Update #4
Sabbatical
Hello all,
I'm really thankful for another good week in Florida, but I've been gone long enough that I'm counting down the days till we come home. This week we had the privilege of fellowship with another good church and meeting with another faithful pastor and his wife. I also have been able to stick with my plan for reading, but since I didn't finish Coppenger's book on prayer, I'll hold off on my "review" (though I will mention that I've already found it beneficial; I'm fairly certain that anyone who uses the book as it's designed would find profit for his or her prayer life). So in consideration of the blessings of our time in (now three) sister churches and with brother pastors, I have three responses.
My first response is thankfulness. In the world around us it seems sometimes that there is only bad news. That's the news that gets us riled up and draws our clicks, views, comments, and shares. And if we're not careful, we might start to believe that bad news is the only kind of news for the church as well. Churches out there are struggling and failing and compromising, "and I, even I only, am left." But Dr. Warren was exactly right as he expounded the end of Colossians 1 this Lord's Day: stuff like gospel outreach and discipleship training and faithful, Christlike suffering for the truth of the gospel are happening around the world and here in the U.S. The Lord Jesus is building his church. We are not alone.
My second response is longing for unity in Christ's church. I know there are legitimate reasons for separating from professing Christians and churches. Apostasy is real and a serious threat. BUT, laying aside that conversation for a moment, let's focus instead on the threat of illegitimate separation/disunity among the true people of God. In a time when we need each other as much as, or maybe more than, ever, I fear that the people of God are fighting instead of uniting, and over things that are secondary or tertiary. If we're holding to the true God, his Word and his Gospel, it's okay if we're not in agreement on every other matter. Again, I know that there is another conversation implied in that last statement: i.e., what matters are included under the umbrella of the Gospel? And I'm happy to have that conversation later. But for now, let me just say that there are many things that are different about the three churches we've visited so far. Their music was different, from ours at Calvary and from each other's. Frankly, I'd choose ours over theirs; but I could be happy and totally engaged in a church that has a different musical style from Calvary. And the preaching styles are all different from mine; but if our commitment is to the Bible and not to a particular gifting, style, or personality, then it's possible to be as excited about different preachers as about your favorite preacher. That's why I wanted Calvary to have the chance to sit under Dr. Warren's ministry for four months. I know his style and personality are different from mine, and that's a good thing. Different preacher, same Bible. And the Bible should be the main thing.
And my third response is commitment in covenant. I just said that I could be happy and totally engaged in a church that's different from Calvary. I didn't just say that for effect, but I have no intention to look for another church. Calvary is my favorite. And it's my favorite precisely because you're my family in covenant, not because everything we do is my favorite. It's like the marriage covenant, like Janna saying I'm her favorite. That doesn't mean there is no one who loves or serves his wife as well as I do. It really has more to do with Janna's commitment to me than my commitment to her. And in the same way, I know that Calvary is not perfect; being my favorite is about my commitment to her. You're family. In a consumer culture, folks are too ready to leave one church for a "better" one, and there very well may be a "better" one. That's not the point.
Let me try to tease out each of these last two responses with a couple of scenarios.
My preference would be that every member of Calvary stay a member of Calvary at least until I'm gone. I love you and want you to stay, but I know that for the sake of his glory and Gospel, God does move people. Some he sends out as missionaries. Some he moves by job transfers or opportunities, though that would still be for the sake of the Gospel. And in those situations, folks (maybe even you) may find themselves in the position where they should covenant with a new church family. Maybe it's a church that's not (initially) your favorite. Maybe it's a church that doesn't suit your preferences, that has a style that you like less than Calvary. For the sake of the unity of Christ's body, you join and enthusiastically engage in your new (favorite) church.
Conversely, some folks may think about leaving a church for stylistic preferences. If it's a church that holds to the true God and his Word and his Gospel, I'm not sure when it becomes okay to leave. And I mean that literally. I'm not saying there's not a time it's okay to leave. I'm saying I don't know when it would be. It certainly should not be quick or easy. It should be only after a serious seeking of the Scriptures and the Lord in prayer. And if you don't find anything pertinent in the Scriptures, I'm not sure it's okay to say that the Lord's spoken to you another way to let you know you can leave. You're committed by covenant.
All of this is to say, again, that I'm thankful for the Lord's Church, and I'm thankful for his church at Calvary, and I'm thankful we start making our way home to see you in about a week.
Jesus, I am resting, resting
in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
of thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon thee,
as thy beauty fills my soul,
for by thy transforming power,
thou hast made me whole.
By His Grace & For His Glory,
Jeff
Jeff Tague
