Jesus Wants Us to Live in Unity but Instead Our Manmade Denominations Divide Us
I recently attended a friend’s ordination ceremony who had graduated from seminary and became a minister. It’s not the first such occasion I attended, and it won’t likely be the last. It was, however, the first time I really listened to what took place.
Integrated into the liturgy of the proceedings were a series of questions posed to the new minister. Early on one of the queries caught my attention.
I’ll purposely not quote the question to hide the identity of the guilty denomination, but I will paraphrase it.
In essence the denomination asked the young minister to pledge his loyalty to it and do his best to promote its mission locally and around the world.
My friend’s expected response affirmed his willingness to do so.
I don’t think I would have agreed to such a condition. Shouldn’t we pledge our loyalty to God and do our best to promote his mission locally and around the world?
With 42,000 Protestant denominations, why does each one work so hard to preserve and promote its own brand of Christianity, often at the expense of others? Why not ditch the denomination and instead work hard to promote Christ?
With this still bouncing around in my brain, a second item caught my attention as the ceremony wound down. In this part of the proceedings, my friend promised to take various actions.
One such action has him pursuing unity within the church. My friend promised to do so.
Assuming that by church those words refer to the universal church of Jesus, as opposed to the denomination, I see a contradiction of intent, that my friend promised to pursue two mutually exclusive goals.
Our Protestant denominations divide us, whereas Jesus wants us to be one, to get along with each other, and to live in unity (John 17:21, 23). When we consider this carefully, our manmade denominations are the antithesis of the unity Jesus prays for.
If my friend would indeed pursue unity as he promised, he should seek to dismantle the denomination, because its very existence opposes unity.
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.
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Jesus Uses Narrative to Inform Us About His Father’s Kingdom
Jesus uses parables—“an earthly story with a heavenly meaning,” as I learned in Sunday school—to teach us about the kingdom of God. We are part of the kingdom of God, and we need to do a better job of acting like it.
Some of Jesus’s parables appear in two or three of the biographies of Jesus, and others, in just one. Interestingly, John does not include any parables in his biography of Jesus.
Here are the parables the Bible records for us, along with a brief summary for each one:
The Two Debtors: The person forgiven of the greater debt is more appreciative (Luke 7:41–43).
The Pharisee and the Publican: One man exalts himself before others, while another humbles himself before God (Luke 18:9–14).
The Evil Judge: A judge eventually gives a poor woman justice to stop her from bugging him (Luke 18:1–8).
The Master and Servant: Servants work and do their jobs without receiving thanks or honor (Luke 17:7–10).
The Unjust Steward: A man about to lose his job abuses his authority to gain favor from others (Luke 16:1–13).
The Rich Man and Lazarus: The poor Lazarus dies and goes to heaven; a rich man dies and goes to hell (Luke 16:19–31).
The Lost Coin: A woman loses one coin and diligently searches until she finds it (Luke 15:8–9).
The Prodigal Son / the Lost Son: One son is dutiful; the other son leaves home, wastes his money, and returns home in defeat, but receives a party from his dad (Luke 15:11–32). Read more about the Prodigal Son.
The Wedding Feast: People assume a place of honor at a party and are embarrassed; others don’t and are elevated (Luke 14:7–14).
Counting the Cost: Don’t build a building if you’re not sure you can pay for it; don’t go to war unless you think you can win (Luke 14:28–33).
The Barren Fig Tree: A fig tree that produces no fruit receives a second chance, but not endless chances (Luke 13:6–9).
The Rich Fool: A rich man built bigger barns to store his wealth so he could take it easy, but he died the next day (Luke 12:16–21).
The Friend at Night: A man pounds on his neighbor’s door for help in the middle of the night (Luke 11:5–8).
The Good Samaritan: A man goes to great risk to help another in need (Luke 10:25–37).
The Tares: Weeds grow in the field and will be separated from the grain and then burned after the harvest (Matthew 13:24–30).
The Pearl: A man sells everything to buy a pearl of great value (Matthew 13:45–46).
Drawing in the Net: All fish are caught in a fishnet. The good ones are kept and the bad ones discarded (Matthew 13:47–50).
The Hidden Treasure: A man discovers buried treasure and then buys the property so he can have it (Matthew 13:44).
The Unforgiving Servant: A man is punished after he is forgiven of a large debt but then refuses to forgive a small debt owed to him (Matthew 18:23–35).
The Workers in the Vineyard: All men receive a full day’s wage regardless of how many hours they work (Matthew 20:1–16).
The Two Sons: One son tells his father he won’t work and then does; the other son promises to work and then doesn’t (Matthew 21:28–32).
The Ten Virgins: Ten girls anticipate a party. Some are prepared to wait and they get in; the ones who aren’t prepared miss out. (Matthew 25:1–13).
The Sheep and the Goats: A shepherd separates his sheep from his goats (Matthew 25:31–46).
The Growing Seed: A man plants seeds, but he can’t control what happens to them (Mark 4:26–29).
A synopsis of each parable is given, but their meanings are for you to consider. May each one guide us into living the life Jesus wishes us to live.
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.
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People Complain About Things That Matter to Them; Silence Reveals Apathy
When a customer complains about a business, the astute businessperson knows to embrace it as an opportunity. The fact that the customer is complaining means they’re still a customer, and they’re simply providing a chance for improvement.
After all, if they no longer view themselves as a customer, why would they bother to share their concerns? They gripe, because at some level, they still care.
They may post a rant on social media, grouse to all their friends, or contact customer service to demand a resolution. But regardless of their approach they yearn for a better outcome than what they experienced.
This is because deep down they want a business relationship and hope for it to improve.
I’m a lot like that when it comes to the universal church, the church of Jesus. I complain about his church because I care. In fact, I complain a lot because I care a lot. The church that Jesus’s followers started could be so much more than what it is. It should be so much more than what it is.
Not everyone agrees with me, though. In fact most people don’t. They’re basically happy with the church status quo and how she operates. They essentially like the way things function and the traditions they have.
They still embrace the basic tenets of today’s church meetings: a Sunday service with music, a lecture, and a collection. Maybe the church will even tack on a social time: call it a Christian happy hour with coffee.
And if they get mad or hurt or disillusioned, they’ll act like consumers and take their business to another church, one that behaves in a manner more aligned with their preferences, expectations, and experiences. But most will still attend church.
A few, however, will drop out. Though they leave the church, they usually don’t leave God. Contrary to what some people think, church attendance doesn’t equate to having faith in God.
These church dropouts still love Jesus; it’s his people and their unexamined practices that drive them crazy.
Just as people can go to church and not have faith, they can just as easily not go to church and retain their faith. It’s not that they don’t like church; it’s that they sense she is broken.
Though I go to a typical, modern church, I agree with these folks who have a sense that today’s church isn’t working as it should, that we’re missing the point of what it means to truly follow Jesus.
Though I don’t have a solution, I do have ideas. That’s what this blog is about. Stay tuned for more in the Sunday posts to come, because I have much more to say. After all, I write about the church because I care about her.
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.
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Most Christians Carry Unexamined Criteria that Others Must Agree with Before They’re Accepted
I was once interviewed for a volunteer position at my church. The pair of interviewers cranked through a series of pre-assigned theological questions to determine my supposed worthiness to lead.
For some queries the answers were straightforward; others, not so much.
On these tougher questions, instead of responding with simplistic answers, I shared a more complex perspective, one packed with more questions but backed by biblical support.
I answered with shades of gray, but my inquisitors wanted black and white responses. I knew what they wanted to hear, but instead I was honest.
I suppose that in a sense I should have responded with the religious equivalent of political correctness.
For my candor I earned a one-on-one meeting with the senior pastor. He had five areas where he sought clarification. We worked through the first four without issue; he accepted my grayscale answers.
Though I don’t remember what it was, the fifth area was problematic. As he drilled down I realized I was at a tipping point. If I gave the pat answer he wanted to hear I was in. If I vacillated, I was out.
I wanted to serve my church in this capacity and, more importantly, I felt God had called me to do so—more succinctly, he told me to.
With only a tinge of guilt I gave the easy answer that would assure my acceptance. Pastor smiled and shook my hand. I was in. I passed his spiritual litmus test.
We all have spiritual litmus tests. Though I try not to, I know I do. So do you. Of a larger concern, churches have their litmus tests, too. These litmus tests are why our world is saddled with 42,000 Protestant denominations.
After all, if we agreed on everything there would be no reason to take the unbiblical step of separating from one another, of dividing the church that Jesus prayed would experience unity.
While most everyone draws a spiritual line in the sands of theology that cannot be crossed, none of this should matter.
Whether it’s disagreeing about baptism, communion, which version of the Bible is best, the song selection, pews or chairs, the color of the lobby, or even if men need to wear ties to church, Jesus wants us to be one.
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.
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Being Active at Church May Seem a Wise Use of Time, but It’s Often Misplaced Action
One Sunday at church I passed our associate pastor as I scurried from one assignment to the next. “How are you?” he asked.
Instead of lying with a socially acceptable response, I told him the truth. “Busy.” I sighed.
As I scampered away he gave an approving nod with a knowing smile. “As long as you’re busy about the right things.” He even raised his eyebrows for emphasis.
Even though I returned his nod and his smile, I knew he was wrong. I was too busy.
This happened as a young twentysomething. A decade or so later, I hadn’t learned my lesson. Being between pastors, my church (a different one) needed me.
In addition to volunteering for things that interested me, I also said “yes” to whatever it asked.
I thought that being busy for God was my duty, a way to show him my love and devotion.
At the height of my folly I served in ten roles. I was in several leadership positions, served on committees, and had a prime teaching assignment.
These kept me busy on Sunday mornings and several evenings each week. I was the guy who made things happen.
There wasn’t much that occurred there I didn’t know about.
I wore my busyness as a badge of honor, and I shortchanged my family in the process. I was busy, too busy.
Wisely I phased out of my responsibilities. I began to say “no” to new ones. At first I declined with a heap of guilt, but eventually “no” empowered me. I began to feel free. I spent more time with family – and with God.
Now I have established some guidelines to keep me from overcommitment, three simple rules: Be involved in only one role at church.
Volunteer for only one activity in my community. And no more than one evening away from home per week.
Though I’m yet to find a place where I fit at my present church, I do enjoy a weekly volunteer opportunity to give to others. And these things seldom take me away from family in the evenings.
It’s a good balance, and I’m glad to not be so busy.
I can’t find a single place in the Bible where God commands us to be busy for him. What he does want is for us to worship him, be in relationship with him, and put him first.
But putting church first is not the same has making God first.
God doesn’t reward us for our many church activities. Though the cause may be noble, the activity is misplaced.
We honor God best when we put him first, not by being busy for him.
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.
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If Church Doesn’t Provide Meaningful Connection, Then You Need to Fix It or Find a Different Church
Despite being the most connected generation, Millennials are also reportedly the loneliest. It seems their massive number of online friends and followers offer them only superficial relationships that lack meaningful interaction.
They crave connections with others that touches them at a significant level, but social media falls short in accomplishing this deep heartfelt need.
That’s why “hanging out with friends” seems to be their favorite, most desired activity.
I think that’s what church is all about. Or at least that’s what it should be all about.
The early church spent time together. We need to reclaim this, not just for the Millennials, but for our own wellbeing, too.
But hanging out doesn’t mean passive pew sitting, staring at the back of people’s heads for an hour. True community can’t occur when listening to the Sunday lecture that we call a sermon.
Meaningful connection with each other doesn’t happen during the concert-like atmosphere we label as worship, where a couple of skilled musicians attempt to lead a largely unresponsive throng in singing.
And don’t get me started on the disingenuous greeting time wedged into the middle of a service: it is too long for the socially challenged and too short for meaningful interaction.
This opportunity for true, meaningful community does not take place during the church service; it occurs after the benediction. When the final “amen” is uttered the clock-watchers flee, and a few people hang out to talk. Every church has a few of these folks.
Though they may be the social butterflies, they may also be the ones who understand why we are supposed to not give up meeting together (Hebrews 10:25). They seek profound community.
Although this time of hanging out could reside on the surface, talking about safe (and meaningless) topics, such as the weather, the game, or the Sunday dinner menu, the wise people focus on discussions that matter.
We listen to each other on the heart level. We minister to and serve one another, we pray and are prayed for, and we encourage and are encouraged.
When we do this, we prepare ourselves and our church community for the week ahead so that we can go out into our greater community and be Jesus to them.
True church community is the key to make this happen. Don’t let the official church service get in the way.
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.
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The Modern Church Is Geared Toward Women and Men Don’t Fit
I have known the title for this post for a long time. In my heart I knew it was true, but I struggled to articulate why. Now I can.
I read David Murrow’s book Why Men Hate Going to Church hoping to understand why I struggle so with church attendance. Though it’s no one’s fault (and yet we are all complicit), the Christian church is a place where women thrive and men die.
In most all that it does—from décor, to language, to programs, to music, to sermons—today’s church provides what women crave, while offering little that appeals to men. The church says to guys, “Check your testosterone at the door.”
This explains why women make up the majority of church attendees. In going to more than one hundred churches, I’ve never been to one with more males than females.
That’s because church is for girls. It really is. If you don’t believe me read Why Men Hate Going to Church. (The book also explains how to fix it.)
Clearly, the church repels the Wild at Heart guys. Yet, I’m not a wild at heart kind of guy, at least not in a conventional sense. I assert my masculinity in non-stereotypical ways. I see myself as a spiritually militant misfit:
I am an advocate who pushes the envelope for change, yet the church is adverse to change. There is no place for my voice.
I am a thought leader who pursues innovation, yet the church wants lay leaders it can control. It doesn’t want me.
I am a person who challenges the status quo, yet the church institution exists to maintain the status quo and suppress dissension. It fears what I represent.
I am a spiritual seeker who probes issues that most don’t consider, yet the church hates questions that lack pat answers. It shuns me because I am spiritually impertinent.
I am a follower of Jesus who yearns to take spiritual risks, yet the church wants to be a safe place that doesn’t confront the unexamined theology of its members. My risk-taking perspective isn’t wanted.
I once actually found a church that encouraged me in these things. It was a church plant.
We made change normal, pursued innovation, constantly challenged the status quo, encouraged questions, and embraced risk. In many ways we followed The Barbarian Way, and I thrived.
Incidentally, David Murrow says the one instance where men find a place is in church plants. I get that. I was alive at this new church.
Yet over time, decision by decision, the church became civilized. It instituted structure and limited me. It became more and more like the thing it sought to break free from.
I no longer fit. I slowly withered. I didn’t want to go to church there anymore.
“The church has emasculated me,” I told my wife. (That hurt me to say.)
“But you let it,” she answered. (That hurt me to hear.)
“It’s only because I so badly wanted to fit in and be accepted.” (That hurt me to admit.)
But in the end, I don’t so much like this person I’ve become, and the church still doesn’t want me.
After all, church is geared for girls, and I’m a guy.
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.
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Having a Regular Sabbath Provides an Opportunity to Rest and Recharge
The dictionary defines recreation as a time of refreshment for our mind or body through the use of an activity that amuses or stimulates; an activity that provides refreshment. More simply, recreation is to play.
After working hard for the workweek, people seek recreation on the weekend, and with Saturday often packed with more work, that leaves Sunday as the only day left for recreation.
Many people pack Sunday full of recreation, so much that they return to work on Monday exhausted. Doesn’t that defeat the goal of recreation?
Or consider recreation another way. Synonyms for recreation include regeneration, rebirth, restoration, and leisure. Does that provide a bit more insight into what our Sunday recreation might look like?
What if we insert a hyphen into the word to get re-creation? Then we can see our Sundays as a day to re-create ourselves. We do this by resting, refocusing, and recharging.
Yet none of these things happen when I go to church on Sunday. In fact, I view my chance for much needed Sunday recreation as what happens after I go to church. I delay my weekly recreation until after I fulfill my weekly obligation to attend a worship service.
Thankfully our practices have changed from two Sunday services down to one, leaving only one requirement to interrupt my recreation.
I can envision Jesus shaking his head in dismay, wondering if I’ve forgotten his words: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” Mark 2:27, NIV.
Indeed I have forgotten, or at least I need frequent reminders.
We need to stop pursuing our Sunday church attendance with legalistic furor and start re-envisioning our worship services as a time of holy recreation. God does not expect us to serve the Sabbath but for the Sabbath to serve us.
Now we just need to figure out how to do that.
May today be a day of holy recreation for you.
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.
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The Root Cause of Conflict is Our Egos, Even When We Hide Our Agenda by Citing Scripture
In Numbers 12 we see a story of sibling rivalry, one at a spiritual level.
Moses, the leader of the Israelites, is confronted by his sister, Miriam, aided by his brother, Aaron. The two pair up to oppose their younger brother, Moses, the guy who ran away for forty years and abandoned his people.
They had stuck around. They had suffered in Egypt while Moses had escaped.
Though Moses does return and lead the people, the older siblings, especially Miriam, wants greater recognition for the supporting role they play in this. Though her motivation is selfish, Miriam tries to make it spiritual.
She asserts that God speaks to her and Aaron, just as God does with Moses. Maybe God does; maybe God doesn’t. Though there could be some truth to her claim, the Bible says little to confirm this. We don’t know for sure.
At this point in the story, the Bible slips in a parenthetical note. It confirms the deep humility of Moses. The implication is that Moses makes no effort to defend himself or squash her uprising. He leaves it in God’s hands.
God reacts swiftly, putting Miriam (and Aaron) in their place and affirming Moses as his chosen leader.
We see this same type of conflict today with brothers and sisters opposing one another, in both their biological families and spiritual families, the church.
Though usually dressed in spiritual attire, these church conflicts are often (perhaps, always) about ego: selfish motives, greed, and pride. We want our way; we desire more power; we crave recognition.
Even when we quote verses and project pure motives, the reality is that we want to be right, which means we want to prove others wrong. It’s about ego.
Churches split over such conflicts. Christians even kill one another because of such polarized disagreements. Each time we harm the cause of Jesus.
While it would be great if God would take immediate action in today’s disputes, just as he did in the case of Miriam and Aaron versus Moses, he does not. I suspect he’s hoping we will learn from this and one day grow up.
I think the key is that we need to react like Moses, from a place of true humility.
Though our society dismisses the humble, a humble spirit pleases God. That should be our ultimate goal, especially in the face of conflict.
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.
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Men Flounder When They Lack Godly Examples to Follow
I recently blogged about a felt need I have for a spiritual role model. Although I presently lack one, I have had them in the past. Almost all have been female. That’s not a complaint just an observation.
I’m thankful for these women who have guided me and inspired me, setting an example in how to live as Jesus in today’s society. But where are the guys?
Christian men fall into two extremes. On one end we have the over-the-top adventurer, the adrenaline junkies, delayed adolescence, machismo to the max, men who act like boys, and the fast and furious.
We see this manifest in the size, speed, power, and cost of their toys, an unhealthy preoccupation with sports, and their man caves. This is not God-honoring masculinity as he created men to be.
This is irresponsibility and selfishness. And society has made them this way.
On the other side we see emasculated males. This is graphic but true. They are passive in most all things, especially when it comes to spirituality and family.
They fear reproach, persist in political correctness, and are quiet when they should speak out.
They put on false smiles when their insides are dying. They dare not talk about their struggles, their worries, and their pains.
These men yearn for a respect that eludes them—because their actions don’t deserve it. And the church has made them this way.
So here I am, stuck in the middle, avoiding the first extreme while striving not to get sucked into the second. If only I had someone to show me the way.
I have no solutions to share, but I do have a call to action.
Men
I urge you to avoid both extremes, to seek this middle ground of balancing the world’s macho view with the church’s impotent alternative in order to find a biblical, godly center of maleness.
Women
Encourage the men in your life to pursue what God is calling them to become. Then don’t interfere.
Though nagging and manipulation are an understandable response to inaction, these tactics won’t help and will only worsen the situation. Be part of the solution.
Together we can figure this out. The world needs us to.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
