Reformed and Re-Forming

We are often guilty of dangerous ideas.

We still think of the church as a powerful influence in society. It’s not. It could be but it’s not. The power of the church in the world does not come from the churches privilege and its perennial seat at the tables of influence. But we dreamily remember a time when we imagine that it was so.

When nothing was open on Sunday because…well, because of the church. When clergy were the first ones called for an opinion, or were invited to open public events with prayer. Many of us remember those days, and long for the return of such times. That’s a dangerous idea – and not a good one.

There are dangerous ideas that serve the cause of the kingdom of grace. Ideas proposed by brave, faithful souls that have put the church back on the path of that graceful kingdom. These individuals called out the church and its addiction to power and prestige. Hus and Knox, and Calvin and Luther. Faithful people who saw that the church had lost its way; who would call the faithful back to the ways of mercy, justice, love and humility. The last great upheaval in the global church was the result. The Reformation.

The Presbyterian Church in Canada stands in that historical stream.

When we think about our Presbyterian heritage, we need to remember that, in the beginning, the way we organize and conduct our business, our worship and our outreach was a radical departure from ‘church.’

Communities of congregations acting together to chart a path in a changing culture. An educated and informed leadership, who are all ordained, but whose vocations are very different – teaching elders and ruling elders together. Functions shaped by a desire to inform and grow ‘the faith’ and our understanding of God’s agency in the world. Modelled on Jesus decision to gather disciples around him – to teach them that they might teach others. It shouldn’t work (it got off to a rather slow start in its original iteration…) but we find ways to make it work.

Jesus had some difficulty getting his point across – in the beginning. To his gathered disciples he offered a bold, new approach to God’s mercy and God’s kingdom. And some imagined that Jesus’ model was simply a way to seize power from the oppressor – to put new people in charge of an old system.

“Promise that we will sit on your left and your right in the kingdom…” James and John are not evil – they just lack imagination. And when Jesus says no, he is reminding them that a radically different approach that is needed. Leadership in this new kingdom must not make the mistakes of the past. Greatness is not something reserved for favourites – greatness must be demonstrated along the way.

Humility is the mark of a leader in this new order. Love is the currency of the realm. Service is the road to greatness, and it is a perilous road, because humility, love and service pushes against a cultural understanding of what “great” is – what ‘powerful’ looks like.

 

Around 500 years ago, people within the church began asking questions of the church; wondering aloud if the church had lost its way. These reformers went to Scripture and compared Jesus’ call for humility with the reality of the extravagance and arrogance of the church. They saw evidence that the church was behaving rather like James and John – pushing and shoving to ensure they had the best seats – the places of privilege.  This wondering and re-examining eventually became the movement we call the Reformation. And my question is: should we do it again?

 

Should we be bold to ask the difficult questions of those who equate faith with power? Should we call out those who have decided that their version of the story proves that others have no standing? Should we (do we dare?) profess and actually demonstrate the kind of humble, servant leadership that Jesus calls for…?

 

On the face of it, the answer is yes. And what could be simpler? Our reading in Romans lays it out. “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” A church like that…well, it would change the world, wouldn’t it?

A servant church – a people who are genuine in their empathy and generous in their hospitality; An organization that is a beacon of love and hope; A generous, peaceable, noble gathering of folks who love God more than they love the rules – who follow Jesus rather than following the ‘celebrity-of-the-day.’

This is the reformation that is open to us. A recognition that a church ‘in the centre of things’ is a church that is willing to take up the rest of the exhortation for Romans 12:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 

We don’t need to be front page news. We need to be quietly and faithfully living out the gospel of grace. We don’t need opulence and prosperity. We need to demonstrate that God’s abundance is enough…and is to be shared.

Perhaps it’s time for another dangerous idea – perhaps it’s time for us ‘Jesus-people’ to become real leaders in peace-making and community building. The kind of leadership that doesn’t make headlines (or heroes) out of us, but that makes a difference to those who are vulnerable, frightened, oppressed and afraid. Jesus calls us to serve them – to change their lives by our humble service.