Virtual Church

“Can I do church without church?” is the question raised by one participant in a new virtual church created by the Methodist Church of Great Britain. With church attendance at an all-time low (some reports show British church attendance at somewhere between 4 and 7% of the population) Methodist Church leaders are hoping to increase interest by encouraging people to participate via computer. And this goes way beyond posting sermons on the net…users create a computer character (an “avatar”) and can actually attend an animated service. Participants can instruct his/her animated character to tour the church, kneel, pray, listen, or participate in any number of virtual church activities. The site also makes numerous chat rooms and virtual discussion groups available…a quick peak indicates regular usage by quite a few people. Online records seem to indicate that as many as 40,000 people may be visiting the site with some regularity (68,000 visited during the first two days of operation). A tour around the chat rooms suggests that quite a few participants are either skeptics or have been hurt by church people in the past---no surprise there.
Two good questions come to mind. One, asked by a chat room participant: “Can I do church without church?” And two, How shall we effectively transmit salt and light over the web?
Visit the site at www.churchoffools.com.

Exporting Culture

The influence of American pop culture dominates perceptions around the world. America’s biggest export determines, to a large extent, the negative image of America. We may have noticed a change over the decades in programming on TV, in lyrics, and movies. The Parents Television Council (ptl) has a database that chronicles the levels of base (and debasing) behavior to which our culture is subjected by the media. The influence of these “teaching methods” is apparent as our culture assimilates these behaviors with no regard for God’s standard.It is biblical tradition that has determined much of America’s guidance in good times and bad. There are people who do not know or understand this. This is our opportunity, but where do we start? We have slowly, easily allowed what seemed “harmless, little” infractions against “proper conduct” to become a whole new “acceptable” way of conduct lacking little concern for neighbor or God.
From a world perspective, this degradation is noted in what is often their only acquaintance with Americans: the imported TV show, music, or the technologically laden violent movie full of expletives and plenty of skin. In a recent article, Mike Medved was quoted, “The biggest concern that people [in other cultures] have is the erosion of local traditions, the encouragement of immediate gratification, the emphasis on a superficial view of reality.” Zachary A. Goldfarb in a Washington Times article refers to a new book (Oct. release) by Marvin L. and Margaret Defleur, Learning To Hate Americans: How the U.S. Media Shape Negative Opinions Among Teen-Agers in Twelve Countries, which contends: “though teens embrace American movies, TV, and music, they believe that the violence, crime and sex portrayed in pop culture accurately depict ordinary life in the U S.” Is this the “Great Satan” that the world sees? Sadly Argentina, is the only country where teens viewed Americans positively. We have helped this with our viewing and accepting in “little bits and pieces” what we may have known was wrong.
This is what drives an image of America that many in the world hold.It matters what our decisions are with money (movies, music), leisure (TV), material goods, or witnessing an injustice and saying nothing. It begins with the individual as to what is acceptable. What should we buy? Should we keep up with the Joneses? Are the Joneses in tune with God? Should we watch that TV show if we know we lend support? Each decision to view or purchase is a vote for something, a support for something. Each decision to purchase should be tempered with need, or want. For His glory, or mine? For if one infraction is allowed the way is paved for others with decreasing resistance. That paved way is often not the path.
Pete Wood (2004, archive)

A God in Our Image

One story appearing in evangelical literature attacking postmodern religion tells of a man who says, “I firmly believe in reformed theology and in reincarnation.” Our religious culture is now one of make-believe. There are no rules. Contradiction does not matter. We now live in an age with little regard for truth and great admiration for relativism (whatever is true for me). Religiously, we create our own spirituality where we believe whatever we wish, forming our faith and ethic on the basis of choice, not truth. “Spirituality becomes more of a consumer item than a matter of facts, arguments and truth” (Douglas Groothuis, Truth Decay, 28).
The renewed interest in spirituality is a hopeful trend and perhaps evangelicals can take advantage of it. But, it also creates a whole new challenge as gods come in differing shapes, sizes and blends. Whereas the modernist theologian had to argue for the existence of God, the postmodern culture believes in every god. Who can be sure where this is going? “The next major new religion . . . , will probably not be one of the old forms of overt paganism, but rather a syncretic hybrid. In a postmodernist and increasingly consumer-centered world in which truth is relative, people will pick and choose various aspects of the different faiths according to what they ‘like’ ” (Gene Veith, Postmodern Times, 200). This combination of religions is seen most recently in Hallmark’s television movie, Reluctant Saint: Francis of Assisi. Francis is made “into a religious pluralist who is shocked out of his parochial Christianity into a new respect for the goodness of Islam” (Mark Galli, Christianity Today, April 2003, 107-110).
We see this new spirituality all around us and in many forms. Consider, for instance, Hollywood’s spiritual perspective. We have seen the “Force” of "Star Wars", the ballplayers of "Field of Dreams", the spirits of "Ghost," and the magic of Harry Potter. Or, consider our renewed interest in angels (in our curio cabinets, on women’s lapels and TV’s "Touched by an Angel"). This trend is not without a postmodern context. We choose angels because they are our guardians and messengers—a safe spirituality. Unlike God, they demand nothing from us and help to create our own warm and fuzzy spirituality. We want a god created in our image and to our liking.
We see this new spirituality on college campuses every Arbor Day as feminists use the occasion to worship Gaia, mother earth. And, along with the worship of Gaia is the worship of the goddess Sophia, which is more prevalent than we might think. “In this ultimate struggle for mastery, the pagan goddess Sophia seeks to usurp the place of God the Creator and Redeemer. This is not colorful hyperbole. The conflict is real, the protagonists irreconcilable” (Peter Jones, Pagans in the Pews, 234—Jones compares many of the modern spiritualities with ancient Gnosticism). In addition, feminist interpretation of the Bible (always questioning biblical authority) is very extensive and has made its way into the church. Once again, we create a god in our image.
Recently, all this became very real as I made the acquaintance of a man whom professes to be “born again.” In further conversation, I discovered he has an altar in the basement of his home, complete with a statue of Buddha and various colored candles (New Age).
Many questions come to mind. Although this man claims a “born again experience,” is he really saved if he practices syncretism? Could he be a member of your church? How much right theology must one believe to be saved? How inclusive can we be? How can we connect with him and others like him? What kind of apologetic do we bring to a postmodern world?
Where should we begin? For starters, a few sermons, Sunday School lessons or Bible studies on the exclusivity of biblical Christianity would help. Lay people under the daily attack from “the world” can lose this perspective. Also, for info on newer religions (and even older ones) try this web address: dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/. Be sure to click on Angels, Organizations and Women. At the same site, click on Faiths and Practices and do not miss Native American Religions and New Age. For a more scholarly approach, the University of Virginia has this site: religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/ (this site also has many resources). Each pastor should view these materials before recommending them to his congregation, as most are not pro-Christian (but helpful).
For issues regarding salvation in a spiritually pluralistic culture, see Dennis L. Okholm and Timothy R. Phillips (eds.), More Than One Way? Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World.
For lay people, try the video series by Ravi Zacharias based on his book, Jesus Among Other Gods. Although this video is “safe,” it may still need some explanation for the lay person not educated in these areas.
Robert (2004, archive)

The Future of Marriage

The most recent studies of trends in marriage and family life are very encouraging for evangelical Christians. Not that there is a mass movement toward biblical morality, but that many of the liberalizing trends of the 1960s and 70s have lost momentum. In addition, studies consistently reveal that adults in long-term marriages, and children being raised in two-parent households are happier and healthier. When it comes to wealth, mental/emotional health, physical health and overall happiness, long-term marriage and two parent families are preferable to all other options.
Over the last decade, and among young people in particular, marriage and family life have increased in importance. Youth look forward to life-long marriages and children, and believe marriage should only be ended in divorce as a last resort. They do not believe in staying married for the sake of the children but do believe divorce can cause significant problems for children. Although young people believe that marriage is the ideal situation for raising children, they see no stigma in unmarried childbearing, which to them is better than a forced marriage, abortion or adoption. In addition, there are more conservative attitudes toward uncommitted pre-marital sexual relationships and less tolerance for extra-marital affairs.
However, young people have become less conservative in one area—cohabitation. “A significant majority of young people go a step beyond acceptance and actively endorse living together before marriage as a good idea to see if they really get along. These trends toward acceptance and endorsement of unmarried cohabitation appear to be relatively long-term and have continued with strength into the late 1990s” (Thornton and Young-DeMarco, “Four Decades of Trends in Attitudes Toward Family Issues in the United States: The 1960s Through the 1990s,” Journal of Marriage and Family 63 (2001):1009-1037). In the last two decades over half of all marriages began in cohabitation and according to the studies, this trend will continue far into the future.
Every pastor and lay person knows this trend has also touched the evangelical church. How should the church respond to young members who are cohabiting? Do young people even know it is a sin? Do they care? Should we employ church discipline or ignore it and hope it goes away? How should the pastor and church respond to cohabiting couples who wish to be married in the church? Should we ignore the need for repentance or refuse to marry them unless they repent? What can the church do now in a proactive manner to address this need? It is a problem that will not go away soon.
For more details and information on marriage and family issues, one should go to The National Council on Family Relations at ncfr.com, and The Heritage Foundation at heritage.org.
Robert (2003, archive)

The Largest Transfer of Wealth in History

Last year a bulletin insert from Focus on the Family caught my attention—“members of the baby-boomer generation, many of whom are now in their mid-50s . . . will soon inherit more than $10.4 trillion as their parents pass from the scene. It is the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of the world.” The cover story of Worth (March, 2003) also began, “The numbers are staggering. In the next 50 years, families will give their heirs an astounding $25 trillion—the largest transfer of wealth in history.” These numbers are based on an original 1993 study be two Cornell University economists. Others estimate that the average estate will be $90,000.00. The major concern of both articles is how people will handle the wealth. Worth states, “Wealth obtained through the death of a loved one can erode the work ethic, poison family relations, and kill the soul.”
Christians will be part of this inheritance of the future. The Bible looks upon inheritance in both a positive and negative light. “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Pr 13:22). Yet, “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?” (Ec 2:18-19). The prodigal son also comes to mind. But wealth (even inherited) can be a blessing of the Lord (Pr 10:22), and a gift from God for those who love wisdom (Pr 8:21). In general, we are instructed to honor the Lord with our wealth (Pr 3:9).
But, will the Lord be honored with the wealth coming our way? With this coming massive transfer of wealth, some money will be bequeathed to the church and some will be donated as people give offerings based upon their new fortune. Will this be a boon for the church? Will this even be good for the church? Will Christians and churches make the most of this future transfer of wealth for the cause of Christ? One lay delegate confided that when his church received a major bequest, giving decreased because the congregation felt (in his judgment) the church did not need the money. Instead of being able to use the gift toward their vision, it was needed to pay bills.
People will inevitably give to the church they love through their wills and through offerings coming from inheritance. But is this the best we can do for the Lord? Some churches on the plateau may be able to use this money to initiate movements for growth, but others in decline may dissipate the money only to stay open one more year. Could the money be of greater use for church planting, missions, education or camp? How will the church and its people handle their new fortune? Will greed get in the way? Will a lack of faith drive the churches to hoard it for a “rainy day?”
It is time to study the biblical teaching and prepare our people and churches with principles for how they can best honor the Lord with their wealth and how the church can be the best stewards of bequests.
If the Lord tarries, the next few years will see a massive transfer of wealth which holds the promise of greater funding of ministries to reach the unchurched. But, will Christians and churches be ready and faithful? Will it be a blessing from the Lord or a curse? What is your perspective?
Robert