glad as children, as birds in the sky. And let man’s sin not disturb you in your efforts….do not say, “Sin is strong, impiety is strong, the bad environment is strong, and we are lonely and powerless…Flee from such despondency, my children!” Page 320, Brothers Karamazov

There are some who attend churches worldwide, who hesitate to become “members” of that church or denomination.

The word “Member”, often carries its own connotations of exclusiveness. About being “in”, and others being “out”. We grow up knowing about various types of clubs and organizations. About the perks of becoming a “member”. About the down side to “not taking advantage of this offer”, etc.

In regards to churches, there’s also some confusion between becoming a “member” of the church, and becoming a “member” of the body of Christ. We know these are not the same thing.

Just recently, the Free Methodist denomination made a decent step in a direction of grace/community. “Language isn’t that important” – some might say. “That’s not why I haven’t become a member yet…that’s a trivial issue.” Maybe to some. But to others, it communicates quite a bit.

A resolution recently adopted that hasn’t gotten a whole lot of play, says that:

“in some settings the terms member and membership are unhelpful and can create confusion. In such situations we encourage churches to use the terms partner/partnership as alternatives.”

This is not only helpful for those who have hesitated to take on the title of “member”. This also offers a new understanding of who we are within the denomination also. We are not just members of an organization that offers us special rights and privileges. We are partners in the important and eternal work of the Kingdom of God. We come along-side each other, and alongside God in what God is already accomplishing…for all creation.

We, as partners with the same Christ-centered things in mind, commit to each other and to God in a covenant partnership that goes beyond what any denomination “allows or doesn’t allow”. But within that covenant partnership, we offer a denominational partnership of understanding and following that covenant together. Not for our sake, but for the sake of what God is already doing and desiring to be involved in it.

A few years back, I accidentally read a girly book. It talked about time travel, etc…and was very well written to the point that I was hooked, even through the girly scenes.

And just a second to justify myself. I say “girly”, because it’s not often you see a guy willingly pick up a “romance book”. But I wouldn’t consider this a “romance” story like so many you often see.

There is more than romance here. There is love. The Love of a husband and a wife. A Love that is built on, and lived in, years and years of foundation. A relationship that is forced to go well beyond the “eros” love that you find in so many romances these days. To deal with suffering, to be forced to talk in ways that stretch each other, and situations that cut straight to the heart of the relationship.

How would you respond, if somehow uncontrollably, you were transported to a scene with your spouse as a 7 year old child? You love that person an incredible amount, but don’t want to freak out this young child. What do you say? How do you communicate love?

How would life become intricately connected through that relationship if you were simultaneously building a relationship with that new spouse, and with them as a child at the same time; scene after scene?

It’s a very creative idea for a story. The movie is rated PG-13, and I recommend it. The book is very well written also, and explains a lot more (and more importantly – gives more time to respond to the significant emotions present throughout the story); but has some more inappropriate scenes.

As a married person leaving the movie with your spouse, you will be very thankful for the opportunity we have daily to be fully “present” with each other. May we be thankful for each moment we have together, and breathe more slowly the breaths we’re able to take.