Fixing our own house first

The church is to regulate, teach, and dictate culture. But this can only be done effectively after we have been sure we've done everything we can to clean-up our own "church" houses, first. The process goes this way: let us look to our own individual (local) churches, then to our presbyteries, and then to our denominations.

After we've done what we can there, we go to the broader church. You might be wondering, "How do we do this 'clean-up,' especially since there are a lot of messes about, and some of them are centuries old?" Good question. First of all, where we actually have power and jurisdiction, we must use it. (This is the case in our own church denominations, for instance.) Then, where we do not have direct power and jurisdiction, we employ words of instruction and admonition (with as much understanding and grace as possible--especially in the initial stages).

The church needs to be governed by the Puritans among us. They are the ones with the courage and the doctrinal goods to go after some of the most public, scandalous, (and pernicious) errors first, like the ordination of homosexuals, etc. Again, since most of us are not operating under those (more liberal) denominational structures, we must do our work "from afar" (as it were), with words. (Where we can personally interact, that is good, too.)

The entire church does not need to be *completely* straightened-up before we begin addressing the non-churched world, (or else, we would never get started at all)--but a sincere effort must first be put forward.

Sunday + Church + Worship = Culture (2nd article)

Everything good flows down from above, from God, as per Jas. 1:17. God works through His truly called and ordained pastors and elders, who then bring the gospel to Christ’s church. The parishioners then begin to conceive of themselves as the Lord’s gospel “foot soldiers,” His agents on earth. The believing church is God’s salt and light in the world.

Culture begins to be changed, and is transformed automatically, simply from the doing of the right thing. But the place where “the right thing” must begin is the worship service in church, on Sunday. Once the believers learn to think “covenantally,” or in a church-centered way, everything else begins to take on new (redemptive) shape as well.

The great error of our day, (and it has actually been around since the Fall itself), is to imagine that somehow God has altered His course, and that He will operate aside from His biblical system (of Sunday, church, and worship). But the truth of the matter is that the Lord has never abandoned this grand program. Through it He will win the world—but not in any other way.

Sunday + Church + Worship = Culture (1st article)

When Christ and His church (which can never be separated) are at the center of the equation, then we are in a position to make a real difference in the world. Note that “Sunday” and “Worship” surround “Church.” The reason for this is that unless we have God’s New Covenant Sabbath Day (the day of Jesus’ resurrection) set aside as holy, our Christianity has no savoriness, nor credibility.

The world inevitably follows the church. When the church does not stay faithful in three areas: preaching, the proper administration of the sacraments, and discipline—then the rest of the world falls apart also (following the church’s bad example).

In a world of turmoil (much like we are in today), all people flee to some refuge. Many religious people (even professing Christians) are seeking to find their help first and foremost in one of two places: government (the state), or the family (the home). But neither of these two (good and God-given) institutions were ever designed by the Lord to be the first point of cultural contact and transformation. Only Christ in His church holds this sacred privilege.

Canceling Sunday services?

Just today, I read in our local paper of an area church, (that word may well need to be in quotes [""]), which has chosen to cancel its Sunday services in the month of June, to spend the time instead doing nice deeds for people in the community. And, of course, as one would expect, this is being met with applause from the world.

But why should it not be laden with the approbation of the unbelieving world? After all, non-believers apply no value to Sunday church worship, and they probably view it mostly as a waste of time. "Why not spend your religious time doing something actually useful?", would be the musing of the non-Christian culture.

But here is the problem. When the faithful church honors her Lord by gathering on Sunday, in order to properly worship God--THIS very act is the *highest* service it (the church) can do for the world. Now, does the world realize, or appreciate this fact? No. But it is true, nonetheless.

That aforementioned gathering of religious people, (the name of whose organization I am not going to mention here) needs to learn a very basic, yet profound lesson: God demands (and deserves) the Sabbath worship of His church. If people want to do nice things for others, that is a good thing, (or, at least it can be a good thing, if done for the right reasons)--but it can never please God, when it robs Him of His rightful due.

Culturally-Relevant Worship

We hear this term these days: "Culturally-Relevant Worship." What does it mean? My experience with it goes along these lines: worship is to be in a mode and form that is roughly consistent with the norm of the society (in which that particular church is found).

But if that is the case, then there are some serious problems with "culturally-relevant worship." Consider these conundrums: 1) which "culture" (within the broader one), is to get the ascendancy? (In other words, will your worship cater to white people, black people, or Spanish-speaking people, [to use just one set of examples]?) 2) Just how far does one dare go, with "culturally-relevant worship"? (Surely, the very worst, and most offensive dimensions of the world's practices should be omitted.)

Here is the problem, in a nutshell: The church is NOT to seek to be "culturally-relevant." That is a thoroughly misguided goal. Instead, the church is to be the setter and establisher of culture. The way this is done, is through simplicity, and good sense--all based on the principles of the Holy Scriptures.

Is English the predominant language (of a given society)? Then, use it. But beyond that, be careful about everything else. In church, on Sunday, only *certain* elements are to be employed, including preaching, prayers, sacraments, vows, etc. But nothing else is to be done.

There are other times, and other places for those (other) things to be tried out. (Some of them may even be done in the church building.) But Sunday is special. It is not to prostituted to the whims and desires of anybody (or any culture).