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Faithfully Following Christ:Unexpected Insights from PsychologyOn Being the Body of Christ
Faith is Relational
Christianity is more than a set of doctrines
God not only forgives sin, but adopts us, drawing us into relationship with him
God, as Trinity, is inherently relational
Even “faith” is a relational term Believing “that” vs.
Believing “in”
Our Covenant Theology
God chooses Abram… But to be father of a
people, so a community
The Church is the Israel of today
We are a covenant community
And bear responsibilities to one another
What does psychology say about such relationships?
Our Plan
A few thoughts on family and the church community
Then focus on the church community
And compare this to Romans 12
Families in the Family of God
Clearly the NT stresses the importance of family
Yet, it is a subset of Christ’s bride, the Church
The two interact in many important ways
Faith in the Family
Faith shapes the family in important ways: Doctrines shape the
value and sanctity of it
E.g., Marriage typifies the relationship of Christ and the Church
Prescribes roles in marriage
Promotes positive parenting (love, discipline)
Gives the family a “sacred mission”
Positives Stronger when marriage
seen as sacred (e.g. Catholics make it a sacrament)
Marriages strongest when both partners see it as sacred
Though falling short of ideals poses problems: Divorce (more negative
coping and depression if in church context)
Or, “religious familism”: seeing nuclear family as core unit of society over the church
Religious Families
The Good 56% of married couples with
kids attend church vs. 39% of divorced or cohabiting parents
Provides moral context for family
And supportive community for beliefs/standards
Rituals support (baptisms, weddings)
Contrast recent trend of weddings moved from churches
The Bad For first time ever, more US
adults are single than married
Meaning churches must adapt to minister to these folks while upholding value and standards of marriage
Not stigmatizing them
Religious conflicts of parents have detrimental effects on kids
Religion often used to justify spousal abuse
And even child abuse
So How does the Church…
Keep its message of value and meaning of family alive in the current climate?
And still understand and welcome folks in other family structures?
Support nuclear families yet teach and practice the importance of serving one another as a community?
Teach the whole biblical truth about family without allowing for abuse of the truth? Discipline without child abuse
Family structure without missing the role of love and mutual submission
What steps does FPCC need to consider in this?
The Church as Community
Cultural Structures
INDIVIDUALISM Individual goals > group
Morals: do no harm and leave me alone
YET:
25% in US say no one to turn to with problems
50% if you exclude family members
Seen in churches that try to cater to “felt needs” of individuals rather than develop a unique community
Communal Structures
COLLECTIVISM
Group of people > individuals
Often in Eastern countries
But also the view of monasteries
Can be high in this and individualism as in Latin American countries
COMMUNITARIANISM
Balances the two
Church is a community, but aids in fulfilling individual needs
Still contrasts with our broader culture with little regard for community
Four Elements of Religious Community Believing
Share beliefs about God and what he does for us and expects of us
These are the “glue” of community
Thus what of churches who hide or minimize beliefs?
Behaving Specifies moral behavior with not only “don’ts” but goals of sanctity and
holiness
Supports charitable giving
God the center of the community and all of life revolves around pleasing Him
Bonding shared rituals and emotions
Belonging Identify with a valued and eternal group
Shared beliefs promote this as well
What This Means to Us
Protect our doctrine: should bind us, not divide us It is central to our identity
Yet promote relationships among our members
Consider the community in our behavior Our behavior reflects on who we are – something that has harmed
the Church in recent years
Value our rituals (worshipping together, baptisms, communion) These are when do or say things together
Much meaning in speaking and singing words together and sharing the emotion they evoke
Will require of us: More genuine concern for the community and individuals in it
More transparency to experience the support of God’s family
Romans 12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12 ESV)
Some Thoughts (with thanks to Marva Dawn) Verse 8: Greek is “hilarotes” or
hilarity
Christian community should be “hilarious” in enjoying God together
Lack of joy comes from individual approaches to serving God
Hilarity from mercy to one another
Verse 1: “bodies”
Our individual bodies
But also may allude to house churches
Verse 2: conformity
More next week
Yet, what is our measure of success: business? Acceptance? Self-esteem?
We easily conform to secular objectives/patterns
Even our Bible studies quickly become “What this means to me”
PRIDE the threat to community (v.3) Though it often betrays a
lack of self-esteem
Only in community are we around all the spiritual gifts (unity in diversity)
More Thoughts on Romans 12
Abhor evil and hold fast to good in verse 9: Flow from love of God
and love of others, not rigid resolve
“Hilarity is destroyed by immorality”
Honor one another knowing how valuable each other believer is (v. 10)
Responding joyfully (with hilarity) to persecution Consider the pain of the
persecutor – now and to come
Leave to God to seek revenge Yet how readily we
quietly wish evil on those who offend us
One More Note on Conformity
All Hallows Eve is about the evil spirits on the night before All Saints Day
What does it say that we join in that celebration yet not in celebration of All Saints Day?
If of any value, Halloween is a “teasing” of the spirits in light of the work of God in the saints
But do we even notice this?
And also it is Reformation Day
So do we conform? Should we?
In Conclusion
Growing in community, as families and as a church, will be increasingly vital as culture changes around us
But will require greater vulnerability and a shift in focus from self-to others Asking how can I pray for you, not just how are you?
And giving honest, not just habitual answers
What do I need to do? Prayer life?
My way of thinking about those around me?
Service?
Getting out of my comfort zone?
What does FPCC need to do? Pray for our leadership
If in leadership, be intentional about community
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