Emergent/Emerging and Seeker-Sensitive Churches Cancel the Lord's Day
Steve Camp wrote a fantastic blog entry on Wednesday discussing Emergent/Emerging (EE) and Seeker-Sensitive (SS) churches that are canceling worship on Christmas Day.
"You’ve heard about this already—several well known Mega churches (Willow Creek—Chicago area, Mars Hill Bible Church—Grand Rapids area, Fellowship Church—Dallas area, Southland Christian Center—Louisville area, etc.) are canceling their Christmas Sunday Services to allow some quality family time around the tree. ... But, as Ted Olson of CT points out, “if that holds true for Christmas, doesn't it hold true for every other Sunday? Why not decentralize the church every week by telling families ‘to have a more personal experience on that day’”? I fully agree with Ted's keen insight here. In reality what they are doing is not canceling Sunday Christmas services, but they are actually canceling The Lord’s Day. I’m telling you folks; this is a prime example that their arrogance knows no boundaries. Family trumps worship in their foolish, faddish, fabricated, fallacious, fatiferous, façade of fanciful, factious, and falchion brand of faith. (Sorry, my “inner-blog” needed to vent and feels much better now)."Before I begin: ROFL! ... Sorry, I too needed to release my "inner-blog".
Steve raises an interesting point - if the purpose of canceling service on the Lord's Day (which just so happens to fall on Christmas) is to allow for "quality family time," why not cancel worship every Lord's Day?
Emergent/Emerging Churcher: "But, but, Christmas is a special day! Families should have time to open presents and sit around their tree drinking hot cocoa, and ... stuff."
The Rusted One's response: "Indeed, Christmas is a special day. It is the day we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. I share your tradition of family time on Christmas, yet I'm falbbergasted as to why you don't want to worship the Savior at your local fellowship on a day where we remember His incarnation? Certainly you can find time to worship with the saints? The Lord's Day doesn't stop being the Lord's Day just because we have designated December 25th as the time to celebrate Christ's birth." (Does anyone else enjoy using "flabbergasted" as much as I do? *grin*)
Steve continues:
"People have been in an uproar about this… but I want to encourage you with a slightly different take on this unfortunate happening. I think this is great; a step in the right direction—answered prayer possibly. Have you noticed something of a common denominator here? The churches canceling their morning services are seeker-sensitive or emergent in nature. So be of good cheer! At least one Sunday out of the year, we should be grateful that those churches won’t be spreading their usual dumbed-down, self-focused, trying to be culturally relevant, non-biblical, skewed theology to their attendees. This is a blessing in disguise, trust me. Now, if we could only just find another 51 reasons for canceling their services… it could really have a positive spiritual impact on our nation and evangelicalism-at-large. Until then, thank the Lord for this small, but early Christmas gift in the form of an ecclesiastical stocking stuffer, if you please."
Forgive me once more: Aaaaahaha! Oh, oh, hew, hew. Hah. Heh. That felt good. Thank you for allowing me a few moments to laugh my heart out once more.
He is a little blunt, but right on the mark. This may actually be the answered prayers of Reformed folks who've asked God to build His church (which includes the doing away with and/or correction of doctrinally weak churches).
EE and SS churches closing their doors on the Lord's Day should not be surprising. Not surprising in the slightest, especially for the EE crowd. Shutting churches down is the logical conclusion of EE anyhow. Think about it - they desire to be relevant to the culture. Well our culture in the States would rather not attend a church building and have "official" worship time. So from the EE perspective, why not accomodate unbelievers everywhere and close down?
As for me, this will be the first time I have attended church on Christmas. This is also the first time I have had the option to attend church on Christmas - all of my previous churches canceled worship when Christmas fell on the Lord's Day. And I honestly look forward to it. What better way to spend Christmas than with my family, friends, AND my church family? =)
If you wanna read Campi's entire article, click here.
This is your trusty dusty Rusty, signing off.
posted by rustypth @ 7:00 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I have a question or two for our EE and SS buddies:
After being fully convinced in your mind that Sunday should be held sacred (in which we gather for public worship), why do you then go against conviction and cancel the sunday service at christmas?
Wouldnt that make you double minded, and dare I say, displeasing to the Lord?
Hey Does this guy acctually know anything about Mars Hill Church? I'm assuming he's talking about the one in Seatle, that is growing like crazy. They did not cancel their services for Christmas but are having 4! And has even listening what Marc Driscoll has been preaching on lately? Propiation, Christus Exemplar, Limited Atonement. These aren't dumbed down topics. I would recommend he acctually look into Mars Hill a bit more befrore he knocks.
Unless maybe there's another Mars Hill Church, that I have no idea that he's talking about and I'm way off!
toms - Steve Camp: "...Mars Hill Bible Church—Grand Rapids area, Fellowship Church..."
=)
Unfortunately, you're having a limited view of what church is. If "church" means a worship assembly to you, then you're missing the point.
- Accountability
- Teaching
- Discipleship
- Worship
- Tithing
- Servanthood
- Edification
- Singing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs
- Giving all we have to the poor (ouch)
All of these things were identifying marks of "church" in the New Testament. Can all of those be accomplished in a corporate worship service? No. Can they all be accomplished in our daily lives? Yes.
Please take a moment to consider that church is so much more than a weekly worship service.
Oh ok, I see. Thanks for clearing that up. The one up in Seatle is awesome!
Sam,
I’m not sure what you mean by a “limited” church view? Then again, what does an “unlimited” view of the church look like?
If by “limited” you mean that I believe that the saints should meet together regularly for corporate worship, then I suppose you have labeled me correctly.
The local church certainly incorporates the short list you provided.
Are you suggesting that the saints should go against the clear teaching of Scripture to assemble together for corporate worship? How does Hebrews 10:23-25 fit into such a view?
Mr. Middlebrook--
Of course, "church is so much more than a weekly worship service," but that does not negate the duty of God's covenant people to meet with Him on the Lord's Day. A service of public worship is not merely a gathering of God's children with each other but before all else a meeting of the triune God with his chosen people.
The goal of public worship is the glory of God. His people should engage in all its several parts with an eye single to his glory. Public worship has as its aim the building of Christ's church by the perfecting of the saints and the addition to its membership of such as are being saved--all to the glory of God. Through public worship on the Lord's Day Christians should learn to serve God all the days of the week in their every activity, remembering, whether they eat or drink or whatever they do, to do all to the glory of God.
For any church to cancel public worship for any private observance is disgusting at best.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)
23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
To use this scripture assumes that the "meeting together" of the saints described in this passage is in reference to a worship service.
Is that what you're getting at, Rusty?
H.C., I was understanding your post until the last sentence, which is argumentitive and I'm just not going to bite on that one.
Sam,
Before I begin, you have yet to answer the questions I asked you:
(1) I’m not sure what you mean by a “limited” church view?
(2) Then again, what does an “unlimited” view of the church look like?
Assuming that you are going to answer the above questions, I will do my best to respond to your latest comment …
You wrote: “To use this scripture assumes that the "meeting together" of the saints described in this passage is in reference to a worship service.”
Hebrews 10:19-25 9 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (NASB)
The writer of this epistle is addressing the brethren, believers in the faith. He declares that they have confidence by the blood of Christ, the great high priest over the house of God. The writer then encourages them to draw near with full assurance of faith, holding fast to their confession and to spur one another on to good works. Among their “love and good deeds” is the assembling together of believers – especially as we see the day of Christ’s glorious return drawing near. The writer commands the brethren to not forsake assembling together. Apparently, some men were in the habit of avoiding gathering together. We can safely conclude that contrary to those in the habit of not assembling that Christians ought to make a habit of assembling together. This assembling together of believers certainly involves elders (Hebrews 13:17, Acts 14:23).
Also concerning the assembly of believers, the Apostle Paul wrote:
1 Corinthians 14:26 26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
When Christians gather for worship, it includes singing, teaching, and the reading of God’s written revelation – all for the edification of the saints.
In your next comment, please respond fully to my questions, and interact with the text of Hebrews 10:23-25.
In Christ,
Casey
Wow, some tasty debate going on here. Nice. Well...my church cancelled services on Christmas and is niether EE or SS.
Rusty,
First of all, thanks for a very well-written response. I appreciate you taking the time to do that.
You asked me two questions, and I will do my best to answer them...
(1) I’m not sure what you mean by a “limited” church view?
"Limited" isn't a great word for what I was trying to say. Sometimes I can't stand the English language!
What I was trying to say is that I think you are holding the weekly worship service very high, if not highest, among the things that make up the week-to-week life of a church that is truly living out its faith in its respective community. Your post led me to conclude (and maybe I'm WAY off...) that you see the worship service as the primary act of the church. Since so little of the New Testament is devoted to the worship service, I can only conclude that writers felt it important to talk about daily life outside of the worship service - and from there, I can conclude that what I do outside of a worship service is of equal (if not more) importance that what I do in it.
== I apoligize for the serious grammatic errors I just made with that run-on sentence. ==
Your second question...
(2) Then again, what does an “unlimited” view of the church look like?
Same answer as before... "unlimited" to me would mean seeing the holistic life a church and holding the worship service in its proper context amongst the many, many things the church should be doing and involved in from week to week.
You also asked me to handle this passage in context of what I'm saying...
Hebrews 10:19-25 9 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (NASB)
First, this passage has more to do with the Priesthood of Christ and the priesthood of every believer than it does the worship service.
My struggle with this passage is that we have no idea what "assembling together" looked like for the early church. From different accounts, we see people coming together to listen, to share, to prophecy, to interpret, to eat, and to give.
I also struggle with mixing any sort of religious (doing something simply for the sake of doing something) activity with the faithful life of a church.
More to come....
Sam,
Sorry for the lateness of this reply.
You said: “What I was trying to say is that I think you are holding the weekly worship service very high, if not highest, among the things that make up the week-to-week life of a church that is truly living out its faith in its respective community.”
You are absolutely correct =). I do hold the local church and its meetings very highly. The reason for this is because the Apostles also believed this. I would refer to the brief exegesis I provided above.
Consider the purpose of the book of Hebrews, for example. The author is encouraging the Saints not to go back to the Old Covenant but to remain faithful to the faith and to the church. Indeed, the people of God need to fellowship together as a body of believers – this involves elders, teaching, evangelists, the reading of the tradition of the Apostles (Scripture), singing together, tithing/giving to the church – all the gifts.
You said: “Your post led me to conclude (and maybe I'm WAY off...) that you see the worship service as the primary act of the church. Since so little of the New Testament is devoted to the worship service, I can only conclude that writers felt it important to talk about daily life outside of the worship service - and from there, I can conclude that what I do outside of a worship service is of equal (if not more) importance that what I do in it.”
What you are forgetting is that the New Testament was written to the churches of Christ – those many churches throughout the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:25-27, “25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.” The Apostles knew they were writing Scripture, as can be seen from this text. Paul desired for not only the Thessalonian church to have his letter, but all of the churches. So when you say that much of the New Testament deals with Christian living, you are partially correct. But you are incorrect that this somehow excludes the fact that the New Testament writers presupposed the gathered churches.
You said: “First, this passage has more to do with the Priesthood of Christ and the priesthood of every believer than it does the worship service.”
You are partially correct. Yet you are forgetting the purpose of the book of Hebrews – to demonstrate the superiority of the New Covenant and Christ over the Old Testament. In the New Covenant, Christians assemble together – which as I have already pointed out involves submitting to elders, singing, Scripture being read, instruction, fellowship, giving etc. This is what the New Testament gatherings of God’s people look like.
You said: “I also struggle with mixing any sort of religious (doing something simply for the sake of doing something) activity with the faithful life of a church.”
I believe in true religion and not false religion (James 1:27). Far too often “religion” gets treated like a dirty word, when in fact true religion is Christianity. It is the religions of men that are sinful in nature.
Next, I’m not sure what “doing something simply for the sake of doing something” has to do with anything I’ve written? =) I don’t believe in traditions just because people have done certain things for a really long time. In fact, I can’t recall ever saying that in the history of this blog.
Thanks brother,
In Christ,
Casey
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