This article from the Wall Street Journal on America's Baby Bust goes well with the message that I preached this past Sunday on "be fruitful and multiply" and the one from a few weeks ago on the future belongs to the fertile.
Though there isn't much in terms of sources being cited, the statistics are actually worse than I found in my original research. It just reiterates the point that this is the issue of the day.
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A peculiar phenomenon has occurred in the last few decades: Christians have started excommunicating the church. Throughout history Christians have stressed the importance of the local church. Church membership and participation in that church were actions that typically characterized a Christian. But in recent times a large number of people who profess to be Christians have renounced the need for membership in one particular church. Some—more extreme, yet nevertheless related—go so far as to say that they do not need to go to church at all. This revolution has even introduced new vocabulary into the church’s regular diction. For instance, someone may be “Church shopping,” or be known as a “Church hopper.” My personal favorite is the oxymoronic phrase “Church at home.” The wide use of these phrases reveals that this is not simply the misguided actions of an extreme minority. This depreciation of church membership and outright dismissal of Sunday worship is one indication of how postmodern culture has deeply infiltrated American Christianity. Throughout history joining a local church meant that one was publicly renouncing unbelief and openly identifying himself with Christ. As well, Christians have traditionally believed that a local church is the crib of God’s benevolent nurture. For instance, the 5th century churchman, Cyprian, summed up the importance of the local church when he said “If you are to have God as your Father, you must have the church as your mother.” The renowned 4th century theologian, Augustine, stated the case even more directly when he said, “Outside the church, there is no salvation.” Augustine was not affirming that every church member was real and true believer—he knew there could be hypocrites and false professions. His point was that anyone who was a true Christian would most certainly seek out a place of worship, fellowship, and instruction. In contrast to this, many Christians today see membership and faithful church attendance as frivolous ecclesiastical technicalities. Some may even go so far as to consider them hindrances to one’s personal faith development. But how could such a radical revolution come about? How is it that this high view of church membership could slouch in just a matter of a few decades? Again, it is because Christianity is submerged the tide of postmodernism. The most defining characteristic of our culture is that everything is relative. And this relativism has produced a culture that is naturally skeptical of all institutions and establishments. It goes like this: Relativism says that the only one who has the right to call the shots is me. So the postmodernist opines, “I have the right to believe and do whatever I want. No one can be my authority.” When this mentality is applied to Christianity, the foundation for the local church crumbles. The conclusion is “Why go to church (or commit to this one church) if church leaders, church history, and the Bible have no authority over my life?” To be sure, the church is not innocent when it comes to this mass exodus. The rise of liberalism, the proliferation of scandal among church leaders, and the incessant bickering among Christians is enough to turn away the most dedicated of pew sitters. Yet one must kept in mind that a church-less Christianity is a tremendous hindrance to Christianity. This is because God uses individual churches to accomplish his mission in the world. Supporting missions and assisting the needy require organization and a pool of resources, each of which is found in the local church. The main question to ask though is whether or not a church-less Christianity is truly Christianity at all. For, if one does not associate with Christ’s people, submit to Christ’s leaders, and participate in Christ’s worship; can he really be called a Christian? John Wesley once said, “There is nothing more unchristian than a solitary Christian.” But, considering all factors, I must ask, “Is he really a Christian at all?” the end, Christ’s own example stands as the authoritative rule. When he walked the earth it was his custom to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath (Luke 4:16). Even despite the hatred and opposition of its religious leaders, Christ would not renounce the local church of his time. For the last couple of weeks we have been talking about why we confess our faith. We have mentioned two reasons so far. The first week we mentioned that it is a form of oath taking. It is our “pledge of alleigence” so to speak. Last week I suggested to you that it is a form of instruction. As my seminary professor used to say, “Repetition is the mother of learning.” And as we recite these things from week to week, we are etching them deep within our hearts and minds.
This week I want us to note one last reason why we confess our faith. Today I want us to understand that our confession of faith is a means of mutual edification. In the book of 1st Thessalonians the Apostle Paul has a lengthy discussion of the end times. The Thessalonians were worried about some of their brethren who had passed away. They were wondering “what happens to them?” Paul essentially tells them that their bodies rest in the grave for a time and their souls go to be with Jesus. Then, on the day when Christ comes again, they will be rejoined to their resurrected bodies. But at the end of that section Paul says, “Encourage one another with these words.” The Thessalonians were to speak of these things to each other so that they might strengthen one another and console one another in the faith. That is something that ought to happen when we confess our faith together. When we recite the creeds and confessions, it is supposed to be a time of corporate encouragement. Think about it, after a long week of being in the world—rubbing shoulders with a lot of unbelieving people, maybe even people who are hostile to the faith, what could be better than standing in a room full of people who are confessing the same thing that you believe? I know that for myself, I get a real charge out of it, knowing that there are some other freak-o’s who believe the same thing I do and are willing to stand up and say it. That should be a means of encouragement to you to help you face another week. If you would, allow me to tell you of another time when the Creed was a means of encouragement for me. It was on the occasion when a dear saint had passed away. We were standing at the graveside, ready to lay our sister to rest. It was a somber moment as this lady had meant so much to the congregation. She had given an incredible testimony through her battle with cancer and we all had grown to admire her. So, you can imagine that bidding our last farewell was a solemn and tear-filled moment. At the end of the service the pastor had us all recite the Apostle’s Creed. Throughout the service there seemed to be a sad gray that overshadowed the whole of the proceedings. However, when we came to the end of the creed, all of that was whisked away. We all recited the words, “I believe…in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” I don’t know if I can speak for everyone there. But I know that, for me, those words were like bright rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds. I walked away from that moment with a renewed feeling that my God was the God of the resurrection. And one day, I would see this dear sister again. All of this, of course, was because the brethren around me recited the creed together. Even though I was in seminary at the time, and even though I was thoroughly trained the truth of the afterlife—all that was nothing, compared to the encouragement I received through the corporate witness of the body of Christ. That was the essence of what Paul intended when he said, “Encourage one another with these words.” |
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