History Takes Time
In the last two hours, I have sent letters (via email, of course) to a friend in Stockton, CA, to Spencer (sitting four feet from me), and a couple of clients for the miniscule amount of web design/hosting work I do. Additionally, I updated the rotating articles on TheOoze (read internationally) for the next week, worked on a job description, and did a little brainstorming with Spencer on various Oozy things.
I also checked my bank account, making sure I had enough money in my account to use my debit card to go out to lunch (I am a recent graduate, which means I went from the status of student to virtually unemployed). Oh yeah, in that time, I also took a quick lunch. I am sure there are a few other little things I did during that time, but the above is what I could remember.
When I think about the amount of work that can be accomplished in a short span of time, and the instant communication we have today with persons all over the world, it boggles my mind. Being able to turn from one project to another (completing some, multi-tasking others) in just moments skews a person’s perception of time—many things in life do not change in mere moments.
My own life, for example, tells of the vast amount of time for positive spiritual formation to take place. I very easily learn and embrace ideas – but putting them into practice in the sphere where I actually live my life is another matter altogether. Only by actually walking along a path of life transformation will I find the real change I desire; there are rarely (if ever) instantaneous changes in my life.
Even more than individual transformation, groups and cultures change very slowly (much slower than we think). We see this slow change illustrated in the majority of the evangelical church, which has been fairly (though not completely) unresponsive to the incredible changes in the culture around us. At the same time, I fear those engaging the emerging culture have overestimated the rate of change. We tend to assume it is only the conservative, unbending evangelical church that fails to notice the changes all around. This view becomes especially dangerous when we begin to assume our worldview or another worldview on other persons – a view they very well may not have.
In the midst of genuine change, we must be careful to not make the modern mistake of forcing our worldview upon others. I do think those who are truly still “modern,†in the academic sense of the word, are few and far between. However, there are large numbers of people who are not far removed from modernity, and quite frankly, they probably will not move far from their current thinking over the next ten or twenty years.
We can look to sections of the world right now where the people are still in a predominantly medieval mindset – especially in regards to war, class structure, and the place of religion. In these areas there are pockets of modern and postmodern ways, but the dominant modes of thought are more similar to medieval thinking than any Western postmodern embodiment.
For those who believe we are in a real time of transition leaving the period of modernity behind, we need to recognize that individuals, organizations, religious groups, and cultures could all be in varying points along the “postmodern†spectrum.
Implications for the Church
Within the Church, there are Christians around the world who practice their faith in religious systems which many in the West assume are long gone. In truth, the varieties of practice contained within the body of Christ in the United States alone are staggering. Many of these groups (denominations, movements, or whatever you want to call them) will adjust and adapt to cultural changes much more slowly than we would like. Because of this, many have prophesied the ultimate collapse of movements which do not adjust quickly enough to the changing currents.
The arguments for this mass collapse of modern churches do not find support in the annals of history. History would tell us that change takes time. And history itself, when divided into historical periods, also takes time to develop. Whenever there is a historical transition, we find a pattern glaring out at us: it doesn’t happen all at once, it doesn’t happen quickly, and parts of the world may never fully participate in its identifying marks (these parts sometimes skip over periods transitioning into later periods as they come into contact with new and different ideas). Many churches and movements will be able to survive by making modifications to their existing structures. Throwing out their entire systems may not be necessary.
Some have identified this era as one of unique change – faster and more widespread than before experienced in human history. I agree to an extent, but this time of rapid change increases the pockets of people who are living in old worldviews; change happens too fast for everyone to experience the same changes together. Syncretism may be the soup of the day, but we cannot underestimate the large numbers of cultural pockets and people groups who will resist cultural trends.
For the Church, this means variety is a great thing. After all, our mission is not to eradicate all modes of modern thought. Many leaders ministering in light of the emerging culture accuse modern churches of forcing modernity on Christians. I have seen evidence of this, but I have also seen a similar trend in the churches moving from the old modern ways. Rather than forcing modernity on people, we fly to the other extreme and attempt to force people to not be modern! Not too long from now, it may be a fair accusation that we force people out of modernity in order to accept them as valid parts of the Church.
While we will see a marked decrease in traditional, evangelical, modern churches over the next couple of decades, this will not mean a complete removal of such churches (How many churches still exist that rely on Organ and hymns in old school fashion? Some of these churches display vitality and growth in some sections of the United States.) These churches will serve a vital place in ministering to the diminishing number of modern-friendly people in the world. Our marked differences can be viewed as blessing for the mission of the Church, and our similarities can be points for relationship and conversation.
Dealing with Power
Certainly, when the existing power structures try to dominate and manipulate, they must be resisted. In many areas, these power structures are trying to maintain the status quo, and they use their resources to try to squash change of any kind. With the current power structures diminishing in strength in many parts of the world, I have seen those gaining power try to squash the old forms. When this happens, the new is no better than the old.
In the coming decades, new and different forms for church life will certainly emerge. With these new structures will come shifting of power, whether the new forms are seeking it or not. The question will be the age-old question “Will we use our power for good or for evil?â€
Often, those with the power believe they are using their power for good, when in fact they are holding people back and repressing the human spirit. This is the case for many churches clinging to the status quo. They truly believe they are defending the faith. With that type of belief comes incredible conviction—leading to an obstinacy which can be very harmful to individuals and groups. These situations nearly always produce casualties.
These casualties often embrace the movements which are seemingly countering the old power structures. This may be an unfair judgment, but I believe many are waving the banner of postmodernity when they are really just wounded moderns trying to get back at the power structures which oppressed them. These people are the most dangerous when the balance of power shifts and the course of time moves the emerging churches to a place of establishment. If we are not careful, we will commit the same or even worse abuses of power than we have experienced by the hands of others.
One Church – Really!
We are moving into one of the most unique times in the history of the Church. Nearly every writer or Christian thinker has thought that of his or her own time period, so I do not wish to overextend this point. What I see, though, is a time where communication capabilities are bringing us closer together. It is much easier for followers of Christ who practice their faith quite differently to engage in conversation with one another. There is also a general openness in most denominations and church movements to dialogue with one another. I believe one of the defining characteristics of this time is the Holy Spirit working to bring the realization that all who are in Christ are one Church. This means we are one with our modern counterparts, connected with each other whether we like it or not.
I do not believe I am being overly dramatic in saying that the relationships we either develop or spurn with other Christian groups who think differently than our own groups will define how this era goes down in Church history. Like history, relationships develop over time. Now is the time to choose a path which will bring us closer together in relationship if not in agreement, in mission if not in style, and in love if not in doctrine.
This article was first published on THEOOZE.