Luther Rocks: Calling All Saints:
When I started up this blog last May, my first post was a Youtube video of some goofballs at a concert on a hillside. Someone cleverly put a soundtrack to it as a primer on starting a movement. I saw some truth in that video and harnessed the idea of it to this blog as an encouragement for those struggling with the same issues in American Lutheranism. As you know for those who have followed the postings, I have chronicled my journey from experiences at Holy Word here in Austin which are not unlike many churches across America today who are incorporating the anti-gospel emergent church template into their ministries; i. e. church growth methods which come from an emphasis on works righteousness, decision theology and a need to transform the church into palatable consumption for today's society. Anyone who has bought into this program really is no different than those who support the Roman Catholic Papacy.
It all comes from the same place but from a different angle or perspective. Both are anthropocentric. Roman Catholicism displaces Christ as our mediator with Mary and the Pope. Modern day Evangelicalism displaces the Word (Christ) with programs for this and programs for that all meant to entice folks into church. They say 'people come to church for the wrong reasons and stay for the right reasons'. But what is that other than a bait and switch? Not only that, what it is really saying is 'you are all too stupid to understand His Word or realize that you are on the highway to hell and need Christ and you need us to school you'.
I posted on my FB wall a few months ago an abridged version of a saying: "Hell hath no fury as a pietist scorned." It upset a few folks and needless to say we are no longer FB friends. It wasn't like we hung out all the time anyway. But you see, that is the problem. Why did they get so angry? Because they have stolen the mission of the church and made it theirs instead of who it rightfully belongs to - Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace. So naturally they take it personally when you criticize this program or that method.
I recall vividly two instances; one at Crosswalk in early 2005 and one at Christ the Rock in spring of 2009. We were experiencing a shortage of musicians. Both pastors asked basically the same question...'so what is your plan for the ministry?' My answer was the same both times. 'I will wait until the Lord reveals His plan and go with that...until then we will make do.' The responses were similar. 'If this type of worship is going to work, we are going to need a full band.' Huh, I thought...and what about the efficacy of the Word? Pastor Harris of Trinity in Austin offered this saying in Bible class today by Robert Preus (we have been studying Genesis and the promises of God): 'How dare we presume whether the Church is winning or losing'. Wise words indeed.
The sermon in church today talked about the beatitudes...'blessed are they'. Another time in my life I would have thought it was me who would be blessed for doing these things. But try as I might, it really is too difficult to do any of them well all the time. In fact I loathe them most of the time. No, blessed am I to have a Savior who did all of these things for me already so that I can take credit for them even though I am still a sinner.
St. Iranaeus said, "The business of the Christian is nothing else than to ever be preparing for death."* St. Augustine called death "the instrument by which life is reached."** St. Luther said, "Therefore the life of a Christian, from Baptism to the grave, is nothing else than the beginning of a blessed death."***
Dear Lord, May we always be mindful to have our houses in order, so that we may give testimony for the hope that we have when given the opportunity. May we always be fully dependent upon your care of our souls and the one true Church on earth. In Jesus' name. Amen.
*Fragments, XI, ANF, I, 570 **City of God, NPNF, II, 247 ***LW, 31, 35
