I listened yesterday to a sermon at the church with which we are loosely affiliated. The minister spoke about the variou types of ministry. First among ministerial roles, per him, are evangelists, disciples and apostles, those who "spread the good news of Christ Jesus to others" (his words). He went on to say that ministry brings joy, joy in sharing Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. I think this is facile and inconsistent with both life experience and the Bible.
There are two verses in the Gospels which are foundational to Christian evangelism. One is the so-called Great Commission is in Matthew 28."Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The other is from John, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." It is on the basis of these verses that countless Christians go forth to talk to people about their faith.
Too often, however, this takes the form of someone asking me "Are you saved?", or "Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior?" These people behave like telephone stock salesmen from the 90s. They used to call me and ask "Are you still in the market?" They could pitch you no matter what the answer. Same goes for this type of evangelical Christian. If Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior, then they get to say 'Hallelujah, brother!", and if he's not they say "let me tell you what Jesus Christ can do for you."
I'm not sure what he can do for me, but I know what these people do do to me. They annoy me. They annoy me with their cloying sweetness, so different from true goodness. They annoy me with their certainty, with their unerring cheerfulness. Every such pitch has been unconvincing to me- superficial, glib, rote, dogmatic. I'm reminded of Lincoln's words at Gettysburg. The world will little note nor long remember what you say, but it cannot forget what you do. Too often, such 'faith' is manifested not only by toothy smiles and hearty handshakes, but by judgment and self-righteousness. I remember that just fine. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan- his neighbor was the one who helped him, not the one who cheerfully said "I'll pray for you. Accept Jesus Christ now as your Lord and Savior and be blessed."
Whether we receive joy in hearing the Gospel Good News, does it or should it bring joy to the proselytist? If we accept the Great Commission at face value, should those who evangelize expect joy? Our minister thinks so. I would like to see him ask Peter as he hung upside down on a cross, "Are you joyful, brother?" I doubt Paul was terribly happy in his lifelong wanderings through Asia Minor, Greece and Italy. Surely he was lonely. He got imprisoned and attacked. Did he endure that with a toothy smile? The Bible (if we're going to take it at nominal face value) makes clear that the service of God does not necessarily bring peace or joy. Jonah did not want to do what he was told, and when he finally did he was disappointed with the results, and pouted. Job did not have a good time serving God, that's for sure.
This kind of 'joy preaching' seems to me an emotional version of the prosperity gospel teaching. If you truly seek God, you will be prosperous. If you are evangelizing in His name, you will find joy. Such a concept takes away the philosophical underpinnings that allow us to endure suffering. If joy is the result of serving God then those suffering are not close to God. That's ridiculous, and completely contrary to Jesus' core message that the Kingdom of God is all around us, in us, and accessible without intermediary or priest. It was to the suffering that Jesus spoke the most. It is not the spreading of joy but the giving of comfort in suffering that is to me the greatest act of faith.
So much of today's understanding of Christianity revolves around Jesus as friend, universal condoner and supporter of every behavior. There is little to nothing of the struggle to do Right, of seeking God, of seeking Peace. We have vacuous, feel-good preaching, hymns and music. This approach ignores and negates the universal reaction in the Bible when people encounter God. They're terrified. Elijah covers his face, Isaiah wails he is unworthy. I think today's ministers, were they to encounter God, would wave or try to shake hands.
Except I don't think they encounter God. They're too busy trying to raise church membership do they can build fancy buildings with sound systems and stadium seating. They might be more mindful of the widow who gives a penny and the Pharisee who ostentatiously gives much more, or the tax collector who sat in the back of schul, praying that he, a sinner, might be forgiven.
The path to God is hard, obscure, and often deviated from. There is no special reason to expect joy in the process, but rather every part of daily life. Albert Schweitzer gets the final word-
“He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside,
He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”
Ted
There are two verses in the Gospels which are foundational to Christian evangelism. One is the so-called Great Commission is in Matthew 28."Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The other is from John, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." It is on the basis of these verses that countless Christians go forth to talk to people about their faith.
Too often, however, this takes the form of someone asking me "Are you saved?", or "Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior?" These people behave like telephone stock salesmen from the 90s. They used to call me and ask "Are you still in the market?" They could pitch you no matter what the answer. Same goes for this type of evangelical Christian. If Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior, then they get to say 'Hallelujah, brother!", and if he's not they say "let me tell you what Jesus Christ can do for you."
I'm not sure what he can do for me, but I know what these people do do to me. They annoy me. They annoy me with their cloying sweetness, so different from true goodness. They annoy me with their certainty, with their unerring cheerfulness. Every such pitch has been unconvincing to me- superficial, glib, rote, dogmatic. I'm reminded of Lincoln's words at Gettysburg. The world will little note nor long remember what you say, but it cannot forget what you do. Too often, such 'faith' is manifested not only by toothy smiles and hearty handshakes, but by judgment and self-righteousness. I remember that just fine. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan- his neighbor was the one who helped him, not the one who cheerfully said "I'll pray for you. Accept Jesus Christ now as your Lord and Savior and be blessed."
Whether we receive joy in hearing the Gospel Good News, does it or should it bring joy to the proselytist? If we accept the Great Commission at face value, should those who evangelize expect joy? Our minister thinks so. I would like to see him ask Peter as he hung upside down on a cross, "Are you joyful, brother?" I doubt Paul was terribly happy in his lifelong wanderings through Asia Minor, Greece and Italy. Surely he was lonely. He got imprisoned and attacked. Did he endure that with a toothy smile? The Bible (if we're going to take it at nominal face value) makes clear that the service of God does not necessarily bring peace or joy. Jonah did not want to do what he was told, and when he finally did he was disappointed with the results, and pouted. Job did not have a good time serving God, that's for sure.
This kind of 'joy preaching' seems to me an emotional version of the prosperity gospel teaching. If you truly seek God, you will be prosperous. If you are evangelizing in His name, you will find joy. Such a concept takes away the philosophical underpinnings that allow us to endure suffering. If joy is the result of serving God then those suffering are not close to God. That's ridiculous, and completely contrary to Jesus' core message that the Kingdom of God is all around us, in us, and accessible without intermediary or priest. It was to the suffering that Jesus spoke the most. It is not the spreading of joy but the giving of comfort in suffering that is to me the greatest act of faith.
So much of today's understanding of Christianity revolves around Jesus as friend, universal condoner and supporter of every behavior. There is little to nothing of the struggle to do Right, of seeking God, of seeking Peace. We have vacuous, feel-good preaching, hymns and music. This approach ignores and negates the universal reaction in the Bible when people encounter God. They're terrified. Elijah covers his face, Isaiah wails he is unworthy. I think today's ministers, were they to encounter God, would wave or try to shake hands.
Except I don't think they encounter God. They're too busy trying to raise church membership do they can build fancy buildings with sound systems and stadium seating. They might be more mindful of the widow who gives a penny and the Pharisee who ostentatiously gives much more, or the tax collector who sat in the back of schul, praying that he, a sinner, might be forgiven.
The path to God is hard, obscure, and often deviated from. There is no special reason to expect joy in the process, but rather every part of daily life. Albert Schweitzer gets the final word-
“He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside,
He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”
Ted
The first sentence of paragraph 6 is brilliant. I've always felt this disconnect with the constant joy one should feel. Also, the Mark passage has been disputed as a much-later add-on to that Gospel. I'm not sure where I stand with all this now.
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