"but the Lord has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace..."

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 25 September 2003 12:38:20

"...out of Egypt, to be a people of his own possession" Deuteronomy 4:20

Today I read Jonny Baker's log as advertised on Tangled Wib.

What follows is LONG, but is my take on what I've read there. I think what I'm saying is not only for those who label themselves evangelical- rather, it's for those who are children of God.

Jonny's log is very well written although sad- you can hear the wistful notes of a soul that longs to see change, that is frustrated with The Way Things Are and wants to get rid of labels that really don't fit anymore.

Names, labels, identifying phrases- call them what you will- will never be enough to convey what a body of people is about- especially if that body of people is widely spread and has been going for some time. I wouldn't suggest that we throw these labels out, however- just be careful with the way we use them.

Jonny's problem is that the NEAC doesn't seem to fit our biblical mandate- but it does sound like he's lumping them in with all people who would class themselves as evangelical. That particular tribe may be a bunch of crusties but the fact of the matter is that they are a small proportion of the evangelically inclined.

Yes Jonny, you ‘n me, we are a tribe. We may not be crusties, but we're all in this tribe (if we've truly given our lives to Jesus). It's a tribe called out by God, a people he's carved out of humanity and history for himself, to bring glory to himself, to be his workers for the advance of his kingdom and to be a people who have a destiny. That's some tribe! It may be too late for the NEAC but there's so much hope when you look at the bigger picture. You said it yourself- Fulcrum are a group trying to do the stuff they see in the New Testament and they're not the only ones. There are scores of groups and individuals out there (Anglican or no) that share these same values as you mentioned and are trying their best to live them out.

I don't see history when I see evangelicals. I see history in the making. After all, it's just a label for people who believe that the scriptures are the ultimate authority, that we're a people set apart to bring the answer to a dying world, that it's done just as Jesus did it- with humility, grace, love, abounding compassion. And I see it happening in the church today. Look around! Open your eyes! See the saints making a difference every single day- and if you don't, or if you can't, then get outta there and find somewhere where you can.

Every now and then we see another census or poll or opinion survey that predicts that the church will be dead by such-and-such a date, that less and less young people are attending churches, that more and more people just aren't interested.

Hah! I don't see it. Churches around our area may have more funerals than births or marriages- but not all. Loads of us are growing. We're seeing communities transformed. We're seeing young people joining the ranks. We're seeing people saved from lives that are broken, people set free from addictions, people healed of diseases, communities being transformed one person at a time. It's exciting. It's a thrilling adventure and if it's time to get out of the shallows and jump in the river then I say GO FOR IT. Go for it. Find the passion, the soul, the mission. How can it be dead? It's never gone away- that's what the enemy will have us believe. And when he's done paralysing us with lies that the church is a dying institution so that we can't see the plan for all the pathways... well d'you think God's just going to go “oh well, never mind- it was a good plan but I haven't got the energy to deal with it”.

No. No no no no no. God is in charge. He always has been and if you don't believe it you'd better go read some prophets in the old testament and read some Ephesians and Colossians while you're at it!

Now to end this piece- I'm not having a dig. I'm not putting anyone down. I'm not trying to batter anyone into believing things. What I'm trying to do is encourage, to show a different viewpoint where there's hope, and a reason for things. Don't get tangled up in technicalities and labels. Don't get tangled up in world views. Don't get tangled up in feelings of doubt. Get into the word where God sorts our hearts and minds out and uses us in great exploits for the kingdom.