Wesley Report

Seeing vs. Believing

This post originally appeared on January 2, 2006 at Wesley Blog, the predecessor to Wesley Report.

I've been in several conversations about manifestations and gifts of the Holy Spirit over the past couple of weeks, and all of those talks have included the topic of speaking in other languages (tongues). I've found that Christians who haven't yet experienced this phenomenon usually have the idea that a person who speaks in another language has to fall into some sort of ecstatic trance, or at the very least, get goosebumps. When they speak in tongues for the first time, and everything doesn't line up with their expectations (does anything?), they think their experience isn't valid, or that they have somehow failed at something God wanted them to do.

This article isn't about tongues (that could easily be an entire series)- it's about faith. And the Bible has a lot to say about that subject. Today I'm going to be examining two scriptures:

• Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)
• Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

These are two of the most liberating verses in the whole Bible. I'll explain why. First off, I don't think these verses are talking exclusively about physical sight. I think they're talking about perception in general, including feelings and emotions.

per·ceive (pr-sv)
v.  per·ceived, per·ceiv·ing, per·ceives

1. To become aware of directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.
2. To achieve understanding of; apprehend.

If we broaden our definition of sight, and apply that in a paraphrase of those verses, we get this:

• Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot feel [or perceive].
• Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by feelings [or perception].

This is liberating because it gives us permission to go against what we feel. When we grasp the truth in these verses, we don't have to rely on how we feel to know if our prayers made it past the bedroom ceiling. We don't have to let our emotions dictate the course of our day. But most important of all, how we judge our relationship with God is no longer dependent on a feeling we might (or might not) have at a particular moment. Don't get me wrong- having a mountaintop emotional experience with the Holy Spirit is amazing- and God often blesses people with such experiences - but I don't think he wants us to judge the quality of our spirituality by them.

Even John Wesley's "heartwarming" sensation wasn't meant to set a precedent for all Christians everywhere.  I think we can definitely expect to receive assurance of our own salvation, but that doesn't always take the form of a warm fuzzy. When the supernatural part of us (our spirit) relates to God, it often bypasses our mind, our emotions and our physical senses. So ultimately real faith has to depend on what God says, not what we see or experience. 

That's why a healthy view of Biblical authority is so important.

Waste 'Hinders the Movement of the Spirit of God'

The Canadian Anglican Diocese of British Columbia has decided to shut down a couple of dozen churches and church officials appear to be experiencing the normal resistance that such a controversial move brings.

While acknowledging the sorrow and anger among parishes over the closure of buildings where people have worshipped for years, [Diocesan Bishop James] Cowan said there is also an anger that has been expressed during the past six years in reports and is motivating the diocese toward transformation. "This anger, which comes from all levels of our Diocesan life, tells us that there is waste of spiritual, human, and material resources and energies among us; waste which hinders the movement of the Spirit of God, our work as Church, and the mission of God in this world," he explained. "This anger, too, needs to be heard and discerned as the issues before us are debated." (emphasis mine)

I'm glad someone had the guts to say this. Our modern Christian culture encourages affirmation but frowns on true admonition, which is understandable. Really, what church wants to be told that they're wasting resources and hindering the Spirit of God? (It's right up there with "you brood of vipers" on the list of things not to say to churches.) But if it's true, doesn't someone need to point it out?

Glenn Beck vs. Jim Winkler

Or maybe I should say the Mormon vs. the Methodist.

In this week's Faith in Action newsletter, Jim weighed in on Beck's recent statement that people should run away from churches that use the words "social justice" and "economic justice".

Jim wrote, " I doubt Jesus himself would be welcomed into Beck’s ideal congregation."

Here's where Winkler missed an opportunity. Instead of defending his ideas for how churches should be involved in social justice, Winkler responded with a zinger, intended to dismiss Beck, but in reality dismissing millions of people who think the guy makes sense.

In fairness, Beck is all about throwing verbal bombs and taking shots- so I don't think Winkler's comment was out of bounds. But Jim would do well to practice a little more bridge-building and a little less stirring up the liberal base, because the liberal base is dwindling.

Justice is a Biblical concept- but it doesn't belong to either political party, and when the church gets too cozy with one party or the other, truth is distorted and entire groups of people stop listening. 

Glenn Beck's not the only one who runs when he hears the word "justice" at a church. Instead of patting themselves on the back, maybe mainline liberals should be asking themselves why that's happening.

Facebook and Christianity

I don't think even Mark Zuckerberg realized a few years ago how much Facebook was going to change the way people communicate. I've read some estimates that over 400 million people are on the social networking site now. People of all ages, some who I didn't know had a computer, are finding me on Facebook. Many of them I haven't seen in years.

Brian McAnally published an article Friday about using Facebook to share the Gospel. It's worth a read.

I see Facebook as a communication tool, not a "place". There are some who see it as a place to hang out, like a park, pool hall or bar, and I suppose an argument can be made for that. But for me, it's just something that helps me manage relationships and stay connected better. It's also a way for me to promote my writing and make it more accessible to others. Keeping in mind that Facebook is not an actual place helps me avoid spending too much time on it. As a writer, I'm already in front of the computer enough.

But that being said, I've had some good discussions (both virtual and in person) about faith topics with people because they had read something I wrote on Wesley Report that also posted to Facebook. In that sense, a social networking site broke some ice that would have taken weeks or months to do the old-fashioned way.

So is Facebook a good way to spread the Good News of Christ? Sure! In the same way that TV, radio, cell phones, newspapers, sports leagues or youth groups are good ways. It's simply about connecting with people and building relationships with them. Facebook just happens to help you do both really well.

Related:

• Add me as a friend on Facebook.
• Follow Wesley Report on Facebook.
• Follow me on Twitter.

A Comfortable Slave is Still a Slave

I think I've figured out why people go nuts nowadays when anyone brings up the concept of sin. Because if we think about sin too much, we realize we're in bondage, and no one wants to admit they're enslaved to anything. Sometimes being a slave is just easier than being free. Pick your poison-- gambling, drugs, unhealthy sex, porn, whatever. When we're caught up in these things, there's usually some kind of desire to be free from them, but the reality is we often conclude that accepting the slavery is a lot less work than gaining our freedom. Sure, there's some level of discomfort when we're being controlled by sin, but getting free can be even more uncomfortable-- and if we must be uncomfortable, it's better to be a little uncomfortable than a lot. Sin is the devil we know. Getting free is too hard.

Mainline Protestant Christianity has become known for leaving people in slavery, because somewhere along the way, our strategy changed from leading people out of Egypt to planting churches along the Nile. And that's why mainline denominations continue to lose members. People don't need churches to help them stay in slavery-- they can do that by themselves!

On the other hand, helping folks find freedom is no walk in the park. Spiritually young Christians who haven't yet gained much knowledge of concepts like flesh and self-control are really hard to deal with when you get them out in the desert. Egypt always looks good when you're wandering around in a dry place, and they'll be the first to let you know it.

In Exodus 17, Moses was leading the Israelites from place to place as the Lord commanded, and they ended up camping where there was no water for the people to drink. Moses apparently had a tough time selling them on that particular spot, because they began grumbling and complaining about being thirsty. "Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?" Their flesh was trying to overrule their desire to be free, just like ours does today. It's not that water is a bad thing-- it meets one one of our physical needs. What's bad is when we don't trust God to provide for those needs and we try to help ourselves, either in the wrong way or at the wrong time. And when we're willing to give up our freedom, we know we've probably gotten our priorities mixed up. Get off the throne, God, and make room for my flesh. Nice knowing you, Lord, but I'm heading back to Egypt, where it's comfortable.

The trouble is, a comfortable slave is still a slave. And the church-- with all of its evangelism ideas, needs-based programming and seeker-sensitive strategies-- can't afford to forget that.