FROM THE PASTOR
I watched and read two articles a week apart, two different authors, two different backgrounds, two different nations, two different churches, two different Christian perspectives: one from a pastoral point of view, and the other from a cultural-political point of view, but both saying basically the same thing.
The first article was written by Matthew Harrison, and the other article was a short YouTube interview with Martyn Iles and a co-worker. Harrison is a pastor and General President from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in the United States, and Iles is an Australian Lawyer and has been involved in the Australian Christian Lobby. The two articles that I heard and read in order:
The End of Comfortable Christianity (Harrison)
Is the Western Church Collapsing? (Iles)
Firstly though, to Iles.
Iles doesn’t set out to answer this question, he is simply posing the question, quote, “I don’t know if the Western Church is Collapsing, or whether it is refining”. He goes on to say, “The numbers of truly converted – God Fearing – Christians in Australia is not all that different to what it was 10-15 years ago”. Iles makes an interesting connection, and this is where Harrison comes in later, where once upon a time there may have been some benefit (for want of a better word) “… in being Christian, but no longer”.
Iles says, “There’s a lot of wood, hay and stubble being burnt off, there’s a lot of people who don’t have the convictions as they once used to, people are walking away, because there is absolutely no cultural capital left, there is no social capital, no reputational benefit whatsoever involved in being a Christian”. Iles goes on to talk about these shifts away from, let’s say the social aspect of church (just getting together for whatever reason), is gone – in Iles’ words, “It’s a huge shift form decades ago where it was of some benefit in the social…, but that’s all been gutted”. Before his coworker joins in on the conversation, Iles winds up in saying, “This change is not the fall of the church, but it’s a refining of the church”.
Secondly to Harrison’s article.
Pastor Harrison writes:
“The church is not, and never has been, a country club, though in the last century, especially in North America, it might have been confused for one. There was a time when you could conduct business after meetings, unofficially govern the affairs of the city from the church car park and use your Sunday morning bulletin to get a discount at the local restaurant. Pastors could get a “clergy discount” at retail stores. They were the “good ol’ days,” when being a member of a Christian denomination was expected, normal, even American. Those days are gone. Thanks be to God.”
Later in his article, Harrison writes about a Finnish pastor who had been put on trial for “hate speech”. The situation is this:
Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) and Dr. Päivi Räsänen who is a member of the Finnish Parliament, and she and Bishop Pohjola have been on trial in a Finnish Court on charges of hate speech. Back in 2004, Päivi wrote a tract teaching about God’s design for marriage and how homosexuality didn’t fit. She and Bishop Pohjola made the great “mistake” of quoting what the Bible says in Romans 1 along with other passages.
Now my article here is not meant to be political. I don’t wish to go down that path – the point being, the two articles summarised is this: Christianity is something that has never been comfortable.
To the rest of Harrison’s article:
“When the church gets comfortable in the culture, its confession gets watered down, the proclamation of Law is diminished, and the proclamation of the Gospel gets lost. As goes Europe, soon, follows North America, and I suspect that as goes North America, soon follows Australia. Canada already has “hate speech” laws similar to Finland’s. Maybe not in this generation, but maybe in the next, Christians in America and Australia might have to stand before the courts like our Finnish brother and sister, and what will we say? We will confess…, that all humans are precious and created in the image of God, and that all of us are sinful and in need of a Saviour, Jesus Christ. We preach Christ crucified, and because of that the church is cruciform (meaning, cross-shaped). That’s not comfortable. It never has been, just ask the martyrs, but we have a hope beyond the creature comforts of this life. Jesus promised persecution and he also promised resurrection.
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many
sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny
before my Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 10:28–33).
“The era of country-club Christianity is over,” and Pastor Matthew Harrison is OK with that. He believes “it’s going to sharpen our confession of Christ crucified for sinners.”
Is this already playing out in Australia? How does this make us feel right now? Think about Iles’ quote with regards to “the wood, hay and stubble being burnt off”. Are we being driven to the core of our teaching and practice? Are we being driven to what is most important, most central? Meanwhile we watch and pray, and continue to receive comfort and consolation in the true and absolute gospel message; we continue to worship in church because the church is there for no other reason than to free the terrified conscience.
We Pray For:
† All who face temptations that seem too great for them.
† Those who have undertaken fasting or opportunities for extra service during Lent, that they may be strengthened.
† Young Christians, that they may be strengthened against the temptation of unbelief.
† Those preparing for baptism or confirmation at Easter.
† All who believe, that they may not be put to shame.
† Those who are hungry or homeless, that they may not be tempted to despair.
† Those who are in positions of leadership, that they may resist all temptations to abuse their power.
The first article was written by Matthew Harrison, and the other article was a short YouTube interview with Martyn Iles and a co-worker. Harrison is a pastor and General President from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in the United States, and Iles is an Australian Lawyer and has been involved in the Australian Christian Lobby. The two articles that I heard and read in order:
The End of Comfortable Christianity (Harrison)
Is the Western Church Collapsing? (Iles)
Firstly though, to Iles.
Iles doesn’t set out to answer this question, he is simply posing the question, quote, “I don’t know if the Western Church is Collapsing, or whether it is refining”. He goes on to say, “The numbers of truly converted – God Fearing – Christians in Australia is not all that different to what it was 10-15 years ago”. Iles makes an interesting connection, and this is where Harrison comes in later, where once upon a time there may have been some benefit (for want of a better word) “… in being Christian, but no longer”.
Iles says, “There’s a lot of wood, hay and stubble being burnt off, there’s a lot of people who don’t have the convictions as they once used to, people are walking away, because there is absolutely no cultural capital left, there is no social capital, no reputational benefit whatsoever involved in being a Christian”. Iles goes on to talk about these shifts away from, let’s say the social aspect of church (just getting together for whatever reason), is gone – in Iles’ words, “It’s a huge shift form decades ago where it was of some benefit in the social…, but that’s all been gutted”. Before his coworker joins in on the conversation, Iles winds up in saying, “This change is not the fall of the church, but it’s a refining of the church”.
Secondly to Harrison’s article.
Pastor Harrison writes:
“The church is not, and never has been, a country club, though in the last century, especially in North America, it might have been confused for one. There was a time when you could conduct business after meetings, unofficially govern the affairs of the city from the church car park and use your Sunday morning bulletin to get a discount at the local restaurant. Pastors could get a “clergy discount” at retail stores. They were the “good ol’ days,” when being a member of a Christian denomination was expected, normal, even American. Those days are gone. Thanks be to God.”
Later in his article, Harrison writes about a Finnish pastor who had been put on trial for “hate speech”. The situation is this:
Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) and Dr. Päivi Räsänen who is a member of the Finnish Parliament, and she and Bishop Pohjola have been on trial in a Finnish Court on charges of hate speech. Back in 2004, Päivi wrote a tract teaching about God’s design for marriage and how homosexuality didn’t fit. She and Bishop Pohjola made the great “mistake” of quoting what the Bible says in Romans 1 along with other passages.
Now my article here is not meant to be political. I don’t wish to go down that path – the point being, the two articles summarised is this: Christianity is something that has never been comfortable.
To the rest of Harrison’s article:
“When the church gets comfortable in the culture, its confession gets watered down, the proclamation of Law is diminished, and the proclamation of the Gospel gets lost. As goes Europe, soon, follows North America, and I suspect that as goes North America, soon follows Australia. Canada already has “hate speech” laws similar to Finland’s. Maybe not in this generation, but maybe in the next, Christians in America and Australia might have to stand before the courts like our Finnish brother and sister, and what will we say? We will confess…, that all humans are precious and created in the image of God, and that all of us are sinful and in need of a Saviour, Jesus Christ. We preach Christ crucified, and because of that the church is cruciform (meaning, cross-shaped). That’s not comfortable. It never has been, just ask the martyrs, but we have a hope beyond the creature comforts of this life. Jesus promised persecution and he also promised resurrection.
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many
sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny
before my Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 10:28–33).
“The era of country-club Christianity is over,” and Pastor Matthew Harrison is OK with that. He believes “it’s going to sharpen our confession of Christ crucified for sinners.”
Is this already playing out in Australia? How does this make us feel right now? Think about Iles’ quote with regards to “the wood, hay and stubble being burnt off”. Are we being driven to the core of our teaching and practice? Are we being driven to what is most important, most central? Meanwhile we watch and pray, and continue to receive comfort and consolation in the true and absolute gospel message; we continue to worship in church because the church is there for no other reason than to free the terrified conscience.
We Pray For:
† All who face temptations that seem too great for them.
† Those who have undertaken fasting or opportunities for extra service during Lent, that they may be strengthened.
† Young Christians, that they may be strengthened against the temptation of unbelief.
† Those preparing for baptism or confirmation at Easter.
† All who believe, that they may not be put to shame.
† Those who are hungry or homeless, that they may not be tempted to despair.
† Those who are in positions of leadership, that they may resist all temptations to abuse their power.