Edification of the body; Edification of the Body.

Tonight's post won't be terribly long because I think it's fairly self-explanatory.

If you are reading this, you have a body. Congratulations. As of today, mine has gotten me through 22 years of life, even though I haven't been terribly kind to it. God is gracious, however, and will even use my folly and sin to make something beautiful come out of my life. Sometimes I'm not sure why I'm alive, why I'm doing what I'm doing. I could be somewhere completely different by now. In 10 days, I'll be celebrating my third year clean from eating disorders. I had them for seven years - and for most people, the 7 year mark is where all the major health complications kick in. Again, God is good and has allowed me to live. I've made it this far for a reason.

So you have a body too. Chances are you do SOME things to keep your body working, right? You eat, you sleep, you go to the doctor every now and then, you drink water, etc. Everything that you do for your body may be good or bad - and you know when you've done something bad. Your body tells you right away. As soon as you've exercised too much (or not enough) your muscles will tell you. Your immune system is so wonderfully wired that as soon as you eat something that your body doesn't like, it will compensate to get rid of the allergen (and sometimes, that compensation is deathly). Your mental health is tied to your physical health is tied to your emotional health is tied to your spiritual health. When you get a fever, your body is trying to rid itself of viruses or things that are in your body that should not be in your body. If you eat fruits and vegetables, you edify your body. If one part of your body hurts, generally it has an effect on the rest of your body.

The same goes for both your church and The Church. I'm sure you've heard this millions of times, but let me say it again. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul likens The Church to a body -

 ¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 ¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
 ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
 ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

We are part of a larger body, and that body is part of a larger Body. Paul encourages us to use our gifts for the edification of the body. Yup. Do it.

But we're so comfortable in our pews/chairs in church. We're so comfortable with making church be just one more thing to cross off our list of things to do for the week. We can sit back, listen to some good (or not so good) music, listen to someone speak about the Bible, and leave.

I want to challenge you - that's not at ALL what it means to be a part of the Church...or your church. In our bodies, there are NO parts that get to say, "Oh, well, since I'm along for the ride of life, I'll just sit back and let the other parts work for me." Cells are constantly multiplying and dying and things are moving. Even when we rest at night, things happen in our bodies that we have no control over. Blood still pumps. We still breathe. Hair still grows.

Being a part of the body of Christ means that you've been given a task in the form of a gift. Look at your life. How are you gifted? Are you musically talented? If so, why hesitate in joining praise teams or choir? Are you artistically gifted in that you can paint/draw/take photographs/etc? Have you asked your pastor how you can use that for the edification of the body? Are you a gifted writer? Have you considered writing liturgies or songs? Are you a teacher? Have you thought about Sunday school or starting a class in something about which you are passionate?

Where do your gifts lie?
How can you use them to grow your body?

Pastors - How is your church gifted? How can it edify the other parts of the Body in the area?

Post your replies. Please :)

-Lisa

Worship and the Artist

Week three is here. Fortunately for you, I have a lot to say this week. I've just come off of Spring Break, I officially have 7 more weeks until I graduate, and I'm up to my EYEBALLS in things to do. But it's the home stretch, and I know I cannot give up now; therefore, I'm pushing myself harder, digging deeper, and writing more fervently.

Did you know that you're an artist? Think about it. You are gifted in some way, shape or form. You are creative, for you were created by the ultimate Creator. Maybe you have a way with words. Maybe you have a way with numbers (and God knows that all of us out there that don't have a way with numbers need you desperately). Maybe you can sing -- maybe all you can do is make some form of joyful noise. But the fact remains - you were created creative.

Early in the Reformation, the Protestants took up issue with arts in the Church. Far earlier than that, the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches split over a controversy regarding art. In Calvin's Geneva, churches were sparse - whitewashed walls, pews with backs that were straight up, uncomfortable enough to MAKE you listen. Many Reformed churches in Europe remain that way today, actually. They're impressive from the outside. On the inside, however, you don't remember why you brought your camera inside. There's not much to look at. Now, Calvin did NOT believe that the arts were inherently bad. He encouraged study of the arts and the sciences. But stained glass windows were too reminiscent of Catholic churches, where people received the Word by looking at it - and, in some cases, ended up worshiping the pictures. That's what they wanted to avoid - idolatry. (Calvin DID, however, ban anyone from making any images of God, saying it was in direct offense to the second commandment.) Calvin wanted to avoid worshiping created things instead of a Creator God.

That makes sense.

When we walk into the sanctuary every Sunday morning, you may be struck by the visuals. Maybe a particular background to a slideshow fit well. Maybe there is a dancer on stage and you are captured by the beauty of it. Maybe the lighting is just right, someone did an exceptional job on the banners, etc. We don't worship the visuals (or rather, we shouldn't), but we appreciate what they do to the service. A good visual aid will help the worship rather than hinder it. A good visual will help you remember the service long after it's done.

Ultimately, we worship a Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We don't come to worship to "get something" from it, we come to give something TO God. We shouldn't walk in and say, "If the music isn't right this week, I'm really going to have a hard time worshiping." Chances are, something WILL go wrong. Let's face it - we live in a sin filled world where NOTHING goes perfectly. And yet, as worshipers, we always find ways to nitpick - something could ALWAYS be better. It's true. There are always going to be areas of improvement - and I guarantee you that even the "best" churches out there will find ways to improve. If you go into a worship service hoping that it serves you, you will be left dry and empty by the end. If you go into a worship service expecting God to move in big ways, you will leave with a sense that God moved. If you go into a worship service and truly offer to God everything that you have within you, you will NOT leave empty handed.

Worship is not about US. We are called to worship - true. But even if we don't worship, the rest of creation will. The Psalmist talks about the heavens declaring the glory of God, day and night they pour forth speech. Christ said that if we do not praise, the stones will cry out. The STONES. God does not NEED our praise. It wasn't as if God was not fully God when humans weren't there to praise him. God, in the best God-way possible, in and of himself is self-glorifying. He's GOD.  And what are we? Who do we think we are that if we stop praising God, He'll get His feelings hurt? Who do we think God is that if we stop praising God, He'll get His feelings hurt? Going into a worship service, wondering what we're going to get from it is just one way that we elevate ourselves to the place of God.

Worship is not FOR us. Worship is FOR God. Worship is a response to the grace of God. On our own, we can't worship God. It is impossible for us to choose to worship God. It is the work of the Spirit within us, pulling us to the call of the Father, covered by the blood of Jesus. It is then and ONLY then that we can worship God. Worship is not to "make me happy." You'll never be happy if you choose to make worship for yourself. Why? Because we cannot fill ourselves. We are lost without God. We like to think we're autonomous, but we're not. Every breath is ordained. Every heartbeat is a work of God. Every morning is the grace of God, once again waking us up to do His will.

Still, we end up worshiping the created things instead of the creator. We worship the music, thinking that our preferences should determine what the church service is like. Rory Noland, in his book The Heart of the Artist puts it this way:

I spent a great deal of time earlier in this book touting the virtues of using your talents in your local church. What if that turns out to be a very disappointing experience also? What should you do if you experience rejection in the church? .... I know that the church doesn't exist solely for the sake of the arts. It has a higher calling, and it is not a performing arts organization. But as a music director at a church, I still agonize over situations like the ones I just described. I've come to realize that every church has a narrow scope of musical style compared with the full range of styles available to us today. In other words, every church can't possibly accommodate all the different styles of music and art that exist. P.217 (Emphasis mine).

 You may feel this way, even if you're not the music director. You may think that there's too much of one genre of music and not enough of the others. Practically speaking, this is true. But if we were to do every genre of music that every church member wanted, the arts would then be serving the congregation instead of God. The arts exist to serve God, to glorify Him.

We will ALWAYS have preferences. But our preferences should not hinder us from truly worshiping. Now, if you're going to a heavy metal church and you like classical music and string quartets, you can't understand the words that are being screamed over the distorted guitars and the booming bass lines, I might suggest finding another church. But if you think that there are too many hymns, or not enough hymns, etc., to the point where you end up standing with your arms folded every Sunday morning, scowl lines practically painted on your face, might I suggest examining yourself and your own motives for worship? Dig deeper than, "We've always sung hymns." If you want to go that way, then let's go back to using the Mass in worship - for that was around FAR longer than "A Mighty Fortress." Or we could all sing in unison a capella straight from the Genevan Psalter. Do you understand where this is coming from? If we always do what we've "always done," there is no room for change or contextualization. There's no room for creativity. The pastor should only then preach a certain way.

When it comes to art in worship, yes, things could ALWAYS be better. However, we must remember that we have the Holy Spirit on our side, sanctifying our worship through the blood of Christ to bring it to the Father. And THAT is ultimately who our worship should be directed toward. Don't worship the created things - music, visual arts, dances, dramas - but worship the Creator.

World, It's Monday.

This means post # 2 is now available to the community.

Unfortunately, this will be a rather short post - I'm in Houston at the moment, going up to Oklahoma as soon as my boyfriend gets ready. However, I can share a little bit about yesterday and talk for a bit.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going to a different church. I mean, yes, I'm in Houston; therefore, it makes sense that I wasn't at Sunshine. However, this church was different in more than one way - it was a different denomination.
I count myself a "Reformed floater" of sorts. I've gone to Reformed Baptist churches, Presbyterian churches, RCA, CRC, even a URC. But I stay basically in the same bubble. When I went to my first college, I went to a non-denominational Free Methodist church (and yes, if that sounds like an oxymoron, it was/is). But, I had a job interview yesterday to work in this church after I graduate, so I decided to go.

I love Texans. The lot of them are welcoming and warm. And I started realizing what it means to be a community of believers from all different backgrounds. This United Methodist Church had a Methodist pastor, but a whole staff of people from different denominations. But they worked together for the common good of the church - and it worked. This church is HUGE. The pastor stays grounded in Methodism and the staff supports him.

When I was being interviewed, the woman interviewing me said, "It was different, wasn't it? The worship was different?"
Not really, actually. All the songs we sang during the music portion of it I've sung in many different Reformed churches. The main difference was the fact that there was a prayer bench up front for those who felt the calling of the Spirit after the sermon - and even at Sunshine, there's always a chance to pray up front with people after the service. It wasn't an "anxious seat" as some of us Reformed folk would think of. It wasn't an altar call. But it was cool that they offered it, making open the opportunity to pray THROUGH the sermon using sermon notes/application points.
The pastor did preach perfectionism - not in the bad sense. He made it VERY well known that we cannot be perfect by ourselves. We cannot reach holiness by our own means. It's impossible for us to be perfect on our own terms. So even on the pastor's points of doctrine that Reformed folk would contend with, there really wasn't contention. The Gospel was preached and it was preached well.

It was community, living and working in diversity. And for the first time, stepping out of the Reformed bubble, I felt safe. I felt like this was a community that had safety nets for first-timers like myself. It relied on the moving of the Holy Spirit and was steeped in prayer.

Long story short: I turned the job down. It didn't turn out to be what they had told me it was going to be, and they wanted me to stay there forever being a Children's Pastor one day. I couldn't make a commitment like that, both for my own good and the good of the church. The right person is out there - it's just not me. But it was good experience, for sure. It was interesting how well the doctrine classes prepared me to answer questions like, "Where do you land on the election/free will scale? And explain." From the look on this woman's face, she had never heard election the way I presented it (which, I'm finding, happens more and more in the world outside of the Reformed bubble.). She was intrigued by the fact that election doesn't mean I don't go out and share the gospel, nor does it mean that I become egotistical about my salvation. It isn't election based on what I did or who I am, because I am a wretched sinner who desperately needs irresistible grace to choose God. Her jaw kind of dropped when I told her that election doesn't make us robots in that we always do the will of God all the time - or that we're puppets in the hands of a master puppeteer.

Always be prepared to give an answer for what you believe - but do all things in love. "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." - 1 Corinthians 13:1
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free [Reformed or Methodist or Catholic or Pentecostal...]—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many." 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (bracketed parts mine).