I’m Exhausted I’m exhausted by all of the “latest fads” that the church delves into. This week alone, I have received half-a-dozen emails from well-meaning Christians who wanted me to check out the “latest things.”
Apostles New?
One person wrote, “I think it’s fantastic that the church, finally in 2008, is getting a handle on what ‘apostles’ really are and they are now being appointed in the church.” To add to this statement, the latest issue of LEADERSHIP (Spring 2008) has dedicated much ink to the topic of “apostles today?” Their conclusion: Yes. There are apostles today; they are either understood to be “church planters” or “leaders” over multiple congregations and groups.
Almost every time there is an article or argument for “apostles today,” someone says, “Well, Paul planted churches, so an apostle is a person who plants churches.” Wait . . . I planted a couple of churches in my day . . . Apostle Ric? Yeah, I think not.
This logic, “the apostle Paul planted churches so those who plant churches are apostles,” is akin to saying, “doves are birds and they fly, so anything that flies is a bird.”
I don’t have the time, or energy, to expound on this next statement that I am about to make, but . . . I do believe that there are apostles today (little “a”) but it’s not planting churches that makes them apostles. And, this is nothing new . . . real apostles have always been in the church. NOTE: The Foundational Apostles—those who were inspired to pen the NT, i.e., the 12 and Paul—are no longer functioning. It is now apostles with the little “a.” Simply put, an apostle today (1) does not have the same inspiration or function as the Foundational Apostles, (2) is a person who has had a personal encounter with Christ (most often in some visionary way), and during that encounter has (3) been commissioned by Christ “to go” with His message.
Let’s Not Get Sidetracked
But, this CT is not about apostles, so let’s not get sidetracked. Another article in a Christian mag (or is that rag?) tells us that the “house church” is the happening thing now. Now? House (or home) churches have been around for a while. I remember as a boy sitting through an excruciatingly boring “service” at my grandmother’s “house-church”; not that all of them are like that. I pastored a house church once myself . . . I don’t think I was boring them. Well, maybe I was.
A Church-Starting-Business
Next, I got an email just today on how to start a new church. Well, starting churches is a function that’s been around for a while, obviously. But, this one had a new twist. Some “apostle” has started a business in which he oversees your new, up-start church. Yeah, a church-starting-business. I know, it gave me a pain in my chest too.
New Theological Systems
And, theology? Wow . . . don’t get me started . . . why is there a new system of theology that emerges every few years? We’ve got so many titles for people today that these new systems seem to drive more wedges into the body of Christ. I cannot keep track of all the new systems and ideas that people tell me about in emails.
It's Passé
Next, did you know that the leadership principles of 2001 are now passé? You didn’t? Well, you are obviously as passé as I am. One of the latest Christian magazines explore's the "silly leadership" ideas of 2001. The leadership principles that we all should be using? Well, they are "all new for 2009!" (Apparently, the author is a prophet.)
Keys To . . . And, “keys.” Wow, am I sick of “keys.”
“The Seven Keys To Mastery of Self”
“The Twelve Keys To An Apostolic Ministry”
“The Nine Keys To Complete Success” (complete? wow!)
“The Ten Keys to Happiness”
“The Thirteen Keys to a Healthy Diet”
“Ten Keys to Successful Parenting”
and my favorite,
“Ten Keys to Writing a Book About Keys” — OK, I made that one up.
All New and All Cool
Years ago, Oldsmobile launched a series of ads that proudly stated, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile.” The new Oldsmobile was . . . all new and all cool, or so they said. This same concept can be applied to the church today. “This is not your father’s church.” The new church is . . . all new and all cool. Recently my pastor showed me a flyer of a Christian seminar that was taking place in our neck of the woods, the Seattle area, and at first I thought that the flyer was an ad for a new release of the movie The Matrix. But, no . . . it was a slicked-out and tricked-out flyer of the host and the various speakers. One person—who did not know it was a flyer for a Christian seminar—looked at the flyer asked, “What are they selling?” Indeed.
But, in reality, the faith of our fathers (and I am speaking of our spiritual forebears) is the unshakable orthodoxy that “was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3). So, while, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile,” this orthodox faith is your father's faith, or at least it should be.
The Latest Ideas
I fear that the church too often looks like the Athenians described in Acts 17: “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (21).
Please understand me: I am not saying that new things or cutting edge ideas that promote the gospel of Christ are all bad. My main point is threefold:
1. Of the many “new” things, most of them are not new at all.
2. It is more damaging than not to try to be constantly “in step” with each new thing as it arrives.
3. Sometimes, in an attempt to be up-to-date with the latest fads and bandwagons, we can actually misplace the central message of the gospel. ("What are they selling?")
If it’s True, it’s not New
One of my professors once talked about the dangers of falling into the latest fads, and he made this very cogent statement: “If it’s true, it’s not new. If it’s new, it’s not true.” Now, all of the scientific and philosophical bantering aside, his statement in the context of his lecture was and is right on.
Onomatopoeia: Shhh . . .
I think that we all need to take a moment and follow the directive in Psalm 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God.”
