tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86900153600436477392024-03-05T23:04:48.644-06:00Sound Doxology"All true worship is a response to the self-revelation of God in Christ and Scripture, and arises from our reflection on who He is and what He has done…The worship of God is evoked, informed, and inspired by the vision of God…The true knowledge of God will always lead us to worship."
-John StottUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-73558144621052415602015-09-29T11:54:00.000-05:002015-09-29T11:58:15.522-05:00Renew the Table: The Lord's Supper and Dying Churches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Analysis, even based on hard facts, is a subjective thing. The best example I can think of is sports. Everything a player or team does is measured statistically and then meticulously broken down by analysts to further understand how a team is doing or why a player is performing a certain way. Statistics are facts, but facts often cannot tell us the entire story because we simply cannot measure everything. So analysts fill in the gaps. They look at the data and try to tell us what it means.</div>
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I'm going to try to do that right now. And like a sports analyst, I don't have all the data and my interpretation might be flawed or not fully informed. What I'm saying is that this interpretation is subjective. </div>
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<b>Some Statistics</b></div>
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If you've been following my <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Renew the Table series</a> you'll note that I kicked things off with some statistics regarding <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">how often Southern Baptist Churches celebrate the Lord's Supper</a>. Without rehashing the discussion, I wanted to remind the reader how I looked at this data. While the graph below shows five different answers, I grouped them into basically three: Weekly Partakers (1%), Monthly Partakers (18%), and the Quarterly + Holiday Partakers (80%). (I explain my reasoning in <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">that post</a>.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy29uxl8RBhftbtwOEdTKjILAD9WA4x_Ju9Us0sSKTwV5I8kg4cbxf469t7olkls43aaA6pdFsSTWHvEQeVcuYCnmlRrDv5dEpmhZBU4D83G59DUKOeF1mN0fhkHTMjKD9SmjP9hSPD80t/s1600/how+often+supper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy29uxl8RBhftbtwOEdTKjILAD9WA4x_Ju9Us0sSKTwV5I8kg4cbxf469t7olkls43aaA6pdFsSTWHvEQeVcuYCnmlRrDv5dEpmhZBU4D83G59DUKOeF1mN0fhkHTMjKD9SmjP9hSPD80t/s400/how+often+supper.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Now the reason I highlight this again is because of a graph that I ran across today. I found it on the North American Mission Board's <a href="http://www.namb.net/revitalization/" target="_blank">Church Revitalization Conference</a> page. Along with the graph below they say: </div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"More than 70 percent of the Southern Baptist churches</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"> in North America have plateaued or are declining in number." </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb6_Th6b2uyLY7CWwE0TV-7pNAfr9DAyqE0Y99apQYfmAoUq7g6vJ-QL5agPEUmlhGfAfT_5xmXbBX2VAYUjEWURjtp08Hqer2NKgdJ7D7LFOGQwu9_3P5GoFOgmv60uwROKvWskubH4u/s1600/churchRevital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb6_Th6b2uyLY7CWwE0TV-7pNAfr9DAyqE0Y99apQYfmAoUq7g6vJ-QL5agPEUmlhGfAfT_5xmXbBX2VAYUjEWURjtp08Hqer2NKgdJ7D7LFOGQwu9_3P5GoFOgmv60uwROKvWskubH4u/s400/churchRevital.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So for starters, I'm thrilled that NAMB is focusing on church revitalization and I pray that their endeavors go a long way for the glory of God and the good of the church. But when I saw their graph it struck me as being eerily similar to the Lord's Supper graph above. NAMB has determined that more than 70% of Southern Baptist Churches have plateaued or are declining, and that only around 10-15% of Southern Baptist Churches are "healthy & multiplying".<br />
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First, let me say that I don't necessarily equate Healthy with Multiplying. I may be wrong, but what I think NAMB has in mind here would be more crass sounding than what they labeled their graph. They are saying that 10-15% are living, vigorous churches while the rest are dying. The "At or Near Risk" means "At or Near Death", as in the doors are going to close permanently. Unfortunately there's not more info, but I think we can safely say they've divided it into Living Churches and Dying Churches.<br />
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<b>A Correlation?</b><br />
Now here's where my subjective analysis kicks in. What I see is a correlation between an <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-symptom-of-deeper-problem.html" target="_blank">anemic understanding</a> of the Lord's Supper and a dying church. Let me be clear. I don't think that an anemic understanding of the Lord's Supper is the <i>cause</i> of this, but I think they cannot be disconnected. I'm just calling 'em as I see 'em: <b>80% of your churches are not celebrating the Lord's Supper regularly and 80% of your churches are dying.</b><br />
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To be sure, we don't have all the information. I would like to see a study that linked the two in order to confirm a correlation. Maybe they could ask a follow up question about the Lord's Supper to all the dying churches? But I think the information we have now is plain enough to at least consider the possibility.<br />
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Now again, I don't think that the neglect of the Lord's Supper is the primary cause of this. That's too niche. But it does give me a hunch to what the problem might be. Again it is subjective (and likely offensive) but it's what I see. <b>If your church does not have a sound understanding of the Lord's Supper then, in a real sense, it is likely your church does not have an adequate understanding of worship in general</b>.<br />
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<b>Analysis</b><br />
The Supper is anemic because Worship is anemic. And when Worship is in decline, so too is the Body. My fear is that many of these churches (knowingly or unknowingly) have severed the Head from the body. Like decapitated chickens, they are still running around kicking up dust without realizing their Head is even gone.<br />
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Again, I applaud the efforts of NAMB and I think the aims of church revitalization are noble and should continue. I don't know what they officially think the problem is, but I think the answer lies in renewing a right understanding of worship. Right understanding leads to right practice.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christ builds his Church, not a preacher or a mission organization, so we should align our efforts with him, and that means the Author of our faith is also the Author of our worship. If the neglect of the Supper isn't the cause, it's <i>at least</i> a dead canary in the mine which should not be ignored. It's a warning that there is a problem. To live you need air, and worship is the air of the Church. Right worship is clear and clean and reinvigorating as a mountain breeze. And worship that rightly understands and administers the Lord's Supper offers an air that carries "th<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">e scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the sake of the Church, renew the Table.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-87286950887683718142015-04-17T13:58:00.000-05:002015-04-17T13:58:59.972-05:00The Table<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">PART I <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wood worked<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Metal biting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hammer
singing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dark
the staining<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legs strong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Load
uplifting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Undergirding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Worthy
sentries<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Words etched<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ancient,
holy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Deep
the cutting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Silent
speaking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lives long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Weekly
serving<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Generations<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Friend
to sinners<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meal served<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Blood
and Body<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Poured
out, broken<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Given
for you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eat, Drink<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> For
remembrance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Grace
for faithful<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Kingdom
coming<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">PART II <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wood warped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Big
and bulky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Holding
flowers</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Like a coffin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Face scarred<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Storied
scratches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hidden
beauty<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Now
an eyesore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Words etched<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Like
a prophet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> In
his hometown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Crying,
“Do this!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Days short<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ever
numbered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Weekly
famine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Sinners
starving<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meal served<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Once
a quarter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> If
you’re lucky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Maybe
Easter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eat, Drink<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> ‘cause
we have to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Stripped
of meaning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Judgment
coming</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-48914279483398436082015-01-19T13:23:00.000-06:002015-04-17T13:55:13.164-05:00The Pastor and The Partaker<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Pastor</b></div>
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It’s time once again<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s special (but boring<o:p></o:p></div>
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The young ones ignoring<o:p></o:p></div>
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The old ones are snoring)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before we begin<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is not your
rebirth<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s dirt just
like the earth<o:p></o:p></div>
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Make sure that you
have worth<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rid yourself of sin<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s not that essential<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s
inconsequential<o:p></o:p></div>
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Invoke reverential<o:p></o:p></div>
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Get on with it then<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Partaker<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I went to my confession booth and told the priest inside,<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Before I sup I must be stripped of all my haughty pride.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Then close your eyes, my son,” he said, “and hold them fast and tight<o:p></o:p></div>
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And think upon the sin that swarms within you day and night.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Make sure you plumb the depth of guilt that’s seeped into your soul<o:p></o:p></div>
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And wallow there, and linger long, and you will be made whole.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The guilt, I feel!” I said in pain, “The guilt I need removed!<o:p></o:p></div>
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For I have lingered as you said, but I have not improved”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Then grip the guilt,” the priest replied, “and crush its wicked head.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The triumph over all your guilt gives access to the bread.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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But O! what sorrow struck my heart, I've heard the words before<o:p></o:p></div>
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The logic of the pendulum; the never ceasing war.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just as the waves upon the rocks will crash and then retreat <o:p></o:p></div>
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So Guilt, then Pride, beat down my soul, then Guilt and Pride repeat<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then I was called out from my booth and from the priest within<o:p></o:p></div>
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Called from my introspective time to cleanse myself from sin<o:p></o:p></div>
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And once again I've failed to find a way to still the tide<o:p></o:p></div>
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That crushes me beneath the waves of surging Guilt and Pride<o:p></o:p></div>
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So now once more I count myself among the fools and fake</div>
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Who eat the bread and drink the cup, unworthy to partake.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-3402112270364072962014-10-27T14:00:00.000-05:002014-10-27T14:07:55.344-05:00Renew the Table: Hijacking 'The Fruit of the Vine' <div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></div>
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I've already laid out the <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-foundations-of-unfermented.html" target="_blank">wonky foundations</a> of why wine was
initially removed from worship. I then tried to show why an artificial wine
simply <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-is-grape-juice-good-enough.html" target="_blank">isn't good enough</a> as a symbol for the real blood of Christ. As
convincing as I think these arguments are, I know that, at least for Baptists,
there is one argument that holds more weight than all of this, and it goes like
this: “For the Bible tells me so.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I said a <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-foundations-of-unfermented.html" target="_blank">few posts back</a> that it was the Baptist standards of
Biblical fidelity and an iron stance on immersion baptism that led me to the
conclusion that wine, rather than grape juice, should be served at communion.
Baptists take the bible and baptism seriously. The reason they are labeled
‘Baptist’ is because they wouldn't budge an inch on issues like believer’s
baptism and baptism by immersion. The reason they can hold so tightly to these
doctrines is because they are derived from Scripture. When someone asks why
they believe what they believe about baptism, they can pick up the text and
say, “Look here.” They've endured persecution for holding such beliefs but
because they were tied to the anchor of Scripture and refused to let it go,
they weathered the storm.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so I'm left scratching my head wondering how
Baptists, with their noble history of fighting and dying over their Scriptural
understanding of baptism, have left the Lord’s Supper by the wayside. The
arguments offered for validating water baptism and baptism by immersion are the
very arguments they ignore when it comes to wine in the Lord’s Supper. I say
this because when asked why I believe we should use wine in the Supper I can
pick up the text (just as I can to defend water baptism) and say, “Look here”.
So the case for wine in worship swiftly becomes one a little too close for
comfort for many Bible believing Baptists. And yet they (among others) still
drink grape juice. Why is this the case?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><b>The Fruit of the Vine</b> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-foundations-of-unfermented.html" target="_blank">pointed out</a> that the 1925 version of the Baptist
Message and Faith includes the word ‘wine’ in spite of the practice of using
grape juice. The later versions changed ‘wine’ to ‘the fruit of the vine’. The
phrase ‘fruit of the vine’ is what we find recorded in Scripture, and so it
comes as no surprise that the Baptists would desire to use the phrase. ‘The
fruit of the vine’ or ‘the cup’ are unquestionably biblical phrases, and this
seems to rectify the practice of grape juice with the biblical command. Is not
grape juice derived from the fruit on the vine? Quite so. Problem solved. Let’s
pass another resolution on alcohol. On paper it appears that the crisis has
been averted. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what troubles me is this: that
this change came about, not in an effort to become more biblical, but simply to
ease the Baptist mind. This change from ‘wine’ to ‘fruit of the vine’ has been
enacted not necessarily to follow the biblical command, but rather to give a
certain kind of biblical justification for using grape juice. The phrase ‘fruit
of the vine’ smells more biblical than “Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Communion
Wine”. It’s an artful dodge that any savvy politician would be impressed
with. It avoids the association with the historic cultural influence, it bypasses
the initial accusation that it usurps Christ’s command, and it stamps it all
with what appears to be the approval of the Spirit inspired Word of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But this is hardly how Baptists have approached issues with the other ordinance. Baptists know that the Greek word for baptism includes the idea of submerging
and dipping. We see John the Baptist baptizing in a particular place because
there was much water there. When Jesus was baptized he “came up out of the
water”. The history of the early church
indicates the same understanding and practice. Strengthened with a sound
knowledge of the language, the culture, and history, Baptists believe that the
plain reading of Scripture indicates that immersion is the correct practice.
But the same criteria is avoided or altogether rejected when it comes to
interpreting ‘the fruit of the vine’ or ‘the cup’ as wine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Gospels, the Epistles, the culture during Christ’s days
on earth, the history of the Church; it all points to ‘the fruit of the vine’
being wine. There is no denying the contents of ‘the cup’. To use a substance
different than what Christ commanded is one thing, but to use a substance
different than what Christ commanded <i>and then</i> justifying it by calling it ‘the
fruit of the vine’ is devious, if not outright <a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/3-1.htm" target="_blank">demonic</a>, for it begs the
question, “<i>Did God really say</i> that we should drink wine?” We are playing that wily old tactic of using the
words of Christ and giving them a different meaning. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://culdesacked.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/295-starbucksjesus.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://culdesacked.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/295-starbucksjesus.png" height="182" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Spice Communion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is a question for those churches who wish to maintain
that ‘the fruit of the vine’ biblically justifies their use of grape juice:
What is stopping you or any other church from using kiwi juice? A kiwi is a
fruit that grows on the vine. Using your own biblical definition and usage of
‘the fruit of the vine’, how can you reject kiwi juice being used? In all of
God’s wisdom and humor, He deemed that pumpkins should grow on the vine. Why
not serve pumpkin juice? Why can’t we commune with a Pumpkin Spice Latte? The
moment you begin to use Scripture to tell me why I can’t drink a Pumpkin Spice
Latte at the Lord’s Table is the moment your argument for grape juice falls.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the third or fourth post that has touched on this
issue, so I want to be clear; this isn't about alcohol, it’s about obedience to
the Word of God and who has the final say in our worship. Baptists, for all of
their noble qualities and biblical resolve, have really dropped the ball here.
The fear of man and the traditions of men have robbed the Baptists and other
evangelicals of the fullness of their worship.
Removing wine from the Supper dealt a devastating blow to a worship
practice that was already on the ropes. The first punch of Memorialism removed
Christ’s presence and the Supper was staggering. The second punch, removing the
wine, wasn't aimed at alcohol—it was aimed at Christ’s authority. Like children
who raid the cookie jar when they think Mom isn't watching, they had the gall
(not mixed with wine, mind you) to challenge Christ’s authority because they
believed Christ wasn't there. When Christ is away the men will play. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the Lord’s Supper is battered and bloody, lying in the ditch,
watching Baptists and Evangelicals pass by, probably on their way to an
immersion baptism or to the ballot box to vote for another Ken doll Republican.
The Good Samaritan parable is so applicable here it is (sadly) almost
effortless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Filling the Void </b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://createvisualculture.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/catalyst-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://createvisualculture.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/catalyst-1.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a>I said that Baptist and evangelical worship has been robbed.
Is it any surprise that they are looking to fill the void? If you look back
from, oh, about that time when the Lord’s Supper was kicked to the backseat (or trunk),
and you trace your finger from then to today, you will see a lot of innovations.
I remember a few years back reading an article (many articles actually)
encouraging churches and worship leaders to engage the whole worshipper and not
just their ears. They said that worshippers need to worship with all of their
senses; sound, sight, taste, touch, smell. These articles were all recognizing
that worship was lacking<i> something</i>, but they never put their finger on it.
Stunning visual backdrops for the stage or song slides were suggested. Things
like painting and building blocks (Oh, how I wish I was making this up) would
allow the worshipper to really express their faith. I have a book on my shelf
that recommends hiring a chef to literally cook food in the back of the
sanctuary so that people can smell the good food, and then after the service
the people can then (yes you guess it…now cringe with me) taste and see that
the Lord is good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are the kinds of things we resort to when we
ignore what Christ has commanded us to do. We feel that something is missing.
We are looking for something more. We become mystified and frustrated that
worship is not satisfying our needs, all the while the table sits in the corner
or some back room, gathering dust and old bulletins. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The removal of wine isn't the sole cause of the neglect of
the Table, but it does contribute greatly. This is because the removal of wine
is also the usurping of Christ’s authority. When we say that we are obeying
Christ by drinking grape juice and calling it ‘the fruit of the vine’ we are
really authorizing that which Christ never authorized. The reality is that the
stuff in our thimbles is not what Jesus commanded us to drink, whatever we call
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Word about the 'Difference of Opinion' </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One might argue that the phrase "the fruit of the vine" wasn't inserted to ease the Baptist mind, but rather to enable Baptists of differing opinions on the subject a phrase that might cover both. In other words you have two groups of baptists, fermented and unfermented, using different liquid elements in the Supper, but using the same Baptist approved phrase in order that cooperative unity might be achieved. Aside from the fact that it still seeks to ease the unfermented-baptist mind, I have two observations before we reach the bottom. 1) This re-wording doesn't unite a division, it only covers it. But like a snow covered crevasse on a mountainside, the fact that you don't see it on the surface doesn't mean it isn't there. To ignore it is as dangerous as claiming it doesn't exist. 2) If indeed the wording was changed, not to appease the grape juice crowd, but to allow a difference of opinion on this subject, then we've opened ourselves up to a fun game of "What other commands of Christ do we have the option to obey?" </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Last Dregs</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think I’ll cease pounding this wine barrel. There comes a
point when a rhythm becomes inaudible simply by being a rhythm. That is to say,
there’s only so much I can say about this before it falls on deaf ears. I can’t
promise that it won’t come up again but there are other aspects of the Table
I’m concerned about. Hopefully these last few posts have been edifying. To be
sure, a church that desires to switch from grape juice to wine will certainly
meet opposition and more than a few tough questions. Some opposition will be
wolves to kill and some will be sheep to love and teach. The ramifications will
need to be thought through with wisdom. Things like, “Should children partake
of the wine?” are, for many, going to be a tough row to hoe. My hope is that
Christ would continually be held up for all to see during the entire process
and that love for Him and His people will lead the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-6064661461569828772014-10-20T12:19:00.000-05:002014-10-20T12:31:07.636-05:00Renew The Table: A Hill to Die On?<div class="MsoNormal">
After <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-is-grape-juice-good-enough.html" target="_blank">my last post</a>, some might get the impression that I was
charging the down the aisle of the sanctuary full speed atop a donkey like
Bacchus, with a grapes in one hand and a sloshing glass in the other saying,
“Drink Ye Wine Or Nothing At All!” And in a sense, sure I’ll take that. As the
old song goes, I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause. As far as the gospel
goes, I’ll accept no substitute, and insofar as I can tell, grape juice is a
substitute symbol for the blood of Christ, and the blood of Christ is the life
of the gospel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But is it a hill to die on? Is it a line in the sand? Well,
yes and no.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><b>A Hill to Die On</b></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vid.alarabiya.net/images/2013/10/28/fbfea4e9-51ad-40d4-b499-e1e4e29d6652/fbfea4e9-51ad-40d4-b499-e1e4e29d6652_16x9_600x338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://vid.alarabiya.net/images/2013/10/28/fbfea4e9-51ad-40d4-b499-e1e4e29d6652/fbfea4e9-51ad-40d4-b499-e1e4e29d6652_16x9_600x338.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo via Al Arabiya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last October four Iranian Christians <a href="http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=1595" target="_blank">were sentenced to 80 lashes each</a>
for drinking wine in communion. Iran carried out the sentence for two of those four men, whipping them <a href="http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=1600" target="_blank">"with extreme violence"</a>. An Executive for Christian Solidarity Worldwide
said, “The sentences handed down to these members of the Church of Iran
effectively criminalise the Christian sacrament of sharing in the Lord's Supper and constitute an unacceptable infringement on the right to practice faith freely and peaceably.” This leads me to ask all sorts of uncomfortable questions. Such as: Who among us in the US would be charged for this crime? Who among us would <i>willingly</i> put ourselves into a position to be charged for this
crime? Who among us would go so far as to risk 80 lashes just for drinking wine
in communion? How soon would we switch to grape juice? Or if we are already
drinking grape juice, how much more would something like this deter us from
using wine? Would your observance of the Lord’s Supper be a criminal offense in
Iran?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Look how this goes against our American evangelical
sensitivities. These men carried out their Lord’s command in a place that makes
the <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-foundations-of-unfermented.html" target="_blank">Temperance Movement</a> look like a dog and pony show. How many American
churches would have used grape juice over wine in an effort to be relevant to
their Muslim neighbors? Or how many would simply just use grape juice for fear
of persecution? To many American evangelicals, this persecution looks highly
avoidable. These men chose to fear God over man and so they drank wine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So on one hand, this really is a hill to die on because the
gospel is a hill to die on. If the option is between rejecting the Word of God
for the laws and scruples of men or embracing the Word of God for 80 lashes
and/or scornful looks from blue haired ladies and their nice sons, then give me
the latter. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Enchanted</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand, it’s not a hill to die on. Not yet. This
too is gospel. Love covers a multitude of sins, even sins that have tinkered (knowingly
or unknowingly) with Christ-ordained worship. For this to become a hill to die
on, one must first ascend to the top of the hill, and this is a gradual process.
Right now the King of the Hill is everything we've been talking about;
<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">Memorialism</a>, <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-pause-and-pragmatic-filter.html" target="_blank">Pragmatism</a>, <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">Infrequency</a>, <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-is-grape-juice-good-enough.html" target="_blank">Grape Juice</a>, etc. Most folks are just
going with the flow. That’s not okay, but in some sense, it’s not their fault. The
Church is not our enemy. The vast majority of our brothers and sisters are
under an enchantment. A waking up needs to occur. Like Narnia the Lord’s Supper
in the American evangelical church is in a state of Always Winter. Before the
snows can melt, before the people can be un-stoned, before the rebels can go
public, we need Aslan to be on the move.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://content8.flixster.com/question/50/96/96/5096962_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://content8.flixster.com/question/50/96/96/5096962_std.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>In spite of my wine-boasting, I have not once imbibed wine
during communion. I would not yet be charged with an Iranian crime. I've never
attended a worship service where it was offered to me. Nor have I partaken on a
weekly basis. I desire greatly to do so. Like the whole of creation I am
waiting with eager longing. But I can see the situation for what it is. The landscape
is barren. Were I to align myself only with those who drink wine in communion,
I would likely find that to be nearly the only thing we agree on. It’s a weird
and lonely world for a vino-baptist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps a day will come when God chooses to breathe new life
into the evangelical understanding of the Supper and this will become a bigger
issue. That’s likely when the line will be drawn. And to be honest, I don’t
think wine, in and of itself, will be the line of demarcation. The real issue
is a fuller and more complete understanding and practice of the Lord’s Supper,
of which wine is only a small part. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right now, at least for me, it’s a time for love with
longsuffering and a bit of underground disruption. Like Mr Beaver I’m on the
lookout for signs and allies that signify Aslan’s arrival. I’m in no position
of authority to bring about a change. I’m just someone on the internet who
desires to see Christ magnified to the fullest extent at the Table. If you’re
on board with me and have a desire to renew the table I want to ask you to do
the same. Let’s love and teach and love and get punched in the mouth and love
and teach and love. Let’s fellowship with our brothers and sisters, bearing
with one another, eating crackers and drinking grape juice because we desire to
be one, and yet let’s not remain satisfied while the Supper remains incomplete.
John Newton shares some wisdom, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“I have
been thirty years forming my own views; and, in the course of this time, some
of my hills have sunk, and some of my valleys have risen: but, how unreasonable
within me to expect all this should take place in another person; and that, in
the course of a year or two.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s look for change, but not change overnight. The
enchantment needs to be broken. When that happens, when enough people are awake
to the reality of the situation, that’s when, for the sake of truth and the
gospel, the lines begin to be drawn. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><b>The Enchanters</b></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the same time, let’s not back down from legalists and
their brood. There are those who are enchanted, but there are also those wily
sorcerers who enchant. Jesus and the Apostles warn us all over the place about
slinkers and stinkers who make their way into the church. Paul tells Timothy
that the Spirit warns us about “<span style="background: #FFF4EC; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">men who…advocate abstaining
from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who
believe and know the truth.” Jesus was patient with those who were held captive
by the tradition of men, but held back no punches for those who sought to chain
them. We see this encounter with the Pharisees in Matthew 7, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="woc"><i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“'This people honors me with their lips, </span></i></span><span class="indent"><i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">but their heart is
far from me;</span></i></span><i>in vain do they worship me</i><span class="woc"><i>You leave the commandment of God and hold to
the tradition of men.” </i></span><i>And he
said to them,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woc">“You
have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your
tradition!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woc">For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever
reviles father or mother must surely die.’</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woc">But you say, ‘If a man
tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is
Corban”’ (that is, given to God)—</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woc">then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or
mother,</span><span class="reftext"><b> </b></span><span class="woc">thus making
void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such
things you do.”</span><span style="background: #FFF4EC;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So there are the Enchanted and the Enchanters. From what I
can see, the American evangelical church is chock full of the Enchanted. And
for this reason, I refuse to break fellowship with them. With them, I will draw
no line. I pray that God reveals His truth among His people and His Table is
renewed in a powerful way among the church in America. But I also pray that God
steels me to do battle with the Enchanters, those wolves that seek to enslave
and feed on the flock, who make the word of God void for the sake of their
tradition. They are fewer in number but they crop up like weeds even in the most well tended gardens. God’s word is a sword and thus far, Memorialism and Pragmatism,
offer only feign defense. They are easily cut. But as long as they are still
infused with the power of the Spirit of the Age (and they are), then they, like
the White Witch, remain a formidable obstacle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130903104552/narnia/images/6/66/Fox3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130903104552/narnia/images/6/66/Fox3.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Fox and his fellow vino-baptists, pre-stoning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course all of this requires discernment, which is why I
felt I needed to write this piece in the first place. My goal in this series
has simply been to call for the renewal of the Lord’s Supper and the best way I
know to do that is to just speak the truth. I understand that I’m in the
minority. In this epoch of time I am currently on the losing side. So I can see
how some posts might give the impression that the majority is the enemy. That’s
not the case and I hope I have shown why. But thankfully, God wants His worship more pure and
to a greater degree than we do. Ultimately He will bring about a change in His
own time and His own way. Is this a hill to die on? I think the answer must be: yes and not yet. We just need to be faithful. Faithful to love and
faithful to fight. Sometimes at the same time.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-32865264539856055552014-10-17T14:01:00.000-05:002014-10-17T14:20:21.618-05:00Renew The Table: Is Grape Juice Good Enough?<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We've <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">already established</a> that those who ascribe to
Memorialism (knowingly or unknowingly) believe that the only thing that matters
regarding the Lord’s Supper is that they obey the command “Do this”. It doesn't
really matter how they do it, or how often they do it, just so long as their
practice is good enough to meet the bottom line. In an earlier post I said that
it was this logic that has allowed such brilliant ideas like substituting the
Bread and Wine with Coke and Cookies or Pizza and Pop. I believe it is safe to
say that most Grape Juice Memorialists think that Cookies and Coke are going a
bit too far. But I have to ask, on what grounds can a Grape Juice Memorialist reject
Cookies and Coke as acceptable elements for the Lord’s Supper? As appalling as
it sounds, they cannot, with clear conscience and sound reason, appeal to
Scripture, because Scripture calls for wine. The only way they can justify
grape juice over Coke is because it has been determined that grape juice does a
better job than Coke in helping us remember. Grape juice does a better job than
Coke for a Memorialist/Pragmatist because it is good enough to meet the bottom
line. It gets the job done. Grape juice, by all accounts, has been declared
‘good enough’.</div>
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<a href="http://d1lwft0f0qzya1.cloudfront.net/dims4/COKE/d839f38/2147483647/thumbnail/596x334/quality/75/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.coca-colacompany.com%2F2b%2F5f%2F35488090420594145fba22a4a8df%2Fcoca-cola-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d1lwft0f0qzya1.cloudfront.net/dims4/COKE/d839f38/2147483647/thumbnail/596x334/quality/75/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.coca-colacompany.com%2F2b%2F5f%2F35488090420594145fba22a4a8df%2Fcoca-cola-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is a quick reaction one might have with the ‘good
enough’ argument. If grape juice is better than Coke, isn't wine better than
grape juice? To those who have no abstinence scruples, I’m sure the answer
would be, “Of course it is better,” but their pragmatic Memorialism tells them
that it just isn't necessary. We don’t need wine, therefore we don’t use wine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So the next question we need to address is this: Is the
bottom line actually good enough? For starters, yes, the bottom line is good
enough. It’s just that the bottom line isn't where Memorialists have placed it.
Someone else has set the line and standard that we are obligated to meet. Memorialists
have not let Christ have the final say, and because of this they allowed the <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-foundations-of-unfermented.html" target="_blank">Spirit of the Temperance Age</a> to determine the standard, the bottom line. So the
question we ought to care more about is <i>who</i>
has set the standard. And added to that, is that standard really necessary? For
our purposes specifically; is grape juice good enough to meet the standard? Is
wine really necessary? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The Standard</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Bread and wine are the Symbols of Christ’s broken body and
poured out blood. In the Supper, in our eating and drinking in faith, we
participate in the Reality that they symbolize. “The cup of blessing that we
bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we
break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Because our eating and drinking is a participating in the
Reality of that which is symbolized, this <o:p></o:p></div>
ought to lead us to look, not only
to the symbols themselves, but at Who it was that did the symbolizing. Christ Himself
gave us the symbols. He took bread and told us to eat it. He took wine and told
us to drink it. These are the symbols that Christ has commanded to be the means
by which we participate in the Reality of that which is symbolized. When we
diminish the symbol that Christ commanded us to use, we diminish that which it
symbolizes. When we neglect the symbol, we neglect what is symbolized.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_pC8-pYegAVP97Jp4U_gYlUQi-CfEI5CN38UWsxkUEUCJtAeeXO0tzyapygz3JaQboY_L26ZEDm6ZL8OSqqUIh9lmI-uOMdA2t4ccE1L-6P6CYfWdhPdieho-EBhMqlHXGyMK4max5Qf/s1600/communion+cartoon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_pC8-pYegAVP97Jp4U_gYlUQi-CfEI5CN38UWsxkUEUCJtAeeXO0tzyapygz3JaQboY_L26ZEDm6ZL8OSqqUIh9lmI-uOMdA2t4ccE1L-6P6CYfWdhPdieho-EBhMqlHXGyMK4max5Qf/s1600/communion+cartoon2.jpg" /></a>Gordon T. Smith says, “When we use bread it should look,
taste, and feel like bread. The reason, in part, is that the incarnation was
real, not an artificial humanity.” Christ commands bread to symbolize His
broken body. To serve anything less than real bread, not only disobeys the Lord’s
command, but causes a rift between the symbol and that which is symbolized. In
the same way, when we use wine it should look, taste, and feel
like wine. The reasoning is the same; Christ’s blood was real blood and not
artificial blood. What is grape juice but artificial wine? In light of this, to
say that grape juice is ‘good enough’ is to say that we desire the <i>form</i> of Christ’s blood but not the <i>fullness</i> thereof. It's like a Hollywood Old West movie set. It looks like the real thing, but when you step through the double doors into the saloon you find yourself on the backside of a propped up wall.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If we do not desire to participate fully in the symbol, then
why should it be said of us that we desire to fully participate in the Reality
that it symbolizes? Essentially the ultimate desire for grape juice as an
element in the Supper indicates that we do not wish to participate in the
fullness of the blood of Christ. I’ll make clear straight away that I don’t
believe anyone consciously would say such a thing. I believe (and hope!) all
Christians desire to participate fully in the blood of Christ. But
functionally, when we serve something less than what Christ commanded, when we
serve artificial wine, we <i>functionally</i>
proclaim an artificial death. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If Christ gave us real bread and real wine to symbolize the
reality of his broken body and poured out blood, why would we desire to turn to
fake bread or fake wine? What does fake wine functionally symbolize? What do we
proclaim with a counterfeit symbol? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b>Going Deeper</b></o:p></div>
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Knowing all of this, there is a deeper layer to the question: <i>What is preventing us from using wine
instead of grape juice?</i> The answers are abundant: because we've always used
grape juice; we wouldn't want to offend a weaker brother; our denomination
requires us to do so; alcoholism is a real problem in America and we wouldn't
want to put a stumbling block in anyone’s way, etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But when we apply that deeper layer, we see the question in
reality is this: <i>What is preventing us
from participating fully in the blood of Christ?</i> Asking the question in
this way immediately shines a light on our motives. We feel safer with the
previous question. This one reveals that many things we thought were
justifiable answers are now only excuses. If we were initially concerned that
wine in the Supper would cause our brother to stumble, what are we now saying
about Christ who commands wine and who cares more for our brother than we do?
Who are we seeking to avoid offending; our brother or Christ? If the answer is
both, you are correct, but we don’t accomplish it by negating Christ’s
commands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you see how this becomes more than just alcohol? Do you
see how this transcends our arguments about Christian liberty? Christ has given
us liberty to abstain or partake in everything but the Supper. He commands us to partake in faith at His Table. Christians are
slaves to Christ. When we change His commanded symbol to please our scruples we
are are not exercising our Christian liberty, we are in a state of rebellion against our Master. Christ is the Author and Perfecter
of our faith. When we chose to revise (or ignore) Christ-ordained worship we have set ourselves
up to be the Editors and Faultfinders of our faith. We are declaring that the
Author made a mistake; the Perfecter is Imperfect. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Supper is a picture of the Gospel. Who are we to tell
the Master Artist that He should have painted it another way? We are like
progressive art critics all standing around admiring the beautiful work, arms
folded, chins stroked and we muse amongst ourselves, “Yes it is quite splendid,
but—and please don’t get me wrong now—this part here, yes, the part with the blood,
it is a bit over the top is it not? I mean, for its time it must have been
quite effective and served its purpose nicely, but for my taste it’s a bit too,
oh, harsh and jarring. Have you seen the rendition at NorthPointeBrook? No? Oh,
it’s simply fantastic. It doesn't quite capture the charming rustic quality of
the original, but you might say that they've smoothed the edges and toned the
color down <i>just</i> enough. It’s subtle,
but it makes all the difference in the world. Much more palatable for modern
eyes.”</div>
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When we tinker with the symbols, we tinker with the picture
of the gospel God has given to our senses in worship. When we purposefully
lessen the symbol, not only does that lessen what is symbolized, but we lessen
the picture of the gospel we proclaim; A picture of the gospel that is given
for our good, for our benefit, for our joy, and for the glory of God and the
proclamation of the gospel. These are not light matters. J.<span style="font-family: inherit;">C. Ryle said, <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823;">“Nothing can possibly be of small importance
which the Lord Jesus Christ ordained and appointed. Our Lord most distinctly
commanded His disciples to ‘eat bread’ and ‘drink wine’ in remembrance of Him.
What right has any Christian to disobey this commandment?" </span>To say that grape
juice is ‘good enough’ is to settle for a picture of the gospel that is
incomplete (not false, mind you, but incomp</span>lete). To say that wine is unnecessary is to diminish the fullness of that
which wine symbolizes; the blood of Christ.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-6575511835266758732014-10-16T11:02:00.001-05:002014-10-16T11:02:47.839-05:00Renew the Table: Foundations of Unfermented Worship<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></div>
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Ironically, I think more than anything else, it has been my
Baptist background that has fueled and supported my belief that we should be
using wine in communion. Baptists mostly (and at least on paper) take the Bible
seriously. And because of this they take that which is found in the Bible
seriously. The reason that there is a group called “Baptist” in the first place
is because they seek to emulate and live out what the Bible teaches. The most
obvious and distinguishing mark of a Baptist is their mode of baptism, this
being the full water immersion of confessing believers. Oddly enough, this one
belief has been strong enough and distinguishing enough that two (or twenty!)
churches can virtually disagree on nearly everything from methodology to
theology, and yet if they only agree on this one thing, they will identify
themselves as “Baptist”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, these two Baptist standards—Biblical fidelity and an
iron grip on the mode of baptism—were the two lights that led me to that sweet
(or dry) gift that God was pleased to give to man: wine. I said it was ironic
because (if you've been living under a rock) Baptists are like, woah, hey, no
alcohol! They've been making resolutions and creating church member covenants
prohibiting the consumption or sale of alcoholic beverages for the last 180
years or so! It might not be too far off the mark to say that a third
distinguishing mark of a Baptist is the requirement of abstaining from wine
(and other potentially intoxicating beverages).<o:p></o:p></div>
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To begin with, I think it would be helpful to at least take
a look at the historical reasons why most evangelicals use grape juice instead
of wine. These historical reasons are all intertwined with the theological and philosophical
views that we have already been discussing. Frankly, we could spend a great
amount of time exploring this. We could get pretty deep into the history, the
Spirit of the Age, the philosophy, the science, the hermeneutics, and on and
on, but I really want to stay on topic. My hope is that this summary will
suffice to give a picture of what has happened. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>A Brief History<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As we’ve seen in this series, Memorialism has removed the
presence of Christ from the Supper, and when Christ is absent from the table,
another seeks to fill his place. To sit in the seat of Christ is to sit in a
seat of authority (usurped). I also showed how Memorialism not only leaves the
door open for Pragmatism, but encourages Pragmatism to have a say. So it’s not
too hard to see how the stage was set for outside influences to impact not only
the Church’s historical position on drinking, but specifically the Lord’s
Supper.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.griswoldinn.com/p/bottom=desc&tsize=264/images/art_work/temperance_banner_poison__cleaned_up__frameless__copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.griswoldinn.com/p/bottom=desc&tsize=264/images/art_work/temperance_banner_poison__cleaned_up__frameless__copy.jpg" /></a></div>
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In the early to mid-1800’s The Second Great Awakening and
the Temperance Movement along with it dealt a heavy blow to the Church’s
traditional understanding of wine and alcoholic beverages, and specifically for
our purposes, the Lord’s Supper. As Memorialism tossed the baby out with the
bathwater seeking to correct an error in the Lord’s Supper, Revivalism and the
Temperance Movement tossed the baby out with the beer as it sought to correct
drunkenness. There is nothing wrong about preaching against drunkenness, but
there is much wrong when that preaching denies or goes beyond what Scripture
reveals. The problem (as it always is) was the allure of success that feeds
pragmatism. The revival preaching during this time leaned heavily on pragmatic
methods to produce converts. Taverns and saloons were being closed whenever the
revival swept into town, and this became one of the many indicators of success.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the wake of the Second Great Awakening and the drive
towards national Prohibition in the United States, pastors and theologians were
producing books and sermons that sought to reinterpret the Scriptures to fit
the prevailing belief, that the Bible prohibits the consumption of alcohol in
any way. All of a sudden wine in the Bible, at least when found on the lips of
holy men, was no longer wine, it was unfermented wine. Apparently, no one, for
1900 years had really understood the Hebrew and Greek words which we translate
as wine or strong drink. These writings famously influenced Thomas Bramwell
Welch, a Methodist, to develop a method to stop grape juice from fermenting, allowing
unfermented grape juice to be distributed on a larger scale. Now it was easier
than ever before for a congregation with abstinence scruples to go alcohol
free. </div>
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<a href="http://www.welchs.com/images/default-source/timeline/1869_expanded.jpg?sfvrsn=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.welchs.com/images/default-source/timeline/1869_expanded.jpg?sfvrsn=2" height="152" width="400" /></a></div>
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Whether the Temperance Movement was born out of the Second
Great Awakening, or whether they both were born out of the progressive,
pragmatic, Spirit of the Age, it’s hard to say. The one thing that we know for
sure, and the thing that concerns us now, is that the Church pre-19<sup>th</sup>
century drank wine in communion while the Evangelical Church post-19<sup>th</sup>
century drank grape juice. Where Memorialism or Pragmatism prevailed, there was
no resistance to the removal of wine and the innovation of unfermented grape
juice for the Supper. Where Memorialism prevailed, the removal of wine was
embraced.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grape juice became the staple for evangelicals like the
Methodists and the Baptists. The Methodists straight up wrote that unfermented
wine was a requirement. In 1916 the Methodists mandated:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>…let none but the pure
juice of the grape be used in administering the Lord's Supper.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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They were more honest than their Baptist brethren. In 1925,
almost smack dab in the middle of Prohibition we find this in the Baptist Faith
and Message: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>…and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the
church, by the use of bread and wine...<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Whether the framers of this
confession couldn't bring themselves to part with the Scriptural and historical
church practice, or because it was simply an oversight, I don’t know. What we
do know however is that, in spite of the confession, most (if not all) Baptists
were drinking grape juice. If it was an oversight, the updated 1963 and 2000
versions caught it. They removed the word wine and replaced it with the phrase <i>fruit of the vine</i>. A biblical phrase, to
be sure, but a notable change nonetheless. But lest one think that Southern Baptists
are friendly to those who use real wine, rest assured; a little Google-Fu
revealed that the Southern Baptists have passed over 60 anti-alcohol
resolutions in the past 120 years. But this actually highlights the Baptists’
biblical fidelity. They reject alcohol, but couldn't bring themselves to go as
far as changing the words found in Scripture, regardless of how they have been
interpreted. Noble, but still flawed (as we shall see).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>A Bad Foundation<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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But now that our history lesson is
over, I hope we can clearly see what led the Baptists and other evangelicals to
abandon wine in the Supper; Memorialism, Pragmatism, Popular Opinion, Revisionism.
We need to look this ugly foundation square in the face. All of these factors—look
at them for what they are: denying Christ’s presence, denying Christ’s command,
usurping Christ’s authority, reinterpreting Christ’s words—have been the fundamental
reasons for removing wine from worship. I’m just asking that we take an honest
look at it. These are the fundamental reasons wine was removed from worship. This
is important to remember because only <i>after</i>
the wine was removed did anyone begin to appeal to Scripture (at least the
parts that weren't reinterpreted) to keep it out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you have a problem with how all
this has come to be? I do. And I question how others, knowing this to be the
case, don’t have a problem with it. Wine can be dangerous, but the historic foundations
for removing wine from worship are even more dangerous. Nadab and Abihu were <i>killed</i> <i>by God</i> for less! They brought strange fire once; we bring strange
wine over and over and over again. (I can’t help but wonder if this might, in
some deep way, contribute to infrequent communion.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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So the damage is done. Consciences
have been seared. Generations upon generations have swallowed this strange
wine. It runs deep like a trench in our national and spiritual history. So it
leads one to think; Is it even worth the trouble to try to re-institute it? Is
it worth dropping this bomb that has the potential to break up the unity of a
church? Shouldn't we just steer clear of such a volatile subject that doesn't
really matter in the grand scheme of things?<o:p></o:p></div>
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First, the simple fact that it is
volatile at all should at least be enough to reveal that it does matter in the
grand scheme of things on <i>some</i> scale,
no? In regards to whether or not it is worth the trouble, I think we should at
least weigh whether or not obeying a direct command of Christ is worth the
trouble. And in regards to Church unity, before we dip deeper into that,
shouldn't we at least be aware that the onus of division actually rests on
those who have steered away from the Christ-given command? Can the majority in
the wrong blame the minority in the right for dissolving unity? This isn't an
evasion of questions; it is framing the questions in the right way. In some
ways, wine really isn't a big deal. There’s not a ton of historical ink spilled
about the necessity of wine because no one was in disagreement. The early
Church didn't write much about the Trinity until someone tried to mess with it.
The Reformers emphasized Faith Alone because it was being rejected. Truth has a
funny way of slipping into the background unnoticed when all is well. Only when
it is rejected does it make a scene. So in this way, wine is a big deal, not
because it’ll get you drunk, but because Christ has had a say in it. My aim in upcoming posts is to try to provide reasons why we ought to return to using wine in the Supper.</div>
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<b>Last Call </b></div>
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For many I realize there are a few roadblocks to overcome before
they can accept what I’m saying. For many, alcohol in any amount is sinful. They've been fed this since they were children (and since their grandparents were children) and have the Scriptures to prove it, and
even have the “true” Greek interpretations and translations. I know because I've
been there. I used to hold those beliefs in an elementary way. I've been to
Baptist Bible College and have the teacher’s notes “proving” that Jesus never
touched the stuff. I don’t want to turn this into an alcohol debate, but I don’t
want anyone to think I’m just writing them off either. I just want to say I've
been there and I've studied and wrestled with this on both sides. </div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.oakdown.com/images/godgave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.oakdown.com/images/godgave.jpg" /></a>Instead of a lengthy diversion, I’ll simply just offer a
resource. It is a fantastic book called <a href="http://www.oakdown.com/books/godgave.shtml" target="_blank">God Gave Wine</a> by Kenneth L. Gentry that, in my
opinion, simply shuts the door on what Scripture has to say about wine and
alcoholic drink. It tackles the real (and weird) arguments offered by those who
hold a total abstinence position and uses Scripture to answer and reveal that
wine really is a good gift given to us by a good God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the end of the day, I don't want to convince anyone that the position I hold is the right one (myself included). What I want is for us to take what Christ said seriously, even if that challenges or overthrows those things we once believed to be solid. If I convince you with a crafty argument, despite your misgivings, then you are still bound. But if the Son sets us free then we are free indeed. Pray with me that He will shake our beliefs about things both small and great, about wine, about the Supper, until nothing but truth is left.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-50837573173197603502014-10-13T10:35:00.000-05:002014-10-13T10:35:24.809-05:00Spina Bifida and the Foretaste of Eternal Glory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier this year I read through the Bible as fast as I could. It was a
sprint from Genesis to Revelation. Whenever I’d bump up against something that
beckoned me to linger I would jot it down and push on. There were lots of
interesting things that came about from this kind of reading, but something
that caught me off guard, specifically during my jaunt through Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, was that I found myself reacting in frustration and anger. We
all know that the Gospels are full of accounts where Jesus is healing the sick
and the blind and the lame, but reading in this accelerated way allowed me to
see that Jesus was healing people <i>a lot</i>.
I mean, he was healing people like a dirty politician wants you to vote, early
and often. He was healing so many people that the gospel writers simply
couldn’t fit them all into their text. John said that it would take more books
than the world could contain just to write down all the miraculous things Jesus
did.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like I said, this isn’t new information. I always have known and
believed that Jesus healed the lame and sick, but having my perspective
readjusted in this sprint of a read, the healing touch of Christ just simply
overwhelmed me. And I found my soul, almost without intention, groaning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My third child, Arwen, was born with a type of spina bifida called
myelomenigocele. There’s a lot of medical jargon that goes along with that, but
essentially this means that my daughter’s spine never fully closed in the womb
and because of this her spinal cord protruded from her back. This leads to the
spinal cord being damaged which causes things like paralysis, lack of
sensation, loss of bladder and bowel control. All of these things and more
affect my daughter. You can read more about myelomenigocele: <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001558.htm" target="_blank">here</a>. And for a more detailed look at my daughter’s condition, I will point you to my
wife’s excellent blog: <a href="http://tinktut-kids.blogspot.com/2014/10/spina-bifida-through-eyes-of-our.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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October is spina bifida awareness month, but my daughter and my family
are aware of spina bifida every day. It’s not too far off the mark to say we’re
aware of it at minimum every hour. We have had to rewire the way we think and
the way we live. Everything goes through the spina bifida filter. A fever isn’t
just a fever, it’s an ER visit. A slight bump on her head or back nearly send
me into cardiac arrest. I praise God she can walk even though she can’t move
her feet or calf muscles. And as she grows those legs are looking thinner. I’m
aware of it every time I see her run to catch up to her siblings. Will she be
able to keep walking when she grows up? My heart is thumping with dread even as
I write. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So I’m reading about Jesus and his healing and my heart is groaning for
my daughter. <i>God, you have the power to
heal. Just heal her. Christ, heal her. </i>If I could but take everything she
suffers with and place it upon me I’d do it in half a heartbeat. I can relate
to the parents I read about, bringing their sick kids to Jesus, or travelling
from afar just to see if this miracle worker can do what no one else has been
able to do. Their concern is my concern, their anguish is my anguish, and their
pleas for mercy echo mine. We want the same thing, for our child to be made
whole. But the difference is that they got what they asked for and I’m still
groaning. <i>Mercy. Please heal her like you
healed those people.</i> <i>Why won’t you
heal her?</i> My pleas for healing were met with silence against the backdrop
of the miraculous. So yeah, there was frustration and anger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All of a sudden I can see now why folks get duped by those Charismatic
phony-baloney TV healer types. Desperation. It is the action of doing whatever
it takes to give a child relief. Which makes folks like Benny Hinn and his ilk
even more evil than I first thought. Sucking the souls and pocketbooks of those
who just want relief and blaming those who aren’t healed on their lack of
faith. Sick. Faith healers? More like faith stealers. But even armed with that
knowledge I’m still tempted.<i> I have real
faith, why isn’t my daughter healed?</i> Who needs a TV preacher? I’m duping
myself over here. I’m tempted further, <i>But
you healed those people! Why can’t you heal her!? </i>and as soon as the words
die on my lips I hear them again in the mouths of the scoffers, “He saved
others but he can’t save himself!” Well that’s a jolly crew I’ve latched myself
to; Benny Hinn and the Mockers of the dying Christ. <i>Oh help my unbelief!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Praise God for sound theology. By His grace I remember that God is
sovereign. That anchor. That unshakeable tree that has taken root in my very
being. Without it, who’s to say my frustration and anger and desperation
wouldn’t keep me subjected to the kooks? Undergirded by the understanding that
God is sovereign, reminded that this world is under a curse and that God has
sent Christ to break it, I see my frustration start to crumble and like a smack
to the face it hits me that this Sovereign God is aware. God is aware of spina
bifida. He’s aware of my daughter. He’s aware of my wife’s stress and
heartache. He is aware of my plea. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A word rollicks through my brain. <i>Foretaste</i>.
An image of that old sailor-turned-preacher John Newton flashes and I recall
that he said a Christian “lives upon the foretastes of eternal glory”. Now
that’s a thought to dwell upon. <i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I look to the Gospels again, on all of those overwhelming accounts of
Jesus healing and realize that these accounts are a foretaste. Jesus’ coming to
earth was a foretaste of eternal glory. <i>Eternal
glory</i>. Where the lion and lamb lay down together. Where the children play
near vipers as harmless as puppies. Where deaf ears and blind eyes are opened
and mute tongues sing. Where the lame will leap like the deer. Jesus’ healing
was a sneak peek. The appetizer course. An overlapping of heaven on earth. His
healing was the overflow, the bubble and froth of the Kingdom of God spilling
everywhere Jesus stepped. Suddenly that which overwhelmed me became vastly underwhelming.
Like the exploding spillover of a champagne bottle this healing lasted only for
a few moments, revealing to us that there is more to come. This miraculous
healing explosion was a glimpse, a foretaste of what is yet to come. On this
thought my anger and frustration fell away and my soul found some relief. <i>Hope</i>. That’s what it was. Hope.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hope, because one day there will be no more tears. No more pain. No
more suffering. No more stress. No more damned spina bifida. Hospital visits
and doctor’s stupid opinions and surgeries and finances are going to be
removed. Hope, because one day my daughter will experience the touch of the One
who makes all things new. She’s going to run laps around her siblings. She’s gonna
leap like a deer. And what a sight that will be. How much sweeter will heaven
make of all that is bitter on the earth? Our groaning and suffering and sorrow
today will be the foundations on which is built a greater joy. Is this not but
a reflection of the cross of Christ? Jesus, God Incarnate, the Only Innocent,
suffered the greatest injustice, underwent the greatest suffering, wracked with
the greatest sorrow, died upon the cross, being mocked at by the scum of the
earth, enduring the wrath of his Father for the scum of the earth; did this for
the joy that was set before him. The greatest suffering became the greatest
joy. For him and for us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m encouraged and strengthened by this hope. To be sure, sorrow is
still there. But knowing what is in store it is a sorrow mingled with joy. My
daughter still has spina bifida. I still hate it and don’t want her to have it.
I still would take it away given the chance. But there is hope. I’m glad there
are things like Spina Bifida Awareness Month.
One of the best reasons to be aware of spina bifida, or any other
disability, is knowing that one day there will be no need to be aware. Or even
better our awareness of spina bifida or any other suffering will serve to
augment our joy and the glory of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>For the creation waits with eager
longing for the revealing of the sons of God.</span></i><b style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i></b><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of him who subjected it, in hope</span></i><b style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i></b><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to
corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>For we know that the whole creation
has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>And not only the creation, but we
ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>For in this hope we were saved. Now
hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?</span></i><b style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i></b><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But if we hope for
what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.</span></i><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;"> –St. Paul in his letter to the Romans</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ6_K4VsPvYhY9XMRreyC10VazAesTlclL5agdOsTZl-d-LoHwLhBkf38Xameyo-OSOA7nPMZv5kBmoZelnY9d1QA1SHKBHbXqc2PdrmrWyiwYBshc85y62T-JCbWj5y9HYmFsT2B40CU/s1600/arwen+smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ6_K4VsPvYhY9XMRreyC10VazAesTlclL5agdOsTZl-d-LoHwLhBkf38Xameyo-OSOA7nPMZv5kBmoZelnY9d1QA1SHKBHbXqc2PdrmrWyiwYBshc85y62T-JCbWj5y9HYmFsT2B40CU/s1600/arwen+smile.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-60522216286433961192014-10-10T14:57:00.002-05:002014-10-10T14:58:25.861-05:00Renew the Table: A Pause and the Pragmatic Filter<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></div>
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Before we continue I would like to pause for a brief second
and look back along the path we've been marching. This will allow those of you
who are just joining to catch up, and those who've been along the whole time a
reminder of context. It will also allow me to properly set up the next
installment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Over the last few posts I think it is fair to say that I have
sought to somewhat decimate the Memorialist view of the Lord’s Supper. My
investigation began with observing the (quite stunning) infrequent practice of
the Lord’s Supper among evangelicals and <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">Southern Baptists in particular</a>. I
went on to investigate the <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">root cause of a Memorialist view</a> (the absence of
Christ in the partaking) and the bad fruits it produces (i.e. infrequent
observance). I then put forward my case that <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-christ-is-present-in-supper.html" target="_blank">Scripture reveals</a> that Christ is
in fact present in the Supper and <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/10/renew-table-does-frequent-observance.html" target="_blank">most recently finished up</a> by exposing an
often used, but quite flawed, argument for infrequent partaking that sidesteps
the issue of whether Christ is present or not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let’s not kid ourselves. Even though we dipped into the
theological perspective of Memorialism, what we are really dealing with is Functional
Memorialism. Regardless of whether you adhere to it or not, you don’t have to
fully embrace the theological viewpoint of a Memorialist to functionally act
like one. A church might confess the presence of Christ in the Supper on
yellowed paper but functionally reject the presence of Christ every quarter.
This is because Memorialism offers no resistance to Pragmatism. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In an <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">earlier post</a> I said “the major fruit by which Memorialism
devalues the Supper is that Memorialism produces an “it doesn't matter as long
as we meet the bottom line” mindset. Christ commanded we do this in remembrance
of Him. So long as we do it, that’s all that really matters. The stripped down
mentality of Memorialism encourages the least amount of effort. The Lord’s
Supper doesn't become a valuable part of worship so much as a box to be checked
off. In this way, Memorialism is the prime option for pragmatists.” Elsewhere <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2012/07/gloriously-unnecessary-stars.html" target="_blank">I have noted</a> what I believe to be true about pragmatism; “When Man deems, in his
own estimation, that a thing is no longer practical, necessary, or convenient
he will, at all costs, do his best to rid the world of it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The offspring (or casualties) of these two “-isms” can be
found in worship services across the land. The reason communion is so
infrequent is because frequent partaking is 1) impractical 2) unnecessary, or
3) inconvenient. It may be one or all three of these (depending on who deems it
so…), as long as we are meeting the bare minimum (do this as a memory) then
everything else must pass through the Pragmatism Filter. Simply put, as long as
we do it, it doesn't matter how we do it. All of a sudden, everything else is
up for grabs. Questions like, “How often should we partake” take a tumble
through the filter and we wind up with our answer: “As infrequently as possible”.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://str.typepad.com/weblog/images/2007/09/06/remembrance_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://str.typepad.com/weblog/images/2007/09/06/remembrance_5.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"My Body and Blood, simple as 1, 2, 3!" -said Jesus never</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Frequency—despite my incessant drumming and/or beating of
dead horses—is a relatively easy, mostly gentle topic that not too many people
get worked up about. Honestly, I don’t think it would be quite hard to convince
a group of Memorialists the benefit of more frequent communion. Of course the
point isn't merely more partaking. We want a fuller, robust, and more biblically
accurate communion. But on the surface I don’t think there would be a ton of
pushback. But there is another casualty of this Pragmatic Memorialism that I
think would be quite toxic to attempt to resurrect in many if not most of these
churches. This would be the elements themselves. In particular, wine. Stay
tuned.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-85048447735820915642014-10-06T13:36:00.000-05:002014-10-06T13:36:41.256-05:00Renew the Table: Does Frequent Observance Devalue the Supper?<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></div>
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In <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-christ-is-present-in-supper.html" target="_blank">my last post</a> on the Lord’s Supper I put forward that
Scripture (as in, not the Pope, not Calvin, or Luther, but Scripture itself, based
on 1 Corinthians 10:14-22) reveals that Christ is present in the partaking of
the Supper in some way, thus rendering a mere memorialist interpretation of the
Supper invalid. This plays into what we have already observed; that the
infrequent partaking of the Lord’s Supper is an indicator of how healthy a
Church’s worship is. In this case, if it is mere memorialism that is driving
our understanding of the Lord’s Supper in such a way that causes us to partake
infrequently, then one must conclude that the infrequent partaking of the
Lord’s Supper is in fact unhealthy. Infrequent partaking indicates anemic,
incomplete worship.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the last post I tied the presence of Christ to the idea
of ‘value’. Infrequent partaking <i>devalues</i>
the Supper which in turn <i>devalues</i> our
worship. If Christ is present then the Lord’s Supper takes on a certain
weightiness. It is a weight heavier than just thoughts about what Jesus did
once long ago. That weight, that presence is valuable. But here is where we
meet a sizable roadblock for many in our debate against Memorialism. In this
post my aim is to expose one of the main arguments I have found given for
infrequent partaking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b>Valuable Rarity: less is more?</b></o:p></div>
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If there is one thing that I learned as a Memorialist, it’s
that the Lord’s Supper is <i>extremely</i>
valuable. So valuable in fact that it must be reserved as a special occasion. At least this has been my experience as a child and a young man. On
the surface, this idea that Memorialists value the Supper appears to defeat my
multi-post argument entirely. It seems antithetical to my theory that
infrequent partaking devalues the Supper and therefore Christian worship. The
Supper, in this case, is observed infrequently <i>precisely because</i> it is so valuable. The idea being that if the
Supper were to be observed on a regular basis it would lose its value.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I maintain my objection. I believe this argument to be
nothing less than a ploy. A diversion. A wiggly maneuver to justify
an unhealthy habit. Let me be quick to say that though I have used words that
conjure devious intentions, I don’t believe (or don’t want to believe) that folks
who utilize such an argument are disingenuous. I believe that they believe what
they are saying is quite true. I believe they are not trying to pull a fast
one. They really do believe the Lord’s Supper is valuable. They really do
believe that frequent observance would devalue the Supper. This line of
thinking needs a term to help us stay afloat. Let’s call this Valuable Rarity.
The idea being that the Supper only maintains its value when it remains rare.
The value of the Supper then is directly tied to its commonality. Valuable
Rarity is undergirded by events like weddings and graduations and birthday
parties. We can see that these events maintain their value, their specialness,
because they don’t happen every day. If you were to celebrate your birth every
day, then the specialness or value of the occasion would begin to wear off.
Your actual Day of Birth would be just like any other day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This idea of Valuable Rarity is interesting because it is
pan-theological. Valuable Rarity crosses party lines. Memorialists aren't the
only ones who justify infrequent partaking with Valuable Rarity;
Transubstantiationists do as well. Or at least they have done so in the past.
The Roman Catholic belief of transubstantiation, simply put, is that the
physical elements of the bread and wine become the physical body and blood of
Jesus Christ. This, for them, is how Christ is present in the Supper. There’s a
whole heap of a lot more than that, but it doesn't make my summary any less
true. That’s what they believe. I think it’s safe to say that Memorialists and
Roman Catholics quickly and sharply disagree with each other regarding the
Presence of Christ in the Supper. And yet, the worshippers in the late medieval
Roman Catholic Church also infrequently partook of the Supper. They even
partook less than Memorialists. Easter was nearly the only time of year a
normal Christian would partake. And even then he may have only partaken of the
bread.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://americamagazine.org/sites/default/files/styles/400px_wide/public/media/2013/articles/images/illuminatingfaith.jpg?itok=aCpgEBuO" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://americamagazine.org/sites/default/files/styles/400px_wide/public/media/2013/articles/images/illuminatingfaith.jpg?itok=aCpgEBuO" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.4426212310791px; text-align: start;"><em>Elevation</em><em> of the Eucharist,</em> detail from the <em>Della Rovere Missal</em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.4426212310791px; text-align: start;">Italy, Rome, ca. 1485–90 (note the onlooking parishioners)</span></td></tr>
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Memorialists and
Transubstantiationists both say that they are upholding the value of the Supper
by partaking infrequently. Let’s not deceive ourselves into thinking it is as
simple as that. They are indeed on opposite sides; however they are holding the
same rope. The Medievals feared that their frequent partaking would devalue the
Supper because the Supper was, above all things, most holy. Here was the
physical body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. How could such unholy people
participate in such a holy act of worship? It contained so much value that the
parishioners received grace by simply watching the act, gazing upon the
elements and seeing the priest partake. Then on a special holy day, such as
Easter, after the worshippers have spent weeks fasting and preparing themselves,
they would partake. Maybe.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a side note, I find it interesting to see that the
infrequent partaking of the Lord’s Supper in the late Middle Ages parallels the
hardening and defining of transubstantiation as official church doctrine. Further
evidence that infrequent partaking of the Supper is a symptom of a deeper
problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Valuable Rarity in both cases, is used as an argument for
infrequent partaking, but for vastly (hugely) different theologies. I’ll not
deny that it is more complex than I have presented. Because the motivations for
rare partaking are different for each party it would be unfair to lump them
together as it looks like I have done. In this case, it would be unfair to lump
the Roman Catholics with the Memorialists because the Roman Catholics have
since abandoned their infrequent partaking. That doesn't necessarily mean that their
understanding of the Supper is any better. But it does reveal that they abandoned the
idea of Valuable Rarity whereas the Memorialists doubled down on it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><b>Why Valuable Rarity is False</b></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason the Value of the Supper cannot be tied to the
Rarity of the Supper is because the Value of the Supper is tied to something
else: Jesus Christ. All Christians agree that the Supper is Valuable. If the
Value of the Supper is derived from Christ, then we must view the Rarity or
Infrequency of the Supper in light of Christ as well. Here’s what I mean: We
derive value from the Supper because (1) Christ commands that we observe. (2) We
partake of Christ in the Supper; that is when we eat in faith, we participate
in his broken body and poured out blood. (3) In the Supper we proclaim Christ’s
death until He comes again. I’m sure we could dig up some more reasons, but I
believe these are enough to reveal that the Value of the Supper is linked to
Christ. So, if these are the reasons the Supper is valuable then what does that
reveal about those who think Rarity has a say? In other words, when Rarity is
linked to the Value of the Supper, what we are saying is that our observance of
Christ’s command is valuable because we infrequently observe the command. Our
participation in the body and blood of Christ is valuable because we rarely
participate. Our proclamation of Christ’s death is valuable because we rarely
proclaim it in such a way. Does this sound right to you? Do you see why it is
foolish, if not dangerous, to untie the Value of the Supper from Christ and tie
it to Rarity? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Value of the Supper is not only derived from Christ, but
it is also fulfilled and protected by Christ. In both views, the Medieval and
the Memorialist, Value is fulfilled or protected by Rarity. In both cases the
eyes have moved away from the sufficiency of Christ to uphold the Value of the
Supper among His people. Because the eyes have moved from Christ, both views
inevitably lean on what WE must do to uphold the value of the Supper. The
Memorialists successfully rooted out Transubstantiationism, but wound up
offering the same results. Today, here and now, there are folks with good intentions leaning on the idea of Valuable Rarity, not realizing that it is built
on mortal foundations. The reason it sounds good is because it makes sense in
the world of economics. We see this everyday with gas prices. The less oil the
higher the value. But, Rarity is a value only when a thing is finite. When a
thing is infinite, rarity has nothing to say about value. It disappears. And
here is where the argument implodes: The Value of a thing is not dependent upon
rarity if the thing is infinite. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If given the option, take one and leave the other, to choose
between the world’s most rare, most finite, gemstone or the very air that you
breathe, which would you choose? You would choose the (vastly abundant)
infinite air to breathe. Do you see how your understanding of Value has changed?
The value of the air, though free and infinite in normal situations, is immensely
more valuable than the rarest of gemstones. This is because the Value of air is
tied, not to its Rarity, like the gemstone, but because it is tied to Life
itself. The same goes for the Supper. The Value of the Supper is tied to Christ
not to Rarity. This is why the argument is a ploy. It’s a subtle trickery,
deceiving the very mouths that shout it. And this is why I maintain my
objection. Infrequent participation of the Supper is unhealthy for Christians
in the same way infrequent breathing is unhealthy for humans. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we argue that the Lord’s Supper must be infrequently
observed to preserve its value, we have said something about the value of
Christ. If we argue that the Supper must rarely be observed so it doesn't become
a meaningless familiarity, we have said something about our understanding of
what it means to be familiar with Christ. It would be like saying we should
preserve the value of air by infrequently breathing. We shouldn't breathe so
often because it could become a meaningless ritual. All the while missing the
point that the value of air isn't based on the rarity in which we breathe it,
but the value of air is that it gives life. Would anyone doubt that the
infrequent breathers value those times in which they allow themselves to breathe?
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This leads to a serious consideration of the very thing
Christ commands us to do. Eat and drink! The Supper itself declares to us the
necessity. We are to sustain ourselves on Christ just as we sustain ourselves
with food and drink. Do we chiefly derive the value of food because it is rare
or because it gives life? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because Christ is infinite, and because Christ is infinitely
valuable, the value of the Supper cannot decrease the more we observe. The only
way the Supper can decrease in value is when the Supper is about us and not
about Christ. And <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">as we have seen</a>, this is what exactly what Memorialism does.
When the Supper becomes not simply for us, but about us then the value most assuredly
will begin to decrease. I mean, there is only so much remembering that we can
actually do. Only so much inward confession we can muster until we start to
think about bills or the football game. Only so many times we can eat and drink
without it becoming a mindless action. Is it any wonder why these observances
are few and far between? A Supper where Christ is emphatically not present is a
cheap meal. Memorialism places us in Christ’s seat at the table and we are
boring dinner guests. We've set the table according to our own standards; spartan,
small, and alcohol free. We are the party poopers. In this case, in our
observance of the Supper we come dangerously close to the description in 2
Timothy 3:5: “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” Yikes.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have heard others adequately argue that the Word of God
doesn't lose its value through frequent preaching of it. Amen. Why didn't I
just say that from the get go and save us some time? I don’t know, I guess I
just wanted to take the scenic route. I wanted to open the clock to see how it
ticks. To show folks why it could be dangerous to hold on to something that
looks solid. Because while a simple comparison argument might be enough to
convince some that the idea of Valuable Rarity of the Supper is false, there is
still a large portion of evangelicals (<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">80% in the SBC!</a>) who have either ignored
it or have explained it away, and I cannot help but be haunted by the words in
2 Timothy 3:5.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-74770394281068769842014-09-19T11:12:00.000-05:002014-09-19T11:12:38.930-05:00The God Who Laughs<div class="MsoNormal">
Last night as I was in the midst of taking care of medical
needs that my daughter requires, I had a brief moment to reflect over the past
few days. It’s been one of those those times where it just seems like
everything is either wrong or bad or crazy. A time when you realize that there
are no good choices, only less-bad choices. Things that happen beyond our
control that affects us nonetheless. Things seemingly within our control that
inexplicably and frustratingly slip from our grasp. Had I the ability, in that
moment, to wave a magic wand and make things right I would have. In only a few
moments of reflecting on the hard things and the bad things and the crazy
things, I was immediately assaulted with the question, Why? Why God does my
daughter’s body not work and we have to go through this crap every day? Why are
there things and people outside of my control that rain down hatred and crazy
on my life and the life of my family? Why can’t I just, for once, not be
mindlessly calloused when my wife is in need of care and comfort? Why does
everything have to be so hard?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a brief moment. I really didn't even think through
that much detail. It all just kind of hit me at once all blended in together,
just an overwhelming feeling of “Why?” And almost as soon as I had mentally
voiced my complaint to God I received an answer. The answer was, “Because of
the curse.” The answer was just so plain and obvious and so satisfying. Within
half a second my entire disposition was readjusted. Why is the sin of others
affecting me and my family? Because of the curse. Why does sin so pervade within
me that I don’t realize I've sinned until the damage is already done? Because
of the curse. Why does my daughter have this disability? Because of the curse.
Why are plans and people so easily frustrated? Because of the curse. Why does everything
just have to be so hard? Because of the curse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The puzzle pieces fit and I could make sense of things
again. A feeling of relief came over me. The question ‘Why?’ didn't have the
overwhelming force and influence over my soul that it once grasped. I realized I
my complaint, which felt justified at the moment I said it, was on unsettled
ground. Unbelief crept in, disguised as self-pity. The answer I received, “Because
of the curse”, gave me solid ground to stand on. I can battle my unbelief from
this position. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I realized that I had actually heard a voice. The
answer “Because of the curse” didn't arise within my soul like an echo from the
Holy Spirit, it was literally audible to my ears. I <i>heard</i> it. Writing all of this out now as a step by step process really
gives a false impression. All of this—the thoughts, the complaint, the answer,
the satisfaction, the readjustment, the strange realization of an audible voice
answering the inaudible question of my soul—took place in nearly an instant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The audible voice I heard did not come from a burning bush.
There wasn't an angel dressed in white seated before me. The heavens didn't
open. No thunder from the sky. It came from the other room. It wasn't my wife
or kids. It was the TV. The kids were watching a show. I sat and listened for a
moment. What were they watching? After a few seconds I realized it was
Scooby-Doo. Someone had said, “Because of the curse” in reference to some
mystery that needed solved. It hit me. Did my soul just receive a satisfying
cleanse from a goofy cartoon show about some stoner kid detectives and their
dog? Zoinks. They say that God moves in mysterious ways. Apparently He also
moves in hilarious ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/but-not-simpler/files/2014/03/6661567671_f97c0b14ff_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/but-not-simpler/files/2014/03/6661567671_f97c0b14ff_o.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not going to frame this as, “God spoke to me through
Scooby-Doo,” even though I might. I certainly believe in the providence of God.
I have no qualms believing He is able to answer prayer with a dose of truth, no
matter the source of that truth. I don’t believe that God embodied the TV in
some supernatural way and spoke through a cartoon character. But I do believe
that all truth points to God whether it means to or not. If God so ordained it
that Scooby-Doo would be the instrument of answered prayer than who am I to
scoff? Just as John Newton believed every interruption was from the Lord, I’ll
take it that this perfectly timed line from a cartoon was an act of the providence
of God. I cannot deny that in those moments God was at work in my soul, freeing
me from fear and unbelief and strengthening me with truth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I said that apparently God moves in hilarious ways. And why
not? Our common idea of God is that He is not funny. He’s grim and somber and
looks down on those who laugh. It’s a topic we’re uncomfortable with. For many
it seems sacrilegious to claim that God has a sense of humor. I've never seen a
conference on The Humor of God. But humor and laughter are good things, holy
things. And like all good things and all holy things, they can be abused. Laughter
strengthens and emboldens, which is why there are warnings against cruel humor.
God does not want us to be strengthened and emboldened in evil things. But the
abuse of laughter does not mean we should abolish laughter. Humor is holy
because it is from God. Because we desecrate holy things doesn't mean that it originated
from the devil. Perversion is from the devil. Humor is from God. Perverted
humor is a desecration of a holy thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God is an expert at making the wise foolish and the foolish
wise. How can humor not be an instrument in bringing this about? It is a holy
making-fun-of. Using the foolish things of this world to shame those who are
wise in this world is a righteous punchline. He made a donkey speak to and
scold a prophet. He made Balaam the bigger of the two jackasses. How can the
inventor of time not also be the inventor of comedic timing? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I get the feeling the reason we don’t like to think of God
as humorous is because it is too terrifying. The God with the grim furrowed
brows has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He is concerned for His
Creation in the same way we are concerned over our finances. The God who Laughs
has nothing to worry about. He’s carefree. The God who giggles, snickers, chortles,
and guffaws exposes our precarious state. We want a God who is distraught over
our situation because it validates our worth <i>in our own eyes</i>. We have convinced ourselves that if God worries
about what I worry about then that means God cares about me. But what happens if
I’m worrying about my sin and bills and pain and ridicule and disease and death
and God is <i>laughing</i>!? We get the
impression that God doesn’t care. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus and his disciples were on the sea and a major storm
blew in. The boat was being swamped by the waves. The disciples were freaking
out. They thought they were going to die. They turned to find Jesus and Jesus
was…sleeping!? Are you kidding me? Hey Jesus, wake up and do something about
this! Don’t you care that we are about to drown here? Mark tells us that they
literally said, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” They didn't see Jesus
fretting like they were and it really bothered them. Jesus sleeping in the boat
shook their souls harder than the waves shook the boat. Their panic stricken
plea to Jesus revealed exactly where their faith resided. They wanted similar
panic from their Lord to validate their fear, which is tied to their worth. He
doesn't care about us enough to even wake up and worry like we are worrying! When
they woke Jesus up, he rebuked the wind and waves, but also his disciples. “Why
are you afraid, O you of little faith?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why we are so unnerved at the thought of the God who
Laughs. This is why it is hard for us to understand that humor is holy and
sanctioned by God. Our faith is exposed and is found wanting. Jesus asked the
disciples “why are you afraid?” not because He was unable to conceive why the experience
of nearly drowning might be frightening, but he asked to expose their faith. He
is telling them, “My sleeping in the midst of a storm ought to be a comfort to
you.” Jesus sleeping in the midst of the
storm didn't give them peace. They didn't find rest in the Creator’s resting.
In the same way, if God is laughing in the midst of our chaos and we react in
rage or we become irritated, we are exposing our own lack of faith. God
laughing in the middle of your storm, your pain, your hardship isn't a sign of
unconcern or malice. He’s not laughing at you, He’s laughing <i>for</i> you. Rest in His laughter. Find
strength in His humor. Hope is beaming from the upturned corners of his lips.
What if one of the distraught disciples turned to see Jesus sleeping and in
faith found the strength and hope to just lay down next to him? Just as Jesus’
sleeping should have comforted the disciples, the humor of God should comfort
you. Your pain and your struggles and your hardship are nothing compared to the
hope we have of eternal glory in the presence of God.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I thought about it, the fact that God provided great
strength and assurance and guidance and truth in response to my prayer at just
the right moment in a line from Scooby-Doo, I couldn't help but release a
breath of laughter through my nose. Contemplating the humor of God in this
situation gave me greater faith and hope and a deeper realization that God’s
humor and laughter indicates that He has triumphed over the curse. God laughs because
the world will one day be remade, because the curse will one day be fully
broken, because all my sin will be cleansed, because justice will not be overlooked,
because all pain and struggle and hardship will pass away, and because my
daughter’s body will one day be made whole.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-91360344741343409632014-09-16T13:58:00.003-05:002014-09-16T14:04:07.458-05:00Renew the Table: Christ is Present in the Supper<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/The_Last_supper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/The_Last_supper.jpg" height="175" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-root-and-fruit-of.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> I put forward the conclusion that the
Memorial view devalues the Lord’s Supper. I attempted to reveal that the bad
fruit was due to the bad root. I proposed that the reason Memorialism devalues
the Supper is because, at its root, it removes the presence of Christ from the
Supper. I also said that if Christ is not present, then my accusations of
Memorialism are false, for if Christ truly is not present then Memorialism, out
of all the historic views, must be the correct one. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was raised to be a pretty staunch Memorialist. I've been
on the inside, so to speak. In many ways, I still am (although now subversively,
I guess). As God allowed me to lead and craft worship services the cracks of
Memorialism became larger and more revealing to me over the years. This led me to study and
explore Church history and Scripture and after time wading through both I came
through convinced that Memorialism is inadequate. But the largest hurdle for me
was the presence of Christ in the Supper. I felt (and feel) that this is the
issue upon which Memorialism stands or falls. As I mentioned in my previous
post, the three other historic traditions, the Calvinist, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic views all
maintain (though in vastly different ways) that Christ is present in the Supper
and that some form of grace or benefit is given. From my Memorialist point of
view, it was always assumed that if Christ is present in the Supper, no matter
how you define it, it was Roman Catholic. If it even smelled like it could lead
to something vaguely recognizable as being acceptable in Roman Catholic worship
then the automatic, gut reaction, was to run the other direction. This mindset
may have initially preserved purity in the Church’s worship, but today it often
is used to avoid deeper thinking about things that really are important for the
worship of the Church. There is a kind of immaturity of faith that turns tail
and runs at every thorny path. The mature meet the challenge head on with the
sword of the Word of God to cut through the thorny brambles to go deeper, getting
to the heart of the issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be honest, the theologies produced throughout Church
history, while providing me with evidence that the Church did in fact believe that Christ
was present and that benefits were offered in the Supper, didn't necessarily convince me
that it was the case. What really changed my mind was Scripture. And
one passage in particular really led the charge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/Tim1987/SB_Shot_1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/Tim1987/SB_Shot_1-3.jpg" height="172" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Phillip getting to the heart of the issue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><b>"Grab yer Sword, We're Going In" </b></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. They are having idolatry
problems. Some have fallen back into idolatry and some are having their consciences
troubled when it comes to issues with the idolatry around them. Paul is helping
them by teaching them to think right about idolatry. To battle this he appeals
to the goodness of God, the freedom of the Christian, love for neighbor, and
examples from Scripture. In the midst of this discussion about idolatry he
touches upon the Lord’s Supper. (Before we jump in I think it is interesting to
at least highlight that the Supper naturally comes to his mind when discussing
worship. False worship is being contrasted with right worship. The Supper was
deeply rooted to the idea of regular Christian worship. I only say this to
expose how the Lord’s Supper is thought of today. At least for Memorialists,
the Supper is anything but rooted regular worship.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 Paul says,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup>14 </sup>Therefore, my beloved, flee from
idolatry. <sup>15 </sup>I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what
I say. <sup>16 </sup>The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion
of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of
the body of Christ? <sup>17 </sup>For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. <sup>18 </sup>Observe
Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of
the altar? <sup>19 </sup>What am I saying then? That an idol is anything,
or what is offered to idols is anything? <sup>20 </sup>Rather, that the
things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God,
and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. <sup>21 </sup>You
cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of
the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. <sup>22 </sup>Or do we
provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, I should say that I believe the English texts that we
have here are good translations of this passage. Often people turn to the Greek
words as if they will impart some form of special knowledge that the common
English reader will never catch or understand. That’s not what I’m doing here.
I believe the English in this passage is adequate to convey the original. So when we look at a few Greek words here, the hope is that they will only augment that which we
already see in our own language. It helps us grasp the meaning (a meaning that is already there in plain English) in a clearer way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to begin by looking at the words <i>koinonia,</i> <i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">koinonoi,</span> koinonous, metechomen, </i>and<i> metechein</i>. These words all carry with them the idea of an intimate
sharing. In English they are often translated as <i>communion</i>, <i>fellowship</i>, <i>partaking</i>, <i>participation, sharing</i>. As we see in the passage above (New King
James) verse 16 uses the word <i>communion</i>
twice. The ESV renders verse 16 this way: “The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a <i>participation</i> in the
blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a <i>participation</i> in the body of Christ?” Communion in the NKJV and
Participation in the ESV are used for the same Greek word, <i>koinonia</i>. <i>Koinonoi </i>in verse
18 is translated <i>partakers</i> (NKJV) or <i>participants</i> (ESV). Verse 20 in the NKJV
translates the Greek word <i>koinonous</i>
as <i>fellowship</i> where the ESV uses the
word <i>participants </i>again. Actually a
literal translation of both <i>koinonoi</i> and <i>koinonous</i> in verses 18 and 20 might be
rendered “fellow-partakers”. In verse 17 the word <i>metechomen</i> is translated as <i>partake</i>
in both versions. Again, both versions use the word <i>partake</i> in verse 21 for the word <i>metechein.</i> The NIV translates this as “have a part in”. The Holman
Christian Standard translates it as<i> share</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s look at the passage again with the Greek words
inserted:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<sup>14 </sup>Therefore, my beloved, flee from
idolatry. <sup>15 </sup>I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what
I say. <sup>16 </sup>The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the <i>koinonia</i> of the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not the <i>koinonia</i>
of the body of Christ? <sup>17 </sup>For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all <i>metechomen</i>
of that one bread. <sup>18 </sup>Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not
those who eat of the sacrifices <i>koinonoi</i>
of the altar? <sup>19 </sup>What am I saying then? That an idol is
anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? <sup>20 </sup>Rather,
that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not
to God, and I do not want you to have <i>koinonous</i>
with demons. <sup>21 </sup>You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the
cup of demons; you cannot <i>metechein</i>
of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. <sup>22 </sup>Or do we
provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Do you see how thick this passage is with this idea of an
intimate sharing, participating, partaking, fellowshipping, communing? We have
the same idea coming up six times in this single passage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Okay, so let’s think about this a bit. If the context of this
passage is about idolatry, why does Paul bring up <i>koinonia</i>? The reason he brings up <i>koinonia</i> is because he doesn't want the Corinthians to “have <i>koinonous</i> with demons”. The implication of
this actually made me shiver the first time I really thought about it. The loud
banging echo reverberating from this is that you can’t have <i>koinonia</i> with nothing! It takes two to
tango and this is what Paul is trying to point out. In verse 19 he says that an
idol is nothing and the sacrifice to the idol is nothing (When he asks “is it
anything?” the inference is, no it isn't anything). But! The reality is that
though the idol is nothing, that which lies behind the idol is <i>something</i>, and that <i>something</i> is demons. Therefore, in worshipping idols, in making
offerings to idols (things made of wood or stone which are nothing) they are
really worshipping and making offerings to a spiritual reality, namely demons. This
is why Paul tells them to flee from idolatry! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But do you see how he framed his argument? Do you see what he
contrasted this demonic <i>koinonia</i>
with? The Lord’s Supper. Paul points to the spiritual reality of demonic <i>koinonia</i> in idol worship and contrasts
it with the spiritual reality of <i>koinonia</i>
with Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. <i>Something</i> lies behind idol worship and <i>Something</i> lies behind the Lord’s Supper. That <i>Something</i>, that Spiritual Reality is being participated <i>with</i> and <i>in</i> the act of worship. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Let’s go even further. Look at the parallel in verse 21.
Paul says, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you
cannot <i>metechein</i> of the Lord’s table
and of the table of demons.” Paul literally equates the act of drinking with <i>metechein</i>, that is partaking, sharing,
to have part in. Meaning drinking the cup is to take part in that
Spiritual Reality. This is how the Spiritual Reality is joined with, shared in,
be it with Christ or with a demon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p><b>More than a Memorial</b></o:p></div>
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Now if Paul was under the assumption that Communion (<i>koinonia</i>) was merely a memorial, then
why the warnings? If there is no real communion with demons then why bring up
the idea of provoking the Lord to jealousy? Why would Paul use an argument revealing
that pagan eating and drinking is a partaking of a demonic reality, that Israelite
worship was a partaking of the benefits of the altar, all the while believing
that Christian eating and drinking is nothing but a memorial? Paul asks “are we
stronger than he?” but if Paul doesn't believe Christ is present in the Supper and
yet still gives us this argument then shouldn't we be asking, “Are the demons
stronger than He?” There is something more than a remembering happening here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We see from this passage that a spiritual reality is actually
occurring, namely fellowship, partaking, communion <i>with</i> and <i>in</i> the body and
blood of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Reality, the Presence that we have <i>koinonia</i> with. We don’t just remember
His body and blood, we <i>metechein</i> His
body and blood. We see from this passage that the <i>act</i> of the Lord’s Supper, the act of communion, is eating and drinking. No eating, no
drinking means no communion with Christ. No participation in His body and
blood. If this is not the case, then Paul would be foolish to warn against
eating and drinking pagan sacrifices for they are nothing and mean nothing. Paul
is saying, “This pagan worship is <i>koinonia</i>
with demons.” And at the same time he is saying (v16) “This cup of blessing
which we (Christians) bless, this act of worship, it is <i>koinonia</i> with Christ.” There is a reality that lies behind, or
within, the action.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A quick rabbit trail for the concerned pope-sniffing Baptist. Is this just a
magic formula? Just say hocus pocus and eat and Bingo! you are now
participating in the body and blood of Christ? Do the elements have some
inherent property that grants auto-communion with Christ upon eating? Some say
it is so (which is why you smell something), and they've had to justify it in some interesting ways, but I don’t
think they gathered that from this passage. If they did, then they missed the passage
that says ‘whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” When we approach the
Table, like anything else in worship, in life, we are to come in faith. Faith
meets Christ at the Table. Unbelief at the Table only leads to judgment. One might even
say that the Supper is a microcosm of the conflicting theologies during the
Reformation. Does the work of eating enable you to have faith or does the faith
of eating enable you to work? Wait. Where did that rabbit go? We should
probably get back to the task at hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Yes, but How?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Granted, this passage (and frankly, all the Supper passages)
doesn't give us the clear cut, sharp edged, ship shape theology that we modern systematic organizers desire.
We want to know <i>how</i> Christ is in the
Supper! (Perhaps because it offers the tantalizing promise that it would solve a lot of problems? Surely Satan wouldn't toy with us in that way...). From this passage we can
<i>glean</i> that Christ is present spiritually, but beyond that gleaning we begin to
strike out on our own path. It may be the right one, it may have some biblical
support along the way, but we can’t be quite sure because it hasn't been
explicitly revealed to us exactly how. The quest to unveil hidden knowledge such as this is fraught with peril. Our best bet is to stay close to the source.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It is extremely interesting to note that the Early
Church didn't fret over the <i>how</i>. They
were content to simply obey Christ in eating and drinking when they gathered.
If they were curious about the how, they were at least content to leave it a
mystery. It was enough that Christ was present in the Supper sustaining those
who ate in faith. Christ commanded us to eat His broken flesh and drink His
poured out blood, not to reverse engineer the process so we can be a better Christian
theologians, or (God forbid!) that we might corner the worship market. I say this not in order
to discredit every theory on the basis that they are indeed theories, nor am I saying that the theories are unhelpful. I
only say this to reveal that while I may agree or disagree with certain
theologies that have been passed down, what I cling to the above all of them is the
foundation, the Word of God. And the Christian doctrine of the Lord’s Supper found in the Word
of God affirms the presence of Christ in the Supper.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>(Timber!)</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I said that it was on the basis of the presence of Christ in the Supper that Memorialism stands or falls, and I believe this passage knocks it down with one of those skyscraper wrecking ball cranes. Probably some dynamite too. And if that is the case, then a serious and deep reevaluation of the Lord's Supper is needed in many, many, many (many) churches. This is the reason I'm writing in the first place. I can hold these opinions close to my chest, but, right or wrong, I love the Church and want to see Her worship in spirit and truth. I want to see the Supper restored to reflect the beauty I see in the Word of God.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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In summation, it was this passage from Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, more than anything else, that convinced
me of the reality of Christ’s presence in the Supper and highlighted the
inadequacies of mere Memorialism (not to mention the inadequacies of those
which believe in the physical presence of Christ in the Supper). Not only that,
it added more weight to what I already had concluded, confirming my assumption
that the infrequent observance of the Supper is an indicator of how healthy a
Church’s worship is. If Christ is present in the Supper then observing the
Supper ought to be valuable to our weekly worship. But that leads us to our
next bump in the road; a problem that is found in the medieval church as well as
the modern. An argument that the Transubstantiationalists and Memorialists
alike use to justify their infrequent partaking in worship. It goes something
like this: We infrequently observe the Lord’s Supper precisely because it is so
valuable. We’ll tackle this in the next post.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-743829448009088262014-09-10T11:22:00.001-05:002014-09-10T11:29:48.326-05:00Renew the Table: The Root and Fruit of Memorialism<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJK-1lQs9j9os5BotYpUAdpRXLVcUXl_yGpg6NTmj1yHmRS26bvw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJK-1lQs9j9os5BotYpUAdpRXLVcUXl_yGpg6NTmj1yHmRS26bvw" /></a><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-symptom-of-deeper-problem.html" target="_blank">In my last post</a> I said that the infrequent observance of the Lord’s
Supper was a symptom of a deeper problem. I said that infrequent observance
indicates a low or inadequate view of the Supper. In this <o:p></o:p></div>
post I want to dig
into what I believe is one of the major contributing factors for this problem.
My aim is to show that celebrating the Supper as a mere memorial of Christ
ultimately devalues the Supper which causes or contributes to a low or
inadequate view of the Lord’s Supper. Admittedly, this is a rather large bite.
What we’re about to chew on here has literally been debated for 500 years. But
in this case, our advantage is that we get to see how this certain view has
played out over half a millennium. So there’s that.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b>The Root </b></div>
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To sift through 500 years of weighty theological debate is pretty
tough, but we can still summarize with a degree of accuracy. Since the
Reformation, there are 4 views on what is happening during the Supper.
Basically, we can summarize like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation –
when the physical bread and wine turn into the physical body and blood of
Christ – Christ is physically present<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Lutherans believe consubstantiation –
essentially Christ’s physical body is present but the substance of the bread
and wine remain the same. Christ’s body is over, through, and under the bread,
but doesn't turn into the actual bread.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Calvin and other reformers believe in that
Christ is present in a special way, namely spiritually present at the Supper,
but not bodily present.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Zwingli held the view that the Supper is a
memorial; that Christ is not present in any special way at the supper.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For our purposes in this post I’m not about to jump into the ins and
outs of the first three views, other than to say that, while vastly different,
each one believes that Christ is <i>present</i>
in some way in the Supper and because of this, <i>something</i> happens. Some form of grace or benefit is obtained by the
partaker.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On those grounds the fourth view makes a stark departure. And it is
this view—we shall call it the Memorialist view—that most Baptists and many
evangelicals adhere to (whether they know it or not). Now when we use our
chronological perspective and look along the timeline from when Zwingli and
Luther mouthed off <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marburg_Colloquy" target="_blank">at Martburg</a> until our present day we see an undeniable development. Those who have
maintained that Christ is present in some special way in the Supper have
continued to celebrate the supper frequent and often and weekly and every time
they gather for worship even, (to say nothing of whether or not their practice
is correct). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now this is not to say that it has been a steady line of frequent
observance from 1517 until today. Hardly. There are definite peaks and valleys.
But it is important to see that when these Churches began to infrequently
observe, the reasons were due to either outside restrictions (via the State or financial
hardship) or internal necessity (such as the pastoral need to battle a real
superstition…something we'll discuss in a future post). The point being,
infrequent observance was not the result of their theology, but of things that,
for a season, triumphed over their theology. One of the reasons I can say this
is that we have the teachers and theologians from these traditions on paper
defending the frequent observance of the Supper and speaking against falling
into a habit of infrequent observance. Those congregations whose theology
affirms the presence of Christ in the Supper, unhindered by outside influence,
have maintained a frequent observance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Memorialism, on the other hand, from its beginnings has maintained an
infrequent observance because of (rather than in spite of) its theology.
Memorialism teaches that there is no special presence of Christ and no benefits
from Christ in the Supper. The Supper is purely symbolic and is observed with
the understanding that it is merely a memorial; a time set aside to remember.
The bread and cup help aid the memory of those who partake. By stating that
Christ is not present in any special way in the Supper, Memorialists, to their
credit, believe that they have removed (at most) a heretical or (at least) an
unhelpful doctrine from the Supper, therefore restoring the Supper as intended.
A rather bold claim even during the Reformation which was undeniably a time for
bold claims. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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All the Reformers desired to restore and purify the Church and Her
worship practices. They were often appealing to both the authority of Scripture
and the example of the early church. Most of the theologies and practices they
sought to reform were beliefs and practices (good or bad) that had been added
to the church that were not derived from Scripture, nor exemplified in the
Early Church. Stripping and removing false beliefs and unhelpful practices was
essential for a reformation. In this way the intentions of the Memorialists
really were noble, but the reason this was a bold claim in a time of bold
claims was because it stripped and kept on stripping. The phrases like, <i>over the line</i>, <i>tossed the baby out with the bathwater</i>, <i>you doth protest too much</i>, come to mind. The Church for 1500 years
before Memorialism actually did have a belief that Christ is present at the
Supper. The early church simply accepted that Christ was present, but as the ages
passed the medieval church began to investigate <i>how</i> Christ was present. And it was the conclusions the Roman Church
made that many of the Reformers protested. They objected to the definition of How,
not the involvement of Who. The Memorialists protested both. Get rid of the
presence of Christ and the question of How evaporates altogether.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In light of this history, I want to briefly reveal how the removal of
Christ’s presence in the Supper has influenced many churches today. What are some
of the fruits Memorialism has produced? In what ways has the removal of Christ’s
presence devalued the Supper?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>The Fruit<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The major fruit by which Memorialism devalues the Supper is that
Memorialism produces an “it doesn’t matter as long as we meet the bottom line”
mindset. Christ commanded we do this in remembrance of Him. So long as we do
it, that’s all that really matters. The stripped down mentality of Memorialism
encourages the least amount of effort. The Lord’s Supper doesn’t become a
valuable part of worship so much as a box to be checked off. In this way, Memorialism
is the prime option for pragmatists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
If the only thing Jesus requires is that we do it in remembrance of Him
then LOTS of things don’t matter; when we take it, how we take it, what we use
to take it, who takes it, etc. All of these things now fall under the umbrella
of “It doesn't matter”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We might touch on this more in a later post, but for now let’s see how
Memorialism approaches the elements of the bread and wine. First, if the only
thing that matters is that we do it in remembrance of Christ, then it doesn't really
matter what we use to do it. We've all heard about the churches that have used
Cookies and Coke, or Pizza and Pop in place of bread and wine. Although this is
simply the logical outcome of a memorialistic mindset, yet, I think it’s safe
to say that most Memorialists believe those options are a bit out of line.
Surely going so far as to replace the actual element that Jesus commanded with
something else is going a bit too far, right? (They say with Welch's on their
breath). And this highlights how deep the problem goes. The only reason the Memorialist
can justify grape juice over Coca-cola is because grape juice does a better job
than Coke in helping us remember. It has nothing to do with whether or not coke
is permissible. It has everything to do with the grape juice being <i>good enough to meet the bottom line</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The danger (and further devaluing) here is this: <i>who gets to determine the bottom line</i>? And this leads us no our
next example. Memorialism devalues the Supper by shifting the emphasis from
Christ to the Christian. Who determined that grape juice was good enough? Was
it Christ or the Christian? The scary thing is that the honest Memorialist will
come to the conclusion that ultimately “it doesn't matter”. This is because the
only thing that matters is that we remember Jesus when we eat and drink. That’s
the real issue for the Memorialist. Grape juice became popular during the
Temperance Movement. For Churches that made the switch from Wine to Welch's,
the truth of the matter is that the culture actually had more sway on what the
elements should be than Christ. This abstaining spirit entered the church and
has stuck around to this very day, touting its authority over Christ at least
four times a year. But wine and alcohol tend to get folks cranky and I don’t
want it to overshadow the point, so let’s look at this from a different angle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I said that Memorialism devalues the Supper by shifting the emphasis
from Christ to the Christian. In Memorialism, the Supper becomes less <i>about</i> Christ and more <i>about</i> the individuals partaking. In case
you missed it, the key word is ‘about’. There is no doubt that the Supper is
certainly <i>for</i> the church, but we
venture onto dangerous ground when we start to act as if the Supper is <i>about</i> the church. Just as the Bible is
for you, not about you, and the sermon is for you, not about you, so too the Supper
is for you, not about you. But the fruit of Memorialism is a highly
individualistic and introspective preparation and partaking. A time to sink
deep into you own thoughts and examine your life. Just you and God. No one
else. The Supper has become a type of private, internal, confession booth. The
antithesis of communion. The only unity we see in such as service is that
everyone is united in acting individually. In this way the Memorialist cuts the
nose from its own face. We remember more about our sins and our worth than we
do about what Christ did with our sins and His worth. Jesus might as well have
said, “Do this in remembrance of thee.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
In Memorialism, the fruit of removing Christ from the Supper is that
something else has filled His place. His authority is usurped when it is deemed
that changes to the commandment don’t really matter. His place as the Guest of
Honor is filled in by the individuals pondering themselves at the table. This
is the fruit of Memorialism and the reasons I give to support my claim that it
devalues the Supper.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I’m still not out of the woods yet. Removing the presence of Christ
from the Supper only devalues the Supper if Christ really is present. If Christ
is not present, then the Memorialists are vindicated and my claim that it
devalues the Supper is false. So in my next post we will look to see what Scripture reveals about all this.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-50769422946886289152014-09-05T14:00:00.000-05:002014-09-05T14:01:32.158-05:00Renew the Table: A Symptom of a Deeper Problem<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let’s start like this: infrequent
observance of the Lord’s Supper is not the problem; it is a symptom of a deeper
problem. This means you can’t fix the problem by simply observing more often.
That’s just masking the symptom and ignoring the real issue.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The reason I crunched the frequency
numbers in the <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-some-supper-stats.html" target="_blank">last post</a> and belabored the fact that frequency or infrequency
is an effect of a held belief is because I wanted you to see the ginormous number
of churches that are exhibiting this symptom. And this, for me, serves to
highlight a major roadblock to overcome. The fact that there are so many
churches exhibiting this symptom skews our perspective a little. The idea being
that if 50 million Elvis fans can’t be wrong, neither can 80% of SBC churches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://curtisproductsgroup.com/images/communiontables/CT11.communiontable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://curtisproductsgroup.com/images/communiontables/CT11.communiontable.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This do in remembrance of me...in a coupla months</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When the symptom cuts across such a majority, it soon becomes settled, a mere fact of life. For years you
drove to work past that plot of land until one day someone built a building on
it. The landscape changed starkly and for the first few weeks you are mindful
of it. But months go by and you soon adjust to the new construction, so much so
that you don’t even think about anymore. You have gotten so used to it that you
virtually ignore it. It has become just another blur you pass on your way to
work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In this way it is not hard to see
how the majority fails to recognize the symptom. It has become so settled that
it is hard to be unsettled by it. And this is where we find the difficulty, for
if infrequent observation of the Supper is truly a symptom of a larger problem,
then there is a majority of people don’t recognize that there is, in fact, a
problem at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And so now we have issues. I just
told 80% of SBC churches (at least) that they have a problem with their worship
and that most churches probably don’t even recognize it. That’s bound to make
me some friends. So while I’m at it I might as well just cut to the chase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I contend that a church which observes
infrequently has a low, or inadequate, view of the Supper. I add “or inadequate”
because I believe there are many churches that infrequently observe who may hold
a very high view of the Supper, but perhaps not a complete or robust view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To that end I intend, over the next few posts, to think through some of those reasons which I believe cause or
contribute to a low or inadequate view of the Lord’s Supper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some of these reasons center around
preservation and protection of the event, such as preserving its uniqueness or
guarding against things like legalism. Some reasons are related to pragmatism
and seeking to be relevant to our time and culture. And some of these will be
theological reasons, such as observing the Supper as a mere memorial.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In these last three posts have been
saying, “I see a symptom which indicates a problem.” Going forward I want to
say, “Here are the problems that might be related to this symptom. Are these
true? Do any of these hit close to home?” And hopefully, either during or after we
discuss the problems, I will attempt to offer a good and biblical prescription
which, if doesn't lead to anything else, will at least contribute to folks
thinking deeper about the Lord’s Supper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-5893037380229439882014-09-04T14:20:00.001-05:002014-09-04T14:20:52.969-05:00Renew the Table: Some Supper Stats<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a>. Especially since this one is a little baptisty...and mathy. </i><br />
<br />
A Lifeway survey came out in two years ago <a href="http://www.lifeway.com/Article/research-survey-lords-supper-practices-sbc-churches" target="_blank">highlighting the Lord’s Supper</a> in Baptist worship. Questions were asked of a sampling of pastors
regarding open communion and how often communion is served. When the survey came out the internet
seemingly exploded in debate regarding open communion verses closed communion.
Although it’s good to discuss that issue, I found the other question regarding
frequency (and the lack of concern after the study was released) more revealing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxEJAmpQVVpe8jMSpZyHx-GVyJHI83tgwnLXp-2j2_65RpBX6DX9OzEF6TxoE2R8q8F0WaZaB1dygqyJqGIFQsnOppNuxOEtVk3us9VwtkKOAqYaN7-g1FE1IKxhrScbrFjCfVOK__9Z7/s1600/how+often+supper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxEJAmpQVVpe8jMSpZyHx-GVyJHI83tgwnLXp-2j2_65RpBX6DX9OzEF6TxoE2R8q8F0WaZaB1dygqyJqGIFQsnOppNuxOEtVk3us9VwtkKOAqYaN7-g1FE1IKxhrScbrFjCfVOK__9Z7/s1600/how+often+supper.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over half (57%) of the responders indicated that they only
serve communion Quarterly. As you can see, this number alone towers over those who indicated
they serve Weekly (1%) or Monthly (18%). The two other categories indicated
churches were partaking 5-10 times per year (15%) or less than 4 times per year
(8%). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The “5-10 times” crowd and the “0-3 times” folks can be viewed basically as satellites of the Quarterly group. It would be reasonable to assume
that the majority of the “5-10 times” crowd is likely including their holiday
communion (ie. Quarterly communion plus Easter and/or Christmas) and the “less
than 4” group is probably only serving communion around the holidays (ie. 1-2 times
per year). Due to this reasoning, and for our purposes we can combine these two groups
into one, (call them the “Holiday” group) with the understanding that they
serve the Lord’s Supper roughly 6 or less times during the year, with the
majority serving it 4 times.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With that bit of reasonable conjecture, and with the
understanding that the Holidays are the moons to the Quarterly planet, we begin
to see an even more drastic picture. We
can roughly divide the Southern Baptist Churches in to three camps regarding
frequency in communion: Weekly (1%), Monthly (18%), and Quarterly/Holiday (80%). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>Playing with Numbers</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s imagine four people, all of whom became a Christian at the
age of 20. Let’s say each of these people began worshiping at a different SBC church. Quinn joins up at First Baptist Quarterly. Max becomes a member of
Monthly Community. Will worships at Weekly Fellowship. And Hank joins Holiday
Baptist, a sister church of Quarterly. Now imagine the wholly unrealistic
scenario that each of these men are able to attend every Sunday gathering that
is held at their respective places of worship for the next fifty years. And so
that everyone is on the same playing field, let’s say that each church partakes the Lord's Supper in the same manner and each is undergirded with a sound, gospel-centered communion theology. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s see how many times each one is able to partake of the
Lord’s Supper as the years accumulate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 602px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"></td>
<td colspan="4" nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 335.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="447"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>How
often each man partakes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"></td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>4x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>6x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>12x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>52x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Age | years at church<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Quarterly
Quinn<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Holiday
Hank<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Monthly
Max<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Weekly
Will<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
21 | 1 year<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
6<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
12<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
52<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
22 | 2 years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
8<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
12<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
24<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
104<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
23 | 3 years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
12<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
18<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
36<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
156<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
24 | 4 years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
16<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
24<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
48<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
208<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 115.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="155"><div class="MsoNormal">
25 | 5 years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 98.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="131"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
20<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="109"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
30<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
60<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="97"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
260<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Five years in and we already see a stark difference. Will
has partaken 260 times compared to Quinn who has only partaken 20 times. In
fact after 5 years, both Hank and Quinn combined have not partaken as much as Will had <i>in his first year</i> as a Christian. Again, assuming sound theology, and knowing that worship is formative, what
conclusions might we draw from this? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before we draw conclusions, let’s gaze farther into the future:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 609px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"></td>
<td colspan="4" nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 339.35pt;" valign="bottom" width="452"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>How
often each man partakes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"></td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>4x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>6x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>12x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>52x a
year<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Age | years at church<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Quarterly
Quinn<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Holiday
Hank<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Monthly
Max<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Weekly
Will<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
30 | ten years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
40<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
60<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
120<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
570<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
40 | twenty years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
80<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
120<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
240<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
1040<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
50 | thirty years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
120<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
180<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
360<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
1560<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
60 | forty years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
160<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
240<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
480<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
2080<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal">
70 | fifty years<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="133"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
200<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 82.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="110"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
300<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 83.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="111"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
600<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 73.9pt;" valign="bottom" width="99"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
2600<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time Quinn turns 30 he still hasn't celebrated communion as much
as Will had <i>ten years ago</i> in his first year as a Christian. Once Quinn has hit 70 years of age he would have
partaken only 200 times. Which is still less than the amount of times Will had
partaken when Will was the ripe old age of 24! The cumulative effect of weekly
communion is quite staggering. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think long and hard about it. Quinn has been going to
church for 50 years. He is a 70 year old man. Will has been going to church for
4 years. He is a 24 year old man. And Will has partaken more than Quinn.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, remember these numbers indicate the wholly unrealistic
scenario that each man attended every communion service until they were 70 year
old men. This means that Quarterly Quinn would have to attend every single
communion service for 50 years in order to have partaken 200 times. How
monumental is it then for him to miss a service? If Quinn missed communion in the Second Quarter, he’ll have to wait months before the Supper is served again. If Will
missed communion, he has to only wait a few days. Again, assuming a sound
theology in both cases, what would the formative effect be for each of these men?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<b>Let's Keep Playing with Numbers</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFiH_yJ3NgRmG4auC_8YclaCE_-8iLIwqS83RFl1rj3wnMnXjZFt7UF8HegDJfvJ3w9wAKVuWo91nCX9YoGaZtNOJEMuyjdNzScHrDNBWTviR6a-meApwc6EyKaMMl62scJxrd32nj4zU/s1600/2012+SBC+church+numbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFiH_yJ3NgRmG4auC_8YclaCE_-8iLIwqS83RFl1rj3wnMnXjZFt7UF8HegDJfvJ3w9wAKVuWo91nCX9YoGaZtNOJEMuyjdNzScHrDNBWTviR6a-meApwc6EyKaMMl62scJxrd32nj4zU/s1600/2012+SBC+church+numbers.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Southern Baptist Convention released an Annual Church
Profile in 2012. This record indicates that in 2012 roughly 6 million Southern
Baptists attended worship each week. Using the three groups we identified above
(Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly/Holiday) let’s extrapolate these percentages across the
SBC.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On any given week there were 6 million Southern Baptists in
attendance for worship. Let’s say it’s the first Sunday of the new Quarter,
which lands on the first Sunday of the Month. According to the numbers nearly 6
million members of churches associated with the SBC will be partaking communion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now let’s move a month later. The Quarterly group is not
partaking, but the Weekly and Monthly members are. Of the 6 million members in
the SBC, only 1,140,000 members are now partaking. That’s a drop off of 81%.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now let’s move to the following week, the second Sunday of
the month. Neither the Quarterly nor the Monthly members are partaking. Now of
the 6 million members attending worship this week only 60,000 people will be
celebrating the Supper. That is equal to the weekly attendance of just a couple
Texas megachurches.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out of 46,034 churches (in 2012) that’s only 460 churches
across the nation. Just for a little perspective, in the state I live in,
Missouri, in 2012 there were 1,859 SBC churches. In the counties comprising
Kansas City Metro alone (in 2010) there were 313 SBC churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For comparison, out of 46,034 SBC churches in 2012:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Number of SBC churches serving communion weekly: <b>460</b> (1%)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Number of SBC churches serving communion monthly: <b>8286</b> (18%)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Number of SBC churches serving communion Quarterly +and/or
Holiday: <b>36,826</b> (80%)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
An astoundingly low number of churches in the SBC serve
communion weekly, while the number of Quarterly/Holiday observing churches is through
the roof. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>What Do These Numbers Tell Us?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
If belief informs practice, then what can we infer from this
study? For one, infrequent observance of the Lord’s Supper must indicate <i>a belief that does not place an emphasis on
the Lord’s Supper as an important or vital element of weekly gathered worship</i>.
Notice I did not say they believe it to be unimportant or non-vital. Based on
the numbers I just can’t say that. Numbers tell us “what” not “why”. And what
the numbers say is that the majority of SBC churches do not believe the Lord’s
Supper to be an element of worship important or vital enough to conduct for at least 48
weeks out of the year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This all touches on <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/09/renew-table-setting-table-for-frequency.html" target="_blank">what I said the yesterday</a> when I put forward
the notion that practice is the effect of a held belief. The frequency in which
a church serves the Supper is an indication of a church’s theology and
understanding of communion.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Indication is a key word. We gain knowledge from indicators.
When the engine light comes on, there isn’t anything wrong with the dashboard;
it is an indicator that something is wrong with the engine. When a boy gives a
girl a rose it is an indicator that he wants her to be his sweetheart. We
should also be careful to remember that while indicators are important, sometimes
they don’t tell us the whole story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A man who has told his wife he loves her every day of their
marriage has abruptly stopped telling her so in the last few days. This
indicates to us that something has changed but it doesn't tell us why the
change has occurred. For that we must investigate further. Perhaps he fell ill
and in his misery understandably forgot to say the familiar words. Perhaps he’s
having an affair with his secretary. Perhaps she’s having an affair with the mailman and he found out.
Perhaps he's getting lazy. There could be a thousand reasons, but the
important thing is that the indicator is what led us to investigate further. One
more thing. While we may not know the whole story about Why the man stopped
telling his wife he loves her, we do know enough about the What (he stopped) to
know that things have not changed for the <i>better</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So when I say “the infrequent observance of the Lord’s
Supper must indicate a belief that does not place an emphasis on the Lord’s
Supper as an important or vital element of weekly gathered worship,” I cannot
tell you, based on the numbers alone, why this is the case. But I can take
those numbers and place them in the context of Scripture and Church history, and when I do I
see a vast divergence. We need to investigate.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-8007396778815984622014-09-03T14:18:00.000-05:002014-09-03T14:21:13.383-05:00Renew the Table: A Frequent Fallacy<div>
<i>Renew the Table is a series of thoughts and opinions concerning the renewal of the Lord's Supper. For more information please see <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/renew-table-goals-and-disclaimers.html" target="_blank">Goals and Disclaimers</a> </i></div>
<div>
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<div>
I initially wanted to jump right in to some interesting statistics regarding the frequency of communion, but as soon as I began to interpret the data I became aware of an objection. Answering the objection might have been done simply enough in one or two statements, but I realized that the objection not only needed to be answered, but analyzed. If, as I believe, the objection is false, I thought it would be beneficial to examine <i>why</i> is it false and how it hinders many from thinking a bit deeper about this subject. And here we go.</div>
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In abstract thought, the frequency of which the Lord’s
Supper is taken <i>in and of itself</i> means nothing. The trouble though is that in reality the
Lord's Supper is never alone. Frequent or infrequent partaking of the Supper is
an effect. What we believe about the Supper (through theology or tradition) is
the cause. This means frequent or infrequent partaking is never the starting point. If our belief about Supper is the cause and frequency of partaking is the effect, then frequency or infrequency
can be used as an indicator of belief. The question "What do you believe
about the Lord's Supper?" informs the question "How often does your
church conduct the Lord's Supper?" The answer to the second question is
dependent upon the answer of the first. Because X, therefore Y. Or if you like, Y because X.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://suneeldhand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Quality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://suneeldhand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Quality.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a>I highlight this impact of Cause (belief) and Effect (practice), because
it exposes an argument that also gets us to the heart of the matter. An
argument espoused by many (knowingly or as I suspect, unknowingly) that tries to
sidestep or diverts the deeper issues related to the Lord’s Supper. It's the old maxim:
Quality is far greater than Quantity. In this case, meaning that the frequency of the Lord's
Supper doesn't matter as long as it is done right. And more than that, the
insinuation is often that Quantity will likely lead to a decreasing of the Quality, therefore our infrequent participation in the Supper preserves the "Quality" of the Supper. See what has been done here? See
how it is spun? Frequency (or in this case infrequency) is no longer the
effect, it is assumed to be the cause. Infrequent communion is believed to be
what preserves the "quality", be it orthodoxy or intimacy or whatever
else. But as we've seen, this cannot be the case because Frequency (or
Infrequency) is the result, the outcome, the effect of a belief. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When seen in this light, far from settling the issue
"Quality is far greater than Quantity" actually begs the question; if
a church is sound and faithful in their understanding and practice of the
Lord’s Supper, then why restrict what can only add and augment the glory of God
and the edification of the people in gathered worship? In other words, because
frequency is a result, an effect, of our theology of the Lord's Supper, the
argument cannot be "Quality is far greater than Quantity" not because
it isn't true, but because <i>it's not what we're talking about.</i> Since frequency
is a result, the argument must be (if we insist on speaking this way)
"Infrequent quality is far greater than frequent heresy". My gut
tells me that this is what most people who use the Quality over Quantity
argument for Communion actually mean. It cuts closer to the truth and the heart
of the matter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But the reason folks stick to the same old adage is because (when accepted on its face) it blocks our vision, and while some are blissfully ignorant, others are comforted by it because it justifies a held belief. A few, (though I have the feeling that it's more than a few) cling to it like a spooked kid beneath his blanket. If they peek out they might see a ghost and they aren't sure if their belief can handle the truth. But regardless of whether or not people use it as an objection or justification, it is easy to see how “Infrequent quality is greater than
frequent heresy” or “Infrequent meaningful intimacy is greater than frequent
meaningless familiarity” cuts through the fog and actually gets to the real root of that argument. It clears our vision to see
where the truth leads, and in this case, if frequency is the result of our
belief and “Quality is greater than Quantity” is just a blanket on our heads (here comes the ghost), then frequent quality
must be far greater than infrequent quality (boo!). And that is a tough path for many
to walk when their beliefs tell them otherwise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I must be careful here. I am not now equating Frequent with
Good and Infrequent with Bad or vice versa. I am only pointing out a major flaw in an objection that I have seen and have come up against which tries to (knowingly or unknowingly) avoid getting to the root of this issue. Ultimately,
the issue isn't frequency. The issue is what we believe about the Lord’s
Supper. At the same time however, I want to highlight that frequency is not a neutral subject and
that in fact it is actually an indicator of a held belief (known or unknown). Your belief (or your church’s belief) informs
your practice. If your congregation celebrates Communion weekly, this is a
result of your church’s belief in the Supper. If you celebrate Communion four
times a year, this also is based on what your church believes about the Lord’s
Supper. There is no way around it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This, I hope, helps clear the path before I started using
words like robust and healthy and anemic and weak.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-48577326669868060892014-08-28T12:22:00.001-05:002014-08-28T12:22:42.094-05:00Renew the Table: Goals and Disclaimers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vantasselfamilyhistoryhomepage/cmnntable72.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vantasselfamilyhistoryhomepage/cmnntable72.gif" height="202" width="320" /></a></div>
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I would like to discuss the Lord’s Supper. More heavily, the
neglect of the Lord’s Supper. However, I am finding such a topic to be a Hydra.
There are so many heads that I find it rather hard to figure out which one to
focus on first. I feel as if there should be some logical order to the whole of
my thoughts and opinions on this subject, but I’m finding them to be somewhat
like facets on the face of a gem. Is there a logical order of facets that make
the whole of the gem?<o:p></o:p></div>
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My goal is this: In regards to the theology and practice of
the Lord’s Supper, I see a deficiency and desire to rectify it. However I know
that my self-published opinions will in no way rectify a situation that has, as
one might argue, been argued since the dawn of the Protestant Reformation. So I’ll
slim down my goal; my desire is to see the renewal of the Table in gathered
worship and my hope is that these thoughts and opinions, these facets, will
contribute in some way to cause believers to think deeper and truer about the
Supper, with the further hope that such thinking leads to theologies and
practices that will all the more edify the Church and glorify God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now that I've given myself a goal that is unachievable on my
own, I’ll begin speaking into the air and let the wind carry it wherever it
desires. This will at least release me from the burden of logical progression.
And if nothing carries beyond itself, I can at least chalk this up to an exercise
in thought and writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While many of my convictions, complaints, and opinions are
rather strong, I don’t want to give the impression that I believe that I myself
hold the key to knowledge. Sometimes opinions can be held as tight as a pit
bull holds a bone in its jaws. When certain critics or opponents try to pry it
loose they only cause us to hold tighter. However, sometimes there are those
who come along with a gentle touch and a smell that we've not yet encountered,
which lends a certain perspective we had not yet considered, and so we let go.
Sometimes we let go of an opinion because it is no longer worthy to be held.
Other times we let go of an opinion to let more truth and information enlighten
it, making it that much sweeter when we pick it up again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, I should also note that I’m coming at this from the
only experience I have, namely an evangelical background; specifically Baptist.
Even more specifically, Southern Baptist. So any guns I’m firing are really
aimed in that direction because that’s where I’m looking. That means there will
be some major perspective bias and sometimes what I write will bump up against
a non-baptistic theology or point of view.</div>
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Other than that, I only mean to offend those who need offending. Such offending may lead to collateral offence, of which I would ask for your forgiveness. Really though, if I say something that offends you or am unclear on something, maybe drop me a line in the comments section or even email me at sounddoxology@gmail.com. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-33432235392338804892014-08-19T10:26:00.000-05:002014-08-19T10:27:23.233-05:00Directions for Singing: Part 7 - Sing Spiritually<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Wesley
concludes his Directions for Singing with this crowning jewel:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7. Above all sing <i>spiritually</i>. Have an eye to God in every
word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature.
In order to this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that
your <i>Heart </i>is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually;
so shall your singing be such as the <i>Lord </i>will approve of here, and
reward when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="http://lexloiz.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/john-wesley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lexloiz.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/john-wesley.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a>This last
point rises above the rest. Not that it abolishes all the rest, but fulfills
them. Without this point you can chalk the rest up to legalism. I’ll admit, I've had to dip into this point to expand on the others. Wesley’s pastoral
insight in each of the previous points all lean upon this one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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His
encouragement to sing spiritually reflects Christ’s teaching that those who
wish to worship the Father must do so in spirit and truth. And in a few short
sentences Wesley does a pretty good job getting the heart of what it means to
sing spiritually; having an eye to God in every word you sing, seeking to
please Him more than yourself, attending to the sense of what you sing (that
is, truth). It is for this reason Wesley encourages his people not only to sing
certain songs, but <i>how</i> to sing them, in order that they might worship God rightly while they sing together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wesley
offers his people a further incentive; your spiritual singing is pleasing to
God <i>now</i> and such faithfulness will be
rewarded at Christ’s second coming. Add to that our understanding that we
cannot do such things on our own, but that our worship is mediated through a
perfect Intercessor, making our imperfect worship perfect and acceptable to our
Holy God, then the implications are rather staggering. The Father is pleased
with our singing now and will reward our song because of Christ! What a
glorious motivation to gather and sing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope that this series has been an encouragement to you, whether you sing in front or sing in the pew. My real hope is that these instructions will help us will come away with a fuller understanding of what it means to sing, what is happening when we sing, and how our singing together reflects the truth of the gospel.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Introduction</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3a-sing-all.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(a) - Sing All</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3b-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(b) - Sing, Weary Singers</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-for-singing-part-4-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 4 - Sing Lustily and with Good Courage</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-in-singing-part-5-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 5 - Sing Modestly</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-for-singing-part-6-sing-in.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Part 6 - Sing in Time</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-51634604768247368572014-08-18T10:48:00.001-05:002014-08-18T10:50:03.357-05:00Directions for Singing: Part 6 - Sing in Time<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6. Sing in <i>Time</i>:
whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay
behind it; but attend closely to the leading voices, and move therewith as
exactly as you can. And take care you sing not <i>too slow</i>. This drawling
way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out
from among us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is
perhaps the most practical of all of Wesley’s directions. The goal here is
twofold. 1) Again we see, as in Direction #5, he’s teaching his people to
strive for unity. It should be remembered that this is his overarching purpose,
but since we covered that in Part 5, I’ll not touch upon it here. 2) Wesley is
trying to correct something that has obviously become normalized to the point
that it has become quite useless or intolerable to many.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx2A6FQXPtT567W923LIm6Vxt2cwbuQmmZ7DIED9VkFGDL4y8lvKynlXBYRLOsMQFiWvIPtGSLaEvmN9XxrzzqUkS91haO4lhwufRMJEooZsWx6YihpmB4nhA3zOrDOvBR5ujLqLL0znC/s1600/piano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx2A6FQXPtT567W923LIm6Vxt2cwbuQmmZ7DIED9VkFGDL4y8lvKynlXBYRLOsMQFiWvIPtGSLaEvmN9XxrzzqUkS91haO4lhwufRMJEooZsWx6YihpmB4nhA3zOrDOvBR5ujLqLL0znC/s1600/piano.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">His last
sentence is awesome. “<i>This drawling way
naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from
among us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.</i><b>” </b>You can hear it in his voice can’t
you? His disdain for lazy singing. I imagine my experience as a youth in the
First Baptist Church of Dreary Song was not unlike what was driving Wesley nuts
here. I can see him squirm and fidget with deep breaths waiting for the agony
of the eternal song to end. God love ‘em, but is there anything fast, quick, or
snappy about an elderly lady playing piano in church? Minor annoyances aside,
what I think Wesley is ultimately getting at here is that songs need to be sung
appropriately. The clue here is when he says “just as quick as we did at first”.
This indicates that they were initially sung in the appropriate manner. I think
that is the crux. I don’t think Wesley wants to sing every single tune like an
auctioneer; I think he wants to sing every single tune the way it is supposed
to be sung. Tunes and texts which lend themselves to be sung at a quicker tempo
should not be sung as a dirge. Solemn tunes should be solemn, not dead. These
songs initially, were sung correctly, but they have since grown slow and dull. I
want to use this as a springboard to think for a moment about how songs are
supposed to be sung. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the
most part I would guess that generally the songs we sing on a weekly basis are
neither boisterous nor somber. They are probably somewhere in between. There is
nothing wrong with that <i>unless they are
always somewhere in between</i>. There needs to be a healthy diet of Gladness
and Gravity, of both deep sorrow and abundant rejoicing. I’m not speaking here
of the healthy textual content needed within the songs (which is hugely
important), but a healthy understanding of <i>occasion</i>
and <i>purpose</i>; when and how songs need
to be sung. To translate this to the dinner table, we need both party food and
food to be served after a funeral, not to mention all the meals in between. The
food meets the occasion. We eat turkey and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, not
on the Fourth of July. Beer and Hot Wings for the football game, not for
Timmy’s first birthday party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let me get
closer to (but not quite to) the point. I fear that we view our song intake
much the same way the modern world views their food intake. They are always
conscious of <i>content</i> to the exclusion
and detriment of the <i>context</i>. In the
modern mind you have Health Food or Junk Food. And often (and usually in the
minds of the more health oriented) these become moral issues. Health food is
good, Junk food is bad. And this leads some people to believe that because Junk
Food is bad, there is now no good occasion for Junk Food. Health food all the
time, for every occasion, or nothing at all. Content to the detriment of
Context. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And because
Health=Good and Junk=Bad, that means that we now have to have our Healthy Food
look like Junk Food for the occasions that normally require Junk Food. Our
football games still have chips and dips but they are now fatless and
tasteless, or just plain gross. Or as St. Paul said, “Having the appearance of godliness
but denying its power.” This sacrifice of taste is justified because it was
deemed necessary for our health. Now I bring this up not to cause a food fight,
but to point out the parallel I see in the songs we sing at church. We (like
our health conscious friends) are looking for the healthy songs. The ones chock
full of vitamins and nutrients. And this is great. There are a lot of songs
that can rot the teeth out there. Some even cause cancer. But in our endeavor
to feed congregations healthy songs, sometimes we force feed certain songs into
occasions that don’t work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
easiest example of this is always singing happy songs all the time. Here’s
where our food analogy comes into play. The tendency is to think that Happy
songs = Healthy songs so therefore they are Good songs; and Sad songs = Unhealthy
songs so therefore they are Bad songs. I recall hearing a story about how
Christian Radio stations were at a loss about what to play on 9/11. A huge tragedy
had befallen the nation and when they reached into their archives to find
appropriate songs they came up short. Tragedy upon tragedy! Because Christ is
King over all things and Sovereign over all circumstances, we must have a song
to sing for every situation. The great theologian Treebeard said, “Songs like
trees bear fruit only in their own time and their own way” and I believe him.
Songs must be sung according to their appropriate occasion and purpose,
especially when we gather to sing to and about the Most High God and His
glorious Son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To be
sure, the textual content of the song greatly aids in determining occasion and
purpose, but not necessarily to the expense of the tune and tempo; the way in
which we sing it. There is a reason we stretch and emphasize certain words of a
song. Songs need an occasion and occasions need songs, and the wise will do
right by figuring out the best way to join them when the church gathers each
week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s
likely a little bit more than Wesley was aiming at, but I think it shoehorned
in nicely enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Introduction</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3a-sing-all.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(a) - Sing All</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3b-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(b) - Sing, Weary Singers</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-for-singing-part-4-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 4 - Sing Lustily and with Good Courage</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-in-singing-part-5-sing.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Part 5 - Sing Modestly</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-89730138653951682142014-08-15T10:52:00.002-05:002014-08-15T10:54:26.716-05:00Directions in Singing: Part 5 - Sing Modestly<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
In the
<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-for-singing-part-4-sing.html" target="_blank">previous installment</a> John Wesley encouraged us to do something that, for many,
is awkward and uncommon; Sing lustily and with good courage. In that post I ran
up and down the ranks barking orders hoping to instill boldness in those singers
who have heretofore been somewhat soppy in their audible forays. The horseback
speech was for the whole church but my hope was that the men on the front line
felt the brunt of it. I believe singing lustily and with great courage is one
of the gathered church’s greatest needs today, and because it is a great need
it is therefore a great weapon. One we should use with wisdom. And so Wesley’s
fifth point serves to balance his fourth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5. Sing <i>modestly</i>. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or
distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the
harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear
melodious sound.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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If you are
handed a weapon to use in battle, you ought to know how to use it in whatever
situation. Just as not every battle can be waged in stealth and silence, not
every battle can be waged as a rage-drunken Viking Berserker. Singing lustily
and with good courage doesn't mean you are to show-off. Show-offs think only of
themselves. They only sing loud to hear how good they sound. What we want are
good soldiers who will bolster those around them. They sing loudly so others
hear and take heart and hopefully join in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.wall321.com/download/view?resolution=1680x1050&file=MTI4MHg4MDAvMjAxMjEwMTgvbXVzaWMgcGlhbm8gYnJva2VuIDEyODB4ODAwIHdhbGxwYXBlcl93d3cud2FsbDMyMS5jb21fMTkuanBn&name=bXVzaWNfcGlhbm9fYnJva2VuXzEyODB4ODAwX3dhbGxwYXBlcg==" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wall321.com/download/view?resolution=1680x1050&file=MTI4MHg4MDAvMjAxMjEwMTgvbXVzaWMgcGlhbm8gYnJva2VuIDEyODB4ODAwIHdhbGxwYXBlcl93d3cud2FsbDMyMS5jb21fMTkuanBn&name=bXVzaWNfcGlhbm9fYnJva2VuXzEyODB4ODAwX3dhbGxwYXBlcg==" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
Show-offs
do more harm than good. It would be better for that singer to keep silent and
listen to the rest than to open their glory-hungry mouth. Their voice distinct
from the rest, however beautiful to the ear, is ultimately offensive to the
gospel. There is almost no better picture of a unified body than when the
gathered church sings together. Many people called and saved by Christ, now
speaking to Him and about Him with one voice. But when you have a show-off it
disrupts the picture like a child drawing on the Mona Lisa with a pen. To
destroy the harmony of the congregation, not musically, but the unity, is
anti-gospel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So when Wesley
encourages us to strive to unite our voices together, he’s not just looking for
a good sound, he’s looking for a single sound. One clear melodious sound. This
sound is a picture of the united body of Christ. So in your singing, seek the
good of the congregation. Sing in such a way as not to show off but to
encourage and strengthen your fellow brothers and sisters. Strive for unity. If
the song is somber, sing in a somber way. That means not happy and/or
skippy-dippy. If the song is loud and boisterous, stop yawning and join in with
vigor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Often Modesty
is a word tossed about only in reference to clothing. There are fifty-thousand
articles and blogposts about what it means for Christians to dress modestly in
worship and maybe zero (or one, now) about singing modestly in worship. The
reason clothing takes center stage is because of the sex factor. But
unfortunately the sex factor usually distracts us from the main point of
dressing modestly. The reason we ought to dress modestly is for the same reason
we ought to sing modestly, which is that we may not destroy the harmony, the
unity of the congregation. It has less to do with cleavage than with communion.
The real problem with the lady with the too-tight dress on a Sunday morning isn't that she’ll cause the menfolk to lust (though that’s an issue too), it’s that
now the unity of the congregation is disrupted. Eyes are diverted from Jesus
and onto her figure. Remove sex from the situation and everything remains the
same. Imagine someone walks into service dressed as a clown. Eyes are diverted
from Jesus and onto his big red nose and floppy shoes. And so it is with
singing. Immodest singers divert attention from Jesus and onto themselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So strive
for unity because the unity of the body glorifies Christ. We come modestly to
worship, not because of cultural morals and expectations, but because of love
for one another and our love for our Savior; understanding that our modesty contributes
to our harmony and thus reflects the gospel.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Introduction</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3a-sing-all.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(a) - Sing All</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3b-sing.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(b) - Sing, Weary Singers</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/08/directions-for-singing-part-4-sing.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Part 4 - Sing Lustily and with Good Courage</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-6295382598202525002014-08-13T10:22:00.000-05:002014-08-13T10:23:49.965-05:00Shepherding AffectionsI was digging around some old digital files earlier and I came across this email I had saved. At the time it was written I was still serving as Worship Pastor and was a part of an email conversation between the elders thinking about cultivating affections in worship.<br />
<br />
It was written 7 weeks before I stepped down so unfortunately it was a conversation (for me) that stalled. But as I re-read it I found it surprisingly thought provoking and something I'd like to investigate further. I raised a few questions that I haven't been able to answer yet, (like, <i>how</i> do you teach someone to wonder?) but I think they are questions that can help lead to a good answer. Anyway, I offer it here in full (with brief insertions for clarity) in hopes that it might encourage you and assist folks in shepherding the affections of their flock.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">hey
gang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I've
been mulling this over in my mind for a while too. Here are simply just some
thoughts that have occurred to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I
think we know the <i>what </i>(cultivating the affections) but achieving it is
another playing field. As leaders, I don't believe it is our duty or place to
be the cause or manufacturers of emotions of our people. I think we all agree
on this. But it<i> is </i>our place to point them to the cause and source which
can give life to the affections (and not just simply point them, but to nurture
them in the affections and aid in their development). So I don't
think our 'success' or 'failure' rests in whether or not our people respond
with the proper affections. That's a helpful indicator, but not the goal. Our
'goal' and the measure of our success and failure in the realm of affections, I
believe, is how well we show, reveal, clarify, explain, display, Christ.
Essentially, how well we point to Christ and how well we cultivate a lifestyle
of proper affections. That is the real challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mostbeautifulplaces.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Zealand-Mountains-Vacation-Place-in-Queenstown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mostbeautifulplaces.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Zealand-Mountains-Vacation-Place-in-Queenstown.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I
can't help but think of my children (especially in light of our efforts to
benefit the spiritually young). I can show my kids something I think is amazing
and be underwhelmed by their 'whoopdee doo' response. On some level, it's up to
me to cultivate their understanding in such a way that they then have the
ability to view it with an appropriate level of awe. I showed Adison [my eldest daughter] a picture
of a mountain in New Zealand yesterday. I was blown away by the beauty of the
picture, the immensity of the mountain, the beauty of the snowy peak above and
the lush green below. I said, 'look at this!' and she said, 'eh' and walked
away. If I were really serious about getting her to see the same beauty I was
seeing I would really have to sit down and think for a bit, especially on her
level, to come up with a way to show her, "here's why it's amazing".
This, actually, now that I think about it, might take two minutes or
twelve years. And then I'd have to start again with Noah [my son] and the other kids
(but perhaps by the time Willow [my fourth child] comes around to appreciating the beauty, she
has grown up in an environment where the whole household provides the
example and the painstaking explanations that initially started with
kid #1 aren't as necessary with kid #4?). And of course there's always the possibility
that one of my kids, no matter what I do, will never give a flip about a
beautiful mountain. If that's the case, I think my job still remains, to try to
cultivate an understanding in such a way that they then have the ability to
view beautiful things with an appropriate level of awe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately
it is about getting them to see the mountain and gasp without my explanations
and reasonings and such, so that they will have a proper response throughout
their lifetime without my aid. (it just occurred to me that perhaps the best
way might not even be explanations--though that is often
a necessary and worthy route--but rather to just take them to see the
mountains in real life, up close and personal. That blows my explanations of
why the picture is amazing right out of the water.) Hopefully cultivating
affections and wonder at an early age will establish a lifetime of
astonishment. It's the whole 'teach a man to fish' thing. Show a man a wonder
and he'll praise God for a day. Teach a man to wonder and he'll praise God his
whole life (because wonder, after all, is simply involuntary praise). Showing
the wonder/beauty/amazing truth is necessary and needs to happen, but it is far
greater to teach a man to wonder, to feel the stab of beauty, to cry or sing amazing
truth on his own alongside you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Translating
this theme (cultivating affections for those unaware or indignant or immature
or whathaveyou) to worship would seem easy enough (just show them Jesus!)
but it's pretty difficult. It's the same as me showing the picture to
Adison. It's amazing sure, and folks might be awed by it (since
they are able to rightly be awed). And that's where we find
ourselves now I'd reckon. I think we have done a noble job thus far simply
showing and displaying Jesus as amazing and worthy of our affections in
worship. And those of us who are able to be amazed, or whatever the appropriate
emotion might be, may not have a hard time doing so. But I think the difficult
part, the part that prompts us to pray and write emails about it and be
concerned for the flock, I think is this idea of how do we cultivate an
understanding in such a way that they then have the ability to view the
beauty, truth, and goodness of Christ with the appropriate affections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I
am going to continue to think through this, but maybe one place where we can
start (the obvious place) is ourselves. Think through what you find amazing
about Christ. Specific stuff. What makes your heart leap when you ponder it.
What catches your breath? It doesn't always have to be doctrine. It could
be that mountain, right? Then (and here I'm not sure just yet) I think it might
be helpful to our people if we begin to share with our people what amazes us,
or shocks us, or grieves us, or causes joy, etc. Not necessarily what <i>should</i>
cause joy or what <i>should</i> amaze us. And I'm not necessarily thinking it
should be presented as in a personal testimony or anything, but that our
speech, when we speak of our desire, would be full of flavor when we
speak about it. It's like when you tell someone, "Try the steak". The
way you say it reveals your love for it, your desire for them to participate in
the same experience you've had, even though you never said you've tried the
steak for yourself. It's just evident that you did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">My
problem, I'll confess, is simply expressing that in a public way. Not that I
fear it, but that I'm a tongue tied, rambling speaker. My points become less
clear and more muddled. No doubt a bit more discipline on my part
to prepare my thoughts beforehand would be a great benefit. Prayer would
be appreciated here for me in that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But
to bring this behemoth full circle and maybe in sum:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">1)
we have a job to do regarding the affections (I was convinced for a long time
we didn't): that job is to point clearly to the truth, goodness, and beauty of
Christ and aid in cultivating the affections of our people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">2)
the right affections of our people ought to be a helpful indicator but not
be the measure of our 'success'. When it becomes the measure/the ultimate
goal, we will always, always manipulate and try in our own strength to
produce the effects (and usually with spectacular 'success' or
'failure'. but I digress...)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">3)
cultivating the affections is deep and continuous, like training children, it
has to be a 'lifestyle' of the church and her leadership, always cultivating,
always being amazed, always on the lookout for wonder in everything<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">4)
don't be content to just show people a wonder, teach people to wonder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Anyway,
that's how I approach this. I think it helps us attack the issue from a proper
angle. Looking forward to digging through this will all of you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">thoughts?
pushbacks? etc?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">your
longwinded brother,</span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Rich<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-30686650738494764982014-08-04T09:35:00.001-05:002014-08-04T09:35:27.493-05:00Today: Newton's Birthday and Initial Step into Ministry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Newton_j.jpg/220px-Newton_j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Newton_j.jpg/220px-Newton_j.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/john-newtons-old-style-birthday.html" target="_blank">As I mentioned 11 days ago</a>, many people consider John Newton's birthday to be July 24th, but Newton himself did not. Newton indeed was born on July 24th, however it was according to the Julian calendar.<br />
<br />
So today is the day when John Newton celebrated his birthday. The first year he was to celebrate his birthday on August 4th was 1758 (when the calendar change occurred) which was Newton's 33rd birthday. But interestingly it was this year that Newton seriously considered his call into the ministry. He set aside 6 weeks to pray and study and "to examine my own heart to consider at large the nature, dignity, difficulty, and importance of the great undertaking I have in view [entering the ministry]". The purposely placed end of the six weeks would be August 4th. This would mark not only the first time Newton would celebrate his birth on this date, but also serve as the date in which Newton felt satisfied to confirm his calling and fully set forth on his journey to enter the ministry. He wrote on August 4th, 1758: "The day is now arrived when I propose to close all my deliberations on this subject with a solemn, unreserved, unconditional surrender of myself to the Lord." So today not only marks John Newton's 289th birthday, but also marks the first step Newton takes in pursuing his call to the ministry 256 years ago.<br />
<br />
He concluded in his diary on that day,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>And here I shall conclude for the present; it is drawing near 5 in the evening and I have been waiting upon the Lord in retirement with fasting and prayer since 6 in the morning. When I go from hence I shall take my refreshment with a thankful heart humbly trusting that the Lord has accepted my desire and that in His good time He will both appoint me work, and furnish me with grace, wisdom and strength to perform it. I cannot boast of any peculiar sensible manifestations in this day’s attendance; but I think my heart has in the general bent set to seek the face of my God, and that I now find my spirit submissive to His will. My desire to serve him still continues, and I am enabled to cast everything else upon him. What remains but that I shut up and confirm all with unfeigned praises for all His mercies.</i></span></span></blockquote>
We know that God was faithful to use John Newton in his time and even unto our own. The ripple effect of his ministry is hard to measure because it was a monster wave. One those crazy surfers only dream about.<br />
<br />
For more information about John Newton, <a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2010/08/john-newton-285-years-old-today.html" target="_blank">here is a post I did some years back that includes a lot of links and resources.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-88313612768703284852014-08-01T11:03:00.000-05:002014-08-01T11:04:31.437-05:00Directions for Singing: Part 4 - Sing Lustily and with Courage<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In John
Wesley’s first two points we have seen <i>what</i>
to sing. His third point has allowed us to touch a bit on <i>why</i> we sing and specifically why we should sing together. Now in
these final four points Wesley directs us <i>how</i> to sing. To be honest, this is my
favorite instruction. Years ago when I first came across these “Directions for
Singing”, this is the one that stuck out. It lingers about my mind nearly every
Sunday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>4. Sing <i>lustily
</i>and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half
asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now,
nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of <i>Satan</i>.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A few posts
back I mentioned an experience that contrasted with my normal expectations
about congregational singing. After years of being formed by dreary, yawn
inducing singing, I attended a congregation who taught me a lesson. We began
with “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” and I thought the church would crumble
like the walls of Jericho. The rumble, the boom, the power of that gathered
voice, full of mirth and might, was almost overwhelming to my unaccustomed
ears. It was this moment that gave me the clearest understanding of just how anemic
my experiences up until then with congregational singing really had been. It
was like being raised on rice and beans my whole life and then someone offered
me a steak. These people were doing exactly what Wesley tells us to do; they
were singing lustily and with good courage. And it made me want to join in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sing Lustily<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJELG6geIsB77T0TKRDshHMGrDxDt6G5kxfhx1PX1yf3-reTthI_I7SSgLUzBPPFuSy5u6gm9kO3BvSHOaYwcTtSo8N5P9gG9CyT21G4rY4kmwIpOhlSuHmPB2PmqwrJ51DnSyIPhC9Ccf/s1600/SoldiersSinging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJELG6geIsB77T0TKRDshHMGrDxDt6G5kxfhx1PX1yf3-reTthI_I7SSgLUzBPPFuSy5u6gm9kO3BvSHOaYwcTtSo8N5P9gG9CyT21G4rY4kmwIpOhlSuHmPB2PmqwrJ51DnSyIPhC9Ccf/s1600/SoldiersSinging.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What does
it mean to sing lustily? Words like, vigorous, hearty, and mighty come to mind.
There is <i>oomph</i> behind it. It’s warriors
singing as they march to battle. It’s the National Anthem sung after a gold
medal at the Olympics. It’s the seventh grade girl’s sleepover where
hairbrushes are microphones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Maybe the
best way to think of it would be singing <i>whole-heartedly</i>.
If we love the Lord our God with all of our heart and mind and strength then we
should sing to the Lord our God with all our heart and mind and strength. That
includes our voices. Which includes the volume of our voices. Which means your
half-sigh-sing-along is less than whole-hearted. Which means your song is lacking
in more than just volume. When you sing half-dead or half-asleep, or when you
are ashamed of being heard, you are saying something to God and to the Church
(and about them). You are saying that you are half-hearted. Which means the
only thing you’re good for is to be spat out. Were that you hot or cold…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I
think of the epitome of whole-heartedness I think of my 7 year old son. When he
sets his mind on something he doesn’t let it go. Ever. The kid is a pit bull. However
noble (giving money to the church) or silly (playing a certain video game) he
pursues his desire with every fiber of his being. His joy or misery hinges upon
it. It’s his first thought when he wakes up and his last thought before his
eyes close. Often it’s his whole-heartedness that gets him in trouble. The (fantastic)
reason it gets him into trouble is because it gives him <i>boldness</i>. If he sets his mind on something he’s going to ask me to
do it until I give in or punish him for asking for the 1000<sup>th</sup> time…or
he’ll just do it without asking. He “knows” that he will get in trouble if he
asks “one more time”, but in his whole-hearted boldness he risks it anyway. He’s
still learning how to be obedient and how to have self-control, but his
whole-heartedness is a <i>good</i> thing. But
for most of us, whole-heartedness doesn’t come so easily. This is why we need courage.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And With Good Courage<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Courage
requires us to risk whole-heartedness. Courage tells us to act whole-hearted
without being whole-hearted to begin with in the hope that acting whole-hearted
will lead to whole-heartedness. That’s a chewy one. I explain it to my kids
like this: You cannot be courageous without being afraid. Fear is necessary for
bravery. You cannot have courage without it. If fear is absent from your
action, then you are not being brave, you are being normal (or stupid). Courage
is being afraid <i>and doing it anyway</i>.
Every time my kids say, “I’m scared” it is an opportunity to teach courage.
Courage never feels like courage to begin with. It feels like anxiety. You only
feel courageous after the deed is done (maybe).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So singing
with good courage doesn’t mean you have to feel like it before you sing. In
fact, with our understanding of courage, it means the opposite! You don’t feel
like singing? You’re exactly where you need to be. Now sing as if you are
singing with your whole heart. You feel like a liar? Because you are. Keep
singing. You feel your voice isn’t very pleasant sounding? At least you know it.
Keep singing. Whatever fears and excuses (legitimate!) you have, sing through
them. If Christ has conquered Satan and the gods of this world, if Christ has conquered
sin and death, then whatever fears we have that prevent us from singing whole-heartedly
when we gather to sing will pale in comparison. Christ gives us courage greater
than the courage of the world because He has already conquered.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If God is
for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up
for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who
shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to
condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is
at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we
are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For
I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things
present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So sing
out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Epilogue: A word to the men of the church<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My eye is
heavily upon you here. Growing up, those who actually did sing were the ladies.
It was the men with folded arms and furrowed brows with their traps shut. That
taught me another thing I had to unlearn later: Singing is for girls. Such an
impact is not just harmful, it is evil. The force behind such thinking is
satanic. Satan is dancing to your droning. He’s giggling like the schoolgirl he
makes you think you’ll be if you sing out. Though the fiery dragon has been
dealt a mortal wound by our great Savior, his death throes are still dangerous.
He still has poison and the power to enchant you. But God has given you a
weapon to break the spell and fight back. What are you doing with it? Yawning?
Martin Luther said,</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The devil,
the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the
sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God…Music is a gift and
grace of God, not an invention of men. Thus it drives out the devil and makes
people cheerful.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Every
Sunday when the church gathers in song, a sword is always held at someone’s
throat; the devil’s or yours. Worship is war and your half-hearted singing is a
position of pathetic weakness, a treacherous act. Your mumbled song is a whimper
that only discourages your comrades and emboldens the enemy. Your children will
see your defeat and follow you. What will <i>their</i>
children do? Do you care? Paul encourages us to “be watchful, stand firm in the
faith, act like men, be strong.” Singing is a way to guard and stand firm in
the faith, so act like a man and sing with strength.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
Sunday sing with vigor and might. That means with <i>oomph</i>. Your guts are going to have to get involved. Intestinal
fortitude two ways. If people notice then you’re probably doing it right. You’re
not going to feel like it, but that’s where courage kicks in. Sing
out and sing through. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Introduction</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3a-sing-all.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 3(a) - Sing All</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3b-sing.html" target="_blank">Part 3(b) - Sing, Weary Singers</a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-66317612559188468902014-07-28T10:26:00.000-05:002014-07-28T10:30:23.050-05:00Directions for Singing: Part 3b - Sing, Weary Singers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week
I took a bite out of the first sentence in John Wesley’s third instruction.
Today I’ll finish the plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Sing <i>All</i>. See that you join with the congregation as
frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder
you. If it is a cross to you, take it up and you will find a blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After
addressing the people to “sing All”, Wesley follows up by encouraging everyone to sing together and to push through if it is a burden, because ultimately it will be a blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Join With the Congregation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wesley is
telling us to sing along, to join the throng. Everybody sing. In the previous
post I told you about my experiences growing up in the First Baptist Church
of Dreary Song, where verses were skipped and the singing was lackluster.
Unfortunately I've heard the same story from many others. The gospel of Dreary
Song is cross-denominational, a truly ecumenical movement. Symptoms include the
mumbles, folded arms, blank stares and/or scowly faces, half-heartedness,
lip-syncing, and possible eye-rolling. Frankly, some congregations are truly united, but only in their effort to not sing. Unity of this type is also found in the
graveyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To make a point I will now get off the topic for a moment. Carl
Truman wrote an incredibly helpful and needful article called, <a href="http://tollelege.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/what-can-miserable-christians-sing-by-carl-r-trueman/" target="_blank">“What Can Miserable Christians Sing”</a>. His point is that in our day and age the emphasis in church music leans heavily towards the happy, glad, and joyful, leaving
those who are miserable or hurting without a song to sing. His solution to this Happy
Clappy Endemic is (spoiler alert) the Psalms. Aside from the fact that it
needed to be written in the first place, everything about the article is
spectacular and I pray it finds its way before the eyes of every pastor and worship leader in the land. That said (back on topic!), in my experience, the problem isn't that everyone is
singing only happy songs, the problem is that almost no one is singing
<i>anything</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is
an awfully heavy side to this that unfortunately I’ll only mention briefly
here. When there a congregation that resists singing about
the One who invented music and formed their vocal cords—not to mention the One
who saved their souls from the pit of hell—the fear is that they sing not
because they are saved not. This is a real and dreadful conclusion that cannot
be reached lightly and so I’ll leave it to the discernment of those shepherds
to whom God has entrusted such matters in their own flocks. For my purposes, in
these instructions I have a believing congregation in mind. Perhaps it is full
of folks who grew up like me, where they were trained that the songs they sing
don’t matter much. Perhaps it is a congregation full of horrible singing voices
and everyone is a bit self-conscious. There are likely as many reasons as there
are non-singing congregations so I’ll get to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
I believe Wesley instructs his people to join in singing with the congregation
as frequently as possible to encourage even more singing. We've seen in previous installments that
singing is formative and that these hymns are meant to teach doctrine as well
as praise God, so it would follow that more singing means more teaching and
more formation, and as a result, more praise to God. But there's a bit more to it than that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">You Will Find a Blessing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.parentdish.co.uk/media/2013/02/pretend-play-alamy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.parentdish.co.uk/media/2013/02/pretend-play-alamy.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Just one more okay?" -said for the 10th time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Singing is
a natural part of our original glorious, pre-sin, Garden of Eden, state. But we are fallen, which is why
singing (and singing <i>together</i>) can be
weary and burdensome. And by golly, I think we have our finger on the foundation for the
Dreary Song Movement. Singing is a burden in the same way playing is a burden. Think
about how damning of a statement that is. Playing is a burden! At first glance
it sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Have you ever sat down to play make
believe with a toddler? How long did you last? Long before my daughter brings
me my 37th cup of tea I've been looking for a way out. I mean, she’s
already given me 36 cups in under two minutes. I'm antsy and I can't blame it on being hopped up on imaginary caffeine. Go ask your mom if she wants some tea. Had we the time and had I the ability, she would keep this up for
another, oh, 3 million cups or so. And that’s just me sitting on the couch,
not moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Play is a
burden and that it is a burden is evidence of our fallen state. Chesterton
taught this to me.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The sun
rises every morning. I do not rise every morning; but the variation is due not
to my activity, but to my inaction. Now, to put the matter in a popular phrase,
it might be true that the sun rises regularly because he never gets tired of
rising. His routine might be due, not to a lifelessness, but to a rush of life.
The thing I mean can be seen, for instance, in children, when they find some
game or joke that they specially enjoy. A child kicks his legs rhythmically
through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality,
because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated
and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it
again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to
exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is
possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every
evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes
all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has
never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of
infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.</span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the
same way, C.S. Lewis contrasts earth and heaven in those things (singing among
them) which we consider to be frivolous: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dance and game<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>are</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>frivolous, unimportant down here; for
“down here” is not their natural place. Here, they are a moment’s rest from the
life we were placed here to live.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">But in this world everything is upside down. That which, if it
could be prolonged here, would be a truancy, is most like that which in a
better country is the End of ends. Joy is the serious business of Heaven.</span></blockquote>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Singing is
a burden because we are sinful people. But singing is <i>good</i> for us because it is the serious business of Heaven. The
glimpse we get of the Throne of God in Heaven reveals to us four living creatures
who are continually, without stop day and night, singing, “Holy, holy, holy, is
the Lord God Almighty”. Without stop! Day and night! And we think, <i>what a burden</i>! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So our weakness
and weariness in singing is a sign of our fallen nature. Wesley wisely tells us
to battle through such weakness. He says to take it up as a cross and carry it
and it will be for our good. This flies in the face of that masterful tactic of
Satan; the phrase, “I don’t feel like it.” How many times have we given
credence to this phrase? Not that it </span>isn't<span style="font-family: inherit;"> true (most of the time it is true!). But
we never explore </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">why</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> it is true. Why
does singing make us weak and weary? Because joy is the serious business of
heaven and we are steeped in the serious business of the world. Of course we don’t
feel like singing! We’re too weak to understand its power. Wesley is smacking
our face here, not to be cruel, but to snap us into reality. Hey, wake up! Stay
with me! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www4.images.coolspotters.com/photos/687061/lucy-pevensie-and-lucy-pevensie-cordial-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www4.images.coolspotters.com/photos/687061/lucy-pevensie-and-lucy-pevensie-cordial-gallery.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Singing
together is like a magic cordial offered to the sick and dying. Those who
refuse to drink because the taste (at first sip) is sharp, harsh, and nasty
will remain sick and dying and likely unaware of their state. Singing will
never quite sit well with them and they’ll believe the fault lies somewhere outside
of themselves. However, those who realize their condition will push past the first taste
because they know ultimately it is for their own good. They will soon regain
their strength and develop an acquired taste that leads to greater complexity
of pleasure and enjoyment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The burden
of song may not be fully lifted for many until Christ returns, but when we sing
together we help each other carry the burden. In the church of the Dreary Song
the burden is crushing. But in a congregation where everyone sings together the burden
is lifted and eased. Everyone shares in the load and the work becomes a foretaste of eternal glory.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Introduction</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-3a-sing-all.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Part 3(a) - Sing All</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690015360043647739.post-87833675378662816032014-07-25T11:53:00.003-05:002014-07-25T12:13:15.166-05:00Directions for Singing: Part 3a - Sing All<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The third direction
John Wesley gives us is like a shotgun blast. His aim hits the target, but does
so in a way that covers a lot of ground. I initially intended to give my
thoughts on this entire point in one go, but I happened upon a few interesting rabbit
trails along the way and allowed myself to meander. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Sing <i>All</i>. See that you join with the congregation as
frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder
you. If it is a cross to you, take it up and you will find a blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today I’d
like to look at the first sentence: Sing All.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I
read “Sing All” I am immediately aware of three possible meanings: 1) Sing all
of the hymns in the hymnbook. 2) Sing all of the words in the hymn. 3) Sing
all, every one of you. Wesley may have intended it to mean only one of them,
but since we cannot ask him (for he’s been dead for over two centuries) and
since I think all of the meanings I’ve gathered from these two words would be
agreeable to Wesley anyway, I’ll go for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sing All of the Hymns in the Hymnbook<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sing every
song. Every one of them. The whole shebang. Even that one. Allow me to backup
before I run and jump into this. Singing all the hymns from the hymnbook is
almost a foreign concept to our PowerPoint-shaped minds. Technology today gives
us the ability to sing a 400 year old song and a song written 2 hours ago in
the very same service without even a hitch. Even if you don’t have access to a
projector, most have access to a printer that will meet your immediate needs
(Gutenberg would be so proud). The way we view the hymnal today is vastly
different from how it was viewed back then. Don’t miss the importance of this.
In the past, the hymnal was more or less a requirement. Today the hymnal is <i>optional</i>. One could think of the
physical hymn book as a well, and projected (or print-on-demand) lyrics as a
faucet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Water_well_in_garden_of_Cambremer_(France).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Water_well_in_garden_of_Cambremer_(France).JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Spring up, O well! sweet fountain, spring!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In many
ways the ‘worship wars’ transition of the recent past could be boiled down to
how people viewed the physical hymn book. Folks who were used to the well,
sustained by the well, whose lifestyle developed around the use of the well,
were suddenly introduced to this newfangled doohickey called the faucet. No
longer did one have to go outside to the well for water, you could just flip it
on in the house. When they went to the well they knew exactly where their water
was coming from. But this new plumbing brought water to the faucet from
somewhere else. Surely there must be a reservoir somewhere, but how do we know
where it came from? How can we be sure someone hasn’t put something else in it?
Besides, this tap water tastes funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://students.aub.edu.lb/~aah57/watersaving/images/or_89d4f0c0123175897230231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://students.aub.edu.lb/~aah57/watersaving/images/or_89d4f0c0123175897230231.jpg" height="200" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Pour out your power and love"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Do you see
what happened? Nothing essentially negative has occurred. But something
negative <i>might</i> occur. And it
certainly changes the rhythm of how life used to be. Something solid and
reliable has been removed. The hymn book, for centuries has been a haven. A
place of solace. Between these two covers is sustenance and safety. If you take
a look back at the preface of hymnals such as those developed by pastors like
<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2010/04/worship-leaders-imitate-william-gadsby.html" target="_blank">Gadsby and Spurgeon</a>, you will see that one of their concerns is to have a body
of songs that have been vetted and approved and are ready for consumption. This
is more or less the same reason there is a different hymnal for every
denomination. For the good of their people they tailored their hymnbooks to
gather the good stuff and avoid the junk. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Along comes
technology and it allowed immediate access to new and different songs. The well
water that is good for drinking, the one our fathers’ fathers have been
drinking from for all these years, is suddenly <i>unnecessary</i>. Now, only pragmatists wish to destroy that which is
unnecessary, and believe you me the modern church is chalk full of pragmatists.
And because the modern church is chalk full of pragmatists that means they
lined up on both sides. The Hymnbooker Pragmatists were of the opinion that the
Projector and the music it brought with it were unnecessary in light of what
they already had. The PowerPointer Pragmatists stood firm in their belief that
the hymnbook was impractical in light of what they now had. Are you starting to
hear the war drums beat? (Well…at least one side was pounding drums…) Meanwhile
those Christians who hadn’t succumbed to the temptations of the goddess,
Pragma, were taking part in a revolutionary concept in our day in age; they
were singing together. For Christians are the best at reveling in that which is
<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2012/07/gloriously-unnecessary-stars.html" target="_blank">gloriously unnecessary</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well
that’s enough backing up, now for the run and jump. All of that was said so
that we can see the reason John Wesley directed his people to “Sing All” was
because this Hymnbook was the Well he dug and he knew it was good. Like
Spurgeon and Gadsby after him, Wesley developed this hymnbook for sustenance
and safety. Every song was included for a reason; to glorify God and to edify
the Church. He wanted his people to draw deep and drink all the well had to
offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sing All of the Words in the Hymn<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Growing up
I figured there must’ve been some Baptist rule in hymn singing that went like
this: “You Shall Sing Verses 1, 2, and 4. Never Verse 3.” Is it me or did they
always skip verse 3? Perhaps the third verse was the Baptist version of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone#Historical_uses" target="_blank">diabolus in musica</a></i></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">? Whatever the reason, skipping verses in this way conveyed to me, even at a young age, a
pretty strong message: The length of the song trumps the content of the song.
This, in turn, conveyed the idea that singing didn’t matter much. It was just
something we do because it’s something we’ve always done. Get on with it. And
if singing didn’t matter much, <i>what</i>
we sang didn’t matter much. And if what we sang didn’t matter much, well then; songs
to and about our Creator and Savior that don’t matter to Christians are the
devil’s favorite tunes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That said,
skipping verses is not a bad thing. Sometimes it is appropriate and necessary.
Sometimes singing one verse is enough. But this shouldn’t be the rule or
arbitrary habit in gathered worship and I think John Wesley would agree.
Skipping verses in singing is like skipping verses of Scripture. Imagine
someone reading Scripture during worship and always skipping every third verse.
You might get the point across but really you are betraying the context and the
content. A hymn is more likely to build upon itself than our modern
verse/chorus/verse/chorus songs. More often, hymns, like a puzzle, require each
piece to see the whole picture. But in the end wisdom and discernment should
prevail. If you as a leader, or you as a singer, choose to omit a word or a
verse then it ought not be arbitrary or done without thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sing All, Every One of You<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Out of all
of the meanings I’ve pulled out of “Sing All”, I feel like this one likely hits
closest to Wesley’s intention. The emphasis he places on “<i>All</i>” with italics
causes me to want to interpret “All” as “Everybody”. And the immediate “see
that you join with the congregation” also leads me there.
Whatever his intention, this is good advice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I would
that you might suffer me another ‘growin up Baptist’ anecdote. I mentioned how
skipping the third verse caused me to slide down a slope of Doesn’t Matter Much
of Whatcha Sing. So it comes as no surprise that there were many mouths clamped
shut during our times of singing. Singing was (is!) a burden to many. I grew up
in a church full of lackluster singing. But I never knew how bad it was until I
attended another congregation. The song was “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
and before I uttered two melodic syllables I was struck dumb. I stopped singing
because I was amazed at the sound around me. The voice of the congregation
boomed. I checked the ceiling to make sure it was still intact. I looked around
me to make sure the heavenly host hadn’t joined in. And there was one more
thing that took me a moment to pin down. What was that sound? That deep rumble.
That punch. That sound that invigorated and fortified my soul. It was the sound
of men singing. I mean, really singing. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
The following week found me again at First Baptist Church of Dreary Song and as
we stood to sing verses 1, 2 and 4, my soul was dismayed. No wonder Wesley
encouraged everyone to sing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’ll dig
a bit more into this in the next installment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">============</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Previous installments of the Direction's for Singing series</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/wesleys-reasons-for-directions-for.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Introduction</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-1-learn.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 1 - Learn These Tunes</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://sounddoxology.blogspot.com/2014/07/directions-for-singing-part-2-sing-them.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Part 2 - Sing Them Exactly</span></a></div>
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