With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #11.
At this charismatic church, most of the attendees were middle-aged adults. The few youth present weren’t engaged in the worship or the message, as they measured time until they could leave.
This disappointed me. They lacked the supernatural fire of their parents, who seem to have failed at passing their faith unto the next generation.
When I think of charismatic, several words come to mind: passionate, alive, and free. I didn’t see much of that, which left me confused. Sadly, this scenario would repeat at some of the other charismatic churches, too.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #10.
We attended this aging Baptist church on Fathers’ Day; they had a gift for all the dads: a book.
Although I appreciated a free book, needing to go forward to accept it was uncomfortable. Still, the gift of a book is a meaningful gesture to me.
Titled 199 Promises of God, it provided, without commentary, 199 verses from the Bible with the apparent theme: promises from God.
My excitement diminished when I saw it quoted the King James Version of the Bible. I don’t speak Old English and need to work hard to understand it.
Of course, the KJV is in the public domain in the United States, so using it avoids the need for the publisher to obtain permission and protects them from copyright violation.
As I read it, some of the verses, although offering encouraging thoughts, didn’t seem like promises at all.
Maybe the promises were too deeply disguised in the centuries-old verbiage or perhaps the editor wasn’t diligent enough in his selections.
Although the book is only a few thousand words long, I gave up before I finished it.
Overall, my experience at this church was positive, but my most lasting impression of them resides in this disappointing book.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
God’s Expectations May Surprise Us, but They Do Make Sense
As Micah wraps up his prophecy to the people of Israel, he slips in a profound thought. In one short sentence he tells what God requires of his people.
It’s succinct and simple. It’s startling but profound. Equally astonishing is what Micah doesn’t include in his list of things God requires.
God doesn’t say go to church, develop the right theology, or obey a bunch of rules. Yet these are some of the many things we put great importance on today.
We focus on these elements—and others like them—at the expense of what God requires.
What does God require from us? He wants us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with him (Micah 6:8).
Act Justly
We often hear the word justice, but we don’t often hear of acting justly. What does justly mean?
Here are some ideas. To act justly we should:
be honorable and fair in how we deal with others,
behave morally (that is, righteous), and
do all things properly.
Does this sound a lot like Jesus? It’s what he taught and how he acted. Yet we often forget to behave this way in our own lives. Instead we get caught up chasing secondary pursuits and even focusing on goals that don’t matter in God’s perspective.
Love Mercy
Another thing God requires is that we love mercy. This goes beyond merely showing mercy to others but to fully embrace mercy. Often people show mercy but do so in the begrudging way.
Their attitude is wrong. Though they show mercy, they don’t love it. In fact, they may hate it.
God wants us to love showing mercy to others. Isn’t that what he does for us? Shouldn’t we follow his example and do it for others?
Walk Humbly with God
Humility is a word we don’t hear very often anymore. In today’s culture, humility is no longer an esteemed characteristic. In truth most people look down on the humble and dismiss them.
Instead society embraces the bold, egotistical, and controversial. However, in God’s kingdom, this is the wrong perspective.
God requires us to walk humbly with him. And when we walk humbly with him, the natural outgrowth is humility toward others.
A Final Thought about What God Requires of Us
Though Micah directs these expectations of what God requires to the nation of Israel, these points are consistent with his character and more broadly applicable to us. Yet these fall short of a command for us to obey today.
Even so we are well advised to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. If God expected his people to do this thousands of years ago, is there any reason he doesn’t expect it from us today?
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #9.
In a word, the potluck at this church was epic. Between the delicious food and making connections, it remains a significant memory of our journey. Sharing a meal helps build community. And this church showed how it should be done.
Although an older congregation (which does not excite me), many of them act young (which does excite me). It’s a busy church, with lots of community outreach.
On the fourth Friday of each month, they hold a community dinner, which is legendary among area Christians.
With a guest speaker on the Sunday we visited, I wanted to make a return visit to meet their pastor and hear her speak, but a few months after our visit, she retired.
However, I do want to check out one of their community dinners. I suspect it will be like their church potluck, only more.
When we visited they had two Sunday morning services. Now they have just one. I wonder if they’ve lost members or attendance is down. I hope the situation is temporary.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly, and Hope in and Wait on God
As the prophet Micah gives a series of stinging rebukes against the nations of Israel and Judah, he takes a pause for some personal reflection.
As if keeping a journal, he wonders how he should approach God. With reverence, with offerings, with sacrifices? No. That is not what God wants.
God requires something much different, for him to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly.
Then Micah returns to his God-promoted discourse of doom. After a bit more invective, he becomes filled with remorse, saying, “What misery is mine?”
Micah then reflects some more, delving into a depressing bit of introspection, before confidently affirming that his hope is in God; Micah will wait and God will hear him.
So Micah’s personal prescription then becomes to: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly, and hope in and wait on God.
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #8.
My memories of this church are positive, and I want to revisit them. I even recommended it to someone who was looking for a church. However, her experience was disappointing.
Not a single person talked to her the entire time she was there: not before, not during, and not after. She entered the building not knowing anyone, and she left not knowing anyone.
Then I realized the reality of our visit. Aside from a brief conversation with a greeter when we arrived and an extended time talking with a couple who approached us just as we were leaving, they ignored us.
The rest of the time, few people even made eye contact and those who did, quickly looked away. We were all alone in a room full of people.
What turned an isolated experience into a memorable one was one couple who reached out to us as we headed to the door, after we’d given up on any meaningful conversation.
One couple made the difference between a happy, I-want-to-return memory and a lonely, never-going-back-again pain.
Consider how you can make a difference at your church. Then go do it.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
The Four Gospels Each Have a Story of a Woman Who Worships Jesus
Each of the four accounts of Jesus’s life—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—give a story about a woman who anoints Jesus with expensive perfume, but the details in each report vary.
It may be that this happens on four separate occasions. Or it could be the same story, with a few details that differ. Or it might be somewhere in between.
Matthew and Mark’s Version
Matthew and Mark’s accounts are the closest, with the only difference being who criticizes the woman for wasting expensive perfume: Matthew says it’s the disciples. Mark says it’s some people. Matthew and Mark likely cover the same event.
In these passages the woman anoints Jesus’s head. Some people think this symbolically prepares him for what he is about to endure: his death, burial, and resurrection.
John Says
In John’s version, the woman who anoints Jesus is Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, but in the other three reports, we don’t know the woman’s name.
John’s version is like Matthew and Mark’s, but one key difference is that this woman anoints Jesus’s feet, not his head as in the first two accounts.
Also, John names just one person who criticizes her: Judas Iscariot.
Last, John says that Martha is serving dinner in Jesus’s honor, so we assume it’s at her home, while Matthew and Mark say Jesus is hanging out at Simon the leper’s house.
In anointing Jesus’s feet, some people think this symbolically prepares him for ministry.
Luke’s Account of the Woman Who Anoints Jesus
Luke’s version differs the most. First, he calls her a sinful woman, something not even hinted at in the other three accounts. Next, his version takes place at a Pharisee’s home.
His name is Simon, but it doesn’t say he’s a leper. And there’s no mention of it being in Bethany, as with the other three versions.
In Luke’s story, a woman comes up behind Jesus as he reclines at the dinner table. She weeps at his feet, showing sorrow for her wayward actions.
Her tears fall on him and she uses her hair to dry his feet. Then she dumps her perfume on his feet.
In this account, the woman doesn’t receive criticism, but Jesus does. The Pharisee thinks that Jesus should have known the woman touching him is a sinner.
Jesus affirms the woman for washing his feet, something his host didn’t do. Then he forgives her for her many sins, confirms her saving faith, and sends her off in peace.
Luke’s account has enough differences that it’s likely a separate event.
What Really Counts
It doesn’t really matter if this event happened once, twice, three times, or even four. It also doesn’t matter where it happened or who was involved.
What counts is the lavish adoration given to Jesus. This woman or these women really know how to worship Jesus. May this passage inspire us to do the same.
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #7.
Churches typically spend the majority of their money (at least half, often quite a bit more) on staff compensation but not this church. The pastor of this church is a bivocational minister.
That means he has a regular job during the week and serves the church as a volunteer. This means they can direct much more of their money to help others and reach out into the community.
I applaud this bivocational minister. It’s closer to how the early church functioned and follows the model of Paul in the Bible (Acts 20:34).
I wish more churches and church leaders would follow the example of this pastor, Paul, and what I read in the Bible.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Live a Life of Obedience and Without Regret to Finish Strong
Most people know the story of Jonah: God sends Jonah to help Nineveh. But Jonah gets in a boat headed in the opposite direction. God sends a storm to get Jonah’s attention.
Jonah implores the crew to throw him overboard in order to calm the storm.
After some prodding they toss him into the water. A fish swallows Jonah. God gives Jonah a three-day timeout. He has a near death experience. The fish spits out Jonah on dry land. Then Jonah obeys God.
But what happens between the crew throwing Jonah into the sea and the fish swallowing him? Jonah nearly drowns. It isn’t as if the fish is hanging out by the boat waiting to rescue Jonah.
No, Jonah goes in the water and fights to survive. He flails as long as he can. Out of strength he can fight no longer. He sinks. Water fills his lungs. He can’t breathe. Jonah is dying.
His life flashes before his eyes. Then the fish comes and saves him. He doesn’t die after all.
How do I know this? I don’t. But Jonah’s prayer to God suggests his watery rescue comes at the last possible moment. He says, “When my life was ebbing away…,” (Jonah 2:7).
In other words, he is about to die. His final thoughts are of God and God’s holy temple.
Jonah prays. He affirms God and promises to make good. Jonah acknowledges that salvation comes from God – in this case, his salvation is both literal and figurative.
When we get to the end of our life, what will we think about? Will our final thoughts be filled with regret over unfinished business and disobedience? Will we recall good times with family and friends?
Perhaps we will anticipate eternity with God. Or maybe we will pray. Will our final prayer be one of desperation or of peace?
Living in obedience to God and without regret is the surest way to make sure we finish this life strong. Then God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
The book of Obadiah in the Bible contains a prophecy about the nation of Edom.
Among other things, Edom is criticized for their pride. The primary issue, however, is not what they did, but what they didn’t do. Theirs is not an act of commission, but of omission.
Specially, the gripe that God has for them is for violence afflicted on the nation of Judah. Not that Edom actually committed the violence, but that they merely stood by and watched as other nations did it.
For this they are destined to be “covered with shame” and “destroyed forever.” That is a harsh judgment for doing nothing. There is no forgiveness offered to Edom and no restoration recorded; just punishment.
This shows us God’s heart for us to act justly and his displeasure for those who stand idly by and not helping those in trouble.
When we see someone in need, someone being taken advantage of or being treated unfairly, do we take action to assist or stand aloof like Edom?
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
