HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-23, Page 12By Pastor Brent KipferBrussels Mennonite FellowshipThe Christian church used toenjoy a cozy relationship with the
public institutions of our nation.
For more than a thousand years,
church and state worked hand-in-
glove throughout the western world.
government upheld key interests of
the church: public events included
Christian prayers and symbols,
businesses were closed on Sundays
and children received Bible
teaching in school.
There was a broadly shared
religious culture that offered great
respect (even prestige!) to church
leaders and encouraged church
attendance as a mark of good
citizenship.
The church (with some
exceptions) viewed itself as an ally
to government: nurturing national
loyalty and patriotism, offering
blessing to various projects and
even assisting in war recruitment
efforts. Almost everyone would
have said that they lived in a
“Christian country.”
This marriage between culture,
church and state – known as
“Christendom” – has been in
decline for the past two hundred and
fifty years. Many Christians and
churches grieve this, wistful for a
time when the church was closer to
the centre of our society.
Christendom has produced great
church architecture, masterpieces of
art and music like Handel’s Messiah
and Leonardo daVinci’s Last
Supper.
It offered a common language to
talk about values and ethics within
the culture. Still, Christendomcame at a high price:1) It tended to produce shallowconversions. If almost everyone in
a nation is considered “Christian,”
there is little expectation that
following Jesus would be different
than simply being a good citizen.
The radical call of Jesus gets
reduced to a general admonition to
be nice.
2) It was based on coercive
power rather than on the love of
Jesus revealed on the cross.
This led to terrible distortions of
the gospel: “Christian” armies
forcing conquered European tribes
to march through rivers in order to
“baptize” them, Canadian
aboriginal children suffering in an
abusive residential school system,
and Muslim cultures who – because
of the Crusades – came to see
Christianity as a religion of the
sword instead of a movement of
grace and peace.
3) Its focus on institution-
building and stability tended to
create a church concerned more
about self-preservation than an
eagerness to offer the freedom of
Jesus Christ to those outside its
boundaries. Many of the old waysof “doing church” no longer seemsufficient for the mission that Godhas given us in the world.
In many ways, Christendom feels
like ancient history. Bibles are no
longer given out at Canadian
citizenship ceremonies. Still, the
legacy of Christendom is very much
with us.
More than 75 per cent of
Canadians identify themselves as
Christians – but only 16 per cent say
that they are connected to the
church. In other words, 59 per cent
prefer Christianity without the
church! Clearly the church has lost
the trust of countless people. When
fictional works like The DaVinci
Code make absurd suggestions
about Jesus and his followers, many
are inclined to take it as fact –
largely because they believe that the
organized church is capable of any
deception!
The old thinking of Christendom
divided the world into nations that
were Christian and those that were
not. A great irony of the past
century is that the movement of
Jesus-followers has been exploding
in countries once considered
“heathen” even while the churchloses steam in Europe and in muchof North America. I do not believe that disciples of
Jesus should despair at the
crumbling of Christendom. In fact,
I believe that it offers fresh
opportunities to demonstrate the
power of God. Throughout history,
the church has been most vibrant at
times and places when it was not
endorsed by the ruling powers.
For the first three centuries after
Jesus rose from the dead, his friends
and followers risked death because
they proclaimed that He is Lord andnot Caesar. The gospel spread likewildfire. After 60 years ofcommunism, the church in China
has grown from one million
believers to a hundred million.
We do not need political power to
put our trust in the faithfulness of
God, to walk with humility as we
share the incredible news of Jesus
Christ with our neighbours or to see
the Holy Spirit do new things in our
churches and communities.
In fact, I believe that we are far
better without it!
PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2009.From the Minister’s StudySome thoughts on the fall of Christendom
You are invited to
FRIEND
SUNDAY
on Sunday July 26
at 10 am
at the Blyth Lions Park
Message by:
Pastor John Kuperus
Music by:
Worship Pastor Tim Kauffman
“The River CRC” Allegan, MI.
Bring a lawn chair
Nursery available during the service
Join us for a picnic lunch
after the service
Sponsored by:
Blyth Christian Reformed Church
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, July 26
Brussels Arena
at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, July 26
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Sunday, July 26
Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Coffee is on at 10:30 a.m.
Theme: “Constructing a Healthy Faith”
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C
H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
See you
Sunday!
Worship Service
10:30 a.m.
for July and August
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JULY 26
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Interdenominational Service
at Brussels Conservation Area
on Sunday, July 26 at 11 am
Everyone welcome.
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School is cancelled for
the summer months
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
UPCOMING
SUMMER EVENTS
August 17-21
“Athletes in Action”
Soccer Camp
Ages 7-12
Cost:
$110.00
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow
519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
Sun., July 26: 2 Samuel 5:17ff
“David’s
Battle-sized Coach”
Communion, Potluck
Evangelical Missionary Church
NOTE: Joint worship at
Blyth Community Church of God
JULY - AUGUST 10:30 am
Community-wide Vacation Bible School
July 27-31 9 am -noon
at Blyth Christian Reformed Church:
Son Rock Kids Camp
Bible Stories, Crafts, Skits, Games, Songs