Renewal Tension: Not Just ‘Us’. Not Just ‘Now’.
May 5, 2011 at 5:31 pm 5 comments
From Paul Cameron—Executive Officer:
This photo shows an old, hollowed out tree trunk, out of which is emerging a new green sapling. When I see that tree image, I see new beginnings. I see fresh starts. I see renewal. I see Christians and communities of Christians changing and being transformed. I see new emerging from old. I see the older nurturing and releasing the younger and newer. I see life emerging from death. I see energy emerging from tiredness, lethargy and apathy. I see love emerging from hatred. I see unity emerging from division. I see future emerging from past. I see wholeness and wellbeing emerging from brokenness and ill health. I see the past, the present and the future. I see reformation and restoration and renewal, all happening at the same time. I also see the conflict that can emerge from deep life- and world-changing renewal.
In the consideration of issues, the making of decisions, and the cultivation of a culture, it is easy to think that there is only the ‘now’ and the ‘us’, as we gather in a particular location, at a particular time, as a particular group of people.
Yet it is never just ‘now’. Or just ‘us’. We’re always ‘surrounded’ by a great crowd of witnesses[1]. People who have gone before, sometimes too early, sometimes on time. Founders. Spiritual ancestors. Mentors. Friends. Parents. Siblings. Lifelong partners. And of course, we will one day become part of that great crowd for the generations that follow…
Churches are an interesting mix of past, present and future. In the middle of that, churches are always in need of renewal, or change. That’s “because the human beings who make up the church are always in need of reform. In the 16th Century someone coined the Latin phrase, ecclesia reformata et semper reformanda—the church, reformed and always reforming”[2]. We could say, in the current conversation, the church, renewed and always experiencing renewal. Healthy churches seeking to be a sign, witness and foretaste of all that God has for the world through Jesus Christ, maintain a balance between past, present and future, because of a common history, a common present and a common future and hope. Sometimes of course these can be in conflict.
It is through the breaking of bread (or if you like, the Lord’s Supper) that I often sense this bigger picture, this crowd of witnesses. As Harper and Metzger so clearly enunciate it, “The church is not only a multi-cultural community, but also a historical community, one that finds its identity in the same God revealed in Jesus Christ… a community in living union with believers of all time, coming to the same table to meet the same Jesus encountered by the disciples…2000 years ago”[3].
The breaking of bread also reminds me of conflicts that led to the Easter narrative: conflicts between people, theologies, ideologies, histories and practices; conflicts between light and darkness, hope and hopelessness and finally, between life and death, crucifixion and resurrection.
Conflict is normal, where there is growth. Conflict is expected when Kingdom business is being transacted. Conflict occurs when there is change and transition, and as followers of Jesus we are all about change and transition.
It is never just ‘now’. Or just ‘us’… To pretend that it is denies the realities of the old and new and not-yet-birthed stories that we hold in tension, as followers of Jesus in these crazy days of the 21st century; people whose work includes announcing the Kingdom and living in expectation of its arrival, at some unexpected time.
What do you think?
[1] Hebrews 12:1
[2] Seeking a Lasting City, M Love, D A Foster & R J Harris, ACU Press, 2005, p153
[3] Adapted from an article by Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger, ‘Here We Are to Worship’, Christianity Today, August 2009, p35
Entry filed under: History, Uncategorized, Where to from here?. Tags: community, renewal.
1.
Anthony Risson | May 5, 2011 at 7:51 pm
Wouldn’t it be great if we could see conflict as a healthy expression of the new emerging from old, life springing forth from the grave, the measure of all the saints who have gone before finding resonance and meaning in the saints who even now gather around the Lord’s supper? This would be great . . .
What I see and hear happen is that people get stuck on ‘words’ and then have no desire and ability to move any further. The kingdom of God may well be among us (within us), but the common desire to not give ground too easily soon lands us in un-healthy dialogue where being right is more important than being holy.
What would be a blessing is if we were able to live with the reality that our vocabularly remains inadequate – is this why the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words? – and truly see one another as brother and sister in Christ, a part of the body of Christ. This too is difficult, for our vision is also limited when it comes to matters close to the heart of who we are.
Somehow, in the midst of our ‘conflict’ we need to discover anew the deep waters of God providing for all who are thirsty; thirsty for truth, thirsty for recognition, thirsty for healing and wholeness, thirsty to simply be a fulfillment of who we are created to be. This is hard work; I know I often want others to recognise that they are more thirsty for God’s living water than I am; ‘they’ have further to go, more to do, greater hurdles to overcome than I do. Sometimes, I am in conflict too deep for recovery . . .
and sometimes, the grace of God sweeps over me, through me and in me, and I inhale the breath of God (sorry, changing the image now) and God gifts us with a deeper vision of who we are in Christ, the words we need are gifted to us by a power greater than ourselves.
For the saints who have gone before, who journey with me, and who tell the story through scripture, I am deeply grateful. There is a way to be in conflict, continue to have integrity and not diminish the other person/s or their own dignity and integrity.
2.
Blair Davis | May 5, 2011 at 8:33 pm
It’s not about us! It’s all about Him. When empowered by the Holy Spirit of God it’s strange how some of those ‘important’ things, become nothing.
The problem is how can we receive the empowering of the the ‘comforter’ when we are so comfortable?
3.
Colin Murdoch | May 5, 2011 at 11:26 pm
For the current and future Church to have a fresh start and be engaged in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment it needs to navigate and be genuinely committed to dealing with the various Roadblocks; if we are going to become Healthier and be transformed by the power of His Holy Spirit.
First, we will need to deal with the Roadblock of the Past. Often our past can stop us from pursuing God’s way. We hold so very tightly onto all things “past”, that we don’t release our grip on the things\activities that need to be pruned and thrown away. Don’t be shackled to the unhealthy familiar things of the past. When we should be holding onto the great things of the past and be open to seizing the God sized opportunities that will bring about transformation.
Second, we need to deal with the Roadblock of Conflict. We read in Romans 12:18-”Do your part to live in peace with everyone.” Reject the worlds way of dealing with conflict. While conflict if not handled properly can become more than a festering sore that transcends generations in Churches. If our Relationship with God and Others is our highest priority, and we are prepared to work hard at our Relationships and Conflict Resolution;expect God to do something great in the midst of conflict.
Third, we need to deal with the Roadblock that is Fear of Risk.
We risk limiting our spiritual maturity, our spiritual depth, our intimacy with God; due to the fear of risk! Acts 3:12-”Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd.” When you and I choose God’s ways, we will not just see opportunities all around us; but we need to seize the opportunities!
Risk equals cost!
Are you prepared to seize the opportunities and count the cost?
4.
Andrew Tonkin | May 6, 2011 at 9:17 am
Thank you Paul for a very thought provoking piece.
Perhaps the sad aspect of the photo is that all the beauty and majesty of what had gone before is destroyed and gone.
I think the grander picture would be the large, well established tree, standing tall and strong, with a number of smaller new trees beginning to grow around it, protected and supported by the branches of the established tree.
I would hate the message to be that new life can only come by destroying what has gone before.
5.
Anthony Risson | May 6, 2011 at 11:25 am
Good insight Andrew. What would it be if the ‘older’ tree has simply completed its life, and in its dying, leave the nutrients and the ‘place’ for the new to grow? Sometimes, growth emerges for the natural progression of things . . .