"Our dull, culturally saturated churches have too often forgotten what and how to celebrate. The dull church goes through the liturgical motions mechanically, without passion. The dull church must ask itself, "Why theater/church at all?" In contrast, there are now megachurches in North America that, while far from dull, are unclear as to what is being celebrated. Some celebrate the physical facilities, others the music, and still others this or that therapeutic program. But the cry of Christian celebration is not "Eureka, I have found it" but "Eucharisto, He has found us!" The church, as the theater of the gospel, celebrates the good news that God is with us and for us.. The company of the gospel celebrates the body of Christ, given for us-celebrates being the body of Christ"
Kevin VanHoozer, "The Drama of Doctrine" (WJK, 2005), pg. 407
(HT: Daniel Romano)
1 comment:
In line with what VanHoozer is saying here, I can't help but think that "the dull church" has lost sight of the wonder of the Gospel-- that God would save rebellious, depraved people like us, and then change us and use us to glorify Himself. It is all too easy for churches to either assume the Gospel (that is, to assume that everyone in attendance already *knows* it) or to slowly begin focusing on things other than the Gospel (style of music, programs, color of carpet, etc.). This is death to a church, because the Gospel is the reason that the church exists in the first place (meaning, that if no sinners are saved, there is no church)!
I'm reminded, though, that it's all too easy for our own individual Christian lives to become "dull" too, for possibly the same reason(s) that churches become dull-- we forget, or take for granted, the wonder of the Gospel in our own lives. Perhaps, in some cases, this individual "forgetting" (or taking for granted of) of the Gospel, in each of our lives, is what ultimately leads to dull churches?
Post a Comment