My friend Rev. Toby Sumpter of Holy Trinity Reformed Church (CREC) in Greer wrote an excellent post about the culture of the church with regard to her worship. The post is called “When Worship Becomes Liturgical Clap Trap.” Here’s a snippet,
In nearly every letter of the New Testament, the apostles insist that Christians must live out the gospel in their families. As we seek to build this church, this must be one of the central results of our gathering here. Husbands who worship here must be characterized by loving their wives, cherishing their wives, and teaching and leading their wives just as Christ loves, cherishes, teaches, and leads us. Wives who worship here must be characterized by love and submission to their husbands, rejoicing in their callings just as we submit ourselves as the Church to the leading and teaching of our head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, children who worship here (whether they are three or eighteen) must be characterized by love and obedience to their parents just as we love and obey the Word of God declared here. If we are not being characterized by these things, we are not getting it. If our families are not living out this gospel then our worship here is useless at best and at worst a high handed blasphemy against God.
Read the rest of this insightful post here.
July 6, 2008 at 10:01 am
No family is perfect. And to say that God will reject the worship, or to even call it blasphemy, of a non-perfect family is way out of line.
God knows our hearts. Perhaps the reason he rejected the worship of the people (that this author is referring to), is much more than a family thing. I believe this legalistic approach is dangerous at best. It sounds good, and has snippets that are very great (husbands, wives, children follow these instructions), but the very reason Jesus died on the cross was to break that barrier between us and God the Father. A broken people, in fact a fallible person, with true intentions of worship before an almighty merciful God can indeed worship. If what this author is saying is true, then none of us have the slightest right to worship Him.
Or am I missing the point?
July 6, 2008 at 11:52 am
Thanks for the response David, but I do want to clarify what Toby (Sumpter) wrote. The church is no better than its families; the culture of the local church is no better than its families. Sure, it is all imperfect, but we should see signs of growth and maturity all the time–and it starts with the family. Remember, it is possible for God to reject our worship like he did with Cain. Yes, God knows our hearts and he knows the charade we play at church . . . you know the families that are all pious at church and their home-lives are a wreck. Do you tink God honors such pretension? That’s what this article is about.
Yes, Jesus paid all for all of our sins and secured our justification; but our sanctification is a decision for us daily to “take up our cross” in the power of the Holy Spirit and choose to apply God’s Word to all of our lives. You’ll know the true culture of your church by examining the families. That’s why the parish minister on Sunday afternoon used to make stops by family homes in local communities to examine the family and the children (quesitoning them about Biblical content and asking them about Mommy and Daddy–for children have an aweful tendency to tell the truth). This is a practice most would consider intrusive now; “It’s none of his business.” Well, in fact it is, as their shepherd. But that’s another issue . . .
July 7, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I see the point now. Thanks for clarifying. I guess the problem of “hollow” church goers is running rampant.It does annoy me to no end to see people with a total disregard for God outside of church.
First and foremost though, I think that personal spiritual problems need to be solved before any family problems can be solved.
But I guess these people can sometimes feel convicted at church and give a true worship (probably more not than so). What people need to be taught is to continually stay in the Word. Renew daily instead of weekly. We dont eat food once a week. It practically the same for our spiritual life.
I agree with your approach to what a shepard is. Even more so, fellow bretheren should be integrated. I know it helps to keep me accountable.
Thanks for the clarification.