Deep Creek Anglican Church Blog

Chapter Ten: Sectarianism: Our Enemy

Although only a short chapter, this is a profoundly important section in John Armstrong’s your church is too small.  Having followed John’s ministry since the early 1990s, I suspect that this chapter has been shaped in the crucible of his own trials and the Spirit’s continuing gracious work of transformation in his life.  It’s worth buying the book just for this nine page chapter.

Our author contends that the underlying problem in our quest for unity is sectarianism, defined by Rex Koivisto in One Lord, One Faith: A Theology of Cross-Denominational Renewal as:

“…seeking unity in uniformity rather than unity in diversity and expecting other Christians to comply fully with my views before I can have genuine fellowship with them.”

Koivisto is again quoted:

“The church must have a degree of diversity along with its unity.  But sectarianism provokes diversity without the requisite New Testament relational unity.”

You can feel the pain in John’s writing when he confesses, “I defended sectarianism for decades….”  He acknowledges that he still struggles with spiritual pride but consciously develops “deep friendships with Roman Catholics and the Orthodox, as well as numerous brands of Protestants.”

John then explores the catalyst of sectarianism in the church: intellectual ideology.  This section is really worth chewing on.  I love systematic theology and lecture in theology from time to time.  It can be very helpful but it has clear dangers.  I see evidence of these dangers being actualised in some of the so-called ‘New Calvinists’ with large internet followings – a dogmaticism and biblical arrogance that so easily dismisses other Christians who do not hold to five-point Calvinism.  John Armstrong comments:

“A vital, dynamic Christian faith is not given or received through theological systems.  Theological systems can never be final because Chist, who is the truth, is the real object of faith…all theological truth claims must remain biblically contestable so the church remains truly open to the Spirit…Human systems of theology have a proper place in protecting and guiding the church.  But when these systems become “the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures,” we run into serious problems.”

John then comments on the nature of Scripture itself:

“…Scripture is not so much a treatise on systematic theology as the unfolding story of a people – the people of God.  God gave us multiple stories that are woven into one great story.  But when we turn this macro-story into a “system of doctrine,” we begin to live as if getting right doctrine is the same as living right.  The result will very often be loveless Christians and churches who believe they control the truth.”

The rhetorical question that struck me as I read this challenging chapter is: ‘Are our hearts filled with theological arguments or the love of Christ?’

It strikes me also that the very practical challenge for all ministers is teaching biblical truth and protecting the church, with a humility of heart that closes the path to destructive sectarianism.

Chapter Nine: The Cause of our Disunity

Have you experienced life in a church where a spirit of separatism is in its DNA?  That was my experience of ‘church’ even before I was old enough to go to school!  Massively unhelpful, ungodly and life (in its fullest sense) destroying.

Our author, John Armstrong, notes the historical fact that “Christians have argued and opposed each other for centuries.”

However, notwithstanding significant issues, the leaders of the early church (30 – 62 AD) worked to preserve unity and indeed through to ~150AD the church “steadfastly refused to be divided.”  There were certainly differences of opinion but a unity of belief involving the person and work of Jesus and the practice of baptism and the Eucharist.

But down through the centuries, divisions grew: the Eastern and Western churches formally divided in 1054AD; the Western church split at the Reformation.  Our author comments:

“This movement challenged the Catholic Church to renew itself but resulted in a massive schism leading to errors on every side.”

John Armstrong acknowledges that diversity in our expression of the Faith (arising from many cultures and contexts) is not bad per se.

But disunity is the fruit of sin.

Why have we ‘allowed’ sin to go so unchecked?  John’s contention is that we have not worked on our relationships with one another based on Christ as the centre and the need to “press into Him.”

In the next chapter, he looks at “Sectarianism: our enemy.”

Only two more sleeps to the New Year (assuming you’re still awake at 12.00am on the 31st!).  At this time of any year, we often become somewhat reflective on the year nearly passed.  But 2010 marks the start of a new  decade so our reflections this year are likely to span the last decade.

I know I have contemplated a number of times in recent days the significant changes in my life since the beginning of the decade.  So many instances of the Lord leading, continuing His work of transformation (not a straight line!)  and escalating family health struggles that have required me on numerous occasions to ensure my theology of suffering is very practicable.

Reflections on the exodus were a key aspect of Israel’s spirituality.  And for each follower of the Lord Jesus, we will have our own  ’exodus event(s)’ that will serve to give us great assurance of God’s presence and grace when we are journeying through difficult times.  But I find it healthy not to stay too long in historical mode, but to press on and to look forward to the Lord Jesus’ return and the arrival of the New Heaven and New Earth.  That’s God’s trajectory and it is amazing grace of God that we can be on that same trajectory as we continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

If you have interest in reflections on America over the last decade (and the changes have been huge) then check out these opinion pieces in The New York Times.

Christianity Today has put together its own Top Ten News Stories of both 2009 and also the decade here based on their assessment of “the events, people, and debates of the past year that have shaped, or will significantly shape, evangelical life, thought, or mission.”

Have you had the painful experience of being asked to take on a ministry task without adequate training?  Christian leadership is demanding even if the leader has the necessary competencies.  Without such competencies, it is daunting, resulting in many casualties – for the leader and those being led.

Essential to leadership growth is leadership evaluation.  Sandy Jones, the Managing Director of Leading ConneXions, deals with leadership evaluations in:

Chapter Seven: Leadership Evaluation and Mentoring (Sandy Jones)

Sandy is a debrief consultant for the 360 degree leadership evaluation Leader360.  Having analysed the data from hundreds of leaders reviewed with Leader360, Sandy makes these observations:

1. In the Reformed traditions, there is a “strongly critical phrasing.”   For the leader, this represents two challenges: dealing personally with critical input, and developing strategies to transform a critical and judgmental culture.
2. In the Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions, there was much affirmation.  The downside was limited feedback on where the leader needed to be stretched.
3. Despite significant progress, the Australian church landscape still needs to embed a culture of leadership accountability and development, with positive acceptance by the leader and local church of the evaluation process.

Sandy then identifies:

• how evaluations help a leader;
• leadership ‘trip-up’ factors; and,
• various leadership resources, developed specifically to address the learning curves identified by leaders.

About 20 years ago, I committed my life to Jesus Christ.  A Christian friend (now with the Lord having died in the Victorian Black Saturday fires in February this year) suggested that I read Knowing God by J.I. Packer.  What a classic!  And the Holy Spirit used this book greatly to begin His gracious work of transformation in my life.  James Packer was recently interviewed here.  He was asked about Knowing God:

“Q: You’re such a prolific writer yourself, but you’re probably best known for one book, “Knowing God,” first published in 1973. Why do you think that particular book has been such a big seller?

A: It rang a bell because it covered ground and did a job that many people felt needed to be done, but which nobody was attempting at that stage. What was happening was that in evangelical circles, all the emphasis was being laid on personal experience and devotion in the sense in which husbands and wives are devoted to each other. There was not a great deal of intellectual effort going along with it. What I did in “Knowing God” is to write a series of practical articles intended to lead the reader to faith.

I was starting with the very basics that Christians believe about God and working through the aspects of God and the Trinity. I went on with the Gospel and to a series of chapters in the book that were called “Behold Your God.” They were all about living by faith … as the true focus of real life (so that) you are more alive, you see more, you understand more, and you live in a deeper level than anyone can do otherwise. Well, it rang a bell. So the book has sold well and continues to sell well, something like 30,000 copies a year. It’s found a niche.”

In the interview, Packer is also asked about ‘spirituality’:

“Q: Recent surveys show that spirituality is on the rise but that Christianity is decreasing or stagnant. Why do you think that is?

A: Non-Christian forms of spirituality have had such a massive run for their money in the last half century. It’s not just the spirituality of major religions, but spirituality of all sorts of complexes and variations on particular aspects of inner life that particular teachers have come up with. Christianity has stayed stable, as it must do. The doctrines don’t change. The understanding of what it means to walk with God doesn’t change. The reality of worship doesn’t change, not at heart anyway. So Christianity appears to be stuck.

I think that the number of lively evangelical Christians in North America is in fact increasing. I think that if overall statistics show that churches are losing ground, it’s because the dead wood is dropping off the branches. Amongst younger people, there is a very great deal of evangelical Christianity. It’s not always deep, but it’s there.

Having said all of that, there’s a great divide between all the spiritualities of the world and Christian spirituality because Christian spirituality is at every point a relation to the triune God of the Bible. Secular spirituality isn’t focused on God, if God even comes into it, but on me and my fulfillment. My self-discovery. My inner peace. The more you look at that gap, the wider it gets. It’s the difference between self-centeredness and God-centeredness. It’s unhelpful, actually, that both sorts of concern are called spirituality.”

I have been wonderfully blessed by the Lord through J.I’s writings.  Earlier this year, he published a book on Praying the Lord’s Prayer.  Even if you see some finer points of theology somewhat differently to J.I., my experience is that there is always profit in the writing ministry of  this godly man.

We’re thumbing our way through the recently published A Passion for Leadership, a collection of essays by members of the Arrow Australia Leadership Team.  We come to:

Chapter Three: Leading Churches through Change (Stephen Hale)

Until recently, Stephen was the Regional Bishop for the large Eastern Region (where Deep Creek is located) of the Anglican Melbourne Diocese.  He has led many churches through change, is particularly gifted in strategic leadership, and is a good friend!  Let’s look at his contribution:

The developed world now operates in a largely post-Christendom context.  And that presents great challenges (and opportunities) for churches and their leaders.  In such a context, what is needed is “adaptive leadership.”  Simply that means helping the church see the nature of the challenge and then working collabratively to identify new ways forward.

Stephen maintains that a Mission Action Plan (MAP) provides the necessary vehicle to bring about change. Consultation is important so that there is broad ownership at the end of the MAP development phase.  The leader should not be surprised by resistance – from “blockers” and “controllers” of the body.  And so a leader, seeking to bring about much needed change, needs strong spiritual support.  Stephen concludes:

“Leaders today have to be change leaders and to trust God to guide and overcome.”