lasers and rainbows (1)

Why lasers and rainbows?

Since the two represent two styles of church, or perhaps faith.

(nb: I wrote these next 3 posts in 2009, as the first things on the blog, but reverted them to hidden drafts - felt a bit unready. Happier with them now, after a little rework, so unhiding again.  

Having read more since then, i'm also more confident the intuitive metaphor does describe something -  that we could capture some of this along the phrase suggested in the last post - that the gospel of salvation has largely displaced the gospel of the kingdom. That we have taken certain valuable truths (redemption, faith) and emphasised them, perhaps in disproportion to other themes, such as God as Creator of all  (so we're good at explaining conversion; less good at discussing redemptive influence in the the realms of work and culture, for example - but i'm getting ahead of myself).
I listen to various teaching series these days,  and gather there are more scholarly foundations behind these observation than Johnson's apt phrase.  So could also say that certain treasured truths in the reformation tradition, have been celebrated at the exclusion of some of the wider implications of the Kingdom message; even, perhaps, that a distortion of full biblical message can result. There is also truth in the aphorism that the medium is the message. If we're only thinking through the locus of church as the gathered people, we have part of the message - and as crucial and essential as those parts are, there is a wider backdrop as well. 

Anyway, back to the original, more intuitive, take on this. 

lasers : I associate this, quite sympathetically, with many classic pentecostal churches (but i think applies to much of the charismatic and evangelical mix, where i have also spent some years, as well).
The laser is intense, focussed, bright, well defined. It teaches its values with passion; commits its young people to strong programmes of discipleship; induces high levels of commitment. It defines what is right and wrong in pretty clear terms; less so in practice than it might seem in preaching, but the values bus is pretty clearly labelled. The positive experience i have had of this tells me that lasers cut through; life is changed. People are picked out; salvation is real, worship intense.

The range of wavelengths though, is not so broad.

People tend to be drawn to one or two frequencies which dominate; and indeed these cultures tend to ask people to resonate around those frequencies. The power of this is bright, intense pencils of light.
There tend to be supporting systems around this (clear program of services etc) A technical description of creating lasers often uses words like 'pumping' and 'forcing' - and these cultures can sometimes feel a little forced. The culture around this can sometimes try to keep the 'level' there when its not really happening, can be slow to acknowledge the dynamics of seasons and times. 'Did I tell you it was wine, when really it was water?' as one song reflects on this.

(In saying that, though, I want to acknowledge that the focus associated with intensity of God experience can be powerful - and there is enough new wine in the experience that i can understand the tendency to want to stay expectant ... and i think i prefer it to losing the dynamism altogether which is perhaps the other end of that spectrum. )

(The balance here is perhaps to 'earnestly desire' as per the biblical instruction and example but not slip into grounding faith on current experience, or detached from an exploration of other dimensions what it means to be in the kingdom).

Compare all this with Rainbows.

The same energy is here distributed more diffusely. Less burning intensity; but more gentle displays of colour and goodness.

I could associate this with a less intense style of church, but what i really want to link it with is a different perspective on faith. One that is less centered around well defined cultural boundaries; and less inclined to centre itself around a supporting infrastructure of church services. One that is more inclined to see the fullness of what God is doing, in a bigger context; writ across the creation, including the spheres of work and culture; less narrowly defined than the laser, perhaps less intense, yet also wider.

Neither, i would say, is preferable.  Seems a common mistake for churches to settle down in the rhythms of the second, and still hope to reach young people; particularly those newly coming to faith
And equally, those who never move beyond the narrow boundaries that may have accompanied their first ecstatic experience of God; though the experience transformed; may perhaps find a cultural box that seems too restrictive, even oppressive for some.

Both approaches are needed; in balance with whatever calling one has i guess.

Exploring some of the tension between these - and moving from the first to second, is the theme of the next couple of posts; in part 2 there are some practical questions observations of how this plays out in family and default models of faith for children. Part 3 looks at the issue which has been very real for me; how is the world of work conceived and represented and understood in the church.

I suspect it will also lead to broader questions of what church is meant to be; how centralised should it be in conception and structure - probably posts 4 onwards ... but i haven't written them yet :)