Have you ever heard a preacher or read an author who spouts statistic after statistic about the dying world and then charged you to do something about it, and then just felt worthless, not sure what exactly you are supposed to do next? Kevin DeYoung recently wrote a blog-post that is worth reading if you ever feel guilty that you don't have time to do more for the kingdom. It is long, but full of pastoral wisdom. If you are rushed, at least read the last two sections. Here is the conclusion:
"I’m not for a minute advocating a cheap grace or an easy-believeism. But the yoke still is easy, right? And the burden still is light, is it not? The danger–and it’s a danger I’ve fallen foul of in my own preaching–is that in all our efforts to be prophetic, radical, and missional, we end up getting the story of Pilgrim’s Progress exactly backwards. “Come to the cross, Pilgrim, see the sacrifice for your sins. Isn’t that wonderful? Now bend over and let me load this burden on your back. There’s a lot of work we have to do, me and you.” A cross, yes. Jesus said we would have to carry one of those. But a cross that kills our sins, smashes our idols, and teaches us the folly of self-reliance. Not a burden to do the impossible. Not a burden to always do more for Jesus. Not a burden of bad news that never lets up and obedience that is always out reach.No doubt some Christians need to be shaken out of their lethargy. I try to do that every Sunday morning and evening. But there are also a whole bunch of Christians who need to be set free from their performance-minded, law-keeping, world-changing, participate-with-God-in-recreating-the-cosmos shackles. I promise you, some of the best people in your churches are getting tired. They don’t need another rah-rah pep talk. They don’t need to hear more statistics and more stories Sunday after Sunday about how bad everything is in the world. They need to hear about Christ’s death and resurrection. They need to hear how we are justified by faith apart from works of the law. They need to hear the old, old story once more. Because the secret of the gospel is that we actually do more when we hear less about all we need to do for God and hear more about all that God has already done for us."
(Props: JT)
5 comments:
That was really helpful, Blake! I've been trying to balance these things in my mind for a long time and avoid perfomance-driven, guilt-initiated service. This was helpful!
On a different note, could you ask your sweet wife to check her e-mail (if she hasn't yet) and just make sure that the SS schedule for September works for her. If not, I can still tweak it before I hand them out tomorrow. I couldn't remember the dates she needed off, and so I went from my memory! :)
B,
Good stuff. In Why We Love the Church, Deyong says things to that effect as well. He makes the good point that social justice, combating poverty, feeding the hungry, etc., is something that the world is concerned about just as passionately (though obviously their worldview and motives are different). Though we should be concerned about social justice, it is nowhere near as counter-cultural as the message of the cross. Belief that we need to feed the poor can be found anywhere, belief in an empty tomb is another story.
Anyway.
Plev
Jamie,
Balance is so key. I doubt I will have it this side of heaven.
Plev,
Mos Def. Christ crucified is the center.
BW,
Great article... thanks.
EP,
Great comment.
cn
I'm currently reading "Why We Love the Church" and quickly coming to love DeYoung a whole lot. That book is chock full of perceptive pastoral insight into all things church. The Lord is using it for good in my life.
Thanks for linking the post...
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