In any good discipleship process there are three major components that will cause the reproducible results that church leaders are looking for in their people. The first key which I discussed in my last post is intimacy with God. The second key is establishing the Authority of God's Word.
At Reliant one of our core values is Bible Believers: The Word of God is our Final Authority for all Life and Practice. This is not just a saying for us but a life to be lived. Authority is often times defined by the culture in which one lives. So let's take a brief walk down history lane and see where we came from, where we are, where we are going.
In the 1940’s & 50’s (Builders) as Americans came out of The Great Depression and into the Second World War, there was a great sense of unity among the nation. The government conveyed the feeling “of the people, by the people, for the people” (Lincoln, 1863). Out of this generation immerged three primary aspects of authority in the lives of people:
This was very much the way of things in church. Everyone in America, in church or not, acknowledged the fact that God is sovereign, and the church his mode of operation. Those that were in rebellion to the structure of the church or God understood that they were in rebellion, and thus were primed and ready to receive the message of the King of kings and Lord of lords. There was an inherent sense of loyalty and duty to God, family, and country.
Problems began to arise at the end of the war when the fathers came home with troubled hearts and lives. The sense of loyalty and duty had been so ingrained in the men that there was room for nothing else. All life revolved around respect, obedience, and service whether that was in the military, home, school, or church. Many had lost the ability to love or to show love. Expressions of love were seen as weak or feminine. It is this lack of love that caused the next generation to rebel and defy all structure and authority.
The 1960’s & 70’s (Baby Boomers). One thing is for certain, people tend to be extremist. By the end of the 1960’s the next generation was rebelling against any and all types of authority. America had gotten out of balance. The primary need of every soul is love and people were willing to fight to get it. The famous cover of Time Magazine on April 8, 1966 said it all, “Is God Dead?” Here are some excerpts from that article. “Less radical Christian thinkers hold that at the very least God in the image of man, God sitting in heaven, is dead, and—in the central task of religion today—they seek to imagine and define a God who can touch men's emotions and engage men's minds.” “The institutional strength of the churches is nowhere more apparent than in the U.S., a country where public faith in God seems to be as secure as it was in medieval France. According to a survey by Pollster Lou Harris last year, 97% of the American people say they believe in God. Although clergymen agree that the postwar religious revival is over, a big majority of believers continue to display their faith by joining churches. In 1964, reports the National Council of Churches, denominational allegiance rose about 2%, compared with a population gain of less than 1.5%. More than 120 million Americans now claim a religious affiliation; and a recent Gallup survey indicated that 44% of them report that they attend church services weekly.” “Particularly among the young, there is an acute feeling that the churches on Sunday are preaching the existence of a God who is nowhere visible in their daily lives. "I love God," cries one anguished teenager, "but I hate the church."
Due to the lack of love and purpose being found in the structure of the churches, it was sought out in other forms. The reflection of this search was apparent in many art forms of the day. Music played a major role in communicating the message of the day.
“Come on, people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together. Try to love one another right now” (Get Together, Youngbloods) The fathers of the 60’s & 70’s began to seek out more of a love relationship with their children. With no example to follow, they were faced with making it up as they went. Some succeeded and some didn't. It was at this time that churches began to experiment with an “all-love” style of preaching and teaching. Condemnation was thought to be inappropriate. Laws and commandments were seen as oppressive and controlling. People were searching for the God of love. The focus of the message became the cross of forgiveness instead of the road to repentance, or the authority of a King. Christianity became the road to heaven instead of an entrance into the kingdom. Thus, salvation was the end of the Christian faith and not the beginning.
To Be Continued on Friday's post.
At Reliant one of our core values is Bible Believers: The Word of God is our Final Authority for all Life and Practice. This is not just a saying for us but a life to be lived. Authority is often times defined by the culture in which one lives. So let's take a brief walk down history lane and see where we came from, where we are, where we are going.
In the 1940’s & 50’s (Builders) as Americans came out of The Great Depression and into the Second World War, there was a great sense of unity among the nation. The government conveyed the feeling “of the people, by the people, for the people” (Lincoln, 1863). Out of this generation immerged three primary aspects of authority in the lives of people:
- Respect: The acknowledgement of something bigger than yourself. A group of people can only be unified when they understand and accept the structure of the group. People were happy to accept their place in society and function in it.
- Obedience: When there is true respect, there must be obedience to the chain of command: President to people, father to son, teacher to student, Pastor to flock. Defiance to the structure is known as being disrespectful. Therefore, respect and obedience go hand in hand.
- Service: The performance of a command. When an order is given and carried out, a service has been performed, and thus respect has been shown.
Problems began to arise at the end of the war when the fathers came home with troubled hearts and lives. The sense of loyalty and duty had been so ingrained in the men that there was room for nothing else. All life revolved around respect, obedience, and service whether that was in the military, home, school, or church. Many had lost the ability to love or to show love. Expressions of love were seen as weak or feminine. It is this lack of love that caused the next generation to rebel and defy all structure and authority.
The 1960’s & 70’s (Baby Boomers). One thing is for certain, people tend to be extremist. By the end of the 1960’s the next generation was rebelling against any and all types of authority. America had gotten out of balance. The primary need of every soul is love and people were willing to fight to get it. The famous cover of Time Magazine on April 8, 1966 said it all, “Is God Dead?” Here are some excerpts from that article. “Less radical Christian thinkers hold that at the very least God in the image of man, God sitting in heaven, is dead, and—in the central task of religion today—they seek to imagine and define a God who can touch men's emotions and engage men's minds.” “The institutional strength of the churches is nowhere more apparent than in the U.S., a country where public faith in God seems to be as secure as it was in medieval France. According to a survey by Pollster Lou Harris last year, 97% of the American people say they believe in God. Although clergymen agree that the postwar religious revival is over, a big majority of believers continue to display their faith by joining churches. In 1964, reports the National Council of Churches, denominational allegiance rose about 2%, compared with a population gain of less than 1.5%. More than 120 million Americans now claim a religious affiliation; and a recent Gallup survey indicated that 44% of them report that they attend church services weekly.” “Particularly among the young, there is an acute feeling that the churches on Sunday are preaching the existence of a God who is nowhere visible in their daily lives. "I love God," cries one anguished teenager, "but I hate the church."
Due to the lack of love and purpose being found in the structure of the churches, it was sought out in other forms. The reflection of this search was apparent in many art forms of the day. Music played a major role in communicating the message of the day.
“Come on, people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together. Try to love one another right now” (Get Together, Youngbloods) The fathers of the 60’s & 70’s began to seek out more of a love relationship with their children. With no example to follow, they were faced with making it up as they went. Some succeeded and some didn't. It was at this time that churches began to experiment with an “all-love” style of preaching and teaching. Condemnation was thought to be inappropriate. Laws and commandments were seen as oppressive and controlling. People were searching for the God of love. The focus of the message became the cross of forgiveness instead of the road to repentance, or the authority of a King. Christianity became the road to heaven instead of an entrance into the kingdom. Thus, salvation was the end of the Christian faith and not the beginning.
To Be Continued on Friday's post.
No comments:
Post a Comment