echoes of redemption | steven dilla

There, I said it.

It’s not a dig - I think there are some incredible hymns. Strong lyrics, deep theology, layered history - cool stuff. But hymns make me yawn (literally) - I usually don’t make it through the first verse before this involuntary response kicks in. My wife laughs at it, because I’ll make it through an entire church service - even the day - without yawning… unless we sing a hymn.

More than likely, the problem has less to do with my biology and more to do with my preference in music… but it’s entertaining to watch either way.

I used to really struggle with churches I didn’t view as contemporary. 

Struggle is actually a weak word - I used to hate churches I didn’t view as contemporary. I saw them as antiquated. I saw them as foolish. I talked about how they were doing damage to the body of Christ.

This stage in my life went on for years. I was near venomous towards “traditional” churches, their congregants and especially their leaders. I went to a “good church” where we sang songs that sounded like stuff on the radio and where our building looked like an airport or shopping mall, not (gasp) a church! The bottom line frustration: they did church different.

As I prayed about this, one phrase from Scripture came to mind: “Why do you persecute me?” My negativity was tearing apart the Body of Christ, and I thought somehow I was doing Jesus favors. I thought that if we all looked the same - if we all did church the same - if we all looked like my little part of the body - the world be a better place. In reality it was one part of the body shouting to a completely different part: Be like me!

It took me the better part of a year and the help of a close friend to work through this. I had to drop all my little quips against these churches. I had to apologize to some people. Most of all, I had to let God change my heart so I could see these churches as vital parts of the Body of Christ - even if they would never be my style.

The final test was if I was humble enough not just to keep myself from going negative, but to actually be a positive influence for them - to support other types of churches. That if I met someone who I knew would fit better in the part of the body that sings hymns, even thought that wasn’t my thing, that I would recommend a traditional church - even talk it up as much as I would talk up my own church.

Until I was comfortable enough to support the whole body, how could I be a beneficial part of it?

This is part of my journey - how about yours?

Normally dtr’s are for dating couples - but after yesterday’s post, I think I have some defining the relationship to do as well. (Questions are lifted from the comments section, as of this morning.)

Is an acquaintance a relationship (that you should approach if they are wrong)?

For me, I work with what I have. If I don’t know someone well, but have some sort of relationship with them and God has laid it on my heart to speak to them - I run with it. I’ll often admit I don’t know them well, but felt led to talk. I’ll encourage them to respond if they want to, but to take it all with the wisdom of what God is doing in their life, and what their close friends are telling them.

What about someone who serves as a volunteer?

This one is easier. If someone is involved in ministry, they have placed themselves under the authority of the pastor that leads that church and ministry. If the volunteer needs to be approached by a pastor, Scripture is clear this is part of the pastoral relationship. (That doesn’t make the conversation easy, just the mandate to talk to them.)

Should we confront people we do not know, as we are all members of the Body of Christ?

I think there is a lot of flexibility on this. Yesterday, as I was writing, I was thinking back to the times in my life where someone who has no connection with me has stepped in and blasted me. These are the people that think they are the moral police of the world. In this case, I stand firmly by what I wrote yesterday.

However, I think there may be circumstances where someone outside of relationship, but familiar with us, genuinely wants to talk to us - to address something out of love. While I would see this as a possibility, and accept it, I have not experienced it.

The main thing for me is love. We have to love one another enough to approach each other, as well as enough to celebrate our differences (even if we will never see eye to eye. 

I love the quote Henry left in the comments a few days ago:  ”We can still walk hand in hand without seeing eye to eye.”

What would you add?

Yesterday I talked through some of my struggles with unity. Today I want to look at how I can maintain unity with others when someone is wrong in what they are doing. In yesterday’s post, I called it category two - when someone really is wrong. So, this is my plan of attack:

1. If I’m in relationship with this person, it is my duty as a brother in Christ to talk with them. It may be that there is more to the situation that I don’t understand. It may be that they need encouragement. Or correction. Or rebuking. 
2. If I’m not in relationship with them, I need to start with prayer. If I have no relationship with them, I have no business trying to hold them accountable. 

This is why it is so important for leaders to have strong relationships and accountability in their lives. When someone outside of relationship tries to tell us what we are “doing wrong,” it is called judging. When someone in relationship show us where we are wrong, and then helps us get right, it is called love. 

There is a big difference in how these two will present. When people outside relationship approach someone with a problem, they typically want to do all the talking - to show the person how messed up they are. When people inside relationship approach their friend with a problem, they want to have a conversation - to help the person make changes and grow.

The key example here is the person who blasts someone on their blog and the person who prayerfully has a conversation with a person to incite change. One is completely out of relationship and obviously does nothing more than tear another person down, the other leverages the relationship for restoration.

This can also give leaders peace. Even when others are tearing a leader down for what they are called to do, if the idea was birthed in community, and guarded by accountability, the leader can move forward with confidence. 

Unity involves two things - relationship and prayer. It means I get down and dirty in the relational circle God has given me, and it means I pray my heart out when I see someone outside of relationship who is struggling. If God does not open a pathway for me to form a relationship with the person, I have no business stirring disunity within the body.

What do you think?