Smoky Mountain Reflections
October 2013
This
is one of my favorite times of year, when the canopy of green that has filled
out trees for the past six or seven months starts to burst into a sea of
yellows, oranges, reds and even some dark purple. As we in our neck of the woods prepare for
the flock of leaf peeping tourists, we watch the leaves, as well as a few
acorns, soon fall. The falling of such a seed on the head of a fictitious
chicken is the source of a well-known fable warning us against worrying about
things we have no control over. Scripture also warns us against worry,
revealing it to be a lack of trust in God's provision for all our needs.
We
do sadly find so many ways to creatively worry, while calling it ‘concern’ for
the kingdom of God. We ask questions like, ‘How do we as Christians determine
what the best course of action is for our church?’ All concerned members of the
body of Christ should prayerfully ask themselves what the wisest course of
action should be, shouldn't they? While I am a big fan of responsible
evaluation of our practices in light of scripture and our confessions, there is
a big difference between ‘evaluation’ and ecclesiastical hand wringing. The
business world has a lot of good information that can be very helpful in managing
the business aspects of an organization with memberships, facilities and staff
to maintain, but the world has little to offer in the way of helping the church
to be ‘in’ while not ‘of’ the world.
So
what are we to do if we are to be conscientious Christians seeking to share the
great news of the Gospel as best we can while not corrupting or causing offense
to that same Gospel? I would say there is a big difference between damage
control and honest biblical outreach. We
can honestly look around us and learn from the mistakes of others, identify our
own warts, and press on doing what it is God has called us to do, trusting in
Him to do His will in His church in His good time.
First
visit some of the mistakes of others. The ‘seven sisters’ mainline Protestantism;
The Methodist UMC, Lutheran ELCA, Presbyterian PCUSA, Baptist ABCUSA, Episcopal, Church of Christ UCC, and the DCC have a few things in common. One of the
reasons they are so large is because of their liberal, historical, critical
position on scripture. That position, while appealing to logic and public
opinion, leads to poor theological decision making such as female clergy and
support of the LGBT agenda. These departures from scriptural truth have led to
them also experiencing the greatest declines in membership of all American
Christian church bodies. The lord clearly warns us against such practices. (2
Peter 2:1-2) “There will be false teachers among you, who will surreptitiously
introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought
them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their shameful, licentious ways.” and in (1
Peter 1:14-15) “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you formerly
had when you lived in ignorance.
Instead, just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
for it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” and finally in (Romans
12:2) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Second we
have to acknowledge the things that have caused our own church bodies decline.
In the words of our synod president, Matthew Harrison "The people of the
LCMS marry much later and are having far fewer children. Our outreach
(conversion) has not been sufficient to stem that decline. So we need to look
at how we encourage and support families and we need to invite our unchurched
neighbors to church. 80% of people who
join a church do so because they were invited by someone they know a friend of
family member.”
Finally
while we diligently seek to share His truth in love we also must trust Him and
His word and His sacraments to do His will in His good time. The responsibility
to share His truth belongs to each and every one of us in our own daily vocations.
Jesus will build, protect and sustain His
church in accord with His words in Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter,
and on this rock (his confession that Jesus is the Christ the son of
the living God) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it. God grants the increase and sustains us through any difficult
times. 1 Cor 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is
anything, but only God who gives the growth. .......9 For we are God's fellow
workers. You are God's field, God's building. So be diligent, do not
worry and enjoy the fall colors.
In Christ Pastor Portier
