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