Tim Chester, (author, church leader, blogger etc) pictured on the left; is a very perceptive critic of the church - as it is usually organised in the UK. His latest post entitled "Communities of Performance Verses Communities of Grace" is as excellent as it is short. If you have three minutes to spare, click here! Highly recommended.
That Hideous Man posts his rather dull thoughts here. Watch this space, or indeed, go somewhere else.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Church Grace Diagnostic
Tim Chester, (author, church leader, blogger etc) pictured on the left; is a very perceptive critic of the church - as it is usually organised in the UK. His latest post entitled "Communities of Performance Verses Communities of Grace" is as excellent as it is short. If you have three minutes to spare, click here! Highly recommended.
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4 comments:
My first reaction to this was 'ouch!'; then I wondered how other people would see us; then I thought 'ouch! again'
Seems a bit pessimistic to me. I'm not a church goer, but most of the (admittedly relatively liberal)churches that I have known have often been accepting and inclusive and supportive of people's failings in a way that society as a whole often isn't. They are also often more supportive of people on the margins of society than many other organisations.
Dunno if it is pessimistic so much as recognizing that for all we get right - we have much to learn, and more prgress to make.
My perception is that alongside the good, there is still the error of people pretening to be 'good', 'sorted' and 'spiritual' and no doubt sometimes they are. However, the culture can be that we can live openly in front of others when we are doing OK, but hypocritically cover it up when we are not. I think this is a temptation especially dangerous to leaders.
The problem is that it is so hard to shift from a works to a grace mindset, firstly in terms of a response to God (who relates to us on the basis of his grace not our works, thankfully); and the to each other, ie. the offering of grace to others, without reference to whether or not we feel they are deserving.
Chester (a bit like Tim Keller) does this, not like some liberal theologians do by downplaying the Christian doctrine of sin; but by developing it thoroughly - making common human fallenness the level playing field upon which all grace-relationships are worked out, devoid of some sort of spiritual hierachy in which those less fallen might feel they could judge those more fallen. Rather, in the vulnerability that comes from the common dependence on the grace of God, we offer grace to others indiscriminately, knowing that for every speck in their eyes, there is a plank in our own.
There is certainly a veritable forest in mine.
Good stuff. I made free to nick it for my blog too, with appropriate hat tips.
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