I just got back from National Conference a few days ago. Ok, one day ago. Yesterday.
Anyway, it was amazing. On a couple of nights, the call to worship was done by a didjeridoo by the recently started ministry to Indigenous People (Aborigines), called Baparrdu (I may have completely butchered the spelling on that...). I cannot tell you how joyful it makes me when I see God worshipped in ways of different cultures. The gospel of grace through Christ is taken and made culturally relevant in ways that speak to the people of that culture...and when I see that, I am humbled and in awe of the majesty and glory of God.
It deeply saddens me when missionaries (past and present) take the gospel the way it is meaningful to them, and try and shove that down the throats of various indigenous people. God has been there long before then, why not look to see His footprints and follow them to find out where He's working? (Not my metaphor, but I stole it because it was Glen O'Brien is a genius for using it).
That kind of culturally arrogant attitude led to genocide and the reason people bristle at the term missionary. How did we stray so horrifically from the cool drink to a parched soul that is the gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ?
But, I saw the gospel shown in beautiful ways at Conference. The didjeridoo. The service led by our Christian brothers and sisters in the Solomon Islands. All the myriad Islander cultures seen and heard. Beautiful. Almost to the point of tears, which for me, is saying a lot.
And, then there were the white guys. Once again, a splendid lesson in missing the point.
The debate was over education. Do we streamline the requirements for ordination, in order to bring in more ministers? The correct answer, of course, being no...but, oddly enough, the correct answer wasn't seen as correct by everyone.
Now, I realize that I'm biased in that I'm an academic person, and so having study requirements does not adversely affect me. But, I still don't see why we're cutting those out. Just because I'm not good at something does not mean it should be omitted from the requirements. I'm not good at patience, but I would in no way advocate cutting that out of the requirements of a minister (as outlined by St. Paul, in Galatians 5:22).
What we are ultimately saying is that if you don't like education, that's ok...we'll make it all easier for you. We as a denomination are saying that if things are difficult, then they should change. Not that you need to learn to do things that are difficult, because heaven forbid we learn endurance and steadfastness, learn the ability to push through difficulties that we don't particularly enjoy to reach the shores of the place that we don't particularly deserve.
It scares me that the denomination is so quick to get people into the pulpits. Yes, we need pastors...but, we need Godly men and women in the pulpits, not just some random people that like attention so feel "the call" into ministry. Yeah, hang up...the call isn't for you.
But, the Kingdom is like that. We must wrestle with this fundamental and important questions, even when we don't all agree. It would be a lot easier, though, if everybody realize that I'm always right and just installed me as Dictator-for-Life of The Church. Like the Pope, but better.
And, in other news, I have internets at my house now. This is good.
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3 comments:
1.) Didn't we just have this discussion when I was visiting the DS with you?
2.) Was the decision about Kingsley overturned or does the whole ministry req. thing play into the Kingsley debate?
hm.. i know a few people with a "call" like that.
it's sad when we start letting people teach that are not educated on how to teach. it's a little pathetic, actually. I loved Oz, but I thought the WMC of Australia could be pretty dumb.
Wish we could've been there with you. by what I"m hearing, it was a good time! Did you get to see the penguins?
You have internets? Better start spraying...
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